Coffee Talk #575: My Return to Baldur’s Gate

On one of my trips to Asia, I was on the back of a motorcycle taxi and got caught in a big rainstorm. I asked the taxi driver to pull over and ducked into the nearest bar. To my shock, an ex-girlfriend — one that I never thought I’d see again — was in the bar, taking shelter from the storm. What followed was three excellent days between two people that knew each other intimately. In the immortal words of Journey, it was the “joy of discovering you.” That experience and that joy reminded me of my last three days with Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition. It’s a game that I know intimately, having played through it 18 times, and so far…more

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Robinson Cano switching agents from Scott Boras to Jay-Z, Mark Cuban saying that he’d give Brittney Griner a shot with the Mavericks, or T-Mobile’s awesome (and mentally unbalanced) CEO, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

On one of my trips to Asia, I was on the back of a motorcycle taxi and got caught in a big rainstorm. I asked the taxi driver to pull over and ducked into the nearest bar. To my shock, an ex-girlfriend — one that I never thought I’d see again — was in the bar, also taking shelter from the storm. What followed was three excellent days between two people that knew each other intimately. In the immortal words of Journey, it was “the joy of discovering you.” That experience and that joy reminded me of my last three days with Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition for Mac OS. I knew the original intimately, having played through it 18 times, and so far it has been an absolute pleasure rediscovering this brilliant game.

Right now, I have two Baldur’s Gate EE games going on. First up is R.Pad, who is currently a level four thief, but will eventually be dual-classed into a fighter-thief. I’m playing this game straight up, without any cheat codes. Then there’s Lord Ra Ra (which is what I will legally change my name to when I marry Stefani Germanotta), the level six assassin (screenshot is a day old). He gets the benefit of the cheat console — stats jacked up to god-like levels and any weapon/item I can think of. It’s fun plowing through the game and relearning the maps as Lord Ra Ra, while using that knowledge to chart an optimal course for R.Pad.

There were a lot of habits I had to relearn during my first few hours with the game. Like many videogames released in the ’90s, the difficulty can be unevenly brutal and you can really screw yourself over by not saving every few minutes. While I love the deliberate pause-and-play combat, it’s something that I haven’t experienced in years. Today’s videogames are all about keeping you in the fantasy and moving things along at a brisk pace. Battles that let you pause several times to thoughtfully plot out strategies are considered passe. While it’s atypical in 2013, I found that it’s something that I still very much love (like the way my ex uses her…never mind). In fact, aside from the (still) moronic pathfinding, I’m loving everything about Baldur’s Gate EE.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? Have you ever rediscovered a game that you haven’t played for more than a decade and found it just as captivating  as the first time you played it? Now please excuse me as I have to get back to my Baldur’s Gate bliss.

Vaping Diaries #51: Vaping in the Philippines

Going into my trip to the Philippines, I knew that vaping was a pretty big deal in the country. Some of the best rebuildable atomizers and coolest mods are made in the Philippines. Innovative vaping companies like Janty, creators of the bold MiD One, are based in the country. While some Filipinos use vaping to stop smoking tobacco cigarettes, there are some that use it as a status symbol (cigs are super-cheap in the Philippines and high-end vaping gear shows that you have money). Despite knowing all of this, I was still surprised by all the vaping I saw in the Philippines. Below are some assorted thoughts on Filipino vaping and a nifty photo gallery (Vapecon Manila and random vaping shots).

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Gear: For such a small country, the Philippines has a surprising amount of cool mod makers. For vaping devices, Edz Mods and Madz Modz are two of best companies. Both make sweet mechanical mods, including a few that incorporate the sun from the Filipino flag. Budz Worx makes some fantastic rebuildable atomizers (RBAs), such as the ERA and Hornet. Janty is one of the most influential companies in vaping, but it doesn’t get the credit it deserves; it created the original Ego e-cig and the RY4 juice — two of the most-copied products in vaping!

