Imagine if I was to DELETE my WoW account? Wouldn't that be interesting?
Don't panic! I'm no going to go quite that far. But perhaps it's time to re-roll from Warlock? This is a question I often consider when things are just... well... boring as Destro. I felt it first in Warlords of Draenor, the expansion of the Destro heal-bot, where literally all of our damage came from 1 button. And I'm feeling it again now in Legion.
We've been through so many styles of gameplay this expansion, that I'm becoming convinced we're going to devolve into a puddle of chaos ooze by its conclusion. Firestone, Focused Chaos, nerfed Focused Chaos, Shadowburn-Cremation spec, and then back to Firestone again. It gives the player - or me at least - a real notion that the Devs just have absolutely no idea where they want the spec to be. Every time a new update is announced, it is with anxiety that I tab into 'mmo-champion.com', not excitement.
My thinking goes something like: 'What have they f**ked up this time? Let's have it'.
And they seldom disappoint. First the over-nerfing of Focused Chaos while ignoring the real problem of Destruction Mastery in PvP. Then Shadowburn was murdered, and now Cremation -
Sod it. I play the game for fun. Being a Destruction Warlock through and through used to be something worth being proud of, but somewhere between MoP and Legion, the sense of being an unrivaled badass died entirely. What's left of one of the most brutal, skill-based specs in the game is a lardy-arsed 4-button insult to everything the class used to represent. Hell, if I don't re-roll - at least for a while - I might just end up quitting!
...Or maybe we'll just continue playing Destruction, because such is life!
Saturday 3 December 2016
This War of Mine: Three-fiddy
I was looking for supplies when she got in the way. She had a gun. She was just trying to protect her friends. But so was I. If I didn't bring more food home soon, people were going to begin starving. So I stabbed this woman to death, took her weapon, then hid while another girl discovered her body and covered it with her own, wailing in utter despair. It'd been a game until then, then I understood exactly what This War of Mine really was.
It's a reality check. I've slain over 200,000 enemy players in World of Warcraft, hundreds of civilians in GTA and countless thousands more in other titles. One time in WoW, I tracked down a Hunter who had killed one of my low level characters. I held him still with my Succubus seduce, forcing him to look-on while I killed his pet (relevant in the days when Hunter pets had 'Happiness' ratings) before executing him with a Soulfire. I'm almost ashamed to say that I took great pleasure in every stage of the act.
But killing that woman in This War? Hearing the cries of the girl who found her? Her friend? Or was it her sister? There wasn't an ounce of pleasure in that. Every step I took toward her, I second guessed myself. Is there no other way to get past her? Should I leave this place and forage for supplies elsewhere? Could I just talk to her? But I couldn't risk that. If she killed me, who'd feed and care for the others waiting for me back home? They needed me, so I had no choice... did I?
Did I?
This is just one incident where this game forced me ask serious questions of myself. I'd think for days on the decisions I'd made, on the things I'd had to do to keep my survivors alive for another week. Did I really have to steal from that elderly couple? That soldier was power-drunk; he would've raped that girl if I hadn't intervened. That baby crying in the house... if only I'd brought my crowbar, I could've broke the door down and saved him.
The true triumph of This War of Mine is as above. For all it's simplicity, artistically and in regards to gameplay, there is something hauntingly real about the world that has been crafted and the stories that are woven therein. Visually the game delivers all that is required, a believable, broken city trapped in a warzone from which there is no escape. You get the sense that much time has passed and people have already grown accustomed to living like rats among the rubble. The sound track is just as despondent - perhaps even frightening - in the best most beautiful way possible, of course.
None of this is to say that the game is outright depressing, however. There are moments of relief and triumph that shine like diamonds among coal. There's the first time you build a radio, the first time you gather food and, if you're the daring type, the first time you save someone's life out of pure compassion. In this way, This War reminded me of Dark Souls 2, another unforgiving game set in a dreary, bleak world. In fact, so bleak was the mood and story of DS2 that many who played it decided that depression and hopelessness were themes deliberately laced into the gaming experience. They might be right. But in both titles, there are moments of intense relief should you have the will to earn them.
If you don't earn them, you'll die.
From this, it has to be said that This War does not hold your hand. There is no 'easy mode', and seldom are there short-cuts or welfare handouts. And even when there are handouts in-game, they are never truly without risk. You might choose a character to visit an aid supply drop to see what they can find. They might return with nothing, or with an injury as they fought over food or medicine with other survivors. They might not return at all. In an age of gaming where everyone is a winner - everyone gets epic items, medals just for participating and 'achievements' just for logging in, This War gives you nothing that you don't earn by putting the very lives of your survivors at risk. For that, I respect this title as much as I do the likes of Dark Souls and Darkest Dungeon.
I could go on. I could talk about the sense of connection you feel with your characters as their stories develop, the struggle of trying to survive through winter, the harrowing messages you can discover across the ruined city in letters, graffiti and on hastily carved wooden grave marks.
But the final point I'll mention is just how fresh it felt to be playing a game that didn't pretend that war and conflict was somehow 'sick' or 'awesome' (because, you know, no-scopes and s**t). It has always bothered me that I can switch on the news channel and see refugees being displaced, survivors of bombings in the middle east dragging the corpses of their loved ones from crumbling buildings - and that I feel very little.
I'm not a cold person. I do feel sympathy for people stranded in war-torn places, it's just that these places seem to me to be somehow millions of miles away. I'm never going to meet these people who's lives are being ripped to pieces by a war they want no part in. I just switch off the news and go back to playing games. This War of Mine is a medium for education on this front, and is still to this day the best 3.50 I've ever spent.
Catch it in the Steam summer sale!
Cob
It's a reality check. I've slain over 200,000 enemy players in World of Warcraft, hundreds of civilians in GTA and countless thousands more in other titles. One time in WoW, I tracked down a Hunter who had killed one of my low level characters. I held him still with my Succubus seduce, forcing him to look-on while I killed his pet (relevant in the days when Hunter pets had 'Happiness' ratings) before executing him with a Soulfire. I'm almost ashamed to say that I took great pleasure in every stage of the act.
