Tag: Videogames

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

I’m going to finish up my second run of Dragon Age: Origins Awakening this weekend. After that, I’m going to put it away for a while. As much as I love the expansion pack and want to give it a third shot, I just can’t do it — not until it’s patched. There are too many bugs that bother me. Hopefully a fix will come soon because I really dig the story, characters, and gameplay.

The good news is that I can dive back into Final Fantasy XIII. I’m only six or so hours into the game and I’ve enjoyed it so far. It’s kind of crazy how polarizing FFXIII is — some people absolutely love it and others totally hate it. I’m pretty sure I’m going to end up in the former camp. I already know that it’s not going to be my favorite game in the series, but I’m certain that I’ll be satisfied when the dust settles. I’m also pretty sure I’ll like it better than FFVII (you see what I did there?!?).

As always, I want to know what’s on your weekend playlist.

Fat Princess Patch 1.05 Fixes Bugs and Adds Snowy Maps

Fat Princess players should keep an eye out for patch 1.05, which arrives today and adds a couple of new maps. To help kick off spring, the game is getting two snow-themed maps (what?): Candy Mountain and Frost Bite. Managing producer Deborah Mars listed the following fixes on Sony’s PlayStation Blog:

  • Warrior: Fixed to disallow shield activation when carrying objects, as well as attenuating damage against lava and drowning.
  • Ice Mage: Changed level 1 area attack to slow enemies, not freeze them.
  • Soccer map: Disabled online score saving for this level (sorry, all, but it was too easy to gain rank).

As most of you know, today is the first RPad.tv Uno invitational tournament. If it goes well — and it looks like it will — then Fat Princess will be the next game. I’d love to try out these snowy maps with a bunch of you. If you happen to download the patch today, please let everyone know what you think of Candy Mountain and Frost Bite.

Source

Coffee Talk #114: Your Dream Videogame Team-Up

In the spirit of the old Marvel Team-Up comics, I want to ask you about the videogame team-up of your dreams. There are so many wonderfully talented developers in Asia, Europe, and North America. Maybe you’d like them to collaborate? Or maybe there are characters from different publishers that you’d like to see in the same game? Whatever the case, I want to know what you’re thinking (pure energy).

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, American Idol getting it right last night, why the hell Roy Jones, Jr. is still boxing, or everyone swooning over the HTC Evo 4G even though it won’t be out until the end of the summer, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

In the spirit of the old Marvel Team-Up comics, I want to ask you about the videogame team-up of your dreams. There are so many wonderfully talented developers in Asia, Europe, and North America. Maybe you’d like them to collaborate? Or maybe there are characters from different publishers that you’d like to see in the same game? Whatever the case, I want to know what you’re thinking (pure energy).

As for me, I’d love to see BioWare and Square Enix get together. (It’s not going to happen, but it’s my silly dream so I’m just going to go with it.) I would love a game that combined the gameplay mechanics of Baldur’s Gate or Dragon Age with the art of Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts. A game like that would totally own me.

Now let me know about your videogame team-ups! Perhaps you want a cooperative game with Kratos and Mario? Or maybe Warren Spector designing a game with Tetsuya Nomura directing the art? Dream big people (please)!

GameCrush is Still Broken, Here’s a Video While You’re Waiting

The pimps at GameCrush still haven’t figured out their server situation, leaving their service dead in the water. As I mentioned on Tuesday, GameCrush is a social networking service that allows guys to pay money to play games with girls and girls to make money playing games with guys. It’s either going to be one of the most colossal failures in gaming…or so brilliant that it will take over the industry.

The fact that the company hasn’t obtained more server bandwidth in the last 24 hours is telling. Do you think these guys are for real? Or are they a chop shop running out of some basement? As you debate the merits of this social networking service, be sure to check out the awesome GameCrush promo video posted above.

Coffee Talk #113: Do Games Impact Your Real-World Thinking?

Have you ever found yourself thinking in videogame terms in the real world? I have to admit that I’ve done just that way more than I ought to. For example, if I come across a building with cool architecture, I think about how it would work as a Quake level. I look for the best places to camp, spawning points, etc.

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, Google leaving China, when the hell Bryan Danielson is going to win a match in the WWE, or Jose Canseco being subpoenaed in Roger Clemens’ trial, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Have you ever found yourself thinking in videogame terms in the real world? I have to admit that I’ve done just that way more than I ought to. For example, if I come across a building with cool architecture, I think about how it would work as a Quake level. I look for the best places to camp, spawning points, etc.

After I play a Splinter Cell game (anyone try the demo for Conviction?), it’s really, really hard for me to look at lights. I want to shoot them and create shadows. Thankfully, I don’t have a gun.

