A small piece of flare from my friends Star Citizen hanger that sums up the season :)
Tuesday 22 December 2015
Dust 514....
I can only hope that CCP does take into consideration the current crop of multiplayer games if they are considering a port or a "new" version of an Eve FPS. To be a success they need to take whats out there improve on it and be better via slapping on the Eve brand or style of the New Eden Universe. Not a thing CCP is known well to do.
A good analysis on current multiplayer value and worth in games, including player expectation is better said by a video that I've seen from TotalBiscuit. Also well worth a listen.
Dust has always had so much potential but little to stand up and say it has achieved. One thing that it has is the Dust 514 community, it is strong and committed.
CCP Rattati I hope will have a major input for any port/new game but not even he will have all the answers CCP needs. Above all for a port there has to be communication. Without it CCP will repeat the mistakes of the past if they do not listen to the current Dust 514 playerbase.
The current community can be a pillar a new game can stand on to be promoted well.
A port would see a lot of people leave no matter what the port moves onto.
Even if it were to a PS4 not all PS3 owners are going to get a PS4. I'm an Xbox 360 owner and I dont' have an Xbox One.
If the future of the new game/port is on PC then there is still the need to recognise Dust 514 players time and efforts from their PS3 days.
I think that it's very important to recognise the current playerbase but without communication from CCP it is hard to say what can actually be moved if at all.
- I'd like to ideally see everything as is moved over from my one room "hanger".
- If not then a conversion of items/suits/fits/skins into an equivalent item on the new/ported game.
- Alternatively to that there should be a system where items are given an isk value, BPO's given an Aurum value and then that ISK and Aurum are transferred over.
That all sounds doable but it gets messy when considering SP.
There is a lot of thought to be had on that front.. There is no easy quick fix. Not without more details. Will the new game/port even have SP. I hope it does as I like that aspect of the game.
If it does maybe players have their old SP amount returned to them slowly over time as an extra daily bonus.
My current main has just over 25 Million SP, if I was to get that back over a year I would get a daily amount of SP that is just shy of 70k. At least knowing that I was getting it back would take the edge off the subject for me.
A lot needs to be worked out and balance is going to be key.
Those that have bought into the game via Aurum should 100% have that reimbursed at the very least.
Only CCP communication can give answers on whats actually happening. Or heaven forbid if they actually ask for input on "What wold you think of" type of questions.
I have bitched a lot on my blog posts about the way CCP has treated the Mystery code holders of the Eve Second Decade box set.
I think CCP sees Dust in the same light as that boxset. CCP has a "working" product, they have taken the players money and can get more cash from players with it. But CCP don't need to change or do anything else.
This article from Polygon shows what CCP says publicly about Dust 514.
Here are the last two paragraphs of that article :
This is one of the most surprising things from Fanfest this year: CCP is happy with DUST 514, and the game is going well. I also asked about Project Legion, the sort of announced game from last year that CCP said may or may not become a product. I was told there was nothing to announce.
"We’re looking into a lot of options for what’s going to happen next for Dust," Pétursson said. "It’s too early to say anything to be honest. The game is now a profitable business for CCP, and that’s a good thing."
That article came before the Legion copyright was abandoned by CCP.
What is certain is that CCP are in some way "thinking about it" and that they are not pushed about it on any kind of timeline. That's it.
All other interviews are the same. As non committal as can be and as vague as possible. The usual CCP way.
A port for a game CCP is not talking about and is not really doing anything with means I have real fears and doubts about a "better" future for Dust.
That is where the community comes in and forces CCP's hand to make them take notice and speak about it. Communication via blogs, podcasts and forums is the only way to get a player base message to and from CCP. When there is enough widespread pressure. Lets hope things on that front ramp up. An Eve style summer of rage really is needed for a port but more than anything else a summer of rage is needed for communication. It all sounds like an uphill struggle. Where is the CPM. Hidden behind a wall of NDA. At least if they pushed for a public comment from CCP no matter how vague that comment would be, at least something would be better than nothing. Maybe they dont' want to say anything to move the applecart from it's knife edge.
I have no doubt that CCP can cut the Dust 514 cord and not give a damn about it or the players.
It is easier for me to foresee a plan where CCP takes one last hurrah for Dust 514 in an event where the empires in Eve no longer have a need for the Dust soldiers and take action to wipe them out in one fell swoop via an order 66 or a lysine action. With all the dust soldiers dead in one weekend the servers could be shut off and that would be that.
As long as Dust is 0.01 cent/penny in the black and not in the red they won't cut that cord or change Dust from it's current "maintenance" mode regarding development never mind a port.
Speak CCP Speak. I won't accept any old port in a storm.
A good analysis on current multiplayer value and worth in games, including player expectation is better said by a video that I've seen from TotalBiscuit. Also well worth a listen.
Dust has always had so much potential but little to stand up and say it has achieved. One thing that it has is the Dust 514 community, it is strong and committed.
CCP Rattati I hope will have a major input for any port/new game but not even he will have all the answers CCP needs. Above all for a port there has to be communication. Without it CCP will repeat the mistakes of the past if they do not listen to the current Dust 514 playerbase.
The current community can be a pillar a new game can stand on to be promoted well.
