Well its time for another review: This time in the red corner the Soviets, aannnd in the blue corner we have the Allies!
Yes, that's right, we are back to the Cold War days with Red Alert 2! Although, admittedly, I don't think they had attack dolphins or Tesla troops the first time 'round. Red aleart 2 is a Real Time Strategy (RTS) set in a world on the brink or war, it follows on from the first Red Alert, though is vastly superior in the graphics, game-play and, well... pretty much every other department as well.
RA2 was released October 2000 and because of its age require only the most basic of system requirements. A 266 MHz Processor, 64 Mb of RAM and a tiny 2 Mb graphics card. This means that even I can run it.. and run it well. While the graphics and interfaces may not be as smooth or as shiny as modern games RA2 still gives a decent account of itself.
The game focuses on the two campaign branches; Allies and Soviets. They each have the same basic units and structures, though with differing power, build time and cost. The units begin to differ then more advanced units and structures begin to be built. After a Battle Lab is built the Allies can obtain such units as the Prism Tank or Aircraft Carrier, while the Soviets get the Apocalypse Tank and Kirov Airship.
Each side has its own pros and cons; the allies seem have have more technologically advanced, though not necessarily more powerful than the soviets, while the soviets seem to go for the brute force method. While each are powerful in their own way it is up to the user to decide what they like best. (Personally I just cant resist the temptation of trying to get capture the enemy buildings and get Apocalypse tanks AND Prism tanks.)
There are a number of ways of earning money to purchase units and buildings; the most common method is simply using Miner trucks to collect the resources so wantonly scattered around the map. You can also capture Oil Rigs, which produce a constant supply of money, at least until the enemy get tired of you throwing tanks at him and bombs it into oblivion. You can also find power-up crates which will give various bonuses, sometimes a unit promotion, sometimes a speed upgrade, and of course, sometimes money.
This is a well built game, which still holds its appeal for those who cant run top of the line games (or the new Command & Conquer). Its graphics are well designed and the intermittent live-acting film clips give great breaks in the combat.
I'm giving it 91/100.
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Correction.. I know your father.
Hey, you may have seen my last article about Evony. I just read another blog in which some doubts have been raised about it. It seems that some people have had bugs messing with their PC after they played it...
This may just be a glitch in the game or coincidence.. but it could also be because Evony contains malware (not saying it is, just one possible reason). Because of this my legal adviser has told me to issue the following statement:
I do not take any responsibility for the users actions after leaving this site, furthermore I do not take responsibility for anyone's PC blowing up (etc.), them hurting themselves (etc.) when participating in activities I feature on this site.
Hehe.. that was fun...
Later all...
Remember.. I warned you.
This may just be a glitch in the game or coincidence.. but it could also be because Evony contains malware (not saying it is, just one possible reason). Because of this my legal adviser has told me to issue the following statement:
I do not take any responsibility for the users actions after leaving this site, furthermore I do not take responsibility for anyone's PC blowing up (etc.), them hurting themselves (etc.) when participating in activities I feature on this site.
Hehe.. that was fun...
Later all...
Remember.. I warned you.
Saturday, 3 October 2009
Game Review: Evony
I have decided to do a couple of reviews for games I play.
This week we go to one I only started recently: Evony
www.evony.com
Evony is a MMO, a massive multiplayer online game. The aim is to build your empire and bring more land under your control. There are, at the moment 82 servers, most of them pretty full, however new servers are being brought out, literally, every day.
The game can run on PCs with quite low specifications, as I can attest. I have a Pentium 3.0GHz processor, 440Mb RAM, 58Mb Graphics and a 56k Internet connection. Evony plays quite well, though with a little lag when I give multiple commands at once.
It is reasonably easy to get started, you just sign up with an email address and you are playing. You begin the game under ‘beginner protection’, a wonderful construct designed to stop you getting raided the moment you appear. It gives you 7 days protection from enemy attacks, meaning you have time to get some basic defences set up. Even for those who are completely new to the game it is fairly easy to pick up, with a few easy quest chains helping you to set up your town straight away.
