Guild Wars: Nightfall Preview Event July 28, 2006
Posted by xfei in Guild Wars.6 comments
July 28 – July 30 is the Worldwide preview of Guild Wars : Nightfall. I logged in to mess around for a bit (a few hours to get a feel for things) and I guess I’ll note some stuff here.
This is a PvP Event (so PvE players will have to temporarily roll a PvP to try new classes out). 90% of all players are either Paragon or Dirvish, this was especially true in Random Arenas.
Only Male Paragon and Female Dirvish with limited skills (Only about 60 for each class) available at the preview. Not that being male or female has anything to do with their skills. The character creation options for them was really really limited too.
Paragon
Spear Mastery – Ranged Attacks
Command – Prot skills
Motivation – Buffs
Leadership – Energy Management
Shout based class at the moment that has Adren Skills. Armor Class of 80, so about the same as warriors without Absorption runes. Paragon premades were pretty much ranged tanks when I was playing against them today. Was rather weird how little damage they take. Another 80 armor class makes me a little worried how the future builds may look like. I want to say that shouts are really fun to use as warrior, having a class that has so many of them is pretty cool.
Dirvish
Scythe Mastery – Melee Attacks
Wind Prayers – Cold based spells
Earth Prayers – Earth Spells
Mysticism – Gain life and energy when enchantments end
Only Mysticism Elites Availble at the moment. Enchant Based Class. Armor Class is 70, so about the same amount of armor as Rangers without Elemental Resistance. The premades for Dirvishes had huge self healing potential, it was scary how easy it was to spam enchants, damage, and self heals at the same time. Dirvishes feel pretty strong if you’re not lazy with your skill set (same goes with any class, but you have to monitor your enchants more, since the only other build that was really enchant heavy were the Bonder Monks). The premades had a good deal of rather spammible AoE on them, so PvE I can see them pretty popular. Off note, these remind me of Dark Knights from FF11…
Noteable Changes:
5 Zaishen Medallions per win in random arenas. You use them to buy event based stuff.
New Bindings for some game functions. Most importantly a bind for “Follow,” this allows players to be more lazy than ever!
Minions don’t decay during cut-scenes. This is big… often in PvE, minion masters lost full armys to players who wanted to watch full cut-scenes.
Profession Changers at Great Temple of Balthazar now. All PvP players rejoice! Now changing subs is open to PvP players, instead of a perk PvE only characters got. Saves a lot of time traveling to PvE maps too.
PREMADES are _GOOD_Now… They are all standard PvP based GvG staple builds (quality checked by Esoteric Warriors which is a top guild). Now using premades are less of a joke, and more of a reality. I guess I won’t be able to play the “Abominable Snowman” anymore…
Interface and spells look more vibrant.
More Arena’s to play in.
Temporary Balance Changes. There were some that weren’t announced in the updates page. Like Elemental Attunement is now Energy Storage main. So Mes/Ele Fast Cast builds are completely nerfed (33% less efficient means nerfed to hell to me). Looks like smite was hurt too. Arcane Mimicry slightly nerfed to prevent Dirvish abuse from Avatar Elites.
Other Notes:
Tombs scene isn’t effected much. At the time of my writing, (9:40AM ish EST) tombs was rather empty.
Team Arenas had some Paragons and Dirvishes.
Random Arena pretty much only had Paragons and Dirvishes. Most Fire Eles and Monks should have no problem getting win streaks here provided that the team knows how to play.
Alliance battles had a decent mix when I was playing, it was pretty refreshing.
Assuming that the actual game brings another 300 skills to the table, hopefully, if no skill remains too dominant, the PvP field will become very diverse. Granted, in the end, the only two build types are Pressure and Spike. Pressure based meta is just more fun as opposed to spike…
So, that’s what I got out of Nightfall the early morning I got to play. Lots of good things. Guild Wars is becoming bigger and bigger every iteration. Now 10 core classes to play, with just as many to sub class, there are just a lot of options. The time I spent playing, I was just relearning the same game. Reminds me of Magic the Gathering. Each new set just brings colorful new options to an existing game. But that’s not a bad thing, is it?
