WeNubs

The Word of Notch: State of the Entity

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:25:05 -0400

I’ve got Entities mostly working, and infdev’s been updated.

This means that you can mine and drop resources, craft in inventory, shoot arrows, and fight monsters! (The pathfinder worked on the first try! How’s that for mad coding skills?)

The biggest problem at the moment is that I don’t do…

This is awesome! I’m also seeing a new potential… as of this current version of the test arrows spawn entities… when you’re up against skellys they either hit you or spawn a mob, I think Notch should play with the mobs spawning mobs idea… anyway, great job Notch!

Microsoft Bans Players Exploiting MW2

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:01:24 -0500

Microsoft has started banning players using an exploit in Modern Warfare 2 until a patch can be released to fix the issue. The servers might be a bit more fun until the next patch.

However some are not to happy about the control Microsoft has over other companies games.

WoW Patch 3.3

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:55:54 -0500

World of Warcraft released another patch a few days ago and I though I might just take a few minutes to let you know what I thought about it.

First off, I was a huge Questhelper fan up until 3.3. You see when I was a young noobling I always started a character leveled to about 30 then got bored of grinding. See I never liked questing… why because it was sometimes hard to figure out what I even had to do. Well about my 8th character, I was getting up to level 30ish. I was starting to feel the drag again and was thinking about quiting the character. Thats when a friend told me about the Questhelper addon. I installed it and after a few months got my first 70 (before WotLK). I loved Questhelper. However, back to patch 3.3. Blizzard decided to add questhelper into the game. Not the official questhelper, but their own version of it. I have to admit I dropped Questhelper in a hurry. I love the new Quest Tracker from blizzard!

Another cool thing patch 3.3 brought us was the Group Finder. A new tool that replaced the LFG system that was getting dusty because no one ever used it. The new Group Finder rocks as it can help you find groups fast not just on your server but on other servers as well! I have queued for a few groups and have been in within 10 minutes. Also if you do a random group you get reward for it with a few badges a day and some gold. The only bad thing is that you fell awkward to your new totally unknown group.

I would say something about fighting the Lich King, but I am not a huge raider so there is a big chance I might never get to face the guy.

There is a lot of other changes Blizzard brought us. However I am expecting patch 3.4 to be interesting. A world without the Lich King might be interesting. I hear there might be a something in the wind :)

Vote Wenubs!

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:31:32 -0500

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Land of the Lost: A Movie Review on a gaming site? (NOT A MOVIE REVIEW)

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:33:07 -0500

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of WeNubs.*

It was a routine expedition, and the kid from Role models asks a very powerful and profound question, “Did dinosaurs have boobs?”

Ok that was a cheap shot.
So then the movie gets trippy and there are lizard scientists who apparently are kryptonians because there is a lot of talk about crystals and the end of the universe. I’ll be honest and just say that I was watching the movie in a 3x3 inch window on my laptop while I looked for pictures of dinosaurs with boobs. Alas the above is the only dinosaur I found with mammary glands large enough to sustain prehistoric life (aka the UK).

Man…..why do I hate the UK? If anything we are like the equivalent of rural Kentucky compared to the highly sophisticated and refined culture of the United Kingdom, plus the Queen looks like a really nice lady. I would help her cross the street any day.

Once I realized the not-so-hot Wendy’s mascot co-star wasn’t gonna get topless or learn how to act, I turned off the film.

So why waste your time like this? Well after my childhood memories were shattered by Elf, I thought about some of my other childhood memories, namely my favorite video games on the N64.

I cannot tell you how many hours my brother and I poured into this game playing in the stunt arenas and trying to get all of the coins. There were all sorts of edges and angles you would have to hit with your car that the creators designed just for that purpose, and then you would deploy your stunt wings and use them to twist and spin your car while in the air while getting points for air time, spins, 360’s and barrel rolls. If I remember correctly, this game also featured a level in Midway’s offices, giving you a cool Army Men sort of feel as you raced across hallways and into vents or across desks. It even had battles which I remember as being awesome as well.
This game was amazing at least at the time. A part of me wishes that someone would remake it, and yes I know there are plenty of other Rush games but I think this one was easily the best.

I am sure none of you are surprised to find this on my list of favorite long lost games. To be quite honest, this was my first introduction to multiplayer shooters and my cousins and brother and I stayed up late into the night playing paintball and stacking mines, oh and shooting russians is always fun! Right comrade?

