Jack Pipsam's Blog

Nintendo's new online service

2012-01-27T05:58:00.001-08:00

TEN years after Xbox LIVE and six years after the PlayStation Network, Nintendo have finally come out and said they’re getting rid of the god awful friendcodes and system locked online features that have plagued the wii, DS, DSi and 3DS and replacing it with an account based system.
What is the name of new network?
Hold your breath………………………………………………………………………..ready? Sure? Okay here we go!
‘Nintendo Network’
http://s1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/JackPipsam/?action=view&current=6a00d83425c5b653ef00e54f523fec8833-800wi.jpg" target="_blank">http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/JackPipsam/6a00d83425c5b653ef00e54f523fec8833-800wi.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
Oh well the name isn’t important (but I think NN doesn’t have the same ring as LIVE or 80710a06)
Regardless what will the NN have?
According to the big N’s boss Satoru Iwata the NN will have DLC, Personalized account (I am guessing that means friends, chat .ect) and he said that they’re working on the ability to sell full retail games through the service (I guess something like Xbox LIVE’s “games on demand” service).
Any other detail I could not see.
But an account based system is all I needed to hear for Nintendo to have my sale.
While there are still reports that the WiiU isn’t going to be a massive advantage over the 360 and PS3 tech wise, Nintendo have proven that they can still make great games (Skyward Sword) and with the NN I hope that they will be able to use it to great advantage.
I read a while back that EA was trying to get Origin on it and Valve was in talks with Nintendo for steam cross play.

Australia Day 2012

2012-01-26T04:36:00.001-08:00

So we just had Australia day and what a great day it was.

Fuck I loveAustralia.

A new year and a new idea

2012-01-06T09:03:00.000-08:00

So it’s a new year, 2012… the year we all die!

Regardless it has been a while since I have updated here or posted a video,well back last year I recorded with my camera a friend of mine (John-Joe) andhe took a voice of something akin to a BBC documentary presenter and he juststarted going on about random things.

I have decided that this will make a good video to upload and maybe even a start of a new series.
I have always wanted to start a series and I have tried many times in the past(most attempts never made it to YouTube or got taken down by copyright issues).
I think the issue is that I am a horrible actor; my voice is a drag and whoreally wants to look at me?
Regardless John-Joe I think we can all agree is a born star and I have otherclips and I will try to upload them too and see how it all goes.

Please do tell me what you think; also this is the first time I am able to usethe “Stump Entertainment” badge I have been waiting for.

Have a great year all of you J

A change

2011-12-03T00:04:00.001-08:00

Some of you may of noticed that lots of my videos are gone.

The reason is that I have removed them so my youtube account is in good standing again also I am reducing the number of people that I am subing too down quite a bit.

2011-10-22T05:35:00.001-07:00

It’s Blizzcon day again!

First up, new WoW expansion!

WoLK didn’t interest me
Cata bored me
I have NO interest in World of Warcraft at all; HOWEVER this expansion looks really good.
So Blizzard, since I have a slight emotion towards this I guess you have done a good job.

New race (pandas), New class (Monk), New Asian looking area.
yep lots of people have commented on the whole kung fu panda thing.

The new race is neutral, so you can pick to go to Alliance or Horde, which I think is very good idea.
Also the new race isn’t a “hero class”, so it’s back to level one.

As it looks there isn’t an overarching bad guy in this, which I like.

overall, I think this WoW expansion could be really good to the game as it really seems to add something new.

Okay, now we have Diablo fo-shizzle!

In an interesting twist, anybody with a 12 mouth sub to WoW will get Diablo 3 for FREE to download.

But I think the number of people with 12 mouth subs is pretty low, infact I bet most people will be after the sweetness that is the new collector’s edition.
take a look.
I am a SLUT for collector’s editions, I can almost bet this will be next to my StarCraft 2, WoW cata and Dungeon Lords collector’s as well :3

that is all I can be bothered to write as that is all I have been able to absorb, oh I think there is some new SC2 units for something as well.

ps. Needs more ponies!

THQ shuts down 3 more studios

2011-08-10T01:59:00.000-07:00

So last year Australia's largest game studio Krome shut down there 3 bases in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Only Brisbane remains with a small group, with them gone THQ was the largest Australian gaming company... not anymore.

Today THQ as part of there reconstruction has shut down Blue Tongue studios (famous for "De Blob") and THQ Australia (A Brisbane studio).

On top of this they also shut down THQ Digital Phoenix (was Rainbow studios).

THQ has not been going well, this year they have shut down
Kaos Studios (the studio behind homefront), THQ Digital Warrington (formerly Juice Games) and they sold off there wireless section.

Also they have dropped the Red Fraction series and the MX vs. ATV franchise.

Homefront (while selling good) made a 26% stock loss for the company.

Oh and there new logo is (I think) sh!t!

----

THQ seems to be in a pickle and hits hard where I am with now 200 people looking for jobs in a country where only indie titles make good money (e.g HalfBrick).

the only question now is, whos next?

ps. http://www.bluetongue.com/ makes me sad with the pic
pps. 9th is also my birthday >(

My thoughts on the "Cold Stream" beta for L4D2

2011-07-17T05:10:00.000-07:00

I think that is was overall a great hour or so spent playing.

