On this episode, our troublesome threesome of Chris, Tom and Sal talks comics. Lots of comics, including Proof #1, Moon Knight #13, XXXombies #1, X-Men First Class #5, She-Hulk #22, Green Arrow: Year One #6, Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Superman Prime, The Sword #1, Gotham Underground #1 and why Batman can’t be R Rated. In our extended talk John Siuntres joins us to discuss Zuda.com webcomics, my condolences to Brian Reed, Cryptozoology, Skunk Ape, Chuppacabra, the horror that was Phenomenon, Get Carter and other tangents.
Off for surgery 06:29 AM - Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - by Tim So this will probably be my last newspost for a week or so. I’ve been getting a bunch of comics done in advance, because on Friday morning, I go in to have all four of my wisdom teeth pulled. I imagine my recovery will only take a few days (fingers crossed) but I’ve gone ahead and done all of next week’s comics anyway. If nothing else, I can relax and game a bit. While on painkillers.
Starting today, if you jump on Xbox Live, you can now purchase the first Ctrl+Alt+Del Gamer Picture Pack. It’s 200 points, and while I’m not sure how much that equals in human dollars, I am told that is a fairly standard rate for these kinds of things. Additionally, though it was not there when I looked, starting at some point today the Ctrl+Alt+Del Animated Series Season One will begin to be offered on Xbox Live. I believe the episodes are 250 points each. You can find all of it on the Marketplace listed under “Blind Ferret Entertainment”, the producers of the animated series.
I know the listing for the picture pack says “eleven” pictures, but I assure you, there are twenty pictures there. I was told to do ten, I did eleven, then a few weeks later they came back and asked for nine more, but apparently that change never made it into the description. Just an assortment of characters. If these do alright we’ll definitely make another pack, and I’ll collect some feedback as far as what characters you want.
I’ll do a theme eventually, I just need to find time to create some artwork for it.
I’ve got a couple of new shirt designs that I’m hoping we’ll have out before Christmas. The first is pretty self explanatory: This next shirt is a really reworked version of the Church of Gaming tee that I posted a while back. I made some real changes and then took it to the forums to get feedback. Based on that, I made some more changes. Originally the shirt was supposed to a tee-shirt version of the Priest getup that Ethan wore in that storyline. But just the D+Pad at the neckline isn’t enough for a shirt, and adding stuff just seemed to wreck the intention, so I ended up just going in a different direction. Sort of a “gothic-ish” religious look for the overall shirt. The small print on the front says “Est. 2007″.
I started playing Tabula Rasa yesterday. I’m Vithran Canova on Pegasus if anyone wants to say hello. But I wouldn’t count on seeing me around this weekend, as I’ll be laid up. And if I’m feeling up to computer gaming this weekend, I’ll mostly be on EQ2 (on Nagafen, also as Vithran), because they’re doing this special event where booster packs and starter decks will have a chance to drop as loot from monsters. Man, I sure have been suckered in by this.
My first reaction was “CCG packs are going to drop from these giant rats and wolves? Are you serious?” But then I figure, “Hey, it’s a one weekend special event, and it’s free cards. Why the hell not?”
I played in a tournament for the card game this past weekend. I came in 68th out of 128, so I guess you could say I juuuuust slid in on the losing half. Was kind of fun though.
Guitar Hero 3… I think I’m just about done with it. I’ll hang on to the game and guitars, because if nothing else we can use them at Digital Overload next year. But I’ll tell you, right now it’s completely up in the air which game we run a tournament for (GH3 or Rock Band).
I can say (with more than a little satisfaction) that we’re dumping Counter-strike from the tournament list this year, and replacing it with Team Fortress 2.
Legends, huh? 03:31 PM - Monday, October 29, 2007 - by Tim So Guitar Hero 3 is… okay.
It just feels a little bit, I don’t know, unnecessary. They could (should) have easily added these songs via downloadable content on the marketplace.
The wireless guitar is a nice feature, but really it should have already been here with Guitar Hero 2. Also I can’t say I’m a fan of the two-part, assembly-required guitar. Put together, it is the same size as previous guitars, and the set comes in a huge oblong box that is also the same size as it previously was, so… why? It locks in, but it’s not that snug.
Admittedly I haven’t played online yet, but again, a feature that really should have been in Guitar Hero 2. So maybe that offers enough “new” to justify the whole new game. I just feel like they really underutilized the DLC that was available to Guitar Hero 2, and I hope they do more with it before Guitar Hero 4 comes out. It would be nice to not get stuck with a bunch of crap songs just to play the ones you enjoy. I mean how do you call the game “Legends of Rock” and then add “Tenacious D” as anything other than a bonus track? They’re a Legend of Rock, now? Where’s the Springsteen? Where’s the Hendrix?
