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I've been playing Age of Conan for last few days. I've chosen RP PvP server (Aquilonia), because I like roleplaying and to be honest you can't play game based in Conans universe on PvE server where there's no real threat from other players.
Tho everytime I see some whine about PvP on PvP server on the forums it makes me smile.
Samtron found this on forums and I think this artice (some say originaly from Everquest 2 forums) describes it very well.
Law of the Jungle #1: You are going to die.
There's no getting out of it. You did not come here to be safe. You were safe before. Now, those strawberry fields of treasure and experience are crawling with cutthroats who know where you used to go, what you used to do, what you used to seek there, and how to use this knowledge to catch you and inflict death on you. They aren't going to wait for you to get ready. They aren't going to play fair. They aren't going to care if a particular spell or tactic is too devastating if they catch you with it. Your only way around it is to learn them- learn where they are, learn what they're after, learn what they're going to do, and prepare yourself ahead of time. And no matter how well-prepared you are for what's out there- you are still going to die. There is no way out of Law #1. Whether it's at the hands of someone at the top of your attack range picking you off just because you're there, whether it's a group of players lower than you who gang up and tear you apart, whether it's an even-con, similar class who just happens to get that last shot in before you, whether it's some punk who sucker-punches you right after a tough fight, or whether it's someone whom you thought had no chance in hell who happens to get lucky, you're going to be killed. If this bothers you, you made a mistake.
Law of the Jungle #2: This isn't your mother's RPG
The gear that was excellent enough to live in because of its effectiveness against the mindless MOBs isn't worth squat- you have to outfit yourself with your most dreaded foes in mind. Resists are king, the stats you used to drool over are just going to have to take the bench. You can't just trot over to your favorite hunting grounds to knock out that quest. They know that certain spots attract people who still think that they're playing the safe PVE game, and they will be waiting for you. (See Law #1) You have to forget everything you thought you knew, and be prepared to learn it all over again. There are new rules for how to get a level. There are new rules for where to hunt, and there are new rules for which routes to take through the lands. If it's something that many people used to do or where many people used to go, it is now bait that will lead many people to their deaths. If you thought that you were going to play the same route you played before to get to level 80-whatever except that you can kill people now, you made a mistake.
Law of the Jungle #3: Nobody needs to be nerfed
All classes have advantages in certain situations. If you find yourself in one of these situations and you aren't the class in question, see Law #1. So, such-and-such a class can take you down solo if they get the jump on you, if all they do is X and Y? Well, yes. That's what they do, and you were there. The essence of AoC is that all classes have advantages and weaknesses, and the way we overcome our weaknesses isn't telling the game developer to take them away, or give you someone else's advantage. The way you overcome these weaknesses is by grouping with someone who can complement them. You're not here to run around solo and have a fair, balanced even 1v1 match against everyone you meet. That's not PvP, that's dueling. Running around alone isn't something you have the right to do. Not all classes were meant to solo in PvE as well as others, what makes you think this is any different? And if your class can't do what so-and-so does, they shouldn't. Everyone has "certain classes" who flat-out have them beat. Everyone has classes that can't hold a candle to them. This is not, nor should it be, a game where you always stand a fair chance. There's more to PvP than who has what nuke or how many hitpoints or what dps rate is. PvP is about knowing everything you can do and how it works, not just what numbers scrolled up when you fought mobs before. If you can't fight them, learn how to. If you can't learn and expect FC to change everything around to suit you, you made a mistake. Crying that you can't beat X class and they need to be nerfed doesn't mean you're right, it means you're an unskilled player who doesn't understand how to play his class. You also have to understand the other classes and what their weaknesses are. Learn, Adapt, and Grow; if you can't do that then you're not cut out for this.
