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Year End Wrap Up -- 2007-12-19
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This has been a pretty good year for me, both in my career and for this website. This time last year I was doing the same job for half the pay, and I hated my job and most of the people in it. Now I actually look forward to getting up and going to work in the morning, something I didn't even believe was possible.
Od Studios has grown by 122 articles this year, roughly 1 article per 3 days. That's pretty good for a website where the content is all original and not produced by a team of writers and editors. I can also say with confidence that my writing has improved drastically since the first articles were posted. You can really tell the difference if you read an old article from 2003, and then read one of the new articles posted this year.
The last article of the year is called Designing Realistic Loot. Here's an excerpt:
"...invariably you've played a game in which a grizzly bear dropped a spear or gold pieces were left behind by a giant rat and you wondered exactly where the monsters are hiding these items. While the loot system is engaging in the fact that you don't know what you're going to get, it's laughably unrealistic. This is something that has always bothered me, and I wondered what it would take to create a "realistic" loot distribution system."
I want to thank each and every one of you for reading the site, and here's to hoping that you get lots of video games for Christmas.
-- sector24 |
It all seems so silly now -- 2007-12-11
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Having sworn off World of Warcraft for just over a year now, I think I've regained a more proper perspective on the game and the people in it. When you're playing, stupid trivial garbage seems so important, and your priorities are just so warped. Today's article is on How to Run a Successful Guild and in it I explain what it takes to run both a casual and a hardcore guild, and explain what happened with our World of Warcraft guild. Hopefully it's an accurate representation of events, I tried to collaborate with the people from the guild that I still talk to. If not, well send me an email or leave a comment. I'd like to hear about how you're doing regardless.
-- sector24 |
Not Balki -- 2007-12-10
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Today's article is called Perfect Strangers. It's a light philosophy piece about fortune cookies, trust, and using people's misconceptions against them. And let's be honest, who doesn't like fortune cookies?
I also have a review of Final Fantasy XII for those of you who have just awoken from a coma.
-- sector24 |
Damn you, Esmerelda -- 2007-11-21
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Today is a review of Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space. Since it's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, you probably aren't doing anything at work and this is the perfect game for you.
-- sector24 |
You take worst-quality crab -- 2007-11-20
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When I first got back into writing for the website, I had a huge list of articles that I wanted to write. I catalogued them all and one by one I tackled them through 2006 and 2007. Having methodically extruded all my old article ideas by the end of May, I have basically been running on empty since then. Every couple days I think of something that might make a good article, and I take a stab at it. Some of them end up being good enough to warrant more time spent polishing, while others are complete garbage. The problem is that my greatest source of inspiration, my white collar misery, has all but been eliminated. For instance, last week my company gave every employee a frozen turkey for Thanksgiving. Who does that!? Apparently we do, because we're awesome. I couldn't even eat that much food, I ended up donating it to the rescue mission.
Today's article is about my family. Hopefully they won't be offended by it, but to be honest I'm pretty sure that they don't even read the site. According to the web statistics most of you are looking for pre-60 instance guides for World of Warcraft, or how to set up a DKP system. My friends and family for the most part don't connect with the video game portion of the website, and they don't check back often enough for the whimsical articles about my dreams or how environmentalism is funny in an absurd and hypocritical way. But if by some strange accident they happen on this article, just remember that I love each and every one of you; even moreso when you live faraway.
-- sector24 |
Don't give kids clothes for Christmas -- 2007-11-16
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It's rapidly approaching that time again. The season of buying worthless junk in the attempt to prove to your friends and family that you're not a total heel. The Art of Gifting will help you look thoughtful.
-- sector24 |
Why did you have to call it a Wanzer? -- 2007-11-12
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Today's article is a review of Front Mission which has recently been ported to the DS. Apparently it's a lot more popular in Japan, I hadn't heard of it until it was released a few weeks ago.
