Gamers play games for different reasons.  Some play for the stories and experience. Some play for the achievements.  Some play to just have fun and get away from the world for a while.  And some play for the challenge.  Games come in all varieties, and the game’s difficulty is one of the ways that developers can try to create an experience that everyone can enjoy.  Some games will scale that difficulty based on how you play (with no actual setting to choose), some will let you change the difficulty while you play, while others will ask you the question that always makes me cringe: What difficulty do you want to play at? Easy, Normal, Hard.  The question is loaded from the start.. Are you a wuss that wants to blow through the game?  Do you want to play it like everyone else? Or do you want to throw your controller through the screen?  Let’s not even get into the fact that you have no idea how a game plays when you’re first making this decision; that’s a whole other article.  What I do want to know is..

What difficulty setting do you usually play a game on for your first playthrough?

(You may need to refresh the page to see the poll)

As I imagine you may play different genres at different difficulty levels, pick the genre you play the most, and pick your average. The poll is over-simplified; I’m aware there are often multiple “hard” settings, but often those secondary settings appear after beating the game once on a lower level.  I tend to play on the Hard setting for a variety of reasons: 1) there’s usually more achievements associated with playing on a harder setting, 2) I’ve been playing games a long time, and find myself getting bored when I play on lower settings, and 3) I’m not a wuss.  Don’t get me wrong, I will play a game on Easy from time to time, especially when I want to play it more casually, and enjoy the story more than the action (usually on a second playthrough), but nothing beats the rush of clearing a level on Hard that was kicking your ass multiple times.

I personally feel as though the difficulty selection is a lazy medium that really doesn’t apply to most of today’s games.  It was a necessity many years ago when storage space was at a premium, and you couldn’t waste code coming up with algorithms to determine how the player is playing, and adjust accordingly. It was an easy way for programmers to offer a varied experience without eating up a lot more resources.  But now?

What do you think?  Should developers just do away with the difficulty selector entirely? Do you prefer variable difficulty that adjusts to how you play?  Do you like ensuring a consistent game experience by picking a difficulty level? Let us know in the comments!

View previous ASQ: Game Instruction Manuals - View next ASQ: Staying Alive

A Simple Question (ASQ) is a weekly segment for Platform Nation.  Give a response and let the world know what you think; there is no right or wrong answer here. If you have a suggestion for a question, hit me up on twitter @vttym.

Guild Wars 2 is one step closer to being in the hard drives of gamers. Today ArenaNet announced on their blog, that the Guild Wars 2 closed beta will “aggressively ramp up” in size starting in March and April. That will lead to Guild Wars 2′s release later this year. I know my fellow Asura Necromancers are excited that the wait is nearly over. For those not familiar with Guild Wars 2, it’s an upcoming MMO that wants to break free of the genre’s conventions. Guild Wars 2 will have action oriented combat, a more natural quest system, and no monthly fees. Plus it’s beautiful. Check it out in action below.

I’ve never been able to get into an MMO. Even MMO’s that seem geared directly at me like Star Wars The Old Republic or DC Universe Online haven’t gotten me very interested. Guild Wars 2, though, has me anxiously awaiting it’s release. You can get information on the game at it’s official website.

Have you ever looked at something, noticed a recurring theme or element that you recall from your previous experience and knowledge, and then dismissively thought or exclaimed: ‘oh, that is just like -blank-’? Of course you have. We all do it. Practically everything you see, do, or experience possesses some sort of recurring pattern or theme that has been seen throughout history. When you saw Avatar, part of you felt like you had heard the story some place before. The graphics and 3D effects were able to partially lull your mind to sleep, but you still couldn’t help yourself from subconsciously trying to decide if the plot was more of a rip off of Pocahontas or Furngully. If you played through Darksiders, you would have been hard pressed not to draw similarities in the gameplay to Legend of Zelda. As you read through your favorite book series, or watch one of those horrific reality television shows, you feel like you almost know exactly what is going to happen more than half the time. Recurring themes pop up everywhere, whether we recognize them or not.