A port would see a lot of people leave no matter what the port moves onto.
Even if it were to a PS4 not all PS3 owners are going to get a PS4. I'm an Xbox 360 owner and I dont' have an Xbox One.
If the future of the new game/port is on PC then there is still the need to recognise Dust 514 players time and efforts from their PS3 days.
I think that it's very important to recognise the current playerbase but without communication from CCP it is hard to say what can actually be moved if at all.
- I'd like to ideally see everything as is moved over from my one room "hanger".
- If not then a conversion of items/suits/fits/skins into an equivalent item on the new/ported game.
- Alternatively to that there should be a system where items are given an isk value, BPO's given an Aurum value and then that ISK and Aurum are transferred over.
That all sounds doable but it gets messy when considering SP.
There is a lot of thought to be had on that front.. There is no easy quick fix. Not without more details. Will the new game/port even have SP. I hope it does as I like that aspect of the game.
If it does maybe players have their old SP amount returned to them slowly over time as an extra daily bonus.
My current main has just over 25 Million SP, if I was to get that back over a year I would get a daily amount of SP that is just shy of 70k. At least knowing that I was getting it back would take the edge off the subject for me.
A lot needs to be worked out and balance is going to be key.
Those that have bought into the game via Aurum should 100% have that reimbursed at the very least.
Only CCP communication can give answers on whats actually happening. Or heaven forbid if they actually ask for input on "What wold you think of" type of questions.
I have bitched a lot on my blog posts about the way CCP has treated the Mystery code holders of the Eve Second Decade box set.
I think CCP sees Dust in the same light as that boxset. CCP has a "working" product, they have taken the players money and can get more cash from players with it. But CCP don't need to change or do anything else.
This article from Polygon shows what CCP says publicly about Dust 514.
Here are the last two paragraphs of that article :
This is one of the most surprising things from Fanfest this year: CCP is happy with DUST 514, and the game is going well. I also asked about Project Legion, the sort of announced game from last year that CCP said may or may not become a product. I was told there was nothing to announce.
"We’re looking into a lot of options for what’s going to happen next for Dust," Pétursson said. "It’s too early to say anything to be honest. The game is now a profitable business for CCP, and that’s a good thing."
That article came before the Legion copyright was abandoned by CCP.
What is certain is that CCP are in some way "thinking about it" and that they are not pushed about it on any kind of timeline. That's it.
All other interviews are the same. As non committal as can be and as vague as possible. The usual CCP way.
A port for a game CCP is not talking about and is not really doing anything with means I have real fears and doubts about a "better" future for Dust.
That is where the community comes in and forces CCP's hand to make them take notice and speak about it. Communication via blogs, podcasts and forums is the only way to get a player base message to and from CCP. When there is enough widespread pressure. Lets hope things on that front ramp up. An Eve style summer of rage really is needed for a port but more than anything else a summer of rage is needed for communication. It all sounds like an uphill struggle. Where is the CPM. Hidden behind a wall of NDA. At least if they pushed for a public comment from CCP no matter how vague that comment would be, at least something would be better than nothing. Maybe they dont' want to say anything to move the applecart from it's knife edge.
I have no doubt that CCP can cut the Dust 514 cord and not give a damn about it or the players.
It is easier for me to foresee a plan where CCP takes one last hurrah for Dust 514 in an event where the empires in Eve no longer have a need for the Dust soldiers and take action to wipe them out in one fell swoop via an order 66 or a lysine action. With all the dust soldiers dead in one weekend the servers could be shut off and that would be that.
As long as Dust is 0.01 cent/penny in the black and not in the red they won't cut that cord or change Dust from it's current "maintenance" mode regarding development never mind a port.
Speak CCP Speak. I won't accept any old port in a storm.
My current thoughts on Eve....
The latest patch has updated effects. I really like the new shield and thruster effects.
I was interested in an article that asks Why Eve is still a thing.
Eve Hermit also has a two part post pondering Isk's value. Pt1 & Pt2.
Those posts have me wanting to evaluate my characters "worth".
There was an interesting video on a first person joystick controlled version of Eve.
I've not been up to much on the Eve front, the usual "daily grind", Skill queue's and planetary interaction.
I've been updating the skills of my Amarrian alt bit in testing her against her first level 4 mission (not a very hard one) she has proved to be very poor. She cannot hit a thing even within what should be optimal range. Tank doesn't last that long either. I've a lot of tweaking to do and might move from the Abaddon to the Apoc.
Given my current addiction to Fallout 4 and the Christmas season I doubt I'll be posting for another while. Not that I'll be waffling about my own gamplay or posting about what I'm reading but we'll see how it goes.
I was interested in an article that asks Why Eve is still a thing.
Eve Hermit also has a two part post pondering Isk's value. Pt1 & Pt2.
Those posts have me wanting to evaluate my characters "worth".
There was an interesting video on a first person joystick controlled version of Eve.
I've not been up to much on the Eve front, the usual "daily grind", Skill queue's and planetary interaction.
I've been updating the skills of my Amarrian alt bit in testing her against her first level 4 mission (not a very hard one) she has proved to be very poor. She cannot hit a thing even within what should be optimal range. Tank doesn't last that long either. I've a lot of tweaking to do and might move from the Abaddon to the Apoc.
