Archive for March 14th, 2011
This afternoon I completed my Army Training. I’ve hit upon a number of military-themed community levels, including one that seems to be a target-shooting sim with a Vietnam theme. Not sure what to make of that one. This one works just fine. I’m a little confused as to why this LBP2 army training takes place exclusively at night, but I’m not going to make a fuss about that. Maybe it’s because we own the night. I don’t know. I do know that the memory of playing this simple little obstacle course is keeping my mind off of the fact that my PS3 is again refusing to connect to the Internet. It’s a sweet level. Not the one I really wanted to post–that’s coming tomorrow–but nice enough. I can’t remember the last time I got the instruction to “Drive the Hummer”. Also, I’m a sucker for ziplines.
Since I can’t resist, I’m gonna post one more shot from this level. Check out the reflection here. It’s a simple thing, but I like how it adds depth. I’m constantly struck by the sense of depth in this simple little world.
After the jump, sackpatriot Continue reading →
In case you’re one of those hateable Steambabies — you know, the folks who whinge about wanting a game, but waaah!, they not going to get it unless it’s on Steam — then you’re in luck. One of this year’s best games, Atom Zombie Smasher, is now available on Steam, and it’s six bucks cheaper than if you were to buy it directly from the creator. I hope you’re happy now.
If you’ve already bought Atom Zombie Smasher, a) good on ya!, and b) you’ll be getting a download code to also get the game on Steam. Because, you know, Steam achievements. Forty of them!
Do you play Halo: Reach? Of course you do! How else are you going to piece together your own custom not-really-a-Spartan Master-Chief-a-like suit of armor?
The Defiant map pack comes out tomorrow, adding two multiplayer maps and a firefight map. Post a comment below and in 24 hours one of the Qt3 interns will randomly pick five posts for a free download code. Make sure to post with your email so we know where to send the download codes. Good luck, and one post per email address please.
By the way, my Halo: Reach character’s armor is pink. It’s ironic.
EDIT: Congratulations to Cadaemon, Doug, Jordan, Mitch, and Joshua!
That right up there is the cockpit of my (simulated) A-10C. Every single switch and button works. To fly and fight effectively in Eagle Dynamics’ latest sim, DCS A-10C Warthog, you’ll need to know what they all do. You’ll need to be able to set your TGP (in WHOT mode, naturally) as the SOI so that you can pick out the T-55 that JTAC designated as your target by pointing out its location on your TAD. After setting the T-55 as the SPI using the TGM switch you’ll want to engage CCRP mode on the HUD and select your GBU-12 on the DSMS. Then it’s a simple matter of flying over the target, watching the SC and TTRN crawl down the ASL, and pressing the pickle when it meets the pipper.
Confused yet? So am I. So what the heck am I doing here?
After the jump, a total nugget (that’s the flight-sim geek’s word for “noob”) grapples with the most obsessively detailed sim ever. Continue reading →
I love the little motivational speeches your commander gives you in Shogun 2. He sits there on his horse, yelling context-specific inspirational pre-battle things before his assembled troops. It’s a great touch that, I believe, Creative Assembly introduced in Rome: Total War. If you want to just get to the battle, you can skip it with a quick tap of the escape key, but then you’ll miss adorable tidbits like the following:
I’m sure it sounds less, uh, rednecky in the original Japanese. Also, here’s an unfortunately relevant bit from the advisor.
Ah, quaintly naive advisor chick, you have no idea. :(
Over a month ago, Atari released a broken Test Drive Unlimited 2 and immediately issued a couple of “oops!” statements and a mea culpa and “we’re patching it now” proclamations. The usual stuff. Fast forward to today, when the patch for the Xbox 360 is supposed to finally fix the game’s social options and multiplayer support.
Oh, wait, it’s not ready.
Maybe tomorrow at 9am. And what’s more, the social options won’t be fixed after all. There’s currently no ETA for when that part of the game will finally work.
Nice work, Atari! Well done, Eden! You guys are doing a heck of a job keeping my copy of Midnight Club: Los Angeles in heavy rotation.
I’m having a grand time with Shogun 2, the latest in Creative Assembly’s Total War series. But those first few days are always a grand time. Will this be the Total War game that breaks the Chick parabola, that curve where you enjoy a game until you discover the AI is terrible? Check for the review on 1up in a few days.
Homefront, on the other hand, is disappointing early and often. I say that as a huge fan of Kaos Studios previous game, Frontlines. Unfortunately, Homefront is no Frontlines, largely because it’s trying so hard to be a Call of Duty. The full review will be on Gameshark later this week.
Also out this week are Yakuza 4 and Top Spin 4, both series I admire rather than enjoy. The Yakuza games suffer mightily in comparison with other open-world games, but they have their own storytelling appeal. As far as tennis games go, Top Spin is like the smart but homely sister to the bubbly Virtua Tennis party girl.
Keep an eye out for Gods Eater Burst for the PSP. Not that I’m necessarily recommending it. But I see the title and I get excited because I think of God Hand. Unfortunately, this isn’t that. But we’ll always have Bayonetta, which is a pretty serviceable God Hand 2.
Finally, are you ready for the latest map pack for Halo: Reach? I hope you are, because I’d love to be able to play Halo: Reach with people who are as bad as me. This latest map pack includes a new firefight map I quite like, partly because there are plenty of indoor hiding spots, where I found a garage with a warthog that has a rocket launcher on the back. At which point I don’t feel like hiding so much anymore.
