B.G. Willers

04.14.13

Trading is Going Well

I don’t get to play Guild Wars 2 properly most of the week.  But I do take a little time to login, comb the trading post for stuff that looks profitable and flip it.  So far I’ve made most of my gold that way.  Started with just 3 gold, and now I’m up to 15 gold.  That has taken a couple weeks though.

That said, it has a bit of a snowball effect.  The more I make, the more I’m able to pour back into aquiring more items to flip.  So each day I make a little more.

Not too exciting, but it’s fun to set it all up, go off to work, then see what it has done through the day.

But for now, I’ve got some free time, so I’m actually going to go PLAY!

04.4.13

Truthful Quote of the Day

If this  were made today you would earn experience points, level up and then get some kind of cheat after a couple tries to help you through the level… because everyone is entitled to win!  Well, not back then.  These games made you cry.

The above is a quote from Mark Bussler’s “Classic Game Room” in his review for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II for GameBoy.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/z1JydX9QsSI]

Games have come a long way.  20 years ago we were mesmerized by a few dozen textureless polygons in barren and featureless worlds.  We could have epic 2D adventures unfold on a canvas only 256 pixels wide.  Just like your grandparents lived without now expected amenities like air conditioning or cruise control, we played on without quick saves or wiki’s.  We didn’t long for them, because we didn’t know any better.

Technology has enabled games to be some of the most amazing pieces of entertainment production available.  Massive open worlds to explore, epic and cinematic story presentations, new ways of interfacing with that world and controlling your character that wouldn’t have been possible in the 70’s, 80’s or 90’s. But strip away the technology, and what you expect out of a gameplay experience is fundamentally different than it was 20 years ago.

Let’s consider  metagaming.  Metagaming, in this context being what players in general expect from a video game, along with what developers produce to meet those expectations and sell games.  You couldn’t release a game such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II above on any current generation hardware and expect it to be even mildly well received.  It’s clunky, it’s slow, it’s repetitive, and it has a steep difficulty curve.  Consumers expect polished and expansive games with tons of content.  Many games don’t even include instruction manuals anymore.  No big deal, because the first 2 hours of gameplay are tutorials.  The game IS the instruction manual.  Without any research whatsoever, I feel pretty confident generalizing that the average gamer today has a shorter attention span than they used to.  Maybe that’s just something old farts like me say.  But I’ll even include myself in that generalization.  There are so many more mediums of entertainment and information now battling for our attention, that I don’t think it’s a far fetched claim to make.

Please don’t take this the wrong way.  I’m not saying “New School” is wrong, “Old School” is the only right way.  I just think that as the “meta” morphs the game experience slowly and over time, that eventually you reach a moment where you suddenly become aware and have to say to yourself, “How the hell did we get here?”  Where your computer controlled side kicks can kill every enemy in a level, where you can sit idle and let your health re-gen, where you can insta-save at any moment so there’s no fear of dying, or perhaps most egregious, purchase in game “power” with real world money to make a game easier.

As a developer, your job is to create games that will sell.  When games first became a profitable venture, it was the job of the developer to come up with a fun and compelling hook, then beat the ever loving shit out of you in short order.  In the arcades, this kept people pumping quarters into the machines.  Games that were intensely fun to get you playing, but quickly became incredibly hard to get you off the machine.  The first home consoles basically fulfilled gamers’ desires to bring that arcade experience into their home.  So again, developers gave gamers what they wanted.  As home consoles became more prevalent,  the market started to open up for games that were a more lengthy experience.  You could easily sit on your couch for 30 minutes or an hour and enjoy a video game now.  And again, with an installed hardware base already in place and the technological means to deliver those longer games; people first started to demand them, and soon expected them.

Over time, along with the technology, gamer’s expectations also evolve.  What is first innovative, soon becomes standard.  And once it is standard you become comfortable, even rely on it.  Jump back in the evolution chain and it can be difficult to adapt to a game that doesn’t have some of the expected features of a more modern title.  I experienced this with Final Fantasy III on the SNES.  I was trying to figure out how to use Sabin’s “Blitz” command, and was completely lost.  I didn’t have the instruction manual and there was no in-game tutorial.  I was completely adrift for a while.  I guess part of me just expected the game to hold my hand through that part, instead it opted to mercilessly kick my ass.

For me, some of the best games I’ve ever played are the ones that frustrated the ever loving crap out of me.  Because you keep tyring, and when you FINALLY beat it, you feel like you have really accomplished something.  I remember the first time I beat Ganon, got past Bald Bull, de-fused all the underwater bombs in time, and passed Stop N Go Station.  All some of the hardest and most rewarding experiences at the time.

This isn’t a rant about how games aren’t hard any more.  There are still hard games.  This is about lowering the bar until the player can step over, rather than expect the player test their mettle. Regardless of a game’s difficulty there’s something I respect about a game that is unwavering in its challenge.  I feel there’s some degree of measurable respect to be given to players who meet those challenges.

