Random Stuff

[Arthmoor]

Yep, and whoever did it just got their entire IP range banned for doing it a 3rd time and filling my inbox with MySQL errors.

[Kayle]

As an aside, since this is the Random Stuff topic...Quixadhal got me interested in trying EVE Online via their 14 day free trial. And I've got a couple of things to say about this. ..And then I'll get to the disappointment that is RIFT..Firstly, EVE Online lets you download the entire game, and all the expansion content for free on a trial account. Then when your trial is up if you want to continue playing, you pay them $19.95 for the game and 30 days of playtime. Then you can set up recurring payments for the monthly fee, or do what a lot of other people in the game do, and buy play time using the in game currency. Secondly, there is so much depth to the game, that I think it's impossible for one person alone to learn it all. The different faction's ships have different strengths and weaknesses, the different NPC Pirates have different strengths and weaknesses, learning skills is done by adding them to a training queue, and then even if you're offline your skills still train. But there are so very many ways to build a character. And the game itself is an open world sandbox. There's no right or wrong path, hell, there's not really a path at all.You start the game and you go through a crash course tutorial that teaches you the very basics, after which you're sent to find a career agent, who has a 8-10 mission/quest arc that teaches you what you need to know about that career. While going through a career arc, at certain intervals (2nd, and final missions) you're given a new ship. One that works well for the career you're working on. But you can seriously do whatever you want in your EVE life. Wanna be a cutthroat pirate and ambush and destroy people's ships for salvage and money? Okay. Do it. Want to spend all your time mining and manufacturing goods? Go ahead, do it. Whatever you want to do, you can. There's no set progression paths, all it takes is a little time and thought and you can seriously be whatever you want. EVE is a full PvP game, but there are areas that are relatively safe from PvP and there are those that aren't. It depends on how you want the game to evolve for you.Now, RIFT, that's a whole other story. I used to play the pen and paper RIFT games back in Middle School, so when I heard about a RIFT MMO, I wanted to see it, and see if it was as fun and engaging as the old pen and paper game used to be. So I signed up for the RIFT Beta, so that I could experience the game and see if it was something I might be interested in buying and playing... I should have known better. I really should have. The game has gotten rave reviews on MMO sites, and it's being called the one game that will unseat WoW as King of MMOs. Well, yeah. It might do that. It might do that, because it's pretty much just World of Warcraft with prettier graphics, and a RIFT based storyline. I'm sorry, but where's the fucking originality here? The Interface, the controls, EVERYTHING about RIFT feels like I'm playing WoW again. Now, it's not all WoW though, they took some of the finer points from Warhammer Online as well, another tabletop game I played in Middle School and into High School some was Warhammer, and Warhammer 40,000. I'll give Mythic one thing. They captured the essence of Warhammer in Warhammer Online. But once again, it was all very heavily influenced by WoW. Now, I'm not saying WoW is a terrible game, it's not. It wouldn't have 10 million subscribers if it sucked. But the game lacks depth. It's all superficial, it doesn't really take skill to do anything. You just have to know in which order to use your class skills to effectively do the most damage, and which gear to wear. That's the depth of the depth of WoW. And most of that is documented on the various sites dedicated to WoW.In summation, I was very very disappointed in the way RIFT was done, there such a rich history with RIFT that the game could have been so much more, so very much more, if they'd bee just a little more adventurous, and less "copy WoW because they have 10 million subscribers."Anyway, if you're into Science Fiction/Space stuff, and you don't mind maybe giving an MMO a chance, I'd wholeheartedly recommend at least giving the 14-day free trial of EVE Online a try. It's not for everyone, I know, but it such a wonderfully done game that it's worth at least a look. I kinda regret not looking into the game earlier.Wow. I talked a lot. Sorry.

