World of Warcraft

So now I'd like to talk about one of my latest addictions, World of Warcraft.
All weekend I have done nothing. I have been sitting in front of a computer clicking away at my mouse and tapping away at my keyboard. All I get up for is food or defecation.

I had things to do, but I put them off, now I'm going to have a super busy week. When the weekend comes I'll be tired again, and all I'll want to do is play more WoW. It's only a downward spiral from here.

Analyzing my thoughts and activities within the game I have come up with three main solutions as to why the game is so addictive.

1. I have an alter ego in a fantasy world.
In WoW I can play a character completely different from myself. I can explore a world that is nothing like my own. It is a way for me to blind myself from the real world for... a few minutes... a few hours... a couple days...

2. Gotta build a character.
The character you create in WoW will start out with certain abilities that they specialize in and as you adventure you will increase your skill in those abilities. Your character will become better at casting spells, slicing enemies, or whatever it is they do. As you progress further you will learn new abilities to make things easier, and you'll be able to explore places you previously could not at a lower level. The game is constantly holding a carrot in front of its players, giving them something to play for, something to work towards. When the player achieves one goal, there is another, it never ends.

3. Player to player interaction.
It's an online game. Thousands of people are playing at the same time. You can play with friends too. If you get a friend to play with you, or meet friends in the game it gets even harder to stop.

I have played my share of MMOs and its usually the same thing. At first I play it casually, when I want to get off I do, and I always get chores done before I play...
But after a couple of weeks I find something to work for in the game, something to keep me occupied and then I can't tear myself away from it. I think about the game all the time, even dream about it.

So the key to not getting addicted to a game is, don't care about it. Don't give yourself a goal. Just play to play!

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is an action fantasy role-playing game made by Bethesda.

This game is huge. It is everything that a role playing game should be. Though there is a main story line the character can follow it is up to the player weather or not they want to follow it. The game allows the player to explore a vast world filled with a variety of quests and lots of interesting characters.

Although there’s not as much to explore in Oblivion as Morrowind, the first Elder Scrolls game, there is still enough landscape to keep you exploring for months. There is also oodles of content, and hundreds of unique characters to talk to.

In fact the characters in Oblivion are probably the most diverse compared to just about any game. Bethesda hired a number of voice actors for the characters. You will find that allot of the characters have the same voice, but still, its much more then you’d expect from any other game.

The physics and graphics in the game are wonderful. You may want to stop and take a look around at the pretty landscapes at times, just watch out for the occasional bear or mountain lion headed your way.

Also as a side note, the game is primarily first-person, but can be played in third-person by pushing the left thumb stick.

Bethesda also included a nice feature that allows the player to pick up or move objects without putting them in your inventory. After killing a monster or person you can even move the body around, or play with the limbs… a disturbing yet interesting entertaining feature that I’ve wasted a couple hours with.

Many of the quests are fairly versatile meaning there could be multiple ways of reaching the outcome. Some of the quests even have multiple outcomes depending on decisions the player makes.

There are a few features that let the player name their own items. For example, with alchemy you can combine ingredients to create potions. Each ingredient has four different traits. The player chooses ingredients that share the same traits to make a potion with that trait and up to four ingredients can be chosen for each potion. This means that there are probably thousands of combinations. The player can even name the potions they decide to make.

There are also sigil stones the player can obtain and add to their equipment. The sigil stones contain enchantments that improve the equipment. Upon doing this the player can also name the item.

There is also a wide variety of skills, races, and attributes so that you can customize your character however you want.

All these features make the game very diverse. You could play through it several times with completely different experiences each time.

The leveling system is similar to Morrowind except with the addition of certain mastery levels which give the player certain abilities after reaching pre-set milestones.

There are nine attributes that govern certain skills beneath them. For instance, agility governs the skills of security, sneak, and marksman. Endurance governs the skills of armorer, block, and heavy armor.

To level a skill all you have to do is do an action repeatedly. So to level sneak you just sneak around, to level your skill in blades you just slice things. After gaining a certain amount of levels you are told you should sleep to focus on what you have learned. After sleeping you are given a chance to level up three attributes. Leveling attributes will help with certain aspects of the game and make the skills they govern easier to level.

