Hey all! I'm really sorry for the long hiatus. I'd like to explain the reason(s).

1) Just plain busy - My life has been a bit hectic since I wrote last. I've gone through some major life changes, from family events and instances to work related things and other personal stuff. Barring getting into to much detail, lets just say they should be taken care of, one way or another, within a few months.

2) Work - I've been searching and searching for work in a game-industry related capacity since I've been out of school. That's taken me to points where I just had very little energy and it drove a lot of inspiration out of me. The job search for anyone to get ANY job right now is hard, not to mention finding one in a specific industry, let alone one as small and tightly knit as the game industry. That being said, on June 14th, 2010, I succeeded! I am now a professional Game Master on an online free-to-play MMO called Luna Online. It's a super-cute little anime themed MMO and I love my job. That's one distraction out of the way. =]

3) Lack of Inspiration - Through all this, I was just feeling more and more drained. I was feeling like readers were tapering off and that the interest that was there or at least that I was hoping would be there, wasn't. It was my goal to make a site where issues about the game would be discussed and I just, at times, didn't feel like there was much discussion. Also another big culprit was that I'd been trying to DM, just to have SOME vestige of D&D in my life when at my core, I'm much more a "player" type. My own personality goes more towards knowing what it takes to DM and assisting a DM when they're doing it, versus doing the whole GM task myself. My mind tends to gravitate much more towards creating a player with a solid, well crafted backstory, who plays well and is interesting and exploring the mechanics of the game through that form of play versus overall direction. I understand DMing, but when it's all I do, I feel drained and like a vital area of me is not being satisfied.

ALL THAT BEING SAID....

I'm looking into moving nearer to work and once I do, I'll be joining up with a D&D game that is in progress here at work. The game involves a lot of players new to the game, which is very exciting, we they can really be taught the right way of things right off the bat, and made into some great players. Also, god willing, I'll be able to join back up with some of my old gaming buddies and be involved with a second game in that regard. I miss having a few games going at once. We'll see how it goes. I plan on trying to restart this blog and post more thoughts on my experiences as they come. I hope you all start reading again!

~Andrew

Hey all, the Take is back! I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years and got tons of great gamer gifts because, lets face it, you can never really have enough, eh?! Anyways, lets hop to it.

Hey all,

Hey all, I was doing some thinking on a new post and I thought of the idea of character archetypes and the idea of "categories" in characters that so many of us players seem to fall into. This was brought to mind for me when I was playing Dragon Age: Origins and I looked at the way they did their character classes. There's three of them. The warrior, the rogue and the mage. So, rather, the way I've been looking at it, "The strong one", "The agile one" and "The one that uses magic."

This kind of brought me back to thinking about how we are about character creation and how we tend to design around a character's function in battle. "How is my character going to down the bad guy?" (or at least contribute to it).

After giving it a little thought, I don't really think there's anything wrong with that. As things are, combat is a big part of the game, like it or not. If your character can't cut it in a fight somehow, no matter how much you like role playing, he's probably dead-man-walking. Encounters are much more the "game" part of the game.

Note: As of 4th edition D&D, more focus has been put on Skill Challenges and making some role play situations more like encounters, but that's an instance that is a maybe, from what I've seen. Skill challenges tend to require some contrivances from what I've seen and done in my DMing and what I feel to be true role play feels much more organic. When it comes to a situation that's dire or intense, I'll use skill checks, but designing a skill challenge for role play feels like too much focus on dice, using a difficulty system for something that I feel should be more organic. That's not to say that I don't like skill challenges, but I feel it's much easier to think on your feet and ad-lib without them, more often than not.

Anyways, as I was thinking, the thing that occured to me was that those three things really do seem to encompass all the functions of "action" in a D&D game. I couldn't figure out how I really felt about that. Was it good that things could be broken down so simply or was it bad? I like to think that there is so much customization available in role playing games when really, when I look at it, it's rather simple, with lots of little options; which seems to be 4th editions modus operendi.

I suppose that when it comes down to it, I just like when there is variety. I like when you can pick something that can really and truely be different from the eight previous things you've played. It all changes with role play but it really forces you to rethink "I hit it with a sword." There has to be flourishes. There has to be embelishment. There has to be all sorts of things to differentiate things from your old characters.

I just look out at the RPG landscape right now and find myself unable to wait for a revolution where there's a breakthrough instead of all of us treading on ground that's been walked a thousand times over.

