Decisions, Decisions ...

I finally finished playing Fallout: New Vegas.  I actually completed the game's story about a month ago.  But I have now played all of the multiple endings following the different factions.  Now that its all said and done, I will have to pick which save file to continue on with the dlc.  How am I suppose to chose?  Warning: There are things discussed below that are spoilers.  If you don't want to know, stop reading now.

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.... Okay.

This type of decision comes back to a discussion that Linz and I have had several times.  The conversation always revolves around playing as a good guy or a bad guy.  Fighting alongside Caesar's Legion will certainly put you in the negative karma column.  

But the other factions aren't quite so straight forward.  If I fight with Yes Man, New Vegas will essentially remain free and I will have some control.  I think this is great because, hey, I'm an honest courier of the wasteland.  I could do great things.  But my power is limited and that which remains goes to the type of people who would be interested in running a town like Vegas.

I can play alongside the NCR.  Why not?  Being a company man has it's advantages.  They aren't ruthless thugs or commit horrifying crimes.  But who wants to be involved in the slow government take over of everything and everyone?  Definitely not me.  

I could split the line on moral decency and allowed Mr. House to remain in control.  His watchful and aggressive nature keeping things in pleasant order.  Sure, New Vegas would do great, but what about everywhere else?  Am I mentally strong enough to sacrifice the needs of many for the gluttonous pleasures of a few ?  No, I am not.

Even though the game is over, I still have to make a lot of tough decisions.  I now have the luxury of seeing the end results and wishes of each faction.  But once I choose, I will have to live with the consequences.  This is one of those instances where I have to step back from a game and remind myself that its just a game.  No real life decisions are being made and I'm going to be okay no matter what happens.  The only thing that can stress me now is trying to force myself to wait long enough for all the dlc to come out and be bundled/discounted.  I can spring on it like a tiger crouched in the grass observing its prey.

This is a more accurate depiction of my hunting style.

Free Microsoft Points ! Oops, just kidding.

A lot of people woke up Thursday morning to a seemingly miraculous occurrence; free Microsoft points.  For a company that rarely gives away anything without some serious strings attached, this was amazing.  But as quickly as they arrived, they were taken away. 

My starting points going into Wednesday night were 270.  I spent my week downloading arcade and indie games so my balance was pretty low.  When I logged onto xbox.com Wednesday afternoon, I was greeted with 3350 points !  It was glorious.  I knew it was a fluke, and every ounce of my being wanted to rush home and start downloading before they disappeared.  But my stupid conscience got the best of me before I had the chance.  I had multiple conversations with the Xbox Account Specialists and this is what I found.

The addition of extra points was very wide spread.  The lucky individuals were those scheduled to receive points from the Xbox Rewards program.  The tag had to be signed up at least a month before Wednesday.  The program only rewards if the player has accrued 100 points or more, so anything under 100 didn't get anything extra.  The amount of points being award, was deposited into accounts.  And then deposited again.  And again.  And again.  Five times total.

I started with 270 points.  I had 440 points in my rewards program to be deposited this month.  So when it went in, it immediately went in four more times bringing me up to 3350.  I am a person that deals poorly with guilt, so I called Account Services and they removed the extra currency.  Although, it should be noted that even if I hadn't called, everyone with extra points had them removed the next day anyways.  So my tremendous 3350 went down to 710 (270 plus the 440 I was properly owed).

"Surprise !  We love our loyal customers !"

Xbox's equivalent of being Rick-Rolled

The group that didn't have them removed?  People who spent them right away, of course !  Xbox has not mentioned what they attempt to do for the people who used their extra points right away.  When the problem was first noticed, players stormed Xbox Support's Twitter feed asking what they should do.  The initial response was that it was Xbox's mistakes and the points are free to be used.  But only hours later, that answer changed sharply directing people not to spend the points or buy any more until the whole event was over.

It would seem that there is little Xbox will be able to do to rectify the lost points.  It would be unlikely for them to charge people for downloads.  There is the possibility that all downloaded content purchased could be removed.  But even that isn't fool proof if the points were spent on games that are already completed or can be stored on hard drives.  

Xbox will probably never tell us exactly what caused the computer glitch.  But one thing is for sure, there is definitely going to be a gigantic spike in people signing up for the Xbox Rewards program.  Perhaps the whole thing was a moderately clever ploy to get people to sign up.  Either way, I don't think the financial damage to Microsoft is anything the company can't promptly recover.

Activision Wants You To Pay ....... Again

The zombie maps on Call of Duty have always come with mixed reviews.  One or two levels are great, but with each installment of the series comes more and more maps.  With the upcoming release of the Rezurrection Map Pack for Black Ops, I’m more than annoyed.

The new map pack will have five maps, all of them zombie based.  I’m not a fan of zombie games so I don’t plan on buying it.  And not in the way I usually make statements like “ *grumble grumble grumble* not getting my hard earned monies” and then instantly buying it the second it comes out.  The Rezurrection Pack does not even faintly interest me.  I personally wish they would just make a separate Call of Duty zombies game, but I am one of the only players that feels that way.

