Category: For the Geeks

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For the Geeks

Darkspore – Day 1 Of Beta Testing

PS. This entry is dedicated to my buddy Mark.  Together we have conquered dungeons and overcome challenges only 0.17% of the population today can relate.

For many years, I have identified the web address Darkspore.com with Mark’s personal site.  I vividly remember it was one fine afternoon, when I was waiting for the traffic light to turn green in front of Somerset 313 (which was still under construction), Mark messaged me saying that he has sold his domain name.  Right there and then, I guessed that a new game was in the making, due to a strong association to another game called “Spore“.  I was right.  Darkspore is indeed a new game based on Spore.

EA Game has sent me a beta key to try out the new game.  Of all the beta testing I have participated, this beta testing is surprisingly smooth, with a decent level of features available to play.  What is Darkspore?  It is sci-fi based action role playing game with an option to engage other players online to play with you.  You could – I suppose – solo your way through the leveling and gearing.  But the game rewards better XP (experience point) if you choose to play with others.  I have tried out the campaign mode (or the co-op mode).  I have yet to tried out the PvP mode (player-versus-player).  Subjected to final changes as the game is still under development, you start the game with two heroes, who look like those strange bug life form coming from the Spore universe.  Upon completing the tutorial, you get to pick one more hero to complete your squad of three.  Each hero can fulfill one of the three roles: tank, damage, and heal.  As you level, more heroes are unlocked for you to recruit into your squad.

“This is the arsenal screen.  The three heroes on the left are my current squad.  As for the line of heroes on the right, some are available for my picking.”

For this day one of beta testing, I have picked a squad that has a tank, a damage, and a heal.  To be honest, all the bug-looking characters look the same to me.  Hardly something I can identify with, but I was eager for some good action.  So I have headed to the navigation screen and selected a multi-player option.

“This is the navigation screen.  As you level up, you can pick harder challenges, which come with better reward I suppose.”

Matchmaking is not the only way to form groups.  I have tried out partying with players on my friend-list too.  I am not sure how the multi-player matchmaking algorithm works.  At times we have a group of two.  At times we have a group of four.  Darkspore comes with a chat window as well.  Since I am familiar with other MMO (massively multi-player online), I felt at home with the lobby and party chat.

“This screenshot was taken during the actual game play, with a party of three.  Bottom center is the action bar.  Bottom right is the squad of three.”

The game play involves a lot of mouse-clicking, which is simple enough most of the time.  Left click is to move to a spot and right click is to move and attack.  Each hero comes with a health bar and a power bar.  Abilities that consume power can be accessed through the action bar at the bottom of the screen.  The beauty of this action role playing game – in my opinion – is the option to switch heroes in the mist of the battle.  The tank can charge ahead and take the punishments from the enemies.  The damage class can focus on bringing down the enemies fast, from near or far depending on the hero’s nature.  And the healer can stay at the back making sure that the party is safe and sound.  Loots are rolled automatically as the party members walk over the items on the floor.  The currency of the game is DNA, which is useful from equipping my heroes to buying weapons and upgrading the ship and etc.  At the initial level, the game appears to be generous on the potions that refill the health and power bars.  These potions can be found as enemies or structures are taken down.

“Boss fight can be relatively intense.  But if everyone knows what they are suppose to do, it is quite trivial (thus far).”

Fortunately so far, I have grouped with players who know what they are doing.  We stayed together, switched heroes as the situation called for, and helped each other when one of us was trapped.  Range attack can be avoided, same applies to the enemies who may stand out of the line of fire or area of effect damage.  Each campaign so far involves maps of multiple stages.  Portals to the next stages are open once the obelisks are found.  Once we have completed a campaign, there is an option to collect the reward.  Or, continue to the next campaign and aim for a higher reward if we succeed, lose it all if we fail.  During this beta testing, I was only able to continue two times.  To go beyond, my ship needs to be upgraded.  I noticed that the chances of rolling a rare reward is tied to how well I have performed during the campaign.  As in what the exact formula is, I have no clue at the moment.

“This is the editor screen, whereby you can equip your heroes, or even change the color and shape of this bizarre looking bug.”

