It's been a new year and I felt old, again.
I just passed my japanese testto skip elementary course...but I'm not sure if I should join. NS may be up sooner than I expect.
I have been playing too much DnD for the past couple of weeks. I can taste the mushroom swiss double in my mouth now...
Hmm, to join or not to join?
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Friday, December 7, 2007
Review: "Elan Online"
If you think the concept of Guild Wars, Tabula Rasa and DDO can get worse, think again. Elan Online is making a soft hit here in Singapore. It looks great and interesting at first glance, but it is incredibly superficial.
What makes Elan Online unique is the combat system. It doesn't follow the traditional point-and-click system...instead it follows DDO's action-based mouse-click-spammage system. Hmm, I guess that doesn't make it unique after all =/.
Right now there are 4 classes, all incredibly traditional and simple. A fighter, a thief, a mage and a healer. All the classes only have 3 skills, and all of them as plain as you can get. For example, a healer get an AE heal, a status cure and some damage spell. For 16 levels ( I think), you survive on this until you get to upgrade your class, giving you another 3 more skills. You will probably have to grind your rest of your life with these.
Stats assignment is automatic. The world is completely instanced except the main areas. Probably the only other good thing is that it is cel-shaded...meaning it doesn't hurt my eyes.
It truly baffles the mind. This game is nothing...nothing. I guess I should've warned Dom before he bought the activation card (costing $5).
Pfft...another hopeless cause.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
[Random] A random post
Great, YH just returned me my $200 from the freelance project. I will probably get a X360 once the month ends, then I can do all the catching up for games!
My setup is very sad. I highly doubt my desktop can play The Witcher, but I'm going to have to give it a go. YH says he can play it on mid-high settings on his 7950GT but I doubt it's true since Dom is facing a bit of lag on his 8600GTS. If my X1800 can run Witcher I'll be really happy since I haven't been playing any new mainstream games since forever. I'm only updated on free MMOs and PSP games.
Disgaea is beginning to lose its flavour (thankfully), although I occasionally still grind a few item world level now and then. I don't think Disgaea will ever leave my PSP because 1) there are still many many things to do and 2) the file size is small, so there's no harm leaving it there.
On to a bit on my attachment, everyone working there just told me that some damn good programmer have some 'immortal words' which goes like: "I feel guilty playing games." so apparently, in the company, it is believed that once you reached this level, you will become a god. Hmm. 3 years ago, I felt the same. I tanked for people, I worked my ass off, I code and code and code and rushed production like mad. Back then, I DO feel kinda guilty playing games. I'm not that stupid now though. There is always time to play games. I don't think I would want to overload myself ever again. For 3 years, I've done it and I am now tired of it. In fact, I felt it was a wasted effort.
Seriously though, 'I feel guilty playing games' applies only because you are having fun doing whatever work you are doing. Okay sometimes it's because of fun, but mostly it's satisfaction. You don't actually feel guilty playing games. You feel that games doesn't grant as much satisfaction as completing work, that's why you want to work more. That has been the case for me for all the projects I've done in NYP. You want to feel the satisfaction of achieving something irl. That's how it works. It's a fucking trap. I won't fall into it again. I hope.
Back to other stuff, they haven't informed me on when my jap test is starting. Maybe I'll call them on Sunday.
My setup is very sad. I highly doubt my desktop can play The Witcher, but I'm going to have to give it a go. YH says he can play it on mid-high settings on his 7950GT but I doubt it's true since Dom is facing a bit of lag on his 8600GTS. If my X1800 can run Witcher I'll be really happy since I haven't been playing any new mainstream games since forever. I'm only updated on free MMOs and PSP games.
Disgaea is beginning to lose its flavour (thankfully), although I occasionally still grind a few item world level now and then. I don't think Disgaea will ever leave my PSP because 1) there are still many many things to do and 2) the file size is small, so there's no harm leaving it there.
On to a bit on my attachment, everyone working there just told me that some damn good programmer have some 'immortal words' which goes like: "I feel guilty playing games." so apparently, in the company, it is believed that once you reached this level, you will become a god. Hmm. 3 years ago, I felt the same. I tanked for people, I worked my ass off, I code and code and code and rushed production like mad. Back then, I DO feel kinda guilty playing games. I'm not that stupid now though. There is always time to play games. I don't think I would want to overload myself ever again. For 3 years, I've done it and I am now tired of it. In fact, I felt it was a wasted effort.