For example, increasing the attribute of strength will increase the damage a player inflicts with melee weapons. It also increases the players fatigue (energy) and encumbrance (the amount of stuff you can carry).

He difficulty of the monsters you fight in the game will increase. As your skills progress you’ll also encounter tougher monsters in your travels. This is meant to keep the game challenging as the player builds up their character.

However, this can have its draw backs due to the fact that the designers did not take into account that not all skills are combat related. Certain skills like sneak, security, or acrobats contribute the same towards difficulty as combat related skills. So if you like to spend your time sneaking into peoples houses and picking locks be ready for a thrashing if you decide to explore some of the terrain.
Also certain skills like blocking, that are highly important in combat, are not as easy to train as other skills like athletics. These factors create a bit of an imbalance in what was meant to be a balanced form of game play.

Although the game does have these drawbacks Bethesda has also given the player the power to adjust the games difficulty while playing. So if you feel the monsters have become to hard, just pause the game, go to options, and bring the difficulty down.

The game also has a bit of download able content including an expansion available for purchase at stores or on Xbox live. If you’re playing the PC version you can choose from thousands of modifications.

Overall despite a few little quirks, it’s a great game. I give it a hearty 9/10! But you should pick it up and try it for yourself.

Gaming 101

Here is everything you need to know about games and gamers.

Game Genres

There are several types of genres of games. This is because there are many factors that make up a genre. For instance, there are many games that involve shooting but a 1st person shooter can be very different from a 3rd person shooter. Both games involve shooting things, but the camera angle alone changes the style of game-play.

Below is a list of settings, game-play styles, views and graphic styles that make up a games genre.

Graphic Styles

2D
This is the classic style of game. Everything in this style looks flat. Even today some people still make 2D games, just for the simplicity.
Realistic
This style tries to get as close to real life as the game engine allows the designers.
Cell-shaded
This style looks like a comic book or cartoon. It has a glossy look to it.
Cartoon
It looks well, like a cartoon! It purposefully steers away from realism.

Views

Side-scroll
The view stays on one side of the character and pans left or right. Most popular for 2D games but there are a few 3D side-scrollers as well.
First-Person
A game where the view is in the eyes of the character. Most popular for shooting games.
Third-Person
A game where the view is outside of the characters body, usually behind them. This is probably the most popular view, especially for action/adventure games.
Overhead
When the camera is directly over the characters heads. This is most popular for strategy war games where the player must control multiple characters or units at one time.
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Some games allow you to change the angle of the view.

Setting

Fantasy
This genre involves mid-evil times type content. It usually includes old folk lore type characters like elves, dwarves, dragons, trolls, ext.
Sci-fi (Science Fiction)
Usually include cool futuristic inventions, cyborgs, space travel, ext.
Real life
This style sticks closer to a realistic look. It deals with real life situations but through the life of an interesting character.
Other
There are many other settings a game can take place in. Some are completely unique to any other and cannot be placed in a category.