At the end of each campaign (or a series of campaigns), you can customize your heroes, from the look to what he or she (or it?) uses.  I realized after spending some time of playing the game that my heroes level up as I equip better items onto them.  How does that reconcile with the overall XP and level of my squad, I do not know.  Items can be equipped to all my active and inactive heroes.  The item stats can be overwhelming, even to the seasoned players.  I have struggled quite a bit on what should be given to which hero.  Fortunately, some items are specific to a single class.  I can imagine as I collect more heroes, managing the inventory could be quite a task.

“This is the inventory screen.  Useless items can be sold for DNA, the currency of Darkspore.  DNA can be used for upgrades.”

In Summary

Darkspore is indeed a fast action game and it seems pretty easy to play.  Those who love online hack-and-slash games would love this one.  Each campaign seems to only last 10 minutes or so (It may get more tedious later, I do not know).  In between campaigns, there are cut scenes too.  Personally I am not that immersed into the storyline, as yet.  The videos remind me of Perimeter’s, with the same monotonous narration of some alien stories.  And I am finding it difficult to relate to the heroes who look so bug-like.  I think Darkspore is one of the games whereby the more time you spend in playing, the better your arsenal of heroes will become.  This game may well be a good stop gap before Diablo III is released.

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For the Geeks

For The Love Of Singing Sunflower – Plants Vs. Zombies, The Warcraft Style

Cynthia finds it creepy.  But I happen to love the singing sunflower companion, quite possibly the best companion we see in World of Warcraft to date.  It sings random lines, musical notes flying up its head.  OK.  It is a little bit spooky.  That child like voice coming out of nowhere.  Randomly, it would sing, “La la la …” or better still, “There’s a zombie in your lawn.”  To obtain this pet, you have to complete a chain of quests (level 20+).  Fans of WoW would call this mini-game “Peacebloom vs. Ghouls”.  But really.  This mini-game draws inspiration from the popular PC game – “Plants vs. Zombies”.  I have not played PvZ.  And if you neither have, fear not.  Here is a near sure win strategy to share.

To get the quest, you should head to Hillsbrad Foothills.  To the east, south of Dalaran Crater, there is a farm.  Brazie the Botanist needs your help to defend his lawn against the zombies (or rather ghouls and various exotic undeads).  The first quest “Basic Botany” is a tutorial.  The zombies only appear in the middle row and you can plant the Spitter to take them down easily.  You need solar energy to plant flowers.  To collect solar energy, right click onto the shinning spheres.  The second quest is “Flower Power”.  You have access to Sunflower.  Sunflower increases the availability of solar energy and for this particular quest whereby zombies will only come in via the middle three rows, three to six Sunflowers should be good enough.  I like to use Freezya too.  It slows down the zombies.  The third quest “Ghouls Hate My Grains” poses some level of challenge.  You have access to Rocknut, which is the best defense you can have.  I prefer to place them on the third column from the right.  That gives me more space to place other types of plants.  I also enjoy using Strangler Vine.  Some players don’t like using it.  What Strangler Vine does is that it grabs a zombie and tosses it up in the air.  The zombie is immortalized up in midair.  And it is attacked by your plants from different rows.  The fourth quest “Someone Setup The Pumpkin Bomb” is likely the hardest of the quest chain.  The Pumpkin Bomb is useful to take down a large group of zombies, especially useful to weaken the strongest mobs.  To sustain its usage, you need two columns of Sunflower.  To make it effective, try not to throw away a bomb too early in the game.  The last quest is “Lawn of the Dead” – the ‘boss’ fight.  I personally think that this last bit is not as insane as the one before.

If you get stuck with this mini-game – I know Cynthia did – you may wish to try the following strategy.  Below is my priority list, applicable to part three to five of the quest chain.

