Spring Gamers

Is this brilliant? Yes, this is brilliant.

First Impressions of Lego Games

My sister stopped by today to hang out with me and the kids (and the new kitties). When she got home from college she bought Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, and she's been asking me to play it with her. So today I hooked up my Wii to the TV and off we went with her as Batman and me as the Boy Wonder.

I'd never played a Lego game before, but they always get such great reviews that I was really excited to finally try this one out. Things started out well enough, but soon we found ourselves growling in frustration or consulting online guides to get past a fairly simple part that seems impossible because of loose platforming controls, terrible camera control, and graphics that made it hard to tell a simple switch from a random piece of the environment. It's not that we wanted the game to hold our hand the entire time (it did plenty of that), it's just that it felt like I was playing a game on the Nintendo 64, rather than a current-gen system. From a design standpoint that's fine because Lego games are meant to be whimsical, but when the functional gameplay suffers, I take issue.

Now maybe I just experienced a bad game, but from other YouTube videos I've seen I think I got a good taste of the Lego experience. From people I've talked to, the Lego feeling of the games appeals to people who were in to Legos as a kid, which I really never was. Combined with an IP they like, I can understand how people could really enjoy the series. But it's rare when I can play a game and ignore how it plays, and that's all I noticed with Lego Batman 2. Robin was climbing across straight walls and falling for no reason; traversing the open world was unwieldy; jumping across gaps had you falling to your death because you somehow missed that two foot jump for the fifth time.

In all my frustrations with the game, none of it has to do with what Lego games are meant to be. The story is cheesy, the characters are comically over-the-top, the puzzles are simplistic, and there is a LOT of stuff to break and collect (usually in that order). It's not for me and that's fine. Games like Battlefield 3, The Sims, Grand Theft Auto and FIFA aren't for me, but I can acknowledge that they have meritorious gameplay mechanics. But after playing a few demos over the years, and now getting several hours of hands-on time with a Lego game... I just don't get it. The game isn't canon, the graphics are average, the music... exists, and the challenge is relaxed by usually enjoyable.

Now to be fair, the games also have a lot of unique things going for them. As I played I saw things done in ways I'd never seen before. The ability to get different power suits for the characters is great, the ways you solve puzzles is creative, the story is very tongue-in-cheek and pokes fun at the DC universe (at one point a reporter mentions that it may not be a good idea to house all of Gotham's worst criminals in the same location), and way they use Legos throughout the game is creative and even makes me reminisce about the few Lego sets I've owned throughout the years.

I can see how all that stuff would appeal to people because it is fun and lighthearted in an era where all of our games feel so serious. And maybe that's what the Lego games come down to - getting to relive childhood for a few hours. A childhood filled with goofy games like Banjo Kazooie or Sonic where the controls weren't always tight but you had fun with the corny characters and goofy gameplay elements. Personally, when I look back at the days of Nintendo 64 I can't believe how oblivious I was to the controls, something that is a huge factor in my game enjoyment now.

So for you Lego fans out there, what's the deal? Do you agree with these faults in the game? And if you do, how do you overlook them? Does it just come with the territory or did I completely miss the point of playing a Lego game? Or worse yet, did I take a single example of a franchise and incorrectly assume it's a universal experience?

See you tomorrow!


Remember to follow me on Facebook. I'm doing a blog post every single day for 2013, and Facebook is a great way to stay up-to-date as well as take part in my monthly giveaways!

Points of Light vs. Established Settings

As the GM of my IKRPG group (think steampunk D&D based in the Warmachine universe), the burden falls on me to know the story. When I've run D&D games in the past I've always used a "point of light" setting, where the setting was either entirely made up or loosely based on an existing setting like the Forgotten Realms or even Middle Earth. However, the IKRPG has challenged me by having my players be familiar with the world of the Iron Kingdoms, thus making the story come more alive for them if I based it in the world they know. It's the first time I've done this, and I never imagined how difficult it would be.