The campaign was MUCH more hectic than previous and many may find them self’s dying once in a while (thankfully I only died once from my own stupidly), regardless I don’t think it needs to be made harder nor do I think it needs to be made easier, this really brings out the best of you, I think the level of difficulty needs to stay the same.

Level design was very well done with more interaction with the environment than normal and the path was less liner than normal (with times when you need to pick which way to go) which is a welcomed edition.

One thing I did notice was that the enemy AI sometimes just stood there (as if waiting for me to trigger it off), I think maybe having them move around a little bit more would be nice.
Also just a side thing, I think some lines of dialog between the charrtors would be nice as well.

I did have an issue with playing online, sometimes when I tried to join someone it would just stop loading or if a friend of mine tried to play together both ours would stop loading or mine would load and his wouldn’t. Also when I did get online the lag was worse than normal. Also a side thing, having a new poster at the loading screen would be nice instead of a generic picture.

So overall I say this great addition to the game and I can’t wait for future updates, I would also recommend getting the bridge and putting in as an online map.

Also I think some little things need to be tweaked before Xbox DLC gets put out.

- Jack Pipsam

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=23701917#post23701917

I R IN SINGAPORE

2011-07-06T09:32:00.001-07:00

So anyways for the last couple of days I have been in Singapore and it’s really hot (temp wise). See right now back in Australia it’s Winter and it’s really cold while here it’s extremely hot.
I have been impressed by how modern the place is, the main CBD area is all neon light at night (which looked amazing) and looks all dandy during the day. The city has a series of underground passages which go under streets and connect malls, now while you may think that this is all evil and dark… nope! Infact it is wide, well light, full of people and shops everywhere. You don’t feel like your underground.

It’s also got a train system (MRT) which on all the stations has huge walls so you can’t get onto the tracks and when the train stops doors on the station open up so you can get to the train (a very good idea). The city is VERY clean with people cleaning up left, right and centre. Infact littering and spitting will have you get whipped (yes they still have whips and death penalty here… which I don’t like).
Thus the city seems pretty safe, the internet is a good speed but the TV sucks!

I have a couple more days left, to be honest I can’t wait to be back in Australia, but this isn’t ALL bad!

The first day here was walking around looking at stuff and going to some famous old hotel in which beers were $25… lolwut? oh the drinking age here is 16… and I am 16 in a mouth FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

Second day we took a train trip (normal train, not special one) around some of the island then we went to some place with the “spice gardens” and a fort where Japan got Singapore in WW2. At the fort was a place were many British, Australian and New Zealand solders got captured and had a very bad time.
Third day was me at this place alone watching tv n stuff

see ya next time

Sorry

2011-05-31T04:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry, for thinking we were better with our European blood
Sorry, for calling you animals
Sorry, for taking you away from you family's
Sorry, for making you go to a war in a place you had never been and not respected for it
Sorry, for fucking up your land
Sorry, for not tending to your wounds
Sorry, for giving you rights far too late in history
Sorry, for we have put a dark stain on this respected country

Sorry

everything is true

2011-04-09T00:21:00.001-07:00

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

2011-03-26T04:21:00.000-07:00

Spike doesn't like this one bit

can't believe it came to this :(

for thorse who don't know, youtube user MAST3RLINKX had got her youtube channel taken down by Hasbro for 3 counts of copyright infringement, now her account is back up however all pony videos have been taken down and has far as I can tell she isn't going to upload anymore videos of my little pony: friendship is magic.

Please click to read on...

This is a real blow, many of us have become to quite enjoy the series and some (like myself) don't live in the United States of America so we do not have the hub overhere and so far no TV networks here have picked it up!

I wanted to let everyone have a chance to watch and enjoy the show.

That is why I uploaded the episodes.
I'm happy with the results.

Sorry it had to come down to this.
Hope you enjoyed the pony ride. - MAST3LINKX

that quote can be seen on her comment on the post about it on equestriadaily.

I have nothing more too add to this, this is truly sad since we don't know if Hasbro will continue with this.

only time can tell.

(27/03/2011)EDIT: seems her account is down again :(

the new MEME

2011-03-19T20:06:00.000-07:00

MY LITTLE PONYS :!

so anyways there is a tv show running on some channel called "the hub" with a new show based off the popular toy brand "my little pony".

well this new tv series has made a bang over da nets.
starting with stuff on 4 chans /b/ forum with pics and stuff, going even to the stage where mods on the /co/ forum have put rules in place about MLP.

Please click to read on...

[quote=knowyourmeme]
As the fanbase of My Little Pony grew on 4chan’s /b/ board, so did “hatedom”. Soon, angry anons would try to “sage” a thread into submission. Due to the high comment volume the threads already received, this plan did not work. Then, they would instead try spamming gore images and porn in an attempt to dissuade people from posting. However, the “bronies” did not reply negatively, instead saying that even if those people spam gore, that that is okay. Eventually, some fans of the show decided that in order to stop being an inconvenience upon those who disliked the show, that an image board of their own was made, Ponychan.
On February 26, 2011, moderators on 4chan’s /b/ and /co/ boards started to “sage” pony threads and ban users who posted in them. The mods reasoning was stated as being “endless pony threads with no actual content other than reaction images. go start your own pony imageboard.”
[/quote]

now it is getting pop to use the show's footage with trailer soundtrack under it.

so this has done wonders for the ratings which is why no take downs have been going on, so more moneys are making the makers go

so what do you think?
Is this a MEME that will last or will it just fizzle.
want to read moar, the KYM page on it is really interesting. http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic

don't forget now you read this post you are 20% cooler.

go and talk about it on the forum http://www.studycove.co.uk/forum/its-clear-people-we-have-new-meme

Media to film

2011-03-13T01:09:00.000-08:00

So we are working on a new Media Project.

what this whole thing is feeling like

Issue is one of our people is not wanting to come on facebook :(.

but hopefully soon we can begin filming (tommow would be nice).