But killing that woman in This War? Hearing the cries of the girl who found her? Her friend? Or was it her sister? There wasn't an ounce of pleasure in that. Every step I took toward her, I second guessed myself. Is there no other way to get past her? Should I leave this place and forage for supplies elsewhere? Could I just talk to her? But I couldn't risk that. If she killed me, who'd feed and care for the others waiting for me back home? They needed me, so I had no choice... did I?
Did I?
This is just one incident where this game forced me ask serious questions of myself. I'd think for days on the decisions I'd made, on the things I'd had to do to keep my survivors alive for another week. Did I really have to steal from that elderly couple? That soldier was power-drunk; he would've raped that girl if I hadn't intervened. That baby crying in the house... if only I'd brought my crowbar, I could've broke the door down and saved him.
The true triumph of This War of Mine is as above. For all it's simplicity, artistically and in regards to gameplay, there is something hauntingly real about the world that has been crafted and the stories that are woven therein. Visually the game delivers all that is required, a believable, broken city trapped in a warzone from which there is no escape. You get the sense that much time has passed and people have already grown accustomed to living like rats among the rubble. The sound track is just as despondent - perhaps even frightening - in the best most beautiful way possible, of course.
None of this is to say that the game is outright depressing, however. There are moments of relief and triumph that shine like diamonds among coal. There's the first time you build a radio, the first time you gather food and, if you're the daring type, the first time you save someone's life out of pure compassion. In this way, This War reminded me of Dark Souls 2, another unforgiving game set in a dreary, bleak world. In fact, so bleak was the mood and story of DS2 that many who played it decided that depression and hopelessness were themes deliberately laced into the gaming experience. They might be right. But in both titles, there are moments of intense relief should you have the will to earn them.
If you don't earn them, you'll die.
From this, it has to be said that This War does not hold your hand. There is no 'easy mode', and seldom are there short-cuts or welfare handouts. And even when there are handouts in-game, they are never truly without risk. You might choose a character to visit an aid supply drop to see what they can find. They might return with nothing, or with an injury as they fought over food or medicine with other survivors. They might not return at all. In an age of gaming where everyone is a winner - everyone gets epic items, medals just for participating and 'achievements' just for logging in, This War gives you nothing that you don't earn by putting the very lives of your survivors at risk. For that, I respect this title as much as I do the likes of Dark Souls and Darkest Dungeon.
I could go on. I could talk about the sense of connection you feel with your characters as their stories develop, the struggle of trying to survive through winter, the harrowing messages you can discover across the ruined city in letters, graffiti and on hastily carved wooden grave marks.
But the final point I'll mention is just how fresh it felt to be playing a game that didn't pretend that war and conflict was somehow 'sick' or 'awesome' (because, you know, no-scopes and s**t). It has always bothered me that I can switch on the news channel and see refugees being displaced, survivors of bombings in the middle east dragging the corpses of their loved ones from crumbling buildings - and that I feel very little.
I'm not a cold person. I do feel sympathy for people stranded in war-torn places, it's just that these places seem to me to be somehow millions of miles away. I'm never going to meet these people who's lives are being ripped to pieces by a war they want no part in. I just switch off the news and go back to playing games. This War of Mine is a medium for education on this front, and is still to this day the best 3.50 I've ever spent.
Catch it in the Steam summer sale!
Cob
Sunday 20 March 2016
Cut-throat Challenge | WoW Leveling / PvP Challenge
The Cut-throat Challenge begins at level 25 (from the moment your character hits that level)
RULES:
Link to Spy: http://mods.curse.com/addons/wow/spy
RULES:
- From level 25, you may no longer use heirloom weapons! Every other means of strengthening your character is fine, including heirloom armor, professions and talent specs.
- Whenever you acquire a new weapon that you can equip and use, a hunt begins. You must equip your new weapon and immediately find and kill a member of the opposing faction.
- Until you've scored a kill with your new weapon, no levelling progress can take place (no questing, no grinding mobs etc.) Once a kill has been made, you must continue to use this weapon until you acquire a newer one. And, of course, upon acquiring a new weapon, another hunt begins!
- Until you've scored a kill with your new weapon, no levelling progress can take place (no questing, no grinding mobs etc.) Once a kill has been made, you must continue to use this weapon until you acquire a newer one. And, of course, upon acquiring a new weapon, another hunt begins!
- New weapons can be acquired through looting mobs, crafting, the auction house, vendors and quests. If a weapon is dropped by a mob, it must be looted and used. (Every mob must be looted to avoid breaking this rule)
- A slain member of the opposing faction cannot be a 'grey' or 'green' level target. No ganking lowbies for easy kills! World PvP is advised, but BGs and Skirmishes can be queued too if you find those more fun!
- A slain member of the opposing faction cannot be a 'grey' or 'green' level target. No ganking lowbies for easy kills! World PvP is advised, but BGs and Skirmishes can be queued too if you find those more fun!
- Dungeons and raids are not advised (unless you are willing to leave your Dungeon group upon looting a new weapon to immediately hunt an enemy player.)
- Play a Warrior or something equally skilled with many different weapons. You're free to play a caster if you really want to, but it does somewhat defeat the object!
- Have fun! Add successfully 'blood-stained' weapons to your Weaponsmith character's bank as trophies, or take screenshots after every kill with a new weapon!
- (Recommended) Download the 'Spy' addon to help you track enemy players for killing. Probably a good idea to create your Cut-throat character on an enemy-dominated server too! For EU, a Horde player might make his/her character on Outland, for example.
Link to Spy: http://mods.curse.com/addons/wow/spy
- (Optional) Cut-throats are pirates, so get a cloth face mask equipped!
- (Optional) Want a real challenge? Do not die. Ever.
Think of this challenge like 'gun game' in COD. You can't get a new weapon - or make any progress with levelling - until you've scored a kill with your current weapon! The goal isn't to make it to max level. It's to derp around (or challenge yourself with 0 deaths) while we wait for Legion!
Think of this challenge like 'gun game' in COD. You can't get a new weapon - or make any progress with levelling - until you've scored a kill with your current weapon! The goal isn't to make it to max level. It's to derp around (or challenge yourself with 0 deaths) while we wait for Legion!
Monday 22 February 2016
Dark Souls 2: My New Favourite Game
What have I been missing all this time?
