Tag Archives: gaming

Thursday in the Zone

Jelly Jumper

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Looking for a Flash game that will test both your reflexes and your skill at solving puzzles? Then give Jelly Jumper a try!


A shot of the first level–deceptively easy!

Basic Gameplay

In Jelly Jumper, you control a cute little guy made of green jelly, and you’re trying to jump him around a virtual, generic black keyboard, in which certain keys are traps, certain keys are helpers, and certain keys are just there to give you fits. The goal is to jump on all the green-highlighted keys, and if you can do it within a certain number of jumps, even better!


These are your targets–jump on all of these in a level to complete it.

You move the little guy around the virtual keyboard with your arrow keys. If you venture too far off the keyboard, your poor little jelly man will die, but any regular black keys (unmarked) are always safe zones.

The Various Types of Keys


Bomb
Space
High-Jump
Space
Opposite
Space
Random
Teleport
Space
Fall-Away
Space
Protective
Space
Matching
Teleport
Space

Explanations

  • Bomb Space: instant death if you hit it.
  • High-Jump Space: propels you much higher into the air so you can get across bigger spaces.
  • Opposite Space: you move in the opposite direction from normal. Example: if you hit the Up arrow key, you’ll move down the keyboard instead.
  • Random Teleport Space: will put you on another section of the keyboard when you hit it.
  • Fall-Away Space: falls out from under you once you hit it, kinda like the donut blocks in Super Mario Bros.
  • Protective Space: creates a protective bubble around you when you hit it, so you can touch down on a bomb space without fear of death for the next jump.
  • Matching Teleport Space: always occurs in pairs–when you hit one, you’ll instantly be transferred to the other one.

Strategies

This takes precision, patience, and a little luck, especially as you level up. The first level (pictured at the beginning of this post) is quite easy, but a little farther into the game you get levels like these:


This is the most irritating level I’ve gotten to so far. The black keys are your only safe zones–no wonder this level is called “Stepping Stones!”


No, wait, I take that back, THIS is the most irritating level I’ve done so far. See all those matching-teleport spaces along the top? You can’t tell which one is linked with which; you just have to jump on them and find out where they each take you! Ah, experimentation…

Playing this game, you will get good at pressing the arrow keys JUST long enough to propel you to the target without overshooting it. Getting a run-and-go can help you on certain levels where your targets are spaced farther apart, but on some levels, it pays to just jump in a safe place for a little while if you need to get your bearings. Don’t worry too much about trying to do the level in a certain number of jumps, especially if you’re just starting out. You don’t get penalized or lose progress for jumping 20 times in a level which usually can be done in 3 or 4…trust me, I tested those limits quite thoroughly. LOL

As the game progresses, you’ll find more and more bomb spaces surrounding your targets, promising instant death at a touch…you just have to keep your cool and not move too rashly. Also, beware of moving spaces–those bomb spaces and teleportation spaces can and do move around in a few of these levels!

This game is an excellent combination of a puzzle game and an action game–it makes you think, but also makes you work your gamer reflexes.

To Play:

Jelly Jumper at JellyJumper.com

Thursday in the Zone

It’s Almost 900! (A Tale of Epic Life-Gain)

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It all started with me, my boyfriend, and two Magic decks we had never played against each other–his Zombie Clerics (known as “Priests of Pain and Drain”) against my Sanguine Bond & Boon Reflection (affectionately nicknamed “Sanguine Boon”) deck.


Priests of Pain and Drain decklist @ EssentialMagic.com

Sanguine Boon decklist @ EssentialMagic.com

The Opposing Strategies

My boyfriend’s Zombie Cleric deck’s strategy is actually pretty simple, revolving around a four-card combo: Cabal Archon, Rotlung Reanimator, Conspiracy, and any random Cleric to begin the fun. Use Cabal Archon to sacrifice Clerics to gain 2 life and make the opponent lose 2 life (this is called a “life swap”). Now, thanks to the Reanimator, the Clerics you sack through the Archon give you Zombie tokens, which then become Clerics themselves with the use of Conspiracy set to Clerics. Repeat cycle as long as you have mana to do it.

My Sanguine Boon deck is also pretty simple: gain enough life to be able to stall till I get Sanguine Bond (and, if I’m lucky, Boon Reflection). Then, play more super-cheap life-gain spells/abilities, causing major life loss through Sanguine Bond and the ability to draw more life-gain spells using Well of Lost Dreams. (I’ve spoken about this strategy before, but not in this larger context.)