They had the idea of filming at my place and around my area but that will not work since my area is way to modern for what we need. we need bush, crappy old wooden houses and just a run down place. lucky everywhere our in our shire apart from my area fits that XD
The place we want to film is in the area of the person who isn't online, so now me and the other guy are just planing stuff on facebook!
... petty we are not all on the same page XD

lol pwnd!

2010-12-02T00:31:00.000-08:00

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105773-Man-May-Face-10-Years-in-Prison-for-Modding-an-Xbox

ahhaahha its about time!

josh series introduction (test)

2010-11-23T01:02:00.000-08:00

PLEASE CLICK TO READ IT

VOICE OVER: Gaming as a general activity has never being a cheap one, lucky for us rich foke we can be separated from… them!

Alas now gaming is cheaper with more and more “cheapests” getting into it.

So here at the Study of Gaming Pwnage have decided to take a closer look at… them.

We will follow around what appears to the cheapest of them all… Josh w, Vandenberg.

*josh sitting in chair*

JOSH: Hello I am errr, Josh and I like to play games… n’ stuff

*looks side*

JOSH: how much am I getting paid again?

*forward*

MAN: so Josh tell us what is your favourite thing about games?

JOSH: well, I guess the whole social aspect of it ya know?... and well see the BOOB SILDER, come on who’s with me?

MAN: so what is your favourite type of game?

JOSH: any I don’t really have to pay for I guess… oh and games I am good at straight away! See I hate going into games I am not good at right off the bat! Like in StarCraft 2 right, I sucked at it!

MAN: how long did you play it for?

JOSH: 10 minute

MAN: you can’t expect to be good at a game right away you know, most gamers infact find they have more fun they an’t as good and over time they become good at it.

JOSH: na, if I an’t good at it straight away then I won’t play it.

MAN: so apart from free is there a type of game that you like

JOSH: I like MMO’s like Guild Wars and Shyia!

MAN: why?

JOSH: well there really good looking and I can zoom right into mah girls boobs *happy grin*

MAN: what about DDO?

JOSH: na, like I said I don’t like games that are hard and require much thinking!

MAN: so wha

*Josh cuts in*

JOSH: I wuv RTS things like HoN and LoL!

MAN: so like dota?

JOSH: ya!

VOICE OVER: In fact Josh very much likes dota style games, infact here is a video

Gaming Awards of 2010

2010-11-20T22:07:00.000-08:00

Since the end of the year is acoming I am showing my gaming awards, now rember this is what I think if you don’t agree say but don’t go all nerdrage on me.
If you disagree I will put numbers next to them so you can say what you think!
I have tried to be as fair and nonbiased as possible so without further ado gets go!

Please click to read on...

1. Graphics – Scoot Pilgrim VS the world
2. Control - Halo: Reach
3. Music – Halo: Reach
4. Why the fu(k haven’t we seen this before – Fat Princess
5. Best NEW male – Alan Wake (Alan Wake)
6. Best NEW female – Kit Ballard (Blade Kitten)
7. Best NEW villain - Sofia Lamb (Bioshock 2)
8. Best NEW hero – John Marston (Red Dead Redemption)
9. FPS – Halo: Reach, RTS – StarCraft 2 (I under Stand the number issue here I just found it but cbf fixing it)
10. RPG - Arcania: Gothic 4
11. Racer – Sonic and SEGA superstar racing
12. Music/Dance – Dance Central
13. MMO – Star Trek Online
14. Best new gimmick – Kinect
15. Latest in series – Halo: Reach
16. Voice Acting – Fable 3
17. Indie – Minecraft
18. DSi - Flight Control
19. 360 – Halo: Reach
20. Wii – Goldeneye
21. Ps3 – god of war 3
22. PC – CIV 5
23. DS – Call of Duty: Black Ops
24. PsP - Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
25. Innovation – Heavy rain
26. I thought I was going to hate but liked – kirbys epic yarn
27. I thought I was going to like but hated – Fallout: New Vagas
28. Taking a step backwards – Star Wars: Forse Unleashed 2
29. DLC – Army of Knox’s (Borderlands)
30. Games which surprised me – Call of Duty: Black Ops
31. Story – Halo: Reach
32. Best Dev – Bungie
33. Worst Dev – Team Ninja
33. Most Sexist game – Metroid other M
34. Best port – Call of Duty: black ops (wii)
35. Worst port - CSI: Fatal Conspiracy (ps3)
36. LOL – Halo: 2600
37. Best Fangame Flash – Tails Nightmare 2
38. Best Fangame homebrew – Halo: 2600
39. Single Player – Halo: Reach
40. April Fools Joke – Halo Bollywood movie
41. Worst Simulator – Trainz Simulator 2010 – Engineers Edition
42. Best Simulator – Cities XL 2011
43. Most glitchy game – Fallout: New Vegas
44. Best Expansion - Dragon Age: Origins, Awakening
45. Best remake – Goldeneye
46. Best box art – Fable 3
47. Game looking forward to – Star Wars: The Old Republic
48. Multiplayer – Halo: Reach
49. Downloadable game – Sonic 4
50. Games which failed – M.A.G

Ok people here we go
51. Worst game - Quantum Theory
52. Best game – Halo: Reach

Ya I bet you didn’t see that coming
Well some of the pickings were hard e.g. Super meat boy and VVVVV were great games for indie!

