Just Below the Surface

[video=youtube;ZwWLns7-xN8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwWLns7-xN8[/video]

CHOO! CHOO! YES, I FELL VICTIM TO IT.

So, if you've actually followed this blog from the start, you'll know that I've kept somewhat of an eye on Battlefront. This game was like my childhood. If I had to pick which game I played the most out of my life, it would be Battlefront 2.

And since DICE got control of developing it after that Rebellion/Lucasarts debacle, I've kept a leery but still somewhat excited eye on the new reboot of it.

Then this trailer came out. Now I'm in.... HYPErspace... Yeah, that was bad.

Anywho, Dice released a trailer, shoing some new features that will hopefully be added in (Like that portable shield). They've confirmed 4 planets of play with several battlefields on each, hero battles, and some details on singleplayer (WHICH I'M CONCERNED THAT THEY SCRAPED GALACTIC CONQUEST AND A CONQUEST, BUT I HOPE FOR THE BEST).

But the main feature I love the most so far is... Splitscreen Multiplayer.

That's right, get this game on a console, grab a friend, then yell at them for screenlooking. It's 2004 all over again.

That's probably a bad English to Latin translation but sue me. But yeah, Long Live the Queen.

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So, this game is a bit old and I uh... I don't know what exactly what to consider this game. It's technically a visual novel but it's pretty neat since it's kinda a more like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel with RPG elements. Though, RPG elements tend to override the CYOA part. But it could also be considered a simulator with all the stats involved and heavy theme of the time and problem management.

Anyways, you play as Elodie; a 14 year old princess to the Kingdom of Nova. Your mom just met an untimely demise and now the kingdom holds it breath as they wait for you turn 15 and claim the throne as Queen. Good news, it's a 40 week wait. Bad news, you get to shoulder some of responsibility of being a Queen already, along with all the assassination attempts and civil wars. You think you're going to start off with the know-how on being a monarch? HA, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN THAT TOO IN THE NEXT 40 WEEKS. HAVE FUN JUGGLING THOSE AND YOUR EMOTIONS AT THE SAME TIME! LONG LIVE THE TEENAGE QUEEN!

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The new curriculum looks tough this year...
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So, you have 40 weeks to live and learn before becoming the Queen, and I mean live and learn. Each week, you'll assign yourself 2 classes to learn in before being presented with an event, then to a weekend activity.

Classes range are put under four trees: Social, Physical, Intellectual, and Mystical. Inside those trees are a wide gambit of classes that will teach Elodie all the skills she may need to rule the kingdom or live for another week. This allows for you shape Elodie out to being the Queen you want. Sadly, there way too many classes for you to have a well rounded Elodie and not suffer an unfortunate accident or "accident" later on. Long Live the Specialized Queen!

You may be becoming a Queen, but you still have time to deal with girl problems.


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Next, after Elodie's done with her classes for the week, we get a taste of story. Family comes over, talk about Elodie's dead mom, have party, and so on. It helps giving a heads up on how you're doing and what's coming up next. You'll sometimes be presented with a choice like going to a friend's party that's a long walk through bandit infested territory or writing Elodie's regrets that she won't be able to make it. Sometimes, you'll have to pass judgement on peasants who broke the law. These choices could affect your kingdom's neighbors and peasant's view on Elodie. Most of the time, you'll go through a skill check. Pray to God you pass, failure could have ramifications for Elodie in the future or kill her now. Either or, the it's amazing how will the story holds with all the choices you make.

Now this wouldn't be so bothersome if it didn't mean you handicap yourself in a class to learn a class one time and pass a check. You might have to save scum a run through to stop learning how to sword fight so you can practice accounting and not go into debt while at the same time having the threat of a neighboring lord or lady readying to challenge Elodie to a duel. It's going to be impossible to pass every skill check, so be prepared to accept failure a lot. Long Live the Threatened Queen!

NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING WRONG.
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If you managed to have Elodie survive for the week, you'll get a chance to choose a weekend activity. You can meander around the castle, play with your toys, watch your Dad be King, and even pay visits to The Dungeon. More activities come available as she becomes more skilled in certain classes. These won't kill Elodie luckily, but they will affect Elodie's mood.

Elodie can be VERY moody. Her mood is determined in 4 sorts of "tug of war" between Angry and Afraid, Cheerful and Depressed, Willful and Yielding, and Pressured and Lonely. Which ever mood is holding the pull from the center her mood for the week. So if the tug between Angry and Afraid is the most of centered and is leaning towards afraid, Elodie will be afraid for the week. Her mood mostly effects how much she'll learn in certain classes for the week, which can either boost or waste a week of education.