The actual game play is fairly simple, though can get quite challenging as you build up your town. It gives you the opportunity to attack NPC (non-player character) controlled valleys which will earn you certain bonuses depending on their type; deserts will raise stone production while forests will raise lumber production. This brings a new element into the game: strategy. Should you attack a low level grassland, or a slightly higher level desert, you may get a better reward with the desert, but you may also lose the battle. Another NPC controlled area are the plains: capture these and, if you have enough resources and workers, you can build yourself another city. This is a great opportunity, but can result in difficult decisions: eg. which town to upgrade?
Like most MMOs you can join guilds or ‘alliances’. Personally, I highly recommend getting into an alliance quickly. These alliances are generally helpful and will give plenty of advice to newcomers. Alliances can also become allies, or even declare ‘war’ on each other.
There are only a few points against this game, mostly the long waiting times once you have established your basic town. Level three walls, for instance, take two or three hours to build, and some of the technologies will take just as long. This waiting time is offset by ‘speedup’ scrolls, which cut build time off a structure. These scrolls can be purchased with real world money, or by winning them in the daily lottery.
This game is great for those who can't be playing constantly: you can start building something, shut down your computer and come back in a few hours when it's finished. Those who like more action in their games should perhaps avoid Evony, but this game is perfect for the casual gamer or those fond of strategy.
Rating: 87/100
If anyone else is on Evony visit me at: server 82 (465,416) ROMAGNA, DarthLuke
This week we go to one I only started recently: Evony
www.evony.com
Evony is a MMO, a massive multiplayer online game. The aim is to build your empire and bring more land under your control. There are, at the moment 82 servers, most of them pretty full, however new servers are being brought out, literally, every day.
The game can run on PCs with quite low specifications, as I can attest. I have a Pentium 3.0GHz processor, 440Mb RAM, 58Mb Graphics and a 56k Internet connection. Evony plays quite well, though with a little lag when I give multiple commands at once.
It is reasonably easy to get started, you just sign up with an email address and you are playing. You begin the game under ‘beginner protection’, a wonderful construct designed to stop you getting raided the moment you appear. It gives you 7 days protection from enemy attacks, meaning you have time to get some basic defences set up. Even for those who are completely new to the game it is fairly easy to pick up, with a few easy quest chains helping you to set up your town straight away.
The actual game play is fairly simple, though can get quite challenging as you build up your town. It gives you the opportunity to attack NPC (non-player character) controlled valleys which will earn you certain bonuses depending on their type; deserts will raise stone production while forests will raise lumber production. This brings a new element into the game: strategy. Should you attack a low level grassland, or a slightly higher level desert, you may get a better reward with the desert, but you may also lose the battle. Another NPC controlled area are the plains: capture these and, if you have enough resources and workers, you can build yourself another city. This is a great opportunity, but can result in difficult decisions: eg. which town to upgrade?
Like most MMOs you can join guilds or ‘alliances’. Personally, I highly recommend getting into an alliance quickly. These alliances are generally helpful and will give plenty of advice to newcomers. Alliances can also become allies, or even declare ‘war’ on each other.
There are only a few points against this game, mostly the long waiting times once you have established your basic town. Level three walls, for instance, take two or three hours to build, and some of the technologies will take just as long. This waiting time is offset by ‘speedup’ scrolls, which cut build time off a structure. These scrolls can be purchased with real world money, or by winning them in the daily lottery.
This game is great for those who can't be playing constantly: you can start building something, shut down your computer and come back in a few hours when it's finished. Those who like more action in their games should perhaps avoid Evony, but this game is perfect for the casual gamer or those fond of strategy.
Rating: 87/100
If anyone else is on Evony visit me at: server 82 (465,416) ROMAGNA, DarthLuke
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Holidays!
At last.. the holidays have come! It's time for sleep, food, games, sleep, more food, late nights, games... and yeah, more sleep! But, alas, it was not to be...
