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MMO Minefield

Oh, this is one of those games where you spend way too much time playing. Yup, it's normal minefield. However, it's MMO, you are playing on a giant field with other people all at once. You get points for clearing blocks and placing flags (and much larger negative points for placing incorrect flags or clearing a mine).

It's entirely HTML5, so plays right in your browser.

http://mienfield.com/

It's compelling, has leaderboards, and is fun. I recommend giving it a try.

Travis Admin wrote on 05/08/2013 at 09:40pm

How many trolls are there who put up incorrect flags just to mess with people?

hardeyez Post Author wrote on 05/08/2013 at 11:08pm

Ah, you can't. Incorrect flag placement gives you a big points deduction, just like hitting a mine. It works great. But yeah, kinda weird that you know the flags are mines.

Chowda wrote on 05/08/2013 at 11:32pm

Such a brilliant idea. After you shared this with me I promptly bookmarked it and played for much longer than I should have. Performance is even really good until you zoom out to the world view and try to scroll around. Everyone should at least give this a two minute look!

scrypt Supporter wrote on 05/09/2013 at 04:24am

Two minutes turned into an hour... stop clicking...

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/09/2013 at 05:21am

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6 Game Invites and A Few Thoughts

Hey O everyone. I seem to find myself with 6 Firefall invites. One scratchable card and 5 email invites to be exact. The game is in beta right now but I installed it and am trying my hand at the tutorial parts. So far, its quite a bit of fun where other MMO shooters have fallen flat for me. One way Firefall sets itself apart is by having a really great set of intro steps getting you familiar with the game. All of it is optional, but its really useful trying out the classes and seeing what they are capable of.

The game also allows you a really satisfying selection of guns and I really liked the ability to switch between first and third person mode. Nothing janky here,... Read All

jaelte wrote on 05/08/2013 at 03:01am

Hmm. Sure, I'll give it a shot.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 05/08/2013 at 03:05am

I actually have 4 invites that I'm sitting on, as well! Anyone that wants are welcome to them.

I decided to jump into Firefall last October (I think it was October...), but haven't been on since January, as there wasn't really that much more to do at the time. Very entertaining though. Almost like a World of Warcraft meets Borderlands feel. I'll make my way back in eventually. Sounds like quite a few things have changed.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/08/2013 at 03:13am

@jaelte sent.

@scrypt: I am hacking on the site tonight, let me know what you find. I only played the game a little bit and quite enjoyed what I found.

Timogorgon Member wrote on 05/08/2013 at 03:20am

I'd love one! I just got a new PC and would love to break it in. :)

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/08/2013 at 03:42am

@WhiteboySlim: Sent.

jaelte wrote on 05/08/2013 at 04:02am

Thanks! It's downloading now. I hope to get some time in tonight, if it's not too late when it's done installing.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 05/08/2013 at 05:56am

Peeked back into the game to see what's what. I really like that they added a tutorial/testing area at the beginning. VERY glad to see that all of my content and progress was saved, and hope that continues through the release. I don't expect it to, but it would be nice. See they have Twitch integration now, and more robust system options. Lots of new items to acquire, which will undoubtedly be my prime reason for spending more time in New Eden :).

BR Supporter wrote on 05/08/2013 at 01:06pm

I'll take one of those. I'd like to give it a shot

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 05/08/2013 at 06:22pm

Hey O could I get an invite too?

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/09/2013 at 12:12am

Adym & BR: Invites sent.

Tungsten wrote on 05/09/2013 at 09:52am

If you still have on laying around, I wouldn't mind checking it out.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/09/2013 at 04:37pm

Tungsten: Sent

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I was the Sun (Before it was Cool)

Last week I published an interview with Curtis Schweitzer, one half of the amazing composer duo working on the Starbound score. In the interview I posted a question tossing out names for possible songs about the Novakids, one of the in game playable races.

