You Want To Go Pro?

Pro gaming that is.

Shadou who hasn’t had time to post due to him and his wife have a new sapling to fawn over gave me this article to read so I am posting it for him cause I am sure he would want everyone to see it. It is a fantastic article with a look into the lives of Pro-Halo gamers. I for one don’t envy them one bit. As much fun as it would be to game everyday. (I think we have all day dreamed about that.) It is a business and when you start looking at it as one it seems less enjoyable.

Check it out here. LINK

You can also check out the MLG (Major League Gaming) on G4tv now. It is strange at first but fun once you warm up to it.

Hailin Signing out, peace and game hard.

Search Engine Help

I noticed this over at KTR’s that they did a break down of search terms that had lead them to there site. Though mine are not humorous in the least I thought I would give a helping hand to them.

Jack Vs Bio

Let’s start with the most popular for September. Jack Thompson vs Bioshock. I had no idea this was as popular as it was nor that my fake net letter would get so many views. At first I thought damn it is just cause I put that as the title then I found people were actually clicking the article. I am not sure what this really all means. Whether Jack Thompson is hated on the net that badly or not, or whether Bioshock is just that loved. I am guessing it is a bit of both. I am expecting as the traffic grows to be summoned any day now. Thank god I live in Canada. So he can continue to bite me.

Mogarmy, Gaxonline

I am shocked at how many times I have seen this hit upon. I think Ryan and Gary (Every time I see there names like this I think of the snl sketches of the Ambiguously Gay Duo. Yes I went to the gaywell, whatever.) have really hit on something here and I wish them all the best. I have actually thought about moving GT to them. Mogarmy can now be found here, and Gaxonline here.

Goddess of Gaming

I know this is would have directed them to Wings of the Goddess for FF11. But if you happen to find a GoG please let me know.

Solsek

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt, hope I never have to return.

Gaming Tramp

That is me don’t forget it.

Skate.

I picked this one last because I am passionate about the game and there have been numerous tags your it about it.

There is no MMOSkate. We can pray and wish all we want but it would be to weird for words. But then again so is Club penguin. (Don’t get it myself but then again I am not a girl or 10)

Can’t find skate demo. Hmm look on Xbox live.

6000 points in Skate. This one bothers me. Because I see it posted all the time on the Skate. forums. It really isn’t that hard. If you are following the story line then you have the X-games unlocked, go to the Megaramp and land the ramp and quarter pipe, boom you will have enough points right there. If you want to do it the way I did it then find a 20 plus stair rail or long ledge with a nice drop (I did it at the matrix). Kick trick on (Tre flips would be the best.) then rail, switching slides at the kink, then tre off. Finish off with a nice combo or tre’s and kick,manual,kick with spins. There you have it 6k plus.

That was fun. Might do it again in a couple of months to lead the mighty searcher in the wrong direction.

Hailin signing out, peace and game hard.

PS. We are now averaging 8 views a days. I am stoked about this. Thanks so much to those people that have posted and viewed the site I really appreciate it.

A couple of things and a pimp

Wow what a weekend I have had. Actually it really wasn’t that exciting till I got Halo3.

Yes I am now a hypocrite. I told everyone I knew I wasn’t buying it and poof I did. Well actually I traded in some games for it since why spend money when I don’t have to. Part of being a gaming tramp is to be a cheap skate. So that is what I did.

Now as far as Halo3 goes I LOVE it. For now. I am not to sure on the multi-player. I haven’t had enough time with it to say yeh or neh. (Like yay or nay just more chilled.)

Most of the complaints coming from the podcasting community have been about the cheesy cinematic dialog. I have to agree. BUT, here it is folks, I think the dialog is fun and enjoyable. I makes me want to see what will happen next and is highly enjoyable. It’s campy fun and there is nothing wrong with that. With all the serious shooters hitting the shelves Halo3’s storyline is a breath of fresh air and so cheesy I can’t stop playing it.

