App Store Frenzy!

I'm totally cheap, especially when it comes to the app store. Why buy when you can get the knock-off for free? But tomorrow I'm flying across the country (gulp) with a layover (groan) so I'm downloading every RPG that catches my fancy for my iPhone. I spent about $30.

Expect reviews next week of:
Final Fantasy 1
Inotia 2: A Wanderer of Luone
HYBRID: Eternal Whisper
Blade Madster: prelude to destruction demo
Song Summoner demo
(fighting game) Ninja Assassin

I'm so excited! i hate FPS on iPhone which is the only games I've payed for so far, and I felt gyped. But I dont need 50 buttons and a thumbstick for an RPG, gosh! Thats mostly menu systems and directional movement. It never occured to me until today when I was looking into Inotia that I could RPG out, from the sky!

BUY THIS GAME OR THE PUPPY GETS IT!111

yes

Dreams of Future Past

Remember Dreamcast? I was reminiscing about Shenmue today and came across this discussion online about it.

http://games.ign.com/articles/102/1023747p1.html

it's the mundane moments that gave Shenmue its poetry, whether it was an early morning stroll to Dobuita's arcade or an afternoon wasted on the streets of Hong Kong manning a Lucky Strike store.

I dug it, but it was one of the first keep-asking-townsfolk-until-you-unlock-the-next-bit games I played, and I enjoy that dynamic although I didn't unlock a ton of the game. Also it was a realtime game years before Animal Crossing. I found it compelling. I wasn't expecting a point, just wandering around going, ooh.

Clay felt more the way about it that IGN does, he was excited for its potential and let down by the lack of point or action in the game.

Regardless it has me remembering that Sony was once totally awesome. I am coming around to the fact I may have to cough up some money for a PS3 at some point but I honestly don't know where I'd put it in this giant pile of games and consoles :b

No Pun Intended?

How Not To Market to Girl Gamers as seen in Game Informer Magazine :b

Thank you

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_235/6978-Vaginophobia

According to the ESA, 40% of people playing games are women. There are almost twice as many women over the age of eighteen who play games than there are boys under the age of seventeen. And yet only one in every ten game developers is a woman, while the ranks of videogame journalists skew heavily male, as does the audience that reads their work.

That's what keeps eating at me, especially at coventions like Casual Connect, where hundreds of males gather to figure out What Women Want. Come on people, just pay a woman for her opinion already. Do some A/B testing and some dialogue. Pay some average ladies to hang out (booth babes don't count!) and my guess is it will look more female-friendly and a few more will start hanging out for free.

It is like pulling teeth around here.

Of course there's a second question which is, why do we have to pay women to hang out when there are thousands of dudes willing to stab someone for the chance. Why do women shy away from game development when these positions are held in the greatest esteem by fans worldwide? I'm getting into it with some friends of mine and may post more soon.

Game Developers Lose Their Shit Over Zynga

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/27754/Opinion_Fear_and_Loathing_in_Farmville.php

Really? You think it's just now getting to be about money over the joy of the game? REALLY????

Sigh, must be nice.

Wow

Goodbye World

I just got "Dragon Age Origins: Awakenings!!!"

Should I play Cobweb, my awesome dwarf I played through the first DAO that couldn't get laid by anyone but the milquetoast healer? Or try for a human woman who I hear gets the most action? I know, you say, that shouldn't matter, but hey I want to feel like my character is at least as good at getting play as my friends characters. Another problem I had was that I gave all my gifts away early to the wrong people...this time I'm saving them for the ladies/fellows.

So yeah, I think I'm gonna port in Cobweb but try a human character too, anyways if I play on my new HD with a new character I keep all the Gamer Points ;) WHEEEE MOAR DRAGONAGE!

Pipin' Hot New Podcast - Get it while it's Fresh!

FOGcast episode: 003 is live! Get yours at http://fogcast.libsyn.com/ or subscribe for free on iTunes at http://bit.ly/fogcast

Oh yeah! This FOGcast is all about games slated to drop in 2010! Join Tatiana, Brooks, Ed & Greg as they look towards the future to try and see how many licks it takes to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop.

The Zen of Farmville - Your Electric Bonsai

My buddy Ed sent me a link to a funny Kotaku Article about Farmville...it made me laugh, especially the author's description of his farm being a 'pathetic fallacy' (Much like growing plants, it takes a few months to get pimpin...you must bend like the Tall Grass...). Also, until today I'd never read the 'rules' to Farmville, much less the Zynga-reccomended Way.

Well I was aghast. If you play the way the rules would follow to the end of a singular logic chain, I guess you would just want more money and a bigger farm. But that would be the lamest game ever! Gah! No wonder people who are used to the logical rules of a traditional video game don't like it. This is a free for all.