How These Strategies Faced Off

My boyfriend’s strategy would have probably succeeded against mine in the early stages of the game, if I had not played an Isochron Scepter with Rest for the Weary imprinted on it. Ever after, every time I played a land, I would be gaining 8 life instead of just 4, and I could gain at least 4 life every turn. But, because I don’t play much offense in my deck, he was able to amass his combo fairly soon after I had played the Scepter-Rest combo, and so he was able to start draining me of my newly-gained life points.

Stalling Like Mad vs. Life Drain Like Mad

Fast-forward to about turn 25 or 30, and both of our decks were running at near-top capacity. I now had two Boon Reflections out, gaining 16 a turn off Rest for the Weary if I hadn’t played a land and 32 a turn if I had played a land. But my boyfriend was able to drain at least 16-20 life off me per turn with the Cabal Archon “sack-a-Cleric” combo. With all the early-game life gain I had done, he was not able to defeat me entirely, but was able to make my life total yo-yo all over the place. We were both fighting for purchase; he was trying to keep my life total under control, and I was trying to survive until I could get that darned Sanguine Bond, which still hadn’t shown up yet.

Game-Changer: Well of Lost Dreams for 7 Cards

The almost literal stalemate continued for the next few turns. At last, I pulled Well of Lost Dreams; I played it, used Ghost-Lit Redeemer’s ability to gain 8 life, and paid 7 mana to draw 7 cards, since I had been top-decking for most of the game. The long-awaited Sanguine Bond was the first card I drew, and Demonic Tutor was the last, promising a second Sanguine Bond in hand if I could last that long. My life total was now up around 400-500, with my boyfriend’s life total just a little higher. I thought I could make it. 😉

Sanguine Bond (x2) for the Win!

Once the first Sanguine Bond was played, I sacked the two Sunspring Expeditions I’d had ready and waiting on the table for most of the game, which created a 32-point life-swap thanks to the double Boon Reflections. That, plus my usual Scepter-Rest combo and a Ghost-Light Redeemer or two gaining me more life, drained him of over 150 life in one turn. Then…well, I managed to retrieve the other Sanguine Bond; though I wasn’t able to play it that turn, I knew next turn would become even stronger, as I gained quadruple life and made him lose quadruple life, twice.

A couple of turns after I played the second Sanguine Bond, it was over, 2 hours after we had started. My ending life total was 894–and that was with my boyfriend draining off 32 every turn for close to 20 turns. :O How high would it have gone if he hadn’t been keeping it down somewhat? The world may never know.

So, using my Sanguine Boon deck, I finally beat my boyfriend’s Zombie Cleric deck…and it only took 2 hours of free time. Ahh, extreme-long-game Magic at its best. 😀

Thursday in the Zone

City of Heroes “Freedom”: Restrictions and Compromises, Ahoy!

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When NCSoft’s popular MMO City of Heroes came out with its “Freedom” expansion, allowing players to get and play the game for free for the first time in game history, I was thrilled. Now some of my real-life friends who could not afford to play the game could enjoy it as well!

But there are some important caveats to the “Free” player system, which I believe more players should be aware of before they get into the game.

Free Players Can’t…

  • Send Tells (private player messages) or in-game emails
  • Receive items from other players
  • Trade items with other players through the Trade Screen
  • Receive experience in Architect Entertainment (player-created) missions
  • Make more than two characters
  • Use Invented-Origin Enhancements for their powers
  • Earn Reward Merits or Vanguard Merits
  • Use Wentworth’s (Player Auction House)
  • Play post-level 50 content
  • Build Controllers, Masterminds, Peacebringers, Warshades, Arachnos Soldiers, or Arachnos Widows
  • Create Supergroups

Why Are These Big Issues?

The loss of most of these game mechanics severely limits the player and the team or group around them–not only can you not give a Free player a spare Inspiration to help them during a mission, but the Free player is restricted in what items they can use. They can’t even sell items on Wentworth’s or trade items to other players, and those items can quickly junk up the already-limited Inventory space that Free players are given.

The inability to send Tells or Emails lowers the Free player’s ability to connect with other players; with Incarnate content disallowed, there’s not much for a Free player to do with his/her character once it gets to 50. The restrictions on receiving Merits and receiving XP in AE missions are secondary, but still annoying–didn’t the Free player play just as much to receive those benefits as a paying player?

The limit of two characters is understandable, as is the restriction on what archetypes you can build as a Free player. And I suppose I can understand why Invented-Origin Enhancements are off-limits; if they weren’t, then Free players would have complete access to all the high-level, really strong Enhancement Sets that max out characters’ healing, damage, etc. But some of these restrictions seem silly for Free players, when it restricts so much of gameplay that it’s almost too frustrating to deal with.

