Blogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=716https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3174Gameplay 2 In my second hour of gameplay, I participated in a "scrim" with some friends of mine. For someone of my experience, it's the primary fun of the game. Scrimmages are intense, fun, and sometimes overwhelming. They require complete concentration and winning a scrim gives the player a huge sense of accomplishment, especially against a well ranked team. There is a code of conduct in these matches, but while teams switch sides, trash talk ensues. The second hour scrims did not go as well, and I was very unhappy. I made a few bad decisions and caused my team to lose a few rounds we shouldn't have lost. Once again, however, the experience was intense and extremely engaging. Design Counter-Strike is innovative because of its multiplayer component and "spray patterns" as well as hit boxes. One of the things that keeps Counter-Strike interesting is the fact that the game can never be mastered completely. Instead of "point and shoot," bullets are altered by a number of things. Moving makes firing more inaccurate, and holding the buttons down makes "spray" go in a pattern, which is semi memorizable but not easily repeatable. Therefore, some prefer to "burst" or fire one or two at a time, and some prefer to spray and try to control recoil. Almost every gun has a different firing pattern, and the best way to be fired, aimed, and how to move varies with each gun. There is also a huge element of sound; with proper sound, or good headphones, I am able to hear someone take a grenade out from very far away, or hear footsteps. This alerts me that there are people there and allows me to position myself for when they come out. The strategy of these 5v 5 matches is unrivaled in any other game, the coordination and skill required to compete at Counter-Strike is enormous. Counter-Terrorists must protect multiple bomb sites on most maps (in scrims, most will assign one or two to hide in each bomb site, and one in a "middle area") and have to watch every entrance and exit to the bomb sites as well as other areas. Terrorists can utilize flash grenades, fake a walk, or do other things to throw the other team off, as well as many other strategies to either kill all the counter terrorists or set the bomb and get it to explode. The levels are varied and require different strategies, and the intricacies of these matches is simply astounding.Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:28:01 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3174&iddiary=5915https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3174Gamelog - Counter Strike Counter Strike is a first person shooter, played mostly online with other players. The players are able to choose between terrorist and counter-terrorist teams, and each team has objectives that they can choose to do, or kill the other team. Gameplay In Counter-Strike, the player takes the position of a Terrorist or Counter-Terrorist and play against other characters. Because there are no characters, story, or progression, most of the fun of Counter Strike comes from the gameplay itself and the social interaction while playing. Counter Strike, since it is played against other players rather than AI, has much more of a rush when played with others, especially in an organized 5v5 "scrim" where a pre-made team (usually using some sort of voice communication system such as ventrilo) plays another pre-made team, 15 rounds on each side. Trash talk is absolutely normal, and accusations of cheating generally fly in public games (I'm unable to go into public games anymore, my ability to hear people and shoot through walls generally gets me banned for what they think is cheating extremely quickly). The social interaction is enormous, so much so that many will travel to PC cafe's or have LAN parties (everyone brings their computer to one persons house so they can play together). Being able to see the other players is very fun, and enhances gameplay. Counter Strike is very fun, and it is so big that there are websites devoted to videos of people playing.Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:27:48 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3174&iddiary=5913https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2677Gameplay 2 In the second hour of my play, I invited a few friends over to play the multi player mode. While the single player mode is fun, the multi player is the true fun of the game. We started by playing a free for all 4 player game, with stock (5 lives each). Because one of my friends was much better than the rest of us, we all ganged up on him first. One of the great aspects of the game is the copious trash talk that often happens; anyone who bragged was intentionally targeted first, and there were almost "alliances" where I would leave one of my friends alone in order to try to eliminate someone else. The game continued to be very fun, and never gets old. There are an infinite number of combinations of moves and tricks, and there is no "skill cap" to the game, making it have the same appeal as a game like Counter-Strike. Design As a game, Super Smash Brothers is very innovative. The use of the screen as a "death point" is original, and the percent damage system simply adds to it. Each percent of damage amplifies the distance each move knocks you out. Someone at two or three hundred percent damage will fly significantly farther from the same kick as someone with 10% damage. This system, combined with the amazingly designed levels, makes for engrossing gameplay. The levels have obstacles, places to