Blog: Thoughts on XCOM

I recently finished my play through of Firaxis's new XCOM: Enemy Unknown. I didn't play the original X-COM when I was younger but picked it up a few years ago and fell in love with the sci-fi, grid and turn based tactical   game.

The new game is a nice reimagining of the original idea. The new concepts introduced change the mechanics, but the style and flavour of the game remains very similar. I've also backed the recreation of the original Xenonauts, so I'm totally happy to see a different take on the X-COM knowing that I have access to the straight modernization as well.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown ... actually the enemy is that thing over there!

Things I Liked

The number one thing I like about the game was the game itself (he said somewhat redundantly). It's a lot of fun and it's easy enough to play (although I haven't tackled the higher difficulty levels yet, nor tried the ironman mode). There are moments of great satisfaction when you kill a bad guy cleanly and exactly the way you meant to.

Fast-lane ready to damage an xray.

The class system is nice, not a new concept in gaming, but new to me in X-COM (I haven't played the original sequels). In the original game, especially at high equipment levels late in the game, you tended not to have any real difference between any of your team. One giant armoured turret was basically the same as any other. With the classes in XCOM it makes the game a little easier in the early running and a lot more fun.

The armour types were also fun, especially the ones available later in the game (although some of them I could have picked up a little earlier if I was smarter going through the research tree). In particular the armours that let you grapple around the map are a huge amount of fun. There's nothing like jumping across a giant gap to put your rifle up to the final boss's head and blowing him (it?) away.

Look, dude ... I like it too, but could you take it off to shower at least?

Things I Didn't Like

The number one thing I didn't like about XCOM was the voice acting. XCOM is based on the concept of a military created from volunteers from all over the world. My final team included an Israeli, an Argentinean, a Japanese, a Nigerian, an Italian and an American. All of these sounded like they were recorded by the same person, who lived in LA. There were no accents, there was no local flair. In the character creator there are only 5 voice choices per character and they're all completely interchangeable. Given a game that has a strong international flavour, this is really disappointing.

It's also worth noting that most of the credits are localization teams, meaning that there are tons and tons of INTERNATIONAL VOICE ACTORS voicing the same game. It makes the lack of diversity all the more annoying knowing that if the internationalization teams had just switched up some of their work it would have made the game so much stronger.

We're ready to go. From all around the world, just don't listen to us.

The next thing that I didn't like was the memorial wall. It's a nice concept, your soldiers put up a memorial for all their fallen comrades. You, however, are not allowed to see it. It's always behind the UI where you can see how many kills the soldier got before they died. You can't even sort the UI to see when they died, only the number of kills mattered. Again for a game where you're encouraged to care about your soliders this is disappointing.

Just let me see the wall too.

The rank system the game uses to give soldiers new powers is good (although I'd love a few more options for customizing the team, but I'll always have Xenonauts), however linking it with military rank is slightly annoying. I took 4 Colonels and 2 Majors on my final mission. This is weird, but only in terms of the story that I make in my head as I play, not in terms of the game's systems. I would have much rather be able to organize my command structure separately from my skill selection. The way the original X-COM organized rank (where you had 1 sergent per 10 soldier and 1 lieutenant per 3 or 4 sergents) felt much more appropriate, but that wouldn't suit the style of this game that well.

I also found that in this game they didn't make as good a use of the interceptors which shoot down UFOs as the original game did. In particular you used to be able to team up into squadrons to take down bigger ships as an interm measure before you got stronger interceptors and they left that out. It doesn't detract from the game, but was an element that felt missing.

The last thing I didn't like is much less important than the others, but probably bugged me more actively during the game. In order to help you know where to look for the alien scum, they developers included an indicator which shows where "noise" is coming from. The problem however is that every time the indicator goes off the solider nearest the noise asks some version of "What's that noise?" It was aliens, it's always aliens.

