GeekNights 090317 - Four Swords

Apreche

Tonight on GeekNights we review The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures. Also we do a geekbyte on Last Remnant and talk about the tenth anniversary of Everquest.

Scott's Thing - Mike Tyson's Abandoned Mansion
Rym's Thing - Terror Lead Poisoning

Coldguy

I have to admit, this was the LAST time I had enjoyment in a multiplayer game. I specifically remembering the marathoning days of beating this entire game with 3 HS friends of mine before we graduated and have to say that why the fuck didn't anyone else attempt to make this style of game again. Another reason why online multiplayer is not the same as local trash talking.

Rochelle

I remember playing this game with my friends who I also played Crystal Chronicles with. I wish this game lasted a bit longer, however I know it's not the sort of game like FF:CC.

I think some of my favorite things about this game was competing for the force gems and also messing up your teammates. I would do that constantly.

Also during a bit of downtime, I would make my Link dance and make up my own dance music.

Man, this podcast brings up some great memories and makes me miss these moments, and makes me want to play either Four Swords or Crystal Chronicles. *sigh*

Kiey

In terms of waht you were talking about with MMORPGs, I am in agreement that there is this sort of eras thing going on with them but its going very slowly. I think though that BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic might actually break past/out of this current era and actually do some very new/interesting things. I've been keeping an eye on it and everything I hear coming out of BioWare makes it sound more and more interesting.

Apreche

In terms of waht you were talking about with MMORPGs, I am in agreement that there is this sort of eras thing going on with them but its going very slowly. I think though that BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic might actually break past/out of this current era and actually do some very new/interesting things. I've been keeping an eye on it and everything I hear coming out of BioWare makes it sound more and more interesting.

Fuckin' Star Wars MMO. Why don't they just make another TIE Fighter game. Sell it with a joystick for Windows and 360. Instant revival of the 3d space shooter.

Omnutia

What about games like Freelancer and that Jumpgate thing? Anyone thinking of giving them a try?

Kiey

What's wrong with the Star Wars MMO, (aside from you wanting a Star Wars 3D space shooter which the MMO isn't preventing from being made)?

Apreche

What's wrong with the Star Wars MMO, (aside from you wanting a Star Wars 3D space shooter which the MMO isn't preventing from being made)?

Look at the last one. Need I say more?

What about games like Freelancer and that Jumpgate thing? Anyone thinking of giving them a try?

Those aren't the same thing.

Kiey

You can't hold BioWare responsible for what Sony Online Entertainment did.

Rym

What about games like Freelancer and that Jumpgate thing? Anyone thinking of giving them a try?

Neither appears to be doing anything particularly innovative, sadly.

TheWhaleShark

Look at the last one. Need I say more?

We don't talk about that around here.

Galaxies actually had the chance to be one of the best MMO's ever. It was somewhat akin to a comparison between D&D; and Burning Wheel; whereas every other MMO ever focused on a mindless level grind, Galaxies actually gave you a vehicle for roleplaying and exploration. You could carve out a niche in the galaxy, and make a name for yourself. Problem is, they forgot to actually make a game. Then, they proceeded to fuck it up. They started with a fucked up game, and then managed, somehow, to fuck it up even more.

EDIT: I also have this hypothesis that in the WoW era of MMO's, innovation is going to be impossible, except in very niche products. WoW basically completely and irrevocably altered the MMO landscape.

Omnutia

What about games like Freelancer and that Jumpgate thing? Anyone thinking of giving them a try?

Neither appears to be doing anything particularly innovative, sadly.

Well, do you feel you are yet at a situation where you can do something about it directly?

Kiey

Yeah Galaxies definitely had potential, but they just kept having problem after problem show up until they scrapped the whole thing and started over ruining what made it good to begin with. I'm hoping that next week I'll get a chance to talk to some of the BioWare guys about it at GDC, since I'm really interested to see what they are going to do, especially with the narrative stuff.

Andrew

If you want to see an innovative MMO that is being produced, take a look at Love. It's an MMOFPS in which the world is procedurally generated. Players can alter their terrain, build towns/cities/castles, and literally alter the world around them.

Apreche

If you want to see an innovative MMO that is being produced, take a look at Love. It's an MMOFPS in which the world is procedurally generated. Players can alter their terrain, build towns/cities/castles, and literally alter the world around them.

Second Live with shooting?

Andrew

If you want to see an innovative MMO that is being produced, take a look at Love. It's an MMOFPS in which the world is procedurally generated. Players can alter their terrain, build towns/cities/castles, and literally alter the world around them.

Second Live with shooting?