-- sector24 |
Another reason to love the internet -- 2007-11-02
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Today's article is a game review of Battle for Wesnoth. This is a high quality game that you can download for free at www.wesnoth.org. Long live free video games and the internet.
-- sector24 |
Free Candy For Some, Smashed Pumpkins for Others -- 2007-10-30
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Halloween is great primarily for the free candy, but as you get older all you're left with is that one day a year when you get to be someone other than yourself. In that vein I'm going to be a regular blogger today and tell you about some of the dreams I've had on the days I didn't want to go to work. Please enjoy The Sleeper Hold.
-- sector24 |
Article Backlog -- 2007-10-26
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One of the problems with the internet is that we have become a content hungry society. For every faithful web surfer, there are 100 people that find a new website, read months or years of content, and then never visit it again and rather find a new site to devour.
Unlike Fark, which provides hundreds of links a day, the content on this site is original and therefore it takes a long time to write, review, edit, revise, review, edit and finally post. So if you look at the number of posts in October, it's quite sparse. That doesn't mean I haven't been writing, it just means that I haven't been posting. However, all that is over now because I have a large update for you.
First I have a very comprehensive article on SRPG Combat Engines. This is by far my largest article to date at 9 pages. So make sure you grab a sandwich and a drink before you dig in. Next is an article on Integrated Gaming where I get to talk about hybrid games and mixing genres. I also wrote an article on Addictiveness in Gaming in which I profess both my love and hate of the current state of the gaming industry and MMOs among other things.
In the realm of philosophy, I've written an article on Moral Luck. Chances are, you've never heard of this concept. However, I think it is both interesting and relevant even for non-philosophers so I encourage you to give it a read.
And since the white collar slavery articles are by far the most popular, I have an addition called Company Culture. It's not as miserably entertaining as my old articles, but I just don't have any more misery to give.
So all in all, a month's worth of writing should keep you occupied for at least a couple hours. I will probably have one more update this month, but things will wind down as the holiday season approaches and I submit to the carnal pleasures of overeating and buying gifts that people don't really want but grudgingly accept. Good times had by all.
-- sector24 |
Your skill in reading my articles has increased! (358) -- 2007-10-25
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Today's article is on use based skills. In my opinion they are evil evil devices used to enslave mankind. But hey, they work so don't expect them to go away anytime soon.
-- sector24 |
Belatedly, you drop dead -- 2007-10-22
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This weekend someone pointed me in the direction of a game called Incursion. It's a neat CRPG in the style of Nethack, and you can read the review here.
-- sector24 |
I stare because I care! -- 2007-10-08
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Today's article is a review of Luminous Arc for the DS. It can't hold a candle to any of the Final Fantasy Tactics games, but it's not bad. I can honestly say that I laughed out loud at a few points in the game's dialog. If you like strategy RPGs, it's a good speed bump while you wait for FFT A2.
-- sector24 |
Sorcery is just witchcraft for boys -- 2007-10-04
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Another large update today on Character Class Origins. This series of articles takes a look at the historical basis for video game characters classes. The link above goes to the assassin, and if you want to check out the others you can find them by clicking on the Game Research tab.
-- sector24 |
The Thracian Makes All the Girls Sigh -- 2007-10-03
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A big update today on Gladiators. The article is a compilation of all the well known gladiators, how they were equipped, and who they faced in the arena. This is a subject in which there are still new discoveries being made, and unfortunately there are many gladiators of which we have no visual evidence. However, based on what we do know, there are some modern gladiator schools in which people are reinventing the tactics that were used over 2000 years ago. Sounds like more fun than my job, that's for sure.
-- sector24 |
Happy National Halo Sick Day -- 2007-09-27
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Yesterday was like a white collar national strike, as gamers of all ages called in sick to play Halo 3. But today is national "wish it was yesterday" day, so that means there's an article to read. Fixing Diplomacy is about how easy it is to exploit tech trading and bribery in turn based games and possible ways to fix it.
-- sector24 |
The Quest for Truth -- 2007-09-25
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Today's article is entitled Necromancing the Stone. It is a look at liches and what makes them the coolest monsters in any video game.