fall, and moving platforms. Unfortunately, a large portion of the game turns into who is better at edge guarding and whether your character has a spike. Nonetheless, the ability to dodge, shield, use items and double jumps make the game require an immense amount of skill to play well. Also, the "delay" between attacks, where you can't move, are important gameplay mechanics, as well as each characters run speed and the time it takes the character to punch or kick. The levels are varied, and provide various challenges; the Zelda level has tornados, the Pokemon stage has moving platforms and Pokemon that come out of the opening in the center platform, the Donkey Kong level has the barrels, and so on. The game continues to be interesting for as long as the player wants it to be because of its mechanics, and there is almost infinite room for improvement. The game uses 3d characters in a 3d landscape, but the characters can only move on a set path, making the game very fluid. Super Smash Brothers was also one of the best games for the time that was designed specifically for multiplayer, and these types of games foster social interaction. There isn't much to change about this game - it is well balanced and well made, and the sequel, Super Smash Brothers Melee, seemed almost a downgrade to me. While it had better graphics, the gameplay and mechanics were not quite as good. The games reward structure relies more on social rewards, and while there are no "upgrades" or other rewards, the satisfaction of beating the other player is a reward in itself.Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:24:03 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2677&iddiary=5317https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2677Summary In Super Smash Brothers, the player controls one of twelve Nintendo characters, ranging from Mr. Game and Watch to Link and Gannondorf. It is a crossover Fighting game and was revolutionary for its time. Gameplay While Super Smash Brothers has very little in the way of a real plot, the characters hold emotional attachment as they are characters from previous Nintendo games. It is generally a happy game with upbeat level design, and the constant action keeps all players entertained for the duration. The games story is very simple, but fits the game well. The opening video shows the characters as dolls that come to life. While the single player is fun, the game truly shines in its multi player mode. This mode lets players select teams or free for all, as well as handicap to make the game more fair. There is a heavy social aspect in Super Smash Brothers, and it is at its best with four players engaging in team or free for all battles. The game is well suited for trash talk and social interactions, as well as tournaments. The game is fairly balanced and most characters have a decent chance against any other characters, although the top players have ranked them into "tiers" and few use the lower tier players in competitive play. The game definitely has flow, and makes the player happy with its intense high paced play.Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:23:03 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2677&iddiary=5315https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2575Gameplay The second hour of play was more what I was accustomed to. I was in a full game this time (3 on 3 on 3 on 3) and random picked a unit killer, capable of casting massive Area of Effect spells on the lesser units to earn lots of gold. I used this gold to upgrade my units to the infamous Dark Taurens, capable of almost single handedly taking on a hero, and produced very quickly. My team also chipped in to help, getting me Dark Taurens faster. This game was much more fun for me, and I was able to toy with my opponents slightly, sending in 3 or 4 Dark Taurens to take down their units, without destroying their base. There are lots of instances of positive feedback in Footies, with the main one being gold. By killing a unit or hero, you are awarded gold, and can use it to upgrade and buy things. While the game is somewhat random in the aspect that what hero you get is extremely important, those that are good at micro-managing their units so that they all attack the same target, as well as their hero, generally are able to do better. Design Footmen Frenzy has a few innovative aspects that make it fun to play. The first is the "cube" in the center of the arena. It restores mana, and is incredibly helpful to have with most heros. By controlling the center, that team is able to not only access the shops without resistance, but also has mana restored much faster and is able to cast more spells. Therefore, controlling the center is an important dynamic. There is also the dynamic of "teching" in which a player does not buy a hero at all, and instead uses that gold (heros are very expensive) to upgrade their units instead. To try and prevent that, there is a delay of about 5 minutes where you cannot upgrade your units; however, it is still a viable option, especially if the other players pool or contribute so you can further upgrade your units. There are also other NPC's that you can buy, such as a rock golem, and an "altar of the gods" which destroys all units it can see, but only has one hit point. One of the most important aspects is learning what to spend gold on. As there is only one level, the level design is not varied, but I do believe the one level is well constructed, with shops and the center cube an equal distance from each team. The game is fairly random but provides challenge by forcing the player to control his units, gold, hero, base, and