Right now I am going through it on 4 player campaign. Bungie did some amazing coding to get this to work. I am extremely impressed with the quality. We get the odd slow down or person crashing. For the most part it is smooth. We have discovered only one major bug with the frame rate totally crashing. Other then that high five to Bungie. I can see only one other game offering this much fun and that is Orange Box from Valve which I believe releases next week.

On the MMO front I have let EQ2 die. As I have said in previous posts I have grown frustrated and bored with it. I do want to thank Brackish over at Brackish Waters for stepping up and say hey dude come play with us. While I am grateful I am on the line about it. I have been reading his site for a time now and watching him get hooked on SOE’s baby. The enthusiasm he has for the game is not at the same level for me. He is reading lore (Which I never did), paying attention to quests (Which I just hyper clicked through), Brack is diving into the game head first and giving a damn. I think my interest has waned so much I just don’t give a damn about Norath anymore. I gave it the old college try and I failed miserably at it. Warhammer anyone.

On a side note about Brackish, catch him on the new Shut up We’re Talking along with host Darren and Keen and Graev. Every episode has been great this one is just as awesome.

Hailin signing out, and getting pwned by a 12 year old near you soon.

Wings of the Goddess

Love it or hate it Final Fantasy 11 is coming out with another expansion. Wings of the Goddess will be the fourth expansion (Correct me if I am wrong) in the FF11 series.

You can find the trailer here and here is an interesting interview from 1Up’s Milkman.

Someone asked me last week after my massive amount of MMO whoring what was the one MMO I wished I hadn’t given up. I said without a thought Final Fantasy 11. I loved the game and for the life of me I can’t remember why I quit so many years ago but I do know that it was for the best. Looking at the content SE has provided is staggering. It still does to this day has one of the best macro systems available and was the first to go multi-platform. SE like in the early days of there RPG’s (FF and Dragon Quest.) Broke the rules and new ground and succeeded. For that alone they should be commended. They have always made expansions that rival all other MMO companies.

So why in a blogging sense or MMO sense does FF11 never get talked about. Well I can come up with a couple of opinionated ideas.

1. It was to hard. From raids to standard grouping FF11 was the most difficult game at it’s time whether you were 10 or 75 the game and mob AI pulled no punches they whipped your ass and welcomed you to come back every time. When I think of all the times I have grouped in EQ2 and the tank has round up every mob in the place I laugh and watch as my group lays waste. Hmm try this tactic in FF11 you will die, A LOT!

2. Time investment. Really the time you had to invest in FF11 was years. Not months. People when they buy a MMO in most cases and especially today they want to be at cap in a couple of months. When someone hears they have to invest two years to get to raid level they back away slowly and don’t want to take part. If you didn’t have 4 hours for a group to spare you weren’t playing FF11.

3. It was unique. Being unique can hurt games if the core audience doesn’t grasp a hold of the concept of gameplay and art.  So why does WoW excel with its goofy cartoon graphics? Well simply put it doesn’t follow idea 1 and 2. The game can look like ass (runescape) but if it is easy to get into then people will play. Most people were turned off by the graphics, the camera system, the macro system (game relies on it heavily), language barrier and the fact it was on a console.

I feel the last one is a big one. PC MMOers (UO, EQ, Ash’s Call) at the time had points one and two but putting a MMO on a console for shame. It was unheard of to anyone that hadn’t played EQOA on the PS2.

Today it is still hard to get subscriber data but I would have to guess it is still sitting comfortably around 400K to 500K. Which brings into question if Eq2 is the second most talked about MMO on the blogosphere why isn’t FF11 the number 2 or 3. I am sure SquareEnix is quite happy to sit in the back and collects it’s estimated 5 million+ per month quietly. Other then for the points that I listed I don’t really know. If you have an idea please share it with me.

Hailin signing out, peace and game hard.

WWAP Hailin September 24th

Would you like a glass of Whine?

