Jaded Grinder

Hey, I love Fallout 3 so don't get me wrong when I start bitching about how the companion system in it leaves a little to be desired. There are about seven different characters you can pick up to join your party, some of which require certain karma levels or choosing/succeeding in the right dialog options. The problem is that it doesn't seem like the companions level-up along with you nor is there a way to revive them if they die.

And NPCs will die. A lot. Partly also because their AI scripts are pretty stupid, which I guess in its own way is an unintended homage to Fallout 2 (where NPCs would gleefully rip you to shreds with an assault rifle or minigun because you stood between them and their actual target).

Fallout 3 desperately needs a squad interface of some kind (so you can tell Dogmeat to stop running after enemies he can't possibly kill, or to high-tail it when he's just a big bulls-eye). It wouldn't have to be particularly fancy, but hell when Star Wars Republic Commando has a better squad system than your "hardcore FPS-RPG" then that's a little sad. RC also had an awesome feature where if your squad-mates survived, they would revive you after they were safe. Why can't more games do this? RPGs always seem to be "GAME OVER" when the lead character dies, but you can resurrect your friends.

Why not have companions in Fallout 3 go "unconscious" instead of dying, and allow you to use stimpacks or the like to bring them back (albiet maybe at low health)? It just seems short sighted.

So I have moved into my new home that I purchased with my wife with the help of her father, little sisters, and friend.  While I really loathe moving, especially with all the crap we have accumulated over the years, I love the fact that I do not plan on moving again with the next couple of years (*crossing fingers*).  The new digs have that "new house smell" that's vaguely of sawdust or something, as does the tap water.

Labels: housemoving

Microsoft has given us a first glimpse as Windows 7. The taskbar has changed significantly, and there are a number of other changes we have screenshots of.

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Saw this neat T-Shirt on Threadless, but I kinda wish they had kept the original green color:

:)

For the new upcoming 2.1 patch:

Two new graveyards have been added to Blade's Edge Mountains.

New Flypaths
New flight points:
Felwood, Emerald Sanctuary (Both)
Ashenvale, Forest Song (Alliance)

New flight paths:
Stormwind <-> Thorium Point
Grom'gol Base Camp <-> Flame Crest
Ratchet <-> Gadgetzan, Astranaar, Brackenwall Village
Brackenwall Village <-> Ratchet, Camp Taurajo, Freewind Post
Thunderbluff <-> Zoram'gar Outpost
Evergrove <-> Toshley's Station
Honor Hold <-> Shattrath

The last FP there is great news for those who get ported (via Mage portal or Warlock summon) to Shat'trath and make the run once to Honor Hold, or just players in general who don't want to ride out from Shat'trath to Honor Hold (which can be often since level 58-68 players may have training reasons to go back out there and don't have a flying mount yet).

The flight path from Ratchet to Gadgetzan will also benefit everyone who is sick of going from Ironforge or Undercity to Tanaris for ZF runs.

They also mention that existing flightpaths have had their flight times shortened. Great news!

Let's take a look at the press release that Atari has announced today:

In Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer, players are transported
back to the Forgotten Realms shortly after the events detailed in the
original Neverwinter Nights 2. Following the climactic battle against the
King of Shadows, the player awakens alone and stranded deep beneath the
earth. Surrounded by a horde of evil spirits, the player embarks on an epic
adventure that reveals his true destiny.

So we start with all of our awesome gear taken away from us, yet again? Grrr. Underground also seems to imply the Underdark, but we'll see I guess. I know that some people were hoping that Obsidian would implement beholders and mindflayers so that modders could use them in their own creations. In particular Schegels' planned Underdark campaign series would need these things.

Set in harsh, spirit-rich Rashemen, near the powerful nation of Thay, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer will present players with an exciting new campaign; epic levels; dozens of new feats and spells; new races, base classes and prestige classes; new companions; new weapons, armor and crafting options; hordes of new monsters; and enhanced modding tools.

I have to admit I'm a little curious how they will handle the witches and warrior-guardians of the Rashemen. We can only hope for a cameo from the fan-favorite NPC, Minsc, from Baldur's Gate 2. I have to assume that the new base and prestige classes may relate to the new areas, such as Red Wizard of Thay is a powerful arcane caster prestige class for evil alignment characters.

"We're also making new advances in story and character development as well as improving upon the acclaimed companion Influence System used in both Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords and Neverwinter Nights 2."

I'm not sure what improvements they are going to make, but if they make it easier to figure out how to gauge how much your companions like you it would be pretty nice. At least you could figure out some sense of progress in KOTOR2 with making them move from light to dark side or visa versa and apprenticing them. I really hope that the companions in NWN2 "Mask of the Betrayer" have a lot more character development options in their dialogues and side-quests. NWN2's characters more or less didn't change (some items were the most they got, aside from upgrading the Blade Golem and changing Khelgar's class to monk) which was a bit of a disappointment.

Labels: Neverwinter Nights 2