21 Jump Street; A Review
Posted by Landerpurex on March 19th, 2012, 3:05 am. Category: Scribery Entry
9/10
I consider myself a comedy connoisseur. Whether it's the fine wine comedy of Monty Python, the outrageous antics of Will Ferrell in Step Brothers or Old School, or the recently over-the-top Wanderlust, and even further back to classics such as Caddyshack, National Lampoon, Animal House, and even further to the Stooges and Charlie Chaplin. I've seen it all. I have not, however, always enjoyed it all.
21 Jump Street was, simply put, a fantastic comedy. I wouldn't consider myself a huge Jonah Hill fan, but he does well in this movie. The star who really excels is Channing Tatum, however. As some other reviewers mention, seeing the actor exit his (boring, in my opinion) romantic role and enter into a comedic one is fantastic. His simple, yet sincere character is one we've seen time and again, but it's incredibly funny and somehow fresh in this film. Jonah Hill's character is similar to those in the past, the outcast bookworm, but again, it fits the movie.
The premise of the movie is that Tatum and Hill are newly graduated policemen, and aren't at all good at their job. After losing some perpetrators doing drugs in the park, they are reassigned to the run-down undercover unit at 21 Jump Street. Here, their captain (A hilarious Ice Cube) assigns them to pose as students to try and take down the supplier of a new hallucinogenic drug called HFS (Holy F'ing
). Simple enough premise. A large part of the comedy of this movie is currently edgy, and will hit home with our generation for years to come. Tatum and Hill return to school to find that studying, caring for the environment, and being tolerant is now 'cool'. This, of course, is openly satirizing the abrupt shift that is taking place with youth today, for good or ill and remains a very potent comedic strand throughout the movie. In a memorable scene, when the two first return to high school, they are bombarded by new cliques, such as asians dressed in cosplay and the now infamous hipsters. Again, it's humor that has a target audience and works incredibly well for us who are mired in these new cultural phenomena.
Interestingly enough, there are a few good action scenes to be had in this movie as well. It's no Jackie Chan movie, but the director manages some good action, explosions (and satirizing the convention of explosions), car chases and shootouts to change the pace when a change is warranted.
This isn't an art film, and will not wow you with presentation, cinematography, sound, or any other technical aspect. It is driven by its humor, strong acting, and script, which is always enough with a successful comedy. We are meant to pay attention to the jokes, not what the camera angles suggest. It is sufficient enough technically that we aren't distracted by *bad* decisions, there is just not anything that will wow you in that respect.
There are many laughs to be had in this movie, for people of all ages and backgrounds. The guys are forced to try the new drug right away to prove they're not police, and the insanity ensues. Tatum bursts into the band room and destroys and disrupts. Hill returns to drama class and somehow nails himself the lead part in the school's production of Peter Pan. In an attempt to get in with one of the dealers, the guys throw a party of wicked proportions, and kids from a rival school show up. This ends in Tatum punching almost anyone who steps in front of him and Hill getting stabbed with some kind of artifact. Then, their parents return and break up the party.
This movie toes the line between ridiculous and incredibly funny exactly the way a great comedy should. It's witty, edgy, and simply funny nearly all the time, with very strong acting and writing throughout all the while remaining grounded in a decent enough story. There are even a few great surprises to be had, including a fantastic cameo. The ONLY reasons this film garners a 9 instead of a 10 from me is because it falters in the final scenes, going too far with a shock device that seems totally unnecessary given the merit of the rest of the film. There are also some cliches to be had, but they serve their purpose in the plot.
In short, go and see this film as soon as possible.
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Guild Wars 2 (Pre-Purchase) April 10th
Posted by killa kiaba on March 15th, 2012, 6:52 pm. Category: Scribery Entry
https://buy.guildwars2.com/
All pre-purchase editions include these exclusive bonuses:
Access to all Guild Wars 2 Beta Weekend Events
Three days of headstart access
Hero’s Band (+2 to all stats)
DIGITAL EDITION $59.99
Guild Wars 2 game
DIGITAL DELUXE $79.99
Guild Wars 2 game
Summon Mistfire Wolf Elite Skill
Rytlock Miniature
Golem Banker
Chalice of Glory
Tome of Influence
COLLECTOR'S EDITION $149.99
Guild Wars 2 game
Summon Mistfire Wolf Elite Skill
Rytlock Miniature
Golem Banker
Chalice of Glory
Tome of Influence
10-inch figurine of Rytlock
112 page Making of Guild Wars 2 book
Custom Art Frame
Art Portfolio and Five Art Prints
Best of Guild Wars 2 Soundtrack CD
Minimum System Requirements*
* Due to potential changes, system requirements may change over time, and you may be required to upgrade your current system (or obtain a new system) to continue to play the game.
Windows® XP Service Pack 2 or better · 2 GB RAM
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo 2.0 GHz, Core i3, AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 or better
NVIDIA® GeForce® 7800, ATI Radeon™ X1800, Intel HD 3000 or better (256MB of video RAM and shader model 3.0 or better)
25 GB available HDD space
Broadband Internet connection
Keyboard and mouse
All pre-purchase editions include these exclusive bonuses:
Access to all Guild Wars 2 Beta Weekend Events
Three days of headstart access
Hero’s Band (+2 to all stats)
DIGITAL EDITION $59.99
Guild Wars 2 game
DIGITAL DELUXE $79.99
Guild Wars 2 game
Summon Mistfire Wolf Elite Skill
Rytlock Miniature
Golem Banker
Chalice of Glory
Tome of Influence
COLLECTOR'S EDITION $149.99
Guild Wars 2 game
Summon Mistfire Wolf Elite Skill
Rytlock Miniature
Golem Banker
Chalice of Glory
Tome of Influence
10-inch figurine of Rytlock
112 page Making of Guild Wars 2 book
Custom Art Frame
Art Portfolio and Five Art Prints
Best of Guild Wars 2 Soundtrack CD
Minimum System Requirements*
* Due to potential changes, system requirements may change over time, and you may be required to upgrade your current system (or obtain a new system) to continue to play the game.
Windows® XP Service Pack 2 or better · 2 GB RAM
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo 2.0 GHz, Core i3, AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 or better
NVIDIA® GeForce® 7800, ATI Radeon™ X1800, Intel HD 3000 or better (256MB of video RAM and shader model 3.0 or better)
25 GB available HDD space
Broadband Internet connection
Keyboard and mouse
The Mars Volta - Noctourniquet (3/27/2012): A Review
Posted by defeat on March 12th, 2012, 8:14 pm. Category: Scribery Entry
Rating: 9/10
There are few bands I expect to blow me away with every release, and The Mars Volta is one of them. In any form of art there is an indefinite number of artists trying to take their chosen medium to the next level of originality. This is especially true in music, but most tend to get hung up on the concept of genres. It’s an easy thing to do, as genres are the best reference points art has to describe it. A genre is sometimes necessary for description, but at other times putting a label on a work of art can hinder the art itself. Trying to describe The Mars Volta’s music is hard enough, but putting one specific genre or label on it is simply impossible. One thing that they have stuck by, however, is the pop format. Granted, their songs aren’t the verse/chorus/verse all-in-under-four-minutes that Top 40 radio stations have come to embrace (it’s more like intro/verse/chorus/verse/bridge/chorus/outro, all-in-sometimes-10-minutes-or more), but they do have choruses that fans of intensely poetic, non-linear lyrics can try and sing along with. I say try, because, come on…Who can sing that hauntingly beautiful falsetto like Cedric Bixler-Zavala?
Throughout their career The Mars Volta have incorporated everything from jazz to Latin into their music, but their latest release, entitled Noctourniquet, comes closer to being a pop/rock album than any of the others. There. I said it. It’s a pop album. This shouldn’t have come as such a surprise to me, as the last release, 2009’s Octahedron, only had a single song over eight minutes (a huge departure from the band’s early days that spawned songs like the 35+ minute epic “Cassandra Gemini”). It was a surprise, though. Maybe it’s surprising because this is the first album they’ve released that I’ve heard parts in songs that could have come from other bands. “Aegis” has a feel reminiscent of Muse in the verses. “Zed and Two Naughts”’ drums instantly brought A Perfect Circle’s song "Weak and Powerless" to mind. Even the lead single has a guitar riff that could have come from any of the songs on Queens of the Stone Age’s album, Era Vulgaris, or any of Jack White’s past and present projects. I’m not saying that they were trying for any similarities, but when you make a pop album, it’s impossible to completely avoid them, even for The Mars Volta…
…And a The Mars Volta album it is! Even with these few similarities, the above mentioned songs are undoubtedly and uniquely straight from TMV’s songwriter and producer, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. His guitar playing is as riff-tastic and sometimes nothing but effects per-usual. He’s always been an experimental little guy, and even with Noctourniquet’s pop sensibilities, he's still pushing the boundaries of music. Their usual use of keyboards has changed from jazzy piano and organ to synth (possibly due to the departure of keyboardist "Ikey" Owens), although their trademark sound manipulation can be heard throughout the album’s entirety. Fans of The Volta’s past efforts won’t be disappointed, especially with the songs “Dyslexicon”, “Molochwalker”, and “Trinkets Pale of Moon”, which range from in-your-face to soft and sweet, respectively. One thing some fans tend to complain about is the revolving door of drummers since Jon Theodore stopped playing with the band in 2006. I never jumped on that band wagon, and really enjoyed Thomas Pridgen’s drumming on the last two albums. However, the only complaint I have about Noctourniquet is just that, the drumming. New drummer, Deantoni Parks, just doesn’t do it for me. He seems to be trying way too hard to live up to the sonic pummeling that the previous albums have featured, and sometimes fails miserably (evident in “Lapochka”).
If you haven’t heard The Mars Volta before, disliked their previous efforts for being too artsy, or are one of the many who haven’t liked an album of theirs since the full length debut (2003’s De-Loused in the Comatorium), Noctourniquet is a great album to get acquainted with, as it’s their most accessible and listener friendly album to date. Fans of the entire discography beware…
It’s a pop album. There. I said it again...
Recommended if you enjoy: Radiohead, Muse, Queens of the Stone Age's Era Vulgaris and/or Jack White
The official lead single can be listened to here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh0stkLanx4&ob=av3e
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning; A Review
Posted by Landerpurex on February 15th, 2012, 12:33 am. Category: Scribery Entry
Overall rating: 8/10.
I've done my homework on this game, both before and after buying it. Everyone seems to be looking at it completely the wrong way. Other reviewers and consumers are comparing this game to Skyrim, Mass Effect, and many other juggernaut RPGs. This is a mistake. Reviews range from a 9/10 from IGN to a 5/10 from Adam Sessler at G4TV.
Kingdoms of Amalur is similar to other RPGs in some respects, and in others it is radically different. If we analyze and enjoy this by itself, it's a great game. If we stand it next to Skyrim, it falters badly in some respects, and excels in others.
The things this game does well are apparent from the moment you start playing. Environments are very vibrant, and are sufficiently unique. They're somewhat linear, but also allow for quite a bit of exploration and free roam. There are enough hidden treasures, places, and quests to keep you busy for many hours. Often I would venture off the path in search of a treasure that showed up on my map thanks to my 'detect hidden' skill, and would instead spend a few hours saving a town from some kind of spider woman. This had nothing to do with the main quest or any of the 'factions'.
The story for this game is very good, and has RA Salvatore's flair. Sometimes, however, this is its undoing. Every little quest has five minutes of backstory or lore, when you might simply be trying to complete a quest for a quick buck or exp gain. I sometimes found myself skipping dialog for meaningless side quests. On the other side of this issue, the main storyline and faction quests are well-done. I especially loved the storyline of the House of Ballads, a group of elf-like people who endlessly reenact battles and adventures long past. In short, the overarching story isn't anything unconventional, but there are many originalities and nuances to be enjoyed. It's easy to see the care that went into the story, and that a good novelist was the one who oversaw it.
I can't write a review about this game without mentioning it's greatest strength: the battle system. It's fast-paced and more than simple button mashing. I like the emphasis on combos and certain attacks, such as those that 'pop up' your enemy, making them vulnerable for further hits. The amount of attacks is satisfying, but the key is exploring which ones work best together.
The game's skill system is pretty basic but fulfilling at the same time. There are plenty of skills and styles to be explored, without there being *too* much. The destiny system is great, you can unlock bonuses for your character as you dump points into any of the three skill trees. You can also unlock destinies for hybrid classes, even ones for supporting all three trees. This allows for a fantastic amount of customization with ample reward for whichever tree/s you choose to support.
That being said, this game's mechanics allow for one of the best roleplaying opportunities I've seen. The destiny system and hybrid classes make for an experience that really hasn't been amply explored in other titles. If you couple this with the strong story and hundreds of quests, then you have a very enjoyable recipe.
The game, of course; is not without faults. Some consumers have complained about the voice acting, but I actually enjoyed it. I found it more inspiring than some, and dialog seemed to fit the character saying it. I will be the first to admit that character models and facial expressions are lacking. Though the voice acting is good, it is not paired with good facial modeling. The characters are expressionless and half the time, their mouths don't even follow what they're saying.
Other cons involve slight dips in framerate, but nothing that was at all gamebreaking. I also often found the shops lacking, I finished the game with over 5 million gold. Granted, I was a money-making machine with max mercantile and detect hidden skills, but there was literally nowhere for me to spend my money after about 2/3 of the way through the game.
I spent about 50 hours on this game, and I was thoroughly satisfied with my experience. There seems to be dozens more hours of content, as I finished with over 50 side quests unfinished, and who knows how many more I left not taken. The replayability of the game is high as well, with trophies/achievements awarded for each playstyle. Though it would be just as easy to totally re-allot your skill points than to start over, but what's the fun in that?
The game is pretty standard fantasy fare on almost every front, while excelling in a few respects; namely the battle system and the major storylines. As other reviewers have pointed out, this game seems to borrow the best features of a lot of other titles and implement them in game to the point where they work together to near perfection. Loot, story, battling, skills, environment, and more. Overall, this game was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a new, solid RPG to play from a new studio, but with some very hard-hitting names behind it.
The Woman in Black; A Movie Review
Posted by Landerpurex on February 6th, 2012, 1:05 am. Category: Scribery Entry
Rating: 7/10
This was a good movie, not a great one. It did its job, it scared me (badly) at times, and there were very great technical things happening with this movie. However, it was inconsistent and Radcliffe's acting was just awful.
This movie is pretty typical as far as horror stories go, it's set in early 1900s England. The main character Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe) plays a lawyer or paralegal, hard up for a break. He is sent by his firm to a sinister house near a small town, where the spirit of a woman terrorizes the town and the house. His son and their nanny are supposed to join him at the house after some time. Don't be fooled by the PG-13 rating, I learned with Insidious that underrated movies can be terrifying.
The opening scene of this movie was literally the most technically sound, and perhaps the best scene in the movie. While any opening scene should be great, it shouldn't be the best scene in the film. We're shown three young girls playing in an upstairs room, and nothing seems to be wrong. After a few moments, one of them drops their little teacup. It shatters. They then get up and advance towards the three windows, one of the trampling the teapot on the way. Here we have many good things in the cinematography and editing. Short takes. Shades of montage. Short jump cuts. This serves to confuse us, and it works very well. The three girls step up to the sill simultaneously, and jump out the windows. Then we're taken to Arthur's house, shocked by the previous scene and left with many questions.
The worst thing about this film, I felt, were its inconsistencies. It's easy to see that the aforementioned scene was meticulously cared for during production, whereas the rest of the film only shows glimmers of that care. As I said previously, Radcliffe's acting is terrible. He never shows any emotion, both when he realizes his wife has died in childbirth, nor at the end of the film when he is reunited with his son. This movie didn't call for him to strive for any awards, most of the time Arthur runs through the house chasing various noises. I was disappointed that when the script called for a little acting, he didn't deliver. And this took me away from the movie.