So what do you think?
If you disagree all you need to do is get the number and put the game you put there, once again if you don’t agree don’t go all nerd rage as I know some of you can do!

Harry Potter games!

2010-11-20T16:36:00.001-08:00

I miss the old harry potter games, remember when EA didn't suck?

on PC the first 3 HP titles were well crafted games on there own right that didn't really need you to read the books or see the movie to understand what was going on.

at the time the world design was great and the graphic in the 2ed and 3ed were mind blowing (at the time) the way that levels were designed was great with moving platforms and puzzle rooms and areas you had to spend forever to find.

Please click to read on...

the voice acting was pretty good and the music was very atmospheric and the game had one thing the new ones missed... you felt like a Wizard! the world around you was full of magic and adventure!

the ps1 versions of the first 2 games also pushed ps1 to its limits, the world (while different from PC) felt like magic and you just wanted to explore everypart of it!

the GBC games were fantastic, large world, lots of spells, long game! both the 1st and 2ed on GBC are great examples of EA putting effort and love into there games.

the GBA versions of the 1st and 2ed, were different they weren't the best but not the worst. However the 3ed on GBA used the same layout and system from the first two on GBC which was great! and once again showed great gameboy music!

the PS2,Xbox and GC versions of the games were also pretty fun, I didn't have as much fun with them because some systems seem a little flawed :( however the GC to GBA link was very nice, really in the 3ed one if your owl got sick in a mini game then you just get the owl heal kit in the GBA version and port it over!

and the eyetoy mini games in the 3ed were fun for a while as well!

HOWEVER... the 4th Harry Potter came out, around this time the mechendice wasn't as extreeem as it was and the hype wasn't as high and there was little LEGO released with it, but the games... OH GOD THE GAME!

PC, Ps2, Xbox and GC versions were the same! A TOPDOWN GAME!

gone was the open world, gone was the good graphics, gone was the story!

the game was split into different short levels and horrible gameplay! the game begs for a 2 player mode which was never there!

the DS, PsP and GBA versions were ok but still crap!

so after that... thing!

we hoped that the 5th would improve... it didn't!

while the DS,GBA and PsP versions were once again ok, the PC, Xbox 360, Ps2, Wii, and ps3 versions were horrible!

the good graphics and open world was back, however the whole design was different!

now the WHOLE game was set in an sand box style and magic was performed by movement with the stick (think S.K.A.T.E) and it was slow boring and just bad, all the people in the game looked like Beowulf (new) in the way that they look like dolls!

the 6th game was the SAME!

but now with the new one they said they would change it, they did!

did they go back to good old times, NOOO they made the game into a behind cover shooter! the game is short and boring and just plain sloppy (even if more work was put into this one) I know that the setting is completely different now but still this design is just horrible!

lets just hope EA puts some sence into them selfs and make the next happy potter game a good one!

ps. I do know about the spin off QWC and it was alright I guess.

what do you think of the Harry Potter games?

PotBS f2p!

2010-11-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

Flying Labs game Pirates of the Burning Sea was an mmo released in 2008, one issue... SOE! SOE has a bad rep of there games not been updated (apart from EQ1 and 2). lucky that Flying Lab is still major in part of the game, so now at the end of this mouth the game is going f2p.

I have been playing it over the last couple weeks (A review SHOULD be up in say a week) and I am having a lot of fun.
the game is international so there is no Europe version game (in the way LotRO is). there is a EU server however for better connection, I am in love with this game because they got a line out to Australia.

for someone like me who likes playing MMOs it can suck living in Australia, but they got a line out here! its... so... beautiful... no lag :>

so whos going to sail on the high seas with me?
ps. I am Spanish in the game... they looked so kool!

is the threat real?

2010-10-23T04:12:00.001-07:00

you may of heard about the "war"...no? well anyway this Justin Bieber fan is declaring war on all haters. so he is going on about us, hacking us and taking out IP.

so anyway no on took this kid for real... but now?

he did hack someone, LIFEINATENT! WTF! that's right he got hacked!

this kid changed his video name and making a new blog post.

you can even see him hacking over a Ustream here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFYgTl7NHcU

2010-10-05T01:59:00.000-07:00

my response to CNA facebook

"not really. Ben 10 lost interest around season 2 when all hopes of plot fell. I fell the whole show has gone on too long, you still make lots of money from shonky products and I know in the end your there to make money, however I feel you need to bring some better shows in.

I liked the classic shows like Camp Lazlo, Dexter Lab, Samurai Jack and hell even Powerpuff girls (it had some story in it).

I know all you 12 year olds will flame but I don't care.

