"Are you less of a gamer if you drop the level down to easy? It just might be so. We all know that challenging games can be incredibly frustrating, so why do we put ourselves through this? Well, there is a greater satisfaction, but it goes deeper than this, hard games are makes games a unique experience unlike any other. Games that call for physical dexterity, moral deliberation, and tough problem solving is what separate out the noobs, but it's also what separates games from every previous art forms like books, theater, and the movies. So are hard games better than easy games?"
Game/Show is an awesome web video serial because it explores interesting topics in gaming... Read All
"Are you less of a gamer if you drop the level down to easy? It just might be so. We all know that challenging games can be incredibly frustrating, so why do we put ourselves through this? Well, there is a greater satisfaction, but it goes deeper than this, hard games are makes games a unique experience unlike any other. Games that call for physical dexterity, moral deliberation, and tough problem solving is what separate out the noobs, but it's also what separates games from every previous art forms like books, theater, and the movies. So are hard games better than easy games?"
Game/Show is an awesome web video serial because it explores interesting topics in gaming while bringing their own style to the mix. In this episode Jamin makes the claim that hard games are better than easy ones. Finally beating FTL and getting the last tier of Terraria 1.2 gear? Yeah, both of things were really awesome and also not easy.
Clicky click, watchy watch. His perpetual 5 o'clock shadow is worth the price of admission alone.
First off, I've really been loving this video series. It's really well done and they hit a lot of cool topics.
The hard games vs. easy games thing I have difficulty with. (see what I did there?)
On the one hand, my play time is usually pretty limited and I don't want to have to keep grinding out the same scene over and over before I can progress anywhere. So I tend to lean more towards easier games or games I've already played so I know, roughly, how much I can get done in my limited time. I also get frustrated easily and when I get frustrated it stops being fun. On the other hand, some of the most fun I've had in games involved stuff that was pretty difficult. For example, defeating Alexander is one of the highlights from my time playing FFXI*. I also sometimes impose handicaps on myself to make games I've already beaten more challenging, like playing Link to the Past with no bottle.
*This was back when the level cap was still 75. I'm sure this fight is a LOT easier now that the cap is 99.
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A.N.N.E. is a great 2D retro project I backed on Kickstarter. The game seriously reminds me of the magical nature of NES greats such as Blaster Master, Little Nemo The Dream Master and Metroid. Recently Mo, the games creator, posted a pretty awesome update about the games progress.
A few interesting bits of note: the video showcases a pretty bad ass looking boss fight and also talks a bit about how the games score has taken shape.
A.N.N.E. will ship on Mac, PC and Linux.
Read our interview with Mo about A.N.N.E here:
http://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/posts/1272
A.N.N.E. is a great 2D retro project I backed on Kickstarter. The game seriously reminds me of the magical nature of NES greats such as Blaster Master, Little Nemo The Dream Master and Metroid. Recently Mo, the games creator, posted a pretty awesome update about the games progress.
A few interesting bits of note: the video showcases a pretty bad ass looking boss fight and also talks a bit about how the games score has taken shape.
Our 3rd Cheerful Ghost Terraria server just came to a close and I was a bit sad to see it go. I had a great time spelunking through the new 1.2 content with Travis, WhiteboySlim and jaelte! This server was different in that it went much longer than any we'd had previously as we spent much more time in hardmode and exploring all of the 1.2 content. One thing the 1.2 update did well was make hardmode much more interesting and gave us lots of reasons to keep advancing and work together.
It's no secret one thing I loved in the 1.2 update were the new bee hives & queen bee fight. I also really appreciate the new Crimson and increased usefulness of the Jungle, Dungeon... Read All
Our 3rd Cheerful Ghost Terraria server just came to a close and I was a bit sad to see it go. I had a great time spelunking through the new 1.2 content with Travis, WhiteboySlim and jaelte! This server was different in that it went much longer than any we'd had previously as we spent much more time in hardmode and exploring all of the 1.2 content. One thing the 1.2 update did well was make hardmode much more interesting and gave us lots of reasons to keep advancing and work together.