Shopping Malls: One of the biggest surprises was all the vaping stores I found in Manila. I went to five major malls and each one had at least four vaping stands. I also visited a bunch of small standalone vape shops, including one in a poorer section of Makati. It was nuts finding a vaping shop in a section of town most westerners would consider a barrio. By comparison, it’s hard to find many vaping shops in most American cities, especially in malls. Some towns have a nice standalone vape shop or two. Some malls have a vaping kiosk, usually a Volcano E-Cigs stand. In Manila, I stopped by more than 20 vape shops. In the immortal words of Brian Fellow, “That’s crazy!”

E-Liquid: This was the major surprise for me. I had no idea that there were so many juice vendors in the Philippines. There are dozens of the companies that make common flavors, as well as those that cater to Filipino tastes. It was awesome seeing e-liquids based on Filipino desserts like sago’t gulaman, ube halaya, sans rival, and buko pandan. I even saw an adobo-flavored juice. Check the photo gallery for some Adic’s Burn juices that I’m going to review in the future.

Bottom Line: So my two take aways were:

  1. Even though I had an idea that vaping was big in the Philippines, it was even bigger than I thought
  2. For such a small country, the Philippines has a vibrant vaping scene

It was fun learning a bit about Pinoy vaping and making these discoveries. If you happen to be visiting the country and want to pick up some unique vaping goods, my one suggestion is to bring cash, since a lot of the stores don’t accept cards.

Coffee Talk #574: Where Are the Superhero Movie Games?

My friend Paul and I were talking about the large number of 2013 nerd movies that don’t have videogames attached to them (at least, that we could think of). In the past, these games were automatic. If a studio had a superhero, sci-fi, or fantasy movie set for release then there would be a game — usually not a spectacular one — released in conjunction with the movie. The game would help promote the movie and the movie would help drive game sales, at least that’s what the bean counters thought. This year there seems to be lack of videogame-movie symbiosis. Where have all the superhero games gone? Are publishers…more

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the start of the glorious MLB season, the start of what should be a painful MLB season for my beloved Yankees, or the worst team in the whole damn league (Houston Astros) kicking things off with a win, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend Paul and I were talking about the large number of 2013 nerd movies that don’t have videogames attached to them (at least, that we could think of). In the past, these games were automatic. If a studio had a superhero, sci-fi, or fantasy movie set for release then there would be a game — usually not a spectacular one — released in conjunction with the movie. The game would help promote the movie and the movie would help drive game sales, at least that’s what the bean counters thought. This year there seems to be lack of videogame-movie symbiosis. Where have all the superhero games gone? Are publishers holding out for a hero?

Off the top of my head, Star Trek: Into the Darkness is the only movie that has a hot game attached to it. Where are the games for Man of Steel, Iron Man 3, Thor 2, and others?  One possibility is that movie studios and videogame publishers have learned that mediocre games have few or no symbiotic benefits. History has shown that good movies don’t need mediocre games (Thor, Iron Man) and great games don’t need the rub from movies (Batman: Arkham Asylum). Another possibility is that PC and console games are no longer the best choice for this type of outreach; it’s much cheaper and arguably more effective to promote a movie with a decent Facebook or mobile game.

Still, as a comic-book and videogame nerd, I would love to be playing console games based on this year’s nerd movies. How about you guys and gals? Do you want more videogame-movie tie-ins? What’s your take on why there seem to be less of them this year? Fire off your repulsor rays, blast your arctic breath, and sling your uru hammers in the comments section (please!).

Monday Housekeeping

Hey guys! Sorry for the lack of updates. My last day in the Philippines was exhausting. That and the 16+ hours of flying that followed it caught up to me, resulting in one of the worst colds I’ve had in years. At least, I think it was due to my last day in the Philippines. There’s a possibility that I was so bummed by the screening of GI Joe: Retaliation, that my body shut down. Travel and exhaustion are the more likely culprits.

