Background Check

Okay so I guess I haven't properly stated why I wanted to write a blog in the first place. I think its mostly to add another view point and I have come to realize that my viewpoint is unique because I am unique and my life's experiences are unique. However that doesn't mean I don't have a lot in common with the rest of y'all.

I have played video games since before graphics were invented and have played castle and mine dodger on an old IBM clone in DOS. Since then I have always been of fan of Mario, Zelda, Sonic, and all the faves. In regards to more recent games I have been trying out Endless Ocean which is kind of a neat experience once you get past the boring tutorials but of course I just like that exploring feeling. I have also played Mario Galaxy which is fun but not as addictive as the previous ones. And I got my dad fire emblem which he enjoys as occasion permits (when mom isn't looking).

As far as MMO's go I have played City of Heroes which is very fun for about 2 months. Final Fantasy Online has great music and kewt characters but it lacks in the soloing department big time. I have also tried out Vanguard of course, that was interesting.... Its not that it is worthless its just that it wasn't very easy to solo and my computer couldn't handle it. My friend who tried to get me into it also couldnt play with me much so I had to fly solo a lot. The card/diplomacy thing was interesting but it was really about figuring out which cards you needed to have in your hand to beat the other person's cards and since there was no penalty for losing it became a simple time sink of trying it over and over.

Wow was a lot of fun for 1.5 or so years though after one year it was fading for me in fun level. I started up a guild named "Tram Defenders" (I have some funny stories about defending the Tram) and recruited a bajillion people and that was more fun than the game until we hit max level and the coveted level cap where supposedly the "fun begins" I personally enjoy smaller groups like in UBRS and Scholomance due to my focus being on playing the game and not fussing with logistics. ZG was fun for the first few times but the logistics of getting 20 people to get online regularly are a pain. MC was a bigger pain. Lucifron was broken... grumble grumble (old news I know) I hated having to get people to install an extra app (CTRaid assist and decursive) just to be abel too beat the first raid boss... Drama got old so I handed the guild off to a overzealous couple of chaps and decided I didn't want to raid much anymore tho I would go when invited and I was since I played a druid. Then I got tired eventually and decided I would quit before Blizzard tried to sink their hooks into me with more bgs (which I love) and raids (which I don't) and ten more levels (which if it involves a new area to explore I adore. So I quit. I don't think the game is crap. Its a very good game. theres lots to be commended about it and I always recommend people play it first for a year before they upgrade to something else... :D

Anyways a co-worker recommended lotro to me which I tried out and almost stopped playing cuz it WAS grindy for the levels after 20 or so. At least at beta release. I had some faith it would improve since turbine at least pretended to care about player feedback tho so I kept dawdling in it (plus there was nothing better out). I think it didn't really start to get very interesting for me (aside from a few highlights like the old forest and some boss fights like with the Nazgul, who we four manned at lvl 54.) until I explored Evendim and saw where they were going with the new zones and then tried out monster play which si very fun, and then book 11 came out with housing which is very important to the "feel" of MMO's tho Blizzard and many others don't quite get it yet.

Now book 12 will be out Wednesday and sort of provides a new type of BG area which I have always wanted developers to experiment with: the dungeon that is also a BG. I mean honestly why do all dungeons need to be instanced? yes it would be annoying but also exciting, and more "realistic" if a few were not. I have always thought that anyways. Umm lastly I think sometimes I think from the point of view of the designer since I have and do make video games (single player) and sometimes I lean towards the player side of the fence so I am a little bit goofy but anyways its nice to meet you and they got the server working here at work so I better pretend to work, ttyl :)