The movie delivers through jump-scares that we've come accustomed to with modern horror cinema. The cinematography is sound, with several first person shots that round corners, raising suspense. Of course, the scares don't come when we expect them. Moreover, there are several scenes in this film with these creepy, awkward, grimy toys that often act on their own. This was perhaps the most unsettling thing about the film. Picture a porcelain clown toy from that era, that contorts itself and ends with a close-up shot of his grinning face. Don't see this (or do) if you're afraid of clowns. *shudder*
Along those same lines, there is a scene where Arthur is (you guessed it) checking a noise he heard in the house. He's using a candle, and upon entering the room, there are closeups of the aforementioned toys, and the light of the candle is reflected in their eyes. It's moving with Arthur, and subsequently, moving in the eyes of the toys, making it seem as if they are following his movement. There are similar scenes to this, such as one where Arthur sees the reflection of the ghost in a mirror, but when he turns to check, she is gone. Subtle tricks like these make this movie a positive experience.
The house is a major star in the film, as it should be. It is sinister, old, foreboding, dusty, cobwebby, and simply everything a haunted house should be. There is a cemetery on the grounds that adds to the feeling. In addition to that, there is a lone wooden cross in the front yard where a little boy died when he sank into the swamp.
When we are first introduced to the house, Arthur goes downstairs, exploring. His job in the place is to make sure there are no more official papers in the home and to try and find the owner's last will and testament. When he enters the room, there is a newborn baby crow on the floor. He picks the baby up and puts it in the nest nearby. As soon as he does so, he is attacked by mama bird. I enjoyed this scene, it seemed an homage to the horror of yore, movies like The Omen and Hitchcock's The Birds, where birds figure heavily in the horror.
Additionally, this scene bears a stark parallel with the final moments of the movie. Clever foreshadowing, or heavy-handed symbolism? Go see the movie and find out!
In short, I really enjoyed this movie, both at the surface level of modern horror and as an amateur film student. Its inconsistencies are many, but the great scenes it offers do redeem it. It is scary in the same way that other modern horror films are, and is easily enjoyable by anyone that loves the horror genre. I recommend this film.
The Devil Inside: A Movie Review
Posted by Landerpurex on January 25th, 2012, 3:43 am. Category: Scribery Entry
Before we get started, let me state that there will be plot points discussed in the following text, but I will do my best to keep crucial points a secret. Let me also state that I am not a professional critic, but have more critical film expertise than most people; having taken several film courses in college.
Rating: 3/10
The premise that a woman named Maria Rossi kills three people in 1989. Her daughter, Isabella, goes to the hospital in Italy where her mother has since been committed. Isabelle then attends a class full of priests about exorcism. She befriends two of them, and sets out to find what has actually happened to her mother and document it on camera.
Let me first say that this movie was completely horrible. Awful. Terrible. The plotline was as jagged as a piece of broken glass, and not nearly as sharp. I don't even know where to begin with this one. The movie opens with a short black-screened scene that lets us listen in on the 911 call after Maria has killed three priests. This is, without a doubt, one of the scariest scenes in the movie, which isn't saying much. Then we are treated to some convoluted storyline and some basic 'travel' footage of Isabella and her cameraman in Italy. There's nothing of significance in the first portion of the film.
After a bit, we see Isabella visit her mother in the hospital. I was intrigued by the fact that the staff seemed to trust the woman, even though she had a violent past. I was surprised that her daughter was even allowed to see her. This was one of the numerous gaping plotholes in the movie, but I was willing to forgive if it could deliver in the scary department.
Maria Rossi's character is sufficiently creepy, especially on the first meeting. She's clearly insane, and looks the part. Her hair is frazzled, she looks completely gaunt and malnourished, and she has been cutting crosses into herself, into painful areas like the inside of her lip. She asks her daughter if she knows how to "connect the cuts..." which was creepy. But it wasn't nearly enough. Maria screams a scream that is certainly not human, and Isabella leaves the hospital.
Between 'exorcisms' we're treated to mundane storyline, and the ever present battle between the two priests. One wants to exorcise Maria and others like her to help them, the other is afraid of losing his priesthood as the two are doing these exorcisms without the church's consent. While the idea is nice, and shows another side to the politics of the catholic church, it is the same conflict between characters we've seen in thousands of other movies. It fails to deliver, and the bad acting doesn't help.
The film's only redeeming scene comes when the priests decide that Isabella should accompany them on a separate exorcism to learn more about the practice. In this scene, the victim does numerous disturbing things, such as popping her shoulder out of place and generally contorting her body. It's nothing more than what we've come to expect from this genre, but it is effective still.
After this, the film loses all its merit. The group returns to the hospital to exorcise Maria, only to have her multiple demons jump into one of the priests, the cameraman, and Isabella. There are generic scenes such as one when the lights go out with the possessed priest upstairs.
Lastly, I must comment on the ending of this movie. I warn you, I am about to spoil it. But then, a movie as poorly made as this doesn't deserve the decency of secrecy.
In the final moments of the film, with the possessed priest dead, the cameraman is rushing Isabella to an exorcism expert in Rome. He becomes 'possessed', takes off his seatbelt, and veers into oncoming traffic, causing a wreck and the presumed death of the people in the car. The movie then ends. Abruptly. We are told the case is unresolved, and that we can visit http://www.therossifiles.com/ to find out more. Is this a clever blending of modern technology to enhance your moviegoing experience, or is this cheap, pathetic advertisement? A good film shouldn't need some website to further explain itself, and the site doesn't even do that from what I could gather.
The way endings like this work in a positive way is if we have been on a satisfying journey throughout the movie. In this one, we have not. We don't care about the characters. We can barely process what's going on as we see multiple exorcisms and the demons jump into the characters. There are no technically sound aspects to speak of, this movie is low-budget and it shows. It takes from a really great genre, the 'documentary', 'found-film' horror. Such titles like the Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity work because they utilize the cheap camerawork to make it look real. There are clear plot arcs. There are foundations in classic horror, and there are innovations as well that make up for unknown (but not always bad) actors. The Devil Inside has none of these, as I've mentioned.
The Exorcism horror sub genre never stood a chance. In it's premier, the original Exorcist movie got it right the first goddamn time. And no good exorcism movies have been made since, only cheap, floundering copies cashing in on the same idea.
There were some decent things about this film, but not enough to make it any good and certainly not enough to redeem the ridiculous ending. It was as if the movie itself were saying "Ha-ha for watching this garbage, now go yourself" and the ending was the exclamation point on that statement. Don't waste your money on this movie, hopefully it'll soon be out of theaters and we can move on.
Rating: 3/10
The premise that a woman named Maria Rossi kills three people in 1989. Her daughter, Isabella, goes to the hospital in Italy where her mother has since been committed. Isabelle then attends a class full of priests about exorcism. She befriends two of them, and sets out to find what has actually happened to her mother and document it on camera.
Let me first say that this movie was completely horrible. Awful. Terrible. The plotline was as jagged as a piece of broken glass, and not nearly as sharp. I don't even know where to begin with this one. The movie opens with a short black-screened scene that lets us listen in on the 911 call after Maria has killed three priests. This is, without a doubt, one of the scariest scenes in the movie, which isn't saying much. Then we are treated to some convoluted storyline and some basic 'travel' footage of Isabella and her cameraman in Italy. There's nothing of significance in the first portion of the film.
After a bit, we see Isabella visit her mother in the hospital. I was intrigued by the fact that the staff seemed to trust the woman, even though she had a violent past. I was surprised that her daughter was even allowed to see her. This was one of the numerous gaping plotholes in the movie, but I was willing to forgive if it could deliver in the scary department.
Maria Rossi's character is sufficiently creepy, especially on the first meeting. She's clearly insane, and looks the part. Her hair is frazzled, she looks completely gaunt and malnourished, and she has been cutting crosses into herself, into painful areas like the inside of her lip. She asks her daughter if she knows how to "connect the cuts..." which was creepy. But it wasn't nearly enough. Maria screams a scream that is certainly not human, and Isabella leaves the hospital.
Between 'exorcisms' we're treated to mundane storyline, and the ever present battle between the two priests. One wants to exorcise Maria and others like her to help them, the other is afraid of losing his priesthood as the two are doing these exorcisms without the church's consent. While the idea is nice, and shows another side to the politics of the catholic church, it is the same conflict between characters we've seen in thousands of other movies. It fails to deliver, and the bad acting doesn't help.
The film's only redeeming scene comes when the priests decide that Isabella should accompany them on a separate exorcism to learn more about the practice. In this scene, the victim does numerous disturbing things, such as popping her shoulder out of place and generally contorting her body. It's nothing more than what we've come to expect from this genre, but it is effective still.
After this, the film loses all its merit. The group returns to the hospital to exorcise Maria, only to have her multiple demons jump into one of the priests, the cameraman, and Isabella. There are generic scenes such as one when the lights go out with the possessed priest upstairs.
Lastly, I must comment on the ending of this movie. I warn you, I am about to spoil it. But then, a movie as poorly made as this doesn't deserve the decency of secrecy.
In the final moments of the film, with the possessed priest dead, the cameraman is rushing Isabella to an exorcism expert in Rome. He becomes 'possessed', takes off his seatbelt, and veers into oncoming traffic, causing a wreck and the presumed death of the people in the car. The movie then ends. Abruptly. We are told the case is unresolved, and that we can visit http://www.therossifiles.com/ to find out more. Is this a clever blending of modern technology to enhance your moviegoing experience, or is this cheap, pathetic advertisement? A good film shouldn't need some website to further explain itself, and the site doesn't even do that from what I could gather.
The way endings like this work in a positive way is if we have been on a satisfying journey throughout the movie. In this one, we have not. We don't care about the characters. We can barely process what's going on as we see multiple exorcisms and the demons jump into the characters. There are no technically sound aspects to speak of, this movie is low-budget and it shows. It takes from a really great genre, the 'documentary', 'found-film' horror. Such titles like the Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity work because they utilize the cheap camerawork to make it look real. There are clear plot arcs. There are foundations in classic horror, and there are innovations as well that make up for unknown (but not always bad) actors. The Devil Inside has none of these, as I've mentioned.
The Exorcism horror sub genre never stood a chance. In it's premier, the original Exorcist movie got it right the first goddamn time. And no good exorcism movies have been made since, only cheap, floundering copies cashing in on the same idea.
There were some decent things about this film, but not enough to make it any good and certainly not enough to redeem the ridiculous ending. It was as if the movie itself were saying "Ha-ha for watching this garbage, now go
yourself" and the ending was the exclamation point on that statement. Don't waste your money on this movie, hopefully it'll soon be out of theaters and we can move on.
Lamb Of God - Resolution (01/24/12): A Review
Posted by defeat on January 23rd, 2012, 5:49 pm. Category: Scribery Entry
Rating: 7/10
I almost didn’t review this album after listening to the first half of it. I was thinking, “Oh….It’s (2009's) Wrath…again, and I’ll have nothing to say…” After giving it another chance, the second half of the album was indeed Lamb Of God’s saving grace.
Every member of Lamb Of God have seemingly evolved over the years, except for the second most talented member, drummer, Chris Adler. Don’t get it wrong. He’s a favorite drummer of many, as he’s a consistent, speed drumming machine with great fills and feet faster than light. Come with the dynamics already, though, Chris! Maybe, it’s the production that’s held you back with your sound. Maybe, it’s the way you tune your drums (Let them resonate a bit next time, eh? Every, single, solitary drum shouldn’t have the short thump of a bass drum…). Maybe, you just don’t care. Some don’t. Oh, well...so it goes. (I've been reading a lot of Vonnegut as of late.)
Resolution, contradictorily to the drumming, is LOG’s most dynamic release yet. Some thought the band had been lost to “The Graveyard of Previously Great Bands” with the bore that was their previous release, Wrath. It just seemed like a filler album without any originality. Resolution is an adventurous turn of events in LOG’s discography. Guitarists’ Mark Morton and Willie Adler have given us a new take on The New Wave of American Heavy Metal with some softer, more progressive, off-time riffs in the songs “Barbarosa”, “King Me”, and lead single “Ghost Walking”. In most metal, the bass guitar is just a copy of the lead riff, just lower. In this release, though, bassist John Campbell is pleasantly noticeable in parts throughout Resolution’s entirety.
It would be fantastic to have Machine back at the production helm instead of Josh Wilbur, as some minor kinks in the production are what took away some audio enjoyment points. The drums have been mentioned as a major issue. Other kinks were really just post-production snafus. “Barbarosa” and “Invictus” is clearly one song. With fourteen tracks, it’s not like LOG were scraping the barrel for material. Some of the songs on the second half of the album should have been mingled with the first half to break up the turn off of early monotony. This takes away from the listening experience the most. God, is that second half great, though…
In other news, vocalist, Randy Blythe is still alive.
Lead single: "Ghost Walking" Official Video
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows; a review
Posted by Landerpurex on January 7th, 2012, 7:28 am. Category: Scribery Entry
Before we get started, let me state that there will be plot points discussed in the following text, but I will do my best to keep crucial points a secret. Let me also state that I am not a professional critic, but have more critical film expertise than most people; having taken several film courses in college.
Rating: 8/10
Everyone knows the story of Sherlock Holmes, renowned detective. This movie is no different, with Holmes needing to solve a difficult case involving a sinister man named Professor Moriarty. The movie is deliciously mysterious, with Moriarty's motives in question until the final moments. Holmes of course enlists in the help of Dr. Watson, who is newly married; and the two go on an adventure that spans the European Continent to uncover Moriarty's plans and to try to save his intended victims that include Dr. Watson, his wife, a gypsy, and eventually all of Europe.
This movie was fantastic. Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, and Jared Harris can do no wrong. The acting is superb, though sometimes over the top. I have, however, come to expect this of Downey Jr in general as well as within this franchise, so it works. He and Law make a fantastic pair, and the charisma and camaraderie come across well. Jared Harris makes a great villain as well, it's that simple.
The film lives up to its predecessor. It leaves a trail of clues that you are expected to notice, but not expected to piece together as Holmes does in the end. Certain important items are centered in the shot from Holmes' point of view, labeling them as imperative. The cinematography is sound, using multiple angles and distances when necessary. Sound is coupled with this approach as well. For example, there is one scene where one of Moriarty's lackeys is shown smoking a hand rolled cigarette. The cherry burns extra bright, and the sound of it burning can be heard over the other things going on in the frame. I wondered to myself, 'how is this important?' And I had a great time racking my brain trying to figure it out. I felt accomplished when it was revealed that the cigarette was important to the plot. This movie's greatest quality is that it makes you think and guess along with Holmes.
The film's comedy is fantastic, though sometimes ridiculous, as with the killing and revival of the poor bulldog (again). Though, once again, Downey Jr has made Holmes his own and put a modern spin on the man. That is not to say that the movie doesn't take certain liberties with the classics, because it does. Which is one of the reasons it remains an 8 out of 10 instead of a 9 or perfect score.
The great fighting scenes narrated strategically by Holmes return, though they go awry by variants not considered by Holmes. In the final scenes, Moriarty himself interjects in Holmes monologue and engages in a match of wits with the detective that is both exciting and original.
Speaking of which, editing must be mentioned. The film uses jump-cuts when necessary, and very effectively as well. Just before the scene mentioned prior, parallelism is used to near perfection as Holmes and Moriarty are having a game of chess. The movie cuts between chess moves and the exploits of Watson and the gypsy as they attempt to reveal an assassin and ultimately, Moriarty's plot.