One running gag among game writers is to shout, “Achievement unlocked!” whenever a mundane task is completed. Finding the restroom, tracking down a wandering waitress, and discovering new beverages like Pepsi Max Cease Fire are all worthy achievements in real life.

Hopefully I’m not insane and you have thoughts like this too. Let your fellow RPadholics and me know what videogame thoughts you have in everyday life.

Guys Pay, Girls Get Paid to Play Games GameCrush

Hey guys! Would you pay money to play games with a girl and get to know her? Hi girls! Would you accept money to play games with men “wookin’ pa nub”? GameCrush thinks that gamers are willing to do so. Its service, which launches in a few hours, is part multiplayer gaming and part Craigslist personal ads. According to IGN:

On GameCrush, guys are Players and girls are PlayDates. Players pay to play and PlayDates get paid to play. Guys can browse PlayDate profiles (there are currently around 1,200), view photos, and even chat with girls for free.

Part of me wants to dismiss the service as complete lameness, but I’m going to try to look on the bright side of life here. It’s cool that GameCrush will pay girls to play games. It stimulates the economy (am I stretching here?). I think personal ads are kind of loser-ish, but one of my best friends went on a bunch of fun dates through Craigslist San Francisco.

It’s not for me, but I want to know what you think of GameCrush. Is it a lame service based on a weak stereotype that male gamers are lonely losers? Or is it an innovative way to meet people and find romance? For the three female readers that I have, would you accept money to play games with strangers that may or may not want to talk dirty on Xbox Live?

Source via Brian Leahy

Coffee Talk #112: When Do You Play Online Multiplayer Games?

When do you play online multiplayer games? My friend asked me this the other week and I replied, “Whenever I feel like it.” He continued to ask me questions and we discovered that my initial response wasn’t true. There are a number of factors that go into when I play multiplayer games and today I wanted to see if you have similar considerations.

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, American Idol Fantasia singing the American national anthem at WrestleMania 26, Joe Mauer being a Twin for life, or mobile phone news from CTIA, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

New coffee: Intelligentsia Papua New Guinea Agoga

When do you play online multiplayer games? My friend asked me this the other week and I replied, “Whenever I feel like it.” He continued to ask me questions and we discovered that my initial response wasn’t true. There are a number of factors that go into when I play multiplayer games and today I wanted to see if you have similar considerations.

For example, I hate playing with mouthy 13-year olds. There are several nights when TV comes before gaming (WWE Raw, American Idol, Entourage, Curb Your Enthusiasm, etc.). With all of that in mind, I tend to play online multiplayer games past 10PM. My favorite shows are over and the children are in bed for school.

Do you player online whenever the mood strikes? Or do you have certain conditions that impact when you play?

Se7en Done Heavy Rain Style

This excellent YouTube video shows clips from the movie Se7en (Seven for normal people) done up Heavy Rain style. If you’ve played the game or the demo, you’ll absolutely get a kick out of it. It’s the best thing I’ve seen on the Internet this month I highly recommend watching it.

[Thanks to Brad Shoemaker for tweeting this!]

Today’s Poll: Final Fantasy XIII vs. Heavy Rain

Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XIII and Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain are two of the most polarizing games released in years. FFXIII is a drastic departure from the traditional JRPG style of the series and fans are torn over the gameplay style. It’s definitely different, but the production values are insanely good (minus Reona Rewis). Heavy Rain also has gamers split. Some can’t stand its gameplay style, while others view it as a landmark in interactive storytelling.

Today I wanted to see which game is more polarizing to you. Make your choice in the poll and explain your answer in the comments section if you have time.

[poll id=”32″]

Coffee Talk #111: Songs You Love Thanks to Music Games

In the last few years, a lot of music artists have told stories that went a little something like this: “These kids came up to me and I said that they never heard of the band until Guitar Hero III. They dug our music in the game, went out and bought our music, and now they’re coming to our shows. It’s amazing!”

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, Tiger Woods’ latest “apology”, why America doesn’t care about Wladimir Klitschko, or the countdown to opening day, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

In the last few years, a lot of music artists have told stories that went a little something like this: “These kids came up to me and said that they never heard of the band until Guitar Hero III. They dug our music in the game, went out and bought our CD, and now they’re coming to our shows. It’s amazing!”

My friend Paul and I were talking about this the other day and couldn’t come up with a similar situation from our experiences. I guess the closest I can get to it is “Godzilla” by Blue Oyster Cult. I’ve heard of the band and enjoyed some of their music, but I’ve never heard that particular song (which is odd, because I was a huge Godzilla mark as a kid). I heard it in the game and loved it!

Today I wanted to see if there are any songs, bands, or solo artists that you’ve come to love thanks to music games. Share your stories in the comments section (please)!