Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days was released in late September of 2009 for the Nintendo DS. The game is an interqual in the series, taking place at the very end of the original Kingdom Hearts, during Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, and up to the very beginning of Kingdom Hearts II. The game was highly popular, especially among cosplayers, who found the characters of the game quite intriguing. In this article, I will explain the basic story, talk about the game mechanics, look at a few negatives of the game, and then give it my personal rating using the ten-star system.
In the end of the original Kingdom Hearts, the main protagonist, Sora, a fourteen-year old boy living on a peaceful island with his friend Riku and his secret crush Kairi, had finished defeating an evil and mysterious scientist named Ansem. Ansem had been studying creatures called Heartless, who are the result of when a person's heart becomes consumed with darkness. However, he himself had embraced the darkness, and he became an extremely powerful heartless. After defeating Ansem, Sora (along with his two new friends Donald and Goofy) began to search for a way to free Riku from a world of darkness, which acted as his prison. However, in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, after encountering a mysterious organization, he and his friends began to lose their memories. They were put into a slumber by a young girl who had power over their memories, and so they slept for a whole year, slowly getting their memories pieced back together. During this slumber, it was revealed that Sora had a Nobody named Roxas. When someone becomes a Heartless, the empty shell left behind begins to act as though it has a will of its own, therefore becoming a Nobody. Sora's Nobody, Roxas, joined a group of Nobodies known as Organization XIII. Organization XIII's goal is to defeat Heartless and collect the hearts that they had captured. When they collect enough hearts, a gateway to the birthplace of hearts of both light and darkness, known as Kingdom Hearts, will be revealed, and Organization XIII's members will gain new hearts and become whole. During their work, Roxas became friends with a Nobody named Axel, as well as a mysterious Nobody who happened to be the fourteenth member, named Xion. Roxas begins to question his work in the Organization, and he soon finds out that there are more people than the Organization who need him for dire reasons.
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days introduced a few new game play mechanics that are full of potential. For one thing, they introduced a new story-progressing system in the form of Missions. The player starts off with a couple of basic Missions, and after they complete them, they unlock a few more. Throughout the cutscenes that are both in between and during Missions, the main storyline progresses, and the story oftentimes triggers the unlocking of certain Missions that are more crucial to the storyline than others. Not only did they alter the story progression system, they also altered the equipment and abilities system. After certain Missions, the player unlocks a new ability or keyblade. To equip it, the player would open the Equipment interface and use the stylus to drag the ability or keyblade onto a section of the interface that has a collection of slots. The ability would be fitted into several slots, and after collecting many abilities and items, the player would have to rearrange the equipment so it all can fit, similar to a jigsaw puzzle. Keyblades and abilities have extra open slots connected to the main slot, which can be fitted with upgrades to the ability/item. However, one of the most major gameplay mechanics put into the game would definitely have to be the introduction of a multiplayer mode. The player can use the Nintendo DS's wireless connection to link up with other players who have the game, and they can engage in Missions together.
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days did have a few minor downsides. For one thing, the Multiplayer Mission Mode, while fresh and fairly enjoyable, didn't quite satisfy all of the franchise's fans. Many of the fans were hoping for a slightly different Multiplayer mode, such as one where the player could duel another player without being penalized. Not only that, but in order to engage in a Mission with another player, they would've had to have completed the Mission in story mode separately first. Other than those minor downsides, Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days was an enjoyable, great game with dynamic changes to both the story and game play.
MY PERSONAL RATING: 7.75 / 10 Stars
Friday, October 12, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
D&D 3.0 Sample Magic Items
Throughout my years as a Dungeon Master, I have managed to create a number of magic items. These Items mostly work with Third edition (as well as 3.5), but if you feel up for it, you may be able to adapt them to Fourth edition. However, I myself do not know how to do so due to the fact that I do not play Fourth edition.
Nonetheless, here are the items.
Ring of Improved Combat Abilities
Accessory, Magic.
Effect: +1 to AC, Melee and ranged bonuses, and damage rolls when equipped.
Greatsword of the Burning Winter
2H Weapon, Magic.
Use: Roll d%. If 50% or above, you deal a 1d6 Fire damage. If 10-49%, you deal 1d6 Cold damage. If lower than 1-%, this attack deals normal damage.
Damage: 2d6+Fire or Ice Damage.
Critical: 19-20/X2
Staff of Greater Protection from Elements
Weapon, Magic.
Use: Like the spell, except you can resist 20 damage from an Elemental spell, and all damage from natural Elemental damage (for example you can wade through lava safely). This effect lasts one hour once activated, and requires a 24-hour cool-down.
Longsword of Increased Damage
Weapon, Magic.
Damage: 1d6+1d4-1 (extra damage cannot go lower than 1).
Critical: 19-20/X2
Amulet of Increased Defenses
Accessory, Magic.