  1. Plants three Sunflowers at the back of the lawn, before you do anything else.
  2. Plant a Rocknut on the row where the first zombie appears (and soon another one will appear).  This should buy you some time.
  3. Plant a Spitter on the row where the second zombie appears.
  4. Plant a Spitter on the row where the first zombie appears.  If your Rocknut breaks too soon, plant a Freezya to slow them down.
  5. Focus on planting two columns of Sunflowers, wherever you can.
  6. Plant a Rocknut whenever the cool down expires.  I place them on the third column from the right.  Replace the lost ones immediately.  A strong line of defense makes your game lasts.
  7. Drop a Pumpkin Bomb if situation calls for.
  8. Plant Strangle Vines behind a Rocknut if you can.  These are good front line offence.

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For the Geeks

Hands-on With Garmin-Asus A10, An Android Phone

The world seems like going Android, or so it seems looking at the recent phones that arrive at my review desk (this time from omy.sg).   Android platform does have its charm.  It is fast evolving.   Quite a number of manufacturers are designing phones based on Android platform.  The beauty of it is that Android phones are not homogeneous across different manufacturers.   Each offers a set of unique functionality.   Yet, when you switch from one Android phone to another, there is still this strong sense of familiarity.  With Google Sync, all your contacts and calendar appointments can be easily transfer from one Android phone to another – even if they are of the different brands.

I am aware of the Asus brand, because I assemble my computers and have used their PC components.   However, Garmin-Asus is new to me, as a wireless phone brand.  In this article, I am going to review on the A10 model.   A10 is elegantly designed, beautiful inside out.   It is certainly one phone I would love to be seen with (and I don’t say this often).   The strength of the A10 is the professional navigation system, both for vehicle and for pedestrian.  I have used the navigation services from various wireless phones while driving.   What A10 offers, as you will see later, is a world apart.  Its accuracy down to the speed limit of each section of the road, the listing of upcoming highway exits, and the reliable and responsive GPS system – I would have expected these functions from a profession GPS device, but not a phone.  To read more, click onto the link below.

  • Click here to continue reading the review.
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For the Geeks

4,606 Hours 46 Minutes Of Played Time In The Span Of 6 Years

Say on average, a movie lasts around two hours.  I could have watched more than 2,000 movies over six years, in addition to the many I have already watched.  Or say if I spend eight to twelve hours reading a page-turner, I could have read around 450 extra books.  Instead, I have poured my 4,606 hours into a massively online game (11 million subscribers), paid around US$1,000 over a period of six years, got lost into the void of fantasy, and then back to the real world, with some good memories to cheer about, some broken memories to cry onto.

In less than 24 hours, something cataclysmic will happen to the world that has devoured a fair bit of my time, a little bit of Cynthia’s time (relatively speaking).  The old world will be destroyed.  A new dawn is upon us.  This online game may have well been inspired by the recent movies featured with the theme of Armageddon, I do not know.  Global warming, perhaps.  Looking at the trailer, I am excited; Cynthia is excited; my buddy Mark is also excited.  My enthusiasm hits them like the rising ocean that hits the shore in this video I share, the raging sea that destroys cities (the image above is taken at Menethil Harbor a week ago, which is now flooded as cataclysm draws close).

A heavy heart, indeed I have one.  My intimate knowledge, my fond memory of the so-called old world, will all be gone shortly.  Looking back, so much has changed over the years – the social dynamic, the game mechanic, the countless improvements, and the relentless expansion of game contents – what is left in the old world may well be a form, an empty shell that is screaming for a renewal.  To that extend, I prefer the game expansion to be named “Cataclysm” instead of “World of Warcraft 2.0”.

Of the ten characters I have, the one I play the most  is the one that I have clocked in 1,515 played hours.  In the World of Warcraft, It is never too late to do something in that infinite long list of to-do’s.  So tonight, to commemorate the eve of cataclysm, I have weaved a flying carpet for my most senior character (see image below).  What is taking me so long?  Never get round to, I guess.  Too many other better things to do, for sure.