I bring this up because I see this complaint coming up again and again in reference to video games. The most relevant example, for me personally, would be with my experience in Bioware’s new MMO, Star Wars The Old Republic. Both in the game’s general chat, and in the media, the game is constantly compared to Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft. People accuse the game of being far too similar in formula, play style, and general mechanics to Blizzard’s online behemoth. Similarly, games like Killzone, Halo, or Resistance Fall of Man all share very similar game mechanics, general play style, and plot devices. They all have you running through war zones and rubbled environments, throwing grenades and shooting at anything that moves, all while trying to save the human race from aliens. Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3 both had you trying to prevent a domestic crisis or attack in the United States from groups of Russian terrorists, and you can hardly even tell the game boxes apart without the title. In five years, people will think back on them as ‘just another shooter.’

So now we come to the heart of the matter. With the latest trend of sequels, downloadable content, and expansion packs, gamers are complaining that everything seems too similar. And they are right. But you also have to wonder if comparing the similarities in a game, song, movie, or any other type of art with works that have come before it is really a valid complaint, or merely a limitation or constraint of a genre. When a game ‘copies’ a solid, popular, or well implemented mechanic from a previous title, should this be something we criticize? Is it wrong for game developers to be inspired by their competitors in an attempt to give audiences what they want? Or is it simply a sound business policy?

I would argue that audiences should never become fully trusting of repetition, and always be wary of the ‘cookie cutter’ style of art, lest we become content with mediocrity. Yet, by the same token, I would also argue that repetition and similarity is a common, and natural part of creating works of art (which I most certainly consider video games to be) that shouldn’t be used to discredit a work, so long as the end result is enjoyable. If history has taught us anything, it is that something cannot come from nothing. If similarity or repetition is a bad thing, then we should only read one fantasy book, play one first person shooter, level up one MMO character, have sex only for reproduction (ouch…), listen to one love song, and eat only one potato chip.

But what do you think? Do you agree? Or do you despise games, movies, and other art that is similar to things you have seen, played, or otherwise experienced in the past? Does a game have to dynamically change and come out with something groundbreaking and new in order to be a true masterpiece? Is that even possible anymore? Vote in the poll and leave a comment bellow to let us know what you think! Don’t be shy.

Trine 2 is the sequel to the popular PC/PSN game Trine from a couple of years ago. For those who really enjoyed playing Trine, this game builds on that, but multiplies the fun by adding plenty more puzzle dynamics and character abilities that let you progress through the game in your own way.

Let me begin by mentioning the basics of Trine 2. The mysterious Trine pays a visit to your three characters and joins them together in an adventure. Now these aren’t just ordinary characters, as each of them have unique and special abilities that can help you in certain parts of levels. The Warrior of the game, known as Pontius, is the tough guy in the group, mainly used for smashing in rocks, and sometimes even smashing in the face of a goblin. Then you have the athletic Zoya, equipped with a bow and a grapple hook, she is the main character you will use to swing around and navigate the levels. And finally you have Amadeus, the most important part of the team, he can create objects from nothing, whether they are boxes or planks they can be a huge help at getting around the place. Now, you can switch between these characters at any point in the game, but each one has a health bar, so if you die as Zoya, swinging around the environment won’t be as easy and you’ll have to make use of Amadeus’s magical ability to make your way around.

A great example would be a room that has the floor covered with spikes, there’s nothing to grab onto apart from a thin piece of wood swinging from the roof on the opposite side, but unfortunately Zoya’s grapple hook can’t reach it. That’s when Amadeus can be a huge help and create a plank for Zoya to walk across the spikes and be able to grapple up to the ledge. I’m not going to lie and say that the warrior is a great character, although he can be a great character at times, he is also pretty useless when it comes to navigating the environment, and as I really don’t care for the combat in Trine 2 as it’s pretty repetitive apart from the bosses at the end of the levels. I found myself switching to the warrior character less and less as I made my way through the game.