I was going to whip up a post on what we are playing on the usual Thursday but the combination of late nights gaming and work spoiled that for me. So I didn’t forget I am just getting this in late.

Skate. with me

Well let’s start with Skate. I am still playing the hell out of it and I have come to the conclusion that this game is the most fun I have had yet with an extreme sports franchise. I usually prefer snowboarding titles but the snowboarding titles with the exception of amped 1 have strayed way to far away from realism for my tastes. I would love for Black Box EA to make a boarding titles. We will see. After Skate. I no longer see Activision as the king of extreme. T2 was the last great hawk title.

Less is more

Less really is more when it comes to skate. You have less tricks which leads to less points which leads smaller combos. This is in no way a bad thing. I see this as a good thing. I am no longer striving for carpel tunnel syndrome trying to whip out D-pad combos. Your board is the right stick, your body is the left stick. The triggers represent your hands. Very very simple. The city it takes place in is San Vanelona. The city feels great when skating around it. It isn’t decorated with a city hall that has 20 quarter pipes built into it. It would feel more alive if the citizens and vehicle didn’t look so generic in design.

All the skaters in the game are not very well known in the ranks of Tony Hawk, Bam Magera or Jason Ellis. You know what I am fine with that. As soon as the skaters were announced I went to Youtube and checked out them out. A lot of them really represent street skating at it’s core. You really get a sense that the devs for Black Box just love the heart and soul of skating with there choices.

The only really over the top moments are when you compete in the X-games since Sal Masakela MC’s the competitions. I am a tad shocked by his presence as I always thought of him as a puppet to Tony. /shrug what do I know.

I only complaint would be near the end of the game as the video parts you select to star in become ridiculous and you have to start flicking the stick around like a crazy man. This become really evident when you have to do the end Thrasher video parts. 6000 points in skate is really difficult to do and the only way I have found to do them in 30 seconds is to get spastic with the stick. I really find myself not wanting to do them. But if I want to unlock everything then I have no choice.

Blue Dragon

Since I have gotten my hands on Skate. I have yet to dive back into Blue Dragon. I just find the game boring and I believe MMO’s have ruined me forever. I am hoping Lost Odyssey will bring back that spark with it’s FF10, FF7 style game play. It’s not that Blue Dragon is a bad game because it is not. I just find that the story is not holding my interest. Though I have to admit that I have had my best sleep possible playing this game.

EQ2

I have been diving even deeper into Eq2 and I have to admit now that I am in my mid fifties. (Yes WHOOT I am level 55) It is starting to feel like a chore just to level. I find myself not wanting to log in because it is such a pain in the ass to find a group and then spend the next 2 hours getting ten percent as people feign interest for ten minutes and then leave. You spend more time trying to keep a full group then actually doing something. It is frustrating as hell. I may have to go back to questing solo (/shudder) then putting in my LFG “LF serious groups only”.

When I play EQ2 I am tad hardcore, I want challenging mobs and dungeons and I want a team that has a minimum of 2 hours to kill. Non of this half an hour BS. I come from, as my closest friends know, what I call the Final Fantasy generation. The whole you stuck with a group for 2 plus hours you didn’t log in get a group and run. Now really this could be my fault for taking part in a game that I feel is becoming more one sided towards the soloer. I have always felt horrible if I said after a death that I had to leave then log off then back in. Coming up with excuses to leave crappy groups is becoming so much tougher in EQ2.

All I hope in the end is if I stick with it is that 60+ has a more dedicated grouping atmosphere. Or I will not be picking up the new expansion and I will be moving onto another game.

I think if I could find a guild (Though I love my crew don’t get me wrong.) or steady group in my level range that quested and xp’d together I would be enjoying the 50’s so much more and it wouldn’t feel like a job or grind. Those perfect opportunities only come once in a blue moon.

Well that was my week of gaming in a nutshell. I will try harder to make it a much smaller gap between posts.