Things I Noticed

I haven't played another tactical game with cover implemented this way. On the whole I really liked the way it makes things easier to manage, I know soldier X is pretty safe because she's standing in the right position. I know I'm taking a huge risk with solider Y because he's out in the middle, but hopefully he can take a reaction shot and keep himself out of trouble.

I know where they are, and my guns are loaded!

Things I'd Include in a Game

The number one thing I'd take from XCOM is the feeling of the combat. You always feel powerful and in control, but never invulnerable. Even with your normal weapons you can fight any alien, although it may be harder, you're never out classed so badly that the game becomes impossible. On the other hand then you're never so secure in your position in the late game, no matter how good your armour or your arms that a lucky shot from even the weakest enemy can give you trouble. You always have to play smart, but playing smart is always rewarded.

Final Thoughts

XCOM is really good. I'm certain I'm going to play it on and off for years to come. Fraxis took X-COM and made it modern, easy to play and fun without losing the fundamental aspects of the original games. I always felt like I knew what was going on.

We will be watching you.

Blog: Favorite YouTube Videos (Volume 26)

This volume of my favorite YouTube videos is a bit of a testament to the cool things people can make.

• So have I mentioned that George Watsky is a pretty boss poet?
• Have you ever considered building an economy based on things you can cut with a sword? It's worth thinking about. Also Jayne!Hank and Kaylee!Katherine is pretty damn adorable. 
• The next video is another from Fruity Ukuladies, furthering my belief that is possible to make anything better through the power of covers. 
• Sometimes an inside joke just has to go to it's logical conclusion. Here we see Corey and Katers finishing this one off.
• Finally we see the ways in which certain video games could have been significantly faster. If you're interested you can see some of the filming in Kater's blog.

Project 7: A Hockey Card Game

I vaguely remember from my childhood playing a card game based on a game of hockey. Luckily thanks to the Internet, I've managed to find some record that it existed.

Still I've been kind of inspired to try to create a game out of this. I've had some discussions with some friends over the years and I feel like I want to try to make my own card based hockey game for two players.

Right now I'm not sure how all the pieces will fit together, but my plan is to have a rink between the two players with a puck that can be either in the neutral zone the defensive zone or the offensive zone. One player will play cards to try to move the puck down the ice and get it into the net. The other player will then try to play cards to stop the first player and get hold of the puck on their own. When they do then they switch and play goes the other way. Each card will have a situation in which it can be played,  and will indicate the situation that results after the card has been played.

I'm not sure if I want to create this as a physical artifact or a computer game, but I think for the first testing stages I'm going to create the cards in real life. For my first outing I'm going to do a smaller set of cards and then expand them over time if things are actually working. This will also let me know if this is actually any fun at all.

Given that Table Top Day (March 30) is coming up soon, I'm going to try to see if I can round up some friends who were going to play board games anyway on that day and trick them into doing a little play testing of this first round for me.

Blog: Favorite YouTube Videos (Volume 25)

This volume of my favorite YouTube videos is musical, adventurous, strange and sciencey.

• The first video in this volume is from the FruityUkuladies and is there cover of Israel Kamakawiwoʻole's version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". 
• The next video in this volume is KT Tunstall covering the Jackson 5's "I want you Back".
• Next is a video from Katers17, going adventuring in a hole in England. Watching this video I was reminded of the story of how Shigeru Miyamoto conceived "The Legend of Zelda" based on exploring the woods near his house as a child. 
• Then we see Corey "Mr. Safety" and Katers demonstrating a reversal of an important life lesson.
• Finally, we end on Mr. Charlie McDonnell talking stars.

Blog: Favorite YouTube Videos (Volume 24)

This volume of my favorite youtube videos is a musical one with a little bit of vlog mixed in in the middle. So here we have some inspiration, some angler fish football, some exploding green fellows and some animated felt... (plus the Muppets).