For those who are long time players of series, like me, and happen to love the zombies, there is something you should know.  Four of the five maps are old, straight up recycled material.  Activision decided to take the four zombie maps from World at War (the originator of Nazi zombies in the series) and “revamp” them.  Basically, the gameplay will be smoother and there will be better music.  From press releases and information on the website, the maps are not even re-skinned like the Cliffside/Hazard map was (which you can read here).  They are straight up old maps.

The worst part of this?  They are still going to charge players the full 1200 Microsoft points.  That’s right, $15 for old maps.  But wait, it gets better.  Of the four offending maps, three of them were paid DLC for World at War.  That means a lot of people paid for the maps once, and now they will have to pay for them again.  The attempt to double dip in my wallet feels more like a double penetration.

It should be noted, that not everyone is totally boned in this situation.  The four old maps were part of the Hardened Edition of the game at release.  So those who already have them will actually get the new map for free.  And I do have some sympathy for the people who purchased the old layouts in the beginning.  The lobbies for those maps are probably close to barren since most people just bought the regular edition.  This release will certainly boost the ability to find people to play with.

I think there were a lot of alternatives to this situation.  Keep the price high but include more new maps.  Make the old maps a separate purchase altogether for a lower price.  But to expect me to pay for the same old maps that I have already paid for once is pretty stupid.  Activision has once again proven that they don’t give a crap about the player, just the money.  But we all knew that already, didn’t we.

Get Trenched!

Craving the snarky banter of a military commander?  Chomping at the bit to drive your own seriously armed robot?  Of course you are.  Let me introduce you to a little game called Trenched.

Found exclusively on the XBL Arcade, Trenched is a really fun third person action shooter spiced up with a little tower defense.  Each mission requires the player to protect an objective from waves of enemies.  The enemies are varied in their defenses including some that are air born, heavily armored, or have long range attack capabilities.  

There are several ways to win the battles and thus win the war.  The portion of the game that is tower defense allows you to plant turrets around the field of play.  The varying kinds of turrets are all upgradeable and vital to the success of the game.

The other option to help you through the game is the addition of a friend!  That's right; this little diamond in the rough has a four person co-op.  I would typically scoff at the idea of paying 1200 points for a game that is only about four hours of gameplay.  But for the ability to link up to friends or do a blind search for other players online, this is well worth your hard earned pennies.

Be warned, this game legitimately borders on impossible if you attempt to play solo.  The first couple levels are easy.  But each mission brings increasing difficulty and more waves.  The game reaches a point very early in the game where playing with others is almost required.  You don’t have to load up the room with four players; it is playable all the way through with only two.  But if you don’t play well with others, this game might not be for you.

The game is short and doesn’t require much mental strain.  But it’s fun to take command of massive robots or “mobile trenches” and run around with your friends.  And in keeping up with this summer's other arcade titles, there is some excellent artwork and style to this game.  The price is right.  The game is fun.  Download it now. 

My Newest Vendetta

Since it would appear that my personal vendetta against some 3D gaming is over (see here), I have decided to take up a new cause: I am now against companies offering downloadable content only, vs purchasable hard copies.

I understand the draw for the company: we can’t resell it.  This sucks!  First off, I am totally cheap.  I buy almost all my games used at Gamestop because that way I feel like I can play everything I want without blowing a giant wad of money every time I turn around.  Granted, this means I have to wait until I can get my hands on a used copy, but my list of games to play is so long that that’s alright with me.

Second, and perhaps even more importantly… We can’t loan the games to our friends.  I am a huge proponent of this.  For example, I currently have Debbie’s copy of Mass Effect, and if she hadn’t loaned it to me I would’ve been missing out on this totally fun game.  Granted, again, it means that Bioware didn’t make a buck off of me…but that isn’t to say that I won’t buy my own copy when I return hers.  Loaning games to friends gives them a chance to really try before they buy, in a much more honest setting than the downloadable trial versions (which are sometimes not to be trusted.)

In all honesty, this particular blog and grudge is against Magic the Gathering (MtG).  I downloaded the XBLA game and played it once.  Then the first Duels of the Plainswalker expansion came out and my original MtG never worked again.  It told me I needed the downloaded content.  I was like….”What?!  Who ever heard of a required expansion??”  So I shelved it.  Then a few months passed and my MtG itch really came back in full force, so I started looking into the issue.  I went on forums.  Asked if the expansion was required.  No one else was having the same issues as me, so I did some deleting, some re-downloading.. And now it tells me not that I need the expansion, but that it needs an update that it can’t find on the server.  GARRHHHHHGG.   The error window says to visit xboxlive.com/support but I just can’t bring myself to do it.  It’s back on the shelf and, quite frankly, it’s getting a giant middle finger from me.  And the worst part is that there’s a new Duels of the Plainswalker expansion and it sounds super fun, but I just don’t trust the game enough to pay $10 and download it.

You have hurt me before, MtG.  Why should I trust you this time!?

