Archive for the 'Games' Category

Left 4 Dead’s cunning take on visual and game design

Published on January 6, 2009 in Games. 0 Comments Tags: , .

I finally caved and got an Xbox 360 over the winter holiday, allowing me to delve into some of the great gaming I’ve been missing out on lately. Hearing about Left 4 Dead from a friend at work was one factor in the decision to get the console — it’s excellent, non-stop, zombie killing fun, though it essentially requires a pay-for-play XBox Live account to be worthwhile.

Anyway, Left 4 Dead feels dark, scary and authentic, yet it remains eminently playable. Though the polish seems effortless, these features were calculatingly considered and brought to the surface with some very artful techniques. Check out the following blog posts, in which Valve designer Randy Ludeen discusses the “filmic effects” and lighting design that contribute to Left 4 Dead’s quality and success as a game.

WoW Minis Deluxe Edition Unboxing

Published on December 10, 2008 in Games. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

The World of Warcraft Miniatures Deluxe Edition was released today! (San Francisco’s Gamescape was, once again, very accommodating and might be starting up a WoW Miniatures game day on Sundays.) The Deluxe Edition set comes with 6 random World of Warcraft miniatures, 6 character cards, 12 action bar cards, 12 ten-sided dice, 6 UBases (which many players have simply stopped using in lieu of dice), a poster/complete character list, a scenario book, and one of three game boards (either Ashenvale, Tanaris, or Winterspring). Here are photos of the unboxing:


I knew what the real gem was going into the purchase: the scenario book and game board. In combination, the scenario book, blank game board, and custom hexes allow the players to imbue the map with different features, adding variety and extending playability. The cheaper starter set comes with a passable game mat on glossy poster paper. But there’s nothing quite like unfolding heavy, high-quality chipboard onto the table. The map surface has a durable matte finish, and is a subtle pleasure to play upon.

However, I’m violently shaking my fist at Upper Deck Entertainment (UDE) for putting random game boards in the Deluxe Edition boxes instead of marking explicitly which game board is in the box. I accept the idea that the booster packs (miniatures only) have a random assortment of characters, but random game boards? With each Deluxe Edition set costing $50, I should absolutely be able to pay $150 and be guaranteed ownership of all three game boards. But as it stands, dumping $150 into 3 Deluxe Edition sets only gives me a 22% chance of having all three boards.

World of Warcraft Miniatures Game Unboxing!

Published on November 19, 2008 in Games. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

I have, at various times, been a player of World of Warcraft, and more frequently, a avid fan of the rich game universe. Sure, Blizzard produces well-designed, balanced games. But they’ve also led the pack in creating strong characters and epic plot arcs that exemplify the gaming-as-storytelling function that makes certain games and game universes far more compelling than movies, music, and television. I haven’t been an active WoW player in awhile, but I’ve kept an eye out for some of the geeky licensed junk that I find fun; for example, I collected some of the cards from the collectible card game and my fianceé bought me a book of WoW art.

I heard about the World of Warcraft Miniatures Game months ago, forgot about it, then got really excited when I saw a wall full of miniatures at the local GameStop. So my fianceé and I picked up a WoW Minis Core Set Starter from Gamescape in San Francisco. Here are photos of the unboxing:

My fiancée and I have played two games so far with the starter set characters and have really enjoyed it. (The rulebook is here if you’re interested in such details.) The characters have only a few action options per turn, so the gameplay isn’t too overwhelming. However, having the miniatures move around on the game board adds real richness, with ranged and melee attacks, line of sight, and minor terrain bonuses. Combat is resolved by rolling variable numbers of 10-sided dice — and die rolling in games is always fun.

The game also features a sharp “clock” system that makes good use of the rotating bases beneath the figures. Actions cost “ticks,” which determine the next time the character acts — bigger actions (more damage, stronger effects) generally cost more “ticks,” which may result in your opponent getting a chance to act before you do. I figure that players familiar with World of Warcraft will appreciate the strong correlation to the video game’s combat mechanics.

If I could make the time, I’d be interested in playing casually against others and maybe even in some kind of organized play… But my main fear is that the game will grow unbalanced. There are “boosters” available (for $15.00, natch) to give players more miniature characters and action cards — and like collectible card games, some miniatures are more rare than others. In my experience, this can lead to a “race to the rare,” where the game ceases to revolve around ingenuity and luck and instead transforms into shelling out the dough to obtain benefits that are made artificially scarce. On the other hand, I think that most modern organized play is based on draft rounds where choice and strategy still matters and the role of rarity is diminished.

Otherwise, for mass-produced plastic, the miniatures are surprisingly detailed, brightly colored, and well-scaled. Even off the board, I’m enjoying having a little row of recognizable characters to glance at near my desk at home.