Wednesday, December 29, 2010

That was a joke, Shephard

       Machines can be difficult. Just this last week several computers have come in with motherboard failures and a few loaded with viruses. In fact, we see Windows blue-screens and internal errors on a regular basis. Cars don't start, remotes run out of batteries, and those nasty Reapers are threatening to destroy the entire galaxy and use us as some kind of biofuel. Machines.
       If subtle advances from an omniscient and ancient technological evil weren't enough the ships computer has recently opted to have a sense of humor.

Joker: So I have to go crawling through the vents again?
EDI: Yes. I enjoy nothing more than seeing humans on their knees.
Joker:....
EDI:That was a joke. Jeff.

       Poor Joker (Jeff) has faced the brunt of it. You see, as a helmsman for one of the most sophisticated and advanced ships in the galaxy he is in charge when I am away. Yes, I am the captain. During an invasion when all the regular fighting personnel have gone on a walk-about he finds himself, glass bones and all, faced with stemming a full fledged alien attack. Crew members and familiar faces are plucked away for use as organic ooze while Joker slips about with a hunch and a limp to the AI core so that the machine, EDI, can be difficult to the right people. "But if you start singing Daisy May..."
       Machines join the group, machines gain intelligence, machines kill, machines save lives. Some machines go rogue, others are just built that way.   Machines machines. The decisions start to gray out when this artificial intelligence, cognizant and opinionated, can be rewritten. Is this brainwashing a species? One only has two options to obliterate them all or rewrite. We don't reprogram humans, but can one really compare? I'll let you all decide.
       The moral dilemmas in Mass Effect 2 are often multi-tiered and difficult. Decisions need to be made and if you are a gamer like me these decisions can be extremely difficult. The game, thankfully, makes it slightly easier by adding a simple measuring device. Conversation options on the top of the ring are generally good (Paragon) and on the bottom become evil (Renegade) with the indecisive middle gaining you neither, a dangerous method to play the game. Fence sitters will lose team members and end situations destructively in many cases. A large price to pay for a little piece of mind; and, the game makes these characters matter. These are the people you help, laugh with, and even argue with. A father reunites with his son, sisters bond, home is secured, A nameless being finds purpose, and a 400 year witch-hunt comes to an epic finish, all because of you, and that is only a scratch on the surface. The lives you touch for better (or horribly worse as you may) resonate on emotional and intellectual levels that will entertain book lovers, thinkers, and moralists everywhere. Mass Effect 2 is a game of choice up to the very last moments. And, it is a game of consequence, some of which can be stifling and shocking. It is a dark game full of plenty of vices (Strong language, blood, and sexual themes to name a few), but in such darkness one can shine the brightest of all.
        A world of great sci-fi and beauty, I invite all those of proper sentiment, morality, and maturity to drift into space from the first game (much more family friendly) to the shadowy and epic sequel. Enjoy.

Monday, December 20, 2010

The choices we make

     We are all very aware of our ability to choose in life, but in the media that choice is grossly limited. It usually comes down to 'will we watch this movie, or not?' Editing seems irrelevant as a story will not shape itself well around what you have cremated so a movie is a movie and music is music. But, something delightful exists in the world of games.
     Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Jade Empire, Arcanum, Baldur's gate, Planescape: Torment, Oblivion, Bioshock, and more. All games that offer the ability to choose (more or less) in very moral, dynamic, difficult, or no-brainer ways. Now, let me put this very plainly. In these games you can be very, very wicked. The whole foray is offered in many of these games from murder to sex, but this also means you have the most appealing and heart-felt moments doing good as well.
    As a paragon in Mass Effect I talked a young lady out of suicide, promoted inter-alien kindness and forbearance, stopped a young man from foolishly joining a dangerous mission, and helped a delusional man return to his family. In fact in my entire gaming career I have stood up for honesty, morality, love (not lust), patience, mercy, God, independence, responsibility, kindness, forgiveness, diligence, loyalty, and almost every other virtue imaginable. And? the effects were wonderful. These were moments that left you thinking, applying, and desiring good in your own life. The decisions at times were hard with long running consequences on the line. And, sometimes these decisions were downright tempting, but dangerous; the effects irreversible in the game and in this life (Yes, that Witches Gone Wild achievement will forever be inscribed in my account).
    This ability to decide helps us choose in our own private imaginations and they let us shine in a world of darkness as a symbol and reminder to ourselves, that there is good in this life. I salute all games that bring with them thought, decision, and true good in the form of imagination. They do contain horrors (Oh truly they do), but as always in life we are free not only to avoid, but to remove and eventually heal them. Inspiring, moving, fulfilling, may we all make the hard decisions in our very own microcosms. Happy creating to you in all of your worlds.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

"...Like butter over too much bread."