It's no secret one thing I loved in the 1.2 update were the new bee hives & queen bee fight. I also really appreciate the new Crimson and increased usefulness of the Jungle, Dungeon and the new Temple. Each area of the game got a huge overhaul and the game feels huge compared to 1.1.
I can't wait for the December update and when it drops I will bring our server back up for a few days if people want to explore the new content and boss fights together. So let me know if you are interested.
As per tradition you can nab the Terraria world file we ended with right here. Warning, there is a ton of great loot in the treasure chests in our houses and no one is protecting it!
I want to thank everyone again for taking part in making this on of the best times I've had in gaming in a while and look forward to doing it all over again with Starbound!
It was quite fun for awhile, but unfortunately life caught up to me these last few weeks, so I didn't get to see all that much of hard mode. Good times all around, though. Thanks everyone for showing this noob the ropes.
Now that the Playstation 4 has been released I have been grappling with the fact that my PS3 is no longer current gen. It would be a stretch to say its a retro system, but yeah, the ps3 is a last gen system now. I want to talk a bit about the PS3 and why I think it has been one of the best video game consoles i've ever owned.
Originally I picked up my PS3 to upscale DVD's, play BluRay and occasionally play games. I tried a few upscaling DVD players and nothing looked as good to me as the PS3. I realized at some point I would make the jump to BluRay and that having a system that had the ability to self update would be a good thing with the newness of the BluRay format.... Read All
Now that the Playstation 4 has been released I have been grappling with the fact that my PS3 is no longer current gen. It would be a stretch to say its a retro system, but yeah, the ps3 is a last gen system now. I want to talk a bit about the PS3 and why I think it has been one of the best video game consoles i've ever owned.
Originally I picked up my PS3 to upscale DVD's, play BluRay and occasionally play games. I tried a few upscaling DVD players and nothing looked as good to me as the PS3. I realized at some point I would make the jump to BluRay and that having a system that had the ability to self update would be a good thing with the newness of the BluRay format. I got my PS3 at BestBuy as part of a bundle that contained Guitar Hero 3 and a $50 gift card. Guitar Hero was quite a bit of fun but my first game purchase I was seriously looking forward to was The Orange Box. At the time, I didn't have a great PC but wanted to jump into Half-Life 2 and the episodes. I had heard amazing things about Portal as well and The Orange Box lived up the the hype. The Orange Box on PS3 had a few glitches but overall it was a pleasant experience and a hell of a lot of fun.
Over the lifespan of the PS3 I picked up The Orange Box, Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition, Borderlands, Wolfenstein, Civilization Revolution, RAGE, Unreal Tournament III, Street Fighter IV, Portal 2, FarCry 2, Borderlands 2 and my final PS3 purchase Doom 3: BFG Edition. I never really liked buying digital games on the PS3 as you couldn't share them and the price never seemed right. That said, I picked up Age of Booty, Zuma and Wolfenstein 3D. Whereas the games themselves are fun, one problem I have with digital PS3 game purchases is they don't carry the value over compared to other digital stores like Steam.
The game experiences I had the most fun with on the PS3 were Civilization Revolution, Fallout 3, Half-Life 2, Portal 2 & Borderlands. Civilization Revolution is a seriously under-rated game and made to work very well on consoles. It's funny as none of the games in the rest of my "most beloved PS3 games" list are exclusives or console only. I had a hard time getting games I couldn't later play on PC if I wanted.
The Playstation 3 is a great system and it still works awesomely in the original capacity I bought it, to play media. I don't play too many games with it these days as I find gaming from my Mac or PC to be superior in nearly every way that matters but when friends come over, you can't beat split-screen game play.
As I look forward to Sony's next offering I don't see myself buying one any time soon, but that could change if the Playstation 4 gets more compelling. That said, I would consider the PS3 one of the best systems i've ever owned and I hope it has a very long life under my TV.