defensive towers, and use them all as effectively as possible. The game has nothing to create "conflict" outside of the idea that you're supposed to kill the other team, but I was still motivated to do so. The game thrives on social interaction, and the chat system allows players to trash talk with the other team and chat with their team only in order to formulate strategy. The only thing I would change about the game is that it is exploitable (by pooling one player you can buy an extremely powerful NPC early in the game and win almost instantly) but it is hard to balance a game and for the most part it is balanced. Overall I really liked the game and its reward structure, and felt it extremely well developed for a third party modification of a game. It's a great game to play with friends that isn't hard to learn like Defense of the Ancients, and isn't nearly as high strung.Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:57:46 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2575&iddiary=4883https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2575Summary In the Warcraft 3 mod "Footman Frenzy." The game is an RTS (real time strategy) where you have a hero and control and upgrade in order to defeat your opponents. Gameplay Footmen Frenzy is an incredibly fun game that keeps you occupied and entertained through the duration. While it does not have as many strategy elements, and there are a few ways to be unfair (pooling all your gold to one person) the game as a whole stays frenetic and chaotic. The characters are not at all developed, but are very varied in their skills and effectiveness against units and other heros. The game has no story or narrative progression, but rather simply places the players on the playing field, knowing they are to kill everyone but those in their own corner. The gameplay aspect of Footmen Frenzy is where it really shines. There are masses of units at all times, sometimes hundreds at a time all engaging each other in the center of the map. There are lots of social interactions, with trash talk generally abundant in each game. The game definitely has flow, as the game runs smoothly and there is always something happening. It is a great game to play casually with friends; it doesn't take long to learn, and it's action packed. I enjoy playing the game with friends, and teaming up to dominate other teams, or playing against each other. Unlike in many other games, Footmen Frenzy is more laid back, and it is possible to multitask while playing, sending in units and then talking or doing other activities. As the game is not as skill based as many others, people aren't generally angry over the outcome and it's well balanced enough that everyone has fun. In my first hour I was only able to play one game, and was forced to do what I usually do not like doing and buff my hero. I was given a "hero killer" so it is difficult to kill enough of my opponents footmen to upgrade them. Therefore, I was forced to make gold by killing my opponents heros, and use the gold to buff him.Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:57:01 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2575&iddiary=4882https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2251Gameplay This time around, I was able to get more into the game itself. I was released into the first mob area, and got a better look at the combat system. The plot stayed compelling and interesting, and surprisingly was one of the biggest motivating factors for me. The game picked up a lighter feel, as I killed cacti and went on a quest to kill a "rogue tomato." However, it keeps its darker feel throughout. We meet some new characters, all as well developed as the characters introduced earlier. I got to see more of the combat system, and the "Licenses" system, which allows players to choose what they can and can't do. The game continued to be fun, and it was very interesting managing the real-time elements with the RPG elements. I thought the tutorial was a bit long and it was a little tedious to run long distances before being able to fight, but once I reached areas were I was able to use the combat system I was extremely impressed. I also thought there were too few save points, but this may change as the game goes on. Design The design is what makes FFXII one of, if not the best game in the Final Fantasy series. The voice acting is superb, the graphics are incredible, and the story is extremely well narrated. I found myself much more drawn into this game because it seemed very polished, and the plot was compelling. The cutscenes are frequent, and I found myself actually watching them instead of skipping them, as I usually do. Visually, the cutscenes look almost real, amazingly well made for Playstation 2. They also serve to advance the plot and keep the story interesting. The combat system is also extremely original, and I was surprised when I tried it. I have seen real time RPG's such as Kingdom Hearts, and turn-based games such as the previous Final Fantasy games, but none like FFXII. FFXII employs a combination, with swing timers and cast timers, and real time movement, but freezes when you open the combat table to select an attack, item, or spell. Unlike many other RPGs, most battles in Final Fantasy are completely voluntary, and instead of randomly encountering the fights, you "aggro" them when you're close, and depending on your level you have an "aggro range" very similar to many MMORPGs. The main city, Rabanastre, is beautifully made down to the very last detail, and has an "attitude." The game is expansive, and uses the space very well. As huge as the world is, every area is carefully