[Arthmoor]

There's one game I've yet to see make a resurgence in any meaningful way: Starflight. For you youngsters, that's a 1980s era game that originated on the Commodore 64. By far the best sci-fi space game ever made, along with it's big brother, Starflight 2.Followed closely behind that was Star Control 2. 1 and 3 both sucked ass in that series, but 2 was easily the funniest space type game I've ever played. If you've never played it, see if you can find it on sale in a bargain bin or retro games site. Might be tough, it was a DOS era game.EVE Online sounds an awful lot like it's trying to catch the spirit of the 3 games I've mentioned, plus make itself out to be the modern MMO version of Wing Commander Privateer and an older game called Elite. What they have now sounds interesting, but if it's got any resemblance to these older games, it'll end up being a very hollow experience. Still, it might suit some people and a 14 day trial is certainly a sign they have confidence in the product.Now if you want to see something that looks truly awesome if they can pull it off:

[Dwip]

@Kayle - Wow. I was just reading a guy earlier today saying just the same stuff about RIFT. Word for word almost. You are not alone, it seems.I'll say this for EVE - right when I left Oregon in '06, pretty much everyone in my D&D group was completely addicted to that game. No attraction for me, but...@Samson - Dad and I definitely played a bunch of Starflight back in the day. I'm a little surprised I remember, since I was like 7, but I do.

[prettyfly]

another tabletop game I played in Middle School and into High School some was Warhammer' date=' and Warhammer 40,000[/quote']Brings back memories for me too, though I can't really speak much for the Warhammer Online or WoW since I've never touched either of them.

[Sigurð Stormhand]

Eve is not a game which offers me anything either. I might feel differently if it offered my the option of dropping into the cockpit of a starfighter, and then using the first three buttons on my joystick.as a teen I was a complete rocket jockey, nothing gave me greater pleasure than loosing torpedos at a Star Destroyer's bridge, or hitting my afterburners and racing towards the Kilrathi Cap-Ship whilst jinking to avoid flak and missiles.Freespace 2 was the apex of that experience for me, though Starlancer was fun for all it's sillyness. Then Freelancer was announced without joystick support and the dream died. :headbang:

[Kayle]

I'll admit, having immediate control over my ship would be awesome, but I'm quite happy with EVE regardless. And RIFT... well, that's just depressing, really. And I have to agree with that Josh character, RIFT had a LOT of potential, but they wasted it all trying to mimic WoW's success.

[Arthmoor]

Truth: The sneeze is an extremely liberating thing. Unfortunately in my current state of health it also has a high disgust factor.

[Dwip]

http://www.kleenex.com/

[Arthmoor]

There be a pile of them in the trash can next to me, but you have no idea how forceful my sneezes can be. Kleenex doesn't always hold up

[Dwip]

http://www.brawnytowels.com/

[Arthmoor]

Heh. Perhaps. Or I could just enlist a shirt that long ago ceased to fit me. Gross, maybe, but it works. I think it's mostly sinus drainage because the sneeze fits have stopped now.

[Dwip]

One of them is a little more disposable, but.And on the bright side, at least it's not in your ears, you know? That's the worst.

[Dwip]

Also, would somebody like to tell me why I can't stop eating food and/or listening to Michael Jackson's Thriller? I don't even really like Michael Jackson particularly, and I've had two dinner-sized meals and a couple snacks already, and I'm still hungry. Am I going to start hibernating or something?

[Arthmoor]

Someone near you smoked pot and you're feeling their side effects. Or I dunno, maybe you're preparing for the end?Got me on the Jackson thing though. BTW, thanks, now I'm hungry and can hardly move my body aches so much.

[Dwip]

Allow me to suggest robots.Also on the "I'm bored at work and Youtubing music videos" note, Jonathan Coulton's version of Sir Mix-A-Lot's Baby Got Back is pretty amusing, but not nearly as amusing as the Robot Chicken sketch Table Be Round, which I heartily endorse.In oddly related news, LBJ was one strange dude.[edit]Why do I always get the tops of pages?And Conner, I totally forgot to say anything before, but happy 800th post. Handily beating all of us now.