Bought mine for backwards compatability. Seems like I'm one of the few that plays all three generations games on their ps3. That said. I love the ps3. But for crying out loud. Those updates! And installs! Ive never updated my 360. I put games in it. The end. But that i like it more. But it's enough for me to lose it sometimes
jdodson Admin Post Author
wrote on 11/21/2013 at 02:22am
Right, the PS3 really does have a ton more system updates than i'd like too. Perhaps now that Sony's focus is the PS4 we won't get as many? I don't mind the app updates, but yeah wow for one year in particular it seemed like every week there was a new update.
I can (and do) play PS1 games on my PS3, but sadly it cannot play PS2. :\ I would definitely be playing all three generations of games on one machine if I could though. This is regarding disc based games obviously, since if i wanted to I could buy PS2 games through PSN and play them that way. But I don't really want to rebuy a game I already own if I don't have to.
The PS3 is a great system. Although it is the first gaming console I've used more for other purposes than gaming. I've used the PS3 for movies and netflix far more than I have for playing games.
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Black Mesa, the remake of Half-Life in the Source engine with all new textures, has been out on Steam for a while for free. Currently it's only about the first half of the game, but there's more coming! They'll be sprucing up the whole game and selling it via Steam, and updating the free version as well.
There's no specific info about the differences between the two, but I'm just glad to see this getting off the ground. What's available right now is quite good, and I can't wait to see more.
http://forums.blackmesasource.com/showthread.php?t=17088
Black Mesa, the remake of Half-Life in the Source engine with all new textures, has been out on Steam for a while for free. Currently it's only about the first half of the game, but there's more coming! They'll be sprucing up the whole game and selling it via Steam, and updating the free version as well.
There's no specific info about the differences between the two, but I'm just glad to see this getting off the ground. What's available right now is quite good, and I can't wait to see more.
"In this episode we examine the Ms. Male Character trope and briefly discuss a related pattern called the Smurfette Principle. We’ve defined the Ms. Male Character Trope as: The female version of an already established or default male character. Ms. Male Characters are defined primarily by their relationship to their male counterparts via visual properties, narrative connection or occasionally through promotional materials."
Anita Sarkeesian continues her tropes series this time focusing on the "Ms. Male Character" video game trope. Interesting history of some popular Ms. Male Characters as well as gender representation in games.
"In this episode we examine the Ms. Male Character trope and briefly discuss a related pattern called the Smurfette Principle. We’ve defined the Ms. Male Character Trope as: The female version of an already established or default male character. Ms. Male Characters are defined primarily by their relationship to their male counterparts via visual properties, narrative connection or occasionally through promotional materials."
Anita Sarkeesian continues her tropes series this time focusing on the "Ms. Male Character" video game trope. Interesting history of some popular Ms. Male Characters as well as gender representation in games.
Organ Trail is a really great retro remake of the old Oregon Trail game from the Apple II era. As a kid I played The Oregon trail a ton and loved speed-running the game as the Banker from Boston. That said, Organ Trail is a nearly spot on remake that reminds me of the original while doing something very unique.
the goal
The goal of Organ Trail is to escape from Washington DC during the Zombie Apocalypse with your party and travel to the safe haven that is free of Zombies. You start the game with 4 people in your party and a station wagon. The game allows you to outfit your party with supplies and this is the first chance you have to drop your strategy into the game. Do... Read All
Organ Trail is a really great retro remake of the old Oregon Trail game from the Apple II era. As a kid I played The Oregon trail a ton and loved speed-running the game as the Banker from Boston. That said, Organ Trail is a nearly spot on remake that reminds me of the original while doing something very unique.
the goal
The goal of Organ Trail is to escape from Washington DC during the Zombie Apocalypse with your party and travel to the safe haven that is free of Zombies. You start the game with 4 people in your party and a station wagon. The game allows you to outfit your party with supplies and this is the first chance you have to drop your strategy into the game. Do you go for more bullets and less food? Do you go for a little bit of everything instead?