Ogres are just fine for bashing stuff, but they're a very one dimensional opponent. The lich on the other hand is one of the few monsters that is self made. A human has to choose to become a lich, at great personal expense. Every lich has a story, and a purpose in death. They are very dynamic and interesting creatures, and their mythology goes to the heart of humanity's search for the self.
-- sector24 |
More MMO Based Articles -- 2007-09-24
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Two more articles today, one on creating A More Rewarding MMO and one on Why Virtual Economies Don't Work. It turns out that virtual economies do work, they just have unique constraints in order to keep the game fun.
-- sector24 |
Thinly Veiled Excuse to Talk about Final Fantasy Tactics -- 2007-09-18
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Two articles today, one on Designing a Player Run Game which continues some of the themes from articles posted last week. The other article is on Hiding Your Variables. It explains how the stat growth and leveling system work in Final Fantasy Tactics, and why it's important to protect your intellectual property.
-- sector24 |
I'm not evil, I'm just too weak to be good -- 2007-09-12
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Continuing the cyber ethics theme, today's article is on Developing an Ethical Infrastructure. It primarily applies to MMOs, but some of the ideas apply to games in general. Enjoy.
-- sector24 |
Social Value -- 2007-09-11
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Today's article is entitled, Why Ninja Looting is Wrong and it is one of the many topics that fall under the category of cyber ethics. I have more than a passing interest in philosophy, and cyber ethics is one of my favorite topics. This subset of ethics focuses on "right" and "wrong" in the online world where a person's identity is blurred by the existence of an avatar that both is and is not "you". So the next time someone jacks your shiny purple and tells you it's no big deal, you can point them to this article after you kick them out of your party.
-- sector24 |
The Ambitious Pantheon -- 2007-09-10
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Today's article is on Religion in Video Games. It's kind of a misleading title, as video games are largely devoid of religious content. But there are plenty of gods to kill and they usually have pretty good loot. Don't forget that you can rate the articles and leave comments, if are you are so inclined.
-- sector24 |
Surrender your productivity -- 2007-08-29
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Od Studios now has an arcade. There are over 700 flash games on the forum, so I'm sure everyone will find something they like.
-- sector24 |
Two Free Games to Try -- 2007-08-16
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I've reviewed two free games for the PC. Dungeon Runners is NC Soft's answer to Blizzard Entertainment, and Duels is a fun little up and coming web game. Both of them are free to play, with increased functionality if you dish out some real cash.
-- sector24 |
Site Upgrade -- 2007-08-13
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I know there hasn't been an update in awhile, and it's due to a couple of things. First, my project at work is coming to a close so it's crunch time. Second, my hands hurt like you wouldn't believe because I've been typing 40 pages a day for 3 weeks. When I get home the last thing I want to do is more typing. ;)
So instead, the site has been upgraded. You can now leave comments at the end of each article, and vote on the articles as well. We've got some other stuff planned for the site as well, but no reason to get your hopes up until it's finished. Hopefully the articles will return soon, so just hang in there.
-- sector24 |
The More You Know -- 2007-07-17
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Today's article is about Fictitious Armor. Believe it or not, sometimes the information in video games isn't 100% accurate. Who would have thought?
-- sector24 |
All bow before the fountain of blood -- 2007-07-16
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| It is my pleasure to review Dominions 3: The Awakening. This game reminds me of a fantasy version of Stars!, another fantastic game. It's complicated, but if that's what you're into then you should really play the demo at Shrapnel Games. -- sector24 |
Another weapon spotlight -- 2007-07-12
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My first spotlight article was on the Kris, a beautiful and mysterious dagger from Southeast Asia. This spotlight article is on the Rapier. It's not quite the ideal sword for a video game, but it has a rich and interesting history nonetheless.