         I have been spread a little thin. I am currently playing: Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic, Half-Life 2 (For the umpteenth time), Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age: Ultimate Edition, Sacred: Gold, and reacquainting myself with why I don't necessarily adore Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. I am also hopelessly glued to Plants VS. Zombies. Reasoning and detailed elaboration will follow.
        First, let me wow you all with my very-budget gaming machine. My point being someone may game the latest without murdering their bank account. Now, I have heard it said that the human eye can only register 30 Frames Per Second (FPS) on a computer screen (give or take). With that in mind consider this: the lowest and most meager of graphical cards (the gamers catalyst) will easily cost the affordable $50 to $60 dollars and manage most of your games (even Crysis at gorgeous and playable levels) and pull off that frame rate. Power gamers (the ones who buy pricey graphical cards), of course, aren't satisfied with two things: having fat wallets, and 30 frame rates per second. Most of the cards they will spend their $120 and up on will provide far beyond the desired frame rates at ridiculous visual values. Let me state then that I am a power gamer. A very very poor power gamer who is cleverly disguised as a 'budget gamer.'
        
         The specs: 2.9 Ghz AMD Athlon 2 X2 True Dual Core processor.
                          3.5 Gigabytes of 533 DDR2 RAM.
                          One 250 Gigabyte Seagate 7200 Hard Disk Drive (HDD).
                          585W (Watt) Power supply by ORION.
                          $40 Cooler Master Case (And Orange!)
                          Used PATA DVD RW drive (Why get more in this wonderful digital age?)
                          And my glorious $60 EVGA Nvidia Geforce GT 220 Video Card with 1 Gigabyte of          GDDR3 Memory. Mmmmm.

         Age of Wonders is a beautiful fantasy turn based strategy game. The overland map is filled with teeming wild life and plants, mysterious ruins, and mythical creatures. The game itself is reminiscent of Heroes of Might and Magic, Master of Magic, and Disciples: Dark Prophecy, all wrapped into one with a dash of the classic board game Risk thrown in. You play an immensely powerful wizard king (or queen) with a variety of elemental schools to choose from (focus or mix and match).  You seek to unite the land either under your flag or through establishing allies. I have to admit that the diplomacy has seen little use from me as I am still getting down the basics, but the game play is soothing and still retains that 'just-one-more-turn' draw. There are always spells to be researched, darkness to explore, and cities to manage and grow. This is the latest edition in the franchise and features a remarkable random map generator so every scenario can be a new and drawn out experience. It is quite detailed too! The creatures and races are abundant. 10+ races with unique traits and powers, 6 elements of magic plus the mysterious Cosmo (mix and match) class, and plenty of quests and options. This game should run fine on nearly any modern computer (netbooks included) and the moral quality is wonderful, just avoid some of the more skimpy wizard portraits or enter your own picture if it bothers you (those scanty sorceress types never last long anyhow).
        Ohhhhh Half Life 2. Ours has been an off and on relationship. I still hail it as the king and conqueror of the first-person shooter world. The game is a battle between the resistant forces of, well, you (Gordon Freeman, a physicist with a crowbar), and the communistic and extremely conservative tyrannous Combine. They take away homes, the ability to have children,  and ultimately want to turn everyone into zombies or worse (ZOMBINE!). The game is presented cinematically yet without a single cut-scene (except for the moments when you are on the ground looking up, helpless). You feel as if the world revolves around you and your actions as a super MIT Alumni. You start out humble and by the end truly feel like you have become capable and ingenious in every way. A powerful experience in the gaming world. The game is a shooter and is gorgeous. This means that it can be quite gruesome. Minor swearing dots the game, nothing used in the extreme vulgar, and blood and violence are always apparent.
         Half Life 2 does an excellent job at making you, the silent hero, take on your own persona and still feel heroic, noble, and the right sort of fellow to save the world. The characters also need to be mentioned. They make all the dark and scary horrors contrast with their brightness and innocence. Among others Alex Vance, the game's female protagonist and personal companion for the player throughout much of it, is a delight. You will be taken with the first smile.The game will run on a wide variety of machines, from the old to the new, but with my current budget setup it will run on all settings set to max with full anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering. Translation: crisp, clear, beautiful. Enjoy!

          Further updates will be made soon!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