When I look at Dragon Age, it comes off, to me, as a refinement of a refinement of a refinement of what's been done already. Is it good? Yes. It's exceptional. Does it break the mold? Not really. The origin stories, I think, are the biggest point. That's moving us in the direction of real organic pen and paper RPGs. You have 6 completely separate starting stories that contain a few hours of content that set you apart from the other stories available. It's not cookie cutter, where you'd just plug your generic character into a plot that isn't really going to change no matter what you do, you're an individual with craftable motivations and choices that all relate to where you are and where you've been.

I can't wait to see video games expand to do what a pen and paper RPG can do. It won't replace the fun you have with your buddies around a kitchen table with books all over the place, but it'll be awesome none-the-less.

Thanks for reading!

~Andrew

Alright, so, I realize that I could probably play Dragon Age for 150 hours before actually thinking I've played even remotely close to everything so here's my review.

First off, I'm just going to get this out of the way. Dragon Age is awesome. Like, no-holds-barred fantastic. This is, bar none, the best RPG experience I've had in only God knows how long and if you can get your hands on it, do so.

[Some SPOILERS ahead but I'll try to keep them to a minimum]

So, were my hopes realized? Yep, for the most part. The character creation offers enough variety to make characters look different, but it's not so deep that you'll sit there for hours upon hours. That said, it's good. Quite good. The character development is really neat too. Do you craft your own story? Yes and no. You will play one of 3 races, each having 2 backstories possible, depending on class. You play through a unique intro depending on what you choose and then you, by some way or another, end up playing a Grey Warden fighting against the blight.

You'll run into a BUNCH of different characters and creatures, eacg of whom have unique backstories and histories to explore, depending on your relationship to the characters and the choices you make. The moral choices in the game are interesting too. It's quite possible to make a choice that you think is really and truely correct and still a member or two from your party will disagree with your actions. It's at the same time awesome and frustrating because on the one hand, it'd be nice if all your party members liked you and you could really get to know each and every one of them but at the same time, having that uniqueness and individuality makes each playthrough interesting. "Which characters am I going to explore this time?"

The voice acting is stellar. All the actors play their parts well and you really feel the characters. They don't seem like famous actors behind some computer animation, you really feel as if they're a real being, within the bounds of the game. The other sound work is excellent, and it's what you'd expect from a top notch fantasy game.

The thing I'm very impressed with is the actual presentation. They make heavy use of cut-away scenes but not in an annoying way. They utilize in-game graphics to create the scenes that display huge battles, political machinations between nobles and other plot events and the voice acting and shots are so well done that it's just really awesome when one comes one and you get to sit back and go "Oooh cool, what's this?"

So, graphics and audio are great. Story is great, as is character development. How about the game? Exceptional as well (surprise, right?). I'll tell you this much though. Dragon Age will kick your butt. I was in one particular boss fight where a party member had been disarmed earlier in the dungeon. He used a 2 handed sword and all his moves are based around that. So, I gave him two regular swords so he had something to fight with, but it just didn't cut it. I got trounced over and over for a good couple hours, trying strategy after strategy, maximizing health potions, spell use, using the pause-delegation strategy, everything. Later, I finally loaded up a slightly earlier save, grabbed a different character that had the right equipment and it went a lot easier. This is all on normal mode and there are two difficulties higher than that.

Beyond that, I just want to say that my favorite part of the game has got to be the conversations. The role play choices you can make are really cool and sometimes just laugh out loud funny. The story is dark, mature and heavy and what's more, it's long. It's full of monsters, treachery, intrigue, laughs and violence.

This sets the bar quite a few notches higher for fantasy role playing games to come and I think it's ripe with ideas for any D&D game, both plot wise, strategy-wise and character-wise.

Again, if your computer can run it well, I would recommend the PC version. All the reviews I've read say that the console versions don't look quite as good (namely the textures are a bit compressed and muddy) and they don't offer the top-down strategic camera view, like the PC does. Also if you have the PC version, the toolset for creating your own levels complete with a lip-synching tool, cinematic creator, etc, is available.

So, all in all, go get Dragon Age and explore Ferelden. It's great!

~Andrew

In D&D we look for a lot of things. We expect many things that a video game can't deliver, at the moment and in that, it gives video games a lot to aspire to and try to emulate. I would wager that it will be some time before a computer can create a compelling story and allow as well as adapt to any player's choices; BUT, that said, there are a lot they can do. In the upcoming Dragon Age: Origins created by the folks over at Bioware (makers of Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect, etc) it appears that they will take yet another stab at a great fantasy epic that will raise the bar for all role playing games to come. I have it pre-ordered and plan to give it a run and these are some of the things I'm hoping to see:

Story: In a game like this, story is always paramount. It's just something you can't get away from. A shooter usually doesn't need much story to be great (look at Borderlands), but with an RPG (or any good one, if you ask me), everything is centered around it. I've talked with lots of friends and colleagues and most, if not all, agree that an RPG is different in that it's one of those kinds of games that really isn't about winning. In fact, with an RPG, "winning" is usually the worst part, because that means (sadly) that it's over. It's about the journey, the character development and the events and interactions you have along the way. So, my first hope is that the framework in which the game takes place and the events that unfold, are memorable. I hope that real care has gone into crafting a story that will draw in the players time and time again and that this be one of the new classics that any fan of RPGs or even just good story, should own.