As mentioned previously, weekend activities affect her mood both positively and negatively, making it hard to have a balanced mood. To add into the mix, certain events after class may affect her mood. All of these combined can have Elodie drop from cheerful to depressed quite quickly. Long Live the Bi-Polar Queen!

Don't be surprised if you find Elodie in this situation quite a bit.
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You're going to die a lot in this game. It will be cruel and it will be merciless. It could easily be described as a trail and error at most times. But luckily, to help ease your struggle, there are multiple endings, deaths, and even costumes that add bonuses to Elodie's skills! Gotta find them all!

So, would I recommend this menagerie of a game? Yeah, pretty much. Despite it's lack of action, it's a pretty difficult game to master. It's like a game meant for a spreadsheet analyst to play yet can still be appealing to a larger audience. Not to mention it's cute, quirky, and quite aware of the jokes about Japanese... er, culture? Yeah, culture, let's call it culture. Long Live the Recommend Queen!

For years, the Civilization series has allowed players to play as various leaders guiding their civilizations from the dawn of man to just through ages. Players had to manage construction, culture, diplomacy, economics, military, and technology. Most of the games allowed players to progress technologically to just a little beyond modern day. Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth is the newest entry into the series and is centered towards the era most Civilization games missed: The Future.

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Starting off, the game gives an intro of a mass exodus of Earth because of an event called "The Great Mistake". It's never really told what exactly it was but it seems bad enough that many nations have banded together to launch colonies of people off to different worlds. Your job is the same as most of the other Civilization games: Manage your empire and become the best one on the planet.

Now, since this is the future, it would be hard to place some of the ancient civilizations that were so prevalent in the past installments. Players are presented instead with somewhat customizable civilization, most referred to as a Colony. Players choose their sponsor (Which decidedly chooses the leader and city names), the type of people they bring along, their ship, and their cargo. These help establish starting bonuses that may make or break your fledgling colony.

Each Sponsor comes with with a special bonus, so pick wisely.

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Selecting a new world to play is different too. Instead of being given some general options like Terra, Pangaea, Continents, etc, you're offered Terran, Protean, Altantean. There's a random option if you're feeling risky and specialized planets that specialized in making the game harder with scarcity or terrain.

Once everything is ready to start, you'll be the first one on your new planet. Other colonies, which you'll be instantly greeted by, will join in slowly after a couple of turns. This where the biggest, glaring issue is: You'll be doing the same thing you've done at the start of every Civ game. You'll explore, you'll research, you'll make polices. It starts out essentially like starting a game in one of previous installments on the last era.

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Normally, it wouldn't be much of an issue but many mechanics feel dragged over from Civ V. Even the UI mostly the same, save for a few changed placements of icons. Most of the things have been just been renamed. Instead of gold, its energy. Instead of happiness, it's health. Units still can't be stacked like previous games but they could also be considered helpful against massive "doomstacks". City States are back but are renamed to Stations and their purpose has been limited to merely trading points for convoys. The most recycled element of the game is diplomacy of the game.

Some features were even gutted from the game entirely. Great people no longer appear, taking away that random ace-in-the-hole everyone so desperately built and waited for. The World Congress/ UN concept is nonexistent too, eliminating that sense of global cooperation later on.

Now, while there's quite a few gutted or recycled elements, some returned refined along with new set of concepts. The policy tree from V has returns as virtues. Virtues are divided under four varying elements that start opened up to the player. Espionage comes back as Covert Ops, which now allows for more options to undermine your enemies, protect your secrets, and even provide some bonuses with idle spies. Satellites add an extra level of production and warfare but can be somewhat tiresome having to build a satellite after the the other eventually falls from orbit. The quests from city states are now just regulars quests with little time limit. They vary from simple "take out these aliens" to massive research, excavate, and secure quests to the common narrative quests on an extra bonus for building a building for the first time.

Due it being the future and there being no certain path of technology, the tech tree has remade into a web. Each technology branches into another. Under each branch some a special leaf. The Tech allows for more freedom in research but is extremely annoying to navigate.

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Barbarians have replaced with aliens native to the planet your on. The main difference between them and their human counter-part is how you approach them. If refrain from murdering them, they'll leave your borders alone most of the time and will probably only attack you if you go near their hives (spawn points). Murder evey alien you see and you'll have some highly experienced soldiers but are going to find yourself knee-deep in aliens.

The main addition, and probably the part you'd care the most about is concepts affinity. Beyond Earth offers three certain affinities: Harmony, Purity, and Supremacy. Each three of the affinities help determine your foreign polcy with the aliens on the planet, narrative, appearance of your colony, and the victories you can achieve. Harmony is obviously about being peaceful with the aliens adopting some of genes, Purity is about preserving the Human race and it's history, while Supremacy is becoming more cybernetic and evolving with machines. Players progress in an affinity by doing quests and researching affinity specific technologies, earning points to level up through an affinity. It is possible to work on two affinities at a time but in the end, one will still null out the other in bonuses.
Unit upgrades are mostly dependent on affinity levels. Promotions have been limited to increase attack or heal. Upgrading your unit will require you to obtain a certain affinity rank, unlocking a new unit and a new promotion. Getting high ranks unlocks special units and abilities but will slowly lock out the rest that are not part of your affinity.