My biggest problem with this movie was the extreme slow-motion. It was only in one scene, but that makes it stand out and it went on for far too long. Ever since 300, movies have been abusing slow motion. It was over the top in that title as well, but at least it was consistent. In an otherwise great, sound, smart movie I felt this was the only thing that seemed uninspired and frankly, too stereotypical Hollywood.
In closing, this move was very enjoyable. It was a bit on the long side, but I was sad it was over. In some ways, it is very typical action, in others, it is original, fun, and smart in a lot of ways modern movies are not. It is technically sound, but not ambitious. The cast delivers and I hope they continue to do so. The plot keeps you guessing right until the final moments, and there are many twists and turns to be had.
Go and see this movie while it's still in theaters.
Rating: 8/10
Everyone knows the story of Sherlock Holmes, renowned detective. This movie is no different, with Holmes needing to solve a difficult case involving a sinister man named Professor Moriarty. The movie is deliciously mysterious, with Moriarty's motives in question until the final moments. Holmes of course enlists in the help of Dr. Watson, who is newly married; and the two go on an adventure that spans the European Continent to uncover Moriarty's plans and to try to save his intended victims that include Dr. Watson, his wife, a gypsy, and eventually all of Europe.
This movie was fantastic. Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, and Jared Harris can do no wrong. The acting is superb, though sometimes over the top. I have, however, come to expect this of Downey Jr in general as well as within this franchise, so it works. He and Law make a fantastic pair, and the charisma and camaraderie come across well. Jared Harris makes a great villain as well, it's that simple.
The film lives up to its predecessor. It leaves a trail of clues that you are expected to notice, but not expected to piece together as Holmes does in the end. Certain important items are centered in the shot from Holmes' point of view, labeling them as imperative. The cinematography is sound, using multiple angles and distances when necessary. Sound is coupled with this approach as well. For example, there is one scene where one of Moriarty's lackeys is shown smoking a hand rolled cigarette. The cherry burns extra bright, and the sound of it burning can be heard over the other things going on in the frame. I wondered to myself, 'how is this important?' And I had a great time racking my brain trying to figure it out. I felt accomplished when it was revealed that the cigarette was important to the plot. This movie's greatest quality is that it makes you think and guess along with Holmes.
The film's comedy is fantastic, though sometimes ridiculous, as with the killing and revival of the poor bulldog (again). Though, once again, Downey Jr has made Holmes his own and put a modern spin on the man. That is not to say that the movie doesn't take certain liberties with the classics, because it does. Which is one of the reasons it remains an 8 out of 10 instead of a 9 or perfect score.
The great fighting scenes narrated strategically by Holmes return, though they go awry by variants not considered by Holmes. In the final scenes, Moriarty himself interjects in Holmes monologue and engages in a match of wits with the detective that is both exciting and original.
Speaking of which, editing must be mentioned. The film uses jump-cuts when necessary, and very effectively as well. Just before the scene mentioned prior, parallelism is used to near perfection as Holmes and Moriarty are having a game of chess. The movie cuts between chess moves and the exploits of Watson and the gypsy as they attempt to reveal an assassin and ultimately, Moriarty's plot.
My biggest problem with this movie was the extreme slow-motion. It was only in one scene, but that makes it stand out and it went on for far too long. Ever since 300, movies have been abusing slow motion. It was over the top in that title as well, but at least it was consistent. In an otherwise great, sound, smart movie I felt this was the only thing that seemed uninspired and frankly, too stereotypical Hollywood.
In closing, this move was very enjoyable. It was a bit on the long side, but I was sad it was over. In some ways, it is very typical action, in others, it is original, fun, and smart in a lot of ways modern movies are not. It is technically sound, but not ambitious. The cast delivers and I hope they continue to do so. The plot keeps you guessing right until the final moments, and there are many twists and turns to be had.
Go and see this movie while it's still in theaters.
The Darkest Hour: A Movie Review
Posted by Landerpurex on January 7th, 2012, 6:49 am. Category: Scribery Entry
Before we get started, let me state that there will be plot points discussed in the following text, but I will do my best to keep crucial points a secret. Let me also state that I am not a professional critic, but have more critical film expertise than most people; having taken several film courses in college.
Overall rating: 5/10
This movie was nothing that the previews didn't show. In short, it's about a pair of software designers either fresh out of college or in the twilight of their college careers. They are in Moscow to pitch an idea for a user-based online comprehensive travel guide to some executives. They meet with a Swedish exec who has basically stolen their idea and screwed them out of a major (multi-million dollar?) deal. After this, the guys go to a club and meet a couple girls vacationing as well, and know of one of them due to her use of their program. Then come the invisible aliens. The creatures are made of electromagnetic energy and are somehow able to vaporize people. But their weakness is that they give themselves away and set off any and all lights and electronics when they approach. The rest of the movie is spent showing the characters trying to escape these creatures and get 'home', though they soon find similar landings and destruction have happened all across the world. Near the end, the group find out that there is a nuclear submarine waiting to help transport survivors back to their homes and/or to a safer facility.
First, it takes some time for the creatures to land. This is notwithstanding the fact the the premise of the guys' reason to be in Moscow is convoluted, not paramount to the plot, and completely forgettable. Though there were a few comic moments, there was nothing to be had in the first quarter of the film. Once the creatures land, I was intrigued. This movie's lone strength is the originality of the aliens and the plausibility of their form and powers. But the scripting failed to deliver more on the subject, with only a few lines from a Russian militant describing the nature of the aliens in no terms understandable by most people; myself included.
Speaking of the Russian militants, their characters are amusing, but completely stereotypical and over the top. They spout catch phrases like 'welcome to Russia' when fighting the creatures, they speak stereotypical nationalist dialog such as stuff about protecting their home, as well as typical, completely uninspired dialog about war and tactics. Couple this with forgettable characters all around and it makes for an equally forgettable experience.
The technical side of the movie was unimpressive as well. Nothing incredible in terms of cinematography, sound, or anything else.
The star of this film is the city of Moscow. It's exotic, beautiful, and foreboding. The architecture is fantastic, and there are some shots that are worth looking at.
In short, this was a movie that offered very little in terms of excitement, technical inventiveness, writing, and basically everything else that makes a film good. It had a tiny bit of originality with the creatures but this was not appropriately handled by anyone. The city was fantastic, but left one wanting. I did not see this movie in 3D, but I'm positive it would have been a debacle.
This movie was far from the worst I've seen, but falls very short. If you've seen the preview, you've seen everything cool there is about the movie.
Overall rating: 5/10
This movie was nothing that the previews didn't show. In short, it's about a pair of software designers either fresh out of college or in the twilight of their college careers. They are in Moscow to pitch an idea for a user-based online comprehensive travel guide to some executives. They meet with a Swedish exec who has basically stolen their idea and screwed them out of a major (multi-million dollar?) deal. After this, the guys go to a club and meet a couple girls vacationing as well, and know of one of them due to her use of their program. Then come the invisible aliens. The creatures are made of electromagnetic energy and are somehow able to vaporize people. But their weakness is that they give themselves away and set off any and all lights and electronics when they approach. The rest of the movie is spent showing the characters trying to escape these creatures and get 'home', though they soon find similar landings and destruction have happened all across the world. Near the end, the group find out that there is a nuclear submarine waiting to help transport survivors back to their homes and/or to a safer facility.
First, it takes some time for the creatures to land. This is notwithstanding the fact the the premise of the guys' reason to be in Moscow is convoluted, not paramount to the plot, and completely forgettable. Though there were a few comic moments, there was nothing to be had in the first quarter of the film. Once the creatures land, I was intrigued. This movie's lone strength is the originality of the aliens and the plausibility of their form and powers. But the scripting failed to deliver more on the subject, with only a few lines from a Russian militant describing the nature of the aliens in no terms understandable by most people; myself included.
Speaking of the Russian militants, their characters are amusing, but completely stereotypical and over the top. They spout catch phrases like 'welcome to Russia' when fighting the creatures, they speak stereotypical nationalist dialog such as stuff about protecting their home, as well as typical, completely uninspired dialog about war and tactics. Couple this with forgettable characters all around and it makes for an equally forgettable experience.
The technical side of the movie was unimpressive as well. Nothing incredible in terms of cinematography, sound, or anything else.
The star of this film is the city of Moscow. It's exotic, beautiful, and foreboding. The architecture is fantastic, and there are some shots that are worth looking at.
In short, this was a movie that offered very little in terms of excitement, technical inventiveness, writing, and basically everything else that makes a film good. It had a tiny bit of originality with the creatures but this was not appropriately handled by anyone. The city was fantastic, but left one wanting. I did not see this movie in 3D, but I'm positive it would have been a debacle.
This movie was far from the worst I've seen, but falls very short. If you've seen the preview, you've seen everything cool there is about the movie.
1-6-2012 Modern Warfare 3
Posted by Tanksandguns on January 6th, 2012, 4:43 pm. Category: Scribery Entry
As a man who has played every Call of Duty game since Call of Duty 3, and sporadically before that since Big Red 1 I like to consider myself one of Call of Duty's biggest fans. Call of Duty has taken it's place as THE First Person Shooter. It's the franchise that comes to mind first when one talks about FPS games, and until recently, has had little to no competition in the field.
Rating: 9/10
Campaign
Modern Warfare 3 builds itself off of the same story line that we saw in CoD4 and MW2. It follows multiple story lines as you play several different characters across each and also brings back the memorable duo of Captain Price and Soap MacTavish. Modern Warfare 3 starts right where Modern Warfare 2 left off. The world is in chaos, and Makarov is still at large. The game has the player visit several cities completely ransacked with war and destruction, including New York City and Paris, France.
The overall flow of the campaign is excellent. The transitions between missions and the pacing is wonderful. And the whole games had sitting on the edge of my seat, with a subtle anxious feeling the whole time. I was constantly wondering what would happen next, and where I was traveling to.
The game is also very challenging. Having completed the first two games on Veteran difficulty, this was my first choice on my first play through of the game. I quickly learned, that this game doesn't beat around the bush, and I couldn't even make it past the first checkpoint. I quickly dropped the difficulty to Hardened, and again to Normal. Even while playing Normal, I found myself dieing fairly frequently, and I loved it. I enjoy a real challenge while playing video games, and to get one in a FPS is no easy task. I also didn't find myself in the slow buildup of anger mode that usually comes with the frustrating deaths of FPS Campaigns. At one point, mid-combat, the game cycles between one the ground fighting, and in the sky fighting in an AC-130 gunship. This is one of the best moments that I can remember throughout all the games, second only to 'Ghillie in the Mist' from Call of Duty 4. The developers did a stunning job of transitioning immediately after an explosion from the AC-130 missile, to the ground troops in the smoke and debris of where the shell had just impacted.
The game itself is really beautiful (or as beautiful as a war-torn city can be). I played the entire campaign on a non-HD TV, and still found myself staring in amazement at the graphics. When I moved over to an HD TV for multiplayer, I found that they were spectacular.
The storyline does an excellent job of wrapping up the first two games. I had few questions left after I had finished, and even teared up at one point during the story. If you played the first two, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed in the final game.
Multiplayer
The multiplayer has been reworked again from Modern Warfare 2. They have new Kill Streaks, and introduced things called 'Strike Packages.' Strike Packages affect what kill streaks you are awarded, and how they are awarded. They offer three types you can choose from: Assault, Support, and Specialist. Assault focuses on killing enemies to gain enemy killing kill streak rewards. It includes, AC-130, Predator Missiles, and Attack Helicopters. Support focuses on objectives such as capturing a flag, planting a bomb, capturing a Domination point, etc. It doesn't require kills to advance through the rewards, but kills also help. Also, Support doesn't reset on death, so you can keep on dying and unlocking rewards. This was my personal favorite. This can give you UAV, Care Packages, Stealth Bomber, etc. The final Strike Package you can use is Specialist. Instead of giving you kill streak rewards, it unlocks perks every 2 kills the player makes. By 8 kills, the player then has all the perks in the game. These have really reworked how the multiplayer feels, and it feels a lot more balanced than the second game ever did.
My main problems with Modern Warfare 2, were that there were kill streaks in the air almost constantly, and there was little anyone could do about it. That feeling has really subsided with Modern Warfare 3. There doesn't seem to be helicopters, AC-130's, and Predator Missiles clogging up the sky nearly as much as it did in the second game, and there's more that can be done about it. More launchers, Sam Sites, and fewer overpowered kill streaks make for the multiplayer experience to be a lot more enjoyable.
Another complaint that I had with MW2, was the the Sniper Rifles seemed extremely underpowered. It took 2, sometimes 3 shots to kill someone in a Core match. In MW3, this has been fixed. One shot to the torso is more often than not, a kill shot. I find this to be my favorite change that was made. I'm finally not getting angry that my high velocity round isn't killing someone when it should.
With CoD: Black Ops came the addition that CoD had been missing for all of its games that Halo and the likes had picked up on. Split Screen multiplayer available online, either through multiple Xbox Live accounts or the use of Guest Accounts. Modern Warfare 3, thankfully, did not change this. You can now play with a buddy on the same TV, online.
Usually with First Person Shooters, I find myself hating a majority of the maps. For whatever reason, Modern Warfare 3 seems different. I only really dislike one or two maps. All the others I seem to have a blast on! They're all beautiful, fun and fairly small. The only complaint I have, is there's really no open area map that is good for Snipers.
All in all, I was extremely happy with the subtle tweaks they made to the multiplayer experience. Prestige Mode now goes to level 80 (ten times), and they added Prestige tokens which can unlock little bonuses such as Double XP, Double Weapon XP, and Emblems and Titles, among other things. Each player starts out with 3, and since I haven't prestiged yet, I'm unsure whether you get 1 ever prestige level or more than that.
Spec Ops
Modern Warfare 3 sees the return of the Spec Ops mode. This can be done either solo or with a friend. I tried doing several of these solo, and found that once I had a friend help me out, they became significantly easier.
Spec Ops mode is a series of missions and objectives, some from the campaign, some completely fresh that test your speed and accuracy. Also, they can be a major challenge. From capturing the Russian President aboard his airplane, to killing waves upon waves in a Firefight type game mode, Spec Ops is nothing short of fun. Infinity Ward added a new style that resembles Horde from Gears of War and Firefight from Halo, where you face wave after wave of enemies including foot soldiers, dogs, helicopters and the infamous Juggernaut soldiers. For those looking for something after the campaign and after you get bored with multiplayer, I would recommend Spec Ops with a friend. It's an absolute blast!
Conclusion
All in all, I would say that Modern Warfare 3 was definitely worth the money I spent on it. It provided me with hours of entertainment, and will continue to do so for months to come. It fixed a lot of the issues I had with the previous game, and added some awesome touches as well. It did not disappoint me, and so far has lead to a lot less frustration with the game than Modern Warfare 2 did. I would recommend this game to any First Person Shooter fan, any fan of the Call of Duty franchise, and anyone looking for one of the best multiplayer experiences in gaming. I won't beat around the bush though, some of the fan-boys and the some of the casual players of MW3 can ruin your multiplayer experience, but that's why there's a mute feature.
~Tanksandguns
Rating: 9/10
Campaign
Modern Warfare 3 builds itself off of the same story line that we saw in CoD4 and MW2. It follows multiple story lines as you play several different characters across each and also brings back the memorable duo of Captain Price and Soap MacTavish. Modern Warfare 3 starts right where Modern Warfare 2 left off. The world is in chaos, and Makarov is still at large. The game has the player visit several cities completely ransacked with war and destruction, including New York City and Paris, France.
