Obsolete Gamer

Editorials

Most gamers have an opinion it’s just ours are not only right, but informative and sometimes funny so you can read them all here.

The Matrix Online
Editorials
J.A. Laraque

What went wrong with The Matrix Online

So close quarters it was. MO used a system called interlock. When engaged, you are linked to your opponent with the battle arranged into rounds like rolls of the dice in D&D. In each round you and your opponent decide which attack you’re using for that period, after which the statistics of each are compared, a random element added and somebody wins, damaging the loser. This was done so you could see counters and blocks and all those cool choreographed moved you saw in the movies, but, just like the missions, it was buggy and flawed.

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City of Heroes
Editorials
J.A. Laraque

City of Heroes: The Best and Worse

What thrilled me about COH is that even at level 1 most classes could fight more than one mob at a time. The game was designed so you could take on a ton of minions, a few Lt.’s and one Boss or Arch Villain. It made sense to be swarmed by ten plus minions only to take them out easily and then you see the big bad boss in the background

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Everquest
Editorials
J.A. Laraque

What I’ve learned from Everquest

One of my fondest and funniest memories was off a female dark elf shouting that her boyfriend cheated on her and she was selling all of his loot for revenge. I was able to deck out my character in gear that would have taken me months to earn otherwise. There were events such as that all the time.

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Editorials
Merman

(Real)time has run out

So Scottish developer Realtime Worlds has gone into administration, following the poor response to its online game APB, leaving ambitious future project MyWorld hanging in the balance. What has gone wrong for founder David Jones, and what impact will it have on the British software industry?

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Editorials
BassForce

Games Are Not Art

It’s an observation vs interaction argument. Some art can be interacted with. Some people make sculptures that can be moved, but that isn’t changing it, just rearranging it in a way that is intended. Games aren’t meant to be observed. Games by definition, cannot be observed. You play a game. You are controlling the character, making decisions that inherently change the game. In Flower, you control the breeze, but there is still an objective and things that you must complete in order to progress. Current art doesn’t have that.

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Editorials
J.A. Laraque

In the end is a monthly subscription fee bad for gamers?

Now when a new game with a monthly subscription came out I found a new dilemma. I liked the new game, but I still loved EQ and had not only spent a lot of time in it, but money as well. I was torn between trying something new, giving up EQ or playing both. I found it hard to justify playing two games that took time to level your character and gear up and paying two monthly fees.

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ps3 slim
Editorials
Merman

False Start

Sony confidently predicted a ten-year lifespan for the PS2, and that has come to pass. They are now suggesting a similar tenure for the PS3, and it could be to their advantage. This year has been a strong one for Sony with exclusives and good sales on the back of the PS3 Slim, and another good Christmas with interest in Move could push it further. Meanwhile, Kinect is going after the Wii’s audience to a large extent. Microsoft still has the edge in online gaming for many with Live, but the gap has narrowed. Moving on from the 360 may not suit Microsoft either, now that is making good profit and building its user base.

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