Seriously though, 'I feel guilty playing games' applies only because you are having fun doing whatever work you are doing. Okay sometimes it's because of fun, but mostly it's satisfaction. You don't actually feel guilty playing games. You feel that games doesn't grant as much satisfaction as completing work, that's why you want to work more. That has been the case for me for all the projects I've done in NYP. You want to feel the satisfaction of achieving something irl. That's how it works. It's a fucking trap. I won't fall into it again. I hope.
Back to other stuff, they haven't informed me on when my jap test is starting. Maybe I'll call them on Sunday.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Demo: "Two Worlds"
I went to John's house one day and was 'recommended' to try it.
Wow.
It's fuck awesome.
There's just too many things to list out, but I shall attempt the impossible:-
I will use the word 'shit' in replacement for a word that hasn't been invented to describe such crap.
1) Graphics look like PS2 graphics, and its on X360 tier.
2) The trees are shit. They look as if there's seaweed hanging on them or something
3) The grasses are shit. Not only one set looks shit, they had this wonderful idea of copy/pasting the same set (give or take 2 or so variations) all over the place. Usually I'm okay with that but damn they really look shit in this case.
4) Lip-syncing on models is shit. Looks worse than a Pinocchio-like puppet. I don't know what those kind of puppets are called.
5) Animations are shit.
6) Combat is shit
7) Combat animations are shit
8) Lag is shit
the list goes on.
Probably the only things they did right are the sky and the fog.
Wow. I bet this game makes lots of developers feel happier.
Wow.
It's fuck awesome.
There's just too many things to list out, but I shall attempt the impossible:-
I will use the word 'shit' in replacement for a word that hasn't been invented to describe such crap.
1) Graphics look like PS2 graphics, and its on X360 tier.
2) The trees are shit. They look as if there's seaweed hanging on them or something
3) The grasses are shit. Not only one set looks shit, they had this wonderful idea of copy/pasting the same set (give or take 2 or so variations) all over the place. Usually I'm okay with that but damn they really look shit in this case.
4) Lip-syncing on models is shit. Looks worse than a Pinocchio-like puppet. I don't know what those kind of puppets are called.
5) Animations are shit.
6) Combat is shit
7) Combat animations are shit
8) Lag is shit
the list goes on.
Probably the only things they did right are the sky and the fog.
Wow. I bet this game makes lots of developers feel happier.
Friday, October 26, 2007
A step back to Neverwinter
I've done it again. I have reinstalled NWN1 to play around with it (and glimpse into its toolset). I heard that NWN2 isn't really polished yet, which means my com probably still can't run it above 30fps.
I have never taken NWN1 seriously. Back then, I felt dungeons tend to be monotonous and I never did appreciate the number crunching then. Back then, I only wanted to see big numbers and have fun PLing myself. Back then, when I hadn't experienced actual PnP DnD. That was before I actually opened my DnD Player's Handbook and examined its contents. Back then, I felt NWN felt like another D2 with Forgotten Realms material.
So I went back again, knowing better, and decided to play it through again. Properly. As in...with a munchkin sense, instead of blindly killing, and leveling up.
What a poor choice of class I chose.
I wanted to make a Fighter/Weapon Master. I accidentally made him lawful (cannot multiclass to Barbarian) but that didn't really make me feel too bad. At first, I felt awesome. Everything I face got cleaved to death. Nothing can stop me. I felt a little OP actually...until my first encounter with an even level sorcerer. Fireball is fucking painful. Killed me outright at the first blast. That sorcerer wasn't so bad to be honest, compared to the next few spellcasters I faced.
That's when things start to go downhill. Fighters are fucking vulnerable to every shit thrown to them. I got slowed, blasted by Fireballs, chilled to death by Ice Storms, webbed, entangled, held, paralyzed and stunned. Worse, I can't hit them with their Mage Armor+Invisibility on them. I drank tons of potions, including buff potions of whatever was avaliable to me (nothing that really helps spell-resistance though). And no matter what henchmen I brought with me, the results were the same.
Dammit, time to play some cleric.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Review: "Jeanne D'Arc"
Finally, I managed to complete Jeanne D'Arc on my PSP. So like I promised, I shall write out a review. I wanted to write because this Turn Based Strategy (TBS) game is extremely good in many ways. In my opinion, it is the most enjoyable game I have ever played since...a hell long time. I think it is the best game right now a PSP owner can have (maybe other than Monster Hunter 2 Freedom...if you've got friends to play with that is).
