Post-Christmas Conglomoblog

It’s been a few days since I’ve made a post here and I didn’t even realize it.  I guess the Christmas rush ending, leading into a time of relaxation and vacation, will do that though.  I’ve been spending these past few days enjoying Xmas stuff and playing some mmos.  I’m having trouble keeping track of everything, so here’s a conglomoblog of all the games I’ve been playing.

Little Big Planet
I like this type of game.  It’s a get-in-get-out play style with tons of user generated content and loads of customization.  I don’t even know how to describe it really… I guess it’s a platformer when you play the storymode and capable of turning into an action type game when you play certain user made stuff.  I’ve completed several of the first few story levels and I really, really like the graphics and interaction that my character has with the world.  One example is when I was talking to this big humptydumpty looking guy who wanted me to do something. Graev looks over at the TV and says “try to knock him over!”  … “okay” I said, and then I knocked him over with a running start.  Cool!  I know, I’m easily amused.  After the story mode, I went online and checked out a few of the user made levels.  Everything you can imagine is out there.  Some people are truly talented, really.  I played a Mario level that had my jaw dropping and a Dead Space level that was so detailed it felt like another game altogether.   Maybe Graev and I will make some sort of fantasy level.

Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise
These Viva Pinata games are awesome.  They’re designed for a younger crowd but so are Pokemon, Animal Crossing, and Harvest moon yet I love them too.  I played the first Viva Pinata a couple years ago and liked it a lot so I decided to get this newer one because I read how it extended a lot of the game’s features.  It stays pretty true to form and adds just enough to justify the purchase.  Basically, you’re creating a little place/garden for your Pinata’s to live and your goal is to advance as a gardener (the word doesn’t do the job justice) and collect, breed, nurture, and interact with all sorts of Pinatas.  The game is pretty deep and it’s one of those games that I already know I will never completely finish.  It’s extremely sandbox, which I like, and allows for a ton of personality and customization.  I’m starting to see a trend.

Warhammer Online
I’ve been playing my Squig Herder on and off the past week and gained him a few levels.  Right now I’m enjoying how WAR seems to be slow pace for me.  I don’t log in thinking I have to level to do this dungeon or get this gear to do that.  I log in and queue up for some scenarios or jump into the RvR areas to do some open world (which is ALWAYS going on) and feel satisfied.  My goal is still to hit T4 by the end of my winter break.  WAR just keeps getting better and better.

WoW TCG / Miniatures Game
Graev and I got lots of the cards and miniatures for xmas.  We’ve always been fans of TCG’s like Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon, and Magic.  WoW TCG is a lot of fun and we’ve spent more hours than I can count building and pitting decks against each other.  The game is pretty easy to pickup and play and, again, really open to customization.  The decks you build aren’t necessarily like the old Magic “white, blue, green, etc.” decks.  It’s more like “alliance or horde” and then choosing what class you want your deck to revolve around.  This depends entirely upon which cards you get though and can potentially mean spending lots of money to get the cards you need to make a deck.  We’ve been pretty lucky so far with the cards and have enough to make a deck for almost every class.  We’ve even gotten lucky and found some loot cards which allow you to get fluff items in-game (a hyppogryph pet and illidan feet flames, etc) which, *shock* (well not really), and worth a good bit of money.  The hyppogryph pet is going for $70-$124 on ebay *boggle*.     Oh, and the Miniatures game is cool too.  It’s like you’re controlling a party that’s in a BG.  You have a gameboard and is broken up into spaces and as you strategically move your characters around the victory point areas you generate points.  Fighting other miniatures is a well thought out and intricate process but it works well once you figure it all out.  Using ability cards as if you were pressing hotkeys and sending players back to the grave yard…. I still can’t believe Blizzard has found a way to get people playing WoW outside of WoW.

WoW itself
First, it must be said, Graev has hit level 80!  Let the trumpets sound and heralds sing the glorious news!  Graev has obtained the max level in a mmorpg!   :P  He doesn’t do this often folks, so it’s worth all the to do.   My Death Knight has geared up in all the regular instances and has almost finished getting the pieces he needs from heroics.  The biggest thing I need now is honor and arena rating – or lots of emblems of heroism – or 10/25 man raids to gear up.  I don’t really care about having the “best” stuff, but having enough to let me see the content.  That’s all I care about at this point and will see where I go from there once I’m able to see all of Naxx.  I’m enjoying the side of WoW that has me striving for PvE goals, yet at the same time I’m really trying to be careful that I do not mistake the “striving for PvE goals” for “chasing the carrot on the treadmill”.   So far, it’s fun.

Okay, that’s all for now.  I’ll be writing several things over the next few days to look back at 2008 and all that usual stuff.   Hopefully I can convince Graev to write up his thoughts on several of the games he’s working on like Mirror’s Edge, Banjo Kazooie, and Prince of Persia.