Push it to the Limit – Levelling Restrictions
The uproar continues after the announcement that there will now be an 8 hour limit on training and experience each week for Square Enix’s newest MMORPG. That’s right; while gameplay is unlimited your character will only be able to spend a maximum of eight hours training a week… the reason?
Director Nobuaki Komoto stated that it wasn’t fair on players who can’t spend as much time on a game but still wish to enjoy it and players who don’t do anything but play. Komoto also added that in the real world it is not possible for an athlete to play or train nonstop without any medical consequences.
Will the move affect sales? Only time will tell but we kind of like the idea in theory but in practice, well we will just have to wait and see.
I think therefore I Portal
A University in America has added ‘Portal’ to the reading or is that play list for the coming college term. So as well as reading the works of Aristotle, Shakespeare and John Donne, students will also have to examine Valve’s Portal. The idea came from teacher, gamer and blogger Michael Abbott who then had to pitch the idea of the other teachers and professors on a committee charged with renewing the college syllabus:
“They made the connections, and they enjoyed the game. Most importantly, they saw how Portal could provoke thoughtful reflection and vigorous conversation on questions germane to the course.”
Now where did we put our CAO forms?
Beatbox Bust up between Ken and Dhalsim
Words cannot describe… the… whatever it is that this video of Japanese beatboxer Hikakin performing a battle between Street Fighter legends Ken and Dhalsim.
Gamer Jailbait!
Admit it; you’ve been driven to the point of breaking by online gamers. That smug sniper who picked you off right before you dropped the flag, that selfish last placer who fired off a blue shell seconds before you crossed the chequered line.
You’ve screamed obscenities at the television, you might have even punched your little brother who was happily playing Pokemon on his DS but someone deserved your rage! We’ve all been there (sorry Matty) but at a point we know when enough is enough, unfortunately for Eric LaChapelle and Corey Chalich, that line was blurred.
After an argument broke out over a PS3 game match online (no one knows what game) Eric drove to Corey’s home in New York and beat Corey hard enough that the 18yr old needed hospital treatment. Corey, on seeing red though, grabbed a knife and threatened the 24yr old and now both gamers are facing charges.
You know, there hasn’t been a good prison game in ages!
Dungeons and Dragons 2011
Put the d20s away folks as Dungeons and Dragons is set to return to the video game world in 2011 with Neverwinter. Brought to us by Cryptic Studios and Atari the game will be based on the upcoming DnD books by Robert Salvatore and will be single player/online multiplayer adventure game.
Players will choose a hero from five different classes and either alongside their friends or computer controlled allies travel through the realms of the RPG series. It will be the first game to be based on the new fourth edition rules of the game and will run alongside the release of a new tabletop game.
The added option of being able to create your own adventures is being thrown in for good measures so all us GM’s can start planning on new scenarios and bring them to life with the ‘Forger’.