Effect: +1 on Reflex, Fortitude, and Will Saving Throws.
Crossbow of Magic Missiles
Ranged Weapon, Magic
Damage: 1d8+1d4 damage.
Critical: 19-20/X2
Special Qualities: Auto-hit, roll for Crit; Infinite Ammo; Reloads instantly, does not require a Minor Action.
Boots of Spider Climb
Accessory, Magic.
Accessory, Magic.
Use: Works as the Spell does, but only when both boots are equipped.
Glove of Greater Magic Weapon
Accessory, Magic.
Effect: Works as the Spell does when cast by a Cleric with a Caster Level of 9. The Weapon held in the hand wearing this glove receives this Enchantment.
Effect: Works as the Spell does when cast by a Cleric with a Caster Level of 9. The Weapon held in the hand wearing this glove receives this Enchantment.
Chain Mail of Reflect Minor Wounds
Medium Armor, Magic.
Effect: When you take damage, roll d%. If you roll 0-35%, subtract 1d8 worth of damage taken (cannot go below 1 damage taken). If you roll above 35%, you take normal damage.
Bonuses and Penalties: +5 AC, +2 Maximum Dexterity Bonus, -4 Armor Check Penalty, 25% Arcane Spell Failure, 40 lbs.
Monday, August 13, 2012
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Expectations
As many World of Warcraft players know, a new expansion pack known as World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria was announced at Blizzcon during 2011. It is the fourth expansion pack, and will be released on October 11, 2012. In the article, I will be disussing the fans' expectations to the game, as well as the skepticism that surrounds the game.
The first announcement of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria was originally an "April Fool's" joke made by Blizzard, inc. to entertain their fans. However, several large fanbases/fansites liked the idea, and Blizzard listened to their thoughts, and began to discuss whether it would seriously be an actual expansion pack to the game. Not only did several fanbases like the idea, but the lore of the original Warcraft games actually supported the existence of the Pandaren, a mysterious panda-like race that has existed since The Sundering (the creation/cooling of the earth). Because of the Pandaren's apparent existence, Blizzard, inc. decided to respect the game's story and went on to begin developing World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria.
Although there were a few fanbases that welcomed the idea, some players were and still are dissapointed with the expansion. They insist that the Pandaren are childish because of their similarity to the main character in the movie Kung Fu Panda. However, other players give their rebuttal to this argument, saying that the Pandaren are far from childish, and this is true in many ways. Although the Pandaren look "cute", as some would say, on the outside, they are famed for heavy drinking and violent bar fights, making them one of the most intimidating creatures of Azeroth.
Although I, personally, think that I will enjoy this new expansion, I leave it to you, the readers, to discuss your opinions in the comment section. Thank you.
The first announcement of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria was originally an "April Fool's" joke made by Blizzard, inc. to entertain their fans. However, several large fanbases/fansites liked the idea, and Blizzard listened to their thoughts, and began to discuss whether it would seriously be an actual expansion pack to the game. Not only did several fanbases like the idea, but the lore of the original Warcraft games actually supported the existence of the Pandaren, a mysterious panda-like race that has existed since The Sundering (the creation/cooling of the earth). Because of the Pandaren's apparent existence, Blizzard, inc. decided to respect the game's story and went on to begin developing World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria.
Although there were a few fanbases that welcomed the idea, some players were and still are dissapointed with the expansion. They insist that the Pandaren are childish because of their similarity to the main character in the movie Kung Fu Panda. However, other players give their rebuttal to this argument, saying that the Pandaren are far from childish, and this is true in many ways. Although the Pandaren look "cute", as some would say, on the outside, they are famed for heavy drinking and violent bar fights, making them one of the most intimidating creatures of Azeroth.
Although I, personally, think that I will enjoy this new expansion, I leave it to you, the readers, to discuss your opinions in the comment section. Thank you.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Kingdom Hearts II Review
AUTHORS NOTE: Once again, I am writing an article about a popular game that was released several years ago. And, as same with those other articles, I am explaining how I understand that reviews of this game have been done, but I think that it is needed that I do one. Thank you for reading this brief note.
Kingdom Hearts II was the sequel to the game Kingdom Hearts created by the company Square Enix, and was released in the year 2005. The game featured a mix of Disney and Final Fantasy characters, as well as a few original characters. The game was extremely popular, and although it contained Disney characters, they had abilities that were apropriate for general RPGs. For example, Donald Duck was a mage, and Goofy was the Disney equivalent of the "Tank" role from World of Warcraft. In this article, I will be explaining the basic storyline, mentioning worthy game mechanics, looking at both the positive and the negatives, and giving the game my own personal rating using the ten-star system.