• George Watsky is an incredible voice, poet, rapper and human being. You've probably seen him rapping to a goat. Here, like he often is, he's talking about seizing your dreams and being true to yourself.
• So have I mentioned that the best bits of vlogbrothers is when they're together. Also this is the birth of the Swindon Town Swoodlypoopers (even if they never did manage to play together again).
• The next video is a Minecraft song by CaptainSparklez. It's a parody of Usher's "DJ Got us Fallin' in Love" but way better because it's about creepers.
• I like The Muppets, I like OK Go. Is there any reason not to love the combination? Also, please to enjoy the ending Catapult Nightmares.

Blog: Favorite YouTube Videos (Volume 23)

This volume of my favorite YouTube videos is a little different. This time it's all videos from one source and weirder than that three of the videos have the same song. But I'll tell you that these videos were the ones that inspired me to start posting about my favorite YouTube videos and I've been waiting for this post for a long time.

I don't think I can describe World Order or Genki Sudo. I don't think I can describe their videos, so I suggest you watch them. I can say that I think that they're mind blowing and that their videos are go so far beyond simple dance that they are expressions of human physiology and kinetics.

Please remember to enjoy World Order responsibly and avoid operating heavy machinery for at least an hour after watching.

• The first two videos are both of the same song, the eponymous "World Order", the first in Tokyo and the second in New York. Beyond the group themselves the videos are fascinating for the reaction of the people around them.
• The next video is for the song "Machine Civilization" and here the group's dance is outstanding, mesmerizing and almost incomprehensible. Again it's fascinating to see the reactions they draw from the people around them.
• The third video is for "Boy Meets Girl" and we see what happens when World Order tries to relax for the evening and celebrate their success. 
• The next two videos are a tribute to World Order from a group in Florida. The first is the video they made and the second is the making of which shows just how much work it is for people to perfect the choreography. Again, when you watch it a second time (and I'm sure you will) watch for the reactions of all the people and the kids trying to figure out the moves. I think it's fitting that the tribute gets the same reaction as the original.

Blog: Favorite YouTube Videos (Volume 22)

This volume of my favorite YouTube videos includes some cool music, some cool writing and some cool costumes.

• The first video this volume is Bill Withers singing "Ain't No Sunshine". This is an incredible performance with so much passion. I'm not sure where it's from, but it's worth taking the time to enjoy.
• The next video is Alex Day and Bryarly Bishop, singing "Under the Sea" from Disney's "The Little Mermaid".
• The next video another vlogbrother video, this one with John and Hank together (which is the best kind of vlogbrother video). Beyond that I'm not sure why I favorited it, other than the generally entertaining insanity and possibly The Katherine hiding in the bathroom (spoilers). Plus Ellen Hardcastle is my favorite album by Hank so far.
• The next video, again from the vlogbrothers is the first part of the nerdfighter book club on "The Great Gatsby". Whenever John talks books it's interesting, but now I'm especially interested in this one because he has returned to it on their Crash Course channel. The concepts are the same but the presentation has changed.
• Finally we have a lipdub of cosplayers from the London Film & Comic Con in July 2011 by Cosplay Fever.

Blog: Thoughts on Tales of Graces f

I recently finished playing Tales of Graces f. Which is a PS3 expanded port of a Wii game (Tales of Graces). It's a jrpg that is part of the long running Tales series. Quite a while ago I played through the GameCube Tales of Symphonia, but other than that I haven't played other games in the series.

Tales of Graces f (via GameFaqs)

This game is an action rpg, in which you run around on the world map and then when you run into enemies (which are visible in the world) you enter a combat environment where you can move around the enemies and use different combat commands which are bound to the different controller buttons. The rest of the time you run around the world and talk with people and try to avoid TOTAL ANNIHILATION OF THE PLANET (as I said, it's a jrpg). Interestingly the game is also set over 3 (well 2 and a half) different time periods where you play first as a child and then later as a young adult. The last section of game takes place about six months after than the main story line and gives you an extra adventure and a bit of a "where are they now" section.

I'm very charmed by this game. Objectively, it would be hard to rate it as especially good since it has some design and technical problems that hold it back from being excellent, equally it would be hard to consider it bad since none of its problems are game-breaking. Overall it's average, however I enjoyed playing it and as I said I was really charmed by our encounter (which lasted 50 or so hours).

