EnderAndrew

Pong: the MMORPG

So what you're saying is that because D&D has a wider variety of spell effects, and it's a slot based system, that means slot based systems are superior? Morrowind uses a mana system. And there are near infinite spell effects. Have you tried creating your own custom spells in Morrowind? With each spell, you can target yourself, touch, target, ranged, etc. You can set effect variables, duration, randomness, etc. You can mix various spell effects in one spell. And it's all done with a mana system. Spell effect has nothing to do with whether or not you use mana or slots. Spell effects do not validate mana systems or slots as superior systems. Personally, I rather like Shadowrun's drain system, or White Wolf's paradox system. Cast all you like. And cast as powerful of an effect as you've learned to do so. But watch out for side-effects. Channeling massive ammounts of magical energy and bite you in rear.

I saw it happen, back in junior high. But White Wolf's Vampire book has a neat little aside in it. When describing Vampire society, it says imagine a ruthless corporate ladder. Now imagine that those above you don't age or retire. Now imagine that those above you have the right, and perogative to kill you to stop you from climbing said ladder. When your PC starts getting to munchkin levels, the gods themselves should oppose your claim to power.

I blame Canadia.

No one has mentioned TOMBS yet.

Many people also complain about the "dead" world, static NPCs, etc. Yet, I've found that it just takes a while to really immerse yourself. It's a world most people aren't inherently familiar with. And most NPCs don't just annouce their whole backstory immediately. The NPCs aren't great. I wouldn't say Morrowind has NPCs on the level of a Planescape, Fallout or Ultima. But the game world is actually well established, and interesting to explore when you really get into it. When I talk to people about Morrowind, they either spent 200 hours in the game loving it, or gave up on it really quickly. I'm about 15-20 hours into my latest venture, and I'm actually really starting to enjoy it. Mind you, my first 5-10 hours included a lot of lame skill repetition and leveling. But now I simply adventure and don't worry about having to cast the same spell 100 times over again.

Don't you feel dirty saying that? I'm curious. Have you played GTA:SA? The character of CJ inhabits a world where people know him, and react to his actions in the world. Your dress, tattoos, hair style, body build, and sexual appeal will ellicit different reactions from NPCs in the world. In GTA:SA, you have a leveling system with various skills. GTA:SA actually has a fairly deep and interesting plot, with some great voice actors including Snopp Dogg and Samuel L. Jackson. GTA:SA allows you to have a party (the number of party members is determined by your skills and reputation). In GTA:SA, your character can actually atrophy, get fat, lose sex appeal, lose reputation, etc. In Diablo = clicking equates to automated leveling. In GTA:SA you can solve missions with multiple solutions. In GTA:SA, you have a huge world to explore instead of forced linear dungeons. In GTA:SA you can influence and change the world around you. Again. Which is more of an RPG? Diablo or GTA:SA?

Pong 2

I present you with two games. I ask of you, of these two, which is more of an RPG? Diablo or Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Those that don't like Morrowind seem to be those who don't have the patience to deal with the skill progression system. MMORPGs have an even slower skill progression system. And since Morrowind plays more like a singler player MMORPG than .hack, I think it's a fair comparison. If you like MMORPG's, you may like Morrowind.

Gorth, I couldn't agree more. KOTOR and Baldur's Gate are masterpieces from a person playing games since the 80's, but the Ultima series and the Fallout series aren't?

I'd like to echo: Fallout 1 & 2 Arcanum is worth playing Undying (if you liked Alice) Also, why not try something like Civilization? And if you like MMORPG's, Morrowind might be up your alley. Some people don't have the patience for it, but I'm actually having a good time playing it these days (believe it or not).

When the Columbine shootings happened, people blamed Doom, movies and music. No one seemed to blame the parents who ignored their kids running around with guns. (The kids video tapes show them walking right past their parents with illegal guns. The parents claimed that they assumed they were BB guns). No one seemed to blame the school administrators who refused to punish the football players who beat and tauned these two kids. And few people seemed to blame the violence on the two kids who actually perpetrated the violence. Yep, video games, music and movies are really to blame. Those two kids are the reason you can't find an uneditted copy of the Basketball Diaries any more.

I know of a friend who is having serious problems with a legally purchased copy of Civilization 3 thanks to SafeDisc 3. I told him to get a copy of CloneCD, and a no-cd patch.

I actually own two tuxedos. One is uber-formal with an open-vest jacket and tails.

I find it hard to take Type O serious. Bloody Kisses was a decent album, but one week they're telling their fans that they are vampires, and the next week they are werewolves and ****.

Vanilla Coke is so my drug.

They're not conspiracy theorists who are bad with women. Women are just out to get them.

I listen to a lot of stuff, classical to industrial. Heck, Tori Amos may be the best concert I've been to, and I've seen a lot of great bands. But the bands I probably listen most to are: Pearl Jam A Perfect Circle Tool REM

Active consideration.

Mel Brooks is talking about doing a Spaceballs 2, presumably to parody the prequels. And Ben Affleck is downright GREAT in Chasing Amy. He's done plenty of bad movies, but that doesn't take away his Chasing Amy performance. The Star Wars DVDs are quite nice. Empire of Dreams is a good documentary. The best line is of course, "The wookie isn't wearing any pants!" Edit: People also forget that Affleck does have an Oscar for a small little film he wrote called Good Will Hunting.

It's low level if you're used to all this sillyness of level 40+ characters I keep hearing about in the NWN:2 areas.

That's not a totally unreasonable suggestion. They are going to do a few expansion packs, I wager.

Redneck Rampage 2

NWN gave us the DM client. That innovation was huge. That game may be the only great game of the list, for that innovation alone. Too bad the single player is horrid.