The effects of Harmony, Purity, and Supremacy on leaders, respectively. Changes are more subtle through the game. This is just the end products.

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There 5 types of victories so far, 3 of which are affinity specific. Harmony offers the Transcendence victory which to build a giant mind flower to bring peace by creating a hive mind, Purity gives the Promised Land victory which is to build a giant teleporter on the planet and bring settlers from Earth to the planet, Supremacy is like Purity but instead of bringing people to your planet, you send your troops Earth to take over. Domination is still present and can be switched between taking capitals and taking EVERY CITY. The last victory is available to all called the Contact victory, where players decode a mysterious signal before CONTACTING THE MOTHER SHIP. I'm not joking.

Would I recommend this game? Yes. While it is lacking for a new entry, it is still pretty solid. Veterans of the Civ series would find themselves in some familiar turf for the game while the new people might be pulled on for the new time era the series has jumped too. Mod support is up though mostly clumsily handled by the Steam Workshop.

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That's right, ladies and gentlemen, today marks the 20th anniversary/birthday of DOOM. The violent, chain-saw running, minigun totting, rocket spewing, blood splattering, demon hunting story of a space marine on Mars that basically sent the precedent of the FPS genre, yesteryear to today!

So, I got a PS4 during the midnight midnight release of it. So far, it's a pretty nice system. Graphics are awesome, processing is fast, and the controller is actually very functional.

I do have a few gripes with the controller though. The reduction of the size of the trigger buttons and unclear instructions on the share buttons are pretty much it. The overall size of the controller is pretty much the same, ans so is the layout; so no need to prepare to relearn the controller too much.

Another gripe is the lack of controlling on whether you automatically sign in on PSN and the fact they didn't have their servers ready for everyone. Not surprised on the latter, seems to be a common issue these days.

But, the system works great, the two titles I have so far, Assassin's Creed: Black Flag and Contrast, are both fully entertaining and well working.

I should probably post more, but I'm too busy plundering ships and playing with shadows.

I don't know if you remember my second ever blog post on here or if I'm already late bringing this up, but ladies and gentlemen, time to dust off your lightsabers...

[video=youtube;f_vWs6MpBfo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_vWs6MpBfo[/video]

Yup. Its coming back. Along with Twinkies (Another early blog post ) are coming back. DICE better not drop the ball on this.

The game, not the Twinkies.

What is this? A blog post from moi? I know what you're thinking (Probably not, I'M GOING TO TRY ANYWAYS)": "But Sir, you haven't used your blog since December. Nor do you post anything that aligns with my interests and/or opinions."

Well, TOO BAD, I'M POSTING ANYWAYS.

"But Sir, what can possibly post about? Nothing interesting every happens in your life."

That hurts, man. Because of that, I'm posting about whatever I feel like bring up here.

What's that, you've read this far and actually want to know? Why thank you. Anywho, my life has been going pretty mild-ish (By first world standards). Granted, I have received quite a few new games and have possibly earned a chance going to Sweet Apple Acres Con in July, I've recently been feeling unaccomplished, or like I haven't done much with my life. I'm barely passing Chemistry and Geometry and I have several fanfics in writing that I really even touch nowadays. On here, I've been feeling that I push myself into the unsociable corner. Although this goes with out saying, I've also been feeling that I'm the worst RPer, seeing as how I always somehow derail or do too little in the few rps I've been in. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT THE DEPRESSING STUFF, I'm just gonna bury it under some more positive stuff. I've recently got do one my favorite hobbies of mowing my lawn. I don't know why I love to mow my lawn, BUT A FREAKING LOVE TO MOW MY LAWN. I've also looked through my files and came across an old project that was nearly finished and I'm thinking about finishing it! Come to think about it I really don't have much more to say (At least now with most of you random people).

I guess that's it. Seemed like a much better idea in my head...

All I ask of you simple: Listen and critique.

Do tell me if I messed up while editing this a little.

Also, sorry I had to link it to tumblr, Don't really wanna upload it to Soundcloud or some other file hosting site.


http://sir-spt.tumblr.com/post/37947116931/managed-to-rip-the-live-orchestra-performance-of

Kids, today, Hostess must now sell of EVERYTHING. They succumbed to mounting debts and union protests.

Yes, Twinkies and a wide other assortment of snack cakes will no longer be produced. (Unless the buyers of the company continue to produce them)

I'm going to try and do a quick review of Resident Evil 6 or "How-I-Learned-To-Stop-Worrying-And-Love-The-Virus".