The game has plenty of levels; after grabbing all the collectables needed to upgrade your characters, I reached the end of the first chapter after about an hour, which is a great sign, since the game has several chapters. Once I had finally started spending my skill points on the upgrades, Amadeus gained the ability to summon four different boxes at the same time, which was a huge improvement over the starting ability of just one. As your characters’ skills and abilities start improving, so will the difficulty of the puzzles. I went into Trine 2 under the impression that it wasn’t going to be a difficult game, and about 3 chapters in, I hit the difficulty barrier where each puzzle would be taking me around 10-15 minutes just to figure out which character needed to do what, where and when.

Throughout all the tough puzzles, the breathtaking graphics and environments within Trine 2 would always catch my eye. The lightning effects are unbelievable and the character animations and art stand out in such a unique and deep world. Whether you are in the forest or in a cave, a little beam of light or a drop of water look pristine and pretty darn beautiful. The music in the game adds an ambiance to the environment and this is accompanied by the occasional piece of voice acting.

Trine 2 really does have some great moments. Some of the puzzles and the boss battles really stand out and require you to use the skills you’ve picked up over the course of the game. Although I do feel like the fighting sections in the game are pretty pointless. Every so often when a group of goblins comes out it’s as simple as switching to the warrior and hitting them down. I would have been happy with none of this fighting and just boss battles. The puzzles are enough to keep me busy without having to mess around doing repetitive battles.

Online co-op is great feature in Trine 2 too. You can join up to two people online, with each of them controlling either Amadeus, Zoya or Pontius. While this is a fun feature and great way to play through the story, I would recommend doing it with a friend, as online people tend to find it much more fun to impale themselves on the spikes and not actually solve the puzzle.

Some days I found myself enjoying and flying through the puzzles, and some days I was going completely insane trying to figure out how to get up to the next ledge. This creative and varied level designs makes Trine 2 a game you should check out. The characters themselves are great to control and to make your way through the gorgeous environments in the game is a good enough reward for buying the game.

• Great looking levels
• Fun while still difficult puzzles
• Characters with an extremely wide variety of abilities and upgrades
• Giant fire-breathing snake, enough said.

Final Score: 9 out of 10

Daily deals are excluded because of their limited window of availability. We also didnt mediocre games that just happen to be heavily discounted , or great games that are not as cheap as they should be (like Red Faction Guerrilla or Bad Company 2, which are both well worth the purchase but are regularly on sale for more than they currently are).

Only actually great games at actually great prices are included  - the true hidden gems of the Steam 2011 Holiday Sale:

Shatter

Breakout + Classic Action Game = Shatter. Using a unique mechanic that allows you to push and pull objects, you will destroy those viscous block formations that hover around space and fight bosses on rectangular and spherical stages . Ever since Shatter’s original release on PS3 the game has been critically unappreciated, despite offering the most unique take on Breakout since the genre’s inception. Available now for just $2.50 – Shatter has dropped this low before, but if you still havent bought the game, this is your chance.

Demolition Inc.

Demolition Inc. is a relatively new release from an extremely obscure PC developer.  You play as an alien construction company tasked with the job of leveling Earth. Use a series of tools to cause inconspicuous destruction and finish the job before the Army arrives. For just $2.50 Destruction Inc. is a very fun action-strategy game with enough varied modes to keep you entertained for a lazy summer weekend.

eversion

eversion is an interesting take on the platformer genre,  hiding underneath the usual cute skin is a creepy interior. Like, CREEPY, worse than that backward version of the Lavender Town theme. Well crafted and unique, eversion provides a worthwhile experience through its  short story. Grab it for just $1.25.