Law of the Jungle #4: Success is measured by survival
Any idiot can rack up a high number of kills, that doesn't make them skilled. Your skill isn't determined by how many people of what level you can take on. And the little punk who ran away, or zoned, or avoided you altogether, he's not a coward, he's smart. Just because you engage someone doesn't mean you have the right to kill them. You have to earn that kill. If they get away, they survived. If they fight back too hard and you're outmatched, sticking around and letting them have you isn't brave or honorable, it's stupid. Make them earn it! If you can get away, you deserved to. If you can't out-damage them because you're in offensive stance and they're in defensive stance, it's not unfair- they're just thinking ahead of you. Don't lower your defenses just because you think that extra bit of dps that you used to get against mobs is going to turn the tide- because you're thinking in terms of a kill you haven't earned yet and not thinking with survival in mind. If all those nasty roots and spells and whatever are eating you up, stock up on items that take care of them: potions, resist gear, etc. If it isn't a piece of gear with surviving an attack in its design, you made a mistake. It takes time, patience, and smarts to figure out all the little tricks, tactics, and items that help you survive in this world. It's not about killing- it's about depriving your enemy of the kill. If this isn't your primary thought when planning every last detail your character from skills to selections to gear to hotkeys to camera angle to system options, see Law #1. You aren't a good PvPer because of who you fight and which fights you win, you are a good PvPer depending on your overall level of preparation and how many times you can count that that preparation saves your ass.
Law of the Jungle #5: You are never going to be a god
Too many of you have had that time when you have those cute little adolescent fantasies about being a powerful, unstoppable killing machine while wielding the shiniest, largest and most phallic weapon in Hyboria and laying out every single foe you happen to encounter through sheer invincibility. It ain't gonna happen- ever. (See Law #1) PvP isn't for people who like to play single-player games in godmode, spanky. You didn't come here to be godlike, you came here to embrace mortality. You aren't just here to kill other players- you came here to give them permission to kill you, to utilize advantages over you, to take advantage of your weaknesses, to leave you broken and bleeding while they /fornicate on your corpse and count their money. If you came here planning on becoming the all-powerful king of the hill that no one can topple, you made a mistake. Even as the server ages, everyone's going to bunch up in the higher levels and guilds and players are going to be after you more than ever. You will never be safe again. The safe servers are still where you left them.
Law of the Jungle #6: It's still just a game
Playing on a PvP server doesn't take cojones. It doesn't take an iron will, or an asbestos stomach. It doesn't make you a man. You're still a geek just like the rest of us, it's just a lot more difficult. If it's too hard, too frustrating, too unfair, too immature, too cutthroat, too inconvenient, or if you're just not that good at it or if you think that so-and-so shouldn't be doing such-and-such because it "ruins" your fun, then it's not for you. You're here if you enjoy what you're playing. If you are here because you want to enjoy it, but you're not, don't expect FC to get rid of everything you don't like about it. It is what it is. It's MEAN. And if someone one-shots you, or takes your plat that you were just on your way to bank, or whatever else it may be that spoiled your plans, well, you either suck it up and keep playing or you're on the wrong server. It's only "griefing" if you let it give you grief. If you can't laugh it off, you're the problem. If you're not having fun, you made a mistake. This ugly duckling isn't going to grow up into a swan, you just have to love it unconditionally and understand that yes, it's always going to look like that. There's no shame in playing on the PvE servers if that's more your cup of tea, we're all here to play games, and the game you play isn't a reflection on your status as a human being. But PvP is a different game. If you could go live in a beachhouse with central air and plasma-screen TV's for the same price, why would you move into a shack with no plumbing or power and complain about the leak in the roof? You have to want to live in this shack. Don't expect FC to turn it into a resort, they've already built those for you.
All of these factors lead me to one final point. Filling up boards with complaints that "X class can do this and I can't and so-and-so ganked me when I was fighting and I was 10 levels lower than him and I can't go anywhere without being bind-camped and FC needs to FIX THIS IMMEDIATELY" doesn't help anyone- it only buries legitimate issues like bugs and exploits under mountains of whining by people who can't seem to understand that they are just not that good at the game. There's only one thing that should be on your mind when you think about all the problems with PvP and the PvP servers. The final, and truest Law of the Jungle:
LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT.
Fact. Accept it.
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Check this out ... really, it's serious stuff :)
http://www.feartheboot.com/comic/default.aspx?c=16
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I was thinking about my most favorite games ever today, which are System Shock 1 and 2. So i did some search on Youtube for example of these 2 masterpieces of game industry.
1st was released in 1994 and it was i think one 1st games of it's kind. You can say it was cyberpunk survival horror with RPG features running on really cool engine. Have to say this game was freakin scary for me and i have completed it only once on highest possible difficulty without time limit (hardest one was limited to 10 hours in which you had to complete game).