Type

MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online)
A game played online by multiple people at the same time. Players can interact witch each other and usually chat.
RPG (Role Playing Game)
A game where a player makes certain decisions that may or may not change the outcome of certain situations in the game. In most games like this the ending is usually the same. The player can take different routes and face different challenges to reach the final outcome.
Some games of this nature have no outcome, they simply go on forever and allow the player to choose to do whatever they want. This is usually the case when it is an online game.
RPG’s frequently have some sort of customizations that the players have control over for their character. These customizations are usually in the form of skills the player can learn and build upon, and interchangeable equipment.
This style of gaming allows the player to have allot of control over how the game is played. These types of games can usually be played over and over again with a different but similar experience each time.
Action
These are games that involve a large amount of action and concentration. They usually require a quick reaction time.
Adventure
In these games there is one main character. The game usually follows the character throughout a story. Games like this are usually divided up into segments. Each segment is separated by a cut scene. Because most games now include both cinematic effects and story lines this style of gaming is usually combined with other styles.
Collector
Players collect a number of items to reach some sort of goal in this game.
Puzzle
All I have to say is Tetris and Bejewled.
Turn-Based
A game that is based on turns. The player makes a move and then the AI or an opposing player makes their move. These types of games were originally coded to act as a substitute for table-top games. Often used as a combat system for RPGs.
Strategy
A game where the player has to use logic to win. There are allot of strategy war games and most of those games have an overhead view as mentioned earlier. Turn based strategy RPGs are also a popular for these types of games. These games require the player to think ahead and plan out moves carefully.
Shooter
A game where players shoot enemies. They usually have either a first-person or third-person view. Because of this they are put into two categories, first-person shooter and third-person shooter.
Arena
Super Smash Brothers
Real Life Simulation
These games stick as close to the real thing as possible. They are used for training purposes by the military, to train pilots and sometimes for recreational use.
Pet Simulations
Games like this allow the player to raise something. It could be an animal, creature, or even a person. Remember giga pets?
Hack-N-Slash/Mash-Em-Up
In these types of games the player usually runs around destroying as much stuff as they can. They usually involve fighting off hordes of enemies as well.
Fighting
These types of games are a great example of the side-scroll view, though the camera typically doesn’t scroll, it still keeps to one side. Games like this are played against the AI or another player. Each opponent starts out with a set amount of health. The goal of the game is to beat the snot out of your enemy until his health bar goes all the way down.
Platformer
A game where the player jumps from platform to platform, dodging enemies and obstacles. This was a popular genre back in the 2D side-scroller days.

Language

Gamers have their own set of slang terms. Most of these terms derive from a language known as 1337 5p34k, which translates out to leet speak.

The word leet originated on online bullion board systems around the 1980s as a word short for elite. People on these boards with elite status could access file folders, games, and special chat rooms.

Hackers began using leet speak as a sub-text that was included in coding so that other hackers could understand it. This style of writing quickly evolved into a specialized form of symbolic writing.

There are many variations of leet. Some simply substitute certain letters for numbers.
Example:
E becomes 3, T becomes 7, I or L becomes 1, O becomes 0.

While other forms of 1337 will go so far as to substitute all letters with different characters on the keyboard to form letters.
A full list of characters can be found here: http://www.ninjalane.com/leet.aspx

*1337 is a flexible form of speech. There is no definite set of characters for each letter. Just as long as certain letters are substituted it is considered 1337 5p34k.
*1337 has now been adopted by many internet junkies. Its use has become a popular joke on the internet. You might have seen it used in many “lol cat” pictures.
*1337 5p34k is still used by hackers today but is also used frequently by gamers.

Here is a set of words frequently used by gamers that originated from 1337, along with their meaning.

N00b, known as new person. Commonly used as an insult. You do not want to be perceived as a noob. In some scenarios it can be used to call someone stupid or lame. Other variations include n3wbie, n3wb or nub. Some people use the term nublet to refer to a noob that is their friend or a noob that they like.

0wn4g3, (ownage) possessing the power to dominate, control, master, or beat someone at a game. Past tense is 0wn3d (owned). You use the term to describe beating someone in a game with ease. Or to describe getting beat. There are different variations of the word they include, pwnt, pwnd, and pwnage.
Some say the word pwnd actually stems from the word pawned which could refer to using someone as a pawn or selling pawning something off. None the less it is still used as a synonym for ownd.

H4Xz0rz (haxzorz) a word most commonly used by hackers to mean hacks or massive hacks. But in the gaming world it’s synonym for ownage.

Ph34r (fear) 1337 for fear.

So what have we learned so far? That this is a sentence you might read while playing an online game! “Ph34r my 1337 h4Xz0rz n00b!”

Common terms:

NPC (Non-Player Character). These are AI controlled characters that serve a certain purpose depended on what they are coded for. Some interact with players in the game by trading them items or talking to them. Some will attack players or allow players to attack them and can be killed. NPCs that can be killed are commonly known as monsters. CPU or Computer Player are also popular terms for NPC.