Personally I go for a few more bullets, no food and try to get about 3 of each car parts. Immediately I start scavenging for food as it isn't too hard to obtain. I make some trades and once I feel like I am ready, I start the journey.
the graphics
One of the things I enjoy the most about Organ Trail is the graphics and art style. Organ Trail mixes the big blocky sprites from the Apple II and NES. One main staple of the game is scavenging for supplies and the game provides a few back drops that change as you make your way across the zombie infested US landscape. Some people might fault the game for being "too old looking" but I find that part of the games immense charm.
platform support
Organ Trail is ported to just about every platform that matters with Mac, Linux, PC, Android and iOS. I've played it on Mac and Linux and it runs great on both platforms. The Mac has a slightly better interface for selecting what resolution the game should run in as I didn't notice anything like that on Linux. That said, the Linux version works very well and I saw no particular issues with it.
gameplay
The majority of Organ Trail plays like you would expect. A few menus confused me but after a few times through the game, it was fine. One fairly large gripe I have with the game is in with the gun targeting. I expected the game to work like the original Oregon Trail, you just lined up the gun and shot it. Organ Trail changes things up by making you line the player up and clicking and dragging back to the player to shoot. I imagine the gameplay is this way to make it work similarly on Phones and Desktops but on the Desktop it is just strange. I have figured out a pretty good work around for scavenging and do very well now, but I would prefer a simpler interface. That said, it's the games only major flaw as I see it and it is something you can easily work around.
final thoughts
The game difficulty modes are really fair but for your first game I recommend playing on easy. Going through first on easy allows you to get used to what the game throws at you and its not so hard as to be soul crushing.
Organ Trail is an absolutely amazing game. I would consider it a nearly perfect game if not for some gameplay issues listed above. Organ Trail fits the spot for a game that is a ton of fun if you want to kick back on the couch and its a game that I imagine i'll be playing for quite some time.
After having played through it a few times, have you found out what the clock is for? Is there any reason to not stop at each town for a couple days and heal everyone up?
jdodson Admin Post Author
wrote on 11/19/2013 at 08:15pm
No use for the clock that I know of, save try and beat your personal best or for speed-running.
I usually spend as much time in town as I need. Some times I need to grind for supplies, but I am mostly just doing it because I want more than I need. I don't like living on the edge.
The Escapists is an interesting game on Kickstarter right now. Made by the same author of Spuds Quest, The Escapists is setting out to be the ultimate prison break RPG.
"* Schedules: To escape you'll have to work around the strict prison schedule as best you can to avoid any unwanted attention from the guards.
* Crafting: Weapons and tools can be crafted together using everyday things you find or steal around the prison. Just beware of cell shakedowns. Read more about crafting
* Reputation: The way you interact with fellow cons and guards affect how they treat you. Those on your side could help you out in a fight, overlook if they catch you doing anything unusual, or... Read All
The Escapists is an interesting game on Kickstarter right now. Made by the same author of Spuds Quest, The Escapists is setting out to be the ultimate prison break RPG.
"* Schedules: To escape you'll have to work around the strict prison schedule as best you can to avoid any unwanted attention from the guards.
* Crafting: Weapons and tools can be crafted together using everyday things you find or steal around the prison. Just beware of cell shakedowns. Read more about crafting
* Reputation: The way you interact with fellow cons and guards affect how they treat you. Those on your side could help you out in a fight, overlook if they catch you doing anything unusual, or give you access to certain favors/jobs, and assistance.
* Digging: Get hold of a shovel (or various other digging spoons) and you can start working on an escape tunnel. Of course you'll need some lights and timber supports below ground if you plan to survive. Just make sure you make it back for the guard patrols- and that the hole is hidden! Read more about digging
* Character Stats: Train your agility and strength in the gym, or spend your free periods in the library boosting your intellect. All such skills play a part in your escape as well as your survival inside the prison. Read more about stats.
* Combat: When it comes to crunch time, you might have to engage other inmates or guards in combat. If one of them finds your escape tunnel you will probably have to overpower, bind, and stash them in the hole you've been digging below your cell. If it's a guard, taking his uniform might come in handy.
* Gangs & Friends: Be careful who you pick fights with- some of the inmates might start plotting against you with their gang-mates and friends."
I love Prison Architect so playing a game from an entirely different angle sounds really fun. The game has already been funded but if you want to get in on the Kickstarter there are only 9 days remaining. Right now The Escapists is planned for PC only.