In the end of the original Kingdom Hearts, the main protagonist, Sora, a fourteen-year old boy living on a peaceful island with his friend Riku and his secret crush Kairi, had finished defeating an evil and mysterious scientist named Ansem. Ansem had been studying creatures called Heartless, who are the result of when a person's heart becomes consumed with darkness. However, he himself had embraced the darkness, and he became an extremely powerful heartless. After defeating Ansem, Sora (along with his two new friends Donald and Goofy) began to search for a way to free Riku from a world of darkness, which acted as his prison. However, in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, after encountering a mysterious organization, he and his friends began to lose their memories. They were put into a slumber by a young girl who had power over their memories, and so they slept for a whole year, slowly getting their memories pieced back together. Around the end of Sora's slumber (at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II), a young boy, Roxas, was enjoying summer vacation with his friends. However, throughout the last week of summer, he began to notice strange things, such as time stopping for a brief few seconds, or strange, white creatures attacking him. However, the strangest of all these things was when he was visited by a red-haired an in a black cloak. The man's name was Axel, and he kept trying to "remind", as he said, Roxas of when he was in something called Organization XIII. Finally, on the last day of his summer vacation, Roxas visited a mysterious mansion and found out that he was living in a computer-generated world, and that he was apparently the empty shell of a person, nothing more than a tool that wasn't even supposed to exist. When Roxas found a strange boy that looked eerily like him sleeping in some kind of machine, he began to fade into the boy. He shed a single tear as he said, "I guess my summer vacation is... over." Whoever this boy in the machine was, he apparently has something to do with the existence of Roxas. And how did Roxas enter in a computer-generated world in the first place?
There were a few game mechanics that are worth mentioning in Kingdom Hearts II. The first is the use of a variant of the ATB system from Final Fantasy that was commonly used in the Kingdom Hearts series (except in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories). The system worked by choosing a command (such as attack) or from a collection of commands (such as the different types of magical spells) and then execute them. However, unlike the ATB system, characters are able to move freely in the midst of combat. Another special game mechanic is the use of creatures called Moogles. Moogles were a popular creature in the Final Fantasy series, and in Kingdom Hearts II, Sora is able to "Synthesise" items with them. The player is able to create new items/equipment by giving the Moogles components and a payment of Munny (the currency in the game), and the Moogles create the item that the player wanted. However, the Moogles are only able to create an item if they use the exact components from the item's recipe. By continuing to Synthesise items, the Moogles gain Experience Points, and the more levels they gain, the more items that they learn to create.
One of my favorite things about the game was the story and the emotion. Not only was the story deeply detailed, but there was so much emotion behind it. Young players learned about the hardships that come in a young adults life, teaching them to respect those who suffer, while older players were able to connect on a personal level with the characters as they went through heartbreaks, or a friend turning against you when you needed them the most. Kingdom Hearts II was an emotional game that could touch a wound in even the most sturdiest of people. However, the game did have two small problems with it. The first being that there were barely- if any- sidequests, and the second is the fact that the character you actually play as is not interchangeable. That being said, you are not able to directly play as and/or control Donald Duck.
MY RATING: 8.75 / 10
Kingdom Hearts II was the sequel to the game Kingdom Hearts created by the company Square Enix, and was released in the year 2005. The game featured a mix of Disney and Final Fantasy characters, as well as a few original characters. The game was extremely popular, and although it contained Disney characters, they had abilities that were apropriate for general RPGs. For example, Donald Duck was a mage, and Goofy was the Disney equivalent of the "Tank" role from World of Warcraft. In this article, I will be explaining the basic storyline, mentioning worthy game mechanics, looking at both the positive and the negatives, and giving the game my own personal rating using the ten-star system.
In the end of the original Kingdom Hearts, the main protagonist, Sora, a fourteen-year old boy living on a peaceful island with his friend Riku and his secret crush Kairi, had finished defeating an evil and mysterious scientist named Ansem. Ansem had been studying creatures called Heartless, who are the result of when a person's heart becomes consumed with darkness. However, he himself had embraced the darkness, and he became an extremely powerful heartless. After defeating Ansem, Sora (along with his two new friends Donald and Goofy) began to search for a way to free Riku from a world of darkness, which acted as his prison. However, in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, after encountering a mysterious organization, he and his friends began to lose their memories. They were put into a slumber by a young girl who had power over their memories, and so they slept for a whole year, slowly getting their memories pieced back together. Around the end of Sora's slumber (at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II), a young boy, Roxas, was enjoying summer vacation with his friends. However, throughout the last week of summer, he began to notice strange things, such as time stopping for a brief few seconds, or strange, white creatures attacking him. However, the strangest of all these things was when he was visited by a red-haired an in a black cloak. The man's name was Axel, and he kept trying to "remind", as he said, Roxas of when he was in something called Organization XIII. Finally, on the last day of his summer vacation, Roxas visited a mysterious mansion and found out that he was living in a computer-generated world, and that he was apparently the empty shell of a person, nothing more than a tool that wasn't even supposed to exist. When Roxas found a strange boy that looked eerily like him sleeping in some kind of machine, he began to fade into the boy. He shed a single tear as he said, "I guess my summer vacation is... over." Whoever this boy in the machine was, he apparently has something to do with the existence of Roxas. And how did Roxas enter in a computer-generated world in the first place?