However, the freaking game has 3 separate campaigns and have fun trying to work on more then 1 at once.
SPOILER ALERT
SPOILER ALERT
SPOILER ALERT

Spoiler: summary of Tutorial and First Chapter

Alright, now the game starts off with you as Leon and some other chick making your way to some towers in China. when you get there, you run into some steroid freak and the game decides the end the tutorial. You then get a choice between playing Leon, Chris, or Jake's campaign. All of have different play styles but it would be a good idea to start off with Leon. You start off in a university and well, you just shot the zombie president. Moving on, you make you're way through overrun university and lets just say, the puzzles are really dumbed down. But it is a bit of a hoot making your through. You then make your way through the subway tunnels while dodging oncoming trains and a town where everyone seems hellbent on killing each other inadvertently. Lucky the zombies can be pretty smart. You also get introduced to 3 new zombies: A screamer who blurs the screen and attracts zombies, A crazy hyper zombie who would love nothing more then to gnaw your face off, and a fat zombie who can take quite a few bullets and bears a striking resemblance to Gaben. after making your way through the chaotic town, you have to defend a gunshop till bus arrives. Now the friendly AI that isn't the other player's character vary from pretty good to brain-dead. After blasting your way three floors of zombies for a solid 15 minutes, the bus arrives and you all go on you're merry way to a cathedral and kill a fat zombie on the way. End chapter one, one hour gone

Concept: Leon's campaign is basically try for horror survival with a mix of today's need for stuff to blow up.
If you've played either RE4 or 5, this should be pretty simple. Just get from point A to Point B with quickest time, most kills, and least amount of deaths.

Controls: Could take a few minutes for veteran player to get used to, but easy to learn. Very responsive but cover system is a little off. The QTE's also get a makeover, for the better or worse is a coin toss.

Graphics: A step up from RE5 but nothing too eye-opening or stunning. Textures do have a habit of loading up a little late. But the use of lighting also helps cover it up a little and enhance some of the scares.

Sounds: The voice acting is superb and the zombies can be terrifying if you leave you're speakers on loud at night but the soundtrack is forgettable.

Enjoyability: You can get some kicks out of it, but the chapters are a little too long and and writing and story will make some of the old time fans cringe.

Overall: Some good times, but nothing Game of The Year.

Probably a bad review but eh, might make a bigger better one for the whole game.

3 weeks. 3 weeks writing a fanfic and all I've accomplished is 3 paragraphs and a sentence.

Now before you say anything,ANYTHING, I will note:

• There was procrastination
• I didn't spend all my free time writing it
• Yes, I have MOST of the story planned out
• Yes, there have been points when I've been demotivated.

But I thought I'd at least get a few more paragraphs in before now. Well, guess it's time to buckle down and write my freaking mind out, after I'm done vent writing.

Oh, and P.S: I'm writing a fanfic. Yes, it does involve ponies.

Just found out my internet provider decided to cut me off till the end of the month (Saturday). CURSE YOU CRAPPY SATELLITE SERVICE.

This is going to be a long 5 days.

New Judge Dredd movie coming out, Dredd 3-dD Yeah, Judge Dredd.
In case you don't know Judge Dredd, he's basically a cop in the future who is judge, jury, and executioner in the comic 2000 A.D. Throw in chaotic futuristic New York City, some paranormal criminals, some awesome one-liners, and you get the idea.

Now you're probably thinking "Wow, sounds like it should be a movie." (Or not)
Well, almost every attempt to branch Dredd from comics have mostly been commercial failures (Excluding Dredd Vs. Death) and the previous 1995 movie was a disaster. And this movie looks like it going to be another cookie cutter action movie with alot of explosions and cheap characters. Although some critics are saying it looks promising.

Here's to hoping for a successful reboot.

So, the other day I found out Star Wars: Battlefront 3 was canceled.




I know, I'm late. And it's safe to say that my reaction is less than positive.

For those of you who don't know they story: Free Radical Design (The Developers) was over half way finished with developing the game before being forced to stop by Lucas Arts (The Producers)and hand over the project to Rebellion Developments, who hasn't done jack and pretty much cancelled the game after the reveal of 1313. After handing over the project, Free Radical was acquired by Crytek.
The reason for stopping, I don't know. I could assume that Lucas Arts wanted to focus all development efforts towards 1313 and Knights of the Old Republic.

Either or, It still sucks that an amazing game series died.

This is my apparent first blog post. I don't even know what I should talk about on this whole blog. I could probably ramble on about being cynical, commenting on real life, and posting random crap, but I could sum up all that rambling in 1 sentence.

Let's just consider a first post. Any idea what I should do on this blog?