Never did I consider for a moment that after playing Dark Souls for only a few weeks that it would become such a source of excitement and - for lack of a better term - mild obsession in my life. But there it is. When I'm not playing, I'm thinking about where I'm headed next in Drangleic. When I am playing, I'm utterly enthralled by the visuals, the sense of impending death and the almost ghostly notion that every inch of the world I explore - and every item I obtain - is steeped in vague history. And when I sleep, it's to the voice of some Youtube narrator telling me about the lore of the universe itself and the denizens within it.
I'm absolutely gripped and only wish I'd discovered it all sooner!
So what is it that makes Dark Souls so obscenely good? I had to answer this question for myself upon reading a Youtube comment on one of my DS2 videos that read: "Boring. You just swing your sword over and over..." or something to that effect. It hurt my brain to read such a comment, but there it was, in all it's irritating absurdity.
Such a remark ignores the simple and yet challenging combat mechanics of dodging, blocking, parrying, deciding whether to use quick or powerful attacks, poise, encumberance, stamina management, item usage, weapon choice and Estus timings. But then perhaps many of these things are only evident to the player once they've actually tried the game for themselves? Perhaps... We'll give our commenter the benefit of the doubt for the sake of moving on. For combat aside, Dark Souls is still laden with brilliance at just about every turn.
The boss battles. Damn, the boss battles...
I'd forgotten how it felt to attempt something in a game, fail horribly, and feel completely at a loss. I remember thinking multiple times during my earliest weeks of Dark Souls play that a set task was impossible, or that there was some 'trick' or 'secret' that I was missing to an encounter. I thought this of The Pursuer boss, for example, only the second boss of the game! I threw myself at him 3 times and was annihilated every time.
It was, in my mind, an insurmountable task.
But I tried again, made adamant by an equal mix of frustration and adrenaline. I died, and tried again and again and again.
On my 8th encounter with The Pursuer, I defeated him and took his soul.
I hadn't looked up a guide and I hadn't gotten lucky. Over the course of 7 deaths, I'd been growing as a player - even if I hadn't realised it at the time. I'd been studying his animations, and knew which attacks I could safely block without being crushed under the weight of his gigantic sword, which I should dodge and which I could counter-attack upon avoiding. I learned how to better manage my stamina. I learned that 'thrust' and 'slash' damage types have a big impact on the amount of damage you deal depending on your opponent's armour type.
But above all else, I started to learn that there is something visceral about Dark Souls, something that forces you to improve. And that's that you, the player, have everything you need to succeed provided for you within the game. And if you die? Well then, time to buck up your ideas, because you probably deserved it.
That's refreshing to me. It's odd, because it really shouldn't be. It seems intuitive that overcoming difficulty on the back of your own merit is a rewarding thing, and yet many games favour trivializing encounters as if afraid that players will abandon their game at the first sign of real adversity (while I'm of the opinion that the opposite is true. Unless for the story, why game if not for the challenge?)
Another gargantuan part of Dark Souls that deserves a mention is the world itself. I've mentioned already how every location, weapon and armour piece is drizzled in specks of lore, little droplets of history that can be pieced together to give you an inkling of what the world was like hundreds - maybe thousands of years before your character ever set foot in it.
And the characters?
Just like Drangleic, it's denizens offer hints and whispers relating to the world and it's past, pebbles and chippings from the mosaic. Many of these characters are utterly without hope, drowning in the despondence all around. Some of them are a hair's breadth from losing their sanity, while others seem eerily at ease with the encroaching corruption. None of them are 'information dumps'. They are all one with the rotting kingdom of Drangleic and serve as believable whisperers of it's years gone by.
The Merchant Hag Melentia is one such whisperer, a character one stumbles into early in the game. There is something ancient and, more clearly, demented about her character, with haunting voice lines such as:
"Drangleic's been a pile o' rubble since the war fought long, long ago...When the giants crossed the sea..." and "Poor folk like myself had nary a place to sleep. That's why I keep all my things right with me..."
I'll point out that the old mare has a basket the size of a large kennel strapped to her stooping, crooked figure. And her hissing remarks about giants crossing the oceans spooked me for days after speaking with her. It's this kind of character that sticks with me as a player. If I had to choose between saving the life of Thrall or Melentia, I'd save the hag in a heartbeat. The world of Dark Souls is just that real.
And I've perhaps began to ramble. But there it is. I could go on about Dark Souls for hours, however I really have to sleep! Typing this up at 5am just now. I just had to share my affection for this game, and am looking forward wholeheartedly to Dark Souls 3!
Cob
Never did I consider for a moment that after playing Dark Souls for only a few weeks that it would become such a source of excitement and - for lack of a better term - mild obsession in my life. But there it is. When I'm not playing, I'm thinking about where I'm headed next in Drangleic. When I am playing, I'm utterly enthralled by the visuals, the sense of impending death and the almost ghostly notion that every inch of the world I explore - and every item I obtain - is steeped in vague history. And when I sleep, it's to the voice of some Youtube narrator telling me about the lore of the universe itself and the denizens within it.
So what is it that makes Dark Souls so obscenely good? I had to answer this question for myself upon reading a Youtube comment on one of my DS2 videos that read: "Boring. You just swing your sword over and over..." or something to that effect. It hurt my brain to read such a comment, but there it was, in all it's irritating absurdity.
Such a remark ignores the simple and yet challenging combat mechanics of dodging, blocking, parrying, deciding whether to use quick or powerful attacks, poise, encumberance, stamina management, item usage, weapon choice and Estus timings. But then perhaps many of these things are only evident to the player once they've actually tried the game for themselves? Perhaps... We'll give our commenter the benefit of the doubt for the sake of moving on. For combat aside, Dark Souls is still laden with brilliance at just about every turn.
The boss battles. Damn, the boss battles...
I'd forgotten how it felt to attempt something in a game, fail horribly, and feel completely at a loss. I remember thinking multiple times during my earliest weeks of Dark Souls play that a set task was impossible, or that there was some 'trick' or 'secret' that I was missing to an encounter. I thought this of The Pursuer boss, for example, only the second boss of the game! I threw myself at him 3 times and was annihilated every time.It was, in my mind, an insurmountable task.
But I tried again, made adamant by an equal mix of frustration and adrenaline. I died, and tried again and again and again.
On my 8th encounter with The Pursuer, I defeated him and took his soul.
