JFSOCC

but they didn't state that it was the end all of narrative design, rather that is was an excellent way to go. I don't think they've ever discarded other ideas, especially because narrative techniques (and the efficacy) vary by culture.

scale challenge ratings. nice invisible(if not entirely unnoticable) way to make sure any challenge is a realistic threat.

The Warreners It was bound to happen. When a city builds layer upon layer of buildings, sewers on top of older sewers, when those who skulk build secret entrances and underground passages. You create an underground city. A warren of roads. In the most forgotten part of the underground warren, they reside. Outcasts, pariahs, beggars, lepers, criminals avoiding prosecution, hermits. They're the Warreners, those who call the warren their permanent home. From here they radiate outwards, they undermine canals to get water, build around open sewers for their own private waste disposal. It was a mess at first But decades of squalor ended when a couple, an engineer and his wife an architect got banished from the city. They'd designed a building which collapsed. And while they protested their innocence, put blame on the shoddy workmanship, they still got exiled. They fled underground, into the warrens. Life was tough at first, but in the squalor they started working. First a tap for clean water, then an adaptation for the sewers so they could be used by those other denizens of the dark. Then came light, impregnation of the walls to stop the mould which was sickening everyone. This got the attention of those in the warren, and they started silently offering their labour. Showing up with scavenged materials, metal pipes, timber. And by silent consent the couple became the de facto rulers of their community. They started calling themselves the Warreners. The Warreners see the entire underground city as their domain. And since their primary needs are being met, their secondary needs are being met, they've taken to expansion. While steadily their home improves, they're now patrolling ever more sections of the vast underground networks. They're digging new tunnels, collapsing others. They're setting up checkpoints and setting up strategical fortifications to block access to the warren. There's a lot still to be done. Shylae, the architect, has designed an underground vegetable garden in the centre of their complex. Trimp, the engineer has seen to getting enough artifical light, but the garden is far from finished. There's still little isolation, fresh air, but life is improving lots. and the Warreners, mostly outcasts, have been regaining their humanity, both good and bad. there's a camp circle with musicians which is becoming the equivalent of a pub. There's quarters, a resource pile, and a militia. The Militia is being led by an Aumaua called Rhothland. Rhothland is utterly devoted to Trimp and Shylae, but he has big plans for the warren. He means for the warrenites to become a fully recognised city-state under the city. He's ordering patrols, recruiting bored and starving Warreners, and setting them up on some more used underground paths. He's asking toll. He intends to use this to further the construction works of the Warren, new excavations, another deeper level, and better equipment for his militia. And this is where the warrenites have come into a bit of a pickle. The crime syndicates around town are not too fond of having their smuggling paths blocked by tax collectors of any kind. And it's already come to blows. The warrenites have lost some members, but so have the thieves. The Warren was hardly a blip on the Radar. But the various factions are finding their secret paths to be a little over-crowded now, and the only thing protecting the Warren against annihilation is the fact that no-one knows the exact location. That is bound to change, however. And the Warreners are already past the point of no return when it comes to pissing off the wrong people. The Hive of the Hiveless (see post a bit to the top of the page) is none too pleased either. Time will tell what will happen. The Warreners face extinction without help, or they might be enslaved and put to work for the crime syndicates running the smuggling operation, the other, more elusive groups who find their secret basements broken into may have a hand in matters as well. And those on the surface who find parts stolen by the Warreners are slowly bringing this to the attention of the city watch. It's a precarious dream, the underground utopia for the outcasts. But, all is not yet lost. The player encounters the warreners by finding their warren, by working for the thieves and having to deal with the new problem, by solving the mystery of the stolen goods (either by victims or working for the city guard) or searching for an exile living in the Warrens. Either as a bounty or as a witness. What happens next will be up to the player. Should the player choose to aid the Warreners, they can help in different ways leading to different outcomes. It could be a hostile takeover by reinforcing and training the militia and cleaning out the enemies. It maybe a deal negotiated between the crime syndicates and the Warreners, it maybe by aiding in the construction of additional defences for the warren, and helping out in finding resources for its growth and development. Someone skilled in subterfuge may help camouflage the warren's location, or find several blueprints which will aid in construction, and avoiding known obstacles. Finding hidden rooms and buildings which might still function. A city might be built here. Should the player choose to deal with the Warreners differently, it will improve their standing with factions opposing the Warreners, they may enslave or kill them, work out a protection deal, or simply coerce the Warreners to stay out of other faction's way. Which will limit their growth and keep them in relative squalor.

thank you for your subtly brought point

the only game where I care for achievements is team fortress 2

Capitalism works, but you need rules to play by. Complete deregulation is closer to mercantilism than capitalism.(like Monopoly). One core tenet of capitalism is competition, so there must be rules ensuring fair competition.