And this is what brings it full circle: I don’t have a hard copy of it.  I can’t hold it in my hand.  I can’t stick a disc in the machine and play.   And that is what I’m pointing the finger at for why it’s never worked right for me.  In this trend of downloadable only content, I feel like slight glitches block you out of your gameplay experience, and quite frankly, I don’t trust it.

What You Need to Know About XBL Gold Family Pack

You've seen the ads all over Xbox.com and on your dashboard.  But is it really worth it?  Already have Gold? Don't have three gaming family members? Concerned about costs and renewal?  Here is what's up.

The Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack is available for $99.99.  What it includes is four one-year Gold subscriptions. In case you weren't sure what Gold allows you to do, it provides the player with the ability to play online multiplayer games, download games and other content, stream services like Netflix, Last FM, and Zune with appropriate subscriptions, and party chat with friends.  

The regular cost for one year of Gold membership is usually $60.  There are frequently deals out there that can get you a discount or pay full price but also get some free downloads or Microsoft points.  But comparing flat out rates, the Family Pack is clearly the better deal.  Four subscriptions would normally cost $240, and the Family Pack provides it for $100.  That is obviously a pretty major savings.

Be aware that there are some restrictions.  One person is in control of all four accounts.  That person has the ability to set parental controls and other system restrictions from their computer.  The primary account holder can also monitor and track the amount of time online and what each person in the group is doing.  So if you have a friend that loves practical jokes, you might not want them to be in charge of everyone's account.

When it comes time to sign people up, personal information will have to be shared.  The primary account holder logs on and adds people into the three available positions in the Family Plan bringing the total to four.  As each person is added, that primary person logs into xbox.com, then the next player being added has to do a sub-log in with their account info to complete the process.  That means that someone has to know someone else's ID and passwords unless everyone is in the room at the same time ready to enter their own passwords.  So if you are planning to do this with friends, make sure that you fully trust them to know your business or vice versa.  Once the sign up process is complete, the personal info will not be needed again.  The Family Pack was designed for exactly that, families.  The assumption is that moms and dads know their children's email addresses and passwords.

Already have a Gold membership?  Not a problem.  If the main account holder is already in the middle of a subscription, the remaining time will be calculated into money and that will be credited towards the total.  So if I had six months left on my plan, it would cancel my existing Gold (don't worry, you don't lose any info), credit me $30 towards the Family Plan, and I would only $70 total.  If the other three members in the pack have remaining Gold memberships, they will simply tack that remaining time onto the subscription.  For example, I set mine up and the second, third and fourth person still had remaining time on their existing membership.  So Xbox cancelled them and added one month for each.  These extra months applied to everyone.  So now we all get Gold member ships for one year and three months instead of just one year.

Since one person is the main account holder, the three extra people will not be allowed to keep their own credit card information on file.  They will have to purchase Xbox points cards and use the codes to redeem them and purchase downloads that way.  It is an inconvenience, but points cards are really easy to find.  They can be purchased at Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Game Stop, anywhere that you might find gaming accessories sold.

Lastly, the renewal is annual.  I didn't see any place to turn off the automatic renewal, but Xbox will send emails one month before the renewal to warn you that its about to take your money.  That should give you plenty of time to talk with people and make sure that they are still wanting another year of amazingly cheap service.

So that is the important stuff that I noticed.  There was no service interruption and the price is completely worth it.  If your family is full of gamers or you have three really trustworthy friends, this could be the perfect fit for you. 

Eric is Greek now. Welcome to the family.

Escalation Map Pack, Yeah, I Can Handle That

Ever since the Escalation Map Pack for Black Ops was released, people keep asking me questions. They weren't your standard questions about relationships, politics, or deep thoughts (for that hilarity, submit your questions here). But I've been getting asked things like "How do you like the new map pack? What's your favorite map? Have you played the new zombies yet?" So here are some of my thoughts on the latest addition to Black Ops. First, on the regular multiplayer maps, I like them. I actually really like them. The maps feel like there was more time spent testing their playability than just making them look cool or gimmicky. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of gimmicky crap like elevators and raised tracks. But they are more practically executed throughout the maps than in the past.

I say they have better playability because they are really well balanced compared to other maps. The Call of Duty series has a strong history of super unbalanced maps, especially for objective games. Compared to the layouts of Quarry, Carnival, Trailer Park, and more from Modern Warfare 2, the Black Ops original and add-on maps are much improved.

The new zombie map, Call of the Dead, is also a huge improvement for multiple reasons. First is the obviously awesome addition of some pretty amazing actors from horror and scifi. The map itself features a zombified, electrified George Romero. While that in and of itself might be cool enough for some people, his presence makes the game significantly more difficult. I have spent many hours with friends sitting in the same spot of the map, bottle-necking zombies just to mow them down repetitively. Romero walking around forces the players to keep moving and prevents teams from just barricading in a corner and easily reaching ridiculous levels.

So for those who haven't purchased it yet, I definitely recommend the Escalation Map Pack. It may be $15, but for the first time in a long time, the maps are worth the price. Does that answer your question ?