You'd think it'd be easier. I mean the setting is there, I just have to make up a story that fits the setting. The problem I'm having is that I like my players to take an active role in the world's conflicts, and witness all the big stuff that shapes the campaign. In a game like D&D where players can kill gods that's not so hard. But IKRPG only lets them off the leash a little bit, and so the thought of these heroic characters killing a monstrous dragon like Everblight is laughable because despite the fantasy influences, the Iron Kingdoms doesn't have room for nearly omnipotent heroes.

And that presents another problem. When working in an established setting you are restricted by timelines. My players can't kill Goreshade because he's still alive in the fiction. I can't have the Cryx start invading Llael or Five Fingers because they invaded the Thornwood first. If I'm going to stick to the fiction, I'm also allowing myself to be handcuffed by it. Sure they can take part in things that may have happened behind the scenes, or they can go on adventures that don't clash with facts, but my creativity is more invested on making it fit the story, rather than letting my players take it anywhere they want.

That's what I love about a Point of Light campaign setting. The second campaign I ran went off the rails from an adventure book, and my players had no idea what to expect. They were invested in the world because they knew nothing about it. It had influences of the Forgotten Realms, but I could reflavor a god, kill a hero, overthrow a kingdom, and it woudn't matter because it was our world and not the world of R.A. Salvatore. We weren't just visiting, we were carving out the story with our own hands. I gave them something to do for week 1, and what they did gave me something to do for week 2. It was immersive because everyone was invested in the world.

When I get them together in a few years and make them play one more game with me, you can believe that they will be fighting a deific Kobold Slinger because that's the sort of story they were crafting. In my IKRPG setting, I could have them storm the shores of Cryx and kill Toruk... except that midway through our campaign, a piece of fiction may be released that has Sorscha and Feora taking him down. Then what? We either have to make a choice to go off the rails and ignore the established world we stuck to, or change some story bits and try to keep going.

The good-ish thing about the IKRPG setting is that it takes place in the recent past, so you know what you can and can't do. While that works, it again asks that the campaign story run quietly alongside the official lore, only interfering when it makes sense. It's a hard line to toe - on one hand it lets you take things in lore that are barely mentioned and make them relevant and exciting. At the same time you know that your story simply can't impact the world.

And yes, I realize that GMs have creative liberty. I'm bogging myself down by sticking to "the rules" of the setting. I know other GMs can handle it perfectly well, but I have a hard time making a flexible story without having a flexible world in which it takes place.

That's what I've been struggling with as I've been coming up with story elements. I'm already running off the rails which you can read about if I ever get our last campaign story written up, but I'm trying to tread cautiously because I have some lore buffs in our group that may not appreciate too much deviation from the story. Not that I would fault anyone for feeling that way - if I'm working in an established setting, it's important not to bend the world out of shape and make it unrecognizable. It's just a simple matter of learning how to make an interesting story in a world full of interesting stories.


See you tomorrow!

Remember to follow me on Facebook. I'm doing a blog post every single day for 2013, and Facebook is a great way to stay up-to-date as well as take part in my monthly giveaways!

What Does It Take?

In all aspects of life, we have our breaking points. For things like jobs and friends we need to have stamina because it's hard to let those things go, but with gaming we can be much more petty. Whenever something new is announced for a video/tabletop/card game, you'll inevitably have people standing out on the street corner with their big cardboard sign declaring that the end is nigh. Everyone is quitting the game and the company will go bankrupt, there's mouth-frothing, and if you were new to the internet you'd think it was time to start looking for a new game.

Of course everything turns out fine and people begrudgingly accept that the new addition is great until another announcement is made. Now some of these people just let their passions get the best of them, but some people genuinely fear that their beloved game is done for. Those are the ones who are seriously having to ask themselves whether this change, if it goes badly, will be the death of the game for them.

