On Arc Two: Putting it together

So having taken some time to look over some of the various suggestions I’ve gotten in regards to what people have found interesting or memorable in and about the old Barrens, and in a way the responses I got were both more and less than I’d hoped for. On one hand, most of the things which people did find memorable seem to have stuck with most people – on the other, many responses has also made the Barrens sound something like the most boring place on Azeroth where very little of interest ever happens. Still, in an effort to put all of this together, I went loose on some old maps, the old mapviewer and Paint Shop Pro in order to try to put it all together.

On Arc Two: That Faction Conflict Thing

Trying to construct anything useful and workable out of the wild, chaotic maelstrom that is my plans for the might-possibly-happen-but-no-promises second story arc of Beyond the Tree has always come across to me like something of an uphill battle. While there are many aspects to Arc Two that makes it inherently more complicated to construct than Arc One, one of the largest source of complications stem from a single, simple fact: It takes Beyond the Tree into contact with the Horde.

Request: Tell me of Memorable Central Kalimdor Characters

So I thought, it’s now 2012 and what better way to start a new year than ask some random people on the internet for help! …well okay, on reflection putting it like that makes it sound more than a little bit mental, but bear with me. Basically: Do you consider yourself familiar with Warcraft as a setting? Have you spent plenty of time leveling around central Kalimdor back in pre-Cataclysm days? Have any fond memories of quests and NPCs in that region? Read on, because You May Be Able To Help.

Big Glowy Sword Fun Time

So The Old Republic has been out for awhile – technically a week, with another week of early access for early preorders, which means that I’ve had ample time to play the game – ample enough that I’ve hit 50 with my first character, though I still have a few more narrative beats to go before reaching the actual conclusion of her class narrative. Still, it’s given me more time than a weekend to sample the game and collect my thoughts together regarding what I think of it.

Bigger Car Shooty Fun Time

I’ve been wanting to write a few words about Saints Row the Third for some time now, but I’ve been putting it off for pretty much the same reason that I want to write about it. My problem is basically this: How do I qualify that the most fun game I’ve played of 2011 is somehow still a bit of a disappointment? And furthermore, how do I keep the disappointment from overshadowing the fact that it’s still the most game I’ve played of the whole year?

Big Glowy Sword Fun Test Time

So The Old Republic had a beta weekend going last weekend, which to my understanding was open to pretty much everyone who had signed up for the chance to test the thing prior to the announcement that it would happen – meaning that I actually got a chance to try it. Though the amount of time I had with the game became somewhat limited between insomnia and spending almost an entire day between sunday and monday without electricity or internet, it’s given me the opportunity to formulate an opinion built on more qualified factors than trailers, developer claims and second hand experiences.

So, in the apparent catchphrase of my beta testing consular, This matter bears investigation.

Big Raptor Pouncy, Mace Bashy Fun Time

While there have been more than one game keeping me quite enthralled as of late, I’ve yet to figure just how how to best describe my thoughts on Saints Row the Third, so instead I’ll take the time to ramble on the game which I haven’t finished yet – part because the thing is nigh endless. So, with that in mind, let’s talk The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Big Car Shooty Fun Time

While I’ve been thinking about indulging in random renders or making some form of post regarding members of the Beyond the Tree cast or elements of the first arc that were cut out now when the last stretch is pretty much solidified or whatever, none of these thoughts have been sticking well in my head for something solid to formulate. So instead I’m going to ramble on a bit about another topic entirely, which is to say the interesting matter that a month which contains the PC releases of both Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations and Batman: Arkham City (staggered PC release dates can PPC up the fusion reactor, seriously)… the release I anticipate the most is somehow none of the above.

So. Let’s talk Saints Row.

So about that MechWarrior announcement thing

After roughly some two years of silence, followed by some activity on twitter, we’ve finally gotten our announcement about where the new MechWarrior game is headed. The full title is (as some clever people on mektek puzzled out) MechWarrior ONLINE, and it will be taking the form of a free to play team-based multiplayer game. And… I’m not entirely sure what I think about that, yet.

So, about Pandaria…

I’m going to start by saying this isn’t because I think I have any new and fresh perspective on the newly announced expansion – especially not this early; rather, it is because I feel reasonably certain that people are going to ask me about what I think of it and I’d rather keep that in one place rather than have to repeat myself across a whole series of posts. If you’re looking for new information or insight, I’d recommend poking through MMO Champion or similars.