Category Archives: Gaming

Gaming of all types

Stupidity, Thy Name Is Blizzard

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Some of you may be aware of the fact that Blizzard.net has decided the way to get rid of internet trolls is to use RealID to rip away the veil of anonymity.

This doesn’t work.  People who are idiots online are also idiots offline.  (I know I can be an idiot at times.  I try to temper it as much as possible, but, sometimes, even I, a grown woman, lose my courtesy controls.)

Today’s CTRL+ALT+DEL is a good summary of how well that works.

Now, not only is this not going to do what they claim they want it to do, it is going to cause actual harm to some people.

How many people want everyone they know to know all of their hobbies?  There are people who would not understand about reading comic books, romance or science fiction novels, playing video games, knitting, or cooking.  People have some of the most amazing prejudices that others would never even blink an eye at.

What about those unfortunate few who are being stalked?  Yes, they want to escape to a game world to get away from their worries, but, well, Blizzard says, “Nope, you can’t stay safe and play our game.”

There are a lot of under-18s who play these games as well.  It seems to me that there may actually be some privacy issues I am unaware of that affect the younger set.  Yes, parental controls can turn off RealID, but most teens know how to get into their parents’ accounts and do things that the parents would rather they didn’t.  (This is a truism of technology.)

I have heard some internet savvy folks claim that since IP addresses can be linked to individuals this makes no difference.  I beg to disagree as there are ways to fake IP addresses, etc.  Also, most stalkers don’t have the internet savvy to do this type of tracking.

My guess, as someone with many, many years in the software development profession, is that marketing came to the development team saying “we have to be a social media company!”  The developers groaned in private and did the bare minimum to make the deadline as they had more important updates to get fixed with limited resources.  I wouldn’t even be surprised that they are hoping the community outcry caused by this idiocy – and that is what it is – will make the powers-that-be at Blizzard roll back this change – or severely alter it.

Of course, I could be wrong and this could all be part of the plan to take over the Internet as the more paranoid websites have been claiming.  But, well, after years in IT, I can’t really see it as that nefarious. 

 

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My Tauren Druid to 40

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Modern storytelling includes massive multi-player online role playing games (MMORPGs). Taking my various toons through their starting areas has shown how many stories with the same thread running through out the game has been done. The storytellers do an amazing job.

I got – with the help of my guild – to level 40 with my Tauren druid, Mokamella. Druids have an interesting side story that seems neglected in the current game. The Alliance side has Night Elves as druids and the Taurens are the druids for the Horde. There is debate between the Night Elves and the Taurens as to who were the first druids – but the Night Elves “brought back” the druidic teachings. I am very curious how they are going to fit in the new druid races when Cataclysm comes out, but that is another time.

With Mokamella, I have explored The Barrens, Mulgore, and visited the major cities of the Horde. I even snuck around Alliance territory around Stormwind in my cat form (which has an invisibility ability) when I was in my mid-20s. I also discovered the economy is such that you have to pay attention to your chosen profession if you wish to get those new spells that you will need to go to the next level.

I have done a few player versus player (PvP) sessions. I went into the arena once and was immediately killed. I still haven’t figure out how that works. I have also played on the battlefields where you capture the flag. Since these are pick-up games where you never know who you are going to be playing with, there hasn’t been a great deal of strategy involved.

Speaking of “pick-ups,” most of the traveling through dungeons (game instances that need groups to complete) are handled by putting yourself in an electronic queue as one of the following:

  • Tank – person who pulls out the mobs and lets them beat up on you so they don’t beat up on other party members.
  • Healer – person who keeps healing the tank primarily – but can be called upon to heal the DPS folks if really needed.
  • Damage Per Second (DPS) – 3 people whose primary job is to kill the mobs and monsters. They are also the second line of defense for the healer so, if necessary, the healer can resurrect anyone who got themselves killed.

I have played all three. I like tanking and healing. Tanks and Healers have to watch each other’s health and mana (magic use left) bars in order to make certain that the party does not get “wiped”. Wiped is when your entire party is killed and you all have to run from some random in-game cemetery to the beginning of the dungeon sequence.