So we’ll have to see what happens when Rock Band comes out next month. They’ve got a tough battle against an established brand and competitor, and they seem to be offering up quite a few features, not even counting the two additional instruments. Guitar Hero 3 really should have brought their A-game in anticipation of that.
At the very least, I really hope RedOctane puts out a patch that makes the Rock Band Stratocaster compatible with Guitar Hero… because frankly it looks waaaay better than any of the Guitar Hero controllers.
So I’ve reached the point this season where I’ve given up trying to keep up, and have just started stockpiling games for the inevitable early-year drought, after all of the game companies have blown their loads all over the holiday season. Folklore, Ratchet and Clank, etc, all great games I’m dying to play, but shelved until a window of time opens up wherein there are no other games to be played. I’ll focus on the important ones (Assassin’s Creed, Mass Effect, Kane and Lynch) and just worry about the rest later.
Though one of these days it would be nice for the developers to realize that, you know, people do buy games at times other than Christmas.
Tabula Rasa 11:43 PM - Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - by Tim I’m Vithran Canova on Pegasus, if anyone else is around.
Legends, huh? 03:31 PM - Monday, October 29, 2007 - by Tim So Guitar Hero 3 is… okay.
It just feels a little bit, I don’t know, unnecessary. They could (should) have easily added these songs via downloadable content on the marketplace.
The wireless guitar is a nice feature, but really it should have already been here with Guitar Hero 2. Also I can’t say I’m a fan of the two-part, assembly-required guitar. Put together, it is the same size as previous guitars, and the set comes in a huge oblong box that is also the same size as it previously was, so… why? It locks in, but it’s not that snug.
Admittedly I haven’t played online yet, but again, a feature that really should have been in Guitar Hero 2. So maybe that offers enough “new” to justify the whole new game. I just feel like they really underutilized the DLC that was available to Guitar Hero 2, and I hope they do more with it before Guitar Hero 4 comes out. It would be nice to not get stuck with a bunch of crap songs just to play the ones you enjoy. I mean how do you call the game “Legends of Rock” and then add “Tenacious D” as anything other than a bonus track? They’re a Legend of Rock, now? Where’s the Springsteen? Where’s the Hendrix?
So we’ll have to see what happens when Rock Band comes out next month. They’ve got a tough battle against an established brand and competitor, and they seem to be offering up quite a few features, not even counting the two additional instruments. Guitar Hero 3 really should have brought their A-game in anticipation of that.
At the very least, I really hope RedOctane puts out a patch that makes the Rock Band Stratocaster compatible with Guitar Hero… because frankly it looks waaaay better than any of the Guitar Hero controllers.
So I’ve reached the point this season where I’ve given up trying to keep up, and have just started stockpiling games for the inevitable early-year drought, after all of the game companies have blown their loads all over the holiday season. Folklore, Ratchet and Clank, etc, all great games I’m dying to play, but shelved until a window of time opens up wherein there are no other games to be played. I’ll focus on the important ones (Assassin’s Creed, Mass Effect, Kane and Lynch) and just worry about the rest later.
Though one of these days it would be nice for the developers to realize that, you know, people do buy games at times other than Christmas.
This week we celebrate Halloween with a dramatic reading of a classic EC Tales From the Crypt tale. We get you ready for the week ahead with new single issue, collected edition and DVD releases. Tom Katers is back as the Answer Man and Darksied reads your e-mails. Regular segments include Jeremy Mullins on Web comics, John Mayo goes over the top 300 and Will Pfeifer talks new and old DVDs. All that and more!
Avalanche 02:52 AM - Wednesday, October 24, 2007 - by Tim Oh man, what have I done? What was I thinking?
I’ve gotten back into Everquest 2. Again.
I’m drawing this comic strip for the official Everquest magazine (which it occurs to me now I have completely forgotten to mention anywhere, ever), EQuinox. Anyway, they’re finishing up the second issue, and I had to submit a new strip. So I whipped one up, and it got me poking around recent patch notes for the game, out of curiosity.
The first thing that catches my eye is the new “Appearance” tab that apparently went in not too long ago, and after finding out what it does, all I can say is “hell yes”. Basically it’s a separate tab of armor slots where you can put items to designate what will display on your character, visually. It’s a feature EQ2 desperately needed, because in the lower levels you run around looking like a motley fool with your seven different colors and styles of armor.