Tanking, when one person runs into a room full of npcs to purposely take all the damage so that his other teammates can run in and kill the monsters.

Grinding, to kill the same type of enemy or monster over and over in order to level up a skill. This is most popular to do in MMORPGs, but you may need do this in other games as well.

Power leveling, to do the same action over and over again in order to train a skill. This is something that you’ll only do in skill based games, mainly MMOs. Its like grinding except it doesn’t involve killing anything. Some games allow the player to set their character to do one action and just walk away from the keyboard. But most online games see this as cheating and code the game in a way that forces the play to sit at the keyboard while leveling a skill.

Camping, to sit in one spot and wait until an unsuspecting opponent wonders on your screen, and then killing them. This is a popular tactic in online first-person shooters.

Nerf, to lessen the effects of something. The word usually refers to game coding. After finishing the coding for a new item or add on in a game the designers test it to make sure its not too overpowering. If the designers decide that the new content makes some aspect of the game too easy they will “nerf” it to make it less effective.

Rawr, a greeting. Most popular among internet junkies and lol cat fans. But has also made its way into the online gaming community. The word may also be used as a way to show frustration or excitement. Stems from the sound that a lion makes, or “roar”.

Acronyms

While playing games online it is sometimes necessary to communicate very quickly so that one can still concentrate on winning the game. So acronyms are often used to send quick messages to one another.
LOL
Laugh Out Loud
ROFL
Rolling On Floor Laughing
OMG
Oh My God/Oh My Gosh
IDK
I Don’t Know
IDC
I Don’t Care
BRB
Be Right Back
AFK
Away From Keyboard
WTF/WTH
What The Fuck/What The Hell
FFS
For Fucks Sake
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So I guess that just about covers the basics...

Blog Introduction

Two days ago in my journalism class our teacher handed us an extra credit opportunity, blogging. The deal is, start a blog. Submit a post once a week, each is due every Sunday before midnight. In order to get the credit you cannot miss one week, its either all or nothing.

I figured the extra credit could be good for me. It would help my grade and give me the motivation to be consistent with something, to actually sharpen my writing skills.

For a while I was conflicted about what to write about. I could go on talking about just anything like in my old blog, or I could do a themed blog. The problem with a themed blog is, it would need to be something that I could talk about every single week.

I was in deep thought as I was playing Banjo-Kazooie when it hit me. Its such an old game but it brings back so many fond memories, so nostalgic. It reminds me of simpler times. Times when I was just a kid, I had no disciplines or responsibilities.

Video games have always been such a big part of my life and but have also stunted my growth in several ways. And yet I still can't put them down.

Although I see how video games have affected me negatively, there are also ways they've effected me positively.

Online gaming has opened my eyes to all sorts of cultures and different points of view. But how you ask? The people. Think about it, thousands of people are online, playing games with one another. In most all MMOs (Massive Multi-player Online game) you can chat with other players you run into. You never know who you could be talking to, it could be someone from very far away with a life completely different from yours. But yet you both have one thing in common despite several cultural differences, you're both addicted to this game.

Through my travels in games like Runescape, Kingdom of Loathing, Necron (not very popular MMO's I know) I've met all sorts of people very different from me. College kids, soccer moms, thespians, vegetarians, liberals, homosexuals, children, drug addicts, alcoholics, nice guys, assholes, cancer patients, the list goes on.

Some people are more transparent with strangers online than people they have known for years. I've had so many people tell me their life stories, seen so many spill their guts. Through talking to people of many different paths of life I have been enlightened. Its like I've seen the world through 100 different pairs of eyes.

It may have been this exposure that gave me the desire to be a journalist. Just being able to hear someones story, and tell everyone else about it, is great. There are so many stories out there... right under our noses...

It is all thanks to the internet that I've been able to see that. Plus games like Banjo-Kazooie have really contributed to my sense of humor. I love you Rareware...

So I decided to do a themed blog about video gaming. I'll be talking about some of the games I am currently running through. I'll also be doing game reviews. You may see a few commentaries about certain MMO's here as well. So enjoy.