Check out my farm, yo. It's my little country home away from home. I have a ton of decor in storage or sold away because I'm very picky. I also have far less plowed area than I could, because jesus who has time for that? I'd rather jump in my hot rod tractor and plow some corn quickly, then get back to treasure inventory and management. You'll note my gorgeous pink-themed topiary garden, just like the topiary garden I've always dreamed of playing in in real life (probably watched The Shining too often).

You want to keep a Farm that you WANT to come back to every day - a self-sustaining fun farm, not another job. A few weeks back I sold off each but three or four of every tree and animal I had (save for single clicks like my dairy full of cows). Do feel free to run through my topiary maze, I even have a snow blanket I can put over everything to make it more Shining-Like.

Survival of the Fittest

I run a lean, sleek social games bookmark folder. Gone are the days when I dallied with fish, ranches, and flowers - bah! Many of those games quickly run out of rewards or interest within a matter of days or weeks, including many previously touted titles. Here's what's survived all these months...what I would reccomend to you today.

Restaurant Ciitay! (does Restaurant City song & dance) I love this game! My magical restaurant is more mind bogglingly awesome than ever, I've got a love potion, bacon orb and rainbow soup on my menu, I'm starting to reach a good propulsion of levelling up since (glory be!) they made the game easier (more possible to get inredients/'money' for free).

Ponzi just barrrrely made this list! They have failed me. Every time I try to log in I have to replay all my actions over and over and it never saves my play. Argh, damn you Ponzi! But I recently saw an update on FB that said they'd upgraded their servers sooo, I'm willing to try again.

SuperPocus! Oh I bought some Mushroom Shelves for my cauldrons yesterday, they're delightful. Everything in this game makes me squee with glee. I could use more 'friends' for earning money but I kind of like being a lone kitttah magician going to spell university.

Fairyland is still pretty cute b/c the flowers turn into musical notes or something totally WTF funny. Same with Enchanted Island.

Cafe World is really hanging in there with its click-fun food action. The food is amusing and delicious looking and the game is very easy to maintain dropping in every few days.

Country Story rocks! Now that they've made it easier I can grow tree spirits and use them to buy gorgeous awesome magical trees. Man if only they'd let ME make a social game...there would be so many magic trees!

I broke down and added four more strangers to my FB so I could go to the next area of 'The Summoning' as all 500 something of my 'friends' refuse to play that game despite my repetitve begging. FINE. The good news is, people who are so h/c that they will post on the very public Summoning feed "ADD ME joesmith@yahoo.com" (I actually tend to only add girls, I guess I feel safer) tend to play a LOT of other social games. Bam, a new 'friend' in 5 other games too!

Country Story and Sky City are the two most bass-ackwards farm games you could imagine, and yet the higher levels involve buying factories to process the vegetables you grow. This extra level of captialism totally keeps me coming back.

Speaking of Farms, I'm still digging Farmville - ingenius ways to continuously make you NEED gifts or else spend your real money. I saw one of my new Summoning 'friends' BEGGING in my FB Friends Feed for clinging vines and roof tiles so she could finish her Farmville Mansion. Okay she was bargaining, or a bit of both. I didn't send her anything b/c I'm too lazy to send gifts these days...but if she was some old buddy I loved I probably would have heeded her plea.

Why, WiiWare, Why?

It could be SO CUTE. It could be slathered in goombas. But no, instead when we dusted off ye olde Wii to play No More Heroes 2, and we jumped on to WiiWare (Wii's online content space for DS Downloads, Demos, Wii Downloads, etc) eagerly awaiting a dynamic, possibly adorable, certainly at least Wii-level interface, we were sorely dissapointed. It's nigh impossible to navigate and the interface looks like horrific state of boring cooked up in the movie "Berlin." Seriously Wii, you can't update your online interface to something other than 2001's Photoshop Hit Effect AQUA? I know it's hard to have the interface backup of Microsoft or Sony, but oh wait no it's not...you're Nintendo, you've been rocking interfaces for years. The Wii itself has a delightful interface but their dynamic online content is totally neglected/outdated? Lame! Who went on vacation and never came back?

The thrilling news was I could buy Final Fantasy IV (II in the US, IV in Japan) The Later Years - a sequel with the most famous FF characters of all time, and the graphics are SuperNES graphics. I'm downloading it now...I'll let you know more soon! (I never played FF IV, but I always wondered...now I see it looks pretty awesome!)