I hadn't looked up a guide and I hadn't gotten lucky. Over the course of 7 deaths, I'd been growing as a player - even if I hadn't realised it at the time. I'd been studying his animations, and knew which attacks I could safely block without being crushed under the weight of his gigantic sword, which I should dodge and which I could counter-attack upon avoiding. I learned how to better manage my stamina. I learned that 'thrust' and 'slash' damage types have a big impact on the amount of damage you deal depending on your opponent's armour type.
But above all else, I started to learn that there is something visceral about Dark Souls, something that forces you to improve. And that's that you, the player, have everything you need to succeed provided for you within the game. And if you die? Well then, time to buck up your ideas, because you probably deserved it.
That's refreshing to me. It's odd, because it really shouldn't be. It seems intuitive that overcoming difficulty on the back of your own merit is a rewarding thing, and yet many games favour trivializing encounters as if afraid that players will abandon their game at the first sign of real adversity (while I'm of the opinion that the opposite is true. Unless for the story, why game if not for the challenge?)
Another gargantuan part of Dark Souls that deserves a mention is the world itself. I've mentioned already how every location, weapon and armour piece is drizzled in specks of lore, little droplets of history that can be pieced together to give you an inkling of what the world was like hundreds - maybe thousands of years before your character ever set foot in it.
And the characters?
Just like Drangleic, it's denizens offer hints and whispers relating to the world and it's past, pebbles and chippings from the mosaic. Many of these characters are utterly without hope, drowning in the despondence all around. Some of them are a hair's breadth from losing their sanity, while others seem eerily at ease with the encroaching corruption. None of them are 'information dumps'. They are all one with the rotting kingdom of Drangleic and serve as believable whisperers of it's years gone by.
"Drangleic's been a pile o' rubble since the war fought long, long ago...When the giants crossed the sea..." and "Poor folk like myself had nary a place to sleep. That's why I keep all my things right with me..."
I'll point out that the old mare has a basket the size of a large kennel strapped to her stooping, crooked figure. And her hissing remarks about giants crossing the oceans spooked me for days after speaking with her. It's this kind of character that sticks with me as a player. If I had to choose between saving the life of Thrall or Melentia, I'd save the hag in a heartbeat. The world of Dark Souls is just that real.
And I've perhaps began to ramble. But there it is. I could go on about Dark Souls for hours, however I really have to sleep! Typing this up at 5am just now. I just had to share my affection for this game, and am looking forward wholeheartedly to Dark Souls 3!
Cob
Friday 28 February 2014
Why DOTA 2 Over League of Legends?
So, I feel I have a little bit of explaining to do! A lot of people wanted me to play League of Legends instead of Dota 2 on the channel. And now that I've gone and picked up Dota and pretty much dropped LoL, a lot of questions have began cropping up: Will I play LoL again soon? Which of the 2 games do I prefer, LoL or Dota? Hopefully this here article will explain everything!
Now both League of Legends and Dota 2 are extremely respectable MOBA titles. Both have growing player bases and both are very active in E-sports, something a lot of people are taking much more interest in these days (which is pretty exciting to witness!) I won't list the ways in which the games are similar, though. Anyone can glance at the two games side by side and see the resemblance. I'm more interested in going into what sets the games apart for me.
I played Dota 2 before LoL! Whether this has had an impact on my judgement or not, I'm not certain - I won't rule out the possibility. But I played Dota before League of Legends for a reason. And that reason is graphics. There is no dispute on this matter for me. Dota 2 is a far more visually appealing, beautiful game in comparison to League of Legends. Going from Dota to LoL made me feel like I'd downgraded my PC, or had gone from playing a PS3 to a PS1. Graphics obviously aren't everything, of course, but there are certain boundaries beyond which I can't look past; League is treading those boundaries for me where is Dota is in a pretty comfortable spot!
The second reason I tried out Dota 2 before LoL was the public notion that Dota is far more challenging experience than League of Legends. This gripped me even more so than the graphics, I think. People can argue all day that the game's require a similar level of skill and know-how to succeed at - which could well be true, as I'm admittedly a very inexperienced LoL player - but I feel it's fair to say that the general consensus is that Dota 2 requires more practice and game knowledge to perform well at than League of Legends does.
Moreover, even if the above is false, and both games are equal in terms of skill requirement, Dota 2 is still, indisputably I feel, a more 'hardcore' experience than LoL, but more on that later.
Now before I get into what really sets Dota apart for me, a little more on League of Legends and my experiences with it.
First off, the graphics did hit me with a slap. As I mentioned before, coming from Dota 2 to the clearly more dated League had me unable to help but notice the archaic, pixelated visuals. But as I also mentioned before, graphics aren't everything to me! Those of League irked at me, but they definitely didn't stop me from having giving the game a good few plays.
The next thing I noticed with League was just how similar the gameplay is to Dota. Until I really got my teeth into the game, I was under the perception that LoL simply was Dota 2 with poorer visuals! And even as I played a little more, there aren't really any significant things I can point out about the gameplay where it falls behind its rival, which is why I fully respect it as a title... but there were quite a few little things. I won't go into these in-depth, but not having a courier, feeling like my ability to teleport around the map and generally move about quickly were diminished, as well as the very general statement that the gameplay felt more basic did niggle at the back of my mind.
Again, maybe those things only became irritating because I'd come from Dota to League. Maybe I'd be saying the opposite and fighting League's corner if I'd been introduced to it before Dota 2.
What made me stick with Dota?
The graphics were a part of it. I almost feel a tad ashamed to list this as a reason! I used to pride myself on seeing past the visuals of a game to enjoy the real experience underneath. But I suppose times have changed. Gradually, I've become more and more used to games with more polished graphics to the point at which games like LoL become difficult to take seriously for me.
However the main thing that brought me back to Dota was how much more intense the experience really is. How much more 'hardcore'. This my opinion, of course, but I believe I share it with a significant number of people.
To me, these points (and more I've left unlisted) simply make Dota 2 a more intense, unforgiving and extreme experience when put beside that of LoL. There are more things to learn, more things to master and to get right - because if you don't get them right and learn to use every possible mechanic to your advantage, and someone else on the enemy team does, the chances are that you will lose. And I personally really like that. It's very head-to-head and feels like a real competition, pitting your ability to play the game the best way you know how against that of your opponent. If you win you get to feel proud - it's a very rewarding feeling, to be honest - and if you lose, you might get frustrated and angry, but more often than not you can think about what you could've done better and will do better next time!