A man, his dog, and a janitor



       In the long ago April of 1997 a man set out against alien forces to save humanity. This man was no warrior or military force, supernatural being or chosen one. This man was a janitor in a skin-tight black sniper suit. Enter the comic world of MDK, a game I wouldn't be overly surprised to hear few had played. Thanks to the expert restorers at GOG.com we can all once again slip into the role of Kurt Hectic affordably and on much newer systems. The premise and story were a synergy of the cool and comic, and the game, focusing on heavy action and sniper combat, was viewed as a bit extreme at the time. The action featured comical aliens (always ready to openly mock you and your sniping prowess) and witty items. In what other game are you
Some pixelated action as Kurt in the original MDK
forced to unleash the world's smallest nuke to open a door? The game comes off as appropriately cute and cool in it's own regard. The sleek and stylish Flux Suit you get to pilot is a delight complete with the ability to glide through the air and snipe from afar.
        Recently I have been indulging in the improved sequel (also available on GOG) only to find it more comical, fun, and cute then its predecessor. Once again Kurt Hectic is called into action, this time to save the city of Edmonton from an alien mine crawler. The game takes on an excellent comic-book theme as the story unfolds and our unlikely janitor gets the full 3D treatment. One small tutorial and some fun voice acting and you are rushed into an alien vessel filled with evil aliens and mockery.
        The first portion of the game is strikingly similar to the entirety of the first game, which is good. MDK was a fun game and its game mechanics were polished and easy to understand. The twist comes at the end of the first level where you are suddenly rushed into the... er... paws of Max, Dr. Hawkin's (the man who made the sniper-suit) six-legged cyborg dog. Let me say that again, you get to play a six-legged cyborg dog. He is a tough, indestructible-cigar smoking (cyborg's apparently suffer no ill effects), gun toting hound that loves lovin's from the doc.
A six legged dog battling in the prettier world of MDK 2
        Because Max has six legs he can stand on two and equip up to four guns simultaneously in the others. Between shotguns, magnums, uzis, gatling guns, and rockets, the game suddenly takes a turn to the shoot 'em up genre, and while the enemies from the previous level remain the amounts of them would overwhelm the poor Janitor. As Max the levels fly by in a flurry of gun fire, barely allowing you to breathe between all the shooting, the game takes a sudden twist once more upon completion of the level and you are suddenly drawn into the third and final character: Dr. Hawkins.
         At this point in the game I realized the quality of bang for my buck I had gotten. In effect I felt as if I had gotten three games as diverse as these characters are. Dr. Hawkins game focuses nearly entirely on puzzle solving. He starts with no weapons and only proceeds to get one later in the level that is difficult to use and usually not worth a shot unless absolutely necessary. As a scientist you will science a wonderful assortment of household objects. Everything from the bathroom hand-dryer to duct tape to a fish bowl (with fish) will be used in creative means of scouring your ship, the Jim Dandy, clean from the alien scum. This also happens to be the wittiest and wildest portion of the game with cute and innocent one-liners from the doctor every time you create--or fail to create--a new puzzle-solving invention. I laughed out loud at several of the games funny and quirky moments. Hilarious cut scenes also retain a certain goofy charm.
         Of course the game isn't perfect and there were many frustrating moments my first play-through. The game features nine levels (three for each character) that will last you short to medium lengths of time depending on your skill and persistence, the latter being essential. There are moments in the game where direction isn't given and you find yourself dying from respawning enemies, or falling to your death in a jumping segment. The puzzles can be just zany enough as the doctor to cause frustration, and the controls can be overly touchy. This is can all be changed and arranged though as you master the controls and set your own (in some cases highly recommended), so the these issues are temporary at best.
         MDK 2 is fast, funny, and skill based. Recommended for an audience of teenagers or adults who want a laugh and are fluent with controls. The morals of the game never bothered me. The game kept a light hearted approach to defeating clearly alien foes, though there are some head-shot moments (lots if you are good enough with Kurt). It felt like ridding your house of bugs--really, really annoying bugs. Another bonus is the price tag. GOG charges a measly $5.99 (their usual price) for a non-DRM (Digital Rights Management) download. The game has it's pretty moments also, but will run on almost any system. My Dell Mini 10 ran it flawlessly on 1024 X 600 resolution with all settings on high. Fun, quirky, and complete, I suggest you check it out for a unique experience you won't find in most today's games.
         Cheerio! I'm off to save Edmonton!

Monday, November 22, 2010

I am

I am...
            A PC Gamer that is
                                                Religious,
    Intellectual,
                          Concerned,                ~                  and intrigued
  by games                                      TODAY
                               and what we can DRAW from  them. 
           
I am...
            tired of stereotypes,
                                            callousness,
and insinuations that games destroy lives more than books
                                                                                                           movies
                                                                                                           music                                            

I believe...
                  There is art here.
 There is good to be had
                                        There are worlds to explore
There are morals to UPHOLD
                                                               decisions to make
and imagination to foster.



     This is the art form that is ultimately interactive. And, like any art form, there is the crude,
                                    The shadow,
                                             The vulgar,

Like any art form finding the BEST is  part of the work.


       This is a record of me on my adventure, my search, my pilgrimage for beauty in the endless worlds of modern games.


May it be of some assistance to you and your ilk in determining entertainment that is worthy of your priceless time.

"We believe in being bhonest, true, cchaste, dbenevolent, virtuous, and in doing egood to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we fhope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to gendure all things. If there is anything hvirtuous, ilovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
                                               -Joseph Smith, Articles of Faith,