Hailin signing out, peace and game hard my friends.

PS My gamertag is hailin if anyone like to add me.

Bad Bad Blogger

Yes I have been. So sorry been a hell of a weekend.

Played some eq2 this weekend. It is slow going at 53, Is that a hell level? I am not sure.

FINALLY got skate. I am loving it. Had a horrible time getting it. Went to EB in Vernon and they had SOLD my pre-order. That was the last straw for me. I am so sick and tried of the mismanagement and horribly stupid and rude sales people there. Not to mention the unprofessional attitude.

The guy behind the counter even said to me. “I asked the manager if we should keep some preorder copies. He said no.” Needless to say I flipped and left with my money in hand and was saved by Walmart.

The game is amazing. My problem right now is there is SO much to do and places to just chill and ride I don’t know where to start. My buddy Blamelog and I hit up some online and sessioned a sweet ledge in old town for about an hour. Definitely going back to that spot with him later. Maybe get some video of it too. Here is Blamelog KILLING a sweet ledge to road gap in Old Town.

Hailin signing out, peace and game hard.

Ahhhh Run from the Chain Blog x4

Ouch damn I have been tagged. Guess then like wildlife Kevin is tracking my status, seeing where I eat and what I drink, in the wild. (Straps on the loin cloth, lets out a grunt and runs with the Caribou)

Four jobs I have had in my life (not including current job):

1. Boston Pizza, errm pizza maker. (No I never met Cliff.)

2. Gas Jockey

3. Lift truck driver

4. Office Manager

Four Movies I have watched over and over:

1. Hackers (On my 2nd copy)

2. Trainspotting (Own the cd’s the book and 3 copies of the movie.)

3. Full Monty

4. The Meaning of Life… (Did Chatholics really sell there young for experiments?)

Four places I have lived:

1. Lumby, BC

2. Airdire, AB

3. Vancouver, BC

4. Vernon, BC

Four Shows I love to watch:

1. Heroes

2. The Lab with Leo

3. Ab Fab (Yes I know it isn’t on anymore)

4. Little Britain

Four Places I have been on vacation:

1. Prince Rupert (Don’t go in spring, fall, summer, or winter. Rains 80% of the year)

2. Salt Lake City Utah (Fabulous Snowboarding)

3. Mexico (As soon as December comes)

4. Dee Lake Chain, BC (Great weather, great camping, bring beer, awesome fishing.)

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Sushi

2. Safeway Subs (SOOO GOOD)

3. Breadaux Pizza

4. Curried Chicken and rice

Four favorite drinks:

1. Gin

2. Tonic (COME ON It goes with the Gin)

3. Pepsi Jazz

4. Diet Coke

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. In the Warhammer beta

2. Playing Skate. (DAMN you EA)

3. Mexico (December anyone December)

4. In EQ2 as soon as SOE turns the clock back on monks 2 years.

And I pass the torch on to…

1. Shadouwolf; at Gaming Tramps (Cause he has been lazy in posts.)

2. Zubon at Kill Ten Rats; (Sorry I have never commented but really like his articles.)

3. Gary & Ryan at Gaxonline; (Don’t know if they will even see it or do it. ) and

4. Troy at Virginworlds Podcast Collective. (Host of Voyages of Vanguard and Equal Perspective.)

Fear the Group

Do you? Every time you get that quest that you know involves an epic mob or a big instance does it get deleted? Do you say to yourself I can’t be bothered or I don’t have the time.

I can proudly say that I don’t fear the group.

It seems every single mmo has some level of grouping that is needed. From WoW’s raid content to FF11’s grouping 24/7. Sure in every game there is some solo to be found and certainly some classes are more capable then others. Have we reached a stage where solo is the new king of MMO’s?

