Monday, October 29, 2012

Farewell from the Refugee!

So, the journey ended a bit sooner than I expected. As much as I imagine you all guessed correctly. , Guild Wars 2 knocked me off my feet and has since kept me enthralled in a way I can't remember since... I dunno, Dynasty Warriors. Which if you know me personally, you'll know that is quite the feet. Not even World of Warcraft or City of Heroes made this big of an impact.

It was one of those feelings that even though I wanted to write for this blog, the joy of playing Guild Wars 2 was greater than exercising my creative outlet here. So for a month and a half now ( I think ), I've been playing Guild Wars 2 in my spare time every chance I get. It's good - very good. I won't take the time to write a review because so many others have already done so. My personal favorite is this:


He says pretty much everything I feel. And the World versus World versus World issues he mentions later have since been fixed. It's outstanding how great this game is. And one of the best parts is the total and complete lack of a subscription fee. Unlike City of Heroes or Champions Online, I don't feel guilt if I don't sign into GW2 each day. So not only is the game genuinely fun, but I don't feel any sort of obligation to log in. I log in because I want to. That's key.

RP.. I've found it lacking. I'll admit that. It's the dating scene sort that haunted Pocket D on Virtue, which isn't something I do. There are probably groups like Titan Industries on my GW2 unofficial RP server, but I've yet to find them - just gotta dig a little deeper. So far, I've just been soaking up the amazing game mechanics. RP can come later.

Lastly, I'm still keeping my Champions sub. In a pinch, Champions Online is the only spiritual successor to City of Heroes. It's the only place I can roll a space marine or an elven wizard and not have to switch games. So, much like City.. if I get a killer character concept, I run to Champions. If I want to fly around a modern City and smash costumes goons - Champions is still king.

But for an extremely well crafted game with killer PvP and amazing lore with mind numblingly awesome gameplay to boot? Guild Wars 2 kills everything else in it's way.

It's that good, and where I'll be for a long time to come.

Thanks for those that kept up with the blog. If you decide to look me up on Guild Wars 2, I'm on the Tarnished Coast (US) server. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Champions Online (White Out #2)

Sorry for the delays, all. I had a surprise early birthday gift from my wife's parents that just happened to be:


So, expect future updates to include my time in Tyria.

But we're here to talk about White Out, Issue 2! So let's roll!


The second issue begins with Sgt. Blair talking to me about his capture when another Sgt. Blair walks up. The two argue about who the real Blair is, when the imprisoned Blair points out that he was trapped here the entire time. Blair #2 shape shifts into a Roin'esh Commander (Super villain) and puts up a decent fight. Thankfully, Invulnerability shrugs off his attacks while I pump him full of mini-gun rounds and laser blasts.


As he falls, we get word to check in with Ice Station Alpha, which the storm has recently struck. They're aware of the incoming storm and alien threat, and a Steelhead officer was dispatched to secure the perimeter and find out who is actually who they say they are. As I approach, the storm becomes more furious and it becomes difficult to see.

Douglas McKenzie tells me I'm to interview the staff, and upon accepting, he gives me a paragraph or so describing each staff member. It's easy to see I need to pay attention to both this screen (and the next) and to what the staffers will say when I talk to them.

I head off to the first building, which's door is already surrounded by Roin'esh. Promising. I can't really see them until I stumble right on top of them, which is somewhat startling but fun. I take them out without too much trouble.


Once inside, the music changes to a very ominous tone. The environments are stunning. For a guy that looks like Samus Aran and happens to be fighting highly organic looking space aliens, I feel right at home.


I talk all the staffers, and find that of the six... Frank Steel's dialogue feels off. I radio McKenzie and... accidentally turn in the wrong person. I'm playing with an Xbox 360 controller at this point and totally hit the wrong button. Well, crap. I guess this person might be safer in prison, eh? Let's hope so. With no way to undo it, I head out toward building #2.

Exiting the building, I'm immediately ambushed by more Roin'esh. I take them out and cut across an open area toward building #2, but a super villain class mob spawns between the two. It's not a difficult fight, but it takes a bit to whittle his health away.

Building #2 is guarded by more Roin'esh and once inside, it looks even worse off than the first. Dead scientists dot the ground, appearing to have been cut down while feeling from Roin'esh. I press deeper into the complex.


I find even more dead scientists. After examining six, I realize only one of them had an ID. “Dr. Sheppard.” Making a mental note of that, I press into the final room and find two survivors.


Mr. Beckett and Sheppard. Both are scared witless, spouting non-sense. Except Dr. Sheppard should be dead. I radio McKenzie and inform him who the imposter is, correctly this time. More Roin'esh ambush my location, but I make short work of them and head towards building #3.

More ambushes await outside, but I take them down and enter building #3. The text tells me that nothing stirs within these walls. I locate the security station and find that someone has recently accessed secure information regarding Steelhead. I search a storage area next and find it empty. On to the final room.


Oh. My. God.

A lone soldier stands witless in front of a giant... thing... in the corner of this room. Once I speak with the soldier, several crates in the room shape-shift into Roin'esh. I take them out, and then begin setting fire to other crates and finally, the bio-mass.