There were a few game mechanics that are worth mentioning in Kingdom Hearts II. The first is the use of a variant of the ATB system from Final Fantasy that was commonly used in the Kingdom Hearts series (except in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories). The system worked by choosing a command (such as attack) or from a collection of commands (such as the different types of magical spells) and then execute them. However, unlike the ATB system, characters are able to move freely in the midst of combat. Another special game mechanic is the use of creatures called Moogles. Moogles were a popular creature in the Final Fantasy series, and in Kingdom Hearts II, Sora is able to "Synthesise" items with them. The player is able to create new items/equipment by giving the Moogles components and a payment of Munny (the currency in the game), and the Moogles create the item that the player wanted. However, the Moogles are only able to create an item if they use the exact components from the item's recipe. By continuing to Synthesise items, the Moogles gain Experience Points, and the more levels they gain, the more items that they learn to create.
One of my favorite things about the game was the story and the emotion. Not only was the story deeply detailed, but there was so much emotion behind it. Young players learned about the hardships that come in a young adults life, teaching them to respect those who suffer, while older players were able to connect on a personal level with the characters as they went through heartbreaks, or a friend turning against you when you needed them the most. Kingdom Hearts II was an emotional game that could touch a wound in even the most sturdiest of people. However, the game did have two small problems with it. The first being that there were barely- if any- sidequests, and the second is the fact that the character you actually play as is not interchangeable. That being said, you are not able to directly play as and/or control Donald Duck.
MY RATING: 8.75 / 10
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
FINAL FANTASY IV (DS) Review
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Final Fantasy IV was released for the GameBoy: Advance back in 1991. However, in 2007/2008, a revamped version entitled Final Fantasy IV (DS) was released for the Nintendo DS: Lite, and that specific version of the game is the one that I will be reviewing in this article. Thank you for taking a moment to look at this note.
Final Fantasy IV (DS) was a version of the original Final Fantasy IV with revamped graphics that was released for the Nintendo DS: Lite system around the years 2007 and 2008. It had a few new basic innovations, including a leveling system for a specific summoning creature, but other than that it managed to satisfy the player's need for nostalgia. The revamped version of the game used animated cutscenes containing voice-acting, while the original only used the silent white text that was used in many classic Final Fantasy games. In this article, I will be reviewing the new and/or adjusted game mechanics, the storyline, and the differences between the original and the revamped version.
Final Fantasy IV (DS) takes place in a fantasy world that has two moons (one smaller than the other) orbiting the planet. The game begins by introducing the main protagonist Cecil the dark knight, who is the commander of a fleet of flying airships known as the "Red Wings of Baron". Baron is the kingdom that Cecil was raised and trained in after he was taken in as a baby by the kindly King of Baron. Cecil and his fleet have just returned from a mission to retrieve a mysterious crystal from the friendly and completely nonharmful village of Mysidia. The King of Baron forced Cecil and his fleet to take the crystal by violent force, even though the people of Mysidia offered them kindness and raised no hand in objection. After questioning the King's actions when he returned to the castle, Cecil was stripped of his duty by the now cruel-hearted King of Baron, and was forced to journey off to a mountain, slay a creature known as an Eidolon, and deliver a ring to the nearby village. Accompanying Cecil was his friend Kain, the commander of the Dragoon warriors, and they both promised Rosa the white mage (who was also Cecil's lover) that they would return safely. When Cecil and Kain arrive at their destination, the ring they carried was set off, and the innocent village burned almost completely. Cecil noticed a small girl crying over her dead mother's body. The girl revealed that her mother died because her dragon (the Eidolon) was slain. After Cecil and Kain agreed to find a way to bring down the evil King of Baron, they tried to convince the small girl to come along with them. However, because of the girl's hatred towards them, she refused, and unleashed her latent powers upon them in the form of an earthquake. When Cecil awoke with the girl nearby and Kain nowhere to be found, he proceeded to carry the girl to the nearby desert village. However, he had no idea that he would go on to meet many people in his soon-to-begin quest, which was more important than he could ever imagine.