Some people have found ways to get around it. Games like WoW or Eq2 offer content from 1 to max level that is solo content. While these options are certainly viable and exciting they do not interest me in the least. (I just did solo from44 to 52 in EQ2 in DOF, zzzzzz)

Besides the people that truly do not have the time. Why play MMO’s? I have never figured this out. Now remember this is a blog and just my opinion. Why are these solo players here if they have no need to be. Are MMO’s that addictive of a force that people believe they need to have this social atmosphere in there lives.

I am thanks to Blizzard a dying breed. I don’t raid, so popular games like WoW are off my list. The days of the group friendly gaming is dying. I am a firm believer in that.

I was watching the Final Fantasy Retrospective epidsode 8 where they discuss Final Fantasy 11. Even in there they mention making the content of Chains of Promanthia easier so more people could complete it. I am not quite sure what that means except for throwing out my own conspiracy theory. (Research what is that?) Now I have heard that originally the COP content was incredibly difficult. You had to have a well oiled group. I am guessing that now you could go in with a weaker group or PuG (pick up group) and complete the COP missions. I would have to ask my brother about that as he has been a loyal subscriber to square’s masterpiece since day one.

What the future holds for the MMO world I really don’t know. I do know that PVP plays a much bigger role then it once had. Games like DOAC and WoW have definitely proven that PVP is a major focus heading into the future of the market. Which brings back in grouping. If you have never grouped I would rethink that strategy. These new games with a heavy PvP focus are going to allow two groups to excel. People that have moved from FPS clan play, and people that excelled at heavy group play. These two groups are going to catch on faster and be more focused on how there group moves and plays together not on self. Nothing worse then a healer that spends more time dpsing then healing.  That is what they understand. How to pull, dps, and heal themselves.

In the end it comes down to how you want to play the game. Not what everybody wants. So if you wish to solo WoW or EQ2, that is your choice and your money. I will choose to group. Remember though if you get bitched at by your group because you do not understand the group dynamics you have two choices either leave the group or listen, watch and learn. I would choose option two.

Hailin signing out, peace and game hard.

MoG morphs into Gaxonline.com

Gary and Ryan have stepped up into a new form of the web. It now encompasses forums, news, blogs. It pretty much offers what every other blogging social network offers.

I need to spend some more time surfing around it. It’s definitely interesting and I am excited to see where this leads. I just wish I could link my blog to it instead of being signed up for a totally new blog. The site does look a tad bland but stability before purty.

Check it out at Gaxonline.

Guess whos back. Back again.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I know you all missed me! Life has come at me full throttle This last 2 weeks or so, and I don’t see it relenting any time soon. For the few that don’t know my personal life, I am expecting my second child at the end of September. On top of that already stressful proposition, My wife has been put on bed-rest. So my WWaP will be fairly short and sweet for a while. It also doesn’t help that the NFL season starts this Thursday.

So enough about me, lets talk about me and what I’m playing! I have passed on my copy of Bioshock with out completing it(I know, stunning) so it doesn’t taunt me away from the things I need to complete around the house. I’m a sucker to peer pressure usually! Plus I know my brother-in-law will enjoy it and give it a good home while I neglect it! This weekend was filled with family so we busted out the Wii for some challenges! I have become a triple threat. I am currently 5-0-1 In Wii Baseball, I am undefeated at tennis and I am also the undisputed Heavyweight champ of Boxing in the house! WooHoo!

Then last night, my aforementioned brother-in-law brought over Madden ‘08(BASTARD! Now I want it). I had talked myself out of the game this year but Wow have they improved this game! Not only are the graphics a bit better (little tweaks here and there), but game play has been dramatically improved. Tons of new features that I barely got to see. Most fun was the Fantasy draft. not only do you get to draft from the entire NFL, you can also add Hall of Fame players if you so choose. My Linebackers where Mike Singletary and Jack Ham! Good times. Any how…time to get back to what I was doing….wait, what WAS I doing?

Here’s to Michael Vick hopefully spending 28 Dog years (or more) in jail!

Shadouwolf