As I head to the other room that appeared to be empty, the bio-masses death screams echo off the walls. Very cool. I enter the once empty room and begin setting things on fire, with random Roin'esh shape shifting ambushes to break up my interactions.

After clearing the room, I'm tasked to guard the exit from fleeing Roin'esh. It's simple – three waves come at me, two Roin'esh each, and in no time I'm done. I radio McKenzie to report my results, turning in the survivor. The security details being accessed, and him the lone survivor, make me question him. Better safe than sorry. I'm ordered to return to building 4, and head that way.

Surprisingly, no ambushes outside of building 3. They're waiting at me over at 4 though. Rinse, repeat. I enter building four and am amazed how it looks without everything being trashed.

There is even a mess-hall with some arcades at the back. Nice touch.

I talk to McKenzie, who informs me that an eccentric is outside next to the motor pool. I head that way, and find he has a strange device waiting that can apparently detect who is and isn't an alien invader.


His body was outed by the device, and is now coming my way. I take the fight to him, and it's a challenge. His BAM attack will strike me for about half of my health. I learn when to block and whittle him down, tapping the blaster attack as fast as I can between BAM strikes. He falls, and I some cool loot as well as a box of Questionite. I assume this wraps up White Out #2.






I head back into building 4 and find the staffers under guard broke free and have disoriented everyone gathered in the mess hall. Speaking to McKenzie ends issue #2 and begins the next chapter.

-@Epsicon

Friday, September 14, 2012

Un-Go (Anime)

So, Champions Online is down for emergency maintenance and while I'm eager to log back into Millennium City, I thought it might be time for a change of pace. During today's maintenance, I marathoned an 11 episode anime series called "Un-Go."


Un-Go follows a detective, Shinjuurou Yuuki, known as the "Defeated Detective" (as he's always 'officially' trumped by another detective at the last moment, Chairman Kaishou) as he takes on a variety of cases with his side-kick, Inga. Inga looks like an odd little boy, but harbors a dark secret that is revealed in every case - at Shinjuurou's behest, Inga can transform into a beautiful lady and ask a suspect one question that they can not refuse to answer.


Obviously, something isn't quite right with Inga and as the show goes on, you find that his/her detective work isn't for the good of others. The show runs eleven episodes and covers several story arcs as well as several stand alone episodes. I thoroughly enjoyed the show, as while it is a mystery - it's also often solvable by the viewer ahead of time. But not obviously so, because the director loves to misdirect you into believing one thing is true until just minutes before the grand reveal during some arcs. It's a satisfying show with a solid end, a great cast of memorable (and creepy) characters and some interesting story arcs.

I'd highly recommend Un-Go to fans of anime or mysteries, as while it is definitely anime - it's not one of those shows that is your typical anime fair. It makes you think, has an interesting story to tell and a fairly unique art style.

---

And in other news, working on the write ups/screenshots for White Out parts 2 and 3. Expect it sometime tomorrow/Sunday.


-@Epsicon

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Champions Online (White Out, #1)


 Let's talk about the best writing I've seen in Champions Online to date. The Comic Series called “White Out.” Though frustrating at multiple points, I had the greatest amount of fun running this arc. It also pushed my character build in new and interesting ways. But let's back it up and head to Canada.


The story starts with Justiciar informing me that the base of Steelhead is currently under a communications blackout due to jamming. They assume it's Argent agents who appear to be setting up satellite dishes on the perimeter. But, due to a massive oncoming snow storm, they don't want to send out normal troops. I volunteer and head out to kick some Argent ass.


As I start systematically taking down Argent outposts, something becomes clear. Argent thinks we are jamming them, not vice versa. Also, one of the agents drops a pistol that functions as a temporary power (Again, called Devices here.)


I notice it also unlocks a new pistol model when you equip/bind it. I quickly equip it, but can't see my new gun model just yet. No biggie, I'll keep running this arc. As I take down the last dish, I'm treated to a cut scene.

Justiciar calls me up and tells me of the crash, and that he's sent men out to investigate. Oh. So, your guys can't take down a couple satellites but investigating an alien ship is A-Ok, eh? I head over to rendezvous with the team and find the team leader unconscious. Reviving him, he tells me how soldiers ambushed his group. I am tasked to search for survivors. 



As I head from spot to spot, I find myself fighting what appears to be Steelhead soldiers, wolves and even some sort of dinosaur. Odd, but especially when you get them down to a quarter of their health bar – they vanish in a blue flash. The soldiers I do find are all dead, slain from energy blasts or horrific cuts. Finally, I find signs of a struggle that indicate some survivors were taken to the crashed ship.


I head over and I'm immediately greeted with the sight of four energy prisons, each holding a soldier.


Activating the one on the far right begins a hellish fight against shape shifting aliens known as the Roin'esh. After many five waves of three Roin'esh each, I finally triumph thanks to my passive defense and pop-up mini-gun. Defeating the final Roin'esh results in a loot icon appearing, surrounded by a red energy aura. I assume it's special, and I'm right.


Talking to Sgt. Blair informs me that I'm finished with the first part of White Out and hitting accept will take me to the second phase. I accept, but I'll save that for another post.

- @Epsicon