So here are some vids from System Shock 1:
System Shock 1 intro movie
System Shock 1 gamplay
After few years, in Sugust of 1999, SShocks sequel was released. Because i was big fan of 1st part, i was eager to get my hands on this game, because most reviews were saying that it is perfect game and common rankings were 10/10 or 100% (game of year of Score mag and game of decade of same mag). SShock 2 was completely in 3D graphics (quite cool for it's time) and had much more MB then 1st ;) Again, this game was (still is, because i still have CD with it) absolutely incredible cyberpunk survival horror with hardcore RPG features.
Some vids:
System Shock 2 intro movie
System Shock 2 outro movie
System Shock 2 gameplay
P.S. This vid is obviously from some speed run.
God, i think i need to find out how to run both of these on my gaming rig. I still struggle with 1st SShock in DOSBox, because it has some problems and i can't run SVGA version :/ And since i bought new gaming rig, am not able to run 2nd (tho i still have Windows XP, but it's just not working :/).
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So here we come. Game am playing at the moment. Latest creation of guru of PC gaming Richard Garriott.
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01: This is how it looks when one of developers (thanks Critters, was fun) joins the server and make live event.
02: Binary Division (our PvP clan) at Eloh Vale. That though guy in from is Gangleader Peetrs, my grenadier.
03: Another shot of Eloh Vale.
04: The end of Eloh Vale, where you find last living (otherwise they are there only as holograms) Eloh.
05: Closer shot of Eloh.
06: In Maligo base, Bane are developing wormhole device, which is not good for humans. This is device which is powering it.
07: Same as 06, just with different character and on lower details.
08: Clone of original Gangsta. This time it is Gangleader with his fire shotgun standing in from of probably hardest Eloh temple.
09: This is my highest level character. Lasicka Peetrs, she's Spy and as you can see, here she is polymorphed to Thrax Technician (which is only way how to disguise yourself). Standing at really nasty location ... Khulago Base, as you can see there are lot of normal mobs and quite lot of Juggernauts (that big robots), which can kill her in no time.
10: Yes, again Lasicka. My indian backstabbing spy (she's Thrax hybrid, that's why she's so ugly in face and has red color ;)).
11: Lasicka at some Control Point just after we conquered it. You know, 2 spies and sniper is fast-killing team.
12: Gangleader near lava falls in Incline (2nd planet of Tabula Rasa).
13: Gangleader need rest too. This time again on Incline and as you can see, Gangleader was originally fakeer.
14: Sharpshooter Peetrs, my sniper (yes, I clone Lasicka at level 29 so I don't need to level up sniper from scratch). With her sonic torqshell rifle (aka sniper rifle).
15: Another shot of Sharpshooter, this time with Choses' medic (he's half forean).
16: Another shot from Maligo base, this is that wormhole device Bane are contructing. Have to say I never finished this instance, you need to destroy this, but I can't make it in time limit :/
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As I promised, here are some pictures from my new gaming rig. Not that I bought another month of DDO, but I just had Welcome back weekend, so at least I had opportunity to meet old friends and chek out new location of Mod 6.
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01: Perhaps my most favorite character. Elven ninja. Aka Yuriko, lvl 15 pure elven rogue. With her fancy (and really deadly) weapons. +4 Acid Rapier of Maiming in main hand and Treason in off hand.
02: Nice loot generator bug. It's not possible in DnD to have two +1 enchaments on one item, it has to be +1 or +2, but for sure not twice +1 ;)
03: Ok, this is from old PC, tho even proud adventureres need some rest. Here is Yuriko resting after she did her best at her sneaky-stabby job. And some guy ;)
04: Again old PC. But my other character (2nd favorite) Yondalla, now lvl 15 pure halfling bard (spellsinger specialization). And as you can see, we're just hanging out waiting for cleric to reconnect back to game.
05: My last creation. Bending Unit (yes! Bender himself). Level 8 Warforged Barbarian. In other words, walking pile of muscles. He was usualy "working" with Strenght 30 and Constitution 30 (yes, he's lvl 8, but he's no butter). I have to say I really enjoyed how he wrecked and punished all who upset him. This time in his gay docent (i found better one later, but have no pic).
06: Same as 5, just different camera angle.
07: Here we go. Finally after 2 years after release, this location was opened in Mod 6. It's called The Twelve and it should be some king of wizard academy. Looks like that.
08: Inside main building at The Twelve. Another shot of Yuri.
09: Yondalla at harbor during night. Check out the water, looks soooo cool.