My views on Palestine are irrespective of my political leanings.

Ofcourse most of the Argentinian supporters got kicked or bullied out after the first Falklands war.

tentacle porn monsters... why not.

Yeah the faith episode was a bit of a miss. But at least they take risks and discuss interesting topics. What they say is more true than you can imagine. Just because not every designer explicitly thinks about these topics doesn't mean their games don't have said elements. Take the Episode on the Heroes Journey, (and the game Journey as excellent example) I thought it was a very good one. And sometimes they are very coloured, which is OK, they're an editorial. they're allowed to be. And sometimes what they say has already been said by others, and better. That's OK too, because they're communicating it to an audience as a hook to get more involved. 5 minute episodes are never going to be of scientific quality, but they get the audience interested and engaged, and provide them the tools for going in further.

Very much This. I too watched them from the very first episode on the escapist. From what I read here there's a lot of dislike. I would say it's mixed for me. I like that they're treating the medium as an artform and basically their entire show means to communicate this to the audience. They do this with mixed results, some episodes I find fantastic, while others irk me to no end. No matter what though, I'm very happy they discuss the medium in an adult and serious manner, and open the debate on many interesting topics. As for their pretension, I think it's partly true, and partly that they're the real deal speaking from personal professional experience. I think they're a very worthwhile watch, even those episodes I didn't agree with or thought were too narrow in their focus.

Ah, but when it does, it'll be all the sweeter

I got my laptop! and it's working! and everything works well! Except the audio, which sucks a big hard piece of rock candy. That said, I'm very happy with my purchase. Oh man steam is going to be busy downloading tonight!

I was wondering, does anyone here watch that show? I think any game developer, both experienced and new could benefit from watching it. Here's the link for those who don't know it and would like to check it out: http://penny-arcade.com/patv/show/extra-credits They've also uploaded all their episodes on youtube, so you can find them there as well.

Sure, but I will kill them because they are dangerous, not evil.

Vista certainly hasn't been smooth sailing for me. Windows 7 fixed a lot of those problems.

But that's exactly what I said: it's the extra reasons added. it's not "you'll be reborn" but "you'll be reborn in a worse state than now" That's not a given in PE.

I think you can do this by being able to choose some upgrades linked to familiarity. If you can edit a weapon to fit your playstyle more, it becomes a personalised weapon. YOUR weapon. then when a better weapon comes along you can still pick it up (and eventually personalise it) yet, any weapon which is on-par with your own might be equally good, but not fitting to the way you play. So speed vs damage, slashing vs piercing, what special effects it has (stun, life steal, slow, debuff, great critical, etc etc) is directly tied to how you envision your character's utility in combat. Am I a debuffer? Do I stun and kite? Do I prefer just to do massive amounts of damage? Do I play defensively and should my weapon give me parry bonuses instead of attack damage bonuses. Once you can customise weapons to fit your playstyle, they'll be *yours* in the truest sense.

No, because "bugbear evil" just for being a bugbear makes me turn away from a game. When they said PE was going to me a more mature game, I certainly though. "Finally, no clichéd utterly evil absolutes"

Shackleton Crater looks pretty cool, but why does the co-founder of EA need to fundraise?