-- sector24 |
Which spell school does healing fall under? -- 2007-07-11
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Today's article focuses on ways to define different spell schools in video games. And you can learn what the word Thaumaturgy means. Because once you learn what Orichalcum is, Thaumaturgy is the natural follow up...yeah.
-- sector24 |
More Research Please -- 2007-07-09
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Ever wondered what Orichalcum is? Me neither, until this article on Fantasy Metals came along and piqued my interest!
-- sector24 |
Bottom of the Heap -- 2007-07-06
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Od Studios is pleased to introduce a new series of articles by Woadun called Bottom of the Heap. This series of articles discusses the veritable lack of anything culturally significant in the 200Xs and pretty much anything else Woadun cares to offer.
Check out Woadun's first article on The Transformers movie.
-- Thexder |
The Making of an Artificial Intelligence -- 2007-07-03
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AI is one of my absolute favorite topics. This article series will help introduce budding AI researchers and programmers to the topic of Genetic Algorithms and how to apply them in an actual AI application.
The Making of an Artificial Intelligence
If anyone out there has a request for an article, feel free to send it to articles@odstudios.com. Put 'article' in the subject line to ensure it does not get filtered as spam.
-- Thexder |
Nibelung Valesti -- 2007-07-02
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For the past two weeks we've had consultants in the office helping us configure some software. I've been working one on one with someone for 10 hours a day, every day. It's pretty draining, so when I get home my mind is completely eroded and my higher brain functions don't work. Basically all I can do is cook, watch TV, and play video games. Of course I didn't have any new video games to play, so I had to go to my closet and dig up something. I was looking for Age of Wonders but I couldn't find it, so I played Warlords 2 for a day. Then I found Valkyrie Profile. The first time I played this game I didn't really like it, but there's something about my character that doesn't let me leave a game unfinished. So I got an emulator running on my PC and starting playing.
The game is so much better than I remembered it! Good enough to revise my review and repent my foolish ways. Unfortunately the emulator doesn't play CD 2 very well, so while I was trying to figure out how to get that working I also played Evil Genius. You can click on the links to read the reviews or go to the game reviews section of the website.
-- sector24 |
The meek shall inherit the Earth...after all the @#&holes
have taken everything worth having -- 2007-06-18
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I wanted to jump on the environmentalism bandwagon before all the celebrities decide to fight super cancer or save endangered coal mines. You can read about the The Green Craze by clicking on the link or visiting the White Collar Slavery section.
P.S. The news title belongs to Nathan, I only wish I had thought of it first. End jealousy.
-- sector24 |
What's the Difference Between a Reflex and Recurve Bow? -- 2007-06-12
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My research into the crafting game has allowed me to do a little research into bows, and I wrote this article as a result. It's not terribly in depth, but this is surely a decent starting point to pique your interest in one of man's greatest inventions.
-- sector24 |
When Regular Books Aren't Enough -- 2007-06-08
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One thing that has always interested me is books in video games. I wonder how much someone gets paid to write that kind of content. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, reading this article may enlighten you.
-- sector24 |
Don't fall asleep in the dungeon -- 2007-05-29
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I decided to spend my Memorial Day weekend playing Etrian Odyssey. It's a pretty neat game, but it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea. Enjoy the game review and remember, dungeons aren't bedrooms! Stop sleeping on the job.
-- sector24 |
Vipons or Snakemen? -- 2007-05-16
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Here's a quick review of UFO: Extraterrestrials. I like the game and I'd like to finish it, but I don't have the time or the fortitude to sit through another hundred UFO crashes. Oh the sacrifices one must make...
-- sector24 |
Busy Week -- 2007-05-12
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I've been working extra hours this week, so this week's update is that there is no update. I'm going to spend the weekend playing UFO: Extraterrestrials, a modern X-COM clone. I'll have a review up in a week or two after explore the depths this game has to offer.