Cartoon Network, I am sorry to say but your are turning into Nickaloden. you find a juggernaut show (Spungebob) and you overdo it.
while other great shows with morril, bigger appeal and better story e.g The Wild Thornberrys get left in the dust.

while I understand new shows need to come in, that is no reason to make shows of less quality.

chances are you will delete this but I don't care since I am open to my opinion.
I still like you, but I think there needs to be much improvement in your shows."

RuneScape, is it so bad?

2010-10-02T07:36:00.000-07:00

NOTE: I am not a RuneScape fanboy and by no means do I think it’s the best mmo so just so that’s clear!

RuneScape is often the attacked from many people online and offline. It is often commented on as being easy and a kid’s game. HOWEVER RuneScape uses the good old “easy to learn, hard to master” way of doing things. But what is so kiddie about it? Really think about?

The skill system is really good. So you have 26 skills in which you can level up to 99 in each (expect Dungenoneering in which you can level to 120). Doing/killing different things gains you a pre mounted XP as you level up you will unlock new things to do in that skill, other skill things, and access to certain areas and some quests.

Please click to read on...

The game runs the most successful ingame economy I have ever seen. It’s stable unlike other games which try this. As a certain amount of an item goes on sale if there is a lot then it is cheap and if there is less then it costs more. The full ingame economy can be seen from the website.

The ingame writing is the best I have ever seen in an MMO. You want to read the text because it’s witty and to the point. The quests are often harder than they seem with monsters of high level and puzzles to solve.

The worlds design is very well made with the world changing much and well thought out areas. The mini- games are endless fun. Of many kinds and many skills. RuneScape is the best Brower based MMO; there is no doubt about that. The content is ever coming for sizes and skills. With events that make think and new quests and areas to explore. Why not check this masterpiece out?

With Free meaning Free and Members meaning Members and nothing inbetween this game doesn’t need an “item store” for your real world cash. For $7 a mouth what more could you want? ToonTown I really would say not.

Many games have raised and many games have fall, however RuneScape is a game which is ever growing. Maybe one of the only games which isn’t sexist and lends it self to all. Yes this game lends it self to all ages, however do not be fooled! This game is deep and this game is full! So grab a spoon and take a bite and join the world as you!

The Future of LotRO in Europe

2010-09-30T12:20:00.000-07:00

The Future of LotRO in Europe while to many is stable… it may not. As many of you may know early this August DDO in Europe shut down and all accounts were transferred from Codemasters back to Turbine. This happened because of “our operating licence has now expired”.

For the people who don’t know DDO (Dungeons and Dragons Online: Stormreach) was released on the 28^th of February in 2006, 4 years ago. In the leaving note they said the licence was only 4 years. Why did Turbine want back? I don’t know. Maybe they think they can run the servers better now, they didn’t like they way Codemasters handled the game (even if all content was really made by Turbine), they think with the new DDO that it will work better or (what I think) Warner Brothers (who own Turbine now) wanted it to be only being under Turbines full control? Like I said I don’t know.

Now let’s say that the same 4 year licence was the same for LotRO. In which case Codemasters will “lose” the licence next year. Now when Warner Brothers brought over Turbine, I don’t think they were after Asheron’s Call (even if it would make a pretty kickass movie). Earlier this year (or late last year, I forgot) Warner Brother got the full game licence of Lord of the Ring from EA (which I think was a good move). The only part they didn’t have was Turbines part. So when Warner Brothers got Turbine they got the FULL licence to LotR games and since they own New Time, they have the movies too. The only thing they don’t have is the books (who know they buy them next o.O). Oh also they Asheron’s Call fully and they have an MMO company with a good name and there games are on the rise.

I think it’s highly likely that WB will want the LotRO back from Codemasters when there licence runs out.

Of course this is all ideas in mah head; I mean I don’t even know if it is a 4 year licence, I am just going off the DDO licence time.

What do you think? Do you want it? Or do you think that my logic fails in everyway?

For the full note to here à http://www.ddo-europe.com/closure/

my brief history: Call of Duty part 2

2010-09-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

For people just joining us please read the first part here à http://jackpipsam.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-brief-history-call-of-duty-part-1.html

The year is 2008! Fable2 WOOT! Ok ok.

So Treyarch released there 3ed Call of Duty game called Call of Duty: World at War (CoD 5).

This was the first CoD game in the main series without a number. WaW added quite abit, after all it had to try and top CoD 4. The single player campaign was the most brutal yet, with the game starting on a torture scene. Treyarch realising that people were getting a bit sick of the standard WW2 lingo they tried something new to the Call of Duty franchise. The Pacific (no not the TV show, however it does go nicely along with it) theatre. However half of the game is you playing a Russian in which you are pressing the Nazis back into Berlin.

The Pacific part of the game is the most detailed and best campaign yet. Treyarch showed there eye for realism and an art to making the story (even if it’s the cheap CoD type) still good. One part you are in a plane over the actual pacific and it is great. You have to move up and down the plane to different areas to fire on enemy ship/planes while defending your ships and rescuing people at sea. It really felt like you were doing something to make an impact, however much like CoD 3 you’re not the hero as such. You are really one in a group and everybody around you is doing there own thing.