Character Development: Variety. I hope that the variety of the game is huge and that it's possible to really make your character stand out. To a point, that's not really the aim of this game. There is obviously a story to be played through and they make it plain that you're set on a path, at least by some point in the game. That said, I hope that everything is done in such a way where you feel your character is unique and original and has impact on the setting.

I hope there is excellent character interaction as well. Bioware has done a good job of making their characters interesting and I hope things get kicked up a notch.

Gameplay: I just hope that things are crisp. It would be good to see an RPG that handles tightly as a game, espescially with combat, as it does with physical interaction. From what I've read, it's very strategic and that watching a fight play out is really great to watch. I hope the animations are smooth, the combat options are robust and that the interface works smoothly so that it's painless to direct the action in front of you.

Replay Value: I'm already confident in this one but I want to make a note of it all the same. From what's reached my ears and eyes via previews and interviews, there are three races to choose from as well as 6 different backgrounds. You're talking 18 possible combinations just with race and class. Throw in gender (if they really make that matter, which I hope they do), that doubles it to 36.

On top of that, I've heard they have a passive alignment system. Some of you might be asking "What the heck do you mean?" Well, in games such as Knights of the Old Republic (also made by Bioware), you had a meter that told you how "light side" or "dark side" you were. This allowed you to make decisions to lean yourself one way or another for whatever reason you had. Dragon Age takes what sounds like a much more subtle and intriguing go at this. The system is completely background. You never see it. On top of that, you're given choices that tend to be much more morally grey than "Kill him or don't kill him?" This gives some time for anxiety and some beard-stroking as you contemplate your actions and the impact they will have on the world and try to pick the dicision that will have the smallest likelyhood to turn around and bite you in the rear.

Overall: I hope that Dragon Age does role playing games proud. I think we need more great RPGs and if this succeeds it could have a distinct influence on future RPGs to come. It can be a shining example of what to do or a glaring example of what not to do. I have a feeling it will be the former and I hope it won't be the latter.

What this means, in relation to D&D is that they will keep making video games based on D&D and this is also a dark fantasy epic. This will most likely have some impact on how developers go about the next video adaptation of our beloved pen-and-paper game. So, in a way, I hope it does fantasy role playing games justice and points us in the right direction.

As a final thought, beyond all that stuff up there, I just hope that it's fun!

Dragon Age: Origins releases Nov 3rd and is available from your local game stores. It is available for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

Dragon Age: Origins is rated M for Mature. The game will contain a healthy dose of combat related mess and much more mature themes. Parents, if your kids are small, do them a favor and look into it before buying it for them.

Happy Gaming!

~Andrew

So I just had a thought. D&D is a paper role playing game (that wasn't the thought). As a role playing game where the players design the experience, I think it's valid to look at other games that enhance (or possibly ruin...) our views and the way we design, run and play our D&D games. As such, I'm making an "RPG Tangent" set of posts to discuss other games that approach our genre and possible things we can pull from these experiences.

So, the game in question today?

Borderlands

Borderlands is an awesome little gem of a video-game created by Gearbox. It's being marketed as an "RPS" or a role-playing-shooter. Their entire goal was to take elements of popular games of late such as the likes of Doom3, Fallout 3, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Mass Effect, etc (popular shooters and role playing games in the video game market) and make a game that blends the features of these games into one insane, awesome, shoot-fest with integrated gameplay elements of a role playing game.

Essentially, what Borderlands feels like to me is a first-person Diablo with guns and less role play. Now, usually, I'm all for RP and think "the more, the merrier!" but in the case of Borderlands, I never felt I needed it. It wasn't a world I felt like impacting with words and the sheer absense of friendly NPCs around (save your home bases scattered about) makes the player not really mind being unable to chew the fat with the locals.

The game takes place on Pandora which is some weird kind Mad-Max rip off with a stylized western feel. Most of the local friendly NPCs are backwater-yokle types with a country twang that really works. The vast majority of the dialogue cracks me up all the time and the NPCs do their job of serving up missions (or quests, if you must) and spicing it up with some good-ole, down home plain talkin'.