Light at the End of the Tunnel: Premium Status

But, if you want the Free price tag but not the Free experience, there are a couple of ways to attain the “middle” status between a Free player and a completely-paid VIP player–this type of account is known as a “Premium” account. This status gives you a little more access, but possibly without as much monetary investment.

Any time you spend any money on the game at all, whether it’s an item set, costume piece set, or a special booster pack, you’ll be upgraded to a Premium Account if you’re currently a Free player. Also, if you get a Game Card that gives you a paid month of game access time, you will also be upgraded. (Important Note: Premium Players do not get opted-in to a paying plan automatically.)

Once you are a Premium player, you can purchase access to several key options, including:

  • Full access to all communication channels available through the Chatbox
  • Holding up to 2 billion influence (in-game money) per character
  • Sending and receiving email
  • Earning Reward Merits and Vanguard Merits (you must be level 35 and have run Levantera’s missions in the Rikti War Zone to get Vanguard Merits)
  • Varying levels of access to the Architect Entertainment system:
    1. Playing solo missions in AE, but not getting any XP: 2 Reward Tokens
    2. Getting XP and rewards from AE missions: 8 Reward Tokens
    3. Making your own AE missions: 20 Reward Tokens
  • Joining Supergroups and editing Supergroup Bases
  • Getting medium and large Inspirations (temporary boosts) through regular combat
  • Trading with other players
  • Creating Invented Enhancements

However, you must pay for each of these options individually using Reward Tokens in the Paragon Rewards system, which does cost real money. You will need to pick and choose which game features you really want and which you can live without if money is very tight. Being a Premium player makes it more bearable to play for less money, but it is still restrictive (though not nearly as restrictive as the Free account). (By the way, the only way I can see to get access to Premium account status without much money investment is to ask for Game Cards as birthday and Christmas presents… LOL)

Summary

Playing City of Heroes for “free” can give you a fair experience of the game, but it does restrict players in ways that most of us wouldn’t expect or even think about. That’s why I’ve shown the drawbacks of playing for Free in this article, as well as the ability to occupy a “middle ground” between Free and VIP status. Keep this in mind, and definitely don’t judge the whole game by the Free-account experience!

Thursday in the Zone

When Life-Gain Becomes a Weapon

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I have made much reference to my favored playstyle of life-gain in Magic: the Gathering (see my articles on life-gain as defense and life-gain as many things, including win condition). But usually, decks that are completely devoted to life-gain strategies are generally regarded as lacking in competitive strength.

This could be said most especially of my Artifact Life-Gain deck, affectionately nicknamed “Timex” because of its ability to “take a lickin’ and keep on tickin'”, as the old Timex slogan went. The decklist appears below:


My Timex decklist on EssentialMagic.com

Now, up till a few weeks ago, this deck was mainly life-gain artifacts, artifacts that made other artifacts cost less, things that retrieved artifacts from the graveyard, and a couple of high-defense creatures. These all made this deck a very efficient and fun life-gain engine, but little else. Most times, opponents either had to concede because I was gaining life too fast for them to smash me down, or I simply ran them out of cards (thanks to Elixir of Immortality’s ability to put my graveyard back into my deck). Then, I found a card that gave Timex some teeth.


Card image courtesy of Gatherer

This is a Transforming card, one of Magic’s newest mechanics. At the beginning of any game, this card is simply “Chalice of Life,” a 3-cost artifact that gains one life when you tap it. Simple, basic Artifact Life-Gain, just like the rest of my deck–seems fairly straightforward, right?

But it’s the transforming text that changes the game entirely if I tap it when I am at 30 life or more–it gains me one last life, then flips over, revealing “Chalice of Death,” which makes a target player lose 5 life every time it is tapped. From then on, the opponent has 4 turns to smash me down before I drain their starting life total completely, 5 points at a time.

How This Plays

Since I’m usually way more than 10 life up from my starting life total, because this deck has the capability to gain 10 or more life per turn, Chalice of Life is almost assured to transform at some point. When it does, the life-gain engine becomes a little meaner; the addition of the loss-of-life game mechanic takes this formerly timid deck and gives it threat and power.