Their were a few game mechanics that were either added to or adjusted in Final Fantasy IV (DS). One such game mechanic had to do with one of the character's summonable creature. The character's small, simple looking Eidolon was one that the player could train in mini-games in order to improve the Eidolon's power in battle. Once the player had trained the Eidolon for a while, they could summon it during a battle, where it would use pre-determined attacks/spells. Another useful game mechanic took place after the player had defeated the final boss. Once the credits had finished, the game gave the player the option to replay the game while keeping special abilities that could be assigned to different characters, which were collected throughout the multiple playthroughs of the game. One interesting (but not necessarily useful) innovation was the use of voice acting implemented into cutscenes with improved graphics. Most players enjoyed the new ue of voice acting, mainly because it brought the memorable characters to life by showing emotion in their voices.
Their were a few differences between the original version of Final Fantasy IV and the one created for the Nintendo DS: Lite. One such difference was the change of graphics systems. In the original Final Fantasy IV, the game used the classic eight-bit sprites, while in Final Fantasy IV (DS), they used figures that, while somewhat pixelated, were more detailed than the original game's graphics. Another difference was that the player used the touch-screen on the Nintendo DS to move the characters around. But the last contrastable quality was that the revamped version of the game had an Eidolon leveling system, while the original did not.
MY RATING: 8.5 / 10 stars
Final Fantasy IV (DS) was a version of the original Final Fantasy IV with revamped graphics that was released for the Nintendo DS: Lite system around the years 2007 and 2008. It had a few new basic innovations, including a leveling system for a specific summoning creature, but other than that it managed to satisfy the player's need for nostalgia. The revamped version of the game used animated cutscenes containing voice-acting, while the original only used the silent white text that was used in many classic Final Fantasy games. In this article, I will be reviewing the new and/or adjusted game mechanics, the storyline, and the differences between the original and the revamped version.
Final Fantasy IV (DS) takes place in a fantasy world that has two moons (one smaller than the other) orbiting the planet. The game begins by introducing the main protagonist Cecil the dark knight, who is the commander of a fleet of flying airships known as the "Red Wings of Baron". Baron is the kingdom that Cecil was raised and trained in after he was taken in as a baby by the kindly King of Baron. Cecil and his fleet have just returned from a mission to retrieve a mysterious crystal from the friendly and completely nonharmful village of Mysidia. The King of Baron forced Cecil and his fleet to take the crystal by violent force, even though the people of Mysidia offered them kindness and raised no hand in objection. After questioning the King's actions when he returned to the castle, Cecil was stripped of his duty by the now cruel-hearted King of Baron, and was forced to journey off to a mountain, slay a creature known as an Eidolon, and deliver a ring to the nearby village. Accompanying Cecil was his friend Kain, the commander of the Dragoon warriors, and they both promised Rosa the white mage (who was also Cecil's lover) that they would return safely. When Cecil and Kain arrive at their destination, the ring they carried was set off, and the innocent village burned almost completely. Cecil noticed a small girl crying over her dead mother's body. The girl revealed that her mother died because her dragon (the Eidolon) was slain. After Cecil and Kain agreed to find a way to bring down the evil King of Baron, they tried to convince the small girl to come along with them. However, because of the girl's hatred towards them, she refused, and unleashed her latent powers upon them in the form of an earthquake. When Cecil awoke with the girl nearby and Kain nowhere to be found, he proceeded to carry the girl to the nearby desert village. However, he had no idea that he would go on to meet many people in his soon-to-begin quest, which was more important than he could ever imagine.
Their were a few game mechanics that were either added to or adjusted in Final Fantasy IV (DS). One such game mechanic had to do with one of the character's summonable creature. The character's small, simple looking Eidolon was one that the player could train in mini-games in order to improve the Eidolon's power in battle. Once the player had trained the Eidolon for a while, they could summon it during a battle, where it would use pre-determined attacks/spells. Another useful game mechanic took place after the player had defeated the final boss. Once the credits had finished, the game gave the player the option to replay the game while keeping special abilities that could be assigned to different characters, which were collected throughout the multiple playthroughs of the game. One interesting (but not necessarily useful) innovation was the use of voice acting implemented into cutscenes with improved graphics. Most players enjoyed the new ue of voice acting, mainly because it brought the memorable characters to life by showing emotion in their voices.
Their were a few differences between the original version of Final Fantasy IV and the one created for the Nintendo DS: Lite. One such difference was the change of graphics systems. In the original Final Fantasy IV, the game used the classic eight-bit sprites, while in Final Fantasy IV (DS), they used figures that, while somewhat pixelated, were more detailed than the original game's graphics. Another difference was that the player used the touch-screen on the Nintendo DS to move the characters around. But the last contrastable quality was that the revamped version of the game had an Eidolon leveling system, while the original did not.
MY RATING: 8.5 / 10 stars
Thursday, August 2, 2012
FINAL FANTASY XIII: The Paradigm system
A few years ago, Square Enix released yet another installment in the extremely popular Final Fantasy franchise, this one being the third of which broke away from the cookie-cutter Final Fantasy format. This new game was, as expected by many fans, called Final Fantasy XIII. In this blog article, I will not be reviewing the game as a whole, but will instead be discussing one specific innovation of the game: The Paradigm/Crystarium system.