-- sector24 |
Straight From The Pulpit -- 2007-05-03
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I wrote a half article on Research on the Internet. It came out a little too preachy for my tastes, but it's still a valid point. If you don't like it, send me a stamped, self addressed envelope and I'll be sure to refund your money. (allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery)
-- sector24 |
Why is there a cooking pot on your head? -- 2007-05-01
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I've been doing a lot of game research lately, which allows me to write articles relating to that research. Today's article is on the History of Western Helmets. I can't say everyone will be interested, but for those of you with a hat fetish all I can say is "You're welcome."
-- sector24 |
Slow Week -- 2007-04-27
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It's been a busy week at work, so my second job of writing articles has suffered a bit. At times like these you should look for Four Retro Games Still Worth Playing.
-- sector24 |
Cooking with Oil -- 2007-04-19
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Two articles for you today, one on Creating an Immersive Universe and another game research article on the Kris.
-- sector24 |
New Addition to the Website -- 2007-04-17
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A new section of the website has been unveiled today called Game Research. This section will contain articles on historical and mythological information that can be used in video games. The first two articles are Identifying Knives, Daggers and Swords and Introduction to Weapon and Armorsmithing. If you would like to request an article on a specific topic feel free to do so on the forums.
-- sector24 |
Contributing Author -- 2007-04-17
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The gentleman who is contributing music for the upcoming release of Zen Marbles has submitted an article on his experiences at the 2007 Game Developer's Conference. It is a very interesting introduction for, we hope, more articles on the subject.
You can find the article here. -- Nightbird |
Puzzle Quest Review -- 2007-04-12
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I just beat Puzzle Quest today, so I posted my review of the game in the Game Reviews section. The site is also undergoing some improvements, so I'll be sure to let you readers know if there's anything you should be aware of.
-- sector24 |
White Collar Slavery is Back -- 2007-04-10
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I had an idea for another article and I couldn't pass up the chance to add to everyone's favorite section of the website. Oddly enough, even though I'm a contractor at my new company none of these things actually apply to me anymore. Without further ado, please bathe in The Joy of White Collar Contracting.
-- sector24 |
Happy Easter -- 2007-04-06
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The final chapter of the Diablo Journals is out today. It's a bit brief, but hey, I'm enjoying my Easter weekend.
-- sector24 |
Good Thursday -- 2007-04-05
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This weekend is Easter, a time of family gatherings, great food, and stolen eggs hatched from rabbits...or something. But before Easter is Good Friday, a day of complete injustice in which some employees get the day off and others don't. This is the first time I've worked at a company that has Friday off, so I've been introduced to a new holiday, Good Thursday.
Good Thursday is a holiday for people who are too greedy to enjoy a 3 day weekend and want to shoot for 3 and a half or even 4. In the words of my former boss, it's the day when you learn who "really works hard around here".
I'm joking of course, Good Thursday is not for greedy people, it's for everyone lucky enough to not work at a terrible company. Your Good Thursday article is Chapter 5 of the Diablo Journals. Enjoy.
-- sector24 |
Chapter 4 -- 2007-04-04
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Chapter 4 takes us through Diablo's catacombs and caves in search of Hell.
-- sector24 |
The Diablo Journals continue -- 2007-04-03
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Chapter 3 introduces the fun loving warrior to our sordid tale of adventure.
-- sector24 |
Chapter 2 -- 2007-04-02
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Today's Diablo journal is brought to you by the Rogue. May her adventures fill you with joy...or at least 5 minutes of cheap thrills.
-- sector24 |
Diablo Journals -- 2007-04-01
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| Another series of short articles will come out this week, based on the original Diablo. It would probably help if you were familiar with the game, but it's not entirely necessary. The first chapter can be read here. -- sector24 |
Trying Something New -- 2007-03-22
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The Chronicles of Retro Gaming section is all lonely, having only 1 little article. So I decided to add another one. It's a little out of my writing comfort zone, but it's good to try new things. Feel free to let me know what you think.