SEGA Genesis Classics Packs

Each pack comes with 10 games – of varying quality – from the Sega Genesis era. But its safe to say each pack comes with a decent amount of good retro fun that is well emulated, and is well worth the purchase if you are easily affected by nostalgia. Each pack is just $3.75.

Street Fighter IV

While this version is outdated compared to Street Fighter IV:  Arcade Version, its just 1/4th of the price. If you enjoy the occasional foray into fighting games then this is the best deal you can get. For just $5 you are getting a well crafted and beautiful modern fighting game to play alone or with some friends.

The Mawsome Pack

The Maw was a hit indie game from 2009 – featuring an adorable main character who can kill just about anything. Guide Maw through a alien-world that is well constructed the whole way through. Only $3 for the game and all its DLC.

Welcome to the 2011 Platform Nation Holiday Buyers Guide! This section will show you our top picks for hardware and gaming accessories!

 Controllers and Accessories

KontrolFreeks  - PS3 and Xbox 360 Controller Add-on – $10-15

Every gamer wants to win, its just a fact; and whether or not you’re endowed with virtual ass-kicking skills, you can always use an extra edge. KontrolFreeks gives you that edge, in any genre of game. Platform Nation has reviewed a series of KontrolFreeks, and the true standouts are the Speed Freek Apex – which give you the best control over racing games, the FPS Freek EPIC for the best performance in shooters, and the FPS Freek CQC for the ultimate in grip and close-quarters control.
Click over to these links to see full reviews for each of our top recommended KontrolFreeks

Speed Freek Apex
FPS Freek Epic
FPS Freek CQC

Raptor Gaming LK1 Keyboard – Gaming Keyboard -$35

The Raptor Gaming LK1 is one of the cheapest and well made gaming keyboards on the market today. For just $35 – which beats out other manufacturer’s cheapest boards by $10-15, the LK1 provides an extremely light actuation force in a small frame. Other features include a water-resistant frame and a 6-key rollover.  Read the full review of the Raptor Gaming LK1 here.

Subsonic Pro PS3 Controller – Playstation 3 Controller – $40

The Subsonic Pro controller for the PS3 provides many of the same features as the Sony Dualshock, but for less money. Rumble? Check. Wireless? Check. Re-Chargeable Battery? Check. Unfortunately the Subsonic Pro does not have support for SixAxis motion controls – but it’s not like anyone liked that anyway, right? The Subsonic Pro has redesigned triggers for added precision. Best of all the controller is compatible with the PC as well, so it’s like getting two controllers for the price of one! Read our full review of the Subsonic Pro PS3 Controller here.

Memorex Wii Controller and Nunchuck – 3rd Party Wii Controller – $35 – $50 w/nunchuck

The Wii is a party game system, and you can’t play party games without a lot of controllers! But who wants to go spending a bunch on extra controllers? The Memorex Wii Controller provides quality control for just $35! The body of the controller is identical to the official Nintendo unit – from the button placement to the battery cover – which lets you use all your existing controller accessories and battery packs with the Memorex set.  MotionPlus is integrated into the unit, so it supports all the newest games and features. The Nunchuck, which is sold separately,  is a stylish and sleek wireless unit that syncs up flawlessly. The Memorex Wii Controller is a quality third party controller on the cheap. See our full review here.

Snakebyte Minimote – Wii Controller – $25

The Minimote fits the Wii controller into a shell that’s 25% smaller. Perfect for young kids or gamers with small hands. The Minimote is well constructed and sturdy, giving you a good durable 3rd party alternative. The downsides, though, are that the small size means it wont work with Wii accessories like steering wheels or battery packs. But if the normal Wiimote is just too big, it’s a solid option. Read our full review here.