The story is baseline at best. You're one of four mercenaries, Mordecai - the scout, Lilith - the siren (the stealthy one), Roland - the soldier and Brick - the.... well, Brick. You're hunting for "The Vault", a rumored cache of alien weapons and technology. That's about it. You start in a town made of ramschackle tin shacks and blown out barracks, etc. You check the bounty boards, the claptrap robots (who are hilarious) and the NPCs talk "redneck" style to ya and it's great.

So, the story is shallow / simple, the role-playing is nonexistent, so what's so great about Borderlands? The combo of the things they put in the game.

You know loot? PHAT loots, even? Yeah, this game is riddled with it. There are literally hundreds of THOUSANDS of guns, if not more. The trailer actually advertizes 87 BAZILLION guns! This is really sweet, in that they actually went to the trouble of developing a separate AI purely for procedurally generating guns. There are fictional gun manufacturing companies that make all these guns with varying stats such as damage, accuracy and fire rate. There are also variables and bonuses that some might have such as increased clip size, improved rate of fire, increased damage, elemental damage (caustic acid, explosions, fire, etc), etc. Every gun has rarity color taken straight from WoW (white-green-blue-purple-orange). One of the things that makes this a blast (pun very much intended) is getting a new gun and testing it on some of the crazed maniac bandits and beasties that roam the wasteland of pandora. You go out with your new shotgun, sniper rifle, machine gun or what have you, and blow-stuff-up!

One other thing that makes this a great game is the upgradable elements. You upgrade the weapon slots you have. You start out being able to only carry two weapons at a time, but as things go on, you unlock slots to be able to cary up to four. You have slots for class ability upgrades, shield upgrades, grenade upgrades (the grenades in the game are normal and you purchase or find upgrades that apply properties to them such as sticky, bouncy, proximity mines, health-stealing, etc), etc.

There are also the skill-trees. Like Diablo and WoW and many other games now that give you "skill paths" to follow, you've got that in Borderlands too. Playing Brick, I was able to go with either a brawler tree (where you beef up his special ability to go crazy and start beating the living daylights out of everything in sight), the tank tree (where you beef up his ability to take damage, thereby triggering great offensive abilities when in the thick of things) and the blaster tree (where you upgrade things that beef up his explosives, usually). You can put points into any tree you like, mix 'n' match, etc and it's great. All the skills are useful and what's more, they're really fun. One of the ending blaster skills even allows Brick to regen rockets for his rocket launcher, 2 every minute! Yes, some of the skills are silly, but the entire game is over the top and it's pure and total entertainment.

The style of the game is awesome as well. The graphical style (which they're calling "concept art style" *yawn*) is, as Peter Griffin would say, "freakin' sweet!". Everything is done with a mix of colors and browns and greys so things seem dusty, but not "un-vibrant". Everything is also given heavy, black linework throughout the textures, giving it an almost sketchy and comic-bookish style. I thought, going into it, that roaming a desert would be boring, but it's far from it. The art is varied and the characters are interesting to look at and everything just feels great.

The sound quality is great and the gameplay is tight and responsive. Borderlands makes no bones about what it does and it does it all really well.

The one gripe I have about this game is the multiplayer. When it works, it works great, but getting your networking to work well (and this is just on PC) can be a bit of a pain. You usually have to open some ports on your computer's router and make sure the connection is working right. That said, it's not THAT hard to work and what's more, not everyone has to do this. From what I've heard, they're working on fixing the networking problem as well. If you don't want to futz with that, it's also available for 360 and PS3. This is NOT a game breaker by any means, just a minor annoyance.

What can we learn from this? Sometimes a brawl really is a fun part of the game. RP is great and has its place for sure, but sometimes it's nice to just whip your sword or axe or magic impliment out and go crazy on some bad guys. Sometimes RP can be its own reward but sometimes it's a blast to just wade through a pile of gold and weapons and get all decked out. Sometimes seriousness is great and can set an awesome mood, but so can humor and hysterics, if done right. Borderlands is a shining example of this and I think everyone should pick this up and enjoy it. I, having seen game design, learning it and trying it, can tell that this is a massive labor of love, with an approach where the creators unabashadly took inspiration from other games in the industry by name, instead of keeping it all a secret, not caring that something might look like a rip-off. Their goal here was fun and I have to say, they succeeded with flying colors and a little (ok, a lot) of blood-spatter!

It's rated M for crazy shooter violence, some language and over-the-top Mad-Max fun!

I hope this gives you guys some fun ideas and also gives ya something to pick up and play with on your computers (or your PS3 or 360). HAPPY GAMING!

~Andrew