Stay a while, and listen!
So, this weekend is the free beta weekend for Diablo 3. Diablo 2 was probably the first 'M' rated game I ever played, and it was quite addicting. I never got as into it as my father did, but it was still something I could rely on for a good time.
In the interest of science, and nothing else, I decided to play the beta. For science mind you. And not because I love Diablo.
Honest.
The Camping trip.
"Look stranger. If we are gonna share strange stories, I got one for you. You wont believe me...no one ever believes me...but I promise you, every single word of this story is true. I remember it so vividly... I wont ever forget it. Hell buy me another drink, and I will tell you, alright? The story starts plain enough... see, my buddy invited me camping..."
"It was a year ago...some time in...May, I think, don't really remember that anymore. I remember it was getting warm, so when one of my buddies around the office asked if I wanted to come up to his cabin in the woods, I jumped at the chance. It was just gonna be me and him, and hunting and fishing for the weekend. It sounded fantastic! As the weekend drew closer, we got news of some shitty weather, but whatever that wasn't going to stop me!"
"Unfortunately I was the only one who felt that way. I got to the cabin late Friday to find it empty. My buddy called me and said he couldn't make it up, thanks to the shitty weather. I was gonna be alone in the middle of no where all weekend. To you that may sound bad, but to me that sounded perfect, exactly what I needed to clear my head! Oh man, if only I had fucking known what was going to happen. Where was I? Oh yeah. Friday night. So I get in, and the weather was already looking shitty, so I locked down the house, and got ready for bed. I made sure all the windows and doors were locked, 'cause there were stories of bears in the area. It god dark FAST thanks to that storm, and...I dunno, I can already see you looking at me funny, but I swear I felt like I was being watched as I went through the house. I kept seeing...something out of the corner of my eye out the windows, but i would look close and there was nothing there! I dunno, I was freaked out, so when I finally went to bed, I had my gun ready...pass me another drink will you? Thanks."
"Anyway. So. It took me forever to fall asleep, and just before I did, it started to rain. I have no idea how long it was, but I woke up a while later and it was just...it was friggen pouring! I thought for sure the house was gonna come down! I tried to get back to sleep, but that was when I heard something in the kitchen. Man, I wish I had just...stayed in bed, maybe all of this could have been avoided. Anyway, I figured it must have been a bear, scared in here by the storm. I grabbed my rifle, and made my way there. I got into the kitchen and found the back door WIDE open, like somethin' smashed it. Now I thought for sure it was a bear..."
"...It wasn't a bear. I don't know what it was, I never got a good look, but it fuckin' hit me from behind as soon as I moved over to that door. It knocked me down, my gun was knocked away...I had no idea what was going on! All I saw was shadow, and claws, and...oh god the eyes...I'm sorry, I need a minute."
"...Sorry. I just...those eyes still give me nightmares. They were red, like... fiery red. I can't describe them, but they were all I remember. Nothing of this earth could have eyes like that...and it's smell! It smelled like a trash heap rolled in sewage! I don't remember how I got away from it, but the next thing I knew I was running through the rain, using flashing lightning to guide me away from that...horrible place. I got lost, I got so lost. I ended up in a cave, I honestly couldn't find it again if I tried...and I did, after all this was over. I curled up in the cave...I was bleeding too, it scratched my leg, whatever it was. I curled up, and I cried, and I must have passed out at some point because when I woke up, it was morning. I was tired, and I was woozy, but at first I couldn't figure out what woke me up. Then I smelled it... that..stench! I got out of that cave as fast as I could, and as I ran, I looked back...and in that cave...was those eyes again. It musta come in a back way..."
