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Tag: PC

  • Had to restart Mass Effect 3

    Though I was several hours into Mass Effect 3, I decided to restart with an imported character from Mass Effect 2. I read some things on IGN’s excellent ME3 Wiki and Guide that made me realize I had messed up by not importing my character. Without importing, some known characters didn’t even show up in ME3. Some of my choices in ME2 may come back to haunt me in ME3, but so far, it has been OK. The other thing that made me want to restart is that I had been getting a little too far in the main plot, so some of the early side missions were about to be cut off so I couldn’t finish them.

    The biggest change so far is that I met up with the crazy tattoo chick, Jack, while rescuing the students from Grissom Station. The end of that mission goes way better when Jack is present, because one of the students died in a scripted scene in my first play through, but with Jack present, the student didn’t die (though he did have a lesser role). A few of the dialogue choices throughout the game are different too, based on the choices I made in ME2, and that may come to haunt me when I’m dealing with the Krogan and the genophage cure. We’ll see.

    The only odd thing is that I didn’t import my ME1 character in to ME2, so ME2 didn’t know that I had chosen Ashley to be killed rather than Kaidan, so Kaidan was alive in my first attempt at ME3, while Ashley is alive in my new one.

    So, yes, I did waste a few hours, but I was able to re-do the missions more quickly with the imported character than before. Besides, imported characters are high-level and have way more abilities than freshly rolled ones. So I don’t regret restarting at all, other than the cognitive dissonance of Ashley being alive.

  • Started Mass Effect 3 and now it takes all my spare time!

    I made the mistake of starting Mass Effect 3 on Sunday and now it is taking all my spare time. ME3, like its predecessors, is a well-written, mostly great looking RPG with third-person cover shooter elements. The game starts off with the invasion of Earth and our hero Shepard’s escape to rally the galaxy to fight the Reapers. Then it turns into a conventional mission-based RPG with some missions that move the plot forward and side missions that provide allies or better abilities. Because the overarching goal is to gather support against the Reapers, the distinction between plot missions and side quests is much more blurred than in conventional RPGS. In my opinion, this is a good thing: if my world were under enemy occupation, fetch quests and kill ten rats quests would seem like a colossal waste of time, but quests to gain support would be okay.

    The graphics in the game are typically very good. As with other Bioware games, the textures for armor and such are not quite up to par, but even with all settings maxed, I get great frame rates at 2560×1440. Unfortunately, the cut scenes are probably ones rendered for the original Mass Effect, because they look horrible. The scenes right before a mission that show the shuttle bay on the Normandy seem quite low-res, as do the Mass Effect Relay movies where the Normandy is launched through space. Even some of the shuttle landing sequences look unnatural and not smoothly done. These lousy cut scenes hurt the continuity of the game. On the other hand, the female characters’ bodies are lovingly rendered and look perfect, even under the low-res armor.

    The game is split between wandering around on the Normandy, interacting with crew and passengers, visiting the Citadel space station, dealing with government officials and criminals and more, and the missions on various planets and space stations throughout the galaxy. The problem with Mass Effect games is that after a certain point, you get funneled to the endgame missions, and, (per ME2) if you try to do other missions after that point, consequences are dire. I’d prefer that not happen, so I’m trying to be careful to not get too far in the plot while my mission list is still huge.

    Overall, I am enjoying ME3 very much and it takes all my spare time, while other games go unplayed… OK, so it isn’t a mistake to play ME3, but it is one to think of having free time again.

  • Lootboxes – a way for MMOs to separate us from our money

    Lootboxes are a fairly new phenomenon, at least in the MMORPGs I play the most, Star Trek Online and Lord of the Rings Online, and they are an interesting attempt to separate us from our money. Real money, not in-game stuff. And it is not necessarily a bad thing, but it may not bode well for the future.