One of the new Cues uses a name I suggested in the interview "I was the Sun (Before it was Cool)." I am very happy to see this happen and want to thank Curtis for using it! Curtis, if you need any more song titles, hit me up!

Check out the recent blog post about it as well as the other track Hylotl: "The Eternal Tide"

https://curtis-schweitzer.squarespace.com/blog/postid-5

To read the original interview in its entirely:... Read All

New Humble Bundle

The Double Fine Humble Bundle is up. You get Costume Quest, Psychonauts with the soundtrack, and Stacking for whatever you want to pay; Brutal Legend and its soundtrack if you beat the average ($8.09 at time of this post); and access to the Double Fine Adventure game and a T-Shirt for more. Get in on this one.

http://www.humblebundle.com/

Tungsten wrote on 05/07/2013 at 11:06pm

I've been looking for a reason to buy stacking for a while now. This will do.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/07/2013 at 11:48pm

Right, trying to figure out if I want to stop at Brutal Legend of go to the $35 Double Fine Adventure pre-order.

Travis Admin wrote on 05/08/2013 at 02:05am

I stopped at Brutal Legend. The preorder is $15 so I can get it by itself for way less money.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/08/2013 at 02:06am

Yes but Charity. And they also blended games and drank them.

Tungsten wrote on 05/09/2013 at 09:53am

I've now bought Psychonauts.... 5 times I think?

scrypt Supporter wrote on 05/16/2013 at 03:58pm

Update to the Humble Double Fine Bundle adds 9 prototypes from Double Fine's Amnesia Fortnight sessions. Well, 8 prototypes and a collection of 2Player Productions vidocs. Sweet!

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Wolfenstein: The New Order

http://zmi-cdnstatic.s3.amazonaws.com/bethblog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/wolf-fb-cover-USA.jpg

MachineGames, a subsidiary of Bethesda Softworks, is working on Wolfenstein: The New Order. This game takes place in an alternate history 1960 after the Nazis won WWII. You play again as BJ Blazkowicz to take down the supernaturally charged Nazi war machine!

A notable omission from the news I've read about this today is that no mention is made of id software's involvement in the game. MachineGames is a relatively new studio made up of former Starbreeze Studios employees. Hopefully that means id is working hard on Doom 4 as we speak, but I was hoping the next Wolfenstein installment would be done by id themselves.

More info from the following sources:
... Read All

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/07/2013 at 04:34pm

POST WAR!

PS I Am excited about this game too :D

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/07/2013 at 04:38pm

Seriously, fighting Nazi robots in the future? Sign me up.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/07/2013 at 04:55pm

Day one purchase, no question. I'm bummed about the lack of id on it, but I trust Bethesda to give it a good home.

PS: don't read the comments on the Bethesda Blog post. It's full of people who don't get that one company can own multiple studios and that "YOU STOPPED DEVELOPING SKYRIM FOR THIS!?" isn't a valid thing to rage over.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/07/2013 at 04:57pm

I agree, it will be day one purchase for me too. Coming out at the end of this year too. So yeah, now I have a triple A game on my radar. :D

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/07/2013 at 05:30pm

Here's one guy who won't be playing it. Wow.
http://www.destructoid.com/warren-spector-so-tired-of-stuff-like-wolfenstein-253257.phtml

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/07/2013 at 05:36pm

I mean, does the world __need__ a game about anything? I mean gosh, we could funnel that time/energy into __INSERT THING HERE__ right?

Yeah so Master Spector isn't excited about a new Wolfenstein game. I understand that. But getting all huffy about is kind of strange to me. Warren, does the world need another Mickey Mouse thing? I mean obviously his answer is yes, but you know its a stupid question to ask in the first place.

People create because they do, personally people should do what they feel they must regardless of opining artists or anyone saying otherwise.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 05/08/2013 at 05:13am

The whole situation with Junction Point and Disney was unfortunate, and I would be bitter, too. I don't think anyone starts a company, just to be bought out by someone (a Disney-sized someone, no less), and then be expected to create what they are told to create (i.e. I don't think they wanted to make a Mickey Mouse game, but were under certain obligation to do so). Sounds very unsatisfying. If I were Warren Spector, I'd get my project on Kickstarter, if he's really struggling to find an audience.