~Fei
IGN: Fei Xi
Starlight Extinction [sE]
Rank 10
Pangya Season 3 July 28, 2006
Posted by xfei in Video Games.35 comments
Kaz, the new Pangya Poster Boy. He’s a golfer with a sword and a Ghost?…
Way out in the other half of the globe (for me), open beta for Season 3 of Pangya has just ended. What’s announced? It will be released this August (Where as Albatross 18 will hit season 2 early being only out for about seven to eight months at the time of this writing). (Season 2 for A18 is kind of exciting too I guess, it’s weird when you’re already looking forward to season 3 before season 2.) I’ve looked around and for the most part, there are well written articles about it on the Albatross18 forums, as well as various blogs which I’ll try to point everyone to.
So in short: Pangya Season 2 Soon for US, Pangya Season 3 Soon Korea
This is a Golf Game?
First stop on the preview would be obviously this site here.
It contains the full preview trailer for the game. The trailer is the icon with Kaz at the bottom left of the main screen.
Tomato posts this in the A18 forums:
here is my complete review including 2 movies:
http://www.pangya.eu/blogs/236/kr-season-3-closed-beta-quick -review-2-exlusive-movies/
direct link to the 2 movies:
ingame action:
http://www.pangya.eu/s3/pangya_season_3_ingame.wmv
user interface:
http://www.pangya.eu/s3/pangya_season_3_gui.wmv
In short: New Character, New Course, New Shots, New Interface, New Items, New Modes, New World Map, New Outfits, New Mascot System, and New Stats.
Yes Golf…
So there you have it, a condensed version of a preview of Pangya Season 3.
~Fei
xFei
Senior C
Honey and Clover II – Episode 1 July 27, 2006
Posted by xfei in Anime.add a comment
Looking forward to watching more, I started the first episode of Honey and Clover II (At the time of this writing only four episodes have been aired).
Rather disappointed in episode 1 of the second season in Honey and Clover. The only new content aside from a new random wacky opening and the narrative of the recap, is about 20 seconds of original artwork. For a series that is planned only to span for 13 episodes, it starts episode 1 as a recap of the first season (which is rather weak if you ask me). My view is slightly twisted, in that I didn’t have to wait any period of time to start watching the second season after completing the first. So I guess I’m a little biased. Regardless: Anime and recap on episode one is bad!
Anything else to note from this? *Thinks…*
Nope.
~Fei
Bleach July 27, 2006
Posted by xfei in Anime.5 comments
Bleach,… When I first heard the title of the series, I had no clue what to expect. I mean “Bleach.” Yes. Bleach.
I had nothing to do, so I just randomly started watching it on recomendation of a friend. The series itself is around 90 episodes long at the time of this writing, so not going to go that deep into it. Odds are if you see this page, you know what Bleach is anyways and probably would randomly read just to see what I would have to say about it.
Bleach starts off the series explaining the premise of what to expect. Pretty much, in short, it’s the Japanese version of “The Real Ghost Busters.” Starting with season two and three, it changes into “What if the Real Ghost Busters turned Super Saiyan?” Season four can be summed up like “Super Saiyan Ghostbusters versus Vampires!”
So why would anyone want to watch another Shonen gets buff and defends something or other, gets more buff and fights this and that, and gets more hidden powers and? … (lets the run on end as a run on.)
Bleach is done rather well; the story for the most part is very fast paced once it gets going. The action is contemorary coolness. Hip Hop music style. Young people off to do good… It has all the right stuff, and executes it well. It’s a good series.
The series starts off pretty slow. (Well, ”slow” meaning that the show runs about more like a mystery type series, rather than fast pace “Action, Action, Action!~” deal.) Around episode 20 ish plot twists occur and the series picks up pace. Fast foward a bunch and the series is now on its fourth season. Bleach currently is one of the top anime series airing in Japan, along side Naruto and One Piece as “to watch” series from many, many, many viewers.