The overall flow of the campaign is excellent. The transitions between missions and the pacing is wonderful. And the whole games had sitting on the edge of my seat, with a subtle anxious feeling the whole time. I was constantly wondering what would happen next, and where I was traveling to.
The game is also very challenging. Having completed the first two games on Veteran difficulty, this was my first choice on my first play through of the game. I quickly learned, that this game doesn't beat around the bush, and I couldn't even make it past the first checkpoint. I quickly dropped the difficulty to Hardened, and again to Normal. Even while playing Normal, I found myself dieing fairly frequently, and I loved it. I enjoy a real challenge while playing video games, and to get one in a FPS is no easy task. I also didn't find myself in the slow buildup of anger mode that usually comes with the frustrating deaths of FPS Campaigns. At one point, mid-combat, the game cycles between one the ground fighting, and in the sky fighting in an AC-130 gunship. This is one of the best moments that I can remember throughout all the games, second only to 'Ghillie in the Mist' from Call of Duty 4. The developers did a stunning job of transitioning immediately after an explosion from the AC-130 missile, to the ground troops in the smoke and debris of where the shell had just impacted.
The game itself is really beautiful (or as beautiful as a war-torn city can be). I played the entire campaign on a non-HD TV, and still found myself staring in amazement at the graphics. When I moved over to an HD TV for multiplayer, I found that they were spectacular.
The storyline does an excellent job of wrapping up the first two games. I had few questions left after I had finished, and even teared up at one point during the story. If you played the first two, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed in the final game.
Multiplayer
The multiplayer has been reworked again from Modern Warfare 2. They have new Kill Streaks, and introduced things called 'Strike Packages.' Strike Packages affect what kill streaks you are awarded, and how they are awarded. They offer three types you can choose from: Assault, Support, and Specialist. Assault focuses on killing enemies to gain enemy killing kill streak rewards. It includes, AC-130, Predator Missiles, and Attack Helicopters. Support focuses on objectives such as capturing a flag, planting a bomb, capturing a Domination point, etc. It doesn't require kills to advance through the rewards, but kills also help. Also, Support doesn't reset on death, so you can keep on dying and unlocking rewards. This was my personal favorite. This can give you UAV, Care Packages, Stealth Bomber, etc. The final Strike Package you can use is Specialist. Instead of giving you kill streak rewards, it unlocks perks every 2 kills the player makes. By 8 kills, the player then has all the perks in the game. These have really reworked how the multiplayer feels, and it feels a lot more balanced than the second game ever did.
My main problems with Modern Warfare 2, were that there were kill streaks in the air almost constantly, and there was little anyone could do about it. That feeling has really subsided with Modern Warfare 3. There doesn't seem to be helicopters, AC-130's, and Predator Missiles clogging up the sky nearly as much as it did in the second game, and there's more that can be done about it. More launchers, Sam Sites, and fewer overpowered kill streaks make for the multiplayer experience to be a lot more enjoyable.
Another complaint that I had with MW2, was the the Sniper Rifles seemed extremely underpowered. It took 2, sometimes 3 shots to kill someone in a Core match. In MW3, this has been fixed. One shot to the torso is more often than not, a kill shot. I find this to be my favorite change that was made. I'm finally not getting angry that my high velocity round isn't killing someone when it should.
With CoD: Black Ops came the addition that CoD had been missing for all of its games that Halo and the likes had picked up on. Split Screen multiplayer available online, either through multiple Xbox Live accounts or the use of Guest Accounts. Modern Warfare 3, thankfully, did not change this. You can now play with a buddy on the same TV, online.
Usually with First Person Shooters, I find myself hating a majority of the maps. For whatever reason, Modern Warfare 3 seems different. I only really dislike one or two maps. All the others I seem to have a blast on! They're all beautiful, fun and fairly small. The only complaint I have, is there's really no open area map that is good for Snipers.
All in all, I was extremely happy with the subtle tweaks they made to the multiplayer experience. Prestige Mode now goes to level 80 (ten times), and they added Prestige tokens which can unlock little bonuses such as Double XP, Double Weapon XP, and Emblems and Titles, among other things. Each player starts out with 3, and since I haven't prestiged yet, I'm unsure whether you get 1 ever prestige level or more than that.
Spec Ops
Modern Warfare 3 sees the return of the Spec Ops mode. This can be done either solo or with a friend. I tried doing several of these solo, and found that once I had a friend help me out, they became significantly easier.
Spec Ops mode is a series of missions and objectives, some from the campaign, some completely fresh that test your speed and accuracy. Also, they can be a major challenge. From capturing the Russian President aboard his airplane, to killing waves upon waves in a Firefight type game mode, Spec Ops is nothing short of fun. Infinity Ward added a new style that resembles Horde from Gears of War and Firefight from Halo, where you face wave after wave of enemies including foot soldiers, dogs, helicopters and the infamous Juggernaut soldiers. For those looking for something after the campaign and after you get bored with multiplayer, I would recommend Spec Ops with a friend. It's an absolute blast!
Conclusion
All in all, I would say that Modern Warfare 3 was definitely worth the money I spent on it. It provided me with hours of entertainment, and will continue to do so for months to come. It fixed a lot of the issues I had with the previous game, and added some awesome touches as well. It did not disappoint me, and so far has lead to a lot less frustration with the game than Modern Warfare 2 did. I would recommend this game to any First Person Shooter fan, any fan of the Call of Duty franchise, and anyone looking for one of the best multiplayer experiences in gaming. I won't beat around the bush though, some of the fan-boys and the some of the casual players of MW3 can ruin your multiplayer experience, but that's why there's a mute feature.
~Tanksandguns
Skrillex-Bangarang (12/23/11): A Review
Posted by defeat on December 23rd, 2011, 7:11 pm. Category: Scribery Entry
Rating 5/10
Listen. I’ll start off by saying I’m as on the fence with the newest Skrillex release, entitled Bangarang, as I have been with all the others. The guy is an exciting producer, and the voice samples/hooks he’s used are unforgettable. However, as with his other releases, the mid-register robotesque bass lines, four to the floor beats, and general feel are the same as they ever were and absolutely forgettable. You’ve got the electronic industry by the balls, Skrillex, and the time to fix your broken record is nigh.
When Skrillex became an instant success, and his songs could be heard everywhere, I was impressed with the mash up of genre’s with him and Korn in the Korn single “Get Up“, and really enjoyed "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" and “Kill Everybody” off of Skrillex’s EP with the same name Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites. It seemed like a fresh, American take on the dubstep scene. That fresh take quickly turned into endless copycats and the post dubstep sub-genre dubbed “brostep”. As the forerunner of this new trend, Skrillex didn’t impress me with his first release, mildly did with his second release, and fails to with his newest.
There are definitely moments of production clarity on Bangarang in the title track (a song referencing the movie Hook?! Awesome!) and the non-bass line heavy house song “Right On Time“, but he even uses a broke up, syncopated, unintelligible, Asian sounding voice on the track “Summit” juuuust like he did on the track “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites”. In a nutshell, Bangarang should be entitled Sonic the Househog On Crack. It’s got a Sonic the Hedgehog music + house + brostep sound on most of the songs on the seven song EP. If you are already a die-hard Skrillex fan (and I know you are out there as I just read the comment “Skrillex is life.“ from a fan on Skrillex’s Facebook page), you are going to absolutely love this album. If you haven’t ever heard Skrillex, and are into dubstep, you are probably going to like this album. The rest of us will either like it, dislike it, or think it’s OK (Mitch Hedberg anyone?). It does have bass drops and a couple buildups/breakdowns that make you smile with delight, so even after I write this review.....I’m still on the fence.
The title track:
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross-T.G.w.t.D.T.Soundtrack: A Review
Posted by defeat on December 12th, 2011, 11:14 pm. Category: Scribery Entry
Rating: 10/10
When Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor work together, they don't just make music. They mold sounds into layers of emotional synesthesia, and their newest masterpiece, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is no different. Your brain and body don't quite know what to do with themselves. You smile. You get the chills. You get creeped out. You contemplate, yet sometimes you stop thinking all together.
After the near three hour playtime ended, I took my headphones off and the first thing to come to mind was Homer's epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. If Homer were alive today, he'd be furiously writing a screenplay, day in and day out, so Reznor and Ross could give it the sonic pulse it (I'm sure) would deserve. They are just that good.
Reznor has always been one of my favorites as far as extremely layered music goes. I consider Nine Inch Nails' The Fragile to be the greatest double-album of my generation, and it's a perfect example of Mr. Reznor's musical depth. Atticus Ross, on the other hand is more of a minimalist, and I was first introduced to his music when he did some programming and/or produced Nine Inch Nails' last four albums. He also caught my attention whilst watching the movie The Book of Eli. The entire time I was thinking to myself, "This HAS to be either Trent, Atticus, or Saul Williams doing the soundtrack for this...." It was indeed Atticus, and I became a fan.
The soundtrack for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a drone type of electronica with some darker ambient soundscapes layered in, and when I write "layered in", I mean it as emphatically as is possible. It's the most complex minimalistic album ever created, if that's even possible. You'll always hear synth, and you'll sometimes hear keys, bells, guitars, strings, vibrations, xylophones etc., etc. One of the songs even has vocals, and oddly enough it's a cover of Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" (featuring Karen O on vocals) In a nutshell, it's epic in every way possible. Find three hours and treat yourself to what's bound to be a Grammy winner.
Recommended if you enjoy: Sigur Ros, Ghosts I-IV by Nine Inch Nails, The Book of Eli (soundtrack), The Social Network (soundtrack)
When Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor work together, they don't just make music. They mold sounds into layers of emotional synesthesia, and their newest masterpiece, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is no different. Your brain and body don't quite know what to do with themselves. You smile. You get the chills. You get creeped out. You contemplate, yet sometimes you stop thinking all together.
After the near three hour playtime ended, I took my headphones off and the first thing to come to mind was Homer's epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. If Homer were alive today, he'd be furiously writing a screenplay, day in and day out, so Reznor and Ross could give it the sonic pulse it (I'm sure) would deserve. They are just that good.
Reznor has always been one of my favorites as far as extremely layered music goes. I consider Nine Inch Nails' The Fragile to be the greatest double-album of my generation, and it's a perfect example of Mr. Reznor's musical depth. Atticus Ross, on the other hand is more of a minimalist, and I was first introduced to his music when he did some programming and/or produced Nine Inch Nails' last four albums. He also caught my attention whilst watching the movie The Book of Eli. The entire time I was thinking to myself, "This HAS to be either Trent, Atticus, or Saul Williams doing the soundtrack for this...." It was indeed Atticus, and I became a fan.
The soundtrack for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a drone type of electronica with some darker ambient soundscapes layered in, and when I write "layered in", I mean it as emphatically as is possible. It's the most complex minimalistic album ever created, if that's even possible. You'll always hear synth, and you'll sometimes hear keys, bells, guitars, strings, vibrations, xylophones etc., etc. One of the songs even has vocals, and oddly enough it's a cover of Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" (featuring Karen O on vocals) In a nutshell, it's epic in every way possible. Find three hours and treat yourself to what's bound to be a Grammy winner.
Recommended if you enjoy: Sigur Ros, Ghosts I-IV by Nine Inch Nails, The Book of Eli (soundtrack), The Social Network (soundtrack)
allbroke- Broke/Free EP (12/02/2011): A Review
Posted by defeat on December 6th, 2011, 11:23 pm. Category: Scribery Entry
Rating: 10/10
The dubstep scene is in two factions at the moment. You’ve got the UK kids who are all, “Yeah, Yeah dubstep…it’s played out and now the Americans are catching on late….yet again.” And we also have the US kids who are getting into dubstep because the US producers/programmers decided to 1-UP the UK’s scene. I personally don’t get into all that myself. If the track is good…..the track is good, wherever and whenever it came out.
Now on to the album you all need to know about. Allbroke has had a few songs independently released recently, and his Facebook was droppin’ hints about a present to us all (his fans). It’s here. His present is the absolutely free EP Broke/Free.
This you are going to enjoy. It’s a mix between UK and US dubstep in all the right ways. The music itself tells a subtle sci-fi story in it’s four song way. Makes me wish dubstep was around when The Matrix was being produced. I think It would have been very cool for Allbroke to have had a couple songs on there.
“The Device” is the opener, and from start to beginning it walks us through a device being used to make some nasty drops. It’s a very unique song. I have yet to hear of anyone doing what Allbroke is doing here. With this opener you know you’ve stumbled upon something unique.
“Nostromo” is second in line and well. It’s pretty chill at first until 55 seconds in when it drops and don’t stop….in a good way. Enter some sci fi dialogue. Great song.
“Orion” The third track I really, really, really , really enjoyed. Sweet, sweet tension and release I am a fan of. This one however has more of a UK sound to it. Not that I’m complaining .
“Field Medic” This closure is the epitome of what I was trying to get across up in hurr. It’s a UKUSA dubstep orgy.
Over all this albums broke down the boundaries between UK and US dubstep with one fell swoop. I was impressed with the dynamics of it all. Solid, Solid, EP.
Recommened if you enjoy: Ed Solo, Datsik, skrillex, Nero
Now how about a music video combining the songs for maximum epic? EH?
The link to the FREE EP is
http://www.facebook.com/spirographed?ref=tn_tnmn#!/Allbroke
Like the page, download the nasty.
The dubstep scene is in two factions at the moment. You’ve got the UK kids who are all, “Yeah, Yeah dubstep…it’s played out and now the Americans are catching on late….yet again.” And we also have the US kids who are getting into dubstep because the US producers/programmers decided to 1-UP the UK’s scene. I personally don’t get into all that myself. If the track is good…..the track is good, wherever and whenever it came out.
Now on to the album you all need to know about. Allbroke has had a few songs independently released recently, and his Facebook was droppin’ hints about a present to us all (his fans). It’s here. His present is the absolutely free EP Broke/Free.
This you are going to enjoy. It’s a mix between UK and US dubstep in all the right ways. The music itself tells a subtle sci-fi story in it’s four song way. Makes me wish dubstep was around when The Matrix was being produced. I think It would have been very cool for Allbroke to have had a couple songs on there.
“The Device” is the opener, and from start to beginning it walks us through a device being used to make some nasty drops. It’s a very unique song. I have yet to hear of anyone doing what Allbroke is doing here. With this opener you know you’ve stumbled upon something unique.
“Nostromo” is second in line and well. It’s pretty chill at first until 55 seconds in when it drops and don’t stop….in a good way. Enter some sci fi dialogue. Great song.
“Orion” The third track I really, really, really , really enjoyed. Sweet, sweet tension and release I am a fan of. This one however has more of a UK sound to it. Not that I’m complaining .
“Field Medic” This closure is the epitome of what I was trying to get across up in hurr. It’s a UKUSA dubstep orgy.
Over all this albums broke down the boundaries between UK and US dubstep with one fell swoop. I was impressed with the dynamics of it all. Solid, Solid, EP.
Recommened if you enjoy: Ed Solo, Datsik, skrillex, Nero
Now how about a music video combining the songs for maximum epic? EH?
The link to the FREE EP is
http://www.facebook.com/spirographed?ref=tn_tnmn#!/Allbroke
Like the page, download the nasty.
A battle of time on communities
Posted by Demon on December 5th, 2011, 6:42 pm. Category: Scribery Entry
Time moves on inevitably, as I’m sure anyone can tell. Childhood memories become just what they are – memories. Not much can stay the same in a world rapidly evolving with people snaking along just as quickly towards some mysterious, unknown goal of worth we, as a society and race, have decided is vitally necessary. This is also true for the internet, but at a much broader and faster rate because of instant gratification and the scope of available tools for developers to build. While driving down ‘memory lane’ after twenty-odd years may bring the shock of finding your childhood home destroyed and a new shopping plaza in its place, you can still find your breath taken away at the vast and expanding internet. Simply visit Google and type in a keyword relative to your life (anything) and you’ll find more information instantly available than you can possibly read in your lifetime… with more being released as you’re reading!