-- sector24 |
RPGs? Puzzles? Where do I sign up? -- 2007-03-21
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I'll be done with Final Fantasy III in about a week, so I ordered Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords for the DS. I checked the local EB Games and they hadn't heard of it, nor do they have a record of it in their database. I don't know if it's just that particular store (They didn't have the DS lite when I went there last week) or if the game has a low national distribution, but I had to order it on Amazon, so it won't arrive for several days. Sad face.
However it does give me time to write more articles, like these:
Ways to Make a Dynamic Economy
Why Nintendo is the Future of Gaming -- sector24 |
More Games Workshop Articles -- 2007-03-20
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Your daily dose of game design is here:
Breaking the Build Order Cycle
Rock Paper Scissors Designs
Using Linearity in Your Game
I have also written a short Final Fantasy 3 review.
-- sector24 |
Weekend Update -- 2007-03-17
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The first game I got with my DS is Final Fantasy III. I had forgotten just how heavily it draws upon the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset. I am also enjoying the fact that the game is moderately difficult, something that has been missing from most handheld games. Although I don't have a game review as of yet (I usually like to finish games before I review them) I did draw inspiration from the game to write this article.
-- sector24 |
Play Time -- 2007-03-13
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My Nintendo DS Lite arrived in the mail today, so productivity is likely to plummet. However, I squeezed out one last article for you, so enjoy.
-- sector24 |
Contributing Author -- 2007-03-12
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Nightbird has been kind enough to contribute two Games Workshop articles this weekend, and I also managed to write one. You can click on the links below or go to the Games Workshop tab on the right.
The Future of First Person Shooters
Random Number Generation
UDP vs. TCP/IP
I was also able to catch the movie 300 this weekend. This is what movie theaters were built for, people. Go and ye shall be entertained.
-- sector24 |
Weekend Update -- 2007-03-09
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I haven't written a Games Workshop article in a long time, but I think this one turned out well. Plus writing it spawned an idea for another article, so everybody wins.
-- sector24 |
Mission Objectives Updated -- 2007-03-08
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I have finished my backlog of game reviews:
Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor
Rebelstar: Tactical Command
Space Rangers 2
Tactics Ogre: Knight of Lodis
The Temple of Elemental Evil
X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter
It looks like I'm going to have to work on other areas of the website. I haven't decided whether I'm going to focus on the Games Workshop or start a new section to replace the White Collar Slavery section which has been so recently retired. We'll both find out soon I'm sure. -- sector24 |
If We Couldn't Be Friends I Don't Think I Could Bear It -- 2007-03-07
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I have numerous articles to present today. The first article is my observation of the culture differences between the north and south in this article. It's an interesting topic that's probably not covered frequently and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
My other articles are all game reviews that have been overdue. Click and ye shall receive.
Final Fantasy IX
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Medieval 2: Total War
Nethack
Rome: Total War
-- sector24 |
Obsession -- 2007-03-04
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This weekend I finally finished Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. I spent more time playing this game than any other with the exception of World of Warcraft and Everquest, and it is near and dear to my heart.
I have now officially finished all of the GBA games I intend to play, so I bought a Nintendo DS Lite this weekend. The obsession continues...
-- sector24 |
I'm Honest...Remember That Time I Was Honest With You? -- 2007-02-25
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Last September I wrote an article about Selling your Game Account, and I actually did sell 3 World of Warcraft accounts during that time period. One of the sections of that article was about possible scams that buyers can pull on you as a seller. Ironically, out of the 3 accounts I sold, one of the buyers used the scam I wrote about as if he had read my article.
He paid me for the account, and waited for me to give him a positive feedback on Ebay. He then proceeded to file a fraud claim against me for a 'significantly not as described item'. The process that Paypal uses is as follows:
1) Paypal seizes the assets in question and holds the funds in my bank account.
2) Paypal takes a statement from the buyer.
3) Paypal takes a statement from the seller. In my case, I had 110 characters to plead my case (barely enough to say anything substantive) and I was not allowed to speak with a Paypal representative or further elaborate after that.
4) After 30 days, Paypal decides to rule in favor of either the buyer or the seller, and the decision is final.