Some of the visuals are pretty cool. (via GameFaqs)

I'll talk below about the things I liked, didn't like, thought about and would include in a game of my own. As always please be warned since there will be spoilers.

Things I Liked

Many of the things I liked I only came to like after a lot of time spent playing the game. By the end of the game, I came to really like the characters, but in the earlier parts of the story they felt flat and a little unpleasant. As you spend more time with them and as the story lets them develop they become a lot more lovable and entertaining.

While the characters got better overtime I think I may have enjoyed the story a little less at its end than I did at its beginning. In the earliest phases we play a local lord caught in a greater conflict between three greater kingdoms who are all suffering a shortage of the magical go-powder that makes all the magic and technology work. Later the game shifts to more of standard, chase down the giant evil and kill them (although it is actually more nuanced than that). Overall the story was still a good part of the game.

Another thing I liked, although I don't know that it's the kind of thing I want included in every game, is the aging up structure of the narrative. Playing the first few chapters as kids lets you be bad at the game while your character is still young (which makes more sense than why a 20 something year old soldier is not quite sure which end of the gun/sword/gunsword should be pointed at the rats). It also offers more narrative options than keeping the time in the game continuous, so you're able to be a kid, have a tramatic event happen and then runaway to clown school (by which I mean the knight academy). I don't know that they implemented it quite as well as they might have, there are things that might have been done better and worked into the story (you lived two blocks away from your friend for 7 years and never talked to him?), but overall I think it made the story work in this game.

Hey we're just kids right now! (via GameFaqs)

I also liked getting an extra mini-adventure at the end of the game. This was added on for the PS3 version and lets you return to your main characters six months after the end of the main quest. It's nice to get a calm way to transition out of the game at the end. The story was less intense, but still interesting and lets you see the characters returning to their real world jobs and sorting out their real world relationships. As with the rest of the story it could be slightly better and less melodramatic but it was a really nice way to finish the game.

Things I Didn't Like

For some reason the developers created an artificial intelligent for the camera and made it terrified of the main characters. It was difficult to see things in many areas of the game because the camera was so far away from the action. Some of this might be in the nature of PS3 games (and my having a not-quite-actually-hd television, it was also somethings difficult to read the type) and it did make it easier to see the enemies around you, however at first at least I found it really disconnecting. I understand that the models and textures might not be at the top of the line for the PS3 but it would have been nice to actually see some of what was going on.

I also found that the difficulty on the bosses was way harder than any of the mooks in the area. I guess the intention was that I should grind more, but I (for some crazy reason) didn't want to grind. It's especially frustrating since the difficulty shows up at strange times in the game (you might get five boss fights in a row that are easy and then one that's nearly impossible). Other than an attempt to boost the hours that the game takes, I suspect that some of the difficulty imbalance is due to the fact that single enemies are at a great disadvantage of groups of enemies (since they are easy to stun-lock and simply can't move as fast as your party of four fighters), however for story reasons some bosses need to fight alone and so they ramp up the difficulty to keep things "balanced".

The combat system was also quite complicated (or I was fairly dumb). After 40 hours of play time I was still learning how the game worked. While I certainly take some of the blame, having not played a "modern" jrpg (the last I think I played was Final Fantasy 12, which isn't modern or at all the same) and having not played a tales game in a very long time. On the other hand the game was still giving introductory tutorial messages during a boss fight more than 30 hours into the game. At the end (especially in the future section) I felt good with the combat system and got better at winning fights, but it certainly took me a long time.

The combat system ... of course we know what's going on here. (via GameFaqs)

The crafting systems was frustratingly complex for very little pay off. Craftable things seem to come in three types, food (and items), gear and valuables. The valuables system was fairly straight forward, but required you to go through the list of every item you have available and see what it can be crafted with, then you can sell the outcome (or save them to see what you can combine them with). The actual utility of this never became clear to me other than to have a bank of spare cash and it took more time than I'd really have liked.