Bleach is licenced, but Dattebayo subs them regularly still. Randomly for those of you who’re searching for a place to watch recent Naruto and Bleach, Dattebay is a very solid speed sub group.
~Fei
Guild Wars Random Arena Build : Me / Mo July 24, 2006
Posted by xfei in Guild Wars, Video Games.16 comments
Just the other day, someone pulled up this blog searching for a GW RA build, but I didn’t have one up. So for whoever who randomly came about here for that, this is for you. Whoever you are.
So you want the Gladiator title and looking for a build to pull you through? But what if you don’t want to monk your own wins? Warrior too boring or frusterating to play? Good options would be playing a solid interupt ranger or tool box Mesmer.
Looking at the meta for RA, you see very generic arche type builds. Whenever you see this, you know Mesmer class has a solution for it. The idea is that you look at every threat on RA field, and have a generic solution for it. I’ll start with the build.
9 Fast Casting
13 Illusion
13 Inspiration
6 Healing Prayers
The above is if you want want to run 2 major runes. An alternative is to sub anything and replace res chant for a res sig, which would free you alittle more fast casting should you choose. The key is illusion at 13 is all you need for -1 energy distortions. And 13 is cutoff for Etherlords -3 degen.
*Crippling Anguish – In RA, this is God. It deals with Assassins, Touch Rangers, Warriors, Thumpers, if it melee’s, this skill solves it. Oh, and it’s degen too, so that’s good.
*Conjure Phantasm – Crippling Anguish and Conjure stack is where _All_ of your damage comes from. -8 Degen hurts.
*Ether Lord – This is energy management as well as your solution vs boon prots. Understand that WHEN YOU CAST THIS, your energy total is reduced to 0. This is how you deal with boon prots as illusion mes. Don’t forget that this is one only energy degen spell that DOES NOT END if your targets energy falls below 0, thus denying weapon swap tatics. This spell _is_ spammible within reason. Do so.
*Ether Feast – This is your other lock down condition vs boon prots. Start with Feast, then Ether Lord, then Feast again. Keep pressure with Conjure Phantasm on them. A side note, this is also your only self heal. Spam it whenever you need any hp at all. Don’t burden the monk (if you have one) for a small heal, when you can deal with it.
*Drain Enchant – Energy management. Deals with Ele’s on attunes or shoot for Divine Boon from boon prots.
*Spirit of Failure – Your most godly energy management skill. Spam. A lot.
*Distortion – Your tanking skill. Cast it everytime you notice an interupt ranger on you, or melee. IT STACKS WITH SPIRIT OF FAILURE! Meaning if you have a warrior on you (for example) he will have a 25% chance to miss, then a 75% chance to miss. Note that if he misses either one of those filters, you gain energy from Spirit of Failure.
*Resurrection Chant – This one skill will get you called a “Resmer.” Since you can fast cast res your whole team with energy returns. It’s good.
Alright, quick guide on how to play this. It should be self explanitory but just incase.
The central idea to this build is that everyone comes equipt to deal damage so the most likely way to be sucessful in RA is to make a build that supplements everyone elses.
Start the fight by tabbing through thier team and seeing if there are monks and the number of melees and casters.
Fights should start with Spirit of Failure on one melee, Crippling Anguish and Conjure the one next to it. CA is energy intensive, it shouldn’t be wasted. Conjure should be spammed in any situation possible.
Monks only need to be shutdown if you can’t kill the other team, in most cases, the pressure from you and your team can drop most teams. Focusing on a monk, means a lot of times you can’t more readily shutdown stuff that would kill your team, which is your job also. Teams with multiple monks, just look for a boon prot and shut one down, if your other teammates can’t deal with the reamaining monk, or kill the one you’re on, it’s not your fault. Nothing you can do about it. Just don’t give up!
You can tank with Distortion and Spirit of Failure freely. Interupt rangers, warriors, whatever. They sit on their hands as they feed you energy. Just don’t forget to Ether Feast for life on the times they do swing through.