    Lootboxes, per the name, are loot from kills. In LOTRO, they seem pretty rare, and I have only acquired a few of them. In STO, they are very common in the first few missions, though have become rare as I have progressed in the game. Though lootboxes (or Ferengi lockboxes in STO) are loot, they are not useful unless you have a key. In some games, keys can also be found as loot, but are even more rare than the lockboxes. Why? Because the game companies sell keys in their online store for real money (Cryptic or Turbine points, for example), so hoping to get players of these Free-to-Play games to plonk down real money to open an in-game item. To be fair, Turbine sometimes gives the keys away in the excellent lottery they have.

    So why would someone buy a key for real money to get an unknown in-game item? Gambling! The highest end loot that comes out of the lootboxes is quite compelling. In STO, you can win starships, while in LOTRO, you can get blue (highest quality) gear. In LOTRO, getting good gear is fairly regular, but I’ve opened a few lootboxes in STO and have yet to get anything good.

    Why has the drop rate for lootboxes dropped as I progress in STO? I can only speculate that the devs load early players up with them in the hope that they will spend some real money before dropping the game. That may be cynical of me to think that, because it means the devs have a low opinion of the long-term attractiveness of the game, but it’s the best explanation I can think of at the moment.

    Do lootboxes work for the game owners? Yes, I have bought a few keys in both LOTRO and STO. Do they work for gamers? Maybe – it adds a bit of a thrill in the process of opening a lootbox and hoping for a big win, probably similar to the gambling thrill in Vegas casinos. I have a hunch lootboxes are here to stay and may even be expanded. I just hope they don’t become the only way to get good stuff or that their drop rate doesn’t overwhelm other loot in an attempt by the game owners to get even more money from us.

     

  • How Star Trek Online offers a different challenge from most MMOs

    I will not declare complete knowledge of MMOs by a long shot, but Star Trek Online is different from all the MMOs I’ve played (or tried). These differences add a bit of complexity, yet most MMO players will find things familiar enough that it will not be an issue.

    The biggest difference between STO and conventional MMOs like WoW, LOTRO, Conan, etc., is that we need to manage the leveling and equipment of the main player character, one or more starships, and some number (between 4 and 8) bridge officers. Now having helpers occurs in many games, such as the helpers in Guild Wars (sorry, I forget what they’re called), or the companions in LOTRO for captains and lore masters, but STO’s level of customization, skill choices, and how they affect gameplay are unmatched.

    Since the best part of STO (in my opinion) is starship combat, I’ll talk about that first. There are 3 major classes of starship: escorts are quick and pack lots of firepower, while science vessels have powerful buffs and heals (yes, really, for starships – shield or hull restore, and so forth), and cruisers are slow all-rounders. Ships also have levels, from low-level ships with few weapons and slots that you get early in the game to studly ships we would recognize from the TV shows that we get as admirals (think Enterprise D and E, Voyager, and Defiant as examples from each of the 3 classes). As we get better ships, we also get better equipment for them. Quantum torpedoes or plasma beams or tetryon beams, etc. Each ship has slots for fore and aft weapons (varying number, based on level and class), engine, shield, deflector array, and consoles to provide engineering, science, and tactical buffs. The items that fit there are found as loot, given as quest rewards, bought in stores, or on the Exchange from other players. In short, it is essential that players keep their ships up with the best equipment, just as I keep my LOTRO lore master up with the best armor and weapons I can get.

    The player also levels and gains skill that affect various aspects of shipboard and ground combat. Players can choose science, engineering, or tactical emphasis, each of which gives unique special abilities as the player levels. Choosing one player class does not prevent using other ship classes, however, so my tactical captain uses an upgraded Constitution class cruiser. Player equipment is important, so players need to always use weapons, armor, and shields appropriate to their level. There is also the concept of a player “kit” which provides additional ground combat abilities based on the player class. Since my guy is a tactical captain, he has grenade abilities added by the kit. Previous engineer captains I’ve had could summon phaser turrets and healing devices. The player skill tree has changed significantly since I last played, so I am still getting used to the new (and, so far, better) format.