I’ll have a few articles for you today before spending the latter half of this Monday working on a secret project. Before I get to that, I have to perform one of my annual errands. It’s the day after Easter. Do you know what the means? Groceries and drug stores will have Cadbury Creme Eggs marked down! Let’s do this.

iPotty: A Potty Trainer With an iPad Stand

My friend John posted a link to the CTA Digital iPotty. This is a potty training seat with a built in iPad stand. It’s funny and horrifying at the same time. I’m not sure why any potty-training toddler needs this. I’m also not sure why any parent would think this is a good idea. To be fair, I don’t have any kids, so what do I know…except that I wouldn’t want a toddler playing with my iPad while feces and urine are flowing.

Just to check myself, please let me know if you think the iPotty is a good idea. For you parents out there, is this something you’d buy for your kids?

Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster Trailer

Square Enix has released the trailer for Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster. Both games will be available in a single-disc set for PlayStation 3 and available individually for PlayStation Vita. The release date is a vague “in 2013.”

I’m completely psyched for an updated version of Final Fantasy X. The game worked for me on so many levels. I loved the sphere grid system, the music was outstanding, and unlike most of my gamer friends, I found Yuna to be completely adorable. (I have a thing for women with stunted speech patterns and heterochromia iridum. Sue me.) Many longtime Square fans feel that FFX was the last great Final Fantasy game and I’m sure hundreds of thousands of them, at the very least, will snatch this remix up.

While it wasn’t nearly as good as the original, I remember having fun with Final Fantasy X-2. It was a cute “girl power” adventure that used some gameplay elements of its predecessor in a more lighthearted game. It was fun in a Final-Fantasy-meets-Spice-Girls way.

Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’re planning to pick up Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster.

Vaping Diaries #50: Vapecon Manila 2013

Here’s a video tour of Vapecon Manila 2013. It was awesome seeing so many cool mods, rebuildable atomizers, and e-liquids that are native to the Philippines. As a Filipino-American, I was very proud of all the awesome gear. As a vaper, it was sweet seeing how big vaping is in Manila. As a verbal entertainer, I’m looking forward to reviewing the different Filipino e-liquids and gear I picked. Stay tuned for column and pictorial on vaping in the Philippines. Continue reading “Vaping Diaries #50: Vapecon Manila 2013”

Coffee Talk #573: Do Videogame Console Mascots Matter?

Today’s column has been swimming in my head for a few weeks, but really came together after having coffee with my friend Joey this morning. For decades, mascots were a huge part of marketing videogame consoles. Nintendo has Mario. Sega, when it still made hardware, had Sonic. There have been so many changes to the nature of consoles and the nature of marketing, that many people believe that mascots are irrelevant…or at least not as important as they used to be. Let’s examine the issue together in today’s Coffee Talk (which was literally inspired by a talk I had over coffee)…more

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, getting a wisdom tooth removed without the benefits of laughing gas, getting a wisdom tooth removed without the benefits of vicodin, or the hazards of being a pedestrian in the Philippines, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Today’s column has been swimming in my head for a few weeks, but really came together after having coffee with my friend Joey this morning. For decades, mascots were a huge part of marketing videogame consoles. Nintendo has Mario. Sega, when it still made hardware, had Sonic. There have been so many changes to the nature of consoles and the nature of marketing, that many people believe that mascots are irrelevant…or at least not as important as they used to be. Let’s examine the issue together in today’s Coffee Talk (which was literally inspired by a talk I had over coffee).

When consoles were simply about games and boxes, iconic characters were hugely important in establishing a machine’s identity. With online gameplay, the emphasis on non-gaming services, and the rise of first-person perspective games, mascots aren’t as powerful as they used to be. Microsoft has Master Chief from Halo, who isn’t in the same league as Mario. Many people feel that Sony has been successful despite not having a mascot. It used to be that you played a game as a character, imagining that you were adventuring as him or her. There are many games where you are the character or you control the adventure in a way that’s far more personal than in older games.