On the Russian part of the game you start and you’re the only survivor of a massacrer. Then a Russian sergeant (I think it was) came up next to you and told you to follow him. Through out most of the Russian campaign you’re with him and he really feels like an ally. While this side of the game is nothing you really haven’t seen before, it adds a whole new feel to the game. While the ending is the best in a CoD game so far (WaW bet CoD 3 which had an epic gameplay ending and CoD 4 witch had a pretty good storyish ending). One thing I got found was how the Russians talked about the Nazis and how there doing it for “mother Russian” and how they would kill any Russian running away. This was a great part of it.

In the game you are given some choices. Sometime you pick weather to one way or another with a group (abit like in CoD 3), but you are giving the choice to kill a group of Nazis who surrendered. The Russian ally guy said to kill them; however someone else said to leave them alive because that’s “the rules of battle”. So they give the option to you, I (being the softy I am) picked to keep them alive and nothing really happened. I don’t know what happens if you kill them.

Once again this game sold like cupcakes however once again Treyarch game got mediocre reviews.

But there was one thing about WaW that was REALLY new!... NAZI ZOMBIES! This was much like firefight and horde mode, however everytime you kill a Nazi Zombie you get more money and with that money you buy weapons and open areas along with other things. This mode I think was just put in for the –BLAM- of it, however it is very popular.

2009 and the game that everybody hyped up insane came out HALO 3: ODST… what? Oh come on… no… no… NOOO!... FINE!

In 2009 Call of Duty: modern warfare 2 came out. Originally the game was just going to be called Modern Warfare 2 without the Call of Duty name on it. The game is often known still as Modern Warfare 2 (MW2) or just CoD 6.

This was when (to me) the whole thing fell. I mean the campaign they didn’t know what to do! All the levels seem out of place and what little story that connects them together is just plan rubbish. Also it is the shortish game in the series (yes the PSP CoD was longer). Granted the snow mobile thing was fun and that was it. After CoD 5 did there “shock moments” IW wanted to do it too. This time YOU did the -BLAM- I mean WTF! Ok so you don’t HAVE to do it but still. I think IW just wanted to outdo Treyarch.

Also you know that scene from CoD 4 when the guy gets killed? That was one of the greatest moments in gaming history and it was breathtaking. In CoD 6 they do it stacks to the point were you going “here we go again”. Also your guy from CoD 4 is there and that takes out the felling of you’re the guy. Can’t we just play him again? Really, why not?

All in All CoD 6 was a mess, a good selling and overhyped mess.

Maybe sometime I will continue this when Black Opps comes out and maybe do the other spin off games.

Till when ever that is cya!

- Jack Pipsam

Free to Play

2010-09-27T04:45:00.000-07:00

Free to Play (F2P) is a word until last year was not very often used. Only 2 REAL[1] games had free to play. Anarchy Online and Runescape, it doesn’t matter your opinion on Runescape since it is the world’s biggest F2P game in numbers even today. While Anarchy Online’s free kept it alive to today, however most common MMO’s did not try this (expect for EAland[2] on its dying breath). However last year the MMO, DDO (Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach) was about to bite the big one. However Turbine (being the guys they are) made one last try to save the game and was born the same game with a new name... DDO (Dungeons & Dragons Online: Ererron Unlimited[3].

Very fast 5 million accounts were made and DDO was saved and now has about 1 Million subers (VIP). DDO showed the world that F2P (if done right) could save the game. The fact was DDO fitted F2P very nicely with the style of game (not an EQ[4] style game). Today DDO is growing and last mouth Turbine put its other game LotRO (Lord of the Rings Online) into the F2P market, it’s too early to tell, however with server waits that’s a good sign (in a bitchy way).

Many other games are now moving. 3 months ago SOE[5] said that EverQuest 2 will NOT be going free to play, a mouth later and they said it will! In fact I am doing an audio commentary on it now; however I am waiting for the download to finish! Also Pirates of the Burning Sea is going F2P (and hopefully if PotBS and EQ2 go well then other SOE games like Vanguard and Planetside may go over(and maybe... The Matrix Online could come backJ).

Also we are seeing the rise of “endless trials” which is what they sound like such games are WAR[6] and AoC[7] also many other games are too similar things as well. E.g. Star Trek Online and Champions Online.

The future of free to play games looks good, and I can’t wait to be a part of it!

[1] Non Kerian WoW clones, I should note that other kids games were as well e.g. Toontown online

[2] Sims Online, now shut

[3] Ya I hate the name too, however many old players (like mah self) still call it Stormreach (I have the box)

[4] More commonly known as a “WoW Clone”

[5] Sony Online Entertainment

[6] Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning

[7] Age of Conan

my brief history: Call of Duty part 1

2010-09-25T23:37:00.001-07:00

Remember back in 2003 when pc FPS fans were just getting there hands on Halo: Combat Evolved and Medal of Honor was still tops?
What is this call of duty? Many a gamer said, to many it looked like a MoH rip off (a good one, but still a rip). However on October 29 most of us got our hands on Call of Duty for PC.

The campaign was like nothing we had ever seen in a WW2 shooter and the multiplayer (still your average GameSpy affair) was fun on a bun! Within about a week people were moving; little did anybody know what CoD would do the gaming world. My opinion on Call of Duty was like “… OMG THIS IS SO KOOL” (being the n00b I was) however the fact was I still played Halo more: P

Later we got Call of Duty: United Offensive the first and to this day the only expansion the call of duty games have ever seen. While it gave you a stranded 6 hour campaign the multiplayer was greatly improved with better maps and of course… CTF!