Thus, what happens to a memory of a place once you can no longer visit it or feel that connection you once felt? How often do you drive or walk down a new, but familiar street where memories seem to come alive and flood into your conscious? Where do you go when you begin to relive those days of happiness, the shared, raw energy of a community? The whole experience can be quite a downer once you start thinking about those childhood playmates or perhaps the teenage adventures while testing the world, knowing you had your parents as a safety net. Where, then do you go when that memory is an online community?
Too often I’ve found myself needing information and simply visiting search engines like Google and Bing to find a quick resolution to any situation which may arise. This includes anything from technological break-downs, news, or entertainment; basically anything which would be best served instantly. It seems, at least to me, that technical forums and online ‘gurus’ have become a thing of the past. Why? Most times, ‘Googling’ an issue will bring up a laundry list of posts in forums with the exact problem, usually followed with an answer. However, the post was made and answered anywhere from ten years to a more recent four years. In either case, unless it’s a new product, there is no real need for posting on a forum only to wait days (if you’re lucky) for an intelligent response and possibly longer to get a true answer.
So where do communities fit into this? It seems only natural that communities, though once warm and welcoming to the casual internet browser, has become a thing of the past. They’ve been replaced with blogs and social networking where, again, everything revolves on instant gratification for the end-user. What kind of communities have survived? Other than those directly linked with a brand (Dell Technical Support – Love them) or with a particular product (Tip.It – A fansite based on a MMO game), it would seem there is little opportunity for growth among other communities. Yet there are still communities with mixed interests (Runevillage – A fansite-turned-general interest) where a wisp of memory and the attachment of veterans keep the community together, even through difficult times.
Despite the fondness of memories in our compulsive visits to places we’ve known and grown to love, there is a sort of sweet sorrow in their parting. Just as we must one day say goodbye to our parents, it feels there is an inevitable end to all communities – online or not. In a more directed note, while the Village may be the dear home of a few dedicated users who have stayed around for nearly the entirety of its life, the difficulty lies not in reviving the dead, but re-angling the community to be both ageless and timeless where simple trends don’t direct the life of the site as a whole. I’d say this has been the bane of countless sites with a targeted audience, because there was never any room allowed or even acknowledged to open the door for a broader scope of inclusion for outsiders and thus lays the self-imprisonment of sites with too little a mind to approach a large audience.
Simply putting it, the only means by which to survive in the rapid change and growth of the internet is to build and evolve with it, rather than staying focused on a single niche. A stubborn, slow mind will only be left behind as the community gathered moves on to bigger and better things, though they may still visit every so often (like an old man in a retirement home, perhaps). There can only be success where success is actively perceived and rendered into a useable model; building a strong community is great while there is community to build, but there has to be some means of bringing new users in and getting them attached the same way everyone else has become attached.
Thus, what happens to a memory of a place once you can no longer visit it or feel that connection you once felt? How often do you drive or walk down a new, but familiar street where memories seem to come alive and flood into your conscious? Where do you go when you begin to relive those days of happiness, the shared, raw energy of a community? The whole experience can be quite a downer once you start thinking about those childhood playmates or perhaps the teenage adventures while testing the world, knowing you had your parents as a safety net. Where, then do you go when that memory is an online community?
Too often I’ve found myself needing information and simply visiting search engines like Google and Bing to find a quick resolution to any situation which may arise. This includes anything from technological break-downs, news, or entertainment; basically anything which would be best served instantly. It seems, at least to me, that technical forums and online ‘gurus’ have become a thing of the past. Why? Most times, ‘Googling’ an issue will bring up a laundry list of posts in forums with the exact problem, usually followed with an answer. However, the post was made and answered anywhere from ten years to a more recent four years. In either case, unless it’s a new product, there is no real need for posting on a forum only to wait days (if you’re lucky) for an intelligent response and possibly longer to get a true answer.
So where do communities fit into this? It seems only natural that communities, though once warm and welcoming to the casual internet browser, has become a thing of the past. They’ve been replaced with blogs and social networking where, again, everything revolves on instant gratification for the end-user. What kind of communities have survived? Other than those directly linked with a brand (Dell Technical Support – Love them) or with a particular product (Tip.It – A fansite based on a MMO game), it would seem there is little opportunity for growth among other communities. Yet there are still communities with mixed interests (Runevillage – A fansite-turned-general interest) where a wisp of memory and the attachment of veterans keep the community together, even through difficult times.
Despite the fondness of memories in our compulsive visits to places we’ve known and grown to love, there is a sort of sweet sorrow in their parting. Just as we must one day say goodbye to our parents, it feels there is an inevitable end to all communities – online or not. In a more directed note, while the Village may be the dear home of a few dedicated users who have stayed around for nearly the entirety of its life, the difficulty lies not in reviving the dead, but re-angling the community to be both ageless and timeless where simple trends don’t direct the life of the site as a whole. I’d say this has been the bane of countless sites with a targeted audience, because there was never any room allowed or even acknowledged to open the door for a broader scope of inclusion for outsiders and thus lays the self-imprisonment of sites with too little a mind to approach a large audience.
Simply putting it, the only means by which to survive in the rapid change and growth of the internet is to build and evolve with it, rather than staying focused on a single niche. A stubborn, slow mind will only be left behind as the community gathered moves on to bigger and better things, though they may still visit every so often (like an old man in a retirement home, perhaps). There can only be success where success is actively perceived and rendered into a useable model; building a strong community is great while there is community to build, but there has to be some means of bringing new users in and getting them attached the same way everyone else has become attached.
LLL: Updated 1/07; info on my future in the scribery
Posted by Landerpurex on December 1st, 2011, 2:55 am. Category: Scribery Entry
**EDIT**
Alright, so I daresay you editors and high ranking officials at RV are not interested in pure literature or creative works being put on the front page. Though I think that is ludicrous, I also see why that is. The bottom line is that I go to the movies, like, A LOT. Think on a weekly basis, pretty much. I hope to make some topics there on the front page through reviewing new movies. I have already written two and dedicated several hours to doing so in an effort to help this place. I know they are somewhat outdated, Darkest Hour being most so but I intend to review newer releases soon. I plan on seeing The Devil Inside tomorrow, so perhaps you can expect that review soon.
I also know that there are tons of other movie review sites, far more comprehensive and those that have professional critics (HA), but I tried to take a frank, fresh approach to the movies that will help anyone who is looking for such information. I also have to say that I am inspired by Defeat, but no longer will I allow him to take the brunt of the responsibility here, and the glory along with it.
Bottom line is, I am not going to write nor post creative works if they have no chance of being used, similarly how I am not going to write to no end for the Villager.
If someone wishes to refute or update me on Scribery and subsequently, front page quality policy, I would be much obliged.
Also it should be noted that I would like to buy the new RPG coming out in February called Kingdoms of Amalur, so dibs on that review assuming I actually get the game.
***
This is the thread I'm gonna reserve for the (hopefully) many contributions I make to RV in its new direction. For now, I'm only posting one poem but expect more in the future. This is perhaps my favorite piece that I've written, and I believe it shows. Later, expect more poetry, short stories, and snippets from my novel/s.
That said, I need to post a small disclaimer: I hope to make a living as a writer someday, and much of what I post will be some of my best work. I retain all rights to my work as the author. In the unlikely event that I sell the rights to some of my work, I may ask for it to be taken off the site but that does not seem to be something that is possible for me to accept.
This was something I wrote for a two week intensive poetry seminar. I wrote this in response to my classmates who often said that my work was too triumphant, that it wasn't sad, depressing, or void of conflict. I hope you appreciate the satire. It's a form called "letter poetry" which I had never tried before, but I seem to be at least somewhat good at.
Alright, so I daresay you editors and high ranking officials at RV are not interested in pure literature or creative works being put on the front page. Though I think that is ludicrous, I also see why that is. The bottom line is that I go to the movies, like, A LOT. Think on a weekly basis, pretty much. I hope to make some topics there on the front page through reviewing new movies. I have already written two and dedicated several hours to doing so in an effort to help this place. I know they are somewhat outdated, Darkest Hour being most so but I intend to review newer releases soon. I plan on seeing The Devil Inside tomorrow, so perhaps you can expect that review soon.
I also know that there are tons of other movie review sites, far more comprehensive and those that have professional critics (HA), but I tried to take a frank, fresh approach to the movies that will help anyone who is looking for such information. I also have to say that I am inspired by Defeat, but no longer will I allow him to take the brunt of the responsibility here, and the glory along with it.
Bottom line is, I am not going to write nor post creative works if they have no chance of being used, similarly how I am not going to write to no end for the Villager.
If someone wishes to refute or update me on Scribery and subsequently, front page quality policy, I would be much obliged. Also it should be noted that I would like to buy the new RPG coming out in February called Kingdoms of Amalur, so dibs on that review assuming I actually get the game.
***
This is the thread I'm gonna reserve for the (hopefully) many contributions I make to RV in its new direction. For now, I'm only posting one poem but expect more in the future. This is perhaps my favorite piece that I've written, and I believe it shows. Later, expect more poetry, short stories, and snippets from my novel/s.
That said, I need to post a small disclaimer: I hope to make a living as a writer someday, and much of what I post will be some of my best work. I retain all rights to my work as the author. In the unlikely event that I sell the rights to some of my work, I may ask for it to be taken off the site but that does not seem to be something that is possible for me to accept.
This was something I wrote for a two week intensive poetry seminar. I wrote this in response to my classmates who often said that my work was too triumphant, that it wasn't sad, depressing, or void of conflict. I hope you appreciate the satire. It's a form called "letter poetry" which I had never tried before, but I seem to be at least somewhat good at.
Lander wrote:
Dear self,
You will never triumph against anything.
To presume otherwise is nothing
short of maniacal nonsense.
Wallow in your self pity,
Fill a pool with it,
Drown in it,
Glub.
Write your farewell poem in blood,
Then hang yourself.
Um, don’t do any of that.
I’m being facetious.
It surely wouldn’t kill you,
To let your weakness through
Every now and again.
Death dances around you.
He dances a jig in Swedish clogs.
He trips over his own robe,
Wreaking hellish havoc.
Pontificate.
Your father, dead by simultaneous stroke and heart attack
Your Uncle, dead by spidery spider cancer
Your cousin, dead by asthma attack
Your cousin, dead by drowning
Your mother, dead by house fire
Let a tear chart a new course
Down your cheek.
Taste bitterness.
Become angry.
Shout for no reason,
Curse the people who get under your skin.
Do it to their faces.
Your car’s a piece of,
Drive it til the wheels fall off,
Then light it on fire.
Loosen up and stop hiding
Your past and your trials.
They happened.
Pretending they aren’t real will only
Cause a quarter-life crisis.
Affectionately,
Me
You will never triumph against anything.
To presume otherwise is nothing
short of maniacal nonsense.
Wallow in your self pity,
Fill a pool with it,
Drown in it,
Glub.
Write your farewell poem in blood,
Then hang yourself.
Um, don’t do any of that.
I’m being facetious.
It surely wouldn’t kill you,
To let your weakness through
Every now and again.
Death dances around you.
He dances a jig in Swedish clogs.
He trips over his own robe,
Wreaking hellish havoc.
Pontificate.
Your father, dead by simultaneous stroke and heart attack
Your Uncle, dead by spidery spider cancer
Your cousin, dead by asthma attack
Your cousin, dead by drowning
Your mother, dead by house fire
Let a tear chart a new course
Down your cheek.
Taste bitterness.
Become angry.
Shout for no reason,
Curse the people who get under your skin.
Do it to their faces.
Your car’s a piece of
,Drive it til the wheels fall off,
Then light it on fire.
Loosen up and stop hiding
Your past and your trials.
They happened.
Pretending they aren’t real will only
Cause a quarter-life crisis.
Affectionately,
Me
By far, the most exciting news in the last year was the announcement of the latest entry in the Elder Scrolls series, Skyrim. Along with this announcement was a vast amount of detail on what would be included in the final product, as it would be released in less than 12 months, on November 11. The game is now out, and the biggest question series fans have had is this: Is it going to live up to previous games in the series?
I have to say what excited me was the announcement that this game would attempt to walk the line between Morrowind and Oblivion; Morrowind being one of my favorite games from childhood, and Oblivion being a technically good follow up set in a fairly generic setting. This is a pretty tall order. The magic of Morrowind, anyone can tell you, was in the discovery. You never knew what powerful ring you would find in that tomb across the river, or what daedric relic you'd pull out of the abandoned dwemer tower just outside of town.
Oblivion did away with this system, simply rewarding you these one of a kind items through quests; sure, a dungeon might provide a bunch of loot, but none of it had "pizzazz". None of it belonged to some great, unnamed warlock, and it certainly didn't belong to a demigod. You had to go talk to those guys in person, and you had to make sacrifices, but only when you hit the right level. Not the right level? Go back to Rockmilk and wait for those bandits and marauders to kill each other! Maybe after about ten delves you'll have fired your bow enough to get a level or two. It kind of got... boring. Not that other games don't have ridiculous amounts of grinding, but in a game claiming to be bigger and better than Morrowind, I expect even more relics to be dug up, not to just be handed to me for running between vendors and grabbing a shovel.
Skyrim, I'm happy to say, walks the line and leans toward the Morrowind side of the series. There's no telling what you'll find in any given cave, be it a powerful enemy wielding a magic weapon or a dragon wall providing you with immense power. The quests to find powerful artefacts often trigger just from discovering the tomb or strange item, so you still get the thrill of finding the artefact without feeling like you're a means to an end.
The world is wonderfully alien, just as it was in the good old days of the series. Expansive plains have herds of mammoths and giants wandering through, with beautiful mountains always in view. Rivers and streams flow through the landscape and look wonderful, although they are as much a nuisance as they are a beauty to look at. Often, there is no good way to cross a river without walking for what seems like miles out of your way. Attempting to wade across often goes awry, as there typically isn't a good way to climb out of said river. At this point, the best you can hope to do is survive the waterfall inevitably waiting 200 feet downstream and hope that you'll come out somewhere close to an actual road on the other side.
That's not to say that Oblivion's additions to the series were completely cut from the game; if anything, its shortcomings were tweaked until they became strengths for the game. While it didn't provide much in the way of setting, the fourth game in the series did a few things right: It simplified everything, and it added randomness in items. Skyrim expands on this.
Previous entries in the series required you to build your character around your Attributes, which governed skills, of which several selected as Major and [sometimes] Minor. You could only level up by increasing one of these selected skills, and then you had to weigh the pros and cons of increasing an attribute. These dilemmas are no more. Attributes: Gone. Major Skills: Nope nope. Minor Skills: That's been out of fashion for like ten years! All skills start the same, save for racial bonuses. You don't pick a class. You don't make a class. Whatever you use increases, and when a certain number of skill increases has been achieved, you level. You choose to increase your Health, Magicka, or Stamina bars, and then you get a perk to use to specialize in something. That's it. While I DO miss the challenge of increasing my luck, it's even better that I don't have to worry about respecializing in things after I've made my character. That isn't even a concern until after level 15 or so.