I get his frustration. This new Wolfenstein trailer doesn't thrill me, but I've not been a diehard fan of the series anyway. However, his points that the gameplay and mood at first appear to be predictable and generic, are valid and concerning. I mean, the teaser is about as generic as you can get, and I don't think they were trying to be ironic. Then again, it could turn out to be an amazing game that pushes the genre in new directions. You know, like Aliens: Colonial Marines...

Seriously, though, I think he was just targeting this announcement as a metaphor for the state of the triple-A scene. If it wasn't for the Indies, you have to admit we'd have a lot less options for new experiences.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/08/2013 at 04:28pm

Warren Spector created Junction Point studios and sold it to Disney. If one doesn't want the man running the show then don't sell to the man. Selling your company typically means the man throws money at your face to put in your checking account, something I typically don't lament when it goes south.

That said, I see your point with "churn FPS's" and Warrens point as well. I can understand why people would want all video games made they way they would see fit. I want the market to cater to me as well. Thing is, I don't typically get upset at seeing "yet another grind triple A title" or "yet another vapid pop star gaining popularity." If I got upset whenever something happened that wasn't my style I would be upset often. There are people that get upset about things they can't change a lot, I wish them luck with that.

I agree with you about Indies but I would say that point entirely is keeping gaming interesting, for me anyway. Until the new Wolfenstein reveal, I had no triple A games on my radar I was interested in other than indie games.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/08/2013 at 04:31pm

So, yeah did this Wolf. reveal showcase anything we haven't seen before? No. But its part of a Marketing cycle where you tease something, then keep the drum beat up until release. Its a good strategy and works pretty well.

When I watched the trailer, because I am a Wolf. fan I ate it up. Well until the Hendrix music, it didn't seem to fit the whole future robot thing. But whatever, I had stylistic points with Terraria and Anodyne too.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/09/2013 at 11:34pm

http://www.gamespot.com/features/rewriting-history-in-wolfenstein-the-new-order-6408113/?tag=Topslot%3bSlot1

So the game will take place in the 60's. Huh. Id rather a time travel plot, but ok. Excitement waning.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/10/2013 at 01:50am

Waning? That actually makes it more interesting to me.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/10/2013 at 04:14am

Yeah, I am going to still get it, but time travel with Nazi robots? Something about going absurd while trying to remain serious appeals to me.

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New Wolfenstein Game with Alternate Future & Bots

"Wolfenstein: The New Order, an action-adventure shooter slated for release in late 2013. The game is being developed by MachineGames, a studio comprised of seasoned developers known for creating compelling, critically-acclaimed story-driven games. Wolfenstein has been widely credited for helping establish and popularise the first-person shooter genre, and Wolfenstein: The New Order is a reimagining of this franchise -- offering players a gripping and dramatic experience. The official announcement trailer can be seen today at GameSpot.com."

Day one purchase, no question. I loved the last Raven made Wolfenstein game and this one looks fantastic. A distopian future where... Read All

Disney and EA partnering up for Star Wars games

Disney and EA today announced a multi-year agreement for game development. DICE and Visceral will be the two new studios involved in game development, with Bioware continuing what they've been doing with Star Wars already.

Visceral makes sense. Games like Dead Space show their chops. But DICE doesn't make as much sense. Since 2005, they've pretty much been making only Battlefield games, with a brief break from that for Mirror's Edge. Maybe they'd be a good fit for a Star Wars: Battlefront type of game.