It wasn’t till 2005 on October 25 on pc that we got our hands on Call of Duty 2 (however we did get some ps2, Xbox and GC games in-between). At this time FPS was the norm, however CoD2 still wowed us. While I didn’t find online as fun, it did moders a lot to play with. The campaign was much longer and so much more epic than the first and any WW2 game before. Later a version came out for the Xbox 360 as a launch title. This was a great port and for the 360, even if the online now is mediocre, remember the new LIVE was new then.

A year later Treyarch came on the scene. Call of Duty 3 came out on all major consoles (except PC, to this day I still hope a version will come on steam). To this day CoD 3 remains my fav in the series. However… many did not agree. Many clamed it to be a copy, however really it was not. The campaign saw you play as 5 nations and the multiplayer was the first with a ranking system. (Granted CoD 4 had the first good one). I liked the game and I think the game got bad rep for no real reason.

2 things happened in 2007 first Halo 3 came out! And… Call of Duty 4: moden warfare. Gamers are kind of divided on this. They may say 2 things “first good CoD” or “last good CoD”. I say this is when the series came shifty. CoD 4 was a great game, hands down. The campaign had some truly rememberal moments and multiplayer had being improved in areas. However this is when what I like to call the “CoD n00b” came in. you know them? There the ones who run around screaming into the mics for no good reason and don’t know the word “good sport”.

Do not get me wrong not all CoD player are like this, but there the ones that you tend to hear.
After this game sold like ice-cream on a hot day, was then it happened... “game a year”!

To be continued

APB shutdown

2010-09-25T01:57:00.000-07:00

So anyway the “mmo” APB (All Point Bulletin) shut down after 7 weeks… making officially the shortest lived game ever, great Fury lasted longer! That says much doesn’t it!

The thing is APB was fun for the first 2 hours. After that it became a grind fest (and trust me I have played some grindy game *cough*RuneScape*cough*) however unlike RuneScape the game still isn’t fun at all! With little else to do to break things up. APB claimed to be a “cops n robbers” game… well it’s the most one sided cop’s n robber’s game I have ever seen. All the effort was put into the bad guys knowing that most people would want to play that, HOWEVER that is no reason not to put work into the cops as well. This is what I call the “WAR scenario” (WAR meaning “Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning”)

For those of you who don’t know what I am talking about I will tell you… right now!

WAR has two fractions (which pissed me off since Dark Age of Camelot (there other game) had 3) Order (good guys) and Destruction (bad guys). Now it is clear this is ripping off Wow’s Alliance and Horde (stfu it is). So anyway unlike WoW all the (no I am NOT a WoW player) work was put into Destruction with great starting areas and more powerful. Normally in games I pick the good guy being the softy I am, however in WAR I found myself play Destruction more because it was less buggy and better gameplay. Which lead to a very once sided battle hence the term “WAR scenario” however most of the issues in WAR are fixed.

So anyway APB was very much in favour of the crimes. There was an AI cop system … however they sucked! While I am no policies newspaper editor I know that the game is less fun for all (expect the n00bs who like free points). The gameplay was really getting objectives, weather it be stay in an area for a time to capture it, kill someone, collect an item ect.

What I did like about the game was the team aspect. Being a lone wolf does not do very well, you can not go in all GTA style and live to tell the tale (granted you may not want to hear it). This game was about teamwork and I loved it! I brought me back to the days of Dark Age of Camelot, running up a hill in a group of 100+ to storm a castle with you team working together to get them and there team was working together to stop us. That was to me MMO at near its finest. After all it’s really the the whole online social thing witch makes MMO’s great! However MMO players today are well… not really team players and are mostly 12 year olds with $20 headsets yelling thinking there top shit. I might make a full article on that issue some other time.

ABP was not great, it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t great. The game could of being something with more work and budget. We miss you for what you are… a mmo which wasn’t a WoW clone, which is always nice.

NOTE: EPIC games (the people behind the great Unreal and the shit GoW) may buy the game!

- Jack Pipsam

talking about Halo:Reach part1

2010-09-24T06:21:00.001-07:00

what is not to love about Halo: Reach?

the campaign is the best yet, the online is fantastic, forge is great and all around FTW!

STORY

The story is the easiest to follow. you are Nobel 6 (this time you get to choice between male or female) you are a replacement of another Spartan was K.I.A.

Nobel Team goes out to hunt down some rebels, however you quickly find out its the *gasp* Covenant, ok by now its not a big surprise to any player. this is when they first hit Reach.

unless you are pants on head retarded you would know that Reach is a planet. so you go on your happy adventure. I won't go on to spoil to much, however lets just say stick around after the credits.

ONLINE

Like last time you can upload pictures and videos from theretre mode while you can upload maps from forge also once again you can download and recommender them.

unlike Halo 2 and 3 there ant a whole stack of playlists (Halo 3 playlists have being bought down a bit). however this is an issue, see I liked knowing what match I am going into but now you can vote your gametype of choice. funny how in the "welcome to the beta" video she said that this would bring less veto power.... IT JUST HAS MORE FUCKING VETO POWER!

I am SICK of getting into Team Sniper and Team SWAT matches. ALL I WANT IS TO PLAY SOME FUCKING SLAYER! but 96% of the time I end up somewhere else!

to be continued!