But then the tragic twist is that when purchasing time came, the 'cancel' button came on the final page exactly where there 'ok' button was the past 10 screens. Needless to say we prevailed and soon I'll be double fisting Final Fantasy (I'm playing FF XIII for XBox 360 right now, but you'll have to listen to next weeks podcast if you want to know what I think!)

Into Every Gamers Life a Little Dice Must Fall

A Little Bioshock Humor

From the April Fool's "GameInformer" magazine insert.

While we're at it, this song came on our XBox while I was playing Bioshock 2. Why didn't they have this in the Soundtrack?

What Greg Said

fansofgames tweeted: Guess What? New #FOGcast! Snag your copy before they're gone... http://fogcast.libsyn.com/ or #iTunes subscribers: http://bit.ly/fogcast

Yeah! This episode is extra kickass because we are getting into the groove. Also the 4 of us are playing L4D2 on XBLA and forming a tighter team. Who says you can't mix business with pleasure?

Hey there! This week we talk about the new Modern Warfare between Infinity Ward & Activision, and we talk about the struggle with ZOMBIES!! Why can't they find peace & love?? How can it get any better than 4-Player L4D2 CoOp? Also, crappy DRM = UbiSoft...

While we're on the subject, two of our industry movers and shakers, Brooks and Greg, burst through the spoiler veil to bring you their uncensored thoughts on Heavy Rain. Prepare to be spoiled!

Fireside Chatcast: Episode #001 - Heavy Rain *No Holds Barred*

Attention! Spoiler Alert!! Brooks & Greg revisit Heavy Rain to discuss in depth the characters and storyline. Enjoy the first of many Fireside Chats from team FOGcast.

Ya Dominion!

It is official - we have a new darling tabletop game: Dominion. We have now played 6+ games (3 player), and we are all eager to play more.

In short, it is a CCG without the collecting. In the base game you have 25 types of 'kingdom' card from which you select a set of 10. These 10 card types, along with money card, and victory card, give you 16 or 17 different types of card. There are at least 10 of each card type, giving you a 'supply' of +150 cards. You start with 10 cards (7 money and 3 victory). During play you buy more cards, and when your deck is exhausted, you recycle from your discard pile. So you build up your hand as you play.

The nice things about this are the re-playability, since you select 10 of 25 cards in each game. There are also pretty clear strategies that change from early to mid to late game. We are still coming up with both strategies and card sets.

There are several suggested card sets in the rules, and a method of randomly selecting card sets. We've also played with a card set of our own design. Lots of good possibilities in designing card sets, and theorizing on strategy.

Boardgamegeek is, as usual, completely out of control when it comes to this game. Going through the forums and files I've found iPhone apps, various other apps and utilities, as well as simulators to test card sets and play strategies. Much fun.

The only down side is that there is a lot to remember (each of the 10 kingdom cards has special rules), so it is not an appropriate game for little ones. :(

Thank god a bunch of men have figured out what I want, despite what I actually want

Not to break this down into something so simple as Mars vs. Venus, buuut. I'm getting pretty annoyed at the talk I'm heaing from GDC, combined with having just read that Cracked article, about 'responsible' game design. What if I DON'T WANT to learn every second of every day? What if I want a video game where I get to unwind and drool on myself a little? Get pulled in by e-gambling where I lose nothing but my own free time?

Should games come with lowbrow-psychology warnings?

Should certain MMOs and Social Games be banned like High Fructose Corn Syrup and Heroin?

Do the industry bigwigs and (let's be realistic) big groups of men know what's best for me over my own desires? Lord knows they've always thought so!


I get so irritated when someone thinks they know what's best for me, when they have no frakking idea what I want. HIRE A BUNCH OF WOMEN, game industy, and then we'll market to OURSELVES. Computer Engineer Barbie will not be invited.

edit: talking about this rant w/ my buddy, I realize this post is guilty of reverse sexism. But for the record, now that we have tons of women playing games, I think it just makes sense that women be hired to design, illustrate, distribute and merchandise more games. I'm not asking for a complete takeover, just 50-50.

Inside The Minds Of Girl Gamers

Is it my preemptive penchant for Gawker and Jezebel in particular that makes their girl-gamer articles the only ones I find enlightening istead of enraging? Regardless, this article got me thinking.

Here's just a few stats based on their study: Women play online more than men (55% vs. 45%). Women play more frequently (and differently) than men. A majority of women gamers like to play on their own (83%). Many women say they play to compete against other people (47%). They made 7 game-related buys in the past year.