    The player also has helpers in the form of Bridge Officers (BOFFs). They level up as BOFF skill points are assigned by the player to certain skills for each BOFF. These skills provide space and ground combat abilities that are essential to winning fights, so keep your BOFFs up with their skills. The BOFFs can’t use their skills if they are knocked out in combat, so you also need to make sure they have good armor, weapons, and shields (though they can be hand-me-downs from the player). You can customize BOFF appearance, outfits, and name when you recruit them.

    There is even a new concept called Duty Officers that can perform tasks for the player and they help the player gain prestige and I don’t know what else. I’ve just reached the level where I can use Duty Officers, so I don’t yet know the full story there.

    So STO requires the user to manage skills for the player and the BOFFs, as well as gear for the player, BOFFS, and ships. As such, it is a little more complex than most MMOs but starship combat in the Star Trek universe makes it worth it.

  • Currencies and Store Integration in Star Trek Online

    Having been a Star Trek Online player since the beginning, I’ve seen the evolution of currencies and stores in the game. Initially, there were energy credits that were used to buy things in in-game stores, like weapons and gear for your characters. There were also Cryptic points, which were bought with real money to buy goodies, like ships and things. There were also other special purpose currencies, like ship tokens that you got when you earned a new ship through leveling up, and medals for PvP stuff that I had no familiarity with because the PvP mostly sucked.

    Now, the developers have somewhat simplified currencies and stores, though they’ve added some. There are still energy credits, earned for missions, and they can be used in the Exchange (like the Auction House in LOTRO) where players buy and sell excess gear, as well as for most stores in the game for weapons and gear. The medals and such have now been replaced by dilithium, which is earned by doing daily missions, PvP, and in other ways that I don’t know about yet. Dilithium Stores tend to have higher quality gear that can only be bought with dilithium. There are also some Ferengi crystals that show up from time to time. These are fairly rare, but allow the purchase of nifty and rare items, though I don’t yet have enough crystals to buy anything, so I haven’t done so.

    The most impressive thing is the seamless integration of Cryptic Points into the stores in the game, particularly the clothing and new ship stores. Now, when you want to equip your Bridge Officers or yourself with a new outfit, the store shows lots of items that are only available if you pay with Cryptic Points, the real-money currency. Same with ships: if you want a niftier ship, you can get one if you pay with Cryptic Points (you still can’t go above your level range, though). Very nicely done and a clever way to exploit (and I mean that in a good way) the Free-to-Play model that Star Trek Online has adopted.

    Overall, the currency and store integration in Star Trek Online is well done and should serve as a model for other games in the future.

  • Star Trek Online, LOTRO, Saints Row 3, and Infamous – lots of gaming, little time

    I finished the main plot of Saints Row: the Third last week (as noted here), and even did the other version of the ending (which killed Shaundi, yet I still seem to be able to call her up when I need Homie support, so it’s all good). Therefore, what am I still doing playing the game?

    Well, the game is so fun that I am enjoying collecting all the collectibles, wiping out rival gangs, doing all the side missions, etc. I did some of those things, especially the collectibles, solo, but the others are best with a friend. I had a great time doing co-op missions with friends, and will keep the game handy so I can continue to do so!

    I also played a bit of Star Trek Online and am enjoying it. The early missions are mostly unchanged from what I did more than a year ago, but the game is generally more polished. There is a new Duty Officer system, which adds complexity, but may provide some bonuses, though I haven’t quite figured it out. The crafting is still pretty bad, though is better than it was at game launch. The biggest issue is lack of clear explanations of where to get blueprints. I presume some are for sale from the vendors on Memory Alpha, but in the tutorials, everything is given to you, so it doesn’t exactly make it obvious.