Fling – iPad Controller – $20

Ten One Design made the headlines with their Pogo Stylus, a stylus that worked on the iPad, iPhone and other capacitive  screens. Now they make a whole assortment of capacitive accessories, that bring some much needed analogue controls to the mostly button-less tablets of today. The Fling is designed especially for the iPad, and is a mechanical analogue stick that uses a coiled piece of plastic to provide resistance like console controllers do. Press it on with the integrated suction cups, and like magic you have an analogue stick to play your favorite games with. For those going for the high score or playing online, the added control really helps. The only downside to the Fling is its admittedly high price tag. See our full review here.

Audio Equipment

Blue  Snowball USB Recording Mic – High Grade Microphone – $50-60

The Blue Snowball USB Mic is the perfect companion to any enterprising podcaster. The classically styled microphone is easy to use, well constructed, and most importantly – sounds natural. Many podcasts use the Blue Snowball Mic for their shows because it captures your voice in an authentic way – in fact some of Platform Nation’s own podcasters use the Blue Snowball. Three selectable settings on the back provide optimal conditions for recording vocals, music, and interviews or conferences. The Blue Snowball is available for around $50-$60, making it the perfect microphone for recording professional-grade audio or simply talking to teammates in ventrillo. See our full review here.

iFrogz Legion Earbuds – Noise Isolating Earbuds – $25

JLAB B-Flex Hi-Fi USB PC Speaker – $30

Other

Sumo Beanbag Chairs – Premium Bean Bag Chairs – $150-200

Sumo makes premium beanbag chairs for comfortable lounging and gaming. While you may think some fancy thing made out of wood with legs and arms would be comfy you would be wrong, because sitting in a Sumo beanbag chair is just one level below relaxing in a cloud. Whereas the beanbag you had in college was a trash-bag full of packing peanuts stapled shut, Sumo’s beanbags are made of the highest quality materials. The high quality nylon bag is filled with what Sumo will only say are “Sumo Beads” , and my best guess of whats inside would be feathers from an angel’s wings. Now unfortunately all this comfort comes at a price – The Sumo Omni Bag comes in at $150 and the Sumo Gamer at an even steeper $200. Fortunately shipping is included – and since these bags weigh an upwards of 15lbs, this is quite a savings – and they come with a great warranty. Everyone at Platform Nation who has used a Sumo product has loved it. You can read our full review of the Sumo Omni here and the Sumo Gamer here.

Happy Toy Machine – Customized Stuffed Animals – $30-50

HappyToyMachine.com isn’t some Japanese game show, but a really unique service that also allows you to create customized stuffed toys. If you are over the age of 8, or don’t have any kids, this probably does not interest you. But if you are in their demographic, this is a really great gift idea for your children. You get to design the face and facial features, its outfit, and a new feature lets you customize the hair. The company is working to add new features all the time to expand the choices. One of our Platform Nation writers (and father) customized and created a toy with his son, and they both loved the experience and final product.  Read an in-depth review that documents all the steps here.

Bioserie Case – iPod Touch 4G Case – $35

I know what you’re saying right now, ugh there are roughly a billion iPod and iPhone cases, all doing pretty much the same thing. But no! This one is different! Bioserie’s cases are made from a plant-based bioplastic which doesn’t produce toxic byproducts that harm the environment. Bioserie makes a whole range of iDevice cases; we at Platform Nation got our hands on the iPod Touch 4G case. Soft colors, a good grip, and ecofriendly design make this case a great buy. It’s a little on the expensive side, but if you want to support environmentally friendly technology you got to pay a bit more. Read our full review here.

OBi110 – VoIP Phone System – $50

You have probably seen commercials for the Magic Jack – the only sold on TV doohickey that promises cheap phone calls. Well the OBi110 is like a magic jack on a steroid cocktail.  It gives you VoIP service and integrates seamlessly with your normal phone service. Pick up the phone and add a prefix and you can call straight to a VoIP service. It also integrates directly with Google Voice, which is a pretty slick feature. Better yet, all the services like conferences calling, call forwarding, caller id, and many more, are free. Read more about all of the OBi110′s great features here.

