NOLAG Lans

I am never one to quickly adopt the newest generation of game console. Usually, I am content with my tricked out (twinked for you MMO players out there) behemoth of a PC that as a PC gamer I feel obligated to embellish at every opportunity. When I do get into console gaming, I usually adopt a console well into its lifespan or even into the next generation of consoles. Such is the case with my latest console adoption, an original Xbox that I found kicking around at PnP, a local game store. Now technically it’s more of a re-adoption, as I did at one point own an Xbox during the previous console generation, but I had quickly traded it to a friend for a GameCube and a slew of games including the sublime Super Smash Bros: Melee. At the time the trade had been a good deal, as I had been disappointed with Star Wars Battlefront (my dad on the other hand, plays it  religiously and was a deciding factor in my purchasing of the console)  and wasn’t really into the whole Halo or Xbox Live thing. But now, looking back at the library of games available and having considerably more money (relatively speaking) then I did back then, I have taken to seeing the Xbox in a new light. I still don’t like a lot of the games offered, as many are offered in better quality on the PC, assuming you have the power to run them and which my PC so adequately does (sorry, I will stop now), but going over the whole library, there were a few games that I now found myself obligated to try. Notably, Ninja Gaiden Black and Mortal Kombat Armageddon, both of which were popular in their time and I have been kicking myself for having missed out on.

So a short trip to the U.S and a bit of bargain bin diving later, I am now the proud owner of pretty much every game I ever want for the Xbox for less than $40; further cementing my belief in purchasing consoles a generation later. Now before the NOLAG email address gets flooded by hate email from Xbox fan boys (because no one really likes to be known as a Microsoft fan boy), I should point out that I’m not saying that there aren’t any good Xbox games, I am saying that none of them interest me. Enough with apologies, let’s get on to the games.

The amount of fun I have gotten out of these two games in the recent weeks has been bordering on ridiculous, given the price and the age of the games. True, Triple-A titles such as Battlefield, Call of Duty and Starcraft 2 admittedly provide many hours of enjoyment. On a dollar to hour played cost comparison however, it’s hard to beat out older games (I apologize to all those who play the aforementioned titles religiously as I meant no offense to you or your decision to dedicate your life to a single game in your single-room apartment/parent’s basement). Furthermore, I have noticed a recent trend in Triple-A titles to be built primarily around online play with short-lived single player components that more resemble extended tutorials. While online play is certainly enjoyable and by no means a passing fad, it’s none the less disappointing to see games short changing their fans should the online support be pulled, an inevitability for most games.

I want to conclude with a general urging directed at everyone out there looking for long lasting games and especially those on a budget to second look at the old games, whether it be through steam, a local game store, EBay  or friends (for those of you that got them). There is no excuse given the resurgence (dare I say renaissance) of retro gaming we are currently experiencing on the online markets of the current generation consoles, let alone the aforementioned examples to continue to deny yourself the joy of older games.

My name is Trevor Lehmann and I am the moderator/writer of this site. If you like my reviews and would like me to write reviews, guides, walkthroughs, etc. for your site please contact me at Lordoranos@gmail.com. I am sure we can work something out

While promoting NOLAG at our student recruitment week booth this week, I’ve been receiving a lot of questions and comments about Starcraft 2. Specifically, I have noticed a lot of gamers whose last game was Starcraft claiming that they plan to get back into gaming with Starcraft 2. Of these, virtually all I have met claim that they were L33T (expert, elite, or high level players for those of you not familiar with gamer lingo) players back in the day and are looking forward to “dominating” the internet community.

I shake my head every time I hear this as I feel that if this is the reason why many of the gamers are getting back into the game, they are setting themselves up for a big letdown. For you see, while many of these gamers may have possessed some skill and maybe even placed high in the Internet rankings back in the day, the vast majority of them had quit playing the game before some major developments occurred in the Starcraft gaming community.

Most significant would be the explosion of popularity in South Korea and the development of Starcraft as a borderline sport in the country. So popular has it become that many of the top gamers of Starcraft live a lifestyle similar to that of an athlete. Practicing for 8 eight hours a day, following a carefully regulated diet and exercise regime, and enjoying the boons of corporate sponsors, these “professional” gamers have taken Starcraft to a whole other level than “old” professional players. Below the professional level, Starcraft is still played to a degree which, during the time of these old-school Starcraft players, was in a relative minority.

Excluding the gap in weekly hours played between current Starcraft players (particularly those in South Korea) in comparison with older players, the difference in the timeline in which the two groups have been playing will account for the scale of gaming skill to tip out of the old-school Starcraft player’s favor. Much like riding a bike, while you may not forget how to play Starcraft despite not having done so in five or more years, your ability to do so will certainly be no match for someone who continues to play every week.

On top of all this, it’s common knowledge that Blizzard is putting Starcraft 2 through a lengthy beta-testing stage; as they should, considering the success and reputation the original has garnered as a Tournament game. In the course of beta-testing Starcraft 2, Blizzard has recruited several top-level Starcraft players (largely from South Korea again) to give the game a thorough testing. This result however, is that with the release of Starcraft 2, despite likely having undergone some post-beta changes, will be a game which at least some of the current professional and high-level players of the original will be familiar with. While some may argue that Starcraft 2 will largely mirror the original in game concepts (a point which will be argued until the release of Starcraft 2…and likely long after), thus reducing the benefits the beta-testers received, I would like to point out that experience is experience and beta-testing the game will surely give them an edge over those who haven’t

Taken together, these factors will spell disaster for old-school “professional” or self-described L33T players intending to repeat the successes they enjoyed with the original game. While these gamers may have logged many hours  back in the day and may even intend to book some time off work to maximize their gaming when the game comes out, they just can’t expect to compete with gamers who:

1) Play or have played the game to a degree rivaling that of a job
2) Continue to regularly play the game
3) May already possess a degree of familiarity with the sequel

By no means however, do I wish to discourage these old-school Starcraft gamers from purchasing the sequel. It will very likely be an excellent game and keep with the quality which Blizzard has become known for. The campaign will likely be well thought out and reveal more of the Starcraft mythos, the multiplayer will, given the large amount of beta-testing, be as balanced as a multiplayer game can be on day 1(though I highly doubt it will be long before patches start rolling out), and that many of the elements that gamers loved about the first Starcraft will be present in the sequel. What I do want is for these gamers to temper their enthusiasm for online play. While I am sure that they will have lots of fun playing online and with their friends and in matchmaking, I feel that they will be deeply disappointed if they intend to regain their position in the top 100 players without being prepared to lay down some serious time commitments. By all means buy the game and enjoy it for what it is, but just don’t feel disappointed when a 14 year-old who puts in 8+ hours a day wipes the floor with you. Not everyone can be L33T forever.

I finally got around to recording the Far Cry 2 prediction. I want to remind everyone that the predictions aren’t based on personal gameplay experiences, but on the perspective I got from trailers, interviews and press releases.

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