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For the Geeks

Extended Hands-on With Sony Ericsson Xperia X8

Previously, I did an article for Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro.  This time, they sent me their latest Xperia X8 wireless phone for review.  I don’t envy the wireless phone manufacturers.  To satisfy the mass market requirements – which at times contradicting to one another – must be hard.  I have my preferences.  Who doesn’t?  But as a candid reviewer, it is my job to ask around and understand the alternative perspectives and present the phone as it is.  For instance, some friends of mine prefer virtual keyboard to a physical QWERTY one.  They claim it is faster to type a message although I have my reservation.  For instance, some pick a phone based on how big the application icons appear.  And for instance, I would prefer to be able to set an alarm clock in the evening, switch off the phone, and my phone would ring in the next morning.  But some think it is not necessary and they’d rather leave the phone switched on the whole night.  One thinks it is a deal breaker if the phone does what I prefer.  To him, a phone switched off is a phone switched off.  No alarm, nothing.

After experiencing Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 for a couple of weeks, I have written an article for sharing.  For those who are looking for a one- or two-liner of what I think, Xperia X8 is a fun entry level Android smartphone with an appealingly light and small form factor.  Its decent battery life is convenience for those who are constantly on the go.

  • To continue reading, please click here.
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For the Geeks

Time To Choose A Powerful Security Suite – Norton Internet Security 2011

After installing the new Norton Internet Security 2011 into one of my computers at home, I opened up my web browser to rearrange my toolbars.  The moment I stacked one of the toolbars onto the Google toolbar, I have received a notification from Norton saying that the downloaded file is likely to be safe.  But wait.  I did not download a file, did I? It turns out that Google toolbar has behind the scene downloaded an executable.  If not for Norton, I would not have known.  Another time, I was downloading a video driver from a trusted source.  After the download is completed, I have received a warning message from Norton saying that the file may not be safe.  Very few people have downloaded and used the file, it said.  That was strange.  I went ahead and started the installation.  True enough, the file was corrupted and could not be used.  Norton knew it before I did.

You may be able to relate to this.  Every now and then, one of my friends would pop me an instant message with some suspicious links, and then go offline.  Or those emails I have received from my friends with dubious subjects.  These are the signs of accounts being hacked.  I would, of course, contact my friends by phone and ask them to do something about it.

I suppose what I am trying to share is that the threats are real and there are many things that happen behind the scene when we are connected to the Internet.  Through casual chats with my friends as well as a survey hosted in my website, I learn that all of us have had negative online experience one form or another.  And one of the greatest fear is to have our online identify stolen.  When asked how then to prevent ourselves from being the victims of the cyber-criminals, some think that having a firewall is good enough.  Or when a padlock icon that indicates a secured website is shown, it is safe (it is certainly not so, please remember that).  One told me that by avoiding to connect to the Internet unless absolutely needs to, the risk is mitigated (which is not, because the operating system and applications need to be updated regularly).  Some feel that they can judge whether or not a website is safe to open (well, even reputed websites can be hijacked).  And etc.

My question back to some of you would be: Why go through so much hassle trying to be safe?  Why not get the best protection out there to safeguard your online identity and personal digital assets?

The Facts and Data

With so many products in the market today, which one should you have?  I would recommend Norton Internet Security.  But don’t just take my word for it.  Have a look at the Passmark Consumer Antivirus Performance Benchmark (2011) dated 30 Sep 2010 and decide for yourself.

I have always enjoy attending Norton’s blogger events, hearing all the juicy stories and the behind-the-scene actions as Norton battles with the works of the cyber-criminals.  David Hall, the regional product and marketing manager from Norton was present in the event.  And I have always admired his enthusiasm and he being able to talk for hours and hours in the topic of cyber-protection.  This time, he brought along a briefcase full of credit cards acquired in one of the illegal underground circles in Europe.  You will be amazed by how easy and cheap to buy a credit cards of stolen identities, he said to us with a huge grin.  In Singapore, the top 5 cyber-crimes are: computer viruses or malware, online scams, phishing, social network profile hacking, and online credit card fraud.  71% of Singaporeans do not expect cyber-criminals to be brought to justice.  It takes an average of 24 days to resolve a cyber-crime and the costs on overage is S$1,660.  It is up to us to change this.  Get ourselves protected is one.  Report to authority is another.

Norton Internet Security 2011

If you are an active subscriber for the 2010 version, all you need to do is to right click onto the Norton icon on your system track, and select “Check for New Version”.  You should be able to update to the new 2011 version free.

