Tag Archives: Star

Testing FRAPS with SWTOR

Posted by on January 30, 2012 No comments

A long time ago (blah blah galaxy) I tried my hand at some Machinima video capture.  For those who don’t know, Machinima is using video game footage, re-edited together to make a video.  A lot of folks use the medium to make music videos, some people have ran with it and made full series of funny videos (like Red Vs. Blue).  Well, a few years back some friends and I tried to make a series called Stupid Hobbitsess.  It was made using the Lord Of The Rings Online game.  Unfortunately, the videos were pulled from YouTube because of Digital rights for some of the music used.  (less than 30 seconds worth).  So now, they only exist on my Hard Drive.  I may see if I can get them up here somewhere.

Anyways, I used a capture software called FRAPS.  It’s one of the popular choices for Video Game capture.  Problem is, back in the day, when I ran the capture on my old system, it would lag the game…..a lot.  On a while I decided to try and run FRAPS behind The Old Republic and see what the hit would be.  I was amazed to find that there was no lag at all.  Now, it is an updated system and FRAPS has been updated quite a few times since then so it may be more streamlined.  Below is a sample capture of some in game footage.  This kind of stirs the creative juices a bit, well see if anything comes from it.

Ninja Edit:  Looks like the old Myspace page for Stupid Hobbitsess is still up with the videos.  If you dare venture into Myspace land, you can see them here

SWTOR Crew Skills, or “Corso Shakin his Money Maker!”

Posted by on January 23, 2012 1 comment
Next in my line of talking about Star Wars The Old Republic, Crew skills!!  Crew skills are TOR’s form of crafting.  In other MMO’s they incorporate crafting in the form of “Hunting and Gathering” where your character would come across materials out in the world(s) and use that material to build armor/weapons/stuff back in some special location.  In WoW you could find an Anvil somewhere or cooking fire, etc.  You would have to stand next to that location and toil away your time watching your character move his arms up and down.

TOR sought to make that a little more enjoyable.  For starters, in general game play they give you a companion to aid you in your quests.  The companion ties in to your story line and can change the way the story plays out depending on which companion you use (through out the game, you gain more Crew Members).  For crafting, the added the ability to send your companion out on a Crew Skill.  This is a mission that your crew ventures out on for a set amount of time, and then comes back with materials used for crafting.  While your crew is out, you are free to continue questing un-hindered.  They still include the random nodes in the world(s) that you can harvest for materials, but this allows you to pull in specific materials for your crafting by sending your companion out to get them.

The actual crafting part works much the same way.  You can send your companion out to make up to 5 items at a time and then go about your business.  When he/she is done the items will be in your inventory.  The best part is that all the materials can sit in your vault.  This is a huge step beyond any of the other MMO’s that force you to carry everything you need and tie you to a work area to build things.

Now, the down side.  Unfortunately, not all crew skills are created equal.  All of the discovery crew skills (the ones that gather materials) cost credits to send your companion out.  Essentially you are paying for them to gather instead of you doing it.  This is a double edged sword since you get your materials, and your skill increases, but too much and you end up broke.  Except for one skill, Slicing.

Slicing used to be overpowered to the point where it was insane to not have it because it was a steady flow of large sums of money.  Sadly, they “fixed” that and brought it down to a slow trickle of money.  If you have the ability to run slicing missions non stop, it can still turn you a profit, but it takes some time and you have to face the consequences of a loss from time to time.  In the long run you will make money.

The below chart is a great display of which crew skills tie together for crafting (Credit goes to http://www.swtorcrewskills.com):

http://www.swtorcrewskills.com

http://www.swtorcrewskills.com

Enjoy your Crafting!

“Corso, get back out there and shake your money maker!!”

The New Old Republic from a long time ago is now!

Posted by on January 11, 2012 No comments
The game that nearly all Star Wars fans have been waiting for since Star Wars Galaxies rolled out it’s new combat experience.  Bioware has filly come out with an MMO that changes how we really play MMO’s.