First off, I will define exactly what a Paradigm is in game terms. A Paradigm in Final Fantasy XIII is essentially a role that a character takes on when using the ATB (Active-Time Battle) system. For example, one Paradigm is the Commando role. The Commando role is one of two Paradigms that specialize in dealing direct damage to an enemy. The other damage-dealing role is the Ravager, and unlike the Commando's style of using the character's weapon(s) to deal mundane damage, the Ravager role uses arcane spells (such as the classic Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard) to deal damage. Although there are two Paradigms that deal direct damage to an enemy, the other roles specialize in raising an ally's attributes (Synergist), causing status effects, like poison, to befall an enemy (Saboteur), taking damage that was originally intended for an ally (Sentinel), and, of course, restoring their current Hit Points by healing their wounds (Medic). If you play World of Warcraft, then a simpler way of comprehending the Paradigm system would be to think of it as Final Fantasy XIII's very own take on World of Warcraft's Class/Role Specialization system, for they are, in many ways, alike.
Another comparison to World of Warcraft's Class/Role Specialization system that is possible to make is the fact that Final Fantasy XIII has something similar to World of Warcraft's "Talent Tree", known as the Crystarium. This is in the sense that the Crystarium is a collection of connected unlockable powerups, such as new abilities or a raise to a character's attribute. You unlock these powerups by investing points in a Paradigm role until a new bonus is gained, after which you can continue investing points in order to gain another. To make this system less confusing, the Crystarium is represented in the shape of a three-dimensional image composed of several collections of crystals, all of which are connected. After you invest enough points to connect one crystal to a new one, you gain the ability/attribute bonus contained withing the newly-connected crystal. Because of the way the Crystarium works (connecting one ability to the other by investing points), it can be easily compared to several other leveling systems in other games.
First off, I will define exactly what a Paradigm is in game terms. A Paradigm in Final Fantasy XIII is essentially a role that a character takes on when using the ATB (Active-Time Battle) system. For example, one Paradigm is the Commando role. The Commando role is one of two Paradigms that specialize in dealing direct damage to an enemy. The other damage-dealing role is the Ravager, and unlike the Commando's style of using the character's weapon(s) to deal mundane damage, the Ravager role uses arcane spells (such as the classic Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard) to deal damage. Although there are two Paradigms that deal direct damage to an enemy, the other roles specialize in raising an ally's attributes (Synergist), causing status effects, like poison, to befall an enemy (Saboteur), taking damage that was originally intended for an ally (Sentinel), and, of course, restoring their current Hit Points by healing their wounds (Medic). If you play World of Warcraft, then a simpler way of comprehending the Paradigm system would be to think of it as Final Fantasy XIII's very own take on World of Warcraft's Class/Role Specialization system, for they are, in many ways, alike.
Another comparison to World of Warcraft's Class/Role Specialization system that is possible to make is the fact that Final Fantasy XIII has something similar to World of Warcraft's "Talent Tree", known as the Crystarium. This is in the sense that the Crystarium is a collection of connected unlockable powerups, such as new abilities or a raise to a character's attribute. You unlock these powerups by investing points in a Paradigm role until a new bonus is gained, after which you can continue investing points in order to gain another. To make this system less confusing, the Crystarium is represented in the shape of a three-dimensional image composed of several collections of crystals, all of which are connected. After you invest enough points to connect one crystal to a new one, you gain the ability/attribute bonus contained withing the newly-connected crystal. Because of the way the Crystarium works (connecting one ability to the other by investing points), it can be easily compared to several other leveling systems in other games.
Friday, July 27, 2012
"Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" Review
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Before I begin, I would like to say that I understand that this review is a bit overdue due to the fact that the game that I am reviewing, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, came out quite some time ago. However, I felt that this review must be written and posted nonetheless. Thank you for your patience.
The Legend of Zelda franchise has had many installments, most of which went on to due quite well. However, to many fans, one game seems to stand above the rest: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
This game happened to be the first one in the franchise that used a three-dimensional graphics system which, at first, caused most fans to be both skeptical and cautious of this new innovation. However, at the time of the game's initial release, the game delivered the classic wonderful feeling of adventure. In this review, I will discuss the fans' reactions, the new and/or succesful innovations, the basic premise of the story, and then, finally, I will give a rating using the the "ten-star system".
Many fans were skeptical when they heard news of the three-dimensional Zelda game Ocarina of Time. They believed that Zelda was formatted specifically for the classic overhead look, and that Nintendo, inc. was "messing with their childhood", so to speak. However, when the players plugged in the cartridge and pressed the power button of their Nintendo 64, the large world full of sidequests, memorable characters, collectable masks, and treasure completely blew the doubts out of the water. Fans almost immediately fell in love with the game. They hurried to their Nintendo Power catalogs to order a replica of the ocarina that the main protagonist used. Adults were overcome by the nostalgia the game brought them. Kids talked excitedly with each other at thir schools. It seemed that everyone had caught Zelda fever.