Building on the simplification of "Blade, Blunt, and Marksman", the weapon distinction has now become "One handed, Two handed, and Archery", with different sub-specializations within each skill tree that are up to you. One handed weapons include daggers, maces, swords, and one handed axes, and are great for damage dealers who don't want to take any damage. It goes hand in hand with the stealth tree, which only serves to make assassin characters even more overpowered (a common complaint I've heard of the game). From here you have the option to dual wield, a new feature to the series. It dramatically decreases your ability to block an attack, but the idea here is that you aren't going to be hit before this happens. Two handed is for people who don't mind getting punched in the face a couple times while swinging there weapon. These include greatswords, axes, and warhammers. Where does archery fit into all this? Very neatly, since it's so much more powerful than it ever was before. Put enough points into it, and it’s just as effective as any other weapon you could use.
Delving dungeons simply for magic items is always beneficial, especially at lower levels. Don't wear heavy armor, but still REALLY want that archery bonus? With the return of the Enchantment skill, items can be destroyed to learn their properties for use in making new ones. This means that equipment gathering is no longer the endless cycle of finding and selling and paying your first born to the Mage's Guild to make stuff temporarily better.
Oh, and dragons. With how late this review/rant is coming out, you've probably heard a lot about them already. Not a whole lot I can say on that matter except that they are far more fun than any of the other boss fights I have been involved with in this game up to this point. Fight them. Relish them, but remember that they are common throughout this game. If I had a nickel for every time I came out of fast travel and had to save a town, I wouldn’t have much money, because I don't think I've killed more than 20 dragons, and only like half those attacked towns. But I still feel like a boss.
Last, the main quest. I'm not going to get too much into this, because I honestly haven't done much with it. This shouldn't be a problem for many fans of the series, as no one really plays through it. From what I've seen of other people playing it, it is greatly improved story wise from Oblivion. What I can tell you is that guilds are back, with the Fighter's Guild and Mage's Guild being replaced by awesome. Dark Brotherhood is more disturbing than ever, and the Thieves Guild is... changed...
While a great game in and of itself, it stacks up with the best of the Elder Scrolls series. If you enjoyed any of those, give it a shot. It's definitely the best entry in the series. If you didn't, check it out anyway. Enough has changed that you may find yourself a new fan.
I have to say what excited me was the announcement that this game would attempt to walk the line between Morrowind and Oblivion; Morrowind being one of my favorite games from childhood, and Oblivion being a technically good follow up set in a fairly generic setting. This is a pretty tall order. The magic of Morrowind, anyone can tell you, was in the discovery. You never knew what powerful ring you would find in that tomb across the river, or what daedric relic you'd pull out of the abandoned dwemer tower just outside of town.
Oblivion did away with this system, simply rewarding you these one of a kind items through quests; sure, a dungeon might provide a bunch of loot, but none of it had "pizzazz". None of it belonged to some great, unnamed warlock, and it certainly didn't belong to a demigod. You had to go talk to those guys in person, and you had to make sacrifices, but only when you hit the right level. Not the right level? Go back to Rockmilk and wait for those bandits and marauders to kill each other! Maybe after about ten delves you'll have fired your bow enough to get a level or two. It kind of got... boring. Not that other games don't have ridiculous amounts of grinding, but in a game claiming to be bigger and better than Morrowind, I expect even more relics to be dug up, not to just be handed to me for running between vendors and grabbing a shovel.
Skyrim, I'm happy to say, walks the line and leans toward the Morrowind side of the series. There's no telling what you'll find in any given cave, be it a powerful enemy wielding a magic weapon or a dragon wall providing you with immense power. The quests to find powerful artefacts often trigger just from discovering the tomb or strange item, so you still get the thrill of finding the artefact without feeling like you're a means to an end.
The world is wonderfully alien, just as it was in the good old days of the series. Expansive plains have herds of mammoths and giants wandering through, with beautiful mountains always in view. Rivers and streams flow through the landscape and look wonderful, although they are as much a nuisance as they are a beauty to look at. Often, there is no good way to cross a river without walking for what seems like miles out of your way. Attempting to wade across often goes awry, as there typically isn't a good way to climb out of said river. At this point, the best you can hope to do is survive the waterfall inevitably waiting 200 feet downstream and hope that you'll come out somewhere close to an actual road on the other side.
That's not to say that Oblivion's additions to the series were completely cut from the game; if anything, its shortcomings were tweaked until they became strengths for the game. While it didn't provide much in the way of setting, the fourth game in the series did a few things right: It simplified everything, and it added randomness in items. Skyrim expands on this.
Previous entries in the series required you to build your character around your Attributes, which governed skills, of which several selected as Major and [sometimes] Minor. You could only level up by increasing one of these selected skills, and then you had to weigh the pros and cons of increasing an attribute. These dilemmas are no more. Attributes: Gone. Major Skills: Nope nope. Minor Skills: That's been out of fashion for like ten years! All skills start the same, save for racial bonuses. You don't pick a class. You don't make a class. Whatever you use increases, and when a certain number of skill increases has been achieved, you level. You choose to increase your Health, Magicka, or Stamina bars, and then you get a perk to use to specialize in something. That's it. While I DO miss the challenge of increasing my luck, it's even better that I don't have to worry about respecializing in things after I've made my character. That isn't even a concern until after level 15 or so.
Building on the simplification of "Blade, Blunt, and Marksman", the weapon distinction has now become "One handed, Two handed, and Archery", with different sub-specializations within each skill tree that are up to you. One handed weapons include daggers, maces, swords, and one handed axes, and are great for damage dealers who don't want to take any damage. It goes hand in hand with the stealth tree, which only serves to make assassin characters even more overpowered (a common complaint I've heard of the game). From here you have the option to dual wield, a new feature to the series. It dramatically decreases your ability to block an attack, but the idea here is that you aren't going to be hit before this happens. Two handed is for people who don't mind getting punched in the face a couple times while swinging there weapon. These include greatswords, axes, and warhammers. Where does archery fit into all this? Very neatly, since it's so much more powerful than it ever was before. Put enough points into it, and it’s just as effective as any other weapon you could use.
Delving dungeons simply for magic items is always beneficial, especially at lower levels. Don't wear heavy armor, but still REALLY want that archery bonus? With the return of the Enchantment skill, items can be destroyed to learn their properties for use in making new ones. This means that equipment gathering is no longer the endless cycle of finding and selling and paying your first born to the Mage's Guild to make stuff temporarily better.
Oh, and dragons. With how late this review/rant is coming out, you've probably heard a lot about them already. Not a whole lot I can say on that matter except that they are far more fun than any of the other boss fights I have been involved with in this game up to this point. Fight them. Relish them, but remember that they are common throughout this game. If I had a nickel for every time I came out of fast travel and had to save a town, I wouldn’t have much money, because I don't think I've killed more than 20 dragons, and only like half those attacked towns. But I still feel like a boss.
Last, the main quest. I'm not going to get too much into this, because I honestly haven't done much with it. This shouldn't be a problem for many fans of the series, as no one really plays through it. From what I've seen of other people playing it, it is greatly improved story wise from Oblivion. What I can tell you is that guilds are back, with the Fighter's Guild and Mage's Guild being replaced by awesome. Dark Brotherhood is more disturbing than ever, and the Thieves Guild is... changed...
While a great game in and of itself, it stacks up with the best of the Elder Scrolls series. If you enjoyed any of those, give it a shot. It's definitely the best entry in the series. If you didn't, check it out anyway. Enough has changed that you may find yourself a new fan.
31-Oct-2009 Adventurer's Log (BETA)
Posted by Dark Paladin on October 30th, 2009, 7:41 pm. Category: RuneScape News
This is the new feature of the website called "Adventurer's Log". Here is my accounts view 
:
:
RuneScape.com wrote:
1. What is the Adventurer's Log?
The Adventurer's Log is a feature on the RuneScape website which allows you to view your statistics, your recent activities, and your forum avatar. You are also able to view other players' Adventurer's Logs.
To access the Adventurer's Log, either click here or hover over the 'Community' tab at the top of the RuneScape front page and select 'Adventurer's Log'. You will need to log in to see your own details, or simply type in a player's name to view the details of someone else (as long as that player's profile is visible).
[...]
Check this for more!
The Adventurer's Log is a feature on the RuneScape website which allows you to view your statistics, your recent activities, and your forum avatar. You are also able to view other players' Adventurer's Logs.
To access the Adventurer's Log, either click here or hover over the 'Community' tab at the top of the RuneScape front page and select 'Adventurer's Log'. You will need to log in to see your own details, or simply type in a player's name to view the details of someone else (as long as that player's profile is visible).
[...]
Check this for more!
Hidden update
I don't know when this got released, but a friend of mine told me about this new feature! It's still in beta, but you can log in and check it out right now! I think it's a really good idea - it's like a profile of an account.
However most importantly, they finally inform you about how much you played the game!
I was really surprised by my time
never even thought I had spent more than 100 days logged in rs....Anywho, check it out yourself:
http://services.runescape.com/m=adventu ... 9CvdJJW-Q/
Half Witted Episode 2 - Non Halloween Special!
Posted by Mogo on October 28th, 2009, 9:10 am. Category: RuneVillage News
Half Witted Episode 2 is now out. You can download it here:
http://monkeyserver.net/halfwitted/Half ... 201-02.mp3
If you're subcribed on iTunes, please check you're subscribed to the more recent RSS upload. If iTunes doesn't detect there's an episode 2, then you aren't. You can resubscribe by pressing the iTunes link in my signature.
We hope you enjoy!
Moose out
Edit: Upload failed, re-uploading, should be ready in about... 20 minutes.
For those that didn't realise... it's done, I meant 20 mintues after i made the original post... ¬_¬
http://monkeyserver.net/halfwitted/Half ... 201-02.mp3
If you're subcribed on iTunes, please check you're subscribed to the more recent RSS upload. If iTunes doesn't detect there's an episode 2, then you aren't. You can resubscribe by pressing the iTunes link in my signature.
We hope you enjoy!
Moose out
Edit: Upload failed, re-uploading, should be ready in about... 20 minutes.
For those that didn't realise... it's done, I meant 20 mintues after i made the original post... ¬_¬
***IMPORTANT*** Server Move Complete!
Posted by hiker on October 27th, 2009, 3:44 pm. Category: RuneVillage News
EDIT: the fact that you're reading this topic means that you're now looking at the new server 
Yes, folks... the server move is about to take place, starting today...
first, don't worry too much about a rollback-- we already have a backup that is just a few days old, so we won't have a huge rollback... in fact, if everything works as planned, we won't have *any* rollback.
However, for some techincal reasons, we may go down unexpectedly....
And once we are offline, we will probably be offline for 24-48 hours-- remember this time, we're also moving DNS, which takes a while to propagate.
If we don't go unexpectedly, we will close the forum, probably later in the day, so that we don't leave behind any posts at all.
In any event, once we're down, we will keep everyone posted through facebook, twitter, and other means of communication.
Everyone keep your fingers crossed for a smooth transfer!
Yes, folks... the server move is about to take place, starting today...
first, don't worry too much about a rollback-- we already have a backup that is just a few days old, so we won't have a huge rollback... in fact, if everything works as planned, we won't have *any* rollback.
However, for some techincal reasons, we may go down unexpectedly....
And once we are offline, we will probably be offline for 24-48 hours-- remember this time, we're also moving DNS, which takes a while to propagate.
If we don't go unexpectedly, we will close the forum, probably later in the day, so that we don't leave behind any posts at all.
In any event, once we're down, we will keep everyone posted through facebook, twitter, and other means of communication.
Everyone keep your fingers crossed for a smooth transfer!
26-Oct-2009 - Anti-‘76k’ing Measures
Posted by Martin on October 26th, 2009, 11:32 am. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
As many of you know, since the opening of PvP Worlds, ‘76k’ing has become a very common practice. We’ve never been happy about this as we believe it spoils the game experience for players who want to play on PvP Worlds as intended and exhibit their PvP skills, with high rewards for high risks, rather than it being a safe method for earning large amounts of money. Looking at our forums, it looks like many players feel the same way.
Designing and developing a solution to this issue that worked, but which did not lessen the rewards for legitimate kills, turned out to be rather tricky. We’re hopeful that the solution we’ve come up with will reduce 76King without having too significant an impact on legitimate PKers.
Players who trade kills will find that the drop they receive is lessened in value. Legitimate PKers might find that some of their kills will result in smaller drops (e.g. when getting revenge on someone who has just killed you), but since you’ll still only lose as much Earning Potential as is used for the drop, your average drop will stay the same.
Mod Chihiro
Senior Technical Developer
Designing and developing a solution to this issue that worked, but which did not lessen the rewards for legitimate kills, turned out to be rather tricky. We’re hopeful that the solution we’ve come up with will reduce 76King without having too significant an impact on legitimate PKers.
Players who trade kills will find that the drop they receive is lessened in value. Legitimate PKers might find that some of their kills will result in smaller drops (e.g. when getting revenge on someone who has just killed you), but since you’ll still only lose as much Earning Potential as is used for the drop, your average drop will stay the same.
Mod Chihiro
Senior Technical Developer
26-Oct-2009 - Web of Shadows (Halloween 2009)
Posted by Martin on October 26th, 2009, 11:31 am. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
A dark house portal has appeared to the south of Falador once again. Tremble as you approach it, for it leads to the house of the Grim Reaper, Death himself!
In this year's Halloween event, Death has a problem with an uninvited guest. Choose to help out and you will journey to a realm rarely trod by creatures with only two feet, and converse with its irritable monarch.
Completing the event will reward you with two new wearable items – one of which has a mind of its own – so seek out the house of Death...if you dare!
We've also created a wallpaper based on this event, which you can download here.
Mod John A
RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
In other news...
We’ve made some improvements to the way banks calculate your free space. Free-players who used to be members will no longer have to dump all their members items to be able to use their banks and everyone can now see their usage in more detail on the interface. For more information, please read the Controls - Banks page.
We've updated the bank to make it automatically resize to fit your screen better. The interface will automatically extend downwards to show you more of your bank items.
Zahur in Nardah, who's moved to the building east of the bank, will now decant all of your potions (in any combination) into 3-dose vials for you. He charges a small fee for this service to cover the cost of any extra vials needed.
We've swapped two tasks in the Ardougne Achievement Diary. The medium diary might look a little odd if you've already completed it, but you should still be able to wear the cloaks for their effects.
An auto re-pick feature has been added when harvesting your mushrooms, berries and fruit from Farming patches.
When collecting a single item at the Grand Exchange, left-click will now withdraw the actual item and right-click will withdraw it as a note. Withdrawals for multiple items will behave as before.
In this year's Halloween event, Death has a problem with an uninvited guest. Choose to help out and you will journey to a realm rarely trod by creatures with only two feet, and converse with its irritable monarch.
Completing the event will reward you with two new wearable items – one of which has a mind of its own – so seek out the house of Death...if you dare!
We've also created a wallpaper based on this event, which you can download here.
Mod John A
RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
| Where to start Web of Shadows: Enter the dark house portal south of Falador. Requirements to complete Web of Shadows: None |
In other news...
We’ve made some improvements to the way banks calculate your free space. Free-players who used to be members will no longer have to dump all their members items to be able to use their banks and everyone can now see their usage in more detail on the interface. For more information, please read the Controls - Banks page.
We've updated the bank to make it automatically resize to fit your screen better. The interface will automatically extend downwards to show you more of your bank items.
Zahur in Nardah, who's moved to the building east of the bank, will now decant all of your potions (in any combination) into 3-dose vials for you. He charges a small fee for this service to cover the cost of any extra vials needed.
We've swapped two tasks in the Ardougne Achievement Diary. The medium diary might look a little odd if you've already completed it, but you should still be able to wear the cloaks for their effects.
An auto re-pick feature has been added when harvesting your mushrooms, berries and fruit from Farming patches.