It's so frighteningly simple. First of all, I lost access to those funds for over 2 months, even though Paypal ruled in my favor. Second of all, I have no idea what rationale they use for judging the case, there is no way to elaborate on the situation, and no appeal. For my part, I was more than willing to work with the buyer on his issue and try to make it right for everyone, but that wasn't an option in the Papyal process. It is all very unsettling.
On an unrelated note, the review for Civilization IV is up. Prognosis? Great game. (As if there was any doubt) Enjoy!
-- sector24 |
Marketing at its Finest -- 2007-02-24
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If you missed the Burger King games that came out last November, you're just going to have to learn to live with regret for the rest of your life...
Not really. Although Big Bumpin' is actually a really fun game, Pocketbike Racer is only average and Sneak King is only good for the novelty. Click on the links to read the reviews, or just spend the $12 yourself, you damn cheapskate.
-- sector24 |
The Advantages of Unemployment -- 2007-02-14
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My new job doesn't start until tomorrow, so today I was able to write two game reviews that were overdue. (Hint: All the game reviews are overdue)
You can find them in the Game Reviews section or just click on the links below
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Legend of Mana
-- sector24 |
The End...For Now -- 2007-02-13
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My White Collar Slavery articles have come to an abrupt end. I have left my position at my former company and moved 500 miles away to a new job. I do plan on writing other articles, and if I hear anything about my old company I'll be sure to write about it for your benefit.
-- sector24 |
Quickie Article -- 2007-01-30
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| Today I have a quick article in the White Collar Slavery section with valuable management tips. Make sure to email the link to your boss, he'll thank you. -- sector24 |
The Battleground of the Next Decade -- 2007-01-29
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I have finally finished my article on Intellectual Property and Selling Virtual Items. It is a topic that holds a great deal of interest for me, and hopefully the article will pique your curiosity as well. I also have plans for two more White Collar Slavery articles as soon as I find the time to write them.
Currently my focus is on designing a new crafting game, where the player runs a smithy and makes weapons and armor for adventurers. It's coming along nicely, I think it's a big step up from the overly simplistic crafting system in World of Warcraft. I guess you will have to wait and see for yourselves.
-- sector24 |
Dodging Bullets -- 2007-01-10
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Our Manager of Quality Assurance is awesome. She pays more attention to detail than any two people at my company, which is often frustrating when you are submitting documents and have to reprint them due to a single comma or quotation mark. But days like today make it all worth it.
One of our clients schedules an audit of our company every 2 years per their corporate policy. However, this year our Manager of Quality Assurance was shrewd enough to notice that this was not covered in the contract. She politely reminded them that they would be billed for every hour that every employee participated in the audit, and they politely cancelled this year's audit.
Corporate policy: 0
Not wasting everyone's time: 1
-- sector24 |
Why Outsourcing is Bad -- 2007-01-05
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We take things for granted in the United States, especially when it comes to pharmaceutical drugs. In particular, people don't understand why drugs manufactured in the United States are so expensive, when drugs from Canada, Mexico and other countries are so cheap. Here is an excerpt from one of our audit reports for a facility in India:
Inadequate and/or outdated physical security measures including:
1. Data backup and recovery appears cumbersome and outdated.
2. No automatic user log off for unattended computerized systems.
3. Auditors were not required to sign in and/or obtain visitor's badges to access secured facilities.
4. Women's restroom has a large hole in the wall leading directly to the outside of the building.
You would hope that a "secure" facility would be slightly more secure than that. But to be perfectly honest, this is nothing compared to some of the stories I've heard about other facilities. Some sites in Mexico manufacture drugs in buildings infested with pigeons that frequently defecate on the equipment. Other sites pour medical waste products such as raw Benzene directly into the soil outside their manufacturing plants.
Undeniably, you can save some money by purchasing generic drugs. But the Food and Drug Administration is here to make sure that there's no pigeon crap in your heart medicine, and if that costs a little extra then so be it.
-- sector24 |
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