Major changes in my gaming history that have pushed me out of the game include GW price increases, YuGiOh's catering to little kids (more so than what they did originally, anyway), Legend of Zelda's departure from a normal controller, and Microsoft is pushing the envelope with the Xbox One. However, the one thing these all have in common is that there is usually something I could overlook. If I enjoyed GW's stuff enough I'd pay their premium price; if I could have prevented Link from running around like a terrified moose I'd have beaten the Wii game; and if Microsoft can do enough to outweigh the bad decisions they showed us, I might be debating between XB-O and PS4.

[Beware, unintentionally long psuedo-tirade incoming]

However, there's one thing that will always turn me away from a game no matter what, and that's the community. If I can't tolerate the people I'm forced to be around, I will drop the game no matter how much I enjoy it. I had to quit Halo because I spent weeks without finding a single mature person that owned a mic. I will no longer play competitive games at a gaming shop because anything from Magic to Warmachine (and even D&D!) seems to bring out the competitive d-bags who can't seem to balance civility with competitiveness. Competitive games thrive on the community, and because of that it's the players that can truly be the death of a game.

Fortunately online games have taken measures to cut out the really bad apples with things like online reputation and report functions. But a company can only ban so many players before their bottom line is affected - as sad as it may be, the most unpleasant players in a game are often the more diehard fans.

So then what to do? Sure I could unplug my mic, ignore chat, avoid annoying players face-to-face, but then I'm forced to take away the best part of competitive/team games, and that's getting to play with other people who share an interest with me. Unplugging my mic turns Call of Duty is as entertaining as playing against AI opponents, and only playing Magic with a handful of mature people becomes monotonous. It's not that I'll quit a game because of the presence of bad people, but when pleasant people are put on the endangered player list, it's time to move on.

But that's just me. Almost everyone I talk to about this thinks I'm crazy because they can't see how sucky people could be an automatic deal-breaker. I admire their patience, but I don't play multiplayer games just to compete with a faceless opponent. Generally speaking, a multiplayer game tends to have less pizzazz than a single-player experience simply because game makers understand that the competitive nature of multi-player makes us overlook an otherwise tedious experience.

If you've ever taken part in a "training room" where you can play the multi-player game against computer opponents, you know that the experience is much different simply because you're playing alone, and all you have is a shallow gaming experience. To me, multiplayer games are all about the human interaction. Even if I'm not talking to anyone, successfully working together with - or fiercely competing against - other people is key to my enjoyment. If I have teammates whining, yelling at other people, being over-the-top offensive, etc., I will have 0 fun because the people who are a part of my gaming experience are unbearable. I can take and give jabs and light-hearted trash talk, but if I have an opponent mocking, insulting, or complaining about me or the game, then I no longer care about the game.

I play competitive games to play a fair match against a mature opponent. I don't want to waste my free time on an unpleasant experience. That's my time. I can deal with crappy people in the real world where things matter, but when it comes to my hobbies I simply can't bring myself to find pleasure in a bad experience.

[Ok, you can start reading again]

Whew. This was supposed to be 3 or 4 paragraphs long. I have work to do tonight and you guys got me thinking about all these games that "could have been" if people could have just grown up and played the game! The point of today's post was to ask you your breaking point. You've seen the what and why of mine, so I'm curious to hear yours.

What is one thing in a game that will almost automatically push you out? Cost? Graphic style? Skill requirement? Your favorite army/class/whatever no longer being powerful or relevant? I'm curious to hear how others can walk away from something that they might otherwise be willing to play for years, so be sure to use that comment section down below!

See you tomorrow!


Remember to follow me on Facebook. I'm doing a blog post every single day for 2013, and Facebook is a great way to stay up-to-date as well as take part in my monthly giveaways!

"Tropes Vs Women" Releases Episode 2

Oh hey, look at that:

I'm on my way to work right now, so I'll be watching in-full and commenting further later. For now, have at it:

UPDATE 1: Work was canceled, video watched, comments below the jump:

UPDATE 2: Some vengeful asshats have (apparently) gotten the clip taken down by exploiting YouTube's draconian TOS. A written transcript is still available HERE. Obviously, as soon as I see where it goes back up, I'll repost. People with mirrored links are welcome to post them in the comments until then.