Not only had Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time succeeded in the area of delivering nostalgia, it also gained victory in another area: originality. The game managed to innovate new items into the game, such as new items. These new items included the hookshot, three new spells, multi-colored tunics, as well as others. Not only did the game include new items, they also tweaked the idea of sidequests. Although sidequests were not entirely new to the game, they still managed to take it to the next level. Some of these optional jobs were retrieving chickens for a farmer, collecting masks, and saving a friendly horse from Lon-Lon ranch (the last of which was probably the one most favored among fans). Oftentimes, these sidequests allowed the players to gain valuable rewards, and although many of these rewards were pieces of a heart container, others gave even more useful tools. For example, at the end of one sidequest, when you give a reciept to a giant goron, he makes a two-handed sword for you, which deals large amounts of damage. Another useful reward is a mask that allows you to speak to statues to gain tips and other secret information. However, an extremely popular reward was the ability to ride a horse named Epona, who you saved from a ranch.
All in all, these innovations, both new and old, managed to bring hours upon hours of joy to the players.
Some say that Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time had a bit of a cookie-cutter Zelda storyline, but in actuality, the story was a deeper variation of that. Before the kingdom of Hyrule (or Earth, for that matter) was created, three goddesses decided to work together to create a new world. The goddess of fire used her burning flames to create large mountain areas, the goddess of water used her forceful waves to carve the lakes and the rivers, and the goddess of earth used her nature energy to create forests. Many centuries later, a young boy meets a young princess, who tells him that he must enter the Temple of Time and use the magic of the Master Sword (which is hidden within the temple) to stop an evil man named Ganondorf from using the power of the three goddesses to rule the world. When the young boy enters the temple, he is treansported seven years into the future, where he meets a young rogue his age who tells him to rescue the seven sages (who hold the power of the goddesses) and bring them back to the Temple of Light. The young boy must journey through dark dungeons, face malicious monsters, and search for the princess who met seven years ago.
GAME RATING: 8/10 stars.
The Legend of Zelda franchise has had many installments, most of which went on to due quite well. However, to many fans, one game seems to stand above the rest: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
This game happened to be the first one in the franchise that used a three-dimensional graphics system which, at first, caused most fans to be both skeptical and cautious of this new innovation. However, at the time of the game's initial release, the game delivered the classic wonderful feeling of adventure. In this review, I will discuss the fans' reactions, the new and/or succesful innovations, the basic premise of the story, and then, finally, I will give a rating using the the "ten-star system".
Many fans were skeptical when they heard news of the three-dimensional Zelda game Ocarina of Time. They believed that Zelda was formatted specifically for the classic overhead look, and that Nintendo, inc. was "messing with their childhood", so to speak. However, when the players plugged in the cartridge and pressed the power button of their Nintendo 64, the large world full of sidequests, memorable characters, collectable masks, and treasure completely blew the doubts out of the water. Fans almost immediately fell in love with the game. They hurried to their Nintendo Power catalogs to order a replica of the ocarina that the main protagonist used. Adults were overcome by the nostalgia the game brought them. Kids talked excitedly with each other at thir schools. It seemed that everyone had caught Zelda fever.
Not only had Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time succeeded in the area of delivering nostalgia, it also gained victory in another area: originality. The game managed to innovate new items into the game, such as new items. These new items included the hookshot, three new spells, multi-colored tunics, as well as others. Not only did the game include new items, they also tweaked the idea of sidequests. Although sidequests were not entirely new to the game, they still managed to take it to the next level. Some of these optional jobs were retrieving chickens for a farmer, collecting masks, and saving a friendly horse from Lon-Lon ranch (the last of which was probably the one most favored among fans). Oftentimes, these sidequests allowed the players to gain valuable rewards, and although many of these rewards were pieces of a heart container, others gave even more useful tools. For example, at the end of one sidequest, when you give a reciept to a giant goron, he makes a two-handed sword for you, which deals large amounts of damage. Another useful reward is a mask that allows you to speak to statues to gain tips and other secret information. However, an extremely popular reward was the ability to ride a horse named Epona, who you saved from a ranch.
All in all, these innovations, both new and old, managed to bring hours upon hours of joy to the players.