So, what are the differences between the 2010 and 2011 version?  To be totally honest with you, I have computers that run on different editions of Internet Security, 360, and Gaming Edition so much so that I got a little bit disoriented on the subtle differences.  The 2011 version still progressively scans my computer when I am away from keyboard, still receives pulse updates constantly behind the scene, and checks the files against a reputation mechanism built by the Norton community (see below).  It still consumes very little computing power and when I run my games, Norton enters into silence mode.

What I do find therapeutic to look at is the new world map that blinks (see below for a cropped screenshot).  When I click onto a region in the map, a ticker appears underneath to show live data on the number of threats blocked by Norton.  I can also switch the ticker into the detail mode and look at those strangely named viruses and malwares.  This world map is so wonderful that next time when I get to meet David Hall, I would suggest to have it expanded into a full screen to see all the actions in glory.  They should have Norton TV too, as part of the awareness program.

Additional Useful FREE Tools

OK.  If you have read this far, you deserve to have some rewards.  During the blogger event, David Hall has shared with us some of the free tools out there for the online community.  And here they are for sharing.

  1. Norton Power Eraser – If you think that you (or one of your friends) have become a victim of a cyber-crime and the security suite of your choice is not able to remove it, you can download the Norton Power Eraser from here.  It will help you to solve the problem.  This is a reactive measure.  I still recommend you to have a good protection all the time.
  2. Norton Safe Web (for Facebook) – If you are a Facebook user, it is worthwhile to install this application.  What it does is to scan all the links posted by your friends on your wall and news feed and protect you from accidentally clicking onto any unsafe sites.  You can enable auto-scan too.  I do just that.  You can search for this application within Facebook.
  3. Norton DNS – If you wish to protect your home network at the router level, you may consider using the Norton DNS.  Although I have two computers at home, I have a lot more home devices that are connected to the Internet.  What Norton DNS does is to protect all the home devices.  You may download the tool from here.  There is a FAQ section to answer your queries.

As always, drop me a comment here if you have any question.  I am happy to help.

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For the Geeks I See I Write

Nokia N8 – A Promising First Look

Some of you have asked if I have had the opportunity to touch and feel the upcoming Noka N8.  I would have, had I not missed the last few Nokia blogger events.  Some personal commitments still take priority.  And thanks to your inquiries, I have gathered enough courage to give Text100 a ring to see if a demo can be arranged with the Nokia team.  This post is a brief write-up based on my hands on experience with a Nokia N8.  There will be a follow-up article after I have received the review unit, within this week or so.

Before you continue reading this post, I would like to share a stop-motion animation video with you, shot on a Nokia N8 by Sumo Science at Aardman.  I was skeptical initially because there are many mobile or handheld recording devices that claim to produce amazing video quality.  But this one is special.  On top of that, it is an entertaining short clip.  Watch it on HD if you can.

N8 comes with a new design.  Slimmer, as you can see.  The casing is made of high quality aluminium.  During the demo, the Nokia product manager took out his keys and made some insane scratches onto the phone.  My heart sank as I saw the scratch marks.  And then he used his hand to rub them off.  The phone was good as new.  I probably would not try that on my phones.  But I think the point is made.  Onto the glass surface, I am told that N8 uses gorilla glass – something of a higher spec.  Fortunately, he did not smash the phone in order to show me how durable it is.  Nothing that dramatic.  I am willing to take his words for it.

The crown jewel of the N8, perhaps is the high quality camera, the vibrant screen display, and the HD capability.  The lens is Carl Zeiss Tessar optics with a xenon flash.  The sensor is 12 megapixels.  Video capturing up to HD 720p.  I have seen some of the scenic photos on the Nokia product manager’s personal phone and the details look promising, even when zoomed in.  I love the new and slick photo browser.  I was tempted to ask him to show me photos of those girls he took in a party but I resisted.  Not too professional eh?  Back to the phone, image quality does come with a trade-off on the overall design.  The lens mounting area at the back does not appear to flow with the overall slim design of the phone as the package requires a certain minimal thickness.  However, if the phone does capture images as good as those I have seen (and videos like the one showcased above), I can happily live with that.