Cirago HydraDisplay X3 – Multimonitor Adapter – $130

The Cirago HyrdaDisplay lets you mirror an image on up to three monitors or project a continuous one for super-wide screen gaming or movie viewing.  It’s mostly a specialized item, but if you are in the market for a multimonitor adapter this is a very good pick. It splits one display port plug into three DVI ports and the unit outputs up to 3840 x 1024 or three 1280×1024. Remember though you still need powerful hardware to push out all those pixels! Read our full review here.

Pelican Cases

We are always looking for storage to keep our prized electronic devices from not only the elements but from mishaps when traveling, and Pelican Cases does just that. With its dustproof, crushproof, and watertight protection this is a must have not only for the gamer in your life, but for the photographer, the hunter and to include just about anyone that needs their valuables protected. Now the 1170 is not the only case available as there is a large selection of the best cases around to protect your valuables, so be sure to check out their website for sizes and pricing.

Now these are our suggestions for some great products for the gamer in your life during the Holiday Season. As we can’t include all the awesome products out there, we ask you to leave a comment or two for the products you would like to suggest to the Platform Nation Community.

Let us know what you think and Happy Holidays!

We have some information for not only the older fans of Jagged Alliance, but for all fans of tactical turn-based strategy games, as Kalypso Media and bitComposer have teamed up to revive the classic Jagged Alliance 2. So what separates the Jagged Alliance: Back in Action from Jagged Alliance 2? Well for one thing we have time on our side, as the remake looks and plays wonderful. Now I am not a fan of games of this genre, but after playing the game and watching others play as well, this may have changed my opinion, and I look forward to playing this game a little more (OK a lot more!).

Let me set the scene for you. You are placed in Arulco, and given $40,000 to hire mercenaries by the ousted former President to restore him as the rightful leader of the country You are tasked with taking back strategic locations on the island, and using the islands resources to make money so you can build up your cache of weapons, train a local militia and most of all hire some of the world’s best Mercs. You are given money to assemble a team, head in guns blazing, and move on to the next objective. Sounds easy right? Well it’s not, so let me slow you down a little there, Rambo; your main objective is to take back locations and free Aruclo from an evil dictator, and you need to stay alive to move on, so business planning and strategic planning are key to advance in Jagged Alliance: Back in Action.

When you start-up the game, and have the $40,000 in your hand, it is your responsibility to buy a team that will not only take down the enemies, but do so without alerting the island, so stealth and strategic placing is key. You will have 40 mercenaries to choose from, and I suggest you choose wisely, as not all mercenaries will get along and they will tell you when you contact them if they will get along with the others you have hired already. Taking a look at their attributes is key here as you will have many tasks set forth, but your first responsibility is to take back the island’s airport so you can bring in more weapons and keep the supply line open. Now I am not going to spoil everything for you, but I do have one suggestion here, and that is to have a medic on your team, because once one of your Mercs dies, they are done for the rest of the game. So what if you go through 39 mercenaries and have not completed the game? Looks like you may have to take a different approach, when you restart the game.

So what really separates Jagged Alliance: Back in Action and Jagged Alliance 2? Not only are the graphics a lot better, but with the new Plan and Go system, you can stop the game and plan your next tactical move. So as your first Merc takes his last step, the next Merc will already be moving into position, and setting their sights on the target.  You will want to be sure you have your sights set on a target, because once you deploy your team, you will need someone to take down the enemy. The Plan and Go System proves to be key, and is a great feature and is very easy to use.  From moving Mercs around the map to taking down the target without detection, this isn’t the Jagged Alliance you may remember from 10 years ago.

The only drawback, and this is minor, is that you can not make your own Merc. I would like to see a slot where I could pick out what I think would be essential in a world-class mercenary. Now this is only minor, because the 40 you have to choose from are great, but a little personalization is always nice.