Marketing and branding has also changed so that everything is about you. Social media — a huge part of…well, everything these days — has raised the bar of the brand of you. Some of the most wonderful changes to consoles in the last decade are related to personalization, both with the hardware and the games they run. It can be argued that videogame characters and sharing adventures with videogame characters have become less important than videogame experiences catered to you.

(On a side note, the whole “Brand Called You” thing had me thinking about this Fast Company article my Ziff-Davis friends and I were over the moon about back in 1997.)

So do you videogame console mascots still matter? I would understand arguments that they don’t mean much these days. I would even understand arguments that they don’t matter at all in 2013. Naturally, I want to hear your position on the topic. Fire away in the comments section (please!).

Random Philippines Photos II

Man, getting a molar extracted under local anesthesia is…not pleasant. The entire day after the procedure was just miserable. It’s been about 36 hours since the extraction and I’m starting to feel slightly better. The good news is that I snapped a bunch of goofy photos while I was out and about. Highlights include the classiest Spam sandwich you’ll ever see, cute mall mochi, funky chalk art, an Angry Birds arcade ripoff, and people smoking cigarettes while drinking Jamba Juice. Continue reading “Random Philippines Photos II”

Random Philippines Photos I

Hey guys! Here are a bunch of pictures from my trip. Things are pretty hectic, but also fun. The work part of my trip was great and relaxing. The family part of my trip has hit some unexpected snags, but it’s super nice to see everyone. Here are some random thoughts.

– So my parents’ condo is in Bonifacio Global City. It’s a really modern town that’s full of new buildings. It also looks like America vomited on the place. If you take a 15-minute walk you’ll find Starbucks, Coffee Bean, KFC, McDonalds, Johnny Rockets, 7-Eleven, IHOP, TGI Friday’s, Krispy Kreme, and more. That’s not even counting the numerous retail stores that feature American brands. It’s like the Filipino version of the Irvine Spectrum.

– Yesterday I walked around for around seven hours. I wanted to see what was around, but I was also really tired of being in airplanes and cars. Half a kilometer from where I’m staying, things get much poorer. It was fun walking around a barrio-style neighborhood in Makati and watching the local kids play. With videogame consoles, portable electronics, and the Internet, you don’t see as many kids playing as you used to. The kids in this neighborhood had so little — many of them were playing with simple toys made from string and rocks — but they seemed so happy. One of my favorite things about traveling to third-world countries is getting some perspective.

– On another trip to another part of Manila, my brother and I watched three kids playing with a slab of concrete and a hammer. It was charming and innocent and sad all at the same time.

– For my stay in BGC, my parents rented the condo unit next to theirs. It’s owned by a very religious person. How do I know this? It’s because there are 87 pictures and/or statues of Jesus in the unit. I’m not really religious in a traditional sense, but I don’t look down on people that are religious. However, the numerous Christs in the apartment are scary.

– It looks like my cousin is going to take out one of my molars tomorrow. Yes, he’s a dentist. This was totally unplanned, but he took a quick look at my teeth and was concerned about the impacting going on. I totally appreciate that he’ll be doing this for me, but it’s totally going to throw a wrench in the filming that I had planned.

– So the night I flew from Cebu to Manila last week, my Dad checked into the hospital. Days before I went to visit my Dad in Hawaii last December, he checked into the hospital. I’m thinking of not visiting him for a while. It looks like I’m a danger to his health. Of course I know he didn’t plan on getting sick, but the a-hole in me can’t help but think that this has added a lot of stress to my last two attempts at relaxation. The non a-hole parts of me feel guilty for having those thoughts. There’s also a part of me that’s somewhat proud that I can be honest about my feelings…and also a part of me that’s unsure that I should be posting any thoughts on the matter. There seem to be a lot of parts of me. Schizophrenia?

– I’ve been posting my photos on Instagram, so feel free to follow me if you want them in real-time. I’ll post another batch of photos and more random thoughts soon. I miss you guys!

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