"...Sorry. I just...I needed another minute. So I ran again, and then after a bit I just...walked. I was lost, and by now I was hungry. I don't know how long passed...I came across a river, and I drank some, but I heard this...this noise behind me. It was like a roar, but not quite...so I kept moving, faster now. It went on like this all day. I would find a place to rest, or catch my breath...and then I would hear that roar, or I would smell it...or I would see those goddamn eyes in between some trees. I swear to god it was fucking with me, waiting until I dropped dead. Night fell, but I got no rest, none. I would stop for a moment, and then it would be right there, so I kept on goddamn running. I don't remember how long. It was at least a day, but it coulda been so much longer. I would have died, in those fucking woods...if I hadn't run into that ranger. Or...well ok he ran into me. I ran out into a path, I didn't even know it was a fucking path...and he hit me with his jeep. He was so worried about me, I was hysterical by then, screaming and yelling about this...thing. He didn't believe me, he went to his truck to radio in that he found someone. It...it...oh god..."
"I'm sorry, I just...I still remember...it...it fucking came out of the woods. I still didn't get a good look at it, but...fuck. All it left of that ranger was his head. It ran back into the woods, and the head...it kept fucking trying to scream, even with no air! I just...I fucking lost it. I got in that car and I hauled ass down that road and never looked back."
"...They found me miles down the road, near a town. I musta blacked out at the wheel, because I was in a ditch. I was in fuckin' terrible shape. My leg was infected, I was beaten, screaming jibberish, covered in scratches, hungry, tired, and just...I don't know how I survived. They got me to a hospital...I was in there for days, they had to get me psychiatric help, convinced me it was a bear...it wasn't no fucking bear, I don't care what they said. I still see those eyes at night...Anyway, you got your story. That's why everyone 'round here thinks I am crazy. I ain't! I still think that thing is chasing me...waiting. Ugh. I should get home before I can't walk, thank's for listening..."
Those were the last words of a man found dead in his mid-sized suburban home Friday. Neighbors reported loud noises, screaming, and a foul stench from his home at around two in the morning Friday night. Police found the front, and back doors shattered inward. The scene was described as 'gruesome', as pieces of the man were found scattered throughout the house in pools of blood. Some experts are calling it a bear attack, but in light of this story, that opinion is up in the air. I tried to get this story to the press, but they rejected it, saying it was simply the ramblings of a drunk man. I don't know anymore.
An apology, a promise, and 2.5k words of origin story.
(( so you may notice I haven't been around a lot. If my traffic counter is correct, you have not, because you do not actually exist. In any case, I am going to step up writing. I am going to try going back to my Monday evening reschedule. In the mean time, since Champions takes all my time and writing, here is my characters origin story. ))
Victor Gentilis was born in poverty, the fourth son in a family that could barely afford food, never mind electricity. From a very early age, they realized he was special. He was incredibly bright, and obsessed with time travel. By age five, when most children are still obsessing over books about dinosaurs, Victor was reading thick novels on the subject of time travel. By the age of twelve, his obsession was becoming unhealthy. It may have actually caused him to go insane, if it wasn't for his best, and only friend Max.
Max's family was slightly better off than Victor's (then again, nearly everyone's was), but Max didn't rub in his face. He bought lunch at school for Victor when he couldn't afford it. On Tuesdays they would sometimes go to the movies together, with Max paying for both of them. Victor asked him time and time again what he could do to repay this kindness, but Max just shook his head and say "One day Victor, you will pay me back.” One night, the two boys were staying over at Max's house. They had been playing 'super hero' all day, and were now just lazing about in Max's room. Victor sat up, and looked over at Max. "One day Max...I am going to discover the secret to time travel." he said. There wasn't any doubt in his voice. Max sat up too, and met his gaze. “I know." he said, no doubt in his either. "And when you do, you call me. I don't care if we aren't speaking any more, or whatever. You call me, because then you will finally pay me back. Pinky-swear." he said, holding up his pinky. Victor locked pinkies, and they made a promise.
Champions most of the time online
I sort of lost the plot on this blog a while back. Between school (which has been brutal), work (which has been slightly less brutal), and trying to still have a social life, I never seem to have time to game anymore! I have a few games half finished that I want to talk about (especially gears of war), but very few that I have played to completion. So instead I will talk about the MMO that has been eating up my time.
No its not World of Warcraft.
The loading screen is seriously the best title screen I could find.