New to the Nokia suite of phones is the USB on the go.  It is one nifty functionality.  There is a dongle provided to connect the N8 to a USB thumb drive, even to another phone for data transfer.  Taking about connectivity, there is another dongle that connects the N8 to a flat panel TV via HDMI cable for HD video playback of a good range of formats.  The N8 plays Web TV too.  Installed with the phone are some of the more popular channels such as CNN, National Geography, and E! Entertainment.  There are local channels like Channel News Asia.  If Cynthia gets to read this, she would likely to further monopolize our home TV to watch YouTube and web TV online via the phone on our TV.  Nightmare!

Nokia N8 is powered by the new Symbian^3 operating system.  The phone supports the popular “pinch-to-zoom” function like other mobile and laptop devices these days.  There are three home screens, each comes with 6 widgets.  The capacitive touch (by heat) seems OK in terms of responsiveness.  Probably need a bit of getting used to.  It is precise enough to recognize the Chinese character input by strokes.  Rotating the phone seems responsive in switching between landscape and portrait modes.  There is auto-switching between a full size virtual keyboard and a virtual traditional phone pad depending on orientation.  Nokia N8 comes with the free OVI Maps too.  I have always enjoy using their free navigation service.  Note that Nokia N8’s battery is now concealed by the casing.  Whether this is a wise move or not, perhaps too early to say (so long as I don’t need to pull out the battery to switch off the phone should it hangs due to unstable apps that I install, I am OK with that because batteries these days last).  5 colors are available here in Singapore.  They are dark grey, silver white, green, blue, and orange.

Nokia N8 is now available for pre-order in Singapore. If you have queries, write to me or drop me a comment here.  To pre-order, you can visit the SingTel site at www.singtel.com/n8 or the Nokia pre-order site at www.nokia.com.sg/n8 and click on the “pre-order” tab.

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For the Geeks

Flip Video – A Video Recording And Sharing Device That Fits Into Your Pocket

It is a coincidence that most of my recent entries are technology related.  I promise I will go back to my write-ups on outer-V and mascara, eyeliner and angled brush in no time.

One evening, I have attended a blogger event hosted by Cisco in one of the restaurants at Vivocity.  Centered to this event is a new video recording and sharing device called “Flip Video”.  Do I take videos?  Of course I do.  I have a camcorder that takes video during my holiday trips.  I have a digital camera that takes video during some of my oil painting and music playing sessions.  I have a mobile phone that takes and shares video on the go.  So, how would a “Flip Video” fit into the picture?

“Flip Video” is tiny, simple to use.  In fact, the moment I got hold of the test device, I was taking video straight the way.  Each device can take up to 2 hours worth of video in 1280 x 720 resolution (30 frames per second), which is more or less how long the battery would last as I was told.  There is an HDMI jack for you to output to your television.  And it can be plugged directly into a computer via USB without the need of a cable.  Once the device is plugged into a PC or Mac, as I have seen at the demo booth, uploading video clips for online sharing is a breeze.  There is a software called FlipShare that converts the clips into an optimal form and size and uploads the clips directly to Facebook, YouTube, or MySpace with just a few clicks.  If you are concerned about privacy, there is a FlipShare website for you to share your videos privately with your friends and family.  You can perform some basic editing within the application as well.  Sounds good so far?

I have given some thoughts on what I would use it for.  “Flip Video” does not replace a camcorder or even a digital camera if video quality is what I am going after.  But it is tiny and can be carried around quite easily.  Comparing the output from “Flip Video” with the same video clip I took using my Nokia N900, the color does not seem to be as vibrant and the picture does not seem to be as sharp (perhaps due to the lens quality?).  Having said that, the skin tone taken by the “Flip Video” appears to be more natural and if HD format means something to you, “Flip Video” recording comes with a decent resolution and frame rate.