I have played quite a few MMO’s in my life.  I think my first dose was back with SWG came out, and that’s what it took to make me jump, Star Wars.  Since then there has been Everquest, FFXI, LOTRO, and the ever popular WoW.  One thing that was a constant was that, while the gameplay was fun, I never really got into the story.  That’s not to say that I didn’t like the story much, but it never grabbed me.  That is until The Old Republic.

In single player games, there is a lot of emphasis put on the story.  You are telling the story from the players point of view.  These are the games that grab you and make you care about your character and drive you through the game.  In most MMO’s the story is told through the quest givers and usually there is a lot of reading.  Most of this reading breaks down to “Them thar cyotes are killin mah chickens! Go kill 10 of them and bring me their pelts!” Because, surely the other “cyotes” will take the hint.  With TOR, the quest giver tells you, through actual conversation, what he needs, and you steer the conversation with your reactions.  Fully voiced characters help with that.  I can see that my character is making the decision to kill 10 “cyotes” and I can hear the impact that it has on the NPC.  It’s not just a paragraph of text that I probably wouldn’t be reading anyways.  Span that across 50 Levels….that’s a big story.

So now we have taken the Single player aspect of story telling ad brought it to a MMO.  But what about the M in MMO? (yeah I know there are two, we are talking about the Multiplayer one.)  That’s what makes the story telling part that much more interesting.  Lets throw a second player in the conversation now.  Farmer Frank is worried about his chickens, Jedi Joe is very interested in Farmer Franks plight, but Smuggler Steve just wants to get paid.  This changes the conversation!  For each conversation choice, the players roll to see who gets to answer.  Depending on the response, Farmer Frank could reply with something different.  The outcome of the quest could be, less money, or no money, or lots of money!

I found that I was really interested in my story quests, so much so that I started bypassing some of the side quests that everyone can get just to progress my story.  The downside to this being that my story got too hard for the level I was at.  Side quests are there to help build you up more.  I have become more attached and actually care about my characters story line more so than any other MMO.  Add into this the actual moral choices that Bioware is known for throwing into the mix, and now we have different story trees that make even the same player class re-playable!  I wasn’t so sure on this until I watched a friend, who was the same class, in his story quest and the outcome of the conversation was vastly different because of his choices.  (it’s no wonder this game took so long to come out!)

All of this is not even getting into actual game mechanics and game play.  I might try and cover that in a separate post since I don’t want to make this terribly long.  A quick side note about interesting game mechanics.  Everyone knows that you can press a key combo to hide your UI and then press “Print Screen” to take a screen shot.  Bioware took this to the next level by giving Collectors Edition buyers a “Holocamera” in game.  When used, it creates a screen shot from the players POV.  Not too different from the key combo right?  Nope, but the in game character will actually pull out a camera and take a picture.  This made my trip to Tatooine a bit more touristy!  Enjoy the pics and expect more from a galaxy far far away soon!

Malware sucks!

Posted by on January 10, 2012 No comments

Well, not sure if anyone noticed, (given that I probably only have like 3 people that read this) but my main site came under attack recently.  Apparently there was a wordpress exploit that someone got a hold of and it set up all kind of weird re-directs in my site and in Sarah’s food blog.  This cause some posts/pages to browse to some Russian malware site.  So, yea, huge apologies for that screw up.  BlueHost (my hosting company) help me clean out the junk and get things updated and fixed.
 
I took this opportunity to clean things up around the site and try out a new theme/look.  This only affects the main site, not my Tumblr site (which usually has the same posts).
 
As per usual, I am going to try and do some more posting with the new year.  So far 2012 looks like it’s going to be a busy/crazy year.  That is, if I can get off my butt and not play Star Wars: The Old Republic so much.  I’ll see if I can get a post up about that in the coming few days.
 
As per usual, Stay Tuned!  (and sorry for that Malware thing, really….you may want to see a Doctor and get checked out)

Gizmodo Photo Challenge: Lego

Posted by on April 3, 2011 No comments



Gizmodo Photo Challenge: Lego

Still Plugging Away, Captain in sight!