So Id have to say, I actually agree with the stereotype: Dota 2 is for the hardcore, League is for casuals - which, contrarily to the beliefs of some, is not an insult at all. League was far more accessible than Dota for me. I didn't learn every hero, definitely didn't learn every item, but I could win games comfortably if I put my mind to it after a few days of playing! With Dota 2, I was still being destroyed by medium bots two weeks in! There was a lot to learn, and for the first few weeks, I wasn't even sure that I liked the game - and now I love it, and wish more people would really give it a chance!
So anyways, both games are immense! I'm pretty certain that if Dota 2 didn't exist, I'd be able to happily play League and enjoy it. But for me, one game is just more tailored to what I'm looking for, and I can't help but notice everything I enjoy about Dota 2 while playing League, which I just feel lacks some vital ingredients that might've made it as intense an experience as Dota.
Now both League of Legends and Dota 2 are extremely respectable MOBA titles. Both have growing player bases and both are very active in E-sports, something a lot of people are taking much more interest in these days (which is pretty exciting to witness!) I won't list the ways in which the games are similar, though. Anyone can glance at the two games side by side and see the resemblance. I'm more interested in going into what sets the games apart for me.
I played Dota 2 before LoL! Whether this has had an impact on my judgement or not, I'm not certain - I won't rule out the possibility. But I played Dota before League of Legends for a reason. And that reason is graphics. There is no dispute on this matter for me. Dota 2 is a far more visually appealing, beautiful game in comparison to League of Legends. Going from Dota to LoL made me feel like I'd downgraded my PC, or had gone from playing a PS3 to a PS1. Graphics obviously aren't everything, of course, but there are certain boundaries beyond which I can't look past; League is treading those boundaries for me where is Dota is in a pretty comfortable spot!
The second reason I tried out Dota 2 before LoL was the public notion that Dota is far more challenging experience than League of Legends. This gripped me even more so than the graphics, I think. People can argue all day that the game's require a similar level of skill and know-how to succeed at - which could well be true, as I'm admittedly a very inexperienced LoL player - but I feel it's fair to say that the general consensus is that Dota 2 requires more practice and game knowledge to perform well at than League of Legends does.
Moreover, even if the above is false, and both games are equal in terms of skill requirement, Dota 2 is still, indisputably I feel, a more 'hardcore' experience than LoL, but more on that later.
Now before I get into what really sets Dota apart for me, a little more on League of Legends and my experiences with it.
First off, the graphics did hit me with a slap. As I mentioned before, coming from Dota 2 to the clearly more dated League had me unable to help but notice the archaic, pixelated visuals. But as I also mentioned before, graphics aren't everything to me! Those of League irked at me, but they definitely didn't stop me from having giving the game a good few plays.
The next thing I noticed with League was just how similar the gameplay is to Dota. Until I really got my teeth into the game, I was under the perception that LoL simply was Dota 2 with poorer visuals! And even as I played a little more, there aren't really any significant things I can point out about the gameplay where it falls behind its rival, which is why I fully respect it as a title... but there were quite a few little things. I won't go into these in-depth, but not having a courier, feeling like my ability to teleport around the map and generally move about quickly were diminished, as well as the very general statement that the gameplay felt more basic did niggle at the back of my mind.
Again, maybe those things only became irritating because I'd come from Dota to League. Maybe I'd be saying the opposite and fighting League's corner if I'd been introduced to it before Dota 2.
What made me stick with Dota?
The graphics were a part of it. I almost feel a tad ashamed to list this as a reason! I used to pride myself on seeing past the visuals of a game to enjoy the real experience underneath. But I suppose times have changed. Gradually, I've become more and more used to games with more polished graphics to the point at which games like LoL become difficult to take seriously for me.
However the main thing that brought me back to Dota was how much more intense the experience really is. How much more 'hardcore'. This my opinion, of course, but I believe I share it with a significant number of people.
- Being able to last-hit your friendly creeps to deny opponents gold and experience adds another mechanic to be mastered in the laning phase.
- Having control of a courier with which to deliver your purchased items! And if your courier is killed, it not only takes 3 minutes to respawn, but your opponents are also rewarded with a good amount of gold for the kill.
- Losing gold immediately when you die. Dying in Dota 2 is something you are punished for a lot more than you are in League. You are put at a significant disadvantage for incurring an early death - and conversely, a solid advantage if you are able to take all-important early kills.
- Items! LoL does have On-Use items, but Dota 2 has more to learn and master the use of, as well Portal Scrolls - something I missed intensely while playing League.
- A more complex Jungle. Being able to creep-stack, manipulate friendly creep waves and control lane equilibrium via pulling waves of friendly creeps into stacks of neutrals. And of course pull-throughs!
To me, these points (and more I've left unlisted) simply make Dota 2 a more intense, unforgiving and extreme experience when put beside that of LoL. There are more things to learn, more things to master and to get right - because if you don't get them right and learn to use every possible mechanic to your advantage, and someone else on the enemy team does, the chances are that you will lose. And I personally really like that. It's very head-to-head and feels like a real competition, pitting your ability to play the game the best way you know how against that of your opponent. If you win you get to feel proud - it's a very rewarding feeling, to be honest - and if you lose, you might get frustrated and angry, but more often than not you can think about what you could've done better and will do better next time!
So Id have to say, I actually agree with the stereotype: Dota 2 is for the hardcore, League is for casuals - which, contrarily to the beliefs of some, is not an insult at all. League was far more accessible than Dota for me. I didn't learn every hero, definitely didn't learn every item, but I could win games comfortably if I put my mind to it after a few days of playing! With Dota 2, I was still being destroyed by medium bots two weeks in! There was a lot to learn, and for the first few weeks, I wasn't even sure that I liked the game - and now I love it, and wish more people would really give it a chance!
So anyways, both games are immense! I'm pretty certain that if Dota 2 didn't exist, I'd be able to happily play League and enjoy it. But for me, one game is just more tailored to what I'm looking for, and I can't help but notice everything I enjoy about Dota 2 while playing League, which I just feel lacks some vital ingredients that might've made it as intense an experience as Dota.