Given my current addiction to Fallout 4 and the Christmas season I doubt I'll be posting for another while. Not that I'll be waffling about my own gamplay or posting about what I'm reading but we'll see how it goes.
Slow WoW week....month....
Wow have taken a back seat due to the holiday season and the arrival of Fallout 4.
My hunter got to final go get the Gara pet, this guide gives a great step by step.
http://eyesofthebeast.com/ is a great one for any hunter to keep up on the class.
wow has been a garrison grind and some lower alts have been levelling up some professions/levels and various odds and ends equal to faffing around.
I did update some transmogs:
My hunter got to final go get the Gara pet, this guide gives a great step by step.
http://eyesofthebeast.com/ is a great one for any hunter to keep up on the class.
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| Gara taming |
wow has been a garrison grind and some lower alts have been levelling up some professions/levels and various odds and ends equal to faffing around.
I did update some transmogs:
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| Hunter |
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| Paladin |
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| Rogue |
Squad
I avoided Arma III because it would have taken a large chunk of life from me. I would have started to do mods/maps and joined it's community etc.
But this article shows a game called Squad that appears to be a "lite" version of Arma. May be worthy of more interest.
But this article shows a game called Squad that appears to be a "lite" version of Arma. May be worthy of more interest.
XCom Ironman playthrough....
I found this series interesting, it's being done before the new game hits and it's brought a few things to light on the tactics front that makes a lot of sense. I'm feeling the need to try this game again.
Star Wars Episode III..... As it should have been....
With all the Star Wars Hype and a need to avoid spoilers I avoided a lot but did find this video and it makes episode III a waaaaaaaaay better film.... It does spoil Episode III so avoid if you want to watch it....
Tuesday 15 December 2015
Eve Changes To Trial Length & Content Packs....
CCP has decreased the trials back to the way they used to be and changed the content packs to include more time....
Normal trials are 14 day free trial
Recruit invite email or link gets a 21 day free trial
The Explorer, Colonist, Skirmisher and Industrialist Content packs will now include 20 additional free trial days, applicable once per trial account, in addition to the ships, items and AUR in the packs.
Full details are here.
Normal trials are 14 day free trial
Recruit invite email or link gets a 21 day free trial
The Explorer, Colonist, Skirmisher and Industrialist Content packs will now include 20 additional free trial days, applicable once per trial account, in addition to the ships, items and AUR in the packs.
Full details are here.
Cities Skylines..... The Eternal Problem....
Traffic.
No matter what I try there is always something that creates massive amounts of traffic. Bottlenecks everywhere!
Great game and I love playing it. I'm still not tempted to play a map with all unlocks and unlimited money.
I just need to find the right "trick" with the road networks.
No matter what I try there is always something that creates massive amounts of traffic. Bottlenecks everywhere!
Great game and I love playing it. I'm still not tempted to play a map with all unlocks and unlimited money.
I just need to find the right "trick" with the road networks.
Star Trek Online.... Winter Wonderland
I've been having a bit of fun with the Star Trek Online's winter event "Q's Winter Wonderland".
I'm glad that the winter rewards have a currency that you can keep year on year as well as gain that currency from your Bridge Officer Missions so it builds up passively.. Every token helps.
Even if I spent a bunch on a scarf......
I've reached a bit of an halt with the commendation ranks. The remaining categories I need to level up in are harder to get as missions.
The only officer I have that offers one is my Ops officer who gives me Colonial missions. So I may have to switch some officers around and see if that helps.
It's a fun free game to play and I'm still tempted to buy into it and get some items, mainly a better ship for my main....
I'm glad that the winter rewards have a currency that you can keep year on year as well as gain that currency from your Bridge Officer Missions so it builds up passively.. Every token helps.
Even if I spent a bunch on a scarf......
I've reached a bit of an halt with the commendation ranks. The remaining categories I need to level up in are harder to get as missions.
The only officer I have that offers one is my Ops officer who gives me Colonial missions. So I may have to switch some officers around and see if that helps.
It's a fun free game to play and I'm still tempted to buy into it and get some items, mainly a better ship for my main....
Eve Valkyrie free with Oculus Pre-Order....
It's an interesting yet unsurprising announcement to have Eve Valkyrie free with Oculus pre-order.
I do like the game and the latest video does look good. I hope there is longevity in the game.
The official Eve post linked three articles but this one gives a lot more detail as a review.
I do like the game and the latest video does look good. I hope there is longevity in the game.
The official Eve post linked three articles but this one gives a lot more detail as a review.
Multiplayer only games....
There has been a lot of chatter good and bad about the latest big games being multiplayer only. I was disappointed at the details on release of Rainbow Six Siege but not surprised by the kerfuffle surrounding the latest Star Wars (FRANKIEonPCin1080p) game despite it's good looks.
Another great YouTuber TotalBiscuit, has some really good video's and the latest is no exception. Well worth a listen and while doing so I was applying what he was saying to Eve Online, Star Citizen and Dust 514 among others....
Another great YouTuber TotalBiscuit, has some really good video's and the latest is no exception. Well worth a listen and while doing so I was applying what he was saying to Eve Online, Star Citizen and Dust 514 among others....
Continued Dusting....