On mon and tues I worked, today I did assignments (and wrote my book, thanks to my awesome editor, the one with the English Lit Degree, yeah, you... dont get a swelled head.) I still have assignments to do for English, Physics, Specialist and Chem.. yeah, my hols aren't gonna be a huge amount of fun ='(.
On the upside.. my foot is pretty much better (see the post below) and I can play bball again! Woo! Got wheelchair tomorrow, should win.. but you never can tell =).
Anyway.. gtg now, try to post again soon!
On mon and tues I worked, today I did assignments (and wrote my book, thanks to my awesome editor, the one with the English Lit Degree, yeah, you... dont get a swelled head.) I still have assignments to do for English, Physics, Specialist and Chem.. yeah, my hols aren't gonna be a huge amount of fun ='(.
On the upside.. my foot is pretty much better (see the post below) and I can play bball again! Woo! Got wheelchair tomorrow, should win.. but you never can tell =).
Anyway.. gtg now, try to post again soon!
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Well, Last night I had League Reserve bball, but no.. this is not a post about basketball. I got there just as we were about to forfeit (With not enough players) so they are like "Awesome!", and so we start the game....
A few minutes in I jumped to get the ball and came down wrong and hurt my foot... and something popped... Which, in case you hadn't guessed, isn't supposed to happen.
So I went off the court and realised that my toe was not where it was supposed to be...
Yep, that's right folks, I managed to dislocate my toe with no help from anything except gravity and the floor. You have to admit, I am pretty spectacular.
So we tried to put it back in, and that didn't work (though did manage to cause a rather large amount of pain.) So I was taken to the hospital and they took an x-ray and told me to wait and they would be with me shortly.
...
....
.....
Still waiting
......
.......
........
.........
And then.. finally three hours later some doctor calls out my name, so I go in. And the we discover that he has lost my x-rays and obs. *typical* So a couple on mins later he finds the x-ray and say "wow, that a fair bit out of the socket."
I was given a bit of local.. waited a min^ then he tugged my toe... and it didn't move. What it did however do was hurt, through the anaesthetic. Well he gave it a few more tugs.. still not moving.. then he took his glove off and tried again. Then he grabbed a peice of cloth and held my toe with that... and finally, with a suprisingly loud pop my toe went back to where it should have been.
He got another x-ray to make sure it was in teh right spot then told me to go home.
Well for 4 hours in the hospital all that happened was my toe was moved about 1cm in the right direction and I was subjected to aprox 0.15r of radiation.
Ah well.. there are worse ways to waste time.. just because I can't think of them right now...
^There seems to have been a lot of waiting going on.
A few minutes in I jumped to get the ball and came down wrong and hurt my foot... and something popped... Which, in case you hadn't guessed, isn't supposed to happen.
So I went off the court and realised that my toe was not where it was supposed to be...
Yep, that's right folks, I managed to dislocate my toe with no help from anything except gravity and the floor. You have to admit, I am pretty spectacular.
So we tried to put it back in, and that didn't work (though did manage to cause a rather large amount of pain.) So I was taken to the hospital and they took an x-ray and told me to wait and they would be with me shortly.
...
....
.....
Still waiting
......
.......
........
.........
And then.. finally three hours later some doctor calls out my name, so I go in. And the we discover that he has lost my x-rays and obs. *typical* So a couple on mins later he finds the x-ray and say "wow, that a fair bit out of the socket."
I was given a bit of local.. waited a min^ then he tugged my toe... and it didn't move. What it did however do was hurt, through the anaesthetic. Well he gave it a few more tugs.. still not moving.. then he took his glove off and tried again. Then he grabbed a peice of cloth and held my toe with that... and finally, with a suprisingly loud pop my toe went back to where it should have been.
He got another x-ray to make sure it was in teh right spot then told me to go home.
Well for 4 hours in the hospital all that happened was my toe was moved about 1cm in the right direction and I was subjected to aprox 0.15r of radiation.