One interesting point to note is that you can mount the “Flip Video” onto a tripod, or any mounting devices (one looks like a spider).  That is something – as far as I know – none of the mobile devices can do.  Use your imagination and it can be pretty handy.  You could mount the “Flip Video” onto the handlebar of your mountain bike and document those wonderful and humanly impossible maneuvers for sharing because no one can understand or visualize what you are raving about (yes, Robert, I am talking to you!).  You could mount the “Flip Video” onto the spoiler of your car and pretend that you are a F1 driver on ESPN sport channel.  You could self-directing your, erm, home movie at ease because you can mount the “Flip Video”onto a tripod and no longer need to creatively look out for where to put your mobile phone.

And etc.

“Flip Video” is made by Cisco and is selling at S$349.  What do you think?  Is it something you would want to carry with you?  What type of video would you shoot with it?

Categories
For the Geeks

Starcraft II Local Retail Copy S$109 Vs US Digital Download US$59.99

Take today’s exchange rate as an example.  1 US dollar is just below 1.36 Singapore dollar.  You can do the maths and work out how much more gamers in Singapore are paying for a local copy of Starcraft II (35% extra).  I have pre-downloaded my US version directly days before the game was launched and have paid US$59.99 this morning instead of S$109.  And this is the first installment out of three.  No way I am going to get ripped off three times in a row.

Are you?

Note: You must select the US version before you begin the download. See screenshots at below.

When I first log into us.battle.net, my region is always being default to Asia. You can change it to US North America (note: Do not visit the SEA Battle.net website).

As you can see, although I am from Asia, I own a US copy.

When I first heard that Starcraft II costs S$109, I said no way.  It is selling at Amazon.com for US$59.99 (S$81).  That is a rip off.  Besides, no PC games cost that much so far in Singapore.  There is indeed another way.  Days before the July 27 launch, Starcraft II was opened for pre-download directly from Blizzard’s online store.  It took me around 7 hours to download the 7 GB game client via SingTel broadband (one reported that it would take 72 days on a StarHub network).  Blizzard has kept mummed on the price of the digital copy prior to the launch.  After the digital copy was launched on July 27 (10 am PDT), I have purchased the game key at US$59.99.

I suppose there are pros and cons of not getting a local copy.  Here is a laundry list for your consideration.

  • Digital copy does not come with a box.  I am OK not to have a box.  It takes up space and I am used to purchasing digital copies online via Steam.  If I was willing to pay more for a box, I would have imported the Collector’s Edition instead.  Besides, I am reducing the carbon footprint of PC gaming.  Good, yes?
  • US digital copy only allows you to play with the gamers within North America.  And I suppose there is a higher latency compares to logging directly onto the Singapore server.  As for me, I seldom choose the multi-player option.  I buy Starcraft II for the campaigns.  If I do want to experience playing with others, I still can.  And if I want to play with someone who has bought the Southeast Asia version, I still can.  It is because SEA gamers, as of now, are allowed to log into the US server (but not the other way round).  Why would I want to pay extra?
  • Some say support the local industry and give IAHGames the support.  I remember how they screwed up the hosting of Hellgate:London couple of years ago.  Be it as their fault or not, gamers don’t forget.  I still have the bitter taste.  If the local copy of Starcraft II was to cost the same as in America, I would not mind getting one.  Paying so much more to support a company that has failed me before?  I think not.  Some say we should be glad that Blizzard Entertainment has set up an office in Singapore and helped training the folks in IAHGames.  I have played Blizzard’s World of Warcraft on a US server for years with zero local support.  Besides the Tuesday server maintenance that happens during our prime time, I have no complain.  Donating money to IAHGames?  I think not.  But if they manage to build up a good reputation through the hosting of Battle.Net, I may re-evaluate the situation when Diablo III comes.

If you are still uncertain if Starcraft II is for you, read the game review here as I have completed the game.  Meanwhile, here is a fantastic trailer.  See it for yourself.

Categories
For the Geeks Game Reviews

God Of War III – “You Are Dead”

Picture this.  I would be siting on the sofa manhandling my gaming controller with such vengeance and ferocity; Cynthia would be siting on the floor reading newspapers or doing her own thing.  Often when she looked at our plasma television, she would see the words in font size one million that said: You are dead.  Cynthia would look at me in puzzlement, on every occasion, and asked, “What kind of god are you?  You are dead again.”  Soon, query became mockery.  Too bad.  Cynthia was not at home when I smashed Zeus’s face until my plasma television was literally painted in blood.  What a vindication it would have been.