So, then...

In many ways, I feel like this episode was a really solid reaction to the "where's the new substance?" critiques of the first one - much more in depth, much more focused on the "why is this problematic?" aspects, etc. Everything from 22:35 on, in particular, should serve as an answer to the "misandry is just as bad!!!" fools; laying out how patriarchy is also disempowering to men.

Honestly, though? I actually feel like she wasn't hard enough on some of this; particularly the "The bad guy corrupted me and you must kill me to set me free!" thing. What gets glossed-over so often with the Damsel in Distress thing is that the original context of "Save The Princess!" fairytales was rescuing women from having their virginity stolen (via rape or otherwise) by parties who did not have the proper claim on such in an era where virginity was inextricably tied to marriageability and thus the entirey of female worth. "Kill me, I'm a monster!" in other words being a modernization of "Kill me, I am a 'ruined' woman!" It's a fantasy-ization of honor-killing, basically, and that's pretty fucking pernicious.

P.S. Comments will remain enabled on this post until such time as people prove themselves incapable of behaving like grownups. Abusive/trolling comments will be deleted at the discretion of me. People with an issue about the YouTube video itself not having comments are advised to click here and then go get some sunlight.

Starting Them Young - Emma's First Painting Lesson

Some of you may remember when I took my daughter to our FLGS to buy some supplies for her first miniature. Here's the highlights of our first time together!




If you have kids who have expressed interest in your painting hobby I can't recommend this bonding moment enough. She had a blast getting to be like Daddy, and I got to see her do something I honestly didn't think she was ready for. The full video only clocked in at about 26 minutes, and she was ready for more by the end of it! Keep an eye on my Facebook photos - when I get my painting/photo area rearranged I'll be posting her fully painted and based miniature.

See you tomorrow!

Remember to follow me on Facebook. I'm doing a blog post every single day for 2013, and Facebook is a great way to stay up-to-date as well as take part in my monthly giveaways!

My Top 10 - N64 Games of All Time

Oh nostalgia, you've been a constant companion lately. I trust this will satiate your need for attention.



10. San Fransisco rush 2049
While enjoyed the overall destructive and zany nature of the Rush series, 2049 will forever be my favorite racing game. I'm not a racing fan, but cars with jet engines that could explode after too much damage? I was on board. I still remember recovering from the flu for a few days and spending hours in the game's stunt course, ramping and spinning (and gleefully exploding) to my heart's content.

9. Harvest Moon 64
 Did any one else ever play this series? It was the first incarnation of Farmville, complete with giving gifts and faithfully harvesting your crops or else. I would grind this game for hours on end, farming crops, making friends, discovering odds and ends (including researching a crop teleporter that I never finished), and getting fairly upset when the girl I was pursuing fell for Kai. I tried later iterations of the game, but nothing matched the first time I put an addition on my house or won a competition.

8. Super Mario 64
It was everyone's first game so you know I had to add it. I played the heck out of this game, and I even had to replace the cartridge because my first copy up and died on me. I never successfully got all the stars, but I would go to things like the ice sliding level and play them over and over for no reason whatsoever. But hey, I had plenty of those blue, translucent stars!

Also, did anyone ever find Yoshi on top of the castle?

7. Turok (series)
I don't know what it was about this series, but it gave me a savage sort of enjoyment. Exploding arrows and guns and (in the third game) the Cerebral Bore that would make an enemy's head explode. This was the first game where I used fun cheat codes, and by golly I loved my Pen & Ink mode! The later games got a bit ridiculous, and nothing ever matched the simplicity of a man killing dinosaurs that we got in Turok: Dinosaur Hunter.