Some say that Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time had a bit of a cookie-cutter Zelda storyline, but in actuality, the story was a deeper variation of that. Before the kingdom of Hyrule (or Earth, for that matter) was created, three goddesses decided to work together to create a new world. The goddess of fire used her burning flames to create large mountain areas, the goddess of water used her forceful waves to carve the lakes and the rivers, and the goddess of earth used her nature energy to create forests. Many centuries later, a young boy meets a young princess, who tells him that he must enter the Temple of Time and use the magic of the Master Sword (which is hidden within the temple) to stop an evil man named Ganondorf from using the power of the three goddesses to rule the world. When the young boy enters the temple, he is treansported seven years into the future, where he meets a young rogue his age who tells him to rescue the seven sages (who hold the power of the goddesses) and bring them back to the Temple of Light. The young boy must journey through dark dungeons, face malicious monsters, and search for the princess who met seven years ago.
GAME RATING: 8/10 stars.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Runescape: At the peak, or just getting lower?
As many of us know, Runescape is a massive multiplayer online roleplaying game, or "MMORPG". Many of the members of the current generation abandon Runescape when they enter middle school and turn to screaming at random people on Xbox Live. At least, this is one interpretation of the younger fanbase of Runescape-- but this post is not about the players of Runescape, or the popularity of it. No, this post is about the common argument about how Runescape has been going over the past couple of years.
Often times, fans and players of Runescape welcome new innovations of the game. They explore a new dungeon in Daemonheim with friends and clanmates, they work on new skills constantly in order to reap new rewards, and they read up on Jagex's Runescape pages to see if they can find any new tidbits of info concerning the next large update. Many people enjoy the new things incorporated into the game, and they trust Jagex to make a product worthy of dedicating time to.
However, there is another opinion concerning the game, and this side mostly includes a few longtime players of the game who wish to stick to the games roots. These certain players believed that the prime of Runescape's time was during 2006, when there weren't any constant updates, and many new players had been coming into the game over the year before. These fans also believed that Runescape's overall server economy was fair, and that it was only natural that you had to work hard to get just 100k gold. However, many of these fans became quite annoyed with the work done on the game over the next few years. People were dissapointed when certain random events were removed, they were shocked by the way that skills became easier, but the thing that really set them off was the introduction of the Grand Exchange, a place where it was much easier to sell, trade, or buy items. One reason that the Grand Exchange angered longtime fans was that it was much easier and faster to get money with less work. The other reason (which is also somewhat related to the first) was that the overall server economy was in dissaray for a few months after the Grand Exchange was introduced. Players weren't sure what they thought was a fair price for an item since there wasn't as much money put into the trade circulation before the Grand Exchange was brought into the gameplay. However, people eventually established a few basic prices for different varieties of item that they could revolve around. However, many longtime fans were angered by the price inflations and massive updates, causing some of them to cancel their accounts.
These studies create a question that constantly brings up a controversial argument, and the question is this:
Now that it is 2012, is Runescape at it's peak from new updates, or is it just getting worse from price inflation and "skill simplification"?
I leave it to you to discuss in the comments.
Often times, fans and players of Runescape welcome new innovations of the game. They explore a new dungeon in Daemonheim with friends and clanmates, they work on new skills constantly in order to reap new rewards, and they read up on Jagex's Runescape pages to see if they can find any new tidbits of info concerning the next large update. Many people enjoy the new things incorporated into the game, and they trust Jagex to make a product worthy of dedicating time to.
However, there is another opinion concerning the game, and this side mostly includes a few longtime players of the game who wish to stick to the games roots. These certain players believed that the prime of Runescape's time was during 2006, when there weren't any constant updates, and many new players had been coming into the game over the year before. These fans also believed that Runescape's overall server economy was fair, and that it was only natural that you had to work hard to get just 100k gold. However, many of these fans became quite annoyed with the work done on the game over the next few years. People were dissapointed when certain random events were removed, they were shocked by the way that skills became easier, but the thing that really set them off was the introduction of the Grand Exchange, a place where it was much easier to sell, trade, or buy items. One reason that the Grand Exchange angered longtime fans was that it was much easier and faster to get money with less work. The other reason (which is also somewhat related to the first) was that the overall server economy was in dissaray for a few months after the Grand Exchange was introduced. Players weren't sure what they thought was a fair price for an item since there wasn't as much money put into the trade circulation before the Grand Exchange was brought into the gameplay. However, people eventually established a few basic prices for different varieties of item that they could revolve around. However, many longtime fans were angered by the price inflations and massive updates, causing some of them to cancel their accounts.
These studies create a question that constantly brings up a controversial argument, and the question is this:
Now that it is 2012, is Runescape at it's peak from new updates, or is it just getting worse from price inflation and "skill simplification"?
I leave it to you to discuss in the comments.
Welcome!
Welcome to my RPG/MMORPG page, where I review and discuss roleplaying games, such as a review of "Legend of Zelda", or even a small article about online roleplaying games such as "World of Warcraft" or "Runescape". If you would like to read my other blogs or check out some basic info on my homepage, go ahead and click a link:
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My main page: http://levimain.blogspot.com/
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