When collecting a single item at the Grand Exchange, left-click will now withdraw the actual item and right-click will withdraw it as a note. Withdrawals for multiple items will behave as before.
New Feature: Forum Category Hiding
Posted by Glodenox on October 24th, 2009, 9:44 am. Category: RuneVillage News
After hearing some complaints from some people that the list of forums is quite lengthy in their opinion, we very quickly came to the idea of making it possible to hide certain categories of forums.
As from today, this feature is implemented. If there's a forum category you never look at and would just want to ignore, just press the "Hide" link to the right of the category name. The information about which categories to keep hidden and which visible is stored locally on your computer, so if you visit The Pub on different computers, the categories will still all be visible when you go to another computer. In the future we may change the feature in such a way that it does store that information on the server, but for now this should do the trick
- Greetz Glodenox
As from today, this feature is implemented. If there's a forum category you never look at and would just want to ignore, just press the "Hide" link to the right of the category name. The information about which categories to keep hidden and which visible is stored locally on your computer, so if you visit The Pub on different computers, the categories will still all be visible when you go to another computer. In the future we may change the feature in such a way that it does store that information on the server, but for now this should do the trick
- Greetz Glodenox
switcheroo -- new position
Posted by hiker on October 23rd, 2009, 6:02 pm. Category: RuneVillage News
We are announcing a "switch" in position for A5Chow... she's giving up her "Elder/Legends" position to assume the rank of "Assistant Staff Administrator."
She's actually been doing much of the work of that position as head honcho of the RV 2.0 team, but now it's become official and will continue past the release of RV 2.0.
In this case it's easy to say i know you'll do a good job-- you've already been doing it!
Congrats Jenny!
She's actually been doing much of the work of that position as head honcho of the RV 2.0 team, but now it's become official and will continue past the release of RV 2.0.
In this case it's easy to say i know you'll do a good job-- you've already been doing it!
Congrats Jenny!
RuneVillage 2.0 - Development Diary III
Posted by A5chow on October 22nd, 2009, 9:48 pm. Category: RuneVillage News
Welcome to our third installment of RuneVillage 2.0 - Development Diaries. In the second diary, we focused on the indexes and the thought process that goes behind the designs. Today, we talk about our overall progress as we get closer to completing the design of RV 2.0, our new way of managing guide uploads, and a more in-depth look at guides and database cards.
What is RuneVillage 2.0 (Legacy)?
RuneVillage 2.0 will be the website's massive and revolutionary overhaul. It combines a simplistic design, user-friendly features, and easy browsing to maximize one's playing experience.
What will be new?
- A complete overhaul and organization of the menus, allowing us to display more items without sacrificing easy browsing
- An update and improvement of our standards in graphics, guides, and database items
- The ability for registered users to customize certain areas
- New multimedia and tools to improve the playing experience of RuneScape
- And many more to come...
Overall Progress
We are almost done the templates and layout designs of all of the pages and have been making progress with coding and programming, getting ideas from images to reality.
For the next step, we will need the help of many Villagers with converting all of our guides from HTML to BB Code. We have devised a more reliable and dynamic way to upload guides faster and more efficiently. Please take a quick look at Zapp's Dynamic Guide Posting section below for more exciting information!
After we've converted all of our guides, we can then launch RuneVillage 2.0 - Beta.
RuneVillage Guides
- Jackstick
Guides are incredibly important to RV's survival - without them we would never be able to compete with the larger fan sites. As such, it makes sense to have very strict layouts for guides. Every type of guide will have its own layout depending on what sort of guide it is. Guides like quest guides will have important information in an easy-to-follow list. Some of our other guides will have a layout that sort of resembles a literary piece. This sort of layout will allow for some creative writing (as opposed to a list of steps, like in quest guides) which will hopefully get users interested in whatever they are reading about, and maybe even encourage them to try some new things in RuneScape. In order for our guides to look perfectly consistent and easy to understand, they must all follow certain layouts.
Lately, some of us have been spending a lot of time just working on the new guide layouts, and it has not been an easy task at all. It's no secret that some areas of RuneVillage's guides are lacking (especially older guides, and guides that haven't been updated for a while), but with these new layouts and the new way of writing and coding guides (with BBcode), it will be significantly easier to update and upload guides. We have plans to make big changes to how the Site Maintenance section works, specifically the guide forums. Things will be a lot more organized and simpler in order to ensure that we are the first fan site to release new guides (and that is not impossible at all). Having the best guides and releasing them before any fan site is incredibly important to RV’s survival, and soon we will need several volunteers to help us convert our old guides and help us write new guides.
Here's a sneak peak of how some of our guides will look. This is the layout that the Distractions & Diversions guides will follow:
Hidden:
Dynamic Guide Posting
- Zapp
With the new system implemented, the Guides Team will be able to manage the guides on the site from the forums. There will be no more HTML involved in our guides. Instead, we have decided to use BBcode to format our guides, and phpBB to process the BBcode.
Currently most of the BBcode is written for the guides system, but there are still some features to add. This area of the site will always get attention because we’ll always need to keep updating our guides system to meet future needs of RuneScape. We’ll probably have fifteen to twenty new BBcodes for the Guides Team at the release, and an expected ten additional new BBcodes within the next year.
The guides will be processed off of one “guide” file in the backend, of course powered by phpBB. Each different type of guide is sectioned off in the code with just the very basic elements of what is needed for each type of guide to work differently, while the majority of the code adapts automatically to the new variables used in the different sections per guide type.
The way that the backend has been coded is dynamic, and future coders will just have to add a simple section to the code. That’s what we’re all about here on the Website Team, building for the future.
The Weekly Poll
- Goten
Upon the release of RV 2.0, the main page will be seeing the addition of a Weekly Poll feature.Each week, there will be a fun new poll for users to vote in. These polls will range anywhere from RuneScape questions to things like your opinion of a show, so there will always be a poll for you to participate in, even if you no longer play RuneScape. After a poll has been up for a week, it will be taken down and archived on a page that will display all previous polls and results. A new poll will be opened up on that same day, and the process repeats!
The polls themselves will usually be suggested by you - the users. We will have a forum opened up where users can suggest their poll ideas, and the Weekly Polls will be selected from there. If there are no usable suggestions, however, a poll will be created by the staff members. The users will be credited for their poll submissions on the archive page, and there's no limit to how many polls a user can submit. This way you'll be free to actively suggest whatever poll ideas you have!
We hope that this feature will help to bring some more life into the main page of our site.
Databases
- Jackstick
Have you ever looked at our database pages and thought "Hmm, this could be organized a lot better"? Well so have we! It's really a shame that we've never reorganized it, but that's okay because we've designed a much smarter and more organized layout for database pages. Everything will be organized in a nice little card with boxes for different sections of information.
Here's a picture of our old database layout (pictured here: Rune Longsword, Items Database):
Pretty messy, right? There's no clear organization, it looks like everything is just thrown in there, with an out-of-place purple bar on the bottom.
Here's a picture of the new and improved database card:
Everything is neatly organized into boxes, it's easy to read and easy to follow, and it’s much more visually appealing than the old database layouts. We'll be using a similar layout for the Persons and Monsters database.
Notice anything new? We've added a Grand Exchange section to the items database pages! With this, you'll be able to see the current price (maximum, minimum, and market), the change in price, and how long ago that information was gathered. It's a pretty small new feature but we think it's going to be very useful and convenient.
Skill Banners
- Sarah
Hello! As you may or may not know, I'm one of the graphical designers for the RV 2.0 team and my main job thus far has been to design the skill banners for each page, which has been no easy task! Each skill page will have its own individual skill banner (sorry to disappoint the HerbVillage lovers!) and this has been quite a task to undertake. The graphics team has worked very hard to ensure all the components of the page are in keeping with the overall theme and obviously the banners had to fit in with the overall look (and standard!) of the rest of the page. I haven't played RuneScape properly for years, so a few of the skills were completely new to me. Thankfully I had a lot of input from the rest of the team for ideas and things to draw.
I use Photoshop for my banners, using a template for each one and then building up from there. The time each banner can take varies greatly. Some of them I only spent about 30 minutes on, whereas others I’ve spent over five hours making. I will now show you a couple of examples of what is to come in the final release.
This is probably one of my favorite banners so far and it was one of the ones that took me quite a long time to do. It’s actually based on an old sketch I had laying around that I thought would be perfect for this banner.
Summoning was one of the harder skills for me to come up with ideas for, as I have never used the skill. I chose to do the wolf because as far as I am aware this is one of the first summonable creatures and JaGeX also uses it as the icon for Summoning.
Q: Can I join the Website Team?
A: Thanks for your interest! If you would like to help and get RV 2.0 launched sooner, try becoming a guide editor by joining the Guides Team or help out the Database Team. Or if you enjoy writing guides instead, the Guide Writers might just be your cup of tea. Please visit How Can I Help Out Runevillage? for more details.
Q: Alright, this is great, but when will I be able to access the site and use it personally?
A: We're getting much closer to that magical day, but we still have some things we need to tidy up. It's not far off, but we want to avoid potential disappointment. You can help speed up the process by doing the suggestions in the Q&A directly above this one!
Q: Are you improving things at the cost of simplicity?
A: Definitely not. Things will stay simplistic, but with more advanced features. If anything it will be easier, more simplistic, and with an improved user-friendliness. There's nothing but improvement this time around.
Q: Why can't you tell us everything you're doing?
A: We want to keep a sense of secrecy, for our own protection. We need an impressive release that surprises everyone, and we don't want other people to catch onto our ideas and steal them before we can implement them. The wait is long, but it will be worth it.
Q: Is every aspect of the site going to be updated?
A: Eventually, yes. You definitely won't see any sign of the grey-on-red (or whatever that color is) we have now, but not every aspect of the site will be brand new and polished right away. We plan to release updates to the site after the release, so it won't slow down the release itself. (Think, RV 2.1, for example.) Almost all the main, popular aspects of the site will be updated completely for the launch.
Q: I have another question!
A: Please post it on this thread.
Leaders
A5chow - The Project Manager
Organizes and manages individual projects and the overall progress of RV 2.0.
Jackstick - Head of Graphic Designing
Leads graphic designers.
Glodenox - Head of Programming and Coding
In charge of programming, coding, and the technical side of the website.
The Web Developing Team
Web developers develop and process ideas, concepts, and suggestions. They are our thinking tank.
Dark Paladin - Web Developer
Dragoncrusher1 - Web Developer
Elanthiel - Web Developer
Goten - Web Developer
head cheff - Web Developer
Jackstick - Web Developer
Jaron - Web Developer
Rocky Martin - Web Developer
Zilla - Web Developer
Gamestar - On leave
Donut Juice - On leave
Blackmage172 - On leave
The Programming Team
The programmers are our engineers. They code and program the ever-so important features for our website.
Glodenox - Head of Programming and Coding
Dragoncrusher1 - Programmer
Zapp - Programmer
demonviper16 - On leave
John - On leave
The Graphics Team
Our graphic designers create and design the amazing graphics you'll see on our website.
Jackstick - Head of Graphic Designing
Goten - Graphic Designer
Sarah - Graphic Designer
Steely Mallon - Graphic Designer
22-Oct-2009 - Web Page Security
Posted by Dark Paladin on October 22nd, 2009, 9:40 am. Category: RuneScape News
RuneScape.com wrote:
Following yesterday’s update to the web page login form, we have introduced two more changes to our websites.
When logging in to website features, such as the forums, we now have Extended Validation SSL certificates, which will turn the address bar green in most browsers: Extended Validation involves a rigorous checking procedure so you can be sure that data is securely transferred and that the owner of the website is who they say they are.
In addition to this, we have changed the internal addresses of some of our pages, so you may want to update your bookmarks if you have any. The old addresses will continue to work for the time being.
When logging in to website features, such as the forums, we now have Extended Validation SSL certificates, which will turn the address bar green in most browsers: Extended Validation involves a rigorous checking procedure so you can be sure that data is securely transferred and that the owner of the website is who they say they are.
In addition to this, we have changed the internal addresses of some of our pages, so you may want to update your bookmarks if you have any. The old addresses will continue to work for the time being.
21-Oct-2009 - Web Page Login
Posted by Dark Paladin on October 21st, 2009, 11:29 am. Category: RuneScape News
RuneScape.com wrote:
Today we have introduced some changes to the way you log in to our website and its features, such as the offence system and your message inbox.
We have changed our log-in form, so that you will no longer have to wait for a Java applet to load. This should make logging into the website a speedier process for you. The new form also contains ‘Recaptcha’ support, which requires you to decipher words from scanned books if your log-in attempt fails.
Whenever you need to log in with your username only, such as submitting an account recovery request, you will still use the Java applet.
We have changed our log-in form, so that you will no longer have to wait for a Java applet to load. This should make logging into the website a speedier process for you. The new form also contains ‘Recaptcha’ support, which requires you to decipher words from scanned books if your log-in attempt fails.
Whenever you need to log in with your username only, such as submitting an account recovery request, you will still use the Java applet.
20-Oct-2009 - Golden Joystick – Last Chance to Vote
Posted by Dark Paladin on October 20th, 2009, 1:24 pm. Category: RuneScape News
RuneScape.com wrote:
Back in June, we announced that Jagex has been shortlisted for the Golden Joystick Awards as one of the UK’s top developers. We were really touched to see Jagex recognised in this way by the gaming community and shocked by the fantastic response from our players (who crashed the voting website when we released the newspost). This post is just to say that the poll closes at the end of this week, so if you wish to vote for Jagex and have not yet done so, this is your last chance!
If you don’t know anything about the awards and still want to show your support for Jagex, you can do so by visiting the Golden Joystick website at www.goldenjoystick.com and clicking on the UK Developer of the Year listing on the ‘Vote Now’ page. We also recommend that you un-tick the preference boxes if you don’t wish to be contacted by the organisers or any third parties.
We hope that you all continue to enjoy RuneScape as much as we enjoy making it.
Mod MMG and Andrew
If you don’t know anything about the awards and still want to show your support for Jagex, you can do so by visiting the Golden Joystick website at www.goldenjoystick.com and clicking on the UK Developer of the Year listing on the ‘Vote Now’ page. We also recommend that you un-tick the preference boxes if you don’t wish to be contacted by the organisers or any third parties.
We hope that you all continue to enjoy RuneScape as much as we enjoy making it.
Mod MMG and Andrew
20-Oct-2009 - Duel Tournaments Rework
Posted by Dark Paladin on October 20th, 2009, 1:21 pm. Category: RuneScape News
RuneScape.com wrote:
Duel Tournaments have undergone a little bit of an overhaul. Everything will look the same, but we've been working under the hood to make some improvements to the mechanics of this minigame. The changes are as follows:
On entering the Duel Tournament waiting room, you will now be assigned to a single registrar. This assignment is partially based on combat level, but also on many other factors.
The registrar you are assigned has a Tournament Rank cap. You will not be able to gain rank beyond that cap until you move on to the next registrar. The best way to move up a registrar is to train your combat skills.
Registrar caps are as follows:
Please note that you will not lose any rank due to this update if it is currently above your assigned registrar's cap. To remind yourself of your current cap, simply examine your assigned registrar.
We also now record when your rank passes a multiple of 500, which is referred to as a rank milestone. This milestone will be saved so that if you lose a tournament, and that loss would take you below your milestone, your rank will simply be set to the milestone amount. For example, if you had reached a Tournament Rank of 1045, your milestone rank would be recorded as 1000. If you subsequently lost a tournament which would reduce your rank by 50 points, it would only drop your rank down to 1000, since that is the last milestone you reached.