I'm still getting to mess about with Dust 514, checking the dailies and if they are worth getting (1 win = 6 lockbox key's) then I'll game. Otherwise it's a matter of collecting my war barge items and allocating skill points while suit spinning. Of the rare match I do have recently I've enjoyed them. My character feels like he can hold his own against the "average" player. There are still the veterans since Beta that sway the field of battle.
As a solo player in this game it's harder when against larger more organised groups. That's when I go all covert and get hunkered down in a sniper mode. Like Eve Online it's the game you create as much as whats provided to you by CCP. There is still "that something" that makes the "feel" the game is special and that brings me back to it. Perhaps it's the similarities to Eve. If this comes to pc then it will be very interesting. I'm still finding jumpy, shotguning explosive dropping players the most annoying. Sniping them in mid jump is therapeutic. I've not played my "alt" in a while but still collect the war barge and missions list just in case there is anything useful.
Not that I do be on the forums but a google search for some info gave me this post about the top 5 YouTuber's, I've seen and heard maybe two of them but some info is better than none. Others are comedic if nothing else.
There was some interesting "leaked" images the last week. With luck there is still work in progress on something close to a port to PC....
The latest in game event will be the rewards for the season that's in it.
http://dust514.com/news/2015/12/twelve-days-of-dust-1/
It will be interesting to see what the rewards will be, I can foresee some matches being done to find out. Will there be a Fedo.....?
As a solo player in this game it's harder when against larger more organised groups. That's when I go all covert and get hunkered down in a sniper mode. Like Eve Online it's the game you create as much as whats provided to you by CCP. There is still "that something" that makes the "feel" the game is special and that brings me back to it. Perhaps it's the similarities to Eve. If this comes to pc then it will be very interesting. I'm still finding jumpy, shotguning explosive dropping players the most annoying. Sniping them in mid jump is therapeutic. I've not played my "alt" in a while but still collect the war barge and missions list just in case there is anything useful.
Not that I do be on the forums but a google search for some info gave me this post about the top 5 YouTuber's, I've seen and heard maybe two of them but some info is better than none. Others are comedic if nothing else.
There was some interesting "leaked" images the last week. With luck there is still work in progress on something close to a port to PC....
The latest in game event will be the rewards for the season that's in it.
http://dust514.com/news/2015/12/twelve-days-of-dust-1/
It will be interesting to see what the rewards will be, I can foresee some matches being done to find out. Will there be a Fedo.....?
Star Citizen playability....
The current 2.0 Alpha build is the first build that "feels" like I'm playing a game I can control. At least in first person mode. The latest focus with the inclusion of the star marine changes and updates all have a marked improvement on handling a character in game. Fast and responsive. There will be many an FPS that will envy Star Citizen for that.
The latest video for it shows the best of it off.
That's not to say that the current build is flawless, it is still an Alpha build.
I've only gotten to play around with this latest release a little but due to my hours being taken up with Fallout 4 but like always Star Citizen keeps on making me think that the game does have a lot of promise. If it deliverers on most of those promises then the game will blow away many competitors.
There is a lot more that needs to be done but I think they can pull it off.
This is a release that finally shows the evidence of the work being done on the game. It's starting to deliver at long last. I hope that they see the value in continuing to deliver new builds instead of having it's consumer base listening and viewing another video/demo/talk. I'm optimistic about the game now and I'm looking froward to seeing a lot more.
The latest video for it shows the best of it off.
That's not to say that the current build is flawless, it is still an Alpha build.
I've only gotten to play around with this latest release a little but due to my hours being taken up with Fallout 4 but like always Star Citizen keeps on making me think that the game does have a lot of promise. If it deliverers on most of those promises then the game will blow away many competitors.
There is a lot more that needs to be done but I think they can pull it off.
This is a release that finally shows the evidence of the work being done on the game. It's starting to deliver at long last. I hope that they see the value in continuing to deliver new builds instead of having it's consumer base listening and viewing another video/demo/talk. I'm optimistic about the game now and I'm looking froward to seeing a lot more.
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| New Main Menu |
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| First Person View with HUD |
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| Long hanger view |
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| The Greycat showing some grit |
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| Aurora Hanger View |
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| Rear hanger view |
Thursday 3 December 2015
Dust 514 update....
My Dust 514 update that is...
There seems to be a lack of info about the next Hot-Fix, changes or patch coming up.... A lack of news is disappointing.
There would be no point in comparing other shooters from other companies saying that 2 years after launch they are in X,Y and Z condition with free this and that.
Dust is like an underdog, despite it's flaws it is compelling. In saying that if it were not for the daily missions I check on it would be a lot longer between login's for me. Particularly the lock box key missions, it is nice to try and get an item that is above par, BPO's for example.
The Events help as well. The last one the Logi Event was a lot better than previous versions as the requirements for completion were not so stringent. I did the logi event with 2 characters over 3 days and wasnt' rushed about any of it.
There is increasing talk about a port of the game from the PS3 to "something/anything" else.
Crossingzebras has a good article on why they think Dust 514 is not a dead game and what positive hope is in the future.... With luck there will be a port to PC (not PS4, not PS4). #PortDust514
There seems to be a lack of info about the next Hot-Fix, changes or patch coming up.... A lack of news is disappointing.