From my play-testing, I’ve found that Timex is still just as resilient and flexible as ever, but with a weapon like this on the table, it can go on the offense as well. Suddenly, I’m no longer just hiding behind my high life total, but using its high number to power Chalice of Death. And with all the cards that retrieve artifacts from my graveyard (Sanctum Gargoyle, Hanna, Ship’s Navigator, and Rootwater Diver), just getting rid of the Chalice won’t save my opponent for very long.

The opponent’s challenge, then, is to find a way to take down my higher life total before Chalice of Death takes theirs down. Sure, a very aggressive deck might be able to do it…but will it be quick enough to offset a 5-point life loss every turn?

Your Opinion?

What do you think about this twist on life-gain? What types of strategies might get around this deck’s main combos, and which ones might fall most easily? Tell me in the comments!

Thursday in the Zone

Proposing a Perfect New Clix Power Color: Pink!

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HeroClix has introduced a couple of new colors to characters’ dials over the years. Time was, the Light Green power color didn’t exist; Earthbound, Quake, Combat Reflexes, and Exploit Weakness simply weren’t printed abilities. Even the Silver and Brown/Gold powers didn’t exist all the time either, and who could imagine a HeroClix game without Hypersonic Speed, Impervious, Leadership, or Telekinesis?

But despite the range of power colors in Clix, there’s one color they don’t have yet, and that’s Pink.

Are You Kidding Me? PINK in Clix?

I fully admit, as a concept, this is hard to take seriously. HeroClix, almost completely male-dominated by definition, having a PINK power color? Ridiculous!

…And yet, it could flesh out some abilities that as yet are only handled by special powers and traits. It could end up simplifying a good bit of rulings, too–the addition of a new color leads to better shorthand references for such abilities. Should we care that pink has such a feminine association, if it will end up being an asset to the metagame?

Personally, I think adding a new color, whatever it ends up being, could help shore up some missing strategies in Clix, and potentially breathe new life into the sets. After all, there are some very funny (but very effective) strategies that pink could represent.

Potential Pink Powers

For each power slot, I’ve come up with two possibilities for what pink could represent on the dial. (Also, forgive the low-quality illustrations–I had to make up a blank Clix dial myself in Paint, and I am certainly no technical artist… xD)

Pink on Movement

  • Sashay: (for grounded characters only) This character may move by opposing characters without stopping. Any opposing characters who come into adjacency in this way cannot attack this character next turn.

    Why: Walking in high heels is only done for the effect on other people, not comfort. xD

  • Perfume Cloud: (for flying characters only) Wherever this character moves on the board, leave up to four “perfume” tokens in their exact path, which fade at the beginning of the controller’s next turn. Friendly characters who are in or enter these marked squares receive a +1 to attack; opposing characters who are in or enter these squares receive a -1 to attack. This is not treated as Hindering Terrain.

    Why: Because reactions to perfume are either “Ooh, girl, I like that perfume!” or “Ugh, what are you wearing?!”

Pink on Attack

  • Distraction: If this character makes a successful attack roll on an opposing character, no damage is dealt. Instead, the attacked opposing character is not allowed to attack this character next turn. (Successful attacks do not have to be able to deal damage in order for Distraction to go off, such as in the case of hitting an Invulnerability character with a 2-damage character.)

    Why: Low-cut shirt. That’s all I’m saying. LOL

  • Super Slap: If the first attack by this character is successful, reduce the target’s defense by -1 and make a second attack immediately afterward. The target’s defense goes back to normal after this action resolves.

    Why: Because no girl slaps another girl just once. There’s always a backhand-slap after the first one. 😛

Pink on Defense

  • Presentation: Place an action token on this character to modify defense by +2.

    Why: ‘Cause makeup, hairstyles, and nice clothes really do make a difference, and they boost your (social) defense, at least. And it does require action on one’s part to affect this transformation. 🙂

  • Rebuff: When an attack made on this character is unsuccessful, modify the attacking character’s stats by -1 until the end of your next turn.

    Why: When a girl gets hit on and tells the guy “no,” it usually leaves him feeling pretty low.

Pink on Damage

  • Rumor: When this character makes a successful attack against an opposing character, after damage is resolved deal 1 unavoidable damage to another opposing character with at least one shared keyword. The character given the unavoidable damage does not need to be within line of sight or line of fire.

    Why: Rumors fly faster than Hypersonic Speed and always damage the target, no matter how tough the person is.

  • Pep Talk: Place an action token on this character to modify 1 adjacent friendly character’s stats (values of movement, attack, defense, damage, and range) by +1 for this turn. This effect fades at the beginning of your next turn.

    Why: Boosting another person’s confidence is key to keeping friendships!

Thoughts on the Pink Power?