Short Story: The mage
It's funny, where life takes you sometimes. This thought was running repeatedly though Serin's head as he mentally ran through what he had to do. In front of him stood a gnoll hoard. If you have never seen a gnoll, you are lucky. Twice a mans height, and easily four times their mass, they resemble a cross between a barbarian, a dog, and teeth. One is bad, even for a seasoned adventurer. The record for most defeated by one man is ten, and he wasn't much of man by the end of it, more of a stump. Standing before Serin wasn't ten, there was a thousand.
Any sane man would have been long gone, but Serin was stubbornly standing his ground, in a gap between two sheer cliffs, preparing himself for what was certainly going to be death. The reason he stayed was behind him, his friends, fleeing the horde. They needed a distraction, and Serin had volunteered. It wasn't just him being a little suicidal, it was practical. He was the only mage in the group, and he had come up with the clever plan of blowing up the cliffs, and forming a wall out of this valley.
Beginners Guide to League of legends.
As I have mentioned in the past, League of Legends is a tough game. There is a lot to remember, and a lot to learn.
But there are some things that are universal, that go beyond the different characters. Lessons I wish I had been taught when I first started playing. Lessons that will make any player much, much better. Today I am going to try to teach you some of these things.
Now before I begin let me say this; I am not a great player. I am alright, I hold my own, I once got a pentakill, but I am certainly no expert. These are simply tips to improve your game.
See, I did!
STUFF.
You may have noticed I have been quiet recently. I have been traveling a lot, but the real reason is very simple. I can't quite bring myself to say it, but I think most of you will be able to guess exactly what it is.
But I am trying to get back into the flow now. Lets talk about some of the new stuff a bit, and then expand on it more later.
Stuff! About money!
There wont be a regular post this week due to things outside of my control, so heres something I wrote for the escapist. They rejected it, but it would be a shame to waste it. Enjoy! Also no pictures this week, maybe I will go out and add more relevant pictures later.
I love videogames, and I suspect that most people reading this do too. I loved them so much, I went into a game development course at a local college, and very rapidly discovered that making games has next to nothing to do with videogames themselves. We are repeatedly discouraged from playing games as they eat up too much free time, and I have been told no less than three times "You can’t make money playing games." This is a flat out lie, and one that frankly I think a lot of people believe. How can you make money gaming? Well let’s look into that shall we.
Mount Up!
Today I am going to talk about a series of games called "Mount and Blade". Mount and Blade I find fascinating, because it started as a small project between a guy and his wife. It now spans across three games, even though almost all of them are the same.
The first one, the original Mount and Blade, was a third person action 'fantasy' game. The entire idea was to make a game all about mounted combat, as there wasn't one just yet. As far as gameplay goes, it was actually brilliant. Your speed was worked into impacts, so if you could hit a man with your sword at full speed on a horse, it was almost always fatal. It also took a realistic approach to shooting, in that if you weren't trained in the use of a bow, you never hit anything.
It wasn't perfect. It looks awful, but you get used to it. The interface was confusing, and it tended to be a bit unforgiving (I have yet to get beyond the beginning, as I always lose every fight). Its real strength is its mods, some of which are worth the game just for the mod (for example, Mount and Blade, Star wars: Conquest. It's a Star Wars mod (obviously) that lets you play a third person Star wars Brawler, which is amazingly fun).
The next game in the series was Mount and Blade Warband. The big change was the addition of multiplayer, which was alright. They also upped the graphics, added a new faction to single player, new weapons, and more. All around, it was a much better game, at the cost of the modding community. Sure there were still a few mods, but Conquest isn't available for Warband, nor is most of the others. If you are a fan of mods, the first one is the better choice. If you like standard fantasy games, go with Warband.
Sorry. No pictures just yet, you will see why.
Saints Row Bitches!
So more and more details about Saints row 3 (also known as Saints Row The Third) are coming out, and I think it's about time I went ahead and said it.
I want this game more than anything else. This is my game, it may as well have been made for me. I have logged 100+ hours in Saints Row 2 and if this game is even half as good as the last, this will destroy me.
So lets look at a few things, and start with a nice desktop like I usually do.
Like this one.