As you can see, you can play the game without ever noticing much of the storyline. Repeating the same random dungeons over and over again won’t provide you with much lore. Doing individual and group quests that are specific to your in-game race will also give you a very limited view of the game. This is why I also created a Blood Elf and an Orc. I’m waiting for the Cataclysm expansion to create a troll druid and goblin rogue.

What can I say? I like the Horde.

“Discovering” World of Warcraft

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I resisted for years.

My brother started MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) in the days of Evercrack, er, Everquest.

Everyone I interact with on Ravelry seems to play World of Warcraft.

I have known many players of Heroes and WoW. And even dabbled in tabletop gaming.

It really was only a matter of time. Like water, it gradually kept eating away at my resistance until, like stone, my resistance was gone.

I am now playing a Tauren Druid, Tauren Warrior, Blood Elf Mage, and an Orc Warlock. I am anxiously awaiting the day when Cataclysm comes out so I can play a Goblin Rogue.

I have already installed a plethora of Add-Ons to help me in the game.

I am even in a guild – Renowned Vanquishers on Hydraxis.

It really was just a matter of time. I am a media lover, and gaming is the single biggest money generator in the media market. More money is made in gaming than in any other form of media. It is, after all, all about the story.

So, anyone else out there succumb to the temptation? And, if so, how did you find yourself there?

The Gamers : Dorkness Rising (Movie)

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51pQpivh8bLIn my erstwhile adolescence I was drafted into GMing (acting as the Game Master / Referee) a series of D&D games for my little brother. In adulthood, I attempted to be a player of a game. This did not work well as I have a GM’s mentality. I have had fun at a couple of Live Action Games, but those were murder mysteries for the most part. Yes, I am a total geek, why do you ask?

The Gamers: Dorkness Rising captures the reality of many a gaming session I ran or sat through. The arguing about rules, the idiocy over how best to create a character, all of that which consumes those who play role-playing games is beautifully captured in this movie. The raucous frat boys who find a new gamer in an ex-girlfriend of one of their number. Remarkably, she is a pretty typical gamer girl. (Yes, gamer girls do exist, and not just in WoW.)

The Gamers: Dorkness Rising follows a campaign in both real life and the campaign. The actors play their characters – with one notable (sometimes) exception. The exception is played beautifully and really shows what happens when someone tries to play a character that is totally against their own type.

The situations, campaigns, and characters will be hilariously familiar to anyone who has ever played any role-playing game – or been the victim of someone trying to write a gaming module or create a new gaming system. (There are actual arguments about which system to use. Personally, I do like GURPS. There are those still committed to the original AD&D gaming charts. How is that every sub-culture has some sort of religious war?)

Now, the production values are definitely Indie level. The special effects remind me of the better effects from the Tom Baker Dr. Who era. Since this is a comedy, and clearly done tongue-in-cheek, those effects are easily overlooked.

So, if you or a loved one is, or has been, a gamer, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is definitely worth picking up. And, just so you know, Vin Diesel plays a dwarf in an ongoing D&D game. He even admitted it on Conan.

Bookworm (Games)

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Ok, I have fallen from grace and once again have been sucked into the fun time eater known as Bookworm.

Bookworm is a Flash game from PopCap games that has you spelling out words from tiles. You keep spelling until a burning tile hits the bottom of your screen. This game will suck you in and steal many hours. I have used this to teach my mother to use a mouse. She found herself looking up and seeing it is 2 AM.

Bookworm also has a series of titles from Lexicographer to Encyclopedia Salesman for rankings. (I think the highest is Bookworm, but only DH has gotten that far.) Various tiles and letters give you more points.

Luckily, the letter “Q” never shows up alone. It always has “u”, as in “Qu” to make your life easier. (Of course, there are words that use “q” without a “u”, but I have to favor the programmers favor in the game.)

This game is well worth its price! But, please, don’t blame me when you find yourself engaged in this particular time sink.

*Bookworm and PopCap are a trademarks of PopCap games.