Despite the slightly tongue-in-cheek nature of this post, What do you think about these abilities? Do you think HeroClix is ready for pink on its stats? Could these abilities really work in-game? Tell me in the comments! 🙂

Thursday in the Zone

Creature Types M:TG Should Try

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Magic: the Gathering is literally riddled with creatures of all different types. Whether you like Horrors or Avatars, Angels or Demons, Vampires or Humans, Goblins, Beasts, or Wizards, you’re sure to find a creature type you like in Magic. (For instance, my favorite creature types are Angels, Walls, Treefolk, Dryads, and Clerics.)

But there are a few creature types for which I’ve seen little to no representation in Magic…and I’d kinda like to see them in print.

Forestwalk Plus: The “Deer” Creature Type

I love deer, and I’m not talking about venison; they are such peaceful and graceful creatures. Living deep within the forest as my family does, we see a lot of deer in the woods around the house–they seem to know it’s a safe place where they won’t be shot or hit by cars. But the most surprising thing about them is how well they can hide. I’ve often stared right at a deer in the middle of a group of trees, and not known it was there until it moved. (And yes, I was wearing my glasses at the time, LOL)

Thus, I came up with a conceptual mechanic called “Forestshade” to capture this ability for the “Deer” creature type (or any creature that can hide itself well). I believe this would set the Deer creatures apart from the rest of Green’s creatures.

Forestshade: If controller has a basic Forest in play, this creature has Hexproof and +0/+2.

Source for Sable Fawn art
Source for Soft-Footed Doe art
Source for Regal Stag art

The “Bounding” Mechanic: The “Rabbit” Creature Type

While there have been a few Rabbits (such as Zodiac Rabbit), there are not nearly enough bunnies in the game for my liking. All that cuteness in a little itty-bitty package? You could kill your opponent with cute overload! LOL

All joking aside, I have always liked rabbits for their speed and agility, as well as their cuteness. And, like the Deer, I sought to make M:TG Rabbits different enough from other similar Green creatures to warrant making a new creature type. So I created a mechanic called “bounding”, which I feel accurately captures how bunnies bounce around and evade capture like almost no other creature I’ve ever seen. (We had two pet bunnies when I was a kid, and one of them was an escape artist…’nuff said.)

Bounding: This creature is chosen to block, but evades the attack and is not damaged. Attack is considered blocked, but neither creature’s damage is dealt.

Source for Littlest Hare art
Source for Warren of Rabbits art

A Little Bit Like Slivers: The “Noble” Creature Type

I am aware that tribe-boosting “Lord” cards like Faerie Noble/Sprite Noble, Eladamri, Lord of Leaves, Kobold Overlord, and Lords of Atlantis and Lineage have been released before. But perhaps the concept of “royalty” could be taken in a new direction?

To give M:TG perhaps a little more medieval-fantasy flair, I thought about introducing a “Noble” creature type, plus several Noble sub-types. I think this could be a fun way to incorporate the political complexity of a traditional court within a game scenario. Something like the following, where each subtype boosts its own subtype and gets bonuses for a second subtype being played:

Source for Princess Adi art
Source for Titled Knight art

What’s Your Take?

Would you play any of these creature types or use any of these mechanics? Do they seem workable within the existing M:TG framework? Let me know in the comments!

All concept card images made with the help of Magic Set Editor. Great program if you like to create your own funny or concept cards!

Thursday in the Zone

How Do You Get Your Clix?

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Amassing a collection of HeroClix is not easy, especially for those short on money. It’s not always an option to buy tons of 5-figure boosters to complete a set, or to try to get every figure of a certain keyword from eBay. But to compete in tournaments, or simply to have figures you like to play, having a fairly sizable collection is almost par for the course.

But is buying every booster pack off the shelf (or off online stores) really the best way to amass a collection you’ll actually play with? Or, is trading much better than buying, for the serious collector? Today, we’ll look at which style of collecting Clix is best for which situations.

Buy By the Booster, or By the Figure?

If your goal is to have a small collection of favorite figures, it’s cheaper to buy your Clix by the individual figure. Buy only the figures you KNOW you’ll play and KNOW you’ll enjoy, rather than junking up your collection with a pile of useless figures you won’t use.

But if your goal is to collect complete sets, or have a good box of “extra” Clix to trade with other players, it’s cheaper to buy by the booster pack (usually 5 figures) or starter pack (generally 7-10 figures). That way, you’ll end up with a wide array of figures that other people want, and/or be able to complete sets much faster.

Buy in Person or Online?