Games now aren’t worse for their crutches.  Just a different kind of adventure.  One that is perhaps a little more scripted and forgiving.  But if you get a chance, pick up an old game.  Grab your old Super C cart and see just how far you can get your first time through.  It can be a humbling experience.  And in the “say anything” age of the internet, it is my observation that we could all use all the humbling we can get. Myself included.

04.3.13

Biebs Bytes – Hangout 3

Much more focused conversation this time, on a topic I could discuss for hours!  Retro Gaming!  Hope you enjoy this episode!  And thanks to Josh at JoshBieber.com, check out his site for lots of cool Tech tips and such!

[youtube=http://youtu.be/r2UQQeAzxyI]

04.3.13

Portable Gaming

03.24.13

Greetings from Lornar’s Pass

My progress in Guild Wars 2 is slow.  It is laborious.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I am savoring every single moment with this game, and those moments are pretty scattered, so the time I do get to play is even more appreciated.  At this rate it is going to take me years to beat this game.  And you know what?  I’m fine with that.  I see all this new Level 80 content coming out, stuff that I can’t participate in for the most part as I’m still only Level 40, but most of it will still be there when I get there.

I spent parts of the day continuing to explore Lornar’s Pass, where I’ve been for probably the past week.  I did some personal story stuff which went amazingly smooth.  Considering I finally upgraded my armor and weapons.  Here I was roaming around Level 40-ish, but still using level 25 gear!  No wonder I kept getting my butt kicked!  Up until now, decent gear had just been dropping for me from mobs, or came as rewards from quests.  I hadn’t had to buy a single piece of equipment. But as I am flipping all this stuff on the trading post now, usually doing mid-level armor and weapons, I got to thinking… “Hey, I could use some mid-level armor and weapons!”  That’s when the light went on…

So I haven’t been steamrolling since then, but as I spend most of my time soloing through these maps, it has gone much smoother.  Here’s some more screens from today’s adventures.

03.22.13

My first video game experiences

I’m 30 years old, and for as long as most people have known me, video games have been a part of my identity.  It’s a passion that waxes and wanes through the years, but for the most part it has always been there.  Well, not always.  You know, there was a time before games, before Nintendo.

My VERY first memory of video games involves the NES.  I had to be around 5 years old.  It was at least 1987, because I remember a friend and co-worker of my Dad’s bringing over his NES to our house.  If I recall, his name was Kevin.  This was a long time ago, so that may not be accurate, but for the sake of the story, we’ll call him Kevin.  He and my Dad set up a small 13″ TV in our dining room and strung out all the cables and connected the NES to the TV.  I really had no idea what it was.  But I remember Kevin was excited to show it off.  They were playing The Legend of Zelda, which I distinctly remember because of the gold cartridge and I remember watching Link walk around killing creatures.  I never did play it though.  To be honest I was more interested in this totally awesome firefighter board game he brought for me and my sister.

To side track just a minute here.  That board game by the way, was freaking awesome.  I completely forgot what it was called, but thanks to the internet, I actually was able to find it!  It was called “Oops & Downs”.  You actually assembled several pieces of cardboard together to create a 3 tier game board and you raced to the top.  Sometimes you’d land on a tube though, and you had to slide your fireman down the the level below.  It made a funny little “waaaah” noise as the game piece slid down the tubes.  It was about as complicated as Shoots & Ladders, but it was so much fun!  I hadn’t thought about that game in forever!

Okay.  Back  to Nintendo.

So while Kevin’s NES was my first exposure to video games, I didn’t have a real meaningful impression until some time later.  Sometime in 1987 or 1988 I remember visiting a friend of my Mom’s.  I can’t remember what her name was.  I’m 95% sure my Mom knew her as a co-worker from her days at “OK Video” in Dodge City.  I want to say she had a somewhat uncommon name.  At any rate, her son had an NES in his room.  He would have been a few years older than me.  And I remember vividly, his room was small and cluttered.  It was dark, lit only by the glow of a small TV and the light that bounced in from the open door to the hallway.  I remember watching him play Super Mario Bros. and thinking, “This is amazing!”

Any impressive technology provides a bit of disbelief that you are actually able to do what it allows you to do.  I still marvel at smartphones, and that I’m able to get my e-mail, navigation and even video chat from almost anywhere.  It still baffles me a bit to know that all that is capable in a device you can slide into your pocket.  If you weren’t there at the time, it’s hard to imagine the NES as “amazing”, I’m sure.  But the Nintendo Entertainment System really felt like something new and cutting edge.  When you saw it sitting on the shelf, you marveled at the technology inside.  It looked sleek and very “now”.  The NES has become such an icon of retro culture that it’s difficult to believe that we once looked at it the same way we look at the PS3 or iPad now.  It was an expensive advanced and fancy pants machine in its day, that’s for sure.