Full press release:
http://ea.newshq.businesswire.com/press-release/company-news/walt-disney-company-and-ea-announce-multi-year-star-wars-games-agreement

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/07/2013 at 04:40pm

When Disney shuttled Lucas Arts and said they were going to license the IP I figured some big company would snatch up the licenses. *sigh*

I don't have much vested in Star Wars video games anymore, though I do still need to play Knights of the Old Republic.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/07/2013 at 04:56pm

I still don't get closing Lucas Arts. It's a sad loss.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/07/2013 at 04:58pm

Its really a money thing I bet. If the just license the IP they get scrilla per year for doing little. I bet Lucas Arts was, at the time, making little or operating at a loss.

BR Supporter wrote on 05/07/2013 at 06:51pm

No...this can't be happening...no....no,no,no NOT EA. NOOOOO.

IT IS A SAD DAY

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/07/2013 at 07:30pm

I agree, its not an awesome thing.

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First Thoughts On The Portal Linux Beta

Portal and Left 4 Dead 2 were recently released on Steam for Linux and I decided to give Portal a shot. First off the install is painless and after starting the game up the game auto-detected my system properly and turned all the setting up to the right levels. The shot I took above was a scaled down version of what I saw on my monitor.

The game plays very well and is really awesome because... its Portal :D Its really quite incredible how quickly Valve is porting over their back catalog to Linux and I have found that they all work very well.

Have you tried the Portal Linux Beta or the Left 4 Dead 2 Linux Beta yet?

Robert_Kryder wrote on 08/31/2014 at 03:49am

I just downloaded Portal. I am using a box that my place of employment awarded to me. It is a totally sweet Dell Optiplex 760. However, it comes with the most basic of Intel Graphics stuff/drivers/widgets. It's as if the Aperture Science Enrichment Center didn't pay their power bill, and I am seeing only the barest of outlines in the dark. I can hear GLaDOS, and I asked her what the best Graphics card would be, and she suggested an Nvidea card, because that company is, as she so aptly put it, "Is Open Source Friendly." So I am thinking the GeForce 9300. Any thoughts out there in CG land?

Robert_Kryder wrote on 08/31/2014 at 04:46am

Hmm. Now it works. Not sure what I did, but wow this is cool.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 08/31/2014 at 06:17pm

Cool to hear that it works pretty well. Portal should run on even some of the most basic hardware.

NVidia is a good choice, but if you want awesome Open Source support and don't need to play the most bling of the bling, then stick with the Intel card as all the drivers for those cards are in the Linux Kernel directly.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 08/31/2014 at 06:17pm

That said, NVidia will be the best bang for your buck and they have superb drivers for Linux.

Robert_Kryder wrote on 11/04/2017 at 01:08am

Jon, do you know if Starcraft 2 Legacy or Battlechest has stand alone games against the AI ? I know there are many solo campaigns, but I can't see anything on Google about just starting a game against the computer.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 11/05/2017 at 02:26pm

Yeah Rob you can do that. PLUS it’s going free to play later this month so if you want, you can wait until then to play it for free!

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Rex Rocket: A 2D Sci-Fi Adventure in Space

Back this on Kickstarter!

"Inspired by the retro glory days of 8-bit games, Rex Rocket is a traditional 2D platformer brought into the 21st century. Paying tribute to classic NES games like Mario, Mega Man, and Metroid, old-school gamers will find Rex Rocket a breath of fresh air, stirring warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia. Rob and Tyler, two passionate indie game devs, have a mission to keep the world of retro games alive."

So many awesome retro styled games have been coming out on Kickstarter lately. Add Rex Rocket to the list of games that look really great. One thing that sets Rex Rocket apart is that the Kickstarter video focuses on the game intro and gameplay only.

The game has already... Read All

Plants VS Zombies 2 Drops in July

Stephanie Bayer the community manager for PopCap recently tweeted that Plants VS Zombies 2 is going to drop in July. I played the heck out of the original and am looking forward to the next installment.

Hopefully Crazy Dave has a much larger role in PvZ 2 and my only real request is that PopCap make the second one have some difficulty modes.

https://twitter.com/NSSteph/status/331424089883414528