If you’re looking to buy a random assortment of newer figures and/or figure condition is not a priority, often you’ll find fair prices and good availability at little brick-and-mortar gaming stores–this way, you get the figure right in your hand, and you’re supporting little gaming shops in your area. (You also don’t have to put up with shipping costs!)

Otherwise, if you’re looking to collect specific older pieces, or you’re looking for figures in tip-top condition, you’re more likely to find what you want online, where sellers have to provide a wider inventory of Clix in better condition to get any takers. Clix don’t tend to fare well in physical stores, where they’ve likely been traded in by fellow gamers and might not be in the best of condition. Plus, the selection of older figures might be

Trade For or Buy Individual Figures?

If you don’t care about the overall condition of your Clix, but just want the figure right away, trading is a better option for collecting your preferred Clix. It’s also better if you have a big collection of extra Clix you don’t want, but other players do want. Lastly, trading is better than buying if you want to maintain the same overall size collection of Clix.

However, if you really care about the condition of your figures and you don’t have a big collection of extras to pull from, buying individual figures is probably best for you. No need to start up an extras box of junk figures just to get one figure in trade! Plus, you have more control over what condition of figure you purchase, rather than having to pull from someone else’s extras box.

(Don’t forget that you don’t have to trade Clix for Clix all the time. If you and your fellow gamers play other games in which you have more stuff for trade, you can use that as trade fodder, too. Many’s the time I’ve traded a Magic card for a HeroClix piece!)

Side Note: The Tournament-Prize and Donation Factors

Additionally, you can acquire Clix by two other ways: tournament prizes, and others’ donations to you.

Winning a tournament, or even just participating in one, can give you access to newer figures you might have never gotten otherwise. Depending on how highly you place and your personal Clix taste, you might just end up with a major score on your want list just by playing! And, even if you don’t want the piece you end up “stuck” with, you can at least use it for trade fodder, or perhaps sell it to someone else who needs it.

In terms of friendly donations, it can happen in various ways. Either the other person doesn’t care for a piece and just gives it to someone (you) to get rid of it, or it’s a piece they know you’ll like and they give it to you as a gift. This is how I’ve gotten several of my figures for my collection, and it can help you build up a collection if you’re just newly starting out.

A fellow player’s donation to you is useful in three ways: it gets you another figure you can practice playing with; if it’s a figure you like, you can keep it; if it’s a figure you don’t care for, you can use it as trade fodder. It’s a win-win-win! And who knows, you could eventually pass along the figure at some point to another Clix newbie, who might enjoy it even more.

Personal Recommendations

As a Clix player with a very limited income and not much interest in completing sets or having pristine figures, I choose to buy very selected figures online (only the ones I really, really want/need), and either trade for or buy from other players as I can otherwise. (Also, as I shared above, I get a fair amount of donations from other players by being a generally nice person, and I try to return the favor as often as I can.)

Summary

As I’ve shown in this article, getting a Clix collection started doesn’t have to be an expensive or time-consuming proposition. Whether you’re a super-completionist collector or a casual player with just a small amount of Clix, you can get hold of your most-wanted Clix in many ways just by being in an active gaming community, watching online prices, and going to local gaming shops. Just make sure your collecting stays on the legal side, all right? 🙂

Thursday in the Zone

Star Wars Minis: A Great Game, And Yet…

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Having played miniatures games for the last 5 years, I do enjoy occasionally playing Star Wars Minis as well as a good game of Clix. And yet, somehow, my Clix always get played with just a little more.

Okay, I lied–I play Clix a LOT more than Star Wars Minis, and it’s not just because the game isn’t being produced or supported anymore. I like the game okay, but…there are some definite structural flaws, which make gameplay a lot less fun. For example:

#1: The Game Suffers from the “Rich Kid Effect”

“Rich Kid Effect”: The more money you’re willing to drop on the game, the better items you get.

Almost without fail, the most monetarily expensive SWMinis pieces are the best in the game. If you don’t have a lot of money, you’re not going to be able to get hold of 13 and 14 attacks, 21 or 22 defenses, and tons of Force Powers–it’s just not going to happen. Thus, “rich kid” players win more tournaments not because they’re skilled, but because they can simply afford “better” and “stronger” pieces.

I don’t know about you, but going into a game knowing that I’m probably going to lose because I can’t afford big-money pieces isn’t much of an incentive to play. Comparatively speaking, you can find excellent Clix pieces for cheaper and still win with them against new and more expensive pieces–it’s more about the player’s skill than their paycheck.

