Perilous Heights – Part 2

(This is a continuation of a previous short story. If you haven’t already, I highly suggest you read Part 1 first.)

The group followed her through the entrance, everyone abuzz with wonder and amazement. Jack looked from side to side, seeing gates with trumpeting angels folded back behind the ten foot walls surrounding the entrance. Of course they made angelic gates, he thought unsurprised.

The entrance to Cloud City diverged into three paths, one to the left and right with a larger main path continuing down the middle towards a tall skyscraper in the distance. Although tightly compacted, everyone moved at once, following impromptu lanes of travel as if they were human vehicles.

Legend of Grimrock – A Storied Review Unedited

Preface

I had this idea to write a spoiler-free storied review of Legend of Grimrock, using the characters I made within the game as a means of explaining the game. I thought it would work because there’s not much to the game, but I’m not so sure I achieved the goal.

I’ll let you be the judge.

Horror in the First!

I’m walking down a corridor in a first person game minding my own business when I turn a corner and come face-to-face with a giant spider that proceeds to jump at me with a loud, “SKREEEEEE!” Making a similar high-pitched squeal, I literally jump away from my computer in fright, trying to physically avoid the virtual attack. It takes me a few seconds to reach over and hit pause to keep my team from dying, and another few minutes to gather my bearings and enough courage to face the abomination and its subsequent hive of brothers and sisters (Because of course there isn’t just one!).

Perilous Heights – Part 1

The shuttle doors slid open as Jack swore under his breath, “I’ll never be late again in my life.” The shuttle was packed enough to make a clown car envious. Even with nowhere else to go, Jack still couldn’t muster enough courage to step outside.

A random stranger shouted from the back, “Go already! Stop holding up the line!” Full of anticipation, the crowd wasn’t going to wait for long.

Leaning outside the shuttle just a bit, Jack looked down. NOPE, he thought, but just as Jack moved backward someone pushed him from behind.

KotOR 2: A Study on Rushed Development

(Special thanks to Fh2Hi for gifting KotOR 2 and making this possible.)

I’m not a major Star Wars fan. I’ve watched the movies, played a few games and even read a few Star Wars books back when I was younger, but I’m far removed from anything that resembles a Star Wars fan-boy.

I wrote the previous article, KOTOR: A Study in Gaming Longevity, because I was fascinated with how long the game had remained relevant in the gaming community. Sure, there are games that have existed longer and are still popular to this day but it’s a game released in my lifetime, I remember the release hype surrounding it and seeing it run Day 1. I was in a unique position to play it a decade later and discover if the game still held up or if it was fondly remembered due to the Star Wars trademark and nostalgia factor. I had no biases.

The Best Work Lead Yet (Journey Update)

I believe there are few things worse than false hope. Being teased with light at the end of the tunnel only for it to have been an illusion the entire time is cruel and painful. We’ve all experienced it to some degree and after being burned numerous times I’m careful not to be hopeful of anything anymore.

The past week is a perfect example. It looked like I’d finally caught a break. I had a potential client respond and tell me how he was looking for someone untainted by corporate and collegiate habits, someone looking to prove themselves by taking over a startup from the ground floor and building something from nothing.

Who Are You?

Let’s play a hypothetical game. You’re getting off the bus after finishing your part time shift at McDonald’s, praying each month you get enough hours just to make rent. While walking down the sidewalk you see a wallet. Out of pure curiosity – I believe we all have a bit of Curious George in us – you decide to pick up the wallet and see what’s inside.

The first thing you notice are a stack of bills – $500 to be precise. The rest of the contents are pretty mundane, some credit cards, membership IDs, a few receipts, let’s say a social security card, and of course the owner’s license.

So I ask the obvious question, what would you do?

To Dogmeat!

Alright! Let’s load up Fallout! Click play on Steam… Let’s hit new game… Oh man, these animations are pretty solid for 1997… Character created, Locke is ready to go… Aw yeah, I’m in a cave… uh… um… Someone want to tell me how to shoot?!

That encapsulates my first few moments with Fallout. I was thrown into a cave with some basic equipment and a time sensitive task. No tutorial, no overview of the controls, nothing. I had to learn how to do even the simplest tasks in the game the hard way, through trial-and-error.

KOTOR: A Study in Gaming Longevity

If you’ve been following my blog then you’re probably aware that I’ve fallen upon some hard times. The only real items of value I have left are my laptop and the clothes on my back. It’s during hard times such as these that gaming can be a massive comfort, quieting the stomach rumblings and pulling your mind off to a galaxy far far away.

Complements to the Chef

Brownie points if you get this picture.

I had a couple different posts planned for today, but you’re getting this one because I’m hungry.

I can’t write when I’m hungry. It’s the one issue I can’t push through when I sit down to write. I’m one of those people who keeps their mind going on so many other tasks that I will literally forget to eat for an entire day. But as soon as I sit down to write it’s like my body does a diagnostic check and drains every bit of focus I have if I’m running on E.