Etherlord and Feast is _solid_ energy denial. You can toss it on anything. Thumpers, Eles, Monks all take pretty hard hits from them.
Res’s are your priority on anyone who falls on your team, getting people up 1-2 seconds after they go down is the difference between winning and losing in a LOT of matches. You can not afford to be slow on this.
Maps with Flags, you run them. Cap second.
You may struggle vs select mesmer builds, but the sheer number of builds you shut down makes it irrelevant, as long as you do your job properly, it’s your teams job to shut down / bash and kill / anything you can’t handle.
In my opinion, next to Monks, well played tool box mesmers are the most sucessful/powerful class you can play in Random Arena’s.
Note that this is Tool Box RA build. Tombs and GvG style uses different skills. But thats another story for another day.
Basic play skills apply, ie. Kiting, Weapon Swaps, Equipment Swaps, etc.
In summary, don’t get lazy with skills. Try to keep all of them on cool down. Identify threats and shut them down, ie. “Find good targets.”
Good Luck on the Gladiator title!
~Fei
Fei Xi
Starlight Extinction [sE]
Rank 10
Honey and Clover July 21, 2006
Posted by xfei in Anime.add a comment
My most recent addiction has been to Honey and Clover. This series was popular enough during it’s run to warrent a second season, so I had pretty high expectations of it. When I first started watching the series, I was pretty turned away by the wacky opening theme,… I’ve never seen an opening quite like it. I quickly got to like the series, and managed to breeze through the entire 24 episodes (and the two OAV’s) within the week.
The series is more or less a comedy, romance, school based, self discovery kind of series. So you know what to expect based on just that. It follows five college students through their life at thier Art school. The story is told in a pretty fun and exagerated way, as is the trend with most Gainax producted shows. I was really pleased with how character expressions were done, their emotions were abundantly clear on sight. The happy scenes, are funny, and “feel good movie of the year” kind of warm and fuzzy. The sad scenes are heart wrenching, “awwww,” tears and sniffles kind of deal.
Each character has a few very distinct traits, each emphasizing their own personality. In a way, I related with all of them, as it felt like if you looked at the four as a whole, you see alittle of yourself in each.
The music, animation, etc all are above average. Corners weren’t cut in the animation. A good variety of music for each of the sketches. It was just fun to watch. So nothing to complain about on the quality of music or animation.
So, this was a good series, I liked it and am already hounding the sequel. ”Honey and Clover II” the sequel just began airing. At the time of this writing they’re on episode three. (Cheers!) The only sad thing now, is that I got to watch the entire first season without interuption, now I’ll have to do the “wait weekly” for each episode, a total of 13 for the second season. (Very very sad.)
~Fei
Rec July 9, 2006
Posted by xfei in Anime.4 comments
Ever wanted to watch an Anime about a girl who wants to be a famous voice actress and a guy who works for a company that makes chips? If so, you’ve probably seen this series already.
For everyone else, Rec is a really charming series. It’s a rather short series (at a mere nine episodes, at only 12 minutes each) with characters that have a good deal of personality. There’s some humor, some romance, some sort of defined plot… It’s good stuff. The animation is smooth. The music overall fits the mood of the scenes.
The plot? As stated on the first line, is just that. The series keeps to the point the whole way through, there is only character developement and story, no room for fillers when the series is this short.
This series was definately too short, I wish it were like 26 episodes at 20+ minutes each (or even 13 episodes), there is a good amount of sketches they could have added during and after the series that could probably draw out the series more. Though keeping the story short is how the author intended to present his story, I guess he made a good choice since it was solid.
If you have like an hour and a half free, watch this series. It’s good.
~Fei
Playstation Portable July 8, 2006
Posted by xfei in Uncategorized.add a comment
I wrote a little while ago that I was likely getting a PsP and so, I got one. I chose to get the 200$ core pack, a USB cord, and a 2 gig stick. I tagged a few accessories and I was good to go. A few things to note is that my PsP is came as firmware 2.60 with a TA-082 motherboard (which means my system isn’t very mod chip friendly, can’t be downgraded, and only has one option for exploiting the firmware).