#2: All You Have to Do is Pick Big Point Value Pieces to Win

Again, almost without fail, figures with a higher point value almost automatically have better combat values. Figures like Emperor Palpatine, Sith Lord (62 pts, 130 HP, 20 Def, 15 Atk), Yoda, Jedi Master (64 pts, 140 HP, 21 Def, 14 Atk), or Exar Kun (84 pts, 180 HP, 23 Def, 19 Atk) are way expensive for playing in an environment where a typical game limits your team size to 100 points, but they are very much worth it. They just generally have better stats (and powers) than your lower-point-value characters, which means they stand up better in battle and win more. (Consider that lower-point-value figures have attacks of 8-10 and defenses of 16-18, and you see what I mean by “bigger is better.”)

Clix suffers from this a little bit, especially with “power creep” (figures’ powers and stats gradually increasing with every set release). But at least there are some 50-point Clix pieces who can still rip open a 250-point piece. In SWMinis, you either play big or go home, and that doesn’t leave a lot of room for creative army building.

#3: Factions from the Movies Have Better Pieces

If you’re a SWMinis fan playing Rebels or Sith, you’ve pretty much got it made. If you’re a SWMinis fan and want to play other factions like Mandalorians, Old Republic, Separatist, or Yuuzhan Vong, you might as well not bother playing tournaments, or even casual.

Why? Because in general, the “popular” factions have better powers and stats than the “non-popular” factions (and by “popular” I mean “made popular by the movies”). There is a definite power imbalance between the factions, which makes it frustrating to try playing different groups. Why bother, when you’re going to be outmatched for trying something unusual?

Now, I will admit that some of the more-supported team symbols and abilities in Clix (such as Superman-Ally, Batman-Ally, X-Men, and Power Cosmic) get more stuff to do in-game. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t win with a team full of Mystics, 2000 A.D. people, or Suicide Squad members. Teams and their symbols are a little more balanced in Clix, and depend more on the player’s skill than his/her chosen faction.

#4: Many of the Rulings Leave You Scratching Your Head

As a Clix player, some of the differing movement rules for SWMinis made me frustrated. What do you MEAN, diagonal movements cost twice as much as straight movements? What do you MEAN, I can’t shoot past this corner? Some of the rules between other minis games and SWMinis differ in such nitpicky ways that it’s hard to remember (and even harder to reason out WHY they made this difference). I even created a page about all these rules weirdnesses on my gaming site, just so I could remember better!

When rulings just flat don’t make sense, or they are different in such small ways that it’s almost ridiculous, it can stop people from enjoying the game. You spend half the time trying to figure out if a particular strategic move is legal in SWMinis, or if it’s legal in every other minis game BUT SWMinis. Not conducive to good casual or tournament play, sadly.

Summary

While I enjoy breaking out my old favorite SWMinis pieces on occasion, the flaws I’ve detailed above are definite roadblocks to enjoying the game more. With the game pretty much being dead and abandoned, it’s likely I’m one of the only ones left who cares about this issue, but I’d love to see someone fix or at least address these major game flaws. After all, this could be one of the biggest tie-ins to the Star Wars franchise…if it had a little better-functioning game environment.

Thursday in the Zone

Why Do Modern Gamers Love MMOs?

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Even just 7 to 10 years ago, most gaming took place on consoles, on games that took place on discs or cartridges. Once you played all the way through the game, found all the hidden stuff (and plugged in all the cheat codes), you were done. Oh, and if you wanted to play with more than four players, the extra people had to wait their turn.

But gaming has changed. Wow, has it ever changed! Most modern games now include a Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) experience, where you can play with tons of people across all different regions (and countries)!

But why was there this major shift in game development? Well, it seems that modern gamers naturally gravitate toward MMOs, and I believe there are several social and gaming reasons for that.

MMOs Make More Individual, Innovative Game Experiences

Because of the online component of MMO gaming, there are a lot less “scripted” dialogues/events, and more off-the-cuff, genuinely new experiences. Basically, when you start the game, you’re never sure what new challenges await you.

I think of my experiences playing City of Heroes–you’re never sure whether there will be a Rikti Invasion special event while you’re playing, or which of your online buddies are going to be there to play with. It’s always a little unexpected, which is part of the fun. Unlike a cartridge or disc game, which is played thoroughly and then often set aside, MMOs give a player a truer, more responsive and “human” gameplay experiences, which continually rouses mental curiosity.