Here is more about the game and some of the key features:

Back in Action takes players to the fictitious country of Arulco, where a ruthless dictator has seized power and only a small group of rebels stand to resist him. Tasked with freeing the island from the dictator’s iron grip, players will command rebel and mercenary forces while using tactical, diplomatic and economic tools to keep troops supplied and ready for the next flight, all while commanding them directly in nail-biting battles.

Key features:

• Unrivaled mix of combat (tactics), role-playing, business and strategy
• Innovative “Plan & Go” combat system combines RTS gameplay with turn-based elements
• Realistic battlefield settings with authentic firearms
• Laptop/computer menu as a central anchor point for the player
• Assemble squads of mercenaries from numerous mercenaries, each with their own personalities
• Simultaneous control of multiple squads using a strategic map
• Convincing characters who interact with and comment on the game events
• Fully voiced dialog in English and German
• Acquire resources by capturing mines and encampments

Be sure to check out the screenshots for Jagged Alliance: Back in Action below.

But wait there is more, as we have the newest trailer for you to take a look at.

Jagged Alliance: Back in Action is heading our way for PC February 2012 and will retail for $39.99. Be sure to check out their Facebook page and give it a “Like” while you are there.

Pre-order your copy now!

Greetings fellow Star Wars fans! This past weekend I, along with many other excited gamers, was given the chance to beta test BioWare’s Star Wars The Old Republic as they conducted their final stress test weekend before the game’s release this December. This was the second beta test I have taken part in, but this is the first time I have been allowed to write about it. I won’t waste too much of your time with my opinion or first impressions of the game, as you can find countless opinions on the forums, but I will touch on it briefly. The graphics aren’t likely to impress enthusiasts, but the story and gameplay are both solid. Those looking for something dramatically different from the standard MMO style of play might feel disappointed as well, because the game does borrow heavily from others in the genre (just as WoW borrowed from EQ). However, for those of you who have been keeping up with this game and know what to expect, the experience should be extremely satisfying.

As I played in the beta tests, I seemed to notice certain questions and issues being asked or raised again and again in general chat, and decided to type up a sort of starters guide that addressed some of these common questions and issues. You won’t find any amazing, game changing tips or suggestions bellow, but rather things to help your first days in The Old Republic go a bit smoother. These are merely some basic suggestions and tips to get things started, but I hope that any of you who also took part in beta tests will throw in your two cents in the comments bellow. No one likes to run around lost, wonder where they are supposed to go, or waste precious play time trying to figure out something that could have been easily avoided with a bit of guidance.

Items and weapons can be customized

-Fast Travel and Binding Locations-

Something you will notice right away in Old Republic is that the quick travel, or ‘hearth stone’ system is slightly different from what you might be used to. While most MMO’s allow players to swift travel or teleport to only one bind location on the zone map (normally within a city), TOR lets you quick travel to any binding location you have discovered and bound to your map. In order to discover a quick travel location, you simply click on a glowing computer console that slightly resembles an ATM machine within each area. Afterwards, you can quick travel back to that location from any point on the map.

Binding is a simple thing to do, but it can be easy to forget as you excitedly run off to knock out your first batch of quests on a new character. Remembering to do it can really help save you a lot of time, so always try to click the consoles in the screen shots bellow whenever you see them. It can also be helpful for getting extra rest experience as well, by shuttling you to the local Cantina (rest area) before you log off.

Always click these!

-Specialty Vendors-

As you complete quests in The Old Republic, you will often be awarded with planetary commendations. These commendations can be traded in at specialty vendors for some great starting gear, normally in the form of a chest piece item. These vendors are normally right beside your class trainer (or at least in the same area), which you will be visiting anyway, so be sure to stop by. My first beta character failed to take advantage of his commendations until he was ready to leave for his third planet. So, try not to make the same mistake.

Nice blue's

The game’s world map can actually show you the exact location of every single vendor on the planet by simply selecting ‘vendor’ on the map options to the left. I know blowing things up or questing toward your first light saber is likely to be the primary objective on your mind in your first hours, but be sure to take a look at the vendors as well.