They also put women into several separate categories: immersives, competitors, bonders, dabblers and minders. One web supervisor at a university, described as an "immersive," says she can "play forever" and likes games like Left 4 Dead and God of War. Other women gamers, like bonders, love getting physical when gaming, and see it as a great way to connect with their family.

http://jezebel.com/5490199/inside-the-minds-of-girl-gamers

the cute has gone completely out of control

http://kotaku.com/5489123/adorable-voltron-try-adorable-predator-bumblebee-yoshimitsu/gallery/

So, who's down for maladjusting their children??? I will help sew!

Mining for Mind Diamonds

Super thought provoking article. As a lifetime hoarder and collector of shiny things, I keep thinking, "But I want to be played!" Then again, maybe MMOs are sneakier than Facebook, who hits you with a marketing 2x4 of BUY THIS GAME OR THE PUPPY GETS IT!

http://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5-creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-get-you-addicted.html

People scoff at this idea all the time ("You spent all that time working for a sword that doesn't even exist?") and those people are stupid. If it takes time, effort and skill to obtain an item, that item has value, whether it's made of diamonds, binary code or beef jerky.

This is what most of us don't get in everyday life--quick, tangible rewards. It's less about instant gratification and more about a freaking sense of accomplishment. How much harder would we work at the office if we got this, and could measure our progress toward it? And if the light shot from our crotch?

Hey iPhoners!

Or, iTuners, I should say!
Don't take my word for it, listen to our 'Fans of Games' podcast at the OFFICIAL ITUNES STORE! bit.ly/fogcast

LOL PWND

Check out my new "Smoochify Hex" I used on my buddy in the FB Social Game, "SuperPocus." I am laughed so hard!

Fans of Games Podcast (FOGcast) - Episode 001

FOGcast: Episode #001 - Heavy Rain, Decisions in Games, Toubles with Trades, and DICE in a Nut Schell
Join Tatiana, Brooks and Greg w/ special guest Ed, as they discuss Heavy Rain for the PS3 and the impact of decision making. Also, they cover how publishers are trying to keep games in your hands and the future of toothpaste as foretold at the DICE Conference. Please check out this weeks FOGcast at bit.ly/fogcast  or search for 'fans of games' on iTunes.

FOGcast bit.ly/fogcast

Facebook FOG page http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Fans-of-Games/354720476809?ref=nf

FOG on Twitter http://twitter.com/fansofgames

Polar Bear Payback

Polar Bear Payback - Free Online Game From Adult Swim
You're a polar bear out to stop global warming through mutilation.

Check out this sweet game my friend Eric Leuschner produced. Don't forget to share it and rate it highly ;) Then play the game some more because it's awesome!

pictures for sad children

Well all I wanna do right now is gush about Left4Dead 2, but that's all podcast fodder. Instead I will leave you with this fine comic my brother linked me to:

http://www.picturesforsadchildren.com/index.php?comicID=315

awwwwwww!

FOGcast - new Podcast!

FOGcast: Episode #000 - Pilotcast featuring BioShock 2 & Resident Evil 5 DLC 'Lost in Nightmares'

Join Tatiana, Brooks & Greg as they discuss bit.ly/fogcast BioShock 2 & Resident Evil 5 'Lost in Nightmares'. Beware this episode contains spoilers for BioShock 2 towards the end of the podcast.

Farmville Game Bar

Now this is pure frakking genius.

It's also the beginning of the end. Will Zynga be our new Google? I for one welcome our casual game overlords.

SuperPocus

Oh no a new game has me hooked! This one is pretty slow to load, but oh my, THE CUTE!!! Superpocus is TOO adorable, you are a cute lil animal learning spells, hexes, charms, etc. You cook in your cauldron and visit friends to curse or charm them - curses include giving them a moustache and making them moonwalk. In the clothing store I bought my kitty a mushroom wand and mushroom deelyboppers.

I die of cuuute! Come be my friend!!

Dante's Inferno

I didn't get too far in this game yet but I like it so far...it reminded me a lot of the Devil May Cry series. The faster you mash your buttons (admittedly I was on easy) the faster you can brutally slay people with your awesome, heavy metal weapons and powers as you plummet through the levels of hell looking for your whiny girlfriend.

In fact it occured to me as I played that THIS is was Brutal Legend wished it was - the REAL heavy metal album cover. This is the Sabbath to Brutal Legend's Spinal Tap. They're both great, but come on...one is SERIOUS BUSINESS!

It's no secret

That I really, really love Restaurant City, probably my most often played FB Social Game - certainly the one that gives me the highest satisfaction levels.

Imagine my delight to discover they've tweaked some of the annoying parts of the game, are now giving away more free 'money,' and are polling players for input - hence more upgrades.

Is WOW like this? What about other online games? Or is this unique to social games, the constant feedback and changing of gameplay per consumer opinion?

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7DKN2GL