    I also played a bit of LOTRO and was very pleased to find some of my kinship-mates online. I did some missions with my level 40s Minstrel and my 75 Lore Master. LOTRO is a very comfortable game to play, though playing with my Minstrel in the North Downs reminded me of the slow and annoying travel system in many areas (though it is better in the new areas). There must be a fine line for the developers: they want us to spend as much time in-game as possible, yet don’t want to piss us off so we quit.

    I also spent a short time in Skyrim, gathering the Crown of Barenziah and killing a dragon or two.

    Finally, I spent some time playing Infamous on the PS3. I like the game mechanics and am very intrigued with the story, but aiming stinks (at least for me) and the penalty for dying is pretty high. I will likely continue to play the game occasionally, so I can figure out the story line.

  • Star Trek Online Videos

    I’m enjoying Star Trek Online so much that I made a couple of videos. I bought the Constitution class cruiser upgrade, so I wanted to show it off, too.

    The first clip is sector space leaving Sol and heading to the Delta Volanis cluster.

    The second, much longer, clip shows one of the random encounters that occur in clusters. In this case, I got to fight some Orion pirates. You can see that the cruiser is not very maneuverable, but gets the job done. You can also see me pick up some of the “anomaly” crafting materials, including the frequency matching minigame.

    If driving starships around and blowing stuff up sounds like fun to you, try Star Trek Online.

  • Impressed by Star Trek Online improvements, but new bug annoys

    I played a bit of Star Trek Online yesterday and an mostly impressed with the improvements since I last played more than a year ago. Since STO is now free to play, there is no reason not to try it if you are a Star Trek fan. It looks like the strategy may be working, because space seemed more crowded than I remember it.

    The interface has been cleaned up a bit and made more shiny. The mission log is nicer than I’ve seen in other games, MMO or otherwise, so that’s an improvement. There are a few things that I’m sure used to work and don’t seem to now: dragging items into your bridge officers’ inventory doesn’t seem to work well, but I will keep experimenting. It certainly isn’t completely intuitive and obvious.

    For those not familiar with STO, bridge officers (BOFFs) are your helpers that you can train and upgrade. They provide abilities both on your starship and in ground combat and are generally a good thing. You earn BOFFs through some missions and as you level, so in the end, you can have a significant cadre of helpers. Most ships only have a few BOFF slots, so you can use skills from 3 or 4 of them on the ship. You can also take 4 BOFFs with you on away missions, so pick ones that can heal you or provide buffs or combat abilities. Because you can eventually have lots of BOFFs, it is possible to have a completely different group in the ship’s stations from the ones you bring along for away missions. This lets you allocate skill points among more of them so you can promote them as you rise in rank.

    Then you get a BOFF, you can customize the appearance. Well, at least you could a year ago. Now that mechanic is broken, so when I got a new BOFF, it showed the appearance of the last BOFF I got (or in some cases, my first one). That is a nasty bug that is unfortunate, since changes in MMOs are permanent – you can’t just reload a save file if the game has a problem. I hope they fix that bug soon, or else many teenage players will not be able to give their BOFFs huge boobs and skimpy outfits.

    Because the game is free to play, the money grubbing is more apparent than ever. There are now several forms of currency: Energy credits, which you earn in game; Dilithium, which you apparently also earn in game and is new since I last played, so I don’t know what it is for yet; and Cryptic Points, which you buy with real money and is the way to get cool ships and such.

    I have managed to recover most of the XBox 360 controller settings for the space missions, but am still working on the ground ones, so I’m a bit hampered there.

    Overall, the game has continued to get better since the beta version and is now a pretty polished thing. I’m disappointed by the BOFF customization bug and not sure how the developers haven’t caught it, but I’m sure it will be fixed sometime. So try STO – you’ll probably like it!

  • Finished main quest in Skyrim – Time to Move On

    Gaming has been odd for me lately. Many of the people in my kinship in LOTRO have dropped out of playing, as grinding for gear at level 75 gets old really fast. I have been on LOTRO a few times in the last couple weeks working on my lower level characters primarily, but my heart isn’t in it.