Just hover over the icon to see what vendor it is

-Ctrl Left Click-

This little tip is a word of caution more than anything, so I will keep it brief. The game has a wardrobe system like in other MMO’s, which allows you to see a preview of what items and weapons might look like on your character. Except in Old Republic, default controls have this function bound to Ctrl Left click rather than right. I say this is a word of caution because if you attempt to preview an item for sale from a vendor with Ctrl Right click, you will buy that item. Which I have done on multiple occasions… fail.

-Advanced Class?-

I saw a number of people asking how to train toward their advanced class after reaching level ten. There is actually a short ‘quest’ that you have to pick up on the space station you arrive on after leaving your starting planet (this will be ‘Carrick Station’ for the republic). It can be easy to miss, but simply take the station elevator down to the main level, pull up the map and look for quest givers in the area. The quest will have you talk to the trainer as he or she gives a brief explanation of the two paths you can choose to take. After that, you simply choose the advanced class you wish to pursue, and you are good to go.

-Where Is My Companion?-

This is another question I saw springing up again and again in general chat. To be honest, I seem to remember asking it myself. If your companion character goes missing because you switched zones or logged off, don’t panic. Simply click the blue circle in the bottom left corner (indicated bellow) and you will summon them back to your side. You can also send your companion off to sell your ‘grey’ vendor trash items (which is awesome btw…), and access your crew skills (crafting) from this same lower left panel. On that note, most classes get their first companion around levels 8-11, depending on how quickly you level, and how much you focus on the core story quest.

Just click it

I hope these tips help some of you on your first days in Bioware’s new MMO. If you were able to secure yourself a pre-release copy then I will be hoping to see you in the Early Access period (which lets you play early and keep your character) on December 15^th. Otherwise we will be seeing you on the 20^th. Also, as I said in the beginning, if any of you have other suggestions you would like to add to my list, please leave it in the comments bellow. The time is very close my friends; but like Luke, we must learn patience.

SWTOR.com

Quite a lot of scratch for a single-player game with absolutely no online or multiplayer components. If you recall, Battlefield 3 shipped 10 million and sold 5 million (the trend seems to be ship twice as many as you sell) and that is a game and genre generally lauded for its replayability. Is this a sign that gamers are willing to pay for and play a singular gaming experience if it is topnotch? Does it turn out that online passes and multiplayer modes aren’t the end-all, be-all of successful video game franchises?

I don’t really know. In fact, I’ll be honest; I’m kind of distracted playing Skyrim.

Also, this Skyrim rap is too good for its own good.

via Joystiq

Home is where you are?

PlayStation Home has been remodeled and redesigned and it went live this past Thursday. Announcing their plans this summer, Sony took the Home experience and repackaged it to give visitors a better idea of where and how to get where they want. Starting in the Hub, visitors can quickly get to the content they want. Navigating between each genre-based districts is easy with the teleporter, shopping happens in the mall, viewing media takes place in the theater. Each district features games and content based around these genres: Action, Adventure, Arcade and Sports. Quests can be obtained in the Hub and will vary regularly, requiring the visitor to visit certain areas or to obtain certain score within the districts.

Sony really put some thought into the redesign. I visited Home this week to see how different it felt and how easy it was to navigate. I found it very easy to get around, and very clear when I wanted to go to the other districts. The hub is much less like a destination than Central Plaza was. It’s clear it is the launching pad to the more robust districts designed with gamers in mind. I found the quests easily, played the free Cogs game, visited districts and it all very easy to navigate. It was obvious where the mall was, where the theater was, where everything was. And the districts were laid out well too, each with their own theme and ambiance that fit with the genre.

Overall, I was much more impressed than I thought i would be. I’m interested to visit Home as Sony continue to invest in their social gaming destination.

Source: PS Blog