There would be no point in comparing other shooters from other companies saying that 2 years after launch they are in X,Y and Z condition with free this and that.
Dust is like an underdog, despite it's flaws it is compelling. In saying that if it were not for the daily missions I check on it would be a lot longer between login's for me. Particularly the lock box key missions, it is nice to try and get an item that is above par, BPO's for example.
The Events help as well. The last one the Logi Event was a lot better than previous versions as the requirements for completion were not so stringent. I did the logi event with 2 characters over 3 days and wasnt' rushed about any of it.
There is increasing talk about a port of the game from the PS3 to "something/anything" else.
Crossingzebras has a good article on why they think Dust 514 is not a dead game and what positive hope is in the future.... With luck there will be a port to PC (not PS4, not PS4). #PortDust514
Blast from the past....OFP Demo 0.36
I'm a person that holds onto a lot of "stuff". In software terms for games I hold onto most of what I get and keep my "lots" of saves and settings files and make sure they are backed up. Aaaaaaanyway while having a look through some older files I came across my Operation Flashpoint folder. It's a series (Flashpoint, Resistance & Elite) that I really liked.
I had a lot to look through as I had spent many an hour with modding, maps and mission scripting. Hidden in the back was the original demo, version 0.36 from around May 2001. The demo that sparked in me a love of the game despite it's "pre alpha" looks and flaws. The game did for the time take a lot of steps forward. The demo needed no installation and could run from the folder so I unzipped it and took a look. I could see that I messed about with the files of the demo, adding in reworked missions and changing the in game assets. Ah fun memories!
The gif below is a small clip from my first playthrough after rediscovering it.
Not much to show but a lot of feelings on this demo; The game is very nostalgic driven but I am surprised that it still "felt" the same when playing it. The graphics the same now as they were then so no wonder about the nostalgia feels.
The video below from YouTube will give a better view of the overall demo....
I had a lot to look through as I had spent many an hour with modding, maps and mission scripting. Hidden in the back was the original demo, version 0.36 from around May 2001. The demo that sparked in me a love of the game despite it's "pre alpha" looks and flaws. The game did for the time take a lot of steps forward. The demo needed no installation and could run from the folder so I unzipped it and took a look. I could see that I messed about with the files of the demo, adding in reworked missions and changing the in game assets. Ah fun memories!
The gif below is a small clip from my first playthrough after rediscovering it.
Not much to show but a lot of feelings on this demo; The game is very nostalgic driven but I am surprised that it still "felt" the same when playing it. The graphics the same now as they were then so no wonder about the nostalgia feels.
The video below from YouTube will give a better view of the overall demo....
Eve Online continues....
I've not been up to much in my Eve Online gaming. It explains why I have so little to talk about and why I've had this post in drafts for so long. I've been doing the usual bouts of P.I./passive isk making. Some level 4 missions, the odd bit of hacking anom's and general faffing about have rounded out the time.
Some standings were increased with my newer Gallente based character and finalising his new home base's all worked out. I'm still looking to get him into another corp which may take a bit longer to find. There are way too many people war dec'ing smaller corps looking for easy effortless kills.
The next release/update/expansion to Eve Online is less than a week away. There seems to be a lot of improvements and enhancements to the game on the way. The quality of life seems to continually improve.
The Operation Frostline dev blog was of interest with the usual information which leaves you asking a lot more questions. For me they are mainly questions about the "event".
A lot more details are written about over on Crossing Zebras.
The recent changes to scanning were good. I've no real need to scan down ships/players but the changes to probe scanning make the experience a lot more fluid. Evehermit had a good writeup on his experience with using it.
The Drifter's story has been ongoing even if more recent events have made them take a back seat. For an overpowering race that has vastly superior firepower you think they would have cut to the chase already.
Those recent events are the creation of the Upwell Consortium and their lore/storyline/intro for the new structures. A far greater storyline than the Drifter shenanigans imho. I have to say that the Legion has always been a favourite "pirate" faction for me. ORE always treating my characters with negative standings for some reason. The Legion were always the opposite. Must be a Caldari thing after all.
The Omber changes are a nice touch that makes it a little bit better to mine, especially in hi-sec. Not quiet the ignore rock it was but starting players will find it's value.
The new ship effects are shaping up to make the game "feel" a while lot better. I'm really looking forward to seeing these in action. The other changes like the module effects are also shaping up to be worth looking for. The hull marks are also going to be interesting. I won't have any use for the kill marks but I will be interested to see how dirty a lot of my ships will be.
There has been a lot of chatter about PVE in Eve Online and I think it's about time that there was an interest in developing it. There are good articles about that, here, here & here
The one thing that does stop me from doing PVE is the new A.I. I absolutely hate the new burner missions. And if all missions are being turned into them then there is no fun in that for me. I dont' mind having difficult missions or "enhanced" A.I. but there is not need for PVE to slam dunk your ship into oblivion because your not doing a PVP/max dps fit. I find that really annoying.