I remember watching this kid in his room, pluck-ing fireballs, going down pipes, and exploring this amazing world inside the television.  He let me play a bit.  I of course was terrible, but I was compelled, just wondering what could possibly lie just off to the right of the screen.  What adventures did each next level have in store?

My Mom came in and told me it was time to go home.  I actually cried when it was time to leave.  I wanted to badly to stay and keep playing.  In the weeks after that, whenever Mom loaded us up in the Astro Van to go run errands, I always hoped in the back of my mind that we would make a stop at that house so I could play more Mario.  To this day, I still remember that house was on Avenue C.

The weeks and months that followed may possibly have been some of the most annoying days my parents ever experienced.  I don’t remember nagging them for a Nintendo, but I do remember REALLY wanting one BAD.  So whether I deserved a Nintendo, or they got one just to shut me up, I’m unsure.  When  you’re 6 years old, you have a significant lack of perspective.  Whatever the motivation we eventually got our very own Nintendo Entertainment System.

Here’s what I remember… I don’t recall it being a particularly special occasion like a holiday or birthday.  I just remember my parents saying we were going to Wal-Mart and we were “Going to get a Nintendo”.  I couldn’t believe it.  I don’t remember going in the store, but for some reason I feel like I remember seeing the box in the car on the way home… that memory is really fuzzy though.

One thing I do remember rather clearly is my folks saying it was going to take 30 minutes to hook it up once we got it home.  30 MINUTES!  I couldn’t believe it!  What an eternity!  I might as well just wait until I’m RETIRED!  Sheesh!  Time is certainly a relative perception, and if you have kids, don’t underestimate the difficulty little people have waiting for things to happen.  When you’re a kid, if it’s not happening now, it may as well be 100 years away.  The funny thing is, now hooking up a NES takes about 2 minutes.  But it sure felt pretty complex back then.

I also recall being chiefly aware that this was expensive.  I don’t know if I respected that fact then as much as I do now.  It was definitely a lot of money compared to every other toy I had.  I figure the NES probably cost around $150 then… the equivalent of almost $300 in today’s money. That was a lot of money just to shut me up!  Ha ha.

After that, my clearest memories involve me being supremely frustrated with Super Mario Bros.  There was so much rage when I couldn’t even clear the first jump in World 1-1.  Time and time again, I would approach that hole… jump… and die.  Mom had to try to calm me down, I would get so mad.  I even tried thrusting the controller up in the air, hoping my muscle movements would help propel Mario over that chasm.  Little did I know someday that would actually be possible.  But with patience… okay, maybe not patience, but practice… I finally cleared that first jump.  After that I never looked back.

The NES continued to bring so many great memories.  Excitebike, Punch Out, Galaga, Rad Racer, Ice Hockey… all early experiences that felt completely amazing.   And it began a love for games that continues to this day, even if I spend more time reading and writing about them that I do playing them it seems.

What were your first gaming memories?  Post ’em up in the comments!

03.20.13

Biebs Bytes – Hangout 2

Had a lot of fun again.  One of the guest’s audio was really laggy, so makes for lots of awkward moments for you to enjoy.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/8tnQhPP-WVs]

03.20.13

I was going to write something this morning…

I got about 500 words into a post this morning and bailed… I felt like I was just rambling and I didn’t see any resolution to my thoughts in the near future.  The post was based on this Kotaku article posted a few days ago, titled “How to Balance Video Games with Real Life”.  It resonated with me on a very personal level. Gaming is something I’ve been passionate about from a young age, and finding time to make it a part of my adult life is a daunting task.

So if you get the chance, read it. It apparently expresses my thoughts clearer than I can this morning. Guess I need more coffee.

03.19.13

Some light adventuring, and profits!

Biebs turned me on to a method to buy/sell stuff on the Trading Post in GW2 that has been somewhat profitable in the past day or so.  Basically just buying stuff cheap and selling it high, no super big secrets or anything.  But the thing I love most about GW2’s trading system, is the Trading Post itself.  I can search the TP for some good deals, order them up.  Then go off and do something else while I wait for the items to come in (you have to wait for other players to sell the item you are requesting at the price you want).  Then when I have some stock, I list them at the new price, and wait for the coins to roll in.  (Again, you wait for other players to buy your stuff)

So I can stack up a whole bunch of stuff… then go to work, hang out with the family, or heaven forbid, actually PLAY the game!

I did spend a little time adventuring towards my next objecting working my way through Lornar’s Pass.

 

 

 

 

 

03.14.13

BiebsBytes – Hangout 1

I was invited to a hangout with Josh Bieber from joshbieber.com for an episode of Biebs Bytes.  We talk about:

• The Evolution of Geek Culture
• Bullying
• Guild Wars 2

[youtube=http://youtu.be/LVn8F8_Y2Ao]

Search

Search