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that part. It's just good to finally not be dependent on someone else's computer anymore. As for why I prefer laptops over desktops: the mobility. Just being able to put it in a backpack and take it with me, I don;t even care if it's heavy. I used to have a toshiba weighing about 10 pounds without the laptop bag, it's still fantastic to go everywhere with it. (and it's carry on luggage, should you travel by plane) I have a desktop, an alienware, back from the days I still was flush. I paid top dollar for it, and it's a crashing piece of ****. never buy alienware, overpriced, hostile customer service, hostile business practices, faulty products. Eventually I'll go for a desktop again. But since I don't really tinker with hardware ('fraid I'd mess it up) laptops just work for me. I also much prefer the soft keyboards laptops have. I'm well aware I'd get more power in a Desktop, but I was never going to get what I wanted anyway (best of the best of the best, sir!) and since I'm living with my mother I don't actually have the space for one. (otherwise that crappy alienware would probably disgrace a desk somewhere) I bought a desktop replacement laptop, so it'll last me a few years. My Toshiba lasted 8, this one cost about a third of that. It's an Acer, which irks me, but I had to compromise. +128GB SSD, 2GB VRAM NVIDIA 1900x1080 screen resolution, 8GB RAM(expandable to 16) -5400RPM HD, windows 8, plastic casing, likely heat problems during extended play.(according to one review)

I watched Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters today, it was everything I expected. Which is so say: very average plot, but hilariously funny. A movie which knows not to take itself seriously, And with copious amounts of "fanservice" coming from Gemma Aterton. Who cares for realism when you have fully automatic crossbows, foldable steampunk rifles and the ability to shrug off massive amounts of punishment by being stunningly good looking Great way to pass the time.

I bought a new laptop today, I'd been saving for it for months. it'll arrive sometime this week, and I'll spend all day trying to fix windows 8, no doubt. I am in such a good mood. I've been looking forward to this for ages.

fnarkled1? fn4rkl3d?

The Soul Searchers. "If my immortal soul does not perish upon death, then I do not truly die. Should what I have then not remain mine?" This question could have been answered more philosophically than the Soul Searchers have decided to. The Soul Searchers can be seen as the ultimate form of life insurance. The Soul Searchers are an organisation tasked with finding you in your new life, and giving you what's yours, for a fee. You could see them as executers of your not so last will and testament. Rich men and women, to proud and desperate to lose what they have gained in life, unwilling to do it all again find the Soul Searchers, and pay them a part of their fortune. In return, the Soul Searchers will go out into the world, for however long it takes, and find you (your soul) and give you back whatever belonged to you. Titles, wealth, advice, secret knowledge. The Soul Searchers have utterly corrupt upper management. They have a tendency to find your soul reborn in one of their family, conveniently easy to manipulate officials and friends. Because the desperate rich often sign over their property to the Soul Searchers for safekeeping, their wealth has vastly grown. That's not to say that all Soul-Searchers are corrupt, some take their task seriously and use their abilities to douse out the true owners of souls. The upper management realises that without some distracting 'real' successes their scam will quickly fall apart. Unbeknownst to the leadership, there are a few, truly skilled, who would be better suited at a leadership position. (perhaps the player can help make that so. Or they can cash in.) Soul Searchers are trained in recognising souls, not all who apply are suited to this task. It requires the ability to recognise class, relative age, and the ability to pay attention to personality quirks. Whenever someone contacts the Soul Searchers, they are required to an examination, and to have a personal item, attuned to them specifically. (Something the owner cares a great deal about, a childhood toy, the first trophy they won, their scientific credentials, a love letter from their SO) It's this item which helps the Soul Searchers douse out your soul. The item is given to the leader of the tuners, a group within the Soul Searchers which can sense whenever an item's owner has returned to the land of the living. The Organisation is not without it's controversy. Thirty years ago they awarded the right to rule a fairly large barony to a mentally retarded boy, fifty-three years ago it was found that they had made a mistake and given a small inheritance to an impostor who had captured and hidden the real soul-owner. (since then a triple verification is required at the organisation's Headquarters or chapter houses.) Six years ago it was found that a mule held the soul of an esteemed patriarch. The Animal has a fantastic stable and grazing area while the organisation manages his funds, for his own good, of course. And when a beggar child became the frighteningly capable ruler of an estate slightly to the south of Big Big city 1, that set a lot of bad blood with the nobility, who now have to share their table with a peasant. Finally, the organisation debunked that the leader of a small religion was their prophet reborn. The player can encounter the organisation by entering one of their chapter houses and signing an agreement, by being found by the organisation and receiving a not too small inheritance, by finding out they are the soul reborn of someone deserving of an inheritance which the organisation seems to have failed to provide, or by trying to root out the corruption or opposing the political manoeuvrings of the powerful leadership of the Soul Searchers.