6. Goldeneye
Again, cheat codes made this game so much fun to explore. Do you remember the level where you had to chase the bad guy through a bunker and fight your way out before the gas canisters exploded? Turning on god mode and fighting a limitless supply of spawning enemies in a room covered in a green haze was awesome. And multiplayer, for as often as I was able to play it, was a great introduction in to my later Call of Duty addiction. If CoD had Oddjob and paintball mode I'd probably still be playing it!

5. Mario Kart 64
If you've played it, there's no need to expound on what made it awesome. It featured characters everyone loved, fun power ups, and was the cause of a lot of yelling and shoving between friends and family. On the other hand... Rainbow Road.

4. Resident Evil 2
Ohhhh buddy, my first horror game and first true introduction to zombies. I still remember the seemingly innocent bus full of dead people, the cop who died and came back to munch on you, and that narrow hallway when you first encountered that fiendish wall crawler with the long tongue. The game sort of fell apart at the end for me (more zombies, less mutations!), but I played through the first half of the game over and over.






3. Ogre Battle 64
 This one flew under the radar for a lot of people, and it's a shame. It was a huge RPG with a lot of unique classes, a stress-free combat system, and a branching story that started with you as a rookie in the army, to joining a resistance, to fighting a kingdom corrupted by daemons. The combat had you controlling an army of units in the open world, and then you'd go liberate cities all the way to the map's enemy.

When you'd engage in combat you and your opponent would have your units on a 5x5 grid and characters would attack whoever was in front of them according to their initiative. You could flank, use terrain to your advantage, and barrel through the opposition or surgically remove everyone. If you haven't played this, download it on the Wii or get a ROM. The game hasn't aged well graphically, but it's just so good.


2. Super Smash Bros
This may be my favorite game series that has spanned multiple consoles. Getting to see familiar and unfamiliar Nintendo characters duke it out was a dream come true. Whether it was speedy Fox, balanced Mario, beefcake Bowser, goofy Jigglypuff, or my favorite electric mouse Pikachu, everyone had a character that suited their playstyle.

I haven't been a fan of how the single player experience has changed. The Wii version featured a painfully long experience filled with a lot of boring platforming. But the original got it right - it had you doing everything you loved in the game, with a few goofy special levels thrown in. I love how the roster has evolved, the stages have improved, and the item selection has stayed fairly balanced. If I were to get a Wii U, it would be to play this series.

1. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask
Hey, listen! If you heard that in Navi's voice, you can appreciate the influences this game had in your life. Legend of Zelda featured an epic story of a hero rising up to save a world that was corrupted by an enemy he was too weak to stop. Link has always been a favorite hero of many because he lets nothing stand in his way to save Zelda and/or the world. No matter his incarnation, Link is the epitome of courage and sacrifice.

But OoT is where it started for many of us. Despite his 2d iteration, the N64 brought him to life in an entirely new way and is considered by many gamers to be the greatest game ever made. It had unique locations, head-scratching puzzles, intuitive combat, an amazing story with memorable characters, a power-hungry boss you had to hate, and a slew of items that were fitting of the heroic journey you were on.

Majora's Mask took the same style of game and put a dark twist on it. The world was going to end in three days and you had to stop it. In a Groundhog Day-esque twist, you could travel back to Day 1 and better prepare yourself to stop this from happening. Unlike OoT where the cast featured characters full of hope and good, some characters in MM were almost Wonderlandian in their creepiness. And if you ever looked in the sky, the freaky moon creeping ever-closer to earth served as a dark reminder that everything in this game hinged on you finding a way to stop the deranged Skull Kid who was being possessed by the dark artifact, Majora's Mask.


What about you guys? I had a hard time trimming down my list to just 10 items, and I was sad to cut games like Star Fox, Tony Hawk, and the original Star Wars game. What are your memories of the N64? Sound off in the comment section below!

See you tommorrow!



Remember to follow me on Facebook. I'm doing a blog post every single day for 2013, and Facebook is a great way to stay up-to-date as well as take part in my monthly giveaways!