"How well do you know your enemies? That's the question we set out to answer in our premiere episode of Know Your Enemy. Join us as we take a look at one of our favorites: The Goomba, from the Super Mario Bros. series."
Awesome new YouTube series "Know Your Enemy" debuts with a classic Mario enemy, the Goomba. Providing some really great history to the character as well as it's many cultural and game appearances. Whenever I see one of those little guys I just want to stomp on it. Good thing they are not modeled after an actual thing in real life.
"How well do you know your enemies? That's the question we set out to answer in our premiere episode of Know Your Enemy. Join us as we take a look at one of our favorites: The Goomba, from the Super Mario Bros. series."
Awesome new YouTube series "Know Your Enemy" debuts with a classic Mario enemy, the Goomba. Providing some really great history to the character as well as it's many cultural and game appearances. Whenever I see one of those little guys I just want to stomp on it. Good thing they are not modeled after an actual thing in real life.
Microsoft just can’t seem to catch a break. First there was its underwhelming E3 unveiling, then a massive backlash from fans over its restrictive DRM and used game policies, privacy concerns over its always-on kinect camera, and its price tag coming in $100 (in the US) higher than its rival Playstation.
Now reports are coming in from various sites indicating that some key mutli-platform titles are looking considerably worse on the Xbox. Eurogamer reports that “Our Battlefield 4 Face-Off preview reveals a 50 per cent resolution boost on PlayStation 4 with no appreciable compromise in effects or performance in single-player gameplay, while Infinity Ward's Mark... Read AllUh-oh…
Microsoft just can’t seem to catch a break. First there was its underwhelming E3 unveiling, then a massive backlash from fans over its restrictive DRM and used game policies, privacy concerns over its always-on kinect camera, and its price tag coming in $100 (in the US) higher than its rival Playstation.
Now reports are coming in from various sites indicating that some key mutli-platform titles are looking considerably worse on the Xbox. Eurogamer reports that “Our Battlefield 4 Face-Off preview reveals a 50 per cent resolution boost on PlayStation 4 with no appreciable compromise in effects or performance in single-player gameplay, while Infinity Ward's Mark Rubin confirmed rumours that Call of Duty: Ghosts runs at native 720p on Xbox One, with 1080p a lock for PS4.”
Ouch. Now of course this does not mean that all Xbox One games will only run at 720p. Never-the-less this is not good news for an already troubled system launch.
What do you think? Is this a sign that the Xbox is dead in the water or will this really not matter much in the long run? Sound off in the comments.
I have heard this too. PS3 suffered from this some as well at launch and beyond. Because of the split memory arch of the PS3 many games ran worse or were skipped entirely by certain developers. In fact, Valve skipped it entirely for certain games and for things like The Orange Box, EA ported the game to PS3, not Valve. Valve finally embraced it for Portal 2, but my guess was the big reason was so they could integrate Steamworks, something the 360 would never allow. Not a bad reason, but the hardware still remained the same, something they chided Sony for.
All that said, launch support on consoles is pretty shaky a best. Mostly why getting a launch console isn't the greatest idea(except maybe a Steam Machine, but its a different thing so it may make more sense). Eventually if the XBone does well, sales wise, the games will appear in 1080p as the system seems entirely capable of that.
First off, I've really been loving this video series. It's really well done and they hit a lot of cool topics.
The hard games vs. easy games thing I have difficulty with. (see what I did there?)
On the one hand, my play time is usually pretty limited and I don't want to have to keep grinding out the same scene over and over before I can progress anywhere. So I tend to lean more towards easier games or games I've already played so I know, roughly, how much I can get done in my limited time. I also get frustrated easily and when I get frustrated it stops being fun. On the other hand, some of the most fun I've had in games involved stuff that was pretty difficult. For example, defeating Alexander is one of the highlights from my time playing FFXI*. I also sometimes impose handicaps on myself to make games I've already beaten more challenging, like playing Link to the Past with no bottle.
*This was back when the level cap was still 75. I'm sure this fight is a LOT easier now that the cap is 99.