[Arthmoor]

Robots would be nice. As it turned out, a near-scalding hot shower helped some. Got the bathroom so fogged up I couldn't see but damn did it feel good. Too bad such things only last a short time. Also in awe at the crazy amounts of water I've consumed without needing to go pee it out an hour later.

[Sigurð Stormhand]

Someone near you smoked pot and you're feeling their side effects. Or I dunno' date=' maybe you're preparing for the end?

Got me on the Jackson thing though. BTW, thanks, now I'm hungry and can hardly move my body aches so much.[/quote']If you die, have you made arrangements to make sure the site stays up? :tongue:

[Arthmoor]

Uh... no? If I die, ya'll probably won't get any notice before the asshole roommates turn everything off.

[Conner]

Sadly' date=' while PS:T may have used an older engine' date=' it was released after BG1 if memory serves. I don't recall what Deekin might be at all.[/quote'']Deekin is a kobold bard in Shadows of Udrentide for NWN1. Amusing as hell.And yeah, PS;T came out after BG1, but used a forked version of a fairly early Infinity Engine build that got features slapped on top of it as they were making the more polished BG1 version. One of these obviously turned out better than the other.

Hmm, guess it's been longer than I thought because I just don't remember him, but eing sick isn't helping with recall either. :shrug:Ah, I don't usually pay so much attention to the engine specifics, but that jives well with what I do remember.

in practice I think it mostly expands the profit potential for Wizards of the Coast significantly now that everyone suddenly needs a whole new set of books once they reach higher levels.

Only the one' date=' really' date=' at least that's how it was in 3e. I forget how the 2e one worked. Not nearly as egregious as all of the class/race books.[/quote'']That's been my biggest beef with WotC's take-over of the D&D franchise, but in 2e they didn't have the epic stuff at all. There were hints towards it in some of the player option books, but basically at level 20+ you were still effectively a demi-god. As much as WotC has gone nuts with the whole set of books for every aspect they could in 3+e, I'm a little surprised that you're saying all of the Epic stuff was just the one book. It seems to me that the Epic handbook left a lot uncovered, from what I recall, and it didn't match with the Epic preview stuff they had in the main Faerun book...

How to tell when I am actually sick: Sleep for 12 hours straight. Yeah. Imagine my surprise. Nothing like a 103 degree fever to kill any will to exist you might have. Not to mention a lung full of gross stuff.

Oh man' date=' you too? I'd managed to stay healthy through all the kids getting sick and my wife getting sick and then within two days of them all recovering, I'm feeling ready to die. But of course, the Dad's work is never able to be put on hold for mere illness. Thus my absence from here the last few days. Instead of being online, I've been sleeping, registering for classes at the local community college, taking the kids and wife fishing, driving people around for errands/appointments/etc... (Yes, y'all read that right, yet again, I is a college student and I has class once again.. )Suffice it to say, I hope that you're well on your way to recovery, Samson.. though my primary hope is that I am too. :sigh:

This has been a rant against whoever it is in Spain that saw fit to foul up Apache for me. Again.

How nice. I hope you've blocked whoever it was. Kinda glad that I missed it..

As an aside' date=' since this is the Random Stuff topic...[/quote']Sorry' date=' I don't do full PVP games. Sorry to hear that RIFT is basically a WoW clone, but can't really say I'm surprised. A lot of folks believe in the philosophy of 'stick with what works'. I too used to play the pen-n-paper version of Rifts as well as Warhammer 40k way back when, along with quite a few others too. Paranoia was one of the best... The computer says so!

EVE Online sounds an awful lot like it's trying to catch the spirit of the 3 games I've mentioned' date=' plus make itself out to be the modern MMO version of Wing Commander Privateer and an older game called Elite. What they have now sounds interesting, but if it's got any resemblance to these older games, it'll end up being a very hollow experience.[/quote']You think so? Maybe. From what he described I was actually thinking Trade Wars.