Posted by on March 3, 2010 No comments

Ok so I have been splitting a lot of my game time up for the last few weeks.  Star Trek Online really has me stuck in the holodeck and has taken control of the ship.  When I can get some escape from it I have been working my way through Bioshock 2.  Since the time is split on both and finishing up neither it has left me with some wonder on what to post to keep things current out here on the site.  So I will give you the thoughts so far on both of these.  First up, a State of Rapture.

So I am quite a ways into B2 and it’s just, finally, starting to get to a near playable state.  I say that because the first few levels were spent figuring out how to play and building up weapons so they can actually hurt someone wearing just a dress and a plastic mask.  Where as the junkie with a pipe can kill me in my deep sea armor plated dive suit.  Yeah, it’s a lot like that.  It would also appear that the Xbox version has a few bugs.  None of the vending machines give off the familiar “Welcome, to the Circus of Values!”. And I still miss the little sisters reacting to your rescue of them (“No No, No No!”).  Now that I am past the build up phase and getting more into the game, it’s getting a little better.  I may have to agree with the guys in the Joystiq Xbox fancast when they say that maybe using Bioshock 2 to follow Mass Effect 2 is a bad idea.  When you go from a game that is very heavily story based and rich in it’s plot, and you go to something that is basically a re-hash of the first game, it’s bound to leave you a tad bitter.  Fret not though, despite all this, I am still enjoying the game and it’s probably better that I take it slow so that I can enjoy the good parts and be away long enough to forget the bad.

In the meantime I have been enjoying the Trek experience in Star Trek Online.  I have a grand total of 3 characters (BTW, the max is 3), My Main, Boothby, is a Trill Science Commander (Commander 9, soooooo close to Captain) flying the U.S.S. Amazonia which looks like it’s ready to be hatched.  I hate the look of the Commander Science ships.  They have that horrible sphere instead of a saucer section.  I also have my Klingon Character which you are able to start playing after you reach LT 6 with your Federation character.  The nice thing is that you start at LT 6 with the Klingon as well so Lt Lock, Tactical Officer of the I.K.S VeS Qab (WarCrimes), is bringing hell to the Federation.  Finally I have my Alt, Lt Commander Wi’Zzer, Vulcan Engineering officer of the U.S.S. Fairfax.  This character I am running with my friend Doc so we are keeping the characters in line with each other.  When he isn’t on, I play Booth.

So the State of the Galaxy is that Boothby just managed to reach Deep Space 9 out towards Cardassian space.  I like that there are a specific set of missions for each area and a specific enemy that you are working against.  Something I would love to see, though, is a different set of missions based on what you are.  I’m a Doctor not a Tactical officer!  Where are my Science specific missions?  Why does my Engineer character get missions where he needs to scan Nebula’s and gathering Data?  My Science officer is running off on missions to take out 5 squadrons of ships that should be better suited for a Tactical officer.  Now it’s usually better if you are running in a team of course so you have 1 of each type, but that is rare.  Another big complaint would be in the stats and skills.  So I have my ship that I can outfit with a billion different bits and parts.  I loot a science console that gives me +10 to Astrometrics.  I have found no where to tell me what exactly that does for me!  Some of the skills are good in that they give you examples of the skills they benefit, but it’s really hard to keep the granularity straight.

On the plus side, the missions I have run lately have been great for the story.  Learning about the Hobus Star and what happened to Romulus was very intriguing.  Playing as my Engineer and being the tank while Doc tears through with his Escort ship, and even playing through as my Klingon even though it’s just PVP for him.  (Need more Klingon Quests!!!)  I can see that I will be very entertained for quite a while still.  Is it bad that I have had the urge to watch more of the TV show and movies as of late?  Not much else on the radar right now so I will be cooking up some non-review articles in the coming weeks.  Stay Tuned!

