Category: Gaming

11May

Testing video games makes it so much harder to enjoy them

Posted in Gaming, PlayStation, X-Box 360 | Leave a comment

The views expressed in this blog entry reflect my own opinion and no one else’s.

So since last September I have been working as a video game tester, first focusing on Level Design , Gameplay and Multiplayer testing and later a combination of several areas with a focus on artificial intelligence.

The experience has proven invaluable and I’ve had enjoyed contributing and working with some amazingly talented people in the video game industry, but at the same time I feel like I can no longer enjoy games as I did before. Now whenever I do play games on console or handhelds (like the Vita) I will always notice some of those same issues I would come across in my work as a tester, but the funny thing is how often I will come across one specific bug, the dreaded LOD pop (or level of detail pop).

For those unfamiliar with the term LOD pop it refers to the level of detail on some textures of objects (in a game) appearing to change as you move towards and away from the object, giving the effect as though it is popping, thus the name. I’ve come across this issue in all sorts of games ranging from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 on the X-Box 360 to Valkyria Chronciles on the PS3 to even its sequel Valkyria Chronicles 2 on the PSP.

It sort of gets annoying after a while since I can’t help noticing the issue and thinking to myself how could the developers have not fixed this, how could they ship a game with such bugs present? Then I remind myself that at the end of the day they at least got the important bugs fixed.

08Dec

Losing track of time, one game at a time

Posted in Gaming | 2 Comments

I’ve been playing Disgaea 4 as of late after working out a little and got so into it that I forgot what time it is (it’s 2 AM), I totally lost track of time and wonder where the last 2 and a half hours went. It really felt like I had just turned on the game and played a little bit before it hit 2 AM.

What games have any of you dear readers played that you just totally lost yourself into and totally lost track of time?

12May

The Principality of Gallia!

Posted in Gaming, PlayStation, RPG | Leave a comment

The Principality of Gallia

A blog dedicated to Valkyria Chronicles, known as Senjou no Valkyria in Japan, a tactical RPG for the PS3, and its sequels, VC2 and VC3, both on the PSP. Needless to say, all of the subject matter of the posts here is Valkyria Chronicles-related, and therefore the characters, locales, music, in short, everything belongs to SEGA.

Pretty neat site, the focus is on sharing some fan and official art work from the franchise.

 

25Apr

Valkyria Chronicles: Europan War

Posted in PlayStation, RPG | Leave a comment

The First Europan War was caused by friction between the Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance and the Federation over Ragnite resources.

The Industrial Revolution of the 18th Century led to skyrocketing demand for ragnite, pitting Europa’s twin giants in a race for resources. When the crown prince of the Empire was assassinated at the start of the 20th Century, tensions spiraled into an all-out war. Though the Imperial force employed a corps of newly developed tanks, hostilities soon became bogged down in fruitless trench warfare, and the two exhausted powers ultimately signed a cease-fire agreement.

During the war, Gallia’s military, led by General Belgen Gunther’s tank corps, foiled an Imperial invasion attempt.

Interesting premise that could easily be expanded upon.

Despite my recent article I am still surprised that the developers and writers went with a civil war story line for Valkyria Chronicles 2 and returned to the previous Europan War II conflict in Valkyria Chronicles 3 rather than examine conflicts that led to the second Europan War.

Source: http://valkyria.wikia.com/wiki/EW1

 

16Apr

The Conundrum of Valkyria Chronicles 3 and Ace Attorney Investigations 2

Posted in Gaming, Nintendo, RPG | 2 Comments

Ace Attorney Investigations 2 for the Nintendo DS

Valkyria Chronicles 3's PSP case gives off a gritty feeling to it

So what’s the difference between Sega’s Valkyria Chronicles 3 and Capcom’s Ace Attorney Investigations 2?

If you’re an English speaking fan of either franchise then there might be very little difference between the two since you won’t be able to play either in the near future. (more…)