Brings back memories for me too' date=' though I can't really speak much for the Warhammer Online or WoW since I've never touched either of them.[/quote']Seconded, verbatim.

Freespace 2 was the apex of that experience for me' date=' though Starlancer was fun for all it's sillyness. Then Freelancer was announced without joystick support and the dream died. :headbang:[/quote']Freespace was a decendant of Decent, ever give that one a try?As for joystick controlled space flight/fight games.. remember the original Star Wars games?

Truth: The sneeze is an extremely liberating thing. Unfortunately in my current state of health it also has a high disgust factor.

I'll let you and Dwip play with the kleenex/brawny/t-shirt issues' date=' but if you change your mind, I'll share my kleenex and puffs with you.

And on the bright side' date=' at least it's not in your ears, you know? That's the worst.[/quote']I do know, mine's primarily focused on the sinuses. I can't hear right worth a damn and my balance is off and my teeth hurt and.. my head's going to explode any second now.

Someone near you smoked pot and you're feeling their side effects.

Funny' date=' that's the first thing came to mind when I read that too.

And Conner' date=' I totally forgot to say anything before, but happy 800th post. Handily beating all of us now.[/quote']Thanks! Everyone's gotta be good at something. :biggrin:

As it turned out' date=' a near-scalding hot shower helped some. Got the bathroom so fogged up I couldn't see but damn did it feel good. Too bad such things only last a short time.[/quote']Hmm, maybe I'll go try that, the chicken soup helped a little and I'm almost out of vitamin C and sudafed's just about got me fed up already. :sad:

If you die' date=' have you made arrangements to make sure the site stays up? :tongue:[/quote']What a guy!

Uh... no? If I die' date=' ya'll probably won't get any notice before the asshole roommates turn everything off.[/quote'] You know, if I died, I'll bet my wife would find entirely new uses for my server and my archives and website and mud before the funeral too. Assuming I get around to getting it all back up somehow before I die... :sigh:

[Arthmoor]

So yeah, as promised, ye olde scathing review of NWN2 is up. Should have done it sooner, because I feel I've left stuff out waiting so long.

[Conner]

I got the first comment in on it. That was one seriously long read.

[Kayle]

Just read the review. The Ammon Jerro bug was fixed with Mask of the Betrayer. I don't know why the patches didn't fix it. Also, the engine choppiness was fixed with the expansions too. Patches never fixed those either. Had to install the expansions. If it's any consolation...

You don't die in the ruins at the end, you're taken by Gargoyle servants of a Red Wizard of Thay to the distant land of Rashemen and turned into a spirit-eater created by the God Myrkul as punishment for a priest of Myrkul who betrayed him (Hence the Betrayer bit) and led an army against the City of the Dead on the Fugue plane to tear down the wall of the Faithless. You later find out that Ammon Jerro saw the gargoyles take you and tried to follow, but was captured by the Red Wizard who knew him and knew he was a threat having taught him at one point. Through talking with Ammon, you learn that before he went into the Plane of Shadows to follow the Gargoyles, he saw that Neeshka had made it most of the way out of the ruins, Khelgar had survived, Grobnar had thrown himself onto the Construct to protect it from a falling pillar (and subsequently died), I don't remember anyone else getting out, but he you never find out if any of them actually made it OUT of the collapsed ruins, just that they were still alive when Ammon plane shifted to the Plane of Shadows.

Hope that maybe eases some of the pain.

[Arthmoor]

Not really, because that spoiler reads just like an "uh oh, we painted ourselves into a corner and we promised DLC" type of thing. Sort of like how some of the Dragon Age stuff is quite obviously forced given the ways the game can end. That sort of thing actually makes me rage more because it's just all kinds of lame.

[Conner]

Samson, maybe you're just being too harshly realistic about it.