With what I have right now, the biggest gripe about the PsP I have is how easy it is to make smudges on the entire surface of the PsP (I compulsively try to keep it clean and shiney), I mean you can make smudges on the D-pad and the buttons for gods sake. My hands are pretty clean, but it doesn’t matter, you touch it in any fashion and you’ll get fingerprints, wipe them and they’ll make smudges.
Other than that, the system is pretty awesome, sound is crisp, screen is sharp, and all the buttons work (I’ve read countless people talk about how they’ve had dead pixels on their screen or buttons that don’t work etc, so mine seems perfect). I can put pictures, movies, music on it (2 gigs of space lets me put quite a bit).
~Fei
Cosplay and Otakon July 3, 2006
Posted by xfei in Uncategorized.add a comment
This is more random than usual, but Otakon is coming up (http://www.otakon.com/ August 4 – August 6 at the Baltimore Convention Center, Maryland) , and this topic kind of just came to mind since of the 22,000 people going, I’m sure there’ll be plenty of people dressed up for it.
Quick bit on Otakon, although, if you know about it, than nothing I say here will be new to you anyways. It’s probably the biggest Anime gathering on all of the East Coast. There is a lot to see there, lots of dealers selling pretty much anything remotely East Asian’ish, and lots, and lots, and lots, of people. It’s going to be like 60$’s for the three day event. At the time of this writting, looks like finding a place to sleep for it is going to be a pain (tag another 150$ish to the price of going there, on top of gas, three days of food, and whatever else you buy outside of that).
I may or may not go this year (it’s only four hour’ish away from me, but that’s still FOUR hours away…), regaurdless, there’s my support for it. Anyone going this year?
So, back to cosplay. I’ve never actually dressed up for anything outside of Halloween, but that’s always been fun. I’m pretty sure I’d be way too embarassed to be able to put myself in an outfit and wander about with thousands of people staring. But that’s not to say that people don’t do it well.
Above, cosplayers dressed as Yuna FFX-2, Tira Soul Calibur 3, and Rinoa FF8 (I’m still learning WordPress and don’t know how to get the full sized pictures up… working on it). I think those were done really well and actually look like the characters they represent. I wonder if people actually get into the character mindset like actors do, when they cosplay. Or do they just dress up to mess around?
You hear a lot of people poke fun of Cosplayers (well,… only as much as random people would poke fun at someone who really loves Anime and Video games I guess), I wonder what do they have against it? Making fun of other people going to have a good time is kinda,… eh… Atleast people tend to keep it to themselves though.
Anyways, maybe going to Otakon, maybe going to Cosplay,… maybe not.
~Fei
Playstation 2 Controller July 1, 2006
Posted by xfei in Uncategorized.2 comments
I remember when the controller was first introduced to have “pressure sensitive” buttons. Back then, when I first heard of it, I thought it was the most amazing thing. I thought about how fun it’d be for games to make use of a variety of “moves” with just applying different pressure to the same button. My mind raced with all sorts of random thoughts and what if’s… like “What if codes in new games required percision from pressure sensitive buttons on top of quickly tapping multiple keys (think MvC2 dial-a-combos).”
Years later, the reality of it is rather depressing to me. I look at the titles available that make use of these buttons and I’m not pulling many out… Some racing games incorporate it into their acceleration and break buttons. The Bouncer made use of dual layered moves (albeit only hard presses and light presses for different moves), the coolest thing was in the configuration you could actually see how hard the game thinks you’re pressing buttons. Overall, this feature that’s apart of every official Ps2 controller just doesn’t see much use and that’s just a shame.
I really like the Ps2 controller, it’s light, percise, comfortable, has so many buttons, it rumbles, there is so many good features to it. I just kind of wish developers put more thought and work into something as basic as taking advantage of the hardware and peripherals of the console they make the game for, instead of just looking at their own games.
~Fei