Wednesday 5 February 2014
Questions From An Aspiring Youtuber!
Hello,
My name is Dyahmeister, I'm an aspiring YouTuber/streamer who specializes in Demonology warlock. I hope I'm not taking up too much time at all, I just find that you're the best candidate for someone who can answer me fully:
1) On average, how many hours would you say you take to put together a single video in just playing alone (i.e. running battlegrounds to get footage for a BG montage)? Is it just until you get something that feels good to you, or are there specific guidelines that you set for yourself to achieve?
This one really depends on what type of video it is I'm hoping to record! If it's something like an arena montage, a duelling series or some kind of guide video, I find I can - most of the time - record all of the clips I need in 1 day, and maybe have time to edit them on the night too!
But if it's, like you said, a Battleground montage, things aren't as simple. A Battleground montage, whether it's a short minitage or a full-length movie like Cobrak 16, takes considerably more effort to put together! Recording a good 2v1 clip is far more difficult than winning a good arena game, for example. In one session of arenas you might have enough footage to create a short arena video - on the flipside, you can very often spend all DAY in Battlegrounds and come out with not a single 2v1 clip! If I had to put a number on it, I'd say 3 days of recording (3-4 hours a day to not wear yourself out) is around how long it takes to get the footage I need for a good minitage! For a much longer, beefed-up movie like Cobrak 16 or 17, it can easily take months of recording.
As for 'guidelines' I impose on myself, I guess there are a few. A clip is only good to use in a Battleground montage if:
2) Where did you learn your media editing? I want to begin the process of learning how to make videos (I'm restricted to Window's Live Movie Maker due to funding), and I figure you could maybe point me in the right direction.
It was mainly through self-interest I found Sony Vegas! It was before I even left school that I started tinkering with Vegas, learning the basics of cutting a clip, altering and adding basic effects, adding music etc. So, although this might not help you out much, it was almost all self-taught for me! Aside from the occasional Youtube video tutorial explaining how to do the basics, how to render at the highest quality, I learnt by tinkering with random effects on my own, finding what worked and what didn't work by a long process of elimination. I didn't mind though; I was a passionate about editing back then as I am today - it was like a virtual playground for me discovering Vegas. If you're after learning the program quickly, I'd recommend Youtube videos! There are tutorials and guides all over Youtube for Sony Vegas. If it is getting Vegas on your computer that is the problem, I'm pretty sure there's free trials that you could at least begin to learn and muck around with as a kind of future investment!
If you are restricted to Movie Maker completely for the time being, I'd say focus on having your clips flow in-time with the music. That is something that is hugely important at any level of editing that can be done using even basic software. And as for Movie Maker effects, I'd have to say 'less is more'! Windows haven't done the best job of equipping Movie Maker with the most awe-inspiring effects, so I'd actually advise staying away from using them in most cases - but, of course, trust your own judgement on that too!
3) Will you or have you made a warlock on the US realms? It's disheartening to an extent to not have any famous streamers/YouTuber warlocks in the US realms apart from raiding, and even that selection is sparse.
I made one some time ago, but couldn't summon up the determination to grind my way to level 90! And if I'm honest, gearing another Warlock to full would also be a big struggle I feel.But I wouldn't want that to be disheartening to you! Back in the days, it were Warlocks like Drakedog and Boneshock who's montages inspired me up to create videos - one is Korean and Boneshock is Russian I think. There was no way I was ever going to see these people in-game, let alone be able to talk with them. But I didn't NEED to talk to them or play with them - I got all of the motivation and hype that I needed by watching the videos they made. Whether it's my videos, someone elses or even just your own imagination (which comes in time!) there's always a way to motivateyourself!
4) What did you find to be the best way to get your channel(s) out there? I know you said in one of your recent videos that you had a big hit during a particular bug timeframe, but were there any other steps that you took to ensure success to some extent?
My answer to this question is always the same! As long as your happy with your gameplay and overall video production skills - you know you have good content that people will want to see - the next step is to put yourself out there!
I started out by posting around on forums, but I'm not sure that reallt works too well. Similarly, posting comments advertising your channel on other people's videos can come across as intrusive to the author and viewers of that video, so be careful not to over-do that, if at all.
Collaborate!
This is the ultimate way to get your name out there. Find a channel of a similar size to yours and basically message them, ask them if they're up for working on a video with you! It might be 2v2s, some duels - anything really. And when you upload the clips, you each provide links to one another's channels! Of course, this is more effective if you can work alongside a bigger Youtuber, but for that you have to get lucky (I did!).
But that is the best advice I can give for anyone starting out on Youtube who feels their channel could do with some more exposure. It puts your name out there a bit, attracts new viewers from the other channel AND makes for a good video for your current subscribers!
Anyhow, hope you didn't mind me answering these questions via a Blog post Dyah! They would've been a bit too long combined to answer in a video.
Stay Destro man!
My name is Dyahmeister, I'm an aspiring YouTuber/streamer who specializes in Demonology warlock. I hope I'm not taking up too much time at all, I just find that you're the best candidate for someone who can answer me fully:
1) On average, how many hours would you say you take to put together a single video in just playing alone (i.e. running battlegrounds to get footage for a BG montage)? Is it just until you get something that feels good to you, or are there specific guidelines that you set for yourself to achieve?
This one really depends on what type of video it is I'm hoping to record! If it's something like an arena montage, a duelling series or some kind of guide video, I find I can - most of the time - record all of the clips I need in 1 day, and maybe have time to edit them on the night too!
But if it's, like you said, a Battleground montage, things aren't as simple. A Battleground montage, whether it's a short minitage or a full-length movie like Cobrak 16, takes considerably more effort to put together! Recording a good 2v1 clip is far more difficult than winning a good arena game, for example. In one session of arenas you might have enough footage to create a short arena video - on the flipside, you can very often spend all DAY in Battlegrounds and come out with not a single 2v1 clip! If I had to put a number on it, I'd say 3 days of recording (3-4 hours a day to not wear yourself out) is around how long it takes to get the footage I need for a good minitage! For a much longer, beefed-up movie like Cobrak 16 or 17, it can easily take months of recording.
As for 'guidelines' I impose on myself, I guess there are a few. A clip is only good to use in a Battleground montage if:
- The clip is at least a VERY entertaining / skillful 1v1! Of course, 2v1s or better are better, but some 1v1s can be too good to scrap!