Nevertheless, let us get on with the in depth review:
*spoilers ahead, highlight to read*
Story
Some people say that Jeanne D'Arc is similiar to Final Fantasy Tactics in certain ways. That is not far from the truth. As far as story goes, Jeanne D'Arc have certain parts in the game where it can be related to FFT's story.
Long ago, there were 5 armlet-wielding warriors (I don't know if they have a title for that), who used their powers to weaken a great demon and seal him in some powerful gem. Years later during a war between the French and the English, the Duke of Bedford (one of the armlet wielders) released the demon and placed him into the child King Henry VI's body, for the sake of his people and the real King Henry VI himself. Luther, another armlet wielder, tries to stop him, but failed. Eventually, both Henry's spirit and Luther were cast out into the wilderness.
Jeanne D'Arc, or more commonly known as Joan of Arc, was born to Jacques d'Arc in a humble village known as Doremy, as according to history. She had 2 friends which would tag along with her in her adventures: Roger and Liane, both fictional characters. Roger is a mercenary who had lost his memories when he first arrived upon Doremy years ago, and Liane is supposedly Jeanne's sister. They were all preparing for a festival when disaster strikes. The village was burned and Jeanne obtained an armlet. Afterwards, Jeanne swore to join the army and defeat the English.
The story then proceeds as according to history. With a twist. Before the part in history where Jeanne was captured and raped, in the game, Jeanne fell into a pit trying to save Liane. Presumably dead, Liane impersonated Jeanne and carried Jeanne's role in history, right till the end when she got captured and burnt on a stake.
Anime-style cutscenes!
Some parts in the story that are similar to FFT are as follows:
- First stage is outside a chapel
- Important people turning into powerful demons
- You fight those demons until the end, you fight the most powerful one.
- Game involves God, Christians, The Holy Bible, etc...you get the drift.
- and some more I can't remember right now...
Overall, story is great and interesting.
Gameplay Mechanics
Although you don't get to create your own custom character, or change classes, the game offers a good variety of customization. Enter skill gems! Each character can equip a certain amount of skill gems depending on level. Skill gems are divided into 4 categories: Weapon Active, Weapon Passive, Spells, Innate (my own naming at least).
Weapon Active skill gems are restricted to the weapon a character is carrying. For example, a sword user cannot equip a spear Active skill gem. Same for Weapon Passive. Spells can the equipped by anyone. And lastly, Innate skill gems are gems that passively improve your character stats + more.
There are many other mechanics such as Burning Auras, Skill Binding, differences between attacking from front/side/rear...but I'll let the game explain all that :p
Levels
The Levels in this game are challenging, unique and above all, fun. They are all creatively made, and can be difficult sometimes (of course unless you power level). Missions include protecting an AI, hold for a certain amount of certains, and the classic defeating all the enemies. There are many many situations the level put you through. Starting from multiple separate positions, fighting on a long bridge, fighting without skills are some of the examples.
Obstacles such as trees, rivers, doors are well-placed. Well-placed meaning I notice their existence. Rivers are irritating to cross, and the trees blocking your path can also be frustrating.
Overall, the levels are very well designed.
Misc
There are very beautiful anime cutscenes throughout the game. Voice acting is done well for an English dub. All the characters more or less has a French-like accent in those cutscenes. Music and sounds are also done well.
Perhaps one problem was the lack of animations / particle effects. Some spell effects are reused and repackaged to my dismay. However, that is only a small part of the game.
Graphics are cell-shaded and beautifully drawn. I'm not really an art guy as far as standard digital art goes. I like what I think if nice and the art in Jeanne D'Arc is nice.
I would give this game: 7.5/10
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
[SGCC] Wrapup
Finally SGCC is over and finally I have found some time to blog about it.
I could still remember the very first day when all of us 'student leaders' received our allocated groups. I scrolled down the list to find my beside the 'Singapore Chinese Girls School' tag. My first expression was joy like any other guys' would be, more so because my course is deprived of girls. Mr Quah came up to me and asked me who I have been assigned to. When I replied, he gave me a smile and shook my hand. Mr Quah is damn godly okay.
During the first day, every secondary school students was split up between design and technical side. I couldn't find Hwa Chong (the other team I'm assigned to)...but I went around to help anyway. The North View guys are very sociable, but they play a hell lot.