Farpoint 2010

Posted by on February 12, 2010 No comments

The snow is starting to melt and I only have a mildly high trench of a driveway to navigate.  Most of the time at home was split between Star Trek Online and Bioshock 2. (Rescued my first Little Sister.)  Believe it or not I actually reached a point in my cabin fever where I got up and could game no more.  Instead I went and watched the Star Trek Reboot on Blu-Ray.  Anyways, this is just a quick update to say that I won’t be posting anything this weekend, or even playing as I am off to Farpoint in Baltimore MD.  Also it is Sarah and my one year Anniversary!  So it’s a nice little get-away after a long internment at the house.  Should be some costumes and a few guests to visit with.  I’ll probably have an after action report on Monday-ish.

In the meantime, remember, Level up, and spend those skill points!!

Returning from the Alpha Quadrant, or, Shore leave on Hoth

Posted by on February 8, 2010 2 comments

Well, the snowpocolypse 2.0 has taken it’s toll on us, and the house.  We got about 20+ inches of snow and spent most of Saturday and Sunday clearing it off the driveway and everything else.  Some of my neighbors have drifts in front of their houses (mostly because of the plows) that measured up to about 9 feet tall!  This of course meant that most of the time, not spent shoveling snow, was spent inside playing games.  Sarah was on the Internets, until she picked up Overlord 2.  Andrew was on Mass Effect 2, after he finished with Uplink, and I was playing Star Trek Online, no after there, it was all STO.

Over the weekend I have managed to make it to the rank of Lt. Commander, I have 4 different ships to choose from, and I have 5 bridge officers.  (Also, I have at least 3 tribbles.)  The long arduous road to Lt. Commander was painful right at the end, mostly because of the lack of realization that I needed to spend skill points to earn the promotion instead of just earn them.  Made it all the way to Lt rank 11 before I figured that out.  Once I had earned the rank I ventured back to the Sol Sector and attended my promotion ceremony.  It was very touching.  After that it was off to claim my new ship.  I had actually been saving up energy credits for my entire career so that I could buy an extra ship so one Cruiser and one Escort.  Since I am still new to the heavier ships, I will hold off on the pluses and minus until later.  Instead lets go over some of the things I loved and hated about my time as a young Lieutenant

Things I loved:

Who needs friends with an away team like this? - Every time I had to beam down to a planet I always had an away team with me.  For starters it was just me and my Engineering officer along with a few security guys, (those poor red shirts) but after a while I had my science officer, my tactical officer, and my ferengi, ok so he is a engineering officer too but he’s my token.  Each officer has a special ability that they use on their own or by my command.  Even coming around and reviving me if I get knocked out.  It’s very helpful!

Autogrouping with Others. Now I know this may be a plus or a minus depending on the type of person you are but I found it to be very helpful.  If you and 3 other people are working on the same mission at the same time (as is the case in most missions), it will auto group you together and adjust the level accordingly.  The amazing thing about it is that without even sending a hail, everyone just worked together!  This avoids all of the Awkward conversations and ninja tagging.

Dead Klingon = New Mark II Engine - Everything that I needed for my LT Career was found in loot.  I had no need to spend credits on anything because it was all available in loot.  This allowed me sell anything excess that I had looted and didn’t need so I could have the money to buy the second ship.


Things I Hated:

Oh god more Patrol missions – To boldly go where everyone has gone before.  The patrol missions are really more of a love hate thing.  I love that there is a large variety of types of missions, but they start getting repetitive after a while.  Clearly they are meant to be filler around the other larger missions, so my advice….don’t run them back to back.  Run one system, go do a main mission, come back and do another system.

No, mister Klingon, I do not want to enter an chance enemy encounter. – Flying around in sector space I found myself automagicly sucked into enemy encounters, which under normal circumstances would be fine, but these are on a timer, and the timer is ALWAYS ticking down from like 5 min to start.  So I won’t be sitting around for 5 min for my “chance” encounter.

Still a tad clunky - Ok so this is an overall grievance.  Unfortunately the game is still a little rough around the edges.  There are minor glitches in the graphics, in the performance, in the interface.  BUT…  It’s a brand new MMO and it’s still finding it’s place and growing into some very large combat boots.  After wittnessing the launch of SWG, EQ2, AOC, LOTRO, WoW, COH, and who could forget The Matrix Online!  (Wow, I have tried a lot of MMO’s, and many of them from launch!)  I can easily see how things will get ironed out and the issues are really minor.  I have seen nothing that is a show stopper.