Not that I'm bitter or anything but I decline more missions than I take and that's on my 80+mill SP character. CCP needs to also factor in all levels of players including the 5 mill SP "got me a battleship now" newbies. PVE needs to be adaptable but not so much that is stops play. If A.I. reads that an 80 mill toon is in a shit fit T1 battleship it should know that and not be the same as if that same player was in a faction BS with a massive "bling" fit. There are soooooo many complexities I hope that any changes made are done in baby steps. Two years away sounds like a long time but it will creep up fast.
On other story news the Amarr trials are are done. I wonder what the next few steps will be. Perhaps the Drifter story will be connected to the new leader of the Amarr.
The new command destroyers coming on the 8th are looking interesting and I'm sure they will shake up a lot of fleet compositions.
My characters may not be using them but skill plans were changed and some characters got to learn leadership V and Warfare Link spec IV in anticipation of getting the Command destroyers skill book.
A good writeup about these new destroyers over on sand cider and spaceships gives more information.
It's not all happiness as there do seem to be a lot of nerfs on the way for the Logi community... some good and some bad. Changes bring testing in a "live" environment.
Again time will tell.
Some standings were increased with my newer Gallente based character and finalising his new home base's all worked out. I'm still looking to get him into another corp which may take a bit longer to find. There are way too many people war dec'ing smaller corps looking for easy effortless kills.
The next release/update/expansion to Eve Online is less than a week away. There seems to be a lot of improvements and enhancements to the game on the way. The quality of life seems to continually improve.
The Operation Frostline dev blog was of interest with the usual information which leaves you asking a lot more questions. For me they are mainly questions about the "event".
A lot more details are written about over on Crossing Zebras.
The recent changes to scanning were good. I've no real need to scan down ships/players but the changes to probe scanning make the experience a lot more fluid. Evehermit had a good writeup on his experience with using it.
The Drifter's story has been ongoing even if more recent events have made them take a back seat. For an overpowering race that has vastly superior firepower you think they would have cut to the chase already.
Those recent events are the creation of the Upwell Consortium and their lore/storyline/intro for the new structures. A far greater storyline than the Drifter shenanigans imho. I have to say that the Legion has always been a favourite "pirate" faction for me. ORE always treating my characters with negative standings for some reason. The Legion were always the opposite. Must be a Caldari thing after all.
The Omber changes are a nice touch that makes it a little bit better to mine, especially in hi-sec. Not quiet the ignore rock it was but starting players will find it's value.
The new ship effects are shaping up to make the game "feel" a while lot better. I'm really looking forward to seeing these in action. The other changes like the module effects are also shaping up to be worth looking for. The hull marks are also going to be interesting. I won't have any use for the kill marks but I will be interested to see how dirty a lot of my ships will be.
There has been a lot of chatter about PVE in Eve Online and I think it's about time that there was an interest in developing it. There are good articles about that, here, here & here
The one thing that does stop me from doing PVE is the new A.I. I absolutely hate the new burner missions. And if all missions are being turned into them then there is no fun in that for me. I dont' mind having difficult missions or "enhanced" A.I. but there is not need for PVE to slam dunk your ship into oblivion because your not doing a PVP/max dps fit. I find that really annoying.
Not that I'm bitter or anything but I decline more missions than I take and that's on my 80+mill SP character. CCP needs to also factor in all levels of players including the 5 mill SP "got me a battleship now" newbies. PVE needs to be adaptable but not so much that is stops play. If A.I. reads that an 80 mill toon is in a shit fit T1 battleship it should know that and not be the same as if that same player was in a faction BS with a massive "bling" fit. There are soooooo many complexities I hope that any changes made are done in baby steps. Two years away sounds like a long time but it will creep up fast.
On other story news the Amarr trials are are done. I wonder what the next few steps will be. Perhaps the Drifter story will be connected to the new leader of the Amarr.
The new command destroyers coming on the 8th are looking interesting and I'm sure they will shake up a lot of fleet compositions.
A good writeup about these new destroyers over on sand cider and spaceships gives more information.
It's not all happiness as there do seem to be a lot of nerfs on the way for the Logi community... some good and some bad. Changes bring testing in a "live" environment.
Again time will tell.
Wednesday 2 December 2015
Ongoing voyages of..... FTL
It's been a while since I dusted off and played FTL. I've been having some fun with it the last few day's.
For anyone just starting off with this game it's best to start your first few playthroughts on easy mode. The harder the game mode the more hammered by enemies you will be. So no need to curb your learning experience by being dumped on.
There is a lot of complexity and the random acts are all par for the course. Some of those actions benefit your ship and crew but most are "bad".
A good review of the game when it came out is still of value for an insight on the game:
For anyone just starting off with this game it's best to start your first few playthroughts on easy mode. The harder the game mode the more hammered by enemies you will be. So no need to curb your learning experience by being dumped on.
There is a lot of complexity and the random acts are all par for the course. Some of those actions benefit your ship and crew but most are "bad".
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| Onward to victory!!!! |
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| Advanced Ships are worth the journey. |
Wow goes on....
When asked by my wife to help her with a rep grind I couldn't just let my wow sub lapse. I've taken some more time and decided to level up more characters to 100 rather than try and gear out the current 100's any more. I levelled by Shadow priest from 92 to 100 in two day's, mainly with dungeon running. The XP gain has really been buffed for this expansion. I'm planning my Rouge and Boomkin next. I may not push them to level as fast but to have three new characters to take on time-walking dungeons would be great for gearing them.