The first, and some might say ONLY Perfect Dark game worth mentioning. Perfect Dark for the 64 was phenomenal. The bots were insane and also pretty creepy as they ran diagonally and backwards. I believe this was because artificial intelligence does not have to look to know where it is going. I remember my brother and I would mess with the setting in multiplayer and have slow motion rocket battles which were just epic. Also, there was a gun which could lock on to people and shoot through walls ironically named the Farsight. It was always a blast to find someone using it, because they would be standing in a corner looking through the scope of the gun and slowly rotating.

I think this game even had tranquilizer darts which drugged you up, and you got dizzy when someone smacked you. Simply, epic. No stupid jetpacks and other crappiness that was in the 360 version. Oh and there was some sort of plot that aliens were trying to infiltrate the government I guess….who knows.

With talk of an XBLA version coming this winter including updated graphics, new features and 4 player multiplayer, I find myself eager to get back inside Joanna Dark.

Don’t believe me? Here’s the link: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/p/perfectdarkxboxlivearcade/

So all in all I think the N64 was a great system, and if I have not disappointed enough of you by leaving out Mario and Zelda, here is why I did so:

The games listed above stole days of my life, not just one play through. RPG’s suck!

Now Boarding: Terrorism

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:07:00 -0500

I knew from the outset that I would play this No Russian, a level in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 where terrorists attack a Russian airport. I’m not easily disturbed, and my curiosity unfailingly gets the best of me every time.

You have two options in this level: Shoot no one and let your “team” do the work, or do what I did and try to prevent anyone from escaping your field of vision, mowing down even those trying to crawl away as they slowly bleed to death.

One thing I did not anticipate was my sudden mental switch into playing a role. In my mind, Joseph Allen was a budding recruit who would stop at nothing to serve his country. He’s told at the debriefing that the few lives he may take here would save millions, even billions, of others. He’s told that gaining the trust of the terrorists would enable him to infiltrate their ranks and really make a difference.

Going into this mission, I’d read very little about the game or this mission in particular, so I was unsure if my actions would change the outcome. All I knew is what Allen knew — that he can save the world by sacrificing a few people along the way. When the first bullet left the barrel of my automatic machine gun and splattered the business man’s head as he checked the arrivals/departures board, I knew I had just turned a corner. After that first kill the rest seemed like nothing.

I was numb to the screams and cries of the terrified civilians as they fled before us like startled antelope. I didn’t even notice that our leader had instructed us not to speak any Russian, and looking back, that was quite profound.

So why was I able to kill those people so easily? Was it because I was American and they were Russians? I would like to say that wasn’t the case…but would that be a lie? I know that I can freely mow them down because the people and the bullets spraying from the hot barrel of my gun aren’t real. But I have this nagging tendency to get wrapped up in the personalities and roles of the characters that I play in games.

I think that Allen would kill those people because he thought that by doing so he could save the world. As this dawned on me, I wondered how many other soldiers throughout our bloody history have been led to believe the same.

What really affected me was when the terrorists are about to leave the airport after killing what I thought were hundreds of civilians and Russian police forces, and all of a sudden the terrorist leader turns to you and shoots him.

It’s not the betrayal that surprised and disturbed me, nor that he’d figured it out. What really bothered me was the last remaining seconds of your life. I was suddenly struck by the gravity of what we’d just done and the soul-crushing realization that it was evil. No good would come of my self-damning actions. I suddenly realized that more people would die because of my participation in this horrendous act.

I applaud Infinity Ward for their bravery. Some people speculated that No Russian glorified terrorism, but I see it as a lesson and a profound statement about the corruption of man and what they will do for their beliefs. Allen is not a hero, nor is any man who takes life for any cause. His desire to be a hero drove him to monstrous actions and in the end was futile.

Another factor people may overlook is the agency that sent him in there. True, they never ordered him to pull the trigger. But they fed that fire inside him that so desperately wanted to make a difference by dropping lines about how the death of a few could save the lives of many. Also, you should consider that they knew of an impending terrorist attack and did not try to stop it.

While the story is entirely fictitious, history’s shown that the conditions and motives of the people in it have been driving our race for centuries.

Allen died in the end, and I think this was the most charitable fate he could have received. I cannot imagine that anyone could kill someone without being tortured by it.

I’m actually pretty troubled that it was so easy to convince me to kill these people, even though I knew it was a game and no one was being harmed. I wonder how many real-life soldiers deal with this sort of decision as they fight from house to house where any “civilian” could just as easily be an enemy.

I think in the end it’s a blessing that war is so terrible, lest we grow to like it.

SOE (Sony Online Entertainment) is releasing another expansion...

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:10:57 -0500

SOE (Sony Online Entertainment) is releasing another expansion to EverQuest 2 Februry 16th, 2010 called “Sentinel’s Fate”.