I can't believe people can actually listen to Mr GuoZheng. He's fuck boring. Those who can listen AND understand him deserves bigclaps.
I tried talking to the SCGS girls on the technical...they were so...quiet :p. Ilhammi keeps running around doing his usual stuff, like running up to some girls and going "Hello ladies, need an help?"...etc...
The other days were very pleasant. It was really nice getting to know the SCGS girls, the Hwa Chong guys and the North View guys. They were all really fun people. WeiZe, Derek, ChinYing, Prasaan, Joshua, Robin, Asri, Michelle, Josephine, Lydia...wow I can't believe I can remember all their names.
But don't think I hog the SCGS team everyday (I know you are thinking that...). I helped alot of teams so I was pretty happy getting to know everyone in my room. I'm not like Minghui 24/7 sit with the Whitley girls except for lunch breaks. It's kinda scary to see YangZhi and Minghui sitting with them 24/7...watching movies, chatting...hitting on them and stuff. If I were the girls I would be reallllly uncomfortable. There were seriously a bunch of guys surrounding them.
I was wrong actually, YangZhi and Minghui doesn't sit with *them*. They were actually hitting on *one* of them. I heard that...wat...during an MSN convo one day after the whole SGCC, the other (not-so-pretty) girl was kinda...ignored. Ilhammi kinda felt sorry and tried to console her. It's really a case of pretty girl but not so good personality vs not-so-pretty girl but good personality. Feels like it just jumped right out of a drama series. Anyway, I'm not really involved in whatever happens there...but this is just a rough picture of what is going on.
WeiZe from Hwa Chong is fuck funny. He keeps telling me "Sorry to bother you, later you can go back to them(SCGS)." -_-;;; What the hell man... His expressions are also quite fun. He is damn different from the rest of his quiet teammates. They're lucky to have a friend like him, although I don't know whether they deserved to win.
The NVSS4 team were also a fun bunch. They were all very very active when I tried to be funny at the overhead projector. I mean...their game is called "The Sick Retarded King". If that doesn't catch your attention I don't know what will.
I'm glad my SCGS team (Vector Blenders) didnt' end up quiet. Seriously. I was afraid that after the first day, my team would be very shy/quiet/inactive. Well, thankfully they are not. I think they ended up being the noisiest bunch in the whole room haha.
But seriously. When they gave me and Jason (my DMD counterpart) presents, I was totally speechless. Those chocolates really don't look cheap. But I think the cards hit the soft spot. I ended up going home and reading them for quite some time. Now I know how people feel when they receive cards. Not only that, they bought me another on Saturday. Gosh how much did you girls spend on me dammit >.<.....On second thoughts, I think I'd rather not know. God I was so happy that day lololololol.
I talked to Miss Lum about the judging. Apparently it IS all about the presentation, which is quite silly in my opinion. I don't think most of the secondary school students were prepared to present. Supposedly they were meant to try to 'sell' their game. Anyway it's all over. At least everyone had a fun time...I wish I could say the same for the upcoming piano examination lol. Anyway, that's all for this blog post I guess. We had a really fun time, went out with Asri, Josephine and Lydia for dinner that Saturday...too bad Michelle couldn't join us =(
Anyway, I'm glad everyone got home safe. I was kinda worried there. It's the exact same feeling I get when I see my sis going home late in school uniform.
Pictures! (Taken from the SCGS IT club website...so you don't see Hwa Chong...I knew I should've took photo with them too =/)
- From left: Lydia, Me, Asri, Josephine, Michelle. Dammit why I look so sotong.
- I look damn yandao here lol
- This look looks completely new. I thought I was already smiling...why do I keep ending up smirking? -.-
- Funniest pic. Azman the Worker :p
--------
PS: I saw Robin during the last day. He gave me a 'I'm angry but I'm not' conversation. But seriously...$250 for a freelance job lasting 2 weeks? No problem. With sleepless nights and delays? No deal. Period. I'm not going to be a nice guy and salvage everything for the sake of $250. I could work at MacDonald's for more than that within a WEEK. I think I'm too nice when it comes to work =/.
I could still remember the very first day when all of us 'student leaders' received our allocated groups. I scrolled down the list to find my beside the 'Singapore Chinese Girls School' tag. My first expression was joy like any other guys' would be, more so because my course is deprived of girls. Mr Quah came up to me and asked me who I have been assigned to. When I replied, he gave me a smile and shook my hand. Mr Quah is damn godly okay.