MMOs Provide Social Interaction

Instead of being cloistered away in a bedroom or basement utterly away from other humans, modern gamers have the option of real social interaction with other players through the MMO system. Now, sure, some of this interaction is made up of insult exchanges, random outbursts of rage, and the like, but some of it is actually worthwhile. You can actually find yourself talking about stuff other than the game, with people who are just as thoughtful as you. You just have to be willing to start a conversation–and MMO gaming gives you the chance to do exactly that.

For instance, I’ve met several good gaming friends through my City of Heroes experiences, and we have since become friends outside the game as well. We don’t just have to talk about “the game” or what characters we’re building next–we can actually talk about what we do when we’re not on the computer, any work-life stuff, all the kinds of things that friends talk about. This makes the “game” almost more than a game–it’s nearly a social network of its own.

MMOs Give Players Endless Replay Value

Because of the individualized, responsive gameplay I spoke of earlier, MMOs can be continuously replayed. Playing the game does not get rid of storylines, to be replayed the same way when you “finish” the game and start over; in fact, MMO gaming constantly builds on old storylines and introduces new plot threads in a fairly seamless experience. In essence, it’s never the same game twice, to paraphrase Disney’s Pocahontas.

This differs greatly from console games, which are generally locked into one major story that is only successfully played through one way. Even though returning to an old favorite game to replay it can give you warm fuzzies of nostalgia, it can also be a little boring to hack through the game the same way all the time. MMO gaming most certainly does not have that problem.

MMOs Always Have More Stuff to Do and Find

Because of developers and content creators working consistently behind the scenes, there are always new expansions, new story threads, new Easter eggs to find, and new graphic creations. Unlike console games, which don’t have much capability for innovation beyond what was programmed into the disc or cartridge, MMO games can always be updated, changed, patched (and repatched), etc.

City of Heroes, for example, has various timely expansions called “issues,” in which new costume pieces, new storylines, and other game developments are introduced. This ensures that the game is always fresh and has more challenges (which we gamers love!).

MMOs Can (Usually) Be Played by Anyone with a Computer

Lastly, unlike most console games, which are inextricably tied to a particular console to play, MMOs can generally be played by any computer. This makes MMOs more accessible to a wider swath of people–most humans these days have a computer for work or home use, but not everyone has a particular gaming console. When the computer becomes your gaming console, it’s a lot easier to game overall!

Having more potential players means that more people can meet and play together, increasing the strength of the game’s social network and boosting the innovation of the game experience. Plus, you no longer have the console wars to get in the way of good communication (i.e., you don’t have a bunch of Xbox players ragging on the Wii players, etc.).

Summary

Because of the massive multiplayer online genre, we are seeing more interactive, responsive, and social games than ever. This has changed gaming, and I believe it’s for the better.

Now, do I still like console games? Sure, because they are simpler and better suited for one-player experiences. (They are also a nice change, and a little hit of nostalgia never hurt any gamer.) But if I really want an involving game experience, I’m much more likely now to turn toward an MMO myself. MMOs provide something no other digital game experience provides–a sense of real, human community.

Thursday in the Zone

Movie Clix: Fitting Tribute, or Just Marketing Savvy?

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Several HeroClix box sets and special promo figures have been made alongside comic-book movie releases, such as Incredible Hulk, Green Lantern, Captain America: the First Avenger, and now The Avengers. Now you can play a figure of Captain America as he appeared in the recent movie, costume, facial features and all; same for Thor, same for Iron Man, and on down the superheroic line.

Many of the people I play Clix with enjoy the movie Clix packs…but some see them as a waste of time (and plastic). I both like the Clix tie-ins to comic book movies and dislike them, and have several reasons for each:

Why Movie Clix are Great

Why Movie Clix Aren’t
  • Work well for kids who’ve just seen the movies and never read the comics
  • Function as a good intro to Clix for new players
  • Provide a way to play old favorite figures with updated looks/costumes
  • Are packed in small box sets/promo figures, which are less expensive than regular Clix boosters
  • Not worth the money for longtime players who already have similar/identical pieces in their collection
  • Annoying to purchase for adults who aren’t interested in miniatures, but whose kids are because of the movies
  • Are an almost too-obvious product tie-in–somehow doesn’t feel like a “legitimate” Clix product
  • Caters possibly too strongly to a non-comic book/non-miniature player crowd, which may cause difficulties between established miniatures players and “just” comic-book movie fans

What’s Your Take on Movie Clix?

What do you think? Are movie Clix just a marketing ploy for more money, or does it have the potential to truly draw in more players? Can you think of any other reasons why movie Clix are and aren’t great? Tell me in the comments!