made, and packed with things to do. The only complaints I have is that it took too long to run "errands" back and forth between rooms in cities. I also found the mini-map cumbersome and difficult to use, and had to use the full map many times. I personally love the reward structures used in RPGs, and usually take the first area or level and use it to my advantage, leveling past the "normal" requirement and keeping myself well geared and leveled and ahead of the curve. I tend to use strategy guides (simply to find chests, hidden rewards, etc) to make sure I don't miss anything. For example, the best weapon in the game is only obtainable if you do NOT open 4 specific chests throughout the world. Overall FFXII was probably my favorite in the whole series, and while I haven't played much of it yet, I plan to finish the game, something I can't say about most of the RPGs I play. Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:32:54 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2251&iddiary=4334https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2251Overview For my Gamelog, I chose Final Fantasy XII for the Playstation 2. Final Fantasy XII is an expansive RPG where you play the role of Vaan, a peasant in the city of Rabanastre. Gameplay The game as a whole, for the first hour, was incredibly immersive and elicited many emotions. The opening scene is beautifully animated and shows the sad tale of a falling kingdom. You start the game as Vaan's older brother Reks, trying to protect the king. However, after just a few minutes of the tutorial, your captain murders the king and stabs you. The king is portrayed as a peaceful and fair ruler, and the death of him is saddening. From there, the player gets to control Vaan himself, and the tone becomes somewhat ligter. While the first 90 minutes of playing for me was mainly tutorial, I could already tell the characters are extremely well made graphically, and well developed. I felt an attachment and sympathy to the characters, even at an early stage. It progresses very quickly, and the narration and story line are both amazing. It has, so far, one of the most compelling plot-lines of any game I've played. The game was very interesting to play, even though most of my time was spent in tutorial and not in combat, the "errands" vaan has to do, and the tasks he is sent on are compelling. From my limited experience with the combat system, it seemed very innovative and quite different from any other game I have played. As it is a single player game, there was no social interaction, but I did feel like I experienced flow.Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:09:41 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2251&iddiary=4299https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1933Gameplay In Guitar Hero 3, the player controls a "Guitar Hero" in his journey to stardom. It is played with a "guitar" controller rather than a standard controller, and has many elements unique to the game. It contains a career mode, practice mode that allows you to split the song up and practice small portions at varying speeds, a multiplayer mode, "battle" mode with powerups, and an online mode. In Guitar Hero, a "fret bar" scrolls down the screen with notes on it. Players strive to hit each note and strum at the correct time, using tools such as Hammer On's and Pull Off's to aid them. Gameplay The gameplay in Guitar Hero 3 is extremely unique and improved from Guitar Hero 2. I've been playing Guitar Hero since a few months after Guitar Hero 2 came out, and the series has never lost my interest. Usually, when I play Guitar Hero I am extremely happy and focused. This time, I chose to work on Through the Fire and the Flames on expert. The song is extremely difficult and requires the introduction to be "tapped." The games characters and story are unimportant, and career mode is just a tool to keep track of song scores and unlock new songs or earn money. The game is an amazing amount of fun to play, and can be extremely social. When two people play each other on multiplayer mode, there is usually alot of trash talk and interaction between the players. The game is also fun to play in front of friends or crowds, and lends itself to hardcore players and tournaments. While working on the song I was playing, I hit the entire intro without hitting a note, and there was a huge sense of accomplishment for me (here is a video of someone else doing that intro, as I don't have a camera) http://youtube.com/watch?v=XtIZ_G3Evag. There was a definite experience of flow in the game, and players can play for hours without getting bored. In the hour I played, I played 8 of my favorite songs and improved my top score on 2 of them. Instead of using characters, story, and narration to make the game interesting, Guitar Hero 3 relies solely on gameplay itself. I find there is alot of skill involved, and many instances of rewards and positive feedback, including score, the star system, and the "video crowd." Gameplay 2 For my second hour playing the game, I chose to focus on Full Clearing two songs I have been close to for a while. I switched characters from the Elvis-like player to Slash, one of the heros of Guitar Hero. One of the things that Guitar Hero 3 incorporates that Guitar Hero 2 does not is boss battles and Heros, such as Slash and Lou, the devil. After accomplishing my first goal, which made me feel satisfied and happy, I decided to change and try one of the boss battles. The boss battles are an important part of the game, and one part that many people have trouble with and do not enjoy. This is one of the parts I have a qualm with, as the