So essentially, they’ve done away with the question of “Well, this chestplate looks awesome, but this other one has better stats (but looks like crap)”. You equip the good stat chestplate, and display the good-looking chestplate (which you don’t get stats from now). It really seems to open some control over character appearance that was sorely lacking, and variety in armor was always one of EQ2’s weak spots. But now, if you want your Swashbuckler to wear a puffy pirate shirt, you can go for it without sacrificing the stats that keep you competitive. This, plus the fourth expansion in a couple of weeks had piqued my interest.
So I figure ‘what the hell’, and reactivate my account. This is where things really went downhill. Apparently since I last played, SOE has produced this online CCG based on EQ called Legends of Norrath. And when you sign up, they give you a free starter deck (for that and for the Pirates Constructable Card Game, which I’ve played in person, but always wanted to try the only variant anyway). So I flipped through the deck.
Now this is quite the racket they have going, let me tell you. You can play this CCG against other gamers online, either via an independent program, or right from within EQ/EQ2 while you’re playing. You can purchase booster packs with real money or with in-game money. And here’s the real kicker: booster packs randomly contain special foil cards that can be redeemed for in-game loot. I really had to marvel at the cleverness of the whole setup.
So I decided to give the card game a whirl. I’ve become sort of a sucker for CCG’s since my girlfriend taught me to play Magic earlier this year. My first impressions of Legends of Norrath were positive. From a graphical standpoint, the artwork on the cards is really, really nice. The cards actually feature some pretty quality paintings. I played through the tutorial and a practice game, and while (at least so far) the game doesn’t seem quite as… fluid as a game like M:TG, it certainly parallels a lot of the familiar features of EQ, such as equipping armor/weapons, completing “quest” and whatnot.
It doesn’t feel in any way like it’s just a marketing ploy. I think it’s good marketing, tying it in with two popular MMOs like that, but I see how someone could easily get into, and play just the CCG, if they were interested in that. Booster packs are priced similarly to any other CCG, and while you don’t get physical cards to have, there are upsides to that as well. Such as, you know, not having a bunch of cards taking up space. And having access to far more players for trading/playing than you’ll find at your local geek hangout. I like the concept of more of these games going in that direction. Not strictly, but as an added option.
I really want to try the Pirates CCG online (haven’t had time yet), but that’s the whole problem here. What the hell am I doing starting up an MMO now? With Eye of Judgment, and Ratchet and Clank coming out this week, The Simpsons game and GH3 coming out the following week, then we get into Assassins Creed, Mass Effect, Kane and Lynch territory. And the next GalCiv2 expansion coming in December to finish me off if I’m still standing.
And it’s a busy time of the year for work stuff too. Planning for Digital Overload 2008 is starting to gear up. Few other projects that I could tell you about, but then I’d have to fly to each of your houses and kill you, and I don’t think the government would let me write that travel off as a business expense. But soon, maybe as early as next week for one little announcement. Who knows.
Light my way 01:37 AM - Monday, October 22, 2007 - by Tim And with this the iStory draws to a close. What? As some of you noticed, every comic in this little story arc started with an “I”. Why? Eh, why the hell not? Honestly it happened by accident with the first few comics, then I just decided to see if I could keep it up.
Played a bit of this game Prism: Light the Way on my DS over the weekend. It’s not bad. Nothing graphically mind-blowing, but definitely a solid puzzle title, if you’re into that kind of thing. The first ones are pretty straightforward, once you get the hang of it. Eventually they start getting fairly tricky.
Folklore is good, definitely a step in the right direction for the PS3. My main problem with it is the same problem I find with almost all games made for Japan and then ported here… the translations suck. Not “Zero Wing” suck, but just almost like the sentence structures were translated so literally, that they sound jilted, and unnatural. It’s unfortunate because it detracts from an otherwise very fun and interesting game.
Also it’s a little annoying that, at least so far, playing as Ellen or Keats seems like it’s exactly the same game. As in, their paths don’t diverge all that much, so you get a lot of unnecessary repetition.
Eye of Judgment and Ratchet and Clank come out this week, so that’s another nice boost for my PS3’s playability.
This week features a conversation with writer Christos Gage. We get you ready for the week ahead with new single issue, collected edition and DVD releases. Tom Katers talks continuity and Skottie drops an audio A-Bomb for this week’s rant. Jeremy Mullins on Web comics, John Mayo goes over the top 100 trades and Will Pfeifer talks new and old DVDs. Timestamp: 01:56 - Christos Gage | 26:22 - New Collected Editions | 29:57 - New Single Issue Releases | 33:51 - Answer Man | 41:46 - Mayo Market Report | 45:17 - Mullins on Web Comics | 48:37 - Pfeifer on DVDs | 51:34 - Skottie’s Rant