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| Shadow Priest Transmoged |
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| A lower level Shaman took advantage of the harvest to update cooking. |
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| Sometimes your on a journey you can't get off.... |
Boldley having fun....
Star Trek Online is still giving the gift of fun, maybe a bit more slowly but fun all the same. I'm still progressing in the Delta Missions and have been trying to finish off some of the commendations. I'll be interested to see the Winter Event.
Online communities....
Sounds like all online communities have elements like this.... between the trolling and "one-upmanship"
Tuesday 24 November 2015
BF4.... Legacy Operations
I don't keep updated with the latest developments for Battlefield 4 so I was surprised (but not that much) to see another update to be released. Hot on the heels of Night Ops & Community Ops we now have Legacy Ops. This new update contains the BF2 map 'Dragon Valley'. Official site here.
Despite having played BF2 Bad Company I never played BF2. The trailer does look like it will be fun.
I hope this trend of new free updates continues, bringing with it new game mechanics, re-imaged maps and with luck and a lot of crossed fingers a few maps from Battlefield 3....
Despite having played BF2 Bad Company I never played BF2. The trailer does look like it will be fun.
I hope this trend of new free updates continues, bringing with it new game mechanics, re-imaged maps and with luck and a lot of crossed fingers a few maps from Battlefield 3....
Fallout 4.... re-evaluation.
With the hype of Fallout 4 I've taken time to load up Skyrim. I've played it for a bit right where I left off and realised that I've done so much yet have still got a lot to do in that game. It's made me wonder a lot about Fallout 4. I'm becoming a lot more interested and am more in favour of Fallout 4. I still think I'll be wasting a lot of game time by not completing 100% of everything in it. Overcome my resistance to putting in so many hours of game time by taking on the immersion, enjoying the gameplay to soak up a new world.
Fallout 4 - Survival tips. looks to be a good guide.
I'm still enjoying a great game playthrough by Many a True Nerd. The last video is a big move on the main story. I think I'll hold off on watching any more of the video's. Yet I still want to know. That's a compulsion to play that will probably move me to get the game in the next week or two....
Star Trek Online.... Continuing Voyages
My adventures in Star Trek Online have been ongoing. Thankfully I've not had any repeats of past experiences where I have been blocked and stopped from progressing. Since the new expansion I've found the game a more forgiving experience and that's a good thing. And not seen any of the previous odd or buggy behaviour.
I've completed all of the episodes bar the Delta missions which I am about half way through.
Rather than difficulty the Delta missions are a lot more convoluted. A mission in Delta requires visiting 4 locations and each of those locations is the same as a "normal" space mission. These larger missions seem to be a continuing theme. For me it's a bit of a grind with the progress. I'm also relying more and more on my fleet support ability so maybe I'm speaking too soon on being blocked by tough NPC's.
And now a few screenies:
I've completed all of the episodes bar the Delta missions which I am about half way through.
Rather than difficulty the Delta missions are a lot more convoluted. A mission in Delta requires visiting 4 locations and each of those locations is the same as a "normal" space mission. These larger missions seem to be a continuing theme. For me it's a bit of a grind with the progress. I'm also relying more and more on my fleet support ability so maybe I'm speaking too soon on being blocked by tough NPC's.
And now a few screenies:
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Star Citizen.... Alpha hope
My friend was recently e-mailed about joining the new Alpha release of SC for testing. With luck he'll remember to take a few screenshots and let me know how things have changed. Talking to him last night the game crashed a few times when he tried to do anything (sit down, enter cockpit etc).
Wednesday 18 November 2015
Star Citizen.... deflated.
Myself and a friend both bought into Star Citizen. I did mainly because I introduced the game to him, as he went completely bonkers, head over heels in love with the game I decided I better buy a starter Aurora pack. I admit I bought a few other bits as well. Some with in game money and some with real cash. All in all I think I spent about €50. My friend has spend hundreds on the game. Both of us spoke and talked about it and as time has gone on we are both peeved with the amount of time it's taking to get any kind of game builds released to backers/users/players. I've complained a few times on this blog about the glitches not being fixed from one build to the next. Most famous for me was the sliding "golfcart", you run up to it and it would slide across the floor.
This was fixed recently but there is no real gamplay in these releases and there are more constant redesigns and bug fixes of bug fixes for stuff that hasn't been released. It's annoying. I think the big hullabaloo about being sued has made them see that they need to give backers something more substantive than the same talk on what they are doing over and over again.
PTU feedback was interesting in parts.
There is so much in this game and it is all so interconnected that it may take a loooong time to get a "release" build, if it ever gets released at all. Never mind a polished release build.
The latest update is interesting if you can read it through but I would prefer a game to play instead of talk that no longer has any hype left in it.
This was fixed recently but there is no real gamplay in these releases and there are more constant redesigns and bug fixes of bug fixes for stuff that hasn't been released. It's annoying. I think the big hullabaloo about being sued has made them see that they need to give backers something more substantive than the same talk on what they are doing over and over again.
PTU feedback was interesting in parts.
There is so much in this game and it is all so interconnected that it may take a loooong time to get a "release" build, if it ever gets released at all. Never mind a polished release build.