I was Kratos – a Spartan, a protagonist, and a demigod.  It just happens that I suck at action and platform type of game.  But with such a highly acclaiming rating, as a proud owner of a Sony PS3, I have got to give “God of War 3” a try.

The Story

Some say “God of War 3” has a story.  I am not so sure about that.  “Final Fantasy” has a story; “Heavy Rain” has a story; as for “God of War 3”, the story is merely taking down one god or titan after another till you face Zeus.  I have not played the previous installments and am a bit lost as the story develops.  I suppose this game would mean a lot more to those who know who is who and what is what.  Cut scenes are short and minimal (which could appeal to the mass public?) except the last set of cut scenes, which manage to tell a rather moving story.  But I was not attached to the characters.  I wanted to cry but I couldn’t.

Maybe “God of War 3” does have a good storyline, as an action game.  It does prompt me to research into Greek Mythology.  It is a typical story of a demigod against the titans and the gods of Olympus.  It is a journey from the Mount Olympus to Hell and back to Mount Olympus.  It can be epic, seeing from that angle.

The Sex

Sex sells.  And the sex episode in “God of War 3” could easily be the most artistically done, exceeding the “Mass Effect” or “Dragon Age” franchises.  Aphrodite – the goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality – is beautifully rendered.  The action requires ‘participation’ using the game controller, which if your timing and accuracy is off, you could screw up the scene.  The Smith God – Hephaestus – who has fallen from the grace of Olympus, who is the husband of Aphrodite and creator of Pandora’s Box and Pandora herself, as the story goes, unable to be with Aphrodite.  That is why the goddess has to pleasure herself with two chamber maids.  And that is why you – Kratos – come into the picture.

The best part is, you can do it as many times as you like.

The Action

Broadly speaking, there are three kinds of action.  Fighting against the humongous titans is insanely epic.  That involves quick thinking and good timing of special moves as prompted on screen.  Fighting against the bosses and special enemies is insanely frustrating.  This got me thinking.  Game designers could either repeat the similar encounters many times throughout the game (like “Final Fantasy” or “Dragon Age”) or create unique and difficult encounters that require some gamers to keep trying.  The third kind of action tests gamers’ reaction time and precision in executing platform type of maneuver.  Such as flying through a tunnel full of obstacles that have to be avoided.  The tolerance of error can be so low that it can be equally frustrating.

Fortunately, there are plenty of save points.  And there are plenty of auto-saves.  The game play is about 15 to 20 hours.  I have seen “You Are Dead” for close to 300 times at God level (average difficulty).  Yes, I am an idiot.

The Puzzle and Treasure

Most of the puzzles are straightforward.  Some can be pretty hard.  All the jumping and puzzle solving reminds me of “Tomb Raider”.  There are items to be collected within the game to upgrade Kratos’s ability.  Some require venturing a little bit out of the main path or line of sight.  Some require a special technique to retrieve their locations.  Some are rewarded as and when puzzles are solved.

Wait a Minute, This Game Reminds Me Of …

This game reminds me of “Tomb Raider”, “Portal”, and “Guitar Hero”.  “God Of War 3″ only has one main quest.  The weapon and item acquisition path is fixed by the storyline.  There is only one way to solve any given puzzle, with the same set of rewards.  Not that I am complaining.  Does it mean that “God of War 3” is linear?  (On the record, I am OK with linear games, whatever linear means.)

Most Memorable Moment?

Graphically, the game is pretty stunning (running at 720p) and the battle scenes are bloody and epic in scale.  The cut scene and the environment is still not as beautiful as “Final Fantasy” but I reckon it is better than many games out there.  The most memorable moment of the game, for me, is when Kratos teams up with Pandora.  I felt less ‘solo’ and more with a ‘purpose’.  Too bad, that moment is relatively short.  The entire game seems relatively short (between 15 to 20 hours).  Perhaps that is the norm for this genre?