During the first day, every secondary school students was split up between design and technical side. I couldn't find Hwa Chong (the other team I'm assigned to)...but I went around to help anyway. The North View guys are very sociable, but they play a hell lot.
I can't believe people can actually listen to Mr GuoZheng. He's fuck boring. Those who can listen AND understand him deserves bigclaps.
I tried talking to the SCGS girls on the technical...they were so...quiet :p. Ilhammi keeps running around doing his usual stuff, like running up to some girls and going "Hello ladies, need an help?"...etc...
The other days were very pleasant. It was really nice getting to know the SCGS girls, the Hwa Chong guys and the North View guys. They were all really fun people. WeiZe, Derek, ChinYing, Prasaan, Joshua, Robin, Asri, Michelle, Josephine, Lydia...wow I can't believe I can remember all their names.
But don't think I hog the SCGS team everyday (I know you are thinking that...). I helped alot of teams so I was pretty happy getting to know everyone in my room. I'm not like Minghui 24/7 sit with the Whitley girls except for lunch breaks. It's kinda scary to see YangZhi and Minghui sitting with them 24/7...watching movies, chatting...hitting on them and stuff. If I were the girls I would be reallllly uncomfortable. There were seriously a bunch of guys surrounding them.
I was wrong actually, YangZhi and Minghui doesn't sit with *them*. They were actually hitting on *one* of them. I heard that...wat...during an MSN convo one day after the whole SGCC, the other (not-so-pretty) girl was kinda...ignored. Ilhammi kinda felt sorry and tried to console her. It's really a case of pretty girl but not so good personality vs not-so-pretty girl but good personality. Feels like it just jumped right out of a drama series. Anyway, I'm not really involved in whatever happens there...but this is just a rough picture of what is going on.
WeiZe from Hwa Chong is fuck funny. He keeps telling me "Sorry to bother you, later you can go back to them(SCGS)." -_-;;; What the hell man... His expressions are also quite fun. He is damn different from the rest of his quiet teammates. They're lucky to have a friend like him, although I don't know whether they deserved to win.
The NVSS4 team were also a fun bunch. They were all very very active when I tried to be funny at the overhead projector. I mean...their game is called "The Sick Retarded King". If that doesn't catch your attention I don't know what will.
I'm glad my SCGS team (Vector Blenders) didnt' end up quiet. Seriously. I was afraid that after the first day, my team would be very shy/quiet/inactive. Well, thankfully they are not. I think they ended up being the noisiest bunch in the whole room haha.
But seriously. When they gave me and Jason (my DMD counterpart) presents, I was totally speechless. Those chocolates really don't look cheap. But I think the cards hit the soft spot. I ended up going home and reading them for quite some time. Now I know how people feel when they receive cards. Not only that, they bought me another on Saturday. Gosh how much did you girls spend on me dammit >.<.....On second thoughts, I think I'd rather not know. God I was so happy that day lololololol.
I talked to Miss Lum about the judging. Apparently it IS all about the presentation, which is quite silly in my opinion. I don't think most of the secondary school students were prepared to present. Supposedly they were meant to try to 'sell' their game. Anyway it's all over. At least everyone had a fun time...I wish I could say the same for the upcoming piano examination lol. Anyway, that's all for this blog post I guess. We had a really fun time, went out with Asri, Josephine and Lydia for dinner that Saturday...too bad Michelle couldn't join us =(
Anyway, I'm glad everyone got home safe. I was kinda worried there. It's the exact same feeling I get when I see my sis going home late in school uniform.
Pictures! (Taken from the SCGS IT club website...so you don't see Hwa Chong...I knew I should've took photo with them too =/)
- From left: Lydia, Me, Asri, Josephine, Michelle. Dammit why I look so sotong.
- I look damn yandao here lol
- This look looks completely new. I thought I was already smiling...why do I keep ending up smirking? -.-
- Funniest pic. Azman the Worker :p--------
PS: I saw Robin during the last day. He gave me a 'I'm angry but I'm not' conversation. But seriously...$250 for a freelance job lasting 2 weeks? No problem. With sleepless nights and delays? No deal. Period. I'm not going to be a nice guy and salvage everything for the sake of $250. I could work at MacDonald's for more than that within a WEEK. I think I'm too nice when it comes to work =/.
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