Ah well.. there are worse ways to waste time.. just because I can't think of them right now...
^There seems to have been a lot of waiting going on.
Monday, 31 August 2009
What to talk about?
Well, I don't really have a specific topic here, I though that I might just give my loyal fans (ie. you) an update..
My book is coming well, got just over 50 pages, got the plot going well. If you want a preview go here: http://www.the-shadow-wraiths.webs.com/
BBall: we are still losing, shouldn't be in div. 1. Ah well.. wemight don't have a chance tonight..
Wheelchair is still going strong, haven't lost a game when I have played
Games and stuff: well, I am addicted to a few new ones:
http://www.funorb.com/ Steel sentinels and
Armies of Gielinor
Skool: Meh. Pretty much sums it up =P
My book is coming well, got just over 50 pages, got the plot going well. If you want a preview go here: http://www.the-shadow-wraiths.webs.com/
BBall: we are still losing, shouldn't be in div. 1. Ah well.. we
Wheelchair is still going strong, haven't lost a game when I have played
Games and stuff: well, I am addicted to a few new ones:
http://www.funorb.com/ Steel sentinels and
Armies of Gielinor
Skool: Meh. Pretty much sums it up =P
Friday, 14 August 2009
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
Hey all, I'm back again with a really short post:
If you want a sneak preview of the book I'm writing (The Shadow-Wraiths) go to www.the-shadow-wraiths.webs.com, there is a forum so you can say hi and leave comments and, of course, the first part of my book. This is just so you can see some of my writing and maybe give some constructive criticism.
----
Last night we had out first bball game in Div 1! It was fun even though we lost 40-29. I scored 5 or 6 so I'm happy. next game: Razzle (we might have a chance against them.)
If you want a sneak preview of the book I'm writing (The Shadow-Wraiths) go to www.the-shadow-wraiths.webs.com, there is a forum so you can say hi and leave comments and, of course, the first part of my book. This is just so you can see some of my writing and maybe give some constructive criticism.
----
Last night we had out first bball game in Div 1! It was fun even though we lost 40-29. I scored 5 or 6 so I'm happy. next game: Razzle (we might have a chance against them.)
Monday, 10 August 2009
Writers block
Ahh.. the curse of all writers! I have wrote a few chapters all well and good, but now I am stuck on an idea. Oh well, I will manage.
What about you? Is there anyone out there who has started writing a book? Don't be shy, post a reply!
------
On other news:
We have been moved into Division 1 in basketball. Ohh.. we are gonna sooo get smashed.
Maths specialist isn't too bad, just long.. and complicated. But apparently we will be going into some year 12 calculus soon *shudders* Save me!
What about you? Is there anyone out there who has started writing a book? Don't be shy, post a reply!
------
On other news:
We have been moved into Division 1 in basketball. Ohh.. we are gonna sooo get smashed.
Maths specialist isn't too bad, just long.. and complicated. But apparently we will be going into some year 12 calculus soon *shudders* Save me!
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
I'm Special..
Or at least, a Specialist. Well we are into semester two now and we got the chance to change around out subjects. They decide to offer Specialist maths for those who wanted it (For year 11s its a semester, not a year long, course.). Specialist maths is an extension on ordinary maths for those who want to become engineers. It is, I imagine, very difficult. To take it I had to drop IT, but that's okay as I wasn't learning anything anyway.
On other news: We had our first Basketball game last Monday and we brushed Ansett aside 36 - 20. And they were the good Ansett. Ah well, lets just hope we can keep it up. we also have a new player.... whose name I can't remember.. oops, ah well, I will correct that when I remember it.
Edit: Daniel
On other news: We had our first Basketball game last Monday and we brushed Ansett aside 36 - 20. And they were the good Ansett. Ah well, lets just hope we can keep it up. we also have a new player.... whose name I can't remember.. oops, ah well, I will correct that when I remember it.
Edit: Daniel
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