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hallower

hallower

Claimed Blog: Anyway Games

GamerBlips Member since Oct. 6, 2008

hallower1980.blogspot.com - 47 hours ago
competing for Awards
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — For many gamers, like myself, Xbox Live's Avatar Awards are still mythical. I have yet to play... a game with Awards, because few games offer them. Perhaps that's because Awards are, at the moment, nothing more than visual Achievements. That's not bad, really, but there could be more depth. Many ... (more) competing for Awards

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hallower1980.blogspot.com - 4 days ago
reintroduction
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — It has become fairly common for games to include some sort of tutorial. Many incorporate the tutorial... into actual play, as Halo and Assassin's Creed do. But there's still room to improve, of course. One improvement would be to design a tutorial system specifically for re introduction. Gamers ... (more) reintroduction

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hallower1980.blogspot.com - 16 days ago
learning curves, options and challenges
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — Though I'm not a fan of every addition in Assassin's Creed 2 , it is a lot... of fun overall. In the beginning, it felt slow and confined. I knew that it would pick up and set me free eventually, but it definitely kept me on training wheels for far too long and held back much of what ultimately ... (more) learning curves, options and challenges
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hallower1980.blogspot.com - 17 days ago
moving with NPCs
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — "Follow me!" the NPC says. So I do. Well, I try to. When I walk, the NPC... is moving faster than me. I fall behind. When I run, the NPC is moving slower, and annoyingly alternates between walking and running because he or she is incapable of matching my pace precisely. Why is this a problem? Why ... (more) moving with NPCs
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hallower1980.blogspot.com - 18 days ago
Pandemic job cuts
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — It seems the rumor about Pandemic closing was largely true . About 200 Pandemic employees are being... laid off today. It's unclear right now what exactly EA's plans are for Pandemic. Apparently, some senior Pandemic employees will be transferred to EA's studio in Los Angeles. EA claims this is not ... (more) Pandemic job cuts

Comments vote down hallower hallower posted 18 days agoposted this
hallower1980.blogspot.com - 19 days ago
Modern Warfare 2 issues (360)
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — There are dozens of reviews out there that tout Modern Warfare 2 's strong points. And they're... right -- it's a great game. Infinity Ward took a great game and improved it in many ways. They even added a new mode, Special Ops (co-op missions), which itself provides hours of repeatable ... (more) Modern Warfare 2 issues (360)

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hallower1980.blogspot.com - 25 days ago
progression through failure
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — I just want to emphasize a point I made the other day. Players can, and generally should,... progress even as they fail . You can see this in games like Diablo 2 and Borderlands . When you die, you don't lose the experience points you gained on the way to your goal (such as killing a boss mob). ... (more) progression through failure

Comments vote down hallower hallower posted 25 days agoposted this
hallower1980.blogspot.com - 26 days ago
why I avoid Steam
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — I have used Steam on occasion, but only in response to exceptional bargains. In general, I avoid... Steam, instead opting for services like Direct2Drive. The reason is that I can only play a game purchased through Steam if I'm online, so Valve can constantly verify the legality of my game copy. Why ... (more) why I avoid Steam

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hallower1980.blogspot.com - 27 days ago
fake emergencies
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — me: "Do you think anything is lost by the way games say "hurry!" and then let you... dally all you want?" Ysharros : "I most certainly do. It sets expectations (at least in me) that then aren't fulfilled. Yet almost every game I know does this." I agree. If an NPC urges me to hurry, that urgency ... (more) fake emergencies
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hallower1980.blogspot.com - 11/5/2009
gradual indicators (navigation)
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — Maps are the most common way to guide players around games. Other methods include beacons, landmarks, a... compass, trails, and many other things. Another option I rarely see is what I'll call gradual indicators. By that I mean, a visual feature becomes stronger/weaker or more/less common as the ... (more) gradual indicators (navigation)
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hallower1980.blogspot.com - 11/4/2009
rounded RPGs
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — While chatting with Scott about Dragon Age: Origins , we talked a bit about the different types... of RPGs. Inevitably, I started describing what I've enjoyed in past games and what I hope for in any RPG. I've always preferred Action RPGs, but the label can be misleading. Action RPGs tend to be ... (more) rounded RPGs
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hallower1980.blogspot.com - 11/3/2009
replayable quests
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — If there's one aspect of games that rarely has much replay value, it's missions/quests/jobs. At best, some... games allow you to choose between dialog options or one of a few scenarios, but those dialog lines and scenarios are strictly scripted and play out basically the same way every time. Let ... (more) replayable quests
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hallower1980.blogspot.com - 11/2/2009
filler
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — Lately, I've been going back and forth between Borderlands and Brütal Legend . A noticeable difference between... them is the effect of music in Brütal Legend to make travel between missions less mundane. Borderlands has good music. In fact, I've been surprised how many of my friends have ... (more) filler

Comments vote down hallower hallower posted 11/2/2009posted this
hallower1980.blogspot.com - 10/29/2009
hardcore for casuals
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — I was happy to hear that Left 4 Dead 2 will include a sort of hardcore mode.... Players can opt to give up aid from the interface, like being able to see one's teammates through walls by a surrounding glow. Hardcore modes don't please only the hardcore. They also please casual players by getting ... (more) hardcore for casuals

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hallower1980.blogspot.com - 10/28/2009
Modern Warfare 2 opening
— hallower1980.blogspot.com — I've seen the opening level for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 . Normally, I'd suggest you... stop reading if you don't want any spoilers, but this is an unusual case. This is worth spoiling, and I'll explain why. The game opens with you, the player, as one of the terrorists who are gunning down ... (more) Modern Warfare 2 opening

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