- I am playing completely alone. If another Horde helps me at anypoint, the clip is almost always instantly scrapped.
- Opponents aren't too bad! Trolls love to rip on videos in which you face inexperienced players who are clearly new to the game or PvP. I've had 4v1 clips before that I've just had to delete because it turned out my opponents were playing somewhat like bots!
- And this final point more applies to bigger movie releases! A clip recorded for a big, full-length movie should be impressive. It has to be special in at least 1 of 3 ways.
- Skill: Show you playing exceptionally well.
- Entertainment: Dropping to 1% health and still winning / Critting insanely high
- Epicness: Doing something never seen before!
2) Where did you learn your media editing? I want to begin the process of learning how to make videos (I'm restricted to Window's Live Movie Maker due to funding), and I figure you could maybe point me in the right direction.
It was mainly through self-interest I found Sony Vegas! It was before I even left school that I started tinkering with Vegas, learning the basics of cutting a clip, altering and adding basic effects, adding music etc. So, although this might not help you out much, it was almost all self-taught for me! Aside from the occasional Youtube video tutorial explaining how to do the basics, how to render at the highest quality, I learnt by tinkering with random effects on my own, finding what worked and what didn't work by a long process of elimination. I didn't mind though; I was a passionate about editing back then as I am today - it was like a virtual playground for me discovering Vegas. If you're after learning the program quickly, I'd recommend Youtube videos! There are tutorials and guides all over Youtube for Sony Vegas. If it is getting Vegas on your computer that is the problem, I'm pretty sure there's free trials that you could at least begin to learn and muck around with as a kind of future investment!
If you are restricted to Movie Maker completely for the time being, I'd say focus on having your clips flow in-time with the music. That is something that is hugely important at any level of editing that can be done using even basic software. And as for Movie Maker effects, I'd have to say 'less is more'! Windows haven't done the best job of equipping Movie Maker with the most awe-inspiring effects, so I'd actually advise staying away from using them in most cases - but, of course, trust your own judgement on that too!
3) Will you or have you made a warlock on the US realms? It's disheartening to an extent to not have any famous streamers/YouTuber warlocks in the US realms apart from raiding, and even that selection is sparse.
4) What did you find to be the best way to get your channel(s) out there? I know you said in one of your recent videos that you had a big hit during a particular bug timeframe, but were there any other steps that you took to ensure success to some extent?
My answer to this question is always the same! As long as your happy with your gameplay and overall video production skills - you know you have good content that people will want to see - the next step is to put yourself out there!
I started out by posting around on forums, but I'm not sure that reallt works too well. Similarly, posting comments advertising your channel on other people's videos can come across as intrusive to the author and viewers of that video, so be careful not to over-do that, if at all.
Collaborate!
This is the ultimate way to get your name out there. Find a channel of a similar size to yours and basically message them, ask them if they're up for working on a video with you! It might be 2v2s, some duels - anything really. And when you upload the clips, you each provide links to one another's channels! Of course, this is more effective if you can work alongside a bigger Youtuber, but for that you have to get lucky (I did!).
But that is the best advice I can give for anyone starting out on Youtube who feels their channel could do with some more exposure. It puts your name out there a bit, attracts new viewers from the other channel AND makes for a good video for your current subscribers!
Anyhow, hope you didn't mind me answering these questions via a Blog post Dyah! They would've been a bit too long combined to answer in a video.
Stay Destro man!
Thursday 30 January 2014
ESO Cyrodiil PvP Thoughts!
I remember me and my brother as kids. We used to lay in bed, dreading the misery of school the next morning. So, naturally, we'd talk about gaming to distract ourselves. What would be the BEST game ever? What we came up with went like this:
You're a solider - not a God-of-war, not a hero, legend or general - just a soldier, not particularly strong, just as capable of dying as anyone else. You have a basic weapon - a sword, a longbow, maybe a staff or a pair of daggers - and basic armour. You're literally just a regular infantry man with nothing remarkable about you at all.
The world in which you reside is at war! And by 'world' I don't mean instanced zones. I mean MASSIVE zones, so large it'd take you hours to cross them all, and zones that are alive with wildlife, immense and awe-inspiring landscapes of mountains, rivers, forests and caves, framed by a sky that rains, snows, blusters and beams. The fortresses and cities that litter this world are equally vast, war-beaten structures. And if you amass a large enough force of troops (fellow players OR npcs as far as me and my brother were concerned) you could capture these keeps and settlements, drape them in your factions colours.
Which naturally brings me to the wars in which you'd fight.
In World of Warcraft, a 50v50 encounter in World PvP is considered to be a war - and could even crash or lag-out a server!
Well in this game, battles would be as to-scale as possible. 1000v1000! More even! Me and my brother wanted these battles so big and so epic that they could literally last for days at a time, that the player behind the hand controller or keyboard would himself have to battle through the fatigue of gaming for so long! There'd be siege engines that trembled the ground and took dozens of players just to usher them onwards, archers shooting for so long they'd run completely out of arrows and draw melee-weapons to continue fighting, Warriors in the front lines so caked in blood that their swords would be all but clotted - glued - to their hands.
And the best part about these epic battles?
You are just a regular soldier. Just as fragile. Just as weak. At any second you could be killed by a stray arrow, crushed by the hurtling boulder of a trebuchet mounted upon the walls of the enemy castle, doused in hot oil tipped over the ledge of the keep, or even just flat-out beheaded by an enraged enemy infantryman in the front lines. And once you're dead, you're dead. No resurrecting nearby in 30 seconds. You resurrect at your factions capital, so distant, there's almost no chance of you getting back to the battle in time before it is over.
Imagine how it would feel to battle-charge in a horde of 1000 people towards the ranks of your enemies, friends either side of you, the thrill of knowing that the rush could be over with 1 wrong move.
This, to me and my brother was the ultimate game! And this is why Elder Scrolls Online has me so excited!
Of course, ESO does not conform to everything I mentioned, but it's set to do better than any other game I've ever encountered. The World PvP in Cyrodiil is almost a smaller-scale replica of the things I described above!
All of these things are amazing concepts. When me and my brother devised our dream game, there was 1 thing we wanted that we'd never really felt enough of in any fighting, war or battles games before.