opponents do not miss a single note until you use a powerup, in which case they miss almost every note. It simply does not seem realistic that someone like Slash would miss every single note because of a whammy bar getting stuck, a single broken string, or being forced to play left-handed. The power-up system is something I discovered to be new in Guitar Hero 3, and can make a big difference in the multiplayer mode. I decided to play a few multiplayer matches with a friend next. While I am much better than him at the game, players are able to select different levels of difficulty and still play against each other. While I like the power-up system, and there is strategy in using them at the correct time, some of them are much more debilitating, and I feel it takes much of the skill out of the game. I started having much less fun playing in these battles, and started to play a simple one on one, where each person has a note chart, which is the same unless the players are on different difficulties, and the players play to achieve the higher score. It takes some of the gimmick out of the game, which probably amuses the beginner players, but adds more of the skill element that is important to the most serious players. Overall I always enjoy my time playing Guitar Hero and find it a rewarding way to waste my free time, and even compete with other players. I would love to play others online, and try the online mode, where there is a ranking ladder, but I have the Playstation 2 version which isn't compatible with the online mode. The Playstation 2 mode also lacks the ability to download new songs and charts like the other versions have. Design The game as a whole never gets boring because there is always room to improve. For the beginner players, a player can work on completing songs and ramping up difficulty. For good players, that can pass most songs on expert, there is correct usage of the Star Power mechanic. Because star power gives double score while activated, and you cannot achieve more Star Power while you have any, Star Power timing is critical, to the point that many players will chart the song and mathematically calculate the best use of Star Power. For the expert players, there is www.scorehero.com, and many of the expert players try to FC (full clear, or 100%) each song (I currently have 15 on guitar hero 3 and 12 on Guitar Hero 2). Scorehero keeps track of the top scores on each song, your ranking in comparison to the other players of the game, and has a forum where people can talk about Star Power usage, accomplishments, Leagues, and many other things. This game has generated a cult following because no one expected much when it first came out (Neversoft didn't even make the first two, rather one of their smaller sub-companies did). Most of the songs were covers because they couldn't afford the rights to the real songs. However, the games unique aspects made it extremely enjoyable and one of the biggest hits in years. One of the elements that makes Guitar Hero so unique is the controller. Rhythm and guitar games aren't new, and some of them were even fun and interesting to me, such as Amplitude. Amplitude even integrates multiple tracks and multiple instruments, but just doesn't have the elements that Guitar Hero does. The first important element is Star Power; because of Star Power, two people who hit the exact same notes can have vastly different scores on a song. Another is the guitar controller. I have tried playing without the guitar controller, but it was clunky and just not as fun. The guitar controller is incredibly well made, and simple yet elegant. It allows players to effectively and naturally start the game. Guitar Hero can also suit casual to expert gamers. Because Scorehero keeps track of scores, many serious or hardcore players (even players who get paid to play and play tournaments) can talk and keep track of their accomplishments. This competition has pushed Guitar Hero to a new level of skill - some of the songs that the game maker deemed "impossible" to get 100% on have recently been Full Cleared. A famous player, HellAshes, who has been on TV multiple times, has even won a car. Here is a video of him Full Clearing Jordan by Buckethead, one of the songs deemed impossible by Neversoft. http://youtube.com/watch?v=hGDdx5mFYY8. The hammer on/pull off system is also essential to the game, making it much more akin to real guitar, and giving it the feel of a real guitar. A player that is able to successfully hammer on/pull off gets a huge sense of accomplishment. This also allows many impossible songs to be completed, and even allows for "tapping" which involves hitting the fret buttons with both hands and not strumming, much like a real guitar. For example, in the video posted above, the insane solos must be tapped (http://youtube.com/watch?v=BdAKIqo5jzk). The hammer on/pull off system in Guitar Hero 3 has been changed to make the timing window more lenient and to make them easier to see. In Guitar Hero 2, they were difficult to see because the only difference was a small black circle missing, whereas in Guitar Hero 3 the whole note is see-through if the note can be hammered on or pulled off. The ability to slow down songs to four different levels and practice at slower speeds is essential in many solos. I believe Guitar Hero is so successful because it caters to so many different types of gamers. It has the "near impossible" elements for hardcore gamers but can also cater to those just getting started, or at any level of skill.Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:38:58 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1933&iddiary=3760