10: Yondalla near light house at harbor.
11: Another pic of water.
12: Yuriko just after she entered The Shroud, demon infested land which you can enter from The Twelve. I have to say none of my characters can stay there alive (i.e. is able to kill even single mob) alone.
13: Something terribly wrong happened above Marketplace tent.
14: Same as 13. just shot of tent itself. Behind that barrier you could see demons. Have to say that there was event when this tent got blown up.
15 - 24: Some pictures taken from The Shroud. Thanks to my friend Rayanna (dreadful sorceress) to help me with taking these shots, with her it was piece of cake to explore that land. She did aggro-magnet for me and I did what i usualy do ... kicked some demon butt! On pic 23, you can see us in action. Raya casted Wall of Fire which upset all those demonic trogs there and I just backstabbed them to death.
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Am just reading some some discussions over upcoming PvP patch for Tabula Rasa and i find this post really funny:
Quote:
Ability Balancing – Refinements to existing classes and abilities is well underway by the combat group. You’ll begin to see abilities refined to be more applicable in combat with other players.
Let me be the first to shout.
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
(Use of DOOM is under condition that these are general "balancing" actions that will effect PvE skills because they are too "uber" for PvP. However, if balancing actions are in the forms of buffs/debuffs that solely effect PvP then DOOM is waved. Please return unused portion of DOOM for full refund. Offer not valid in Utah.)
Almost the same as DDOs post about standartification of DDOOOOMMMMM! Which you can check here.
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According to this article, there is web version of Quake under development. I have to say, that sounds incredible. Imagine that, you start you favorite browser, browse page with game and start playing Quake anywhere you like. WOW. More WOWs to fact that it looks like Quake 3. WOW!
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Well yes! It happened, AFS recruitment officer visited me and I had to sign in (sorry, but this was an unresistable offer ;)).
I'm really glad it happened, because last week i was sick and so I appreciated that I can do something at home (not that shooting Stroggs is bad thing, but shooting Bane is much better in long term). So far I finished only 1st two locations (Wilderness and Divide) and now am going through Palisades.
I'll try to post some sceenies later, for sure i have to post screenies from Eloh Vale, because that location is one of WOW places you can visit :) (WOW, like WOW, not World of Warcraft ;))
Well check that out for yourself ... ASF High command
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I did some quick reading through Wizards presents: Races & Classes and i have to say: It's really cool stuff to read.
I have to say I like changes to core races. In 4th ed we won't have gnomes and half-orc (i won't miss either of these), but we'll have Dragonborn (humans with dragon ancestors), Eladrins (humans with fey ancestors) and Thieflings (humans with demonic ancestors). Cool. I like those new races (especially when I imagined what will be my 1st character to try out, tho at the end there every class in game has something i want to try, I guess I will improvise or try class with best art in rule book ;)
Tho I have to say that most important part of book is chapter about classes. Yay, this sounds really incredible. All characters will have some sort of special powers, in rules we have now, there are only few classes with special powers (unlike fighter, who has to do simple hack'n'slash all the way from level 1 to level 20 and nothing else to do in combat).
For example, now the Fighter will have some sort of special combat moves as his special abilities. There will be 3 types of these powers, instant (take one standard action), once-per encouter (f.e. some sort of blade dance, which is effective only once, but is really powerfull) and once per day (no example there). Finally, no more boring hackin'n'slashin through hoards of monsters, we'll have opportunity to use some tactic (and monsters will do the same of course).
Also I like idea of new Druid, she'll be some sort of shapeshifting master, they say she'll have much more shapeshifts per day and much much more shapes to take (it will be something like spells for wizards in case of druid). It should work like this: Druid is traveling from his grove to city. There's a river on the way to city, but unfortunately the bridge is broken and she can't use it. So here it goes, she'll take form of deer and run fast to river, where she shifts to raven (or fish) and fly / swim across the river and afterwards she'll changes back to deer and run toward city. COOOL!
Anyway, all classes looks like there are major changes (my favorite is that rogues will be able to land sneak attack even on constructs or undeads :)).
Also, I watched presentation I posted yesterday and there's one super cool feature revealed! Watch the 3rd part of presentation and check that visualisation utility for playing DnD over internet! Amazing, finally I won't need to ask my friends to come to one place sit around table and play... everyone will have opportunity to play from his home.
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