The food system basically works the same way. When you have food as an item you can use it to heal the whole party for some percentage of their HP. More interestingly if you use the crazy inexplicable object creator thingy to make food, it can produce effects in the battle environment (like reviving dead characters, yay cheeseburgers). While this is cool, the fact that no food items are not actually usable to produce effects makes the whole system less helpful.

The gear system is where the problems really stood out to me. As far as I can tell there were at least four different mechanics that affected the creation of gear. Some of them augmented gear and others gave you new types of gear and then somehow you could get things back from gear without losing the augments and then ... you could do something with them. Unfortunately this is not at all intuitive or explained well in the tutorial text and I was never able to understand it. (And I'm willing to admit that it might be me as much as it's the game).

Things I Noticed

Back in the days of the Super Nintendo, on the the things I enjoyed about many RPGs was the sudden access to flight, freeing you up to travel around the world anywhere you want to go and to do anything you want to do. In particular the mode-7 airship from Final Fantasy VI (3) and Flammie the Mana Dragon from Secret of Mana hold a special place in my heart.

Now however, most games don't allow you to fly around the world. In Tales of Graces f you can't even pick your destination from the map, you have to pick it from a list beside the map. Given that it's tough to remember where you want to go by name some times this isn't an ideal solution to the going places problem. It's also much less immersive and fun than getting to fly yourself

Things I'd Include in a Game

One of the interesting things about this game is that I don't feel like there are any components I'd really chose to integrate into a game. Basically, while I enjoyed the game, I didn't feel that any of the novel parts of the game were actually things I'd choose to play.

Final Thoughts

Overall it's a little difficult to talk about  this game. I definitely enjoyed it and will probably play bits of it again at some point in the future, but overall it didn't stay with me the way some games do. I also think that while it's a fun game it's not a great starting point either for the series or the genre. Tales of Graces f is a solid game but nothing to really shake up your world.

He has crazy eyes, but it's only because someone crazy got in one of his eyes ... (via GameFaqs)

Favorite YouTube Videos (Volume 21)

This volume of my favorite YouTube videos contains some thoughtfulness, some music, some video games and some laughs.

• The first video in this volume is from Corning, and (this might shock you) it's about glass. On the one hand it's a pretty standard corporate puff piece about how awesome they'll make your future, but I was mostly interested in it because it's a pretty good illustration (in my opinion) of how our technology should work for us over the next 20 years. I favorited this one because I thought the concepts were really interesting.
• The next video is by vlogger/designer Karen Kavett. These are her reflections on her time at RISD as she graduates. It's a cool, well produced video with a lot of heart and interesting reflections on her time as a student. It's nice to see someone who's education went so well and was so in line with where they wanted their life to go. 
• The third video in this volume is composer/pianist Laura Shigihara playing an improvised arraignment of music from Secret of Mana. It's a very restful piece and Secret of Mana's music always makes the hair on my arms stand up.
• The next video is a recording of a panel from the Calgary Comic Expo 2011, featuring the voices of the childhood of anyone of my generation, Rob Paulsen, Maurice LaMarche and Jess Harnell. I was lucky enough to attend this panel and I thoroughly enjoyed it and am glad the chance exists to relive it through YouTube.
• The final video for this volume is another video song from Pomplamoose, their original song River Shiver. 

Project 6 : 100 Sketches

Over the years I've taken a few drawing classes and other kinds of art class. I've reached the point of being not terrible, but I'm never going to get better without practicing regularly which I haven't found the time and motivation to do. To give myself a kick to practicing more I'm starting a new project. My goal for this project is to practice sketching for at lest 15 minutes a day for 100 days in the next six months.

A sketching of things, using Paper on the iPad.

I'm not going to share all my sketches, since most of them probably won't be that good and I don't want to stress myself out about quality. If there are some I feel like showing off then you might see them in an update here.

The deadline for this project will be July 1, 2013 and I'm going to try to have 100 days of sketching between then and now.