Fear.
I personally love that concept about PvP in Cyrodiil. Patriotism and the hunger for epic battles will drive you into them, but what will keep you engaged, adrenaline-fuelled and - even if it's just a little bit - frightened, is the knowledge that, just like in a real war, you only have 1 life. Die and it's game over.
Cyrodiil isn't all about just 'zerging' down the keeps and forts of the enemy factions either. There are strategic points which can be captured - farms, mines and mills - which once taken, have a negative effect on the fortresses they supply, reducing the hitpoints of walls, towers and doors. There are PvE quests which can be completed in Cyrodiil too, which, again, is tainted with the constant worry of being ganked, picked off by an arrow at that crucial moment that your health drops too low from the creature you're trying to kill. The Imperial City, at the centre of Cyrodiil, is the ultimate goal and symbol of power in ESO PvP. If your faction controls the Imperial City, one player from your faction is named the Emperor and is granted insane strength in battle. There are buildings which house your faction's Elder Scrolls, deep within your territory. The Scrolls grant passive buffs which strengthen you in battle, so don't let your enemy steal them! And, if you feel you have the numbers behind you, don't hesitate to take the Scrolls of your enemies!
Finally, don't forget that there are 3 factions in this game: The Aldmeri Dominion, The Ebonheart Pact and the Daggerfall Covenant. It opens up so many more exciting possibilities! Temporary alliances, 3-way-battles over 1 keep, or even the scenario of one weaker faction allowing the two others to destroy one another before rolling in, after a along and hard battle, to claim an easy victory against the weakened survivors.
Be whatever you want. An archer on the walls, an armour-clad warrior in the front lines or a siege engineer manning the catapults and battering rams. Personally I'm looking at the Mage-route, but may have to wield a bow, or maybe I'll have more than 1 character - there's just too much to decide when it comes to character customization!
Anyhow, that's why I'm excited for the Elder Scrolls Online.
You're a solider - not a God-of-war, not a hero, legend or general - just a soldier, not particularly strong, just as capable of dying as anyone else. You have a basic weapon - a sword, a longbow, maybe a staff or a pair of daggers - and basic armour. You're literally just a regular infantry man with nothing remarkable about you at all.
Which naturally brings me to the wars in which you'd fight.
In World of Warcraft, a 50v50 encounter in World PvP is considered to be a war - and could even crash or lag-out a server!
Well in this game, battles would be as to-scale as possible. 1000v1000! More even! Me and my brother wanted these battles so big and so epic that they could literally last for days at a time, that the player behind the hand controller or keyboard would himself have to battle through the fatigue of gaming for so long! There'd be siege engines that trembled the ground and took dozens of players just to usher them onwards, archers shooting for so long they'd run completely out of arrows and draw melee-weapons to continue fighting, Warriors in the front lines so caked in blood that their swords would be all but clotted - glued - to their hands.
And the best part about these epic battles?
You are just a regular soldier. Just as fragile. Just as weak. At any second you could be killed by a stray arrow, crushed by the hurtling boulder of a trebuchet mounted upon the walls of the enemy castle, doused in hot oil tipped over the ledge of the keep, or even just flat-out beheaded by an enraged enemy infantryman in the front lines. And once you're dead, you're dead. No resurrecting nearby in 30 seconds. You resurrect at your factions capital, so distant, there's almost no chance of you getting back to the battle in time before it is over.
Imagine how it would feel to battle-charge in a horde of 1000 people towards the ranks of your enemies, friends either side of you, the thrill of knowing that the rush could be over with 1 wrong move.
This, to me and my brother was the ultimate game! And this is why Elder Scrolls Online has me so excited!
Of course, ESO does not conform to everything I mentioned, but it's set to do better than any other game I've ever encountered. The World PvP in Cyrodiil is almost a smaller-scale replica of the things I described above!
- You are a regular soldier in Cyrodiil, easily killed, starting out with basic equipment
- The environment is a sprawling, truly massive landscape
- The keeps & forts are equally huge! And, of course, can be captured if you can muster enough force
- The battles are hundreds versus hundreds. Not thousands, but still quite massive
- When you die, you cannot respawn at a keep that is under attack! Nor can you teleport to a keep that is under attack.
All of these things are amazing concepts. When me and my brother devised our dream game, there was 1 thing we wanted that we'd never really felt enough of in any fighting, war or battles games before.
Fear.
I personally love that concept about PvP in Cyrodiil. Patriotism and the hunger for epic battles will drive you into them, but what will keep you engaged, adrenaline-fuelled and - even if it's just a little bit - frightened, is the knowledge that, just like in a real war, you only have 1 life. Die and it's game over.
Cyrodiil isn't all about just 'zerging' down the keeps and forts of the enemy factions either. There are strategic points which can be captured - farms, mines and mills - which once taken, have a negative effect on the fortresses they supply, reducing the hitpoints of walls, towers and doors. There are PvE quests which can be completed in Cyrodiil too, which, again, is tainted with the constant worry of being ganked, picked off by an arrow at that crucial moment that your health drops too low from the creature you're trying to kill. The Imperial City, at the centre of Cyrodiil, is the ultimate goal and symbol of power in ESO PvP. If your faction controls the Imperial City, one player from your faction is named the Emperor and is granted insane strength in battle. There are buildings which house your faction's Elder Scrolls, deep within your territory. The Scrolls grant passive buffs which strengthen you in battle, so don't let your enemy steal them! And, if you feel you have the numbers behind you, don't hesitate to take the Scrolls of your enemies!
Finally, don't forget that there are 3 factions in this game: The Aldmeri Dominion, The Ebonheart Pact and the Daggerfall Covenant. It opens up so many more exciting possibilities! Temporary alliances, 3-way-battles over 1 keep, or even the scenario of one weaker faction allowing the two others to destroy one another before rolling in, after a along and hard battle, to claim an easy victory against the weakened survivors.
Be whatever you want. An archer on the walls, an armour-clad warrior in the front lines or a siege engineer manning the catapults and battering rams. Personally I'm looking at the Mage-route, but may have to wield a bow, or maybe I'll have more than 1 character - there's just too much to decide when it comes to character customization!
Anyhow, that's why I'm excited for the Elder Scrolls Online.
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