AoEO, CoD 3 and Vegas

2010-08-17T01:27:00.001-07:00

my video for AoEO and CoD 3 is going up now and bad news.

I will NOT be getting sony Vegas at the moment.

TN2 can't wate

2010-08-02T00:31:00.003-07:00

The Blox is make a new game. do you remember Tails Nightmare? well hes make a new one see the trailer for TN2 here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUWJpj-LosA&playnext=1&videos=9b1hG32cqY0

TN2 can't wate

2010-08-02T00:31:00.001-07:00

StarCraft 2!

2010-07-31T18:55:00.001-07:00

OMG for the last week I have played so much starcraft it is INSANE

IT IS ALSOME!

Rant: newer mmo's

2010-07-08T07:31:00.000-07:00

I am here to rant about newer MMORPG (note: I am talking about mmoRPGs not MMOfps ect) ok here we go. I am having a harder time having fun in newer MMO’s theses days, some may say that I play too many and hence I am sick of them (they may be right) but I think that it is because of newer MMO’s are just becoming to much of the same. In November 2004 when EverQuest 2 and World of Warcraft (aka WoW) came out they perfected the EverQuest 1 model (yes that’s right even throw most new games are called “wow clones” wow didn’t make that model they just made the EQ1 model easier for noobs)

so anyway after the over the top succuss of WoW other games started to copy it (hence wow clone) so now 98% of newer mmos are based of the EQ model. While it is a good system it is being to get a bit boring to play and that’s part of the reason newer mmos unforantry go that good (granted they add there own little spins). This could be a reason why I like DDO so much, its orinal. If this genre is going anywhere in the future developers will need to start making new systems or try other systems e.g. Runescapes or Asheron’s Call’s system. Also newer MMO’s are all too easy (granted I have played a lot of them so I really know how to play them) so I get bored really easy and most of the time can’t be assed grinding to the highest lvl.

Developers of games out now that aren’t so good e.g. Vanguard: Saga of Heroes or Aion: Tower of Enteraty. All there Devs are doing is little things and merging servers. While that will make players happier (most of the times) really its just cutting costs and not fixing the problem. A new trend the MMO market is the “free to play” revolution (in western AAA games) this started with DDO from Turbine (who are geniuses) and they knew that DDO was falling so they tried the free to play model (witch works well) now they are right up there with high games. More and more Devs are doing this or versions of it e.g. unlimited trials. This is a tactic that works. Many players will go to AAA games if they are free (for however much content there is) I think that most Devs should go f2p get funds from that and work to make there games better.

IPs many games are going for IPs now to get more people e.g. Lord of the Rings Online, Star Trek Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic ect.while Lotro is good and STO is allright and everybody thinks that SWToR is going to be fucking allsome (I will be so pissed if its just going to be like other mmos) I think that Devs get an IP e.g. Harry Potter and make a system around the IP that is a great way to find new systems I think that’s that happened with DDO.

Anyway I am going to wrap this up now. I just hope that Devs will stop copying WoW its just a “my first MMO” and most gamers are sick of it.

Thanks for watching!

edit: I mean reading... its late ok!

however watch the rant at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nMpwwObaeI

New Series - AoJ

2010-07-07T02:18:00.000-07:00

Do you remember "The Adventures of Jecar: Ice Games"? well I was meaning to do more with it but it got no were. however I am trying again insted of THE Adventures of Jecar I am changeing it to just Adventures of Jecar or AoJ for short. time will tell if it gets anywere. I had a cold so recorded sounded bad and there was an ecco for some reason :( however now with Aduacity I can make voices for the series. thanks for reading

new ddo vid up

2010-02-27T05:27:00.000-08:00

i have a new DDO vid up on youtube now

Daredevil movie review

2009-11-28T23:22:00.000-08:00

FORGIVE MY SPELLING

As i was looking around jb-hi-fi (a Australian chain) i found the thing i went there to by the "sonic pc collection" as i wateed in line looking fourd to geting gome and kicking ass with Tails i saw something that catched my eye. "DAREDEVIL: definitive edtion" now i had heard of Daredevil but had never watched it before and myself haveing 2 titles in the "definitve edtion" series i desied i would by it myself. i watched it and hears my review.

STORY
Matthew Murdock son of Jack Murdock a boxer know as the devil (as part of the title) was destine to be someone smart like a doctor or something. One day after taking a shortcut home he comes across his father bashing someone horrified he fled the scene and ran across a fork lift that accertedly sprayed radioactive stuff in his eyes blinding him. So to make a long story short he now has radar-vision and can flip around like something from the Matrix. Like any Marvel movie he falls in love with a girl (Elektra and yes it’s the same girl as the spin off move of the same name) her farther gets killed and blames daredevil. She finds out the truth they fight the badguy (bullseye). THE END

Now I know I missed out on lots but bear with me here.

G/B

GOOD	BAD
Marvel super hero from Stan lee	Same old thing as every other superhero
Lots of action	Some crapy CG
A girl who isn’t a dansile in descess	WTF is with the costume
Good actors	Seems low budget
Good music	Only 99 mins

FINAL

It’s a good movie worth a watch 7/10

my first blog on this blog

2009-11-28T23:08:00.000-08:00

omg