The latest update is interesting if you can read it through but I would prefer a game to play instead of talk that no longer has any hype left in it.
The give and take of Fallout 4....
I've played Oblivion and I've played Skyrim and spent waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many hours faffing about with side quests of side quests in far flung corners of maps that I should never have gone near.
I appreciate those games but they do suck the life and soul from you, not to mention the time whirlpool they are. With all that in mind I was never a real fan of sinking more time into the fallout series. I appreciate it and it's similarities to the games I've played but I'll stick to watching a play through and be entertained by that instead. Many a True Nerd has a great playthrough version going at the moment:
Again in saying all that I do have to agree with the video below on the negatives:
All in all you give and take with these types of games.....
I appreciate those games but they do suck the life and soul from you, not to mention the time whirlpool they are. With all that in mind I was never a real fan of sinking more time into the fallout series. I appreciate it and it's similarities to the games I've played but I'll stick to watching a play through and be entertained by that instead. Many a True Nerd has a great playthrough version going at the moment:
Again in saying all that I do have to agree with the video below on the negatives:
All in all you give and take with these types of games.....
New Dust 514 Event....
There is a new event coming up that I hope to "enjoy": The Logi Ops.
Details here:
http://dust514.com/news/2015/11/new-event-the-logi-ops/
They will again have an event mission "a persistent, unique, and un-rerollable mission" that will will give rewards for completion.
- Earn 10,000 War Points. Reward: Council's Modified Repair Tool BPO.
- Score 50 Kill Assists. Reward: 400 AUR.
Gunjack release date....
In two days' time the new game from CCP will be released, details here.
This is part of the blog where I have to be sarcastic and say that I'm really looking forward to my free items for Gunjack as a CCP Mystery code holder. Hmmmmm maybe I should highlight some key words in their statement........
"This is just the beginning of what the Mystery Code will unlock. In the future, whenever we have big things happening—not just across the EVE Universe but across all CCP games—you will find a Mystery Code element to enjoy. There’s much more planned we can’t discuss right now, but you can rest assured that as we continue our journey into the Second Decade with you, the Mystery Code will be your perfect traveling companion."
This is part of the blog where I have to be sarcastic and say that I'm really looking forward to my free items for Gunjack as a CCP Mystery code holder. Hmmmmm maybe I should highlight some key words in their statement........
"This is just the beginning of what the Mystery Code will unlock. In the future, whenever we have big things happening—not just across the EVE Universe but across all CCP games—you will find a Mystery Code element to enjoy. There’s much more planned we can’t discuss right now, but you can rest assured that as we continue our journey into the Second Decade with you, the Mystery Code will be your perfect traveling companion."
Interesting new Minecraft patch....
It's been a while since I've messed about with Minecraft but I like the look of the next patch.
15 new items review....
New blocks review....
15 new items review....
New blocks review....
Thursday 5 November 2015
Star Trek online.... Not quite a photobomb....
In Star Trek online last night I decided to step away from the normal missions and check out the current featured episode.
The episode for the latest patch is a reworked version of some of the "older" content, changing part of the Cardassian mission chain. Streamlining it and making it for the most part a better experience.
I've enjoyed it so far. There have been some moments of semi frustration on going up against some NPC's in space that are at least for me overpowered so need to be handled with care to defeat. I recall the older missions as being a lot more frustrating due to the larger "swarms" of ships involved.
Thankfully the fleet support talent is a literal life saver.
The new episode adds a lot more "lore" and really has a better storytelling motivation for each mission.
The photobomb (videobomb) moment came as a surprise to me during the Jabberwocky mission.
I went to do the next part and bumped into a character that I thought I recognised. I'm not one to bother a player, even a famous one. I've mentioned him and his youtube videos many times and have to say that if not for them I would know a lot less about the game. His free-to-play series matched my own return to the game and has kept me interested in it.
Brent Justice main youtube page
& his Let's Play Star Trek Online - Federation Faction 2015 Free-to-Play
I took a screenshot to capture the moment and was happy. This blog post seemed to be a decent place to wave my "it happened to me" moment.
I did think to myself that my character is now "background guy #3", akin to these adds.... :)
The episode for the latest patch is a reworked version of some of the "older" content, changing part of the Cardassian mission chain. Streamlining it and making it for the most part a better experience.
I've enjoyed it so far. There have been some moments of semi frustration on going up against some NPC's in space that are at least for me overpowered so need to be handled with care to defeat. I recall the older missions as being a lot more frustrating due to the larger "swarms" of ships involved.
Thankfully the fleet support talent is a literal life saver.
The new episode adds a lot more "lore" and really has a better storytelling motivation for each mission.
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| Graphics seem to have been updated as well. |
I went to do the next part and bumped into a character that I thought I recognised. I'm not one to bother a player, even a famous one. I've mentioned him and his youtube videos many times and have to say that if not for them I would know a lot less about the game. His free-to-play series matched my own return to the game and has kept me interested in it.
Brent Justice main youtube page
& his Let's Play Star Trek Online - Federation Faction 2015 Free-to-Play
I took a screenshot to capture the moment and was happy. This blog post seemed to be a decent place to wave my "it happened to me" moment.
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| From his video |
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| My screenshot |
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