No. Here:

Love is played form a first person view, because you should see the world not yourself. The controls of Love are designed to be a simple as possible to let you engage more in the story. Not dumbed down, but purified. All the mechanics designed to act as story devices to help the narrative. Each server has about 200 people registered, but as the same people comeback again and again you can make friends and get story continuity. With so few players you can get to know most of them and you can matter to the world. When you go to play Love its not just to see what is going to happen, its to see what has happened since your last play session too.

In the world you can find a "Token" that lets you create a settlement. In this settlement the terrain is deformable so that you can build houses, caves of what ever else you want. Other players ca join your settlement to help you develop it and protect it. When you go out in the world you can find other tokens that you can put in your settlement giving you new tools and things you can build. Once a token has been placed in a settlement any one in that settlement can use it so all resources are shared among the community. If you bring in new Tokens to the community it will matter for everyone not just you. This system forms the basis of the social gaming structure of Love, as players are never competing against each other and are always playing against AI characters.

The building system lets you not only deform the terrain and place out object like trees, it also lets you lets you create infrastructure. Various object can be connected to work together by setting Coordinates, Radio frequencies and keywords. For instance you can set up a sensor, that sends a keyword over a radio frequency to open a door. This system is also used by infrastructure built by AI characters. By studying infrastructure the players can "hack" it by sending commands over the right frequencies. This system lets players build intricate relationships, but it also sets up plot as the players will need to manipulate enemy installations, like deactivating shields, opening doors, and cut power to enemy weapons.

If you have ever played a multiplayer game you have stories, stories of how you where the last survivor on your team, stories of how you captured the flag just before the timer ran out, stories of luck and failure. Love takes that kind of emerging story creation and expands it to a long lasting canon. Love is not a game you beat, is a world that is constantly changing. The game ebbs and flows, and how the story of the game proceeds depends on how the players respond to what the game does. Characters will remember what you do and it will color their views of you. Loves characters are driven by a innovative "Emotional" AI that can react to your actions with an emotional core. They may fear, hate, be curios, sad or even love other characters. Chose your actions well, they may give you both allied and enemies.

Cremlian

What's wrong with the Star Wars MMO

Was that a troll? Because you honestly can't tell me that the star Wars MMO was good, I remember a friend wanting to play a cook, only to learn that the cook class was broken and eating food in the game completely screwed you and he couldn't make a living.

Kiey

What's wrong with the Star Wars MMO

Was that a troll? Because you honestly can't tell me that the star Wars MMO was good, I remember a friend wanting to play a cook, only to learn that the cook class was broken and eating food in the game completely screwed you and he couldn't make a living.

I was questioning Scott's premature dislike of the new Star Wars MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic that is being developed by BioWare.

Axel

It's too bad, my brother never liked the GBA-GC link cables or games that used them. We both played CC alone, and although we got two cables, he didn't like the multiplayer 'cause I always wanted to do it. I feel we would've enjoyed FSA if we had the chance to play it though. It's too bad.

Railith

Four swords is great. The town level was ass. My dad and sister did not like me winning so they killed me enough times so my end score was -4652.

thaneofcawdor

If you want to see an innovative MMO that is being produced, take a look at Love. It's an MMOFPS in which the world is procedurally generated. Players can alter their terrain, build towns/cities/castles, and literally alter the world around them.

Seems similar to Wurm Online in concept, but it looks much more interesting.

InvaderREN

OK, I'm finally doing it. I ordered 4 link cables off Ebay. Just need to track down 3 old beaten up GBA for cheap to use with my SP.

Hope it holds up.

I tried it once with 2 players but we never got far. Figured you really needed 4.

Coldguy

Go with the model one game boy advance, easier to hold and the screen is large enough to view since people are used to the controller setup.

InvaderREN

Go with the model one game boy advance, easier to hold and the screen is large enough to view since people are used to the controller setup.

Good idea, also the original GBA is way cheaper. Beaten up ones go for about $15 US here in NZ ($20 NZ)

I think that's an ok investment for such a unique game.

While I'm at it, any other games I should get for this 4 GBA setup? Maybe that 4 player pacman game? Crystal Cronicles?

Apreche

Crystal Chronicles and Pac-Man vs. are the only other games that really use it at all.

EDIT: Oh, and Pokemon.

There are a lot of games that use it, but not in a multiplayer way. For example, you can use it with the good WarioWare for GameCube, but all it lets you do is use a GBA as a controller isntead of a GameCube controller. You can also use it with Wind Waker, but all it lets you do is have a friend do some shit with Tingle and other useless bullshit.

Sail

They're both pretty great games, though.

InvaderREN

Awesome, will pick those two games up as well

Coldguy

Need images of when you get it set up to inspire others to do the same thing

Apreche

Need images of when you get it set up to inspire others to do the same thing

I can give you the images right now. I've had all the equipment since it came out.