Final verdict: For a starter MMO, I give Star Trek online a good 7.5 out of 10 Tribbles.  But I reserve the right to change this score after 1: I play more since it doesn’t really end and, 2: Time mends all glitches.

Just in time too as tomorrow I will be venturing back to Rapture for Bioshock 2!

Snowpocolypse 2.0 or What do you do with a drunken Yeoman?

Posted by on February 5, 2010 No comments

So it’s supposed to snow for the next, like, 48 hours solid bringing around 24 inches of cold insanity with it.  I have finished Mass Effect 2 and have no Bioshock 2 to take it’s place.  (Yeah, I think I should have slowed down on that one.)  So what am I to do with all this time on my hands and locked indoors.  I guess I could spend time with my family…….yeah well We know I do that enough and Snow time is Game time!  Yesterday we had gone to the mall to take care of some appointments and I just happened to walk into the Gamestop, you know, by accident.  There I see it,  the Star Trek Online box, just calling to me.  The following is the conversation that took place:

Me: Ooooo  STO!  And Look at all the stuff  you get!

Sarah: So if you want it, get it!

Me: But…  But…  Wait a sec, why aren’t you fighting me on this?

Sarah: Am I supposed to tell you not to get it?  If you buy it, then I will get to play it too!

Me: I Love You!

So safe and warm did STO come with me home and get installed.  I managed to Create Captain Boothby of the U.S.S Wizzer last night and began my exploration of the galaxy (the other galaxy, not the one I just finished saving from the Reaper/Collector attacks, you know, so we can keep this straight.)  I am not sure I am ready for a good enough review at this point,  so here are a few key points that I have found so far.

  1. Upon loading into the game I noticed that the first Intro mission was Glitchy as all hell.  At first I thought my system wasn’t good enough to handle it, but when I got to the rest of the game it ran just fine.  The only thing I could think of is that That certain battle had WAY too much going on it it and it over taxed the system.  But I guess that’s a good way to weed out people eh?
  2. Flying your ship looks Amazing.  The graphics are outstanding.  I would put this about half way between EVE Online and the Space side of Star Wars Galaxies.  Your control over the ship is a bit more hands on and granular than Eve, but not as twitchy at SWG.
  3. The ground game is not bad.  It probably could use a little more polish, but it’s new so I will give it a chance.  Nothing has stood out as “bad”, but nothing amazed me either (unlike the space side)
  4. I have had the chance to do a variety of missions and it plays out like “Episodes” of the show.  You can do Diplomatic missions, combat stuff, and exploring and sciency type things.  So there is something for everyone!

I think that will do for now.  Feel free to message me in game if you would like and remember to stay warm!

To Boldly Have Gone. or Mission Accomplished

Posted by on February 3, 2010 No comments

Here I am, only minutes after finishing Mass Effect 2, and I am still processing all that happened.  I may end up actually replaying from my last major save point because I am not completely happy with some of my choices.  For now I am going to let them bake in my head and deal with the consequences.  (And mourn the loss of Jack, Grunt, Thane, and the Colonists.  In the words of Joker:  “Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit, What the Shit!?”

This also means that I am now un-distracted until next Tuesday!  A fact that I am sure Sarah and Andrew will be happy about.  (Or not.)  In the mean time I have to say that I have become increasingly tempted by Star Trek Online based on what I have seen about it online and the few friends who have tried it.  I am probably only slightly less of a Star Trek fan than I am a Star Wars fan.  (Which is to say, pretty damn rabid.)  Although I do not own any Star Trek costumes, and I am not sure I will any time soon, I have always enjoyed the shows and the inspiration they provide.  I loved many of the other trek games, even though they were widely un-popular.  I even have a copy of the Star Ship creator lying around here somewhere.  I am curious to the designs of the ships and to see the variants.  Ok damn, this is really not helping.

Maybe if I go read the Next Gen Tech Manual I can get my mind off it.

And yes, I have it.

And the Original series one.

The DS9 one too.

Oh God I need help.