    Meanwhile, I’ve been enjoying Skyrim a lot. Mostly… There is a huge amount of content in Skyrim, some of it dynamically generated, so I could go on playing for ages, but it gets a little tedious. So I finished up the Skyrim main quest line over the last couple days. I’m already the leader of the Companions, the Mage school, and the Dark Brotherhood. I saved the Thieves Guild and fixed up the Bard guild. I haven’t chosen a side in the war yet, mostly because both sides are scumbags, so neither appeals to me in any way.

    So I’m going to step away from Skyrim for a while. I see there is a new update (1.6) that will allow mounted combat, which sounds kinda cool, but is only beta for PC, so I’ll wait until it is final. I also had the thought of trying a speed run through Skyrim to see how how low a level I could be to complete the game. I imagine it could be done at level 20, but am not sure. Could be fun to try. But not just yet. And, of course, when Dawnguard comes out, I’m sure I’ll have to send even more money to Bethesda (via Steam) to check it out, though I don’t really have any desire to be a vampire.

    I think next, I will try to finish Uncharted 3, then maybe move on to either Saints Row 3 or Final Fantasy XIII-2, all on the PS3. And I also think I will get back into Star Trek Online. I haven’t jumped back into STO because I lost my gamepad setup file when I rebuilt my PC (oops, forgot to back it up, because it was buried in the Program Files folder of STO), and I have been reluctant to spend the time to figure it out again.

    I will keep LOTRO on the back burner for now. I may end up buying the next expansion dealing with the Riders of Rohan, but not until release date nears.

  • Steam makes Skyrim mods easy

    Adding “mods” to games is a distinct advantage PC gamers have over console gamers. Sony and Microsoft wouldn’t want to allow modding of console games unless they found a way to make money from it. So, many PC games have active mod communities, and the Elder Scrolls series are no exception.

    Mods can be anything from new looks for weapons and armor to new user interface elements to new quests and regions. Many mods involve skimpy outfits and female followers to satisfy horny gamer males, but others are extremely valuable and helpful. To be honest, when Oblivion was new, I tried some of the “better bodies” and skimpy clothing mods, and promptly turned them off. I didn’t do this because I am opposed to nudity and hot bodies, but it was disturbing to kill an enemy and loot her to see a smoking hot body and bare boobs and more. Particularly if it was a female orc you just killed. Perhaps it humanized the enemy too much or something, but it made me feel creeped out. So out those mods went.

    In Skyrim, I am taking a very cautious approach to mods and only using a few, at least until I beat the main mission. I have one frivolous mod, which is the Asteria, an abandoned dwarven airship that can be an awesome player home. It has all the crafting equipment and looks great, and doesn’t seem to interfere with anything else. I am using a mod called Lockpick Pro that helps with lockpicking by showing a bar that lets you hit the right zone for the pick to work. This is a cheat, but frankly it saves a lot of time and I was pretty good at lockpicking before it, so this just eliminates a bit of frustration. I’m also using a mod that shows markers for my house (I only have one) and other important halls on the map, making them suitable for fast travel. This isn’t a cheat, because they only show up after you have discovered them. Finally, I am using a better map, since the original doesn’t have the roads drawn on it. What were the Bethesda folks thinking?

    Steam makes dealing with mods easy, because of Steam Workshop. This lets me pick the mods I want, then they are automatically downloaded and kept up to date, like Steam games. This is very handy and is the primary reason I wanted to buy Skyrim from Steam rather than on a disk. There are some problems, though. Steam Workshop has been extremely unresponsive at times, which is frustrating. The search function is terrible. I tried to search for the map mod by typing the word “map” into the search box. Nothing resembling a map mod showed up, but a bunch of texture mods and other things were shown (presumably they used words like “mipmap” or something). So I had to click through a few more pages to find the one I chose. I think the benefits of Steam Workshop outweigh the problems, and hopefully those problems will be fixed over time. So Steam Workshop is good and worth trying for Skyrim!