New Expansion Features and Additions:

Level cap increase to 90
Two expansive new overland zones, The Sundered Frontier and Stonebrunt Highlands
12 new dungeons
400 new quests based on the Legends of Odus
Five new Heritage Quests with valuable new loot
Over 2,000 new items
All new alternate advancement abilities to your arsenal of powers
Defeat hundreds of new dangerous and cunning creatures

This neat little video not made by Blizzard, but shows an...

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:25:59 -0500

This neat little video not made by Blizzard, but shows an interesting take on what is about to happen in World of Warcraft. I have played many video games, but this one has grown closer then most. Just watching this video makes me feel like the game is coming to an end. At least a small part of it, but it is another chapter that will soon be forgotten by players, just like Burning Crusade has been. It is almost sad to see this chapter being closed in the book.

Hahahaha! Love this!

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:40:39 -0500

Hahahaha! Love this!

Video

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:53:48 -0500

China in the way again!

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:07:39 -0500

You like WoW right… Well so do all the players in China, but the Government of China is not to happy with NetEase (Blizzard World of Warcraft server host). It seems NetEase is taking subscriptions before the General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP) said they could. World of Warcraft was going to have a re-launch party soon, but this might just stop it.

Find out more here: http://www.wow.com/2009/11/02/chinas-gapp-halts-wow-review-calls-collecting-subscriptions-i/

Of course I been doing other things then Torchlight…...

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:13:37 -0500

Of course I been doing other things then Torchlight… wait… no I haven’t. This is the same character you see below, but now he is level 29. The game is really fun. It brings you back into the days of hack and slash Diablo & Diablo 2 with the fun art style of World of Warcraft.

Runic the creators of Fate, a more childish game, have done a great job. Those that have not played a lot of the games above, but have played fate would sure love how Torchlight has the feel of fate also!

This is my level 16 in Torchlight!

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:23:00 -0400

This is my level 16 in Torchlight!

I got a copy of Torchlight yesterday and could not be happier....

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:27:52 -0400

I got a copy of Torchlight yesterday and could not be happier. This game is diablo 2, mixed with Fate and add some beautiful World of Warcraft graphics. The game play is fun with bright colors and even easy on your computer with an option (not sure what it totally does) to set it up for netbooks. Yes you can run this on a netbook! This would be great for anyone that travels, or just gets bored sometimes. It is also fun for those of us not bored. The only downfall to this game is no multiplayer… Yes if it had multiplayer it would be a major winner. However Runic did say they will be making an MMO version anywhere between 18 months and a couple of years.

They should just put together a few songs. I would buy them.

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:07:03 -0400

They should just put together a few songs. I would buy them.

Photo

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:25:30 -0400

LFG 80 Pally will Tank/Heal… Remember those days, spending...

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:59:08 -0400

Get rewards for doing random instances!

A message when your group is ready!

A pretty new ready check screen!

A list of instances you can join in on!

LFG 80 Pally will Tank/Heal… Remember those days, spending hours spamming trade chat looking for a group for that instance no one on the server wanted to do… wait we are still doing that.

Have no fear Super LFG is here… soon. 3.3.0 is bring a pretty new lfg interface with it. Above are a few pictures of the new interface.

What could be nicer then finding a group. Well what about just doing random instances. What about getting rewarded for those being in those random instances. Wait what about getting rewarded more for each member in the instance that is doing it randomly! I have to say I think Blizzard is doing the right thing here. I thought oh new lfg thing that lets me do instances with other servers cool, but now I can just jump into a random instance when I am bored… And get rewarded for it… Sweet!

Don't buy gold!

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:45:46 -0400

I found a post on WorldofWarcraft.com about not buying gold, and if you do what affect it has on the game. Find the official post here. Blizzard works hard to keep gold farmers out of our towns and make sure people who’s accounts get hacked get good care. However, many people buy gold and use power-leveling services all the time, yet they wonder why their account gets targeted down the road. I have had many friends come into the game to find their characters stripped of armor, gold missing, characters deleted, and even a guild master, a friend of mine lost his entire guild.

These companies normally help you out one day, then days later they spam you hourly asking you if you would like to buy more gold, or they spell out their names in dead bodies in the middle of town.

World of Goo "Pay-What-You-Want" Sale!

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:31:11 -0400

2D Boy has released their details of the “Pay-What-You-Want” deal. You can find the details here! Players could pay as little as $0.01 to as much as they wanted. The event lasted only a week, but 2D Boy decided to push the deal to Oct 25… so that means you still have time to get a copy for a little or a lot.

Photo

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:06:12 -0400

Getting ready for the Headless Horseman

Hallows End fun in Goldshire

The Headless Horse man attacks

Waiting around for the boss fight