Finally, the most exciting change: we now reward the entrant who places second in a tournament with 20% of the entry fees! Now all your hard work will get some reward.
Mod Nancy
RuneScape Content Developer
On entering the Duel Tournament waiting room, you will now be assigned to a single registrar. This assignment is partially based on combat level, but also on many other factors.
The registrar you are assigned has a Tournament Rank cap. You will not be able to gain rank beyond that cap until you move on to the next registrar. The best way to move up a registrar is to train your combat skills.
Registrar caps are as follows:
- Registrar 1: rank cap of 1999
- Registrar 2: rank cap of 2499
- Registrar 3: rank cap of 2999
- Registrar 4: rank cap of 3499
- Registrar 5: no rank cap
Please note that you will not lose any rank due to this update if it is currently above your assigned registrar's cap. To remind yourself of your current cap, simply examine your assigned registrar.
We also now record when your rank passes a multiple of 500, which is referred to as a rank milestone. This milestone will be saved so that if you lose a tournament, and that loss would take you below your milestone, your rank will simply be set to the milestone amount. For example, if you had reached a Tournament Rank of 1045, your milestone rank would be recorded as 1000. If you subsequently lost a tournament which would reduce your rank by 50 points, it would only drop your rank down to 1000, since that is the last milestone you reached.
Finally, the most exciting change: we now reward the entrant who places second in a tournament with 20% of the entry fees! Now all your hard work will get some reward.
Mod Nancy
RuneScape Content Developer
20-Oct-2009 - Ardougne Achievement Diary + Patch Notes
Posted by Muscular Ape on October 20th, 2009, 7:43 am. Category: RuneScape News
Quote:
20-Oct-2009 - Ardougne Achievement Diary
It's time again for another Achievement Diary, for those players who like to explore what’s available in a specific area. It's the turn of Ardougne to come under the all-seeing-eye of the diary taskmasters, but we're not limiting things to just a few tasks here and there this time. A number of them have either come from or been inspired by player suggestions on the forum thread we ran for this not too long ago.
Explore the Ardougne area as you've never done before! From the Legends' Guild to Castle Wars, and from the Combat Training Camp to Yanille, there's something for everyone. You'll uncover some fiendishly difficult tasks that will push your skills to their limits, plus a rather ‘sneaky’ reward at the end of your travels. Hopefully, everyone will learn a thing or two along the way too.
So get out those gloves of silence and your teleport runes, and take a walk round Kandarin today.
Mod Maz
RuneScape Developer
Queen of the Squirrels
----------------------------------------
Summary:
Where to start the Ardougne Achievement Diary:
Speak to Dr Orbon in the church, Ardougne’s town crier or Aleck in Yanille’s Hunter shop.
----------------------------------------
In other news...
Health bars will no longer become completely red unless the player/monster has zero hitpoints.
When you're in resizeable mode, the chat window can now be vertically resized to show more lines of text, chat and other messages. Your stats interface will also expand itself to remove the need for a scroll bar.
After completing Within the Light, you can ask Eluned to help you add a choice of destination to your teleport crystals.
Your gravestone should now be indicated on the minimap.
The position of your Friends and Clan Chat list vertical bars are now remembered between logins, provided you're using the signed applet.
You are now allowed to purchase multiple skillcapes.
We've changed the way the TzHaar Fight Cave records your progress. In future, if you get disconnected during a wave, you'll automatically restart from that wave rather than having to begin the minigame again. You can still use the logout button to make the minigame log you off when you've completed your current wave.
The interface that lets you change the left-click function of the Summoning status globe (next to the minimap) will no longer be closed by combat.
Murky Matt at the Grand Exchange can now combine the charges on members' teleport jewellery.
It's time again for another Achievement Diary, for those players who like to explore what’s available in a specific area. It's the turn of Ardougne to come under the all-seeing-eye of the diary taskmasters, but we're not limiting things to just a few tasks here and there this time. A number of them have either come from or been inspired by player suggestions on the forum thread we ran for this not too long ago.
Explore the Ardougne area as you've never done before! From the Legends' Guild to Castle Wars, and from the Combat Training Camp to Yanille, there's something for everyone. You'll uncover some fiendishly difficult tasks that will push your skills to their limits, plus a rather ‘sneaky’ reward at the end of your travels. Hopefully, everyone will learn a thing or two along the way too.
So get out those gloves of silence and your teleport runes, and take a walk round Kandarin today.
Mod Maz
RuneScape Developer
Queen of the Squirrels
----------------------------------------
Summary:
Where to start the Ardougne Achievement Diary:
Speak to Dr Orbon in the church, Ardougne’s town crier or Aleck in Yanille’s Hunter shop.
----------------------------------------
In other news...
Health bars will no longer become completely red unless the player/monster has zero hitpoints.
When you're in resizeable mode, the chat window can now be vertically resized to show more lines of text, chat and other messages. Your stats interface will also expand itself to remove the need for a scroll bar.
After completing Within the Light, you can ask Eluned to help you add a choice of destination to your teleport crystals.
Your gravestone should now be indicated on the minimap.
The position of your Friends and Clan Chat list vertical bars are now remembered between logins, provided you're using the signed applet.
You are now allowed to purchase multiple skillcapes.
We've changed the way the TzHaar Fight Cave records your progress. In future, if you get disconnected during a wave, you'll automatically restart from that wave rather than having to begin the minigame again. You can still use the logout button to make the minigame log you off when you've completed your current wave.
The interface that lets you change the left-click function of the Summoning status globe (next to the minimap) will no longer be closed by combat.
Murky Matt at the Grand Exchange can now combine the charges on members' teleport jewellery.
Quote:
The following small fixes and adjustments have now been made to the game. If you spot any further bugs in-game, please use the Bug Report feature ('Submit a Bug Report' under the 'Help' drop-down menu of the website).
Graphical
* Prevented emotes while hiding in a crate.
* Enlarged a child's head that was smaller than other children’s heads.
* Adjusted the labelling of the dragon full helm.
* Removed some shadows near the Fishing Platform.
* Removed a floating twig.
* Fixed a variety of modelling issues with hair, chatheads and monocles on NPCs in Standard Detail.
* A couple of trees were rendering incorrectly with Yanille’s city wall.
* Fritz, the glassblower on Entrana, has had his animation updated to match the one used by players.
* Improved the jump down animation for grapple shortcuts over walls.
* Fixed some incorrect code relating to the standard Mining animations.
* Items dropped inside the Eagles' Peak cave were appearing in the air.
* Your equipped weapon and shield would display incorrectly while you set up net traps.
* Rendering problems with the fires outside the phoenix’s cave.
* Fixed rendering problem with unstrung amulets.
* Adjusted falconry animations.
* Some monkeys weren't triggering their death animations.
* Rendering problem with pier on Neitiznot.
* Players' heads kept poking through the scenery while climbing through a shortcut.
* Ugly gap where there should have been sea during a cutscene in the Ratcatchers quest.
* Custom mouse pointers added to more places in the game.
* Animation issues affecting Ardal in Ardougne.
* Adjustment to windmill sails.
* Height map problem on the seabed near Piscatoris.
* Jumping animation was unreliable on a broken bridge north of Neitiznot.
* Camulet model was badly offset.
* Cabbage teleport animation didn't always run.
* Ghastly height map issue in unicorn cage has been fixed.
* Chathead problem with sacred clay mage hat.
* Unblocked a blocked tile in Yanille.
* Incorrectly coloured monkey in menagerie.
* Purple cats sometimes lacked chatheads in menageries.
* Strange hole in Ape Atoll Agility course platform.
* Unicorns and cows tilted excessively on slopes.
* Adjustment to the positioning of Jad's attack graphics, though his timing should not have changed.
Audio
* Sound effects for dragon claws have been adjusted.
* Added sound effects to a couple of doors.
* Added mining sounds to an NPC.
* Reduced the length of some sound effects and jingles in the Eyes of Glouphrie quest.
* Rebalanced the track called "Have an Ice Day".
* Improved the track called "Wander".
* Added sound effects for completing objectives.
Quests
* Corrected the difficulty of Within the Light in the quest list.
* The advisor system won't tell you where to start quests that you'd already completed.
* The requirements for the Family Crest quest now correctly cross out when you meet them.
* Corrected the quest complete scroll information for part of the Recipe for Disaster quest.
* Improved post-quest dialogue for Glorious Memories.
* Clearer message added for people trying to enter West Ardougne at certain quest states.
* Clearer advice added for players who lost a critical item during Back to my Roots.
* Your quest state was not correctly updated if you interrupted some dialogue during Hand in the Sand.
Minigames
* Players should no longer disappear when picking flowers in Trouble Brewing.
* Players could stand in some Mobilising Armies tables.
* Debug message displayed in Stealing Creation.
Miscellaneous
* Improved the Mining code regarding the wielding of pickaxes (no animation changes).
* Arhein now sells his pineapples and seaweed in noted form.
* Gardeners were not offering to chop down willow trees that had grown branches.
* The Falador Achievement Diary now requires the crafting of a mind tiara to go with another recent task change.
* Ensured that gargoyle drops can't end up in a mushroom.
* Removed an extraneous combat level for an NPC that doesn't fight.
* Improved the code behind the Agility Pyramid.
* Re-wrote a cutscene to meet current standards.
* You should no longer be sent to hot zones on PVP Worlds when you fail random events.
* When fighting mithril dragons, other dragons shouldn't be able to barge in and steal focus.
* Fixed a treasure trail that couldn't be completed with LootShare enabled.
* Corrected the combat levels on some cutscene NPCs.
* Alphabetical sorting of the Clan Chat channel list wasn't handling lower case names.
* Some boxes used for a treasure trail have been moved.
* Quick Chat item lists included the word "null".
* Adjustment to the ‘last Clan Chat channel’ feature.
* Some code for dark knights has been made more efficient.
* Timer display was missing in the maze random event if you went to it from certain places.
* You now get a message when you try to use the special attack of the Rod/Flail of Ivandis on a vampyre that's too healthy to be affected.
* Unfiltered some more phrases that didn't need to be filtered.
* The new bank leaflet item didn't have any information on it.
* Training weapons/armour showed incorrect information if you tried to drop them.
* Adjustment to the login screen's code that automatically disables the fly-throughs on low-spec computers.
* A ladder in Lumbridge windmill was inconveniently moving players.
* There were bits of floor in the Lumbridge combat training building where you couldn't stand without walking off.
* Removed unnecessary delays from the code for equipping certain items.
* A Lumbridge farmer had a "Pickpocket" option that didn't work. He also kept standing in his scarecrow.
* An elf lord kept dropping stuff on the floor if your inventory was full.
* The Grand Exchange log expert listed maple logs twice.
* Fixed lots of typos and grammatical errors.
Graphical
* Prevented emotes while hiding in a crate.
* Enlarged a child's head that was smaller than other children’s heads.
* Adjusted the labelling of the dragon full helm.
* Removed some shadows near the Fishing Platform.
* Removed a floating twig.
* Fixed a variety of modelling issues with hair, chatheads and monocles on NPCs in Standard Detail.
* A couple of trees were rendering incorrectly with Yanille’s city wall.
* Fritz, the glassblower on Entrana, has had his animation updated to match the one used by players.
* Improved the jump down animation for grapple shortcuts over walls.
* Fixed some incorrect code relating to the standard Mining animations.
* Items dropped inside the Eagles' Peak cave were appearing in the air.
* Your equipped weapon and shield would display incorrectly while you set up net traps.
* Rendering problems with the fires outside the phoenix’s cave.
* Fixed rendering problem with unstrung amulets.
* Adjusted falconry animations.
* Some monkeys weren't triggering their death animations.
* Rendering problem with pier on Neitiznot.
* Players' heads kept poking through the scenery while climbing through a shortcut.
* Ugly gap where there should have been sea during a cutscene in the Ratcatchers quest.
* Custom mouse pointers added to more places in the game.
* Animation issues affecting Ardal in Ardougne.
* Adjustment to windmill sails.
* Height map problem on the seabed near Piscatoris.
* Jumping animation was unreliable on a broken bridge north of Neitiznot.
* Camulet model was badly offset.
* Cabbage teleport animation didn't always run.
* Ghastly height map issue in unicorn cage has been fixed.
* Chathead problem with sacred clay mage hat.
* Unblocked a blocked tile in Yanille.
* Incorrectly coloured monkey in menagerie.
* Purple cats sometimes lacked chatheads in menageries.
* Strange hole in Ape Atoll Agility course platform.
* Unicorns and cows tilted excessively on slopes.
* Adjustment to the positioning of Jad's attack graphics, though his timing should not have changed.
Audio
* Sound effects for dragon claws have been adjusted.
* Added sound effects to a couple of doors.
* Added mining sounds to an NPC.
* Reduced the length of some sound effects and jingles in the Eyes of Glouphrie quest.
* Rebalanced the track called "Have an Ice Day".
* Improved the track called "Wander".
* Added sound effects for completing objectives.
Quests
* Corrected the difficulty of Within the Light in the quest list.
* The advisor system won't tell you where to start quests that you'd already completed.
* The requirements for the Family Crest quest now correctly cross out when you meet them.
* Corrected the quest complete scroll information for part of the Recipe for Disaster quest.
* Improved post-quest dialogue for Glorious Memories.
* Clearer message added for people trying to enter West Ardougne at certain quest states.
* Clearer advice added for players who lost a critical item during Back to my Roots.
* Your quest state was not correctly updated if you interrupted some dialogue during Hand in the Sand.
Minigames
* Players should no longer disappear when picking flowers in Trouble Brewing.
* Players could stand in some Mobilising Armies tables.
* Debug message displayed in Stealing Creation.
Miscellaneous
* Improved the Mining code regarding the wielding of pickaxes (no animation changes).
* Arhein now sells his pineapples and seaweed in noted form.
* Gardeners were not offering to chop down willow trees that had grown branches.
* The Falador Achievement Diary now requires the crafting of a mind tiara to go with another recent task change.
* Ensured that gargoyle drops can't end up in a mushroom.
* Removed an extraneous combat level for an NPC that doesn't fight.
* Improved the code behind the Agility Pyramid.
* Re-wrote a cutscene to meet current standards.
* You should no longer be sent to hot zones on PVP Worlds when you fail random events.
* When fighting mithril dragons, other dragons shouldn't be able to barge in and steal focus.
* Fixed a treasure trail that couldn't be completed with LootShare enabled.
* Corrected the combat levels on some cutscene NPCs.
* Alphabetical sorting of the Clan Chat channel list wasn't handling lower case names.
* Some boxes used for a treasure trail have been moved.
* Quick Chat item lists included the word "null".
* Adjustment to the ‘last Clan Chat channel’ feature.
* Some code for dark knights has been made more efficient.
* Timer display was missing in the maze random event if you went to it from certain places.
* You now get a message when you try to use the special attack of the Rod/Flail of Ivandis on a vampyre that's too healthy to be affected.
* Unfiltered some more phrases that didn't need to be filtered.
* The new bank leaflet item didn't have any information on it.
* Training weapons/armour showed incorrect information if you tried to drop them.
* Adjustment to the login screen's code that automatically disables the fly-throughs on low-spec computers.
* A ladder in Lumbridge windmill was inconveniently moving players.
* There were bits of floor in the Lumbridge combat training building where you couldn't stand without walking off.
* Removed unnecessary delays from the code for equipping certain items.
* A Lumbridge farmer had a "Pickpocket" option that didn't work. He also kept standing in his scarecrow.
* An elf lord kept dropping stuff on the floor if your inventory was full.
* The Grand Exchange log expert listed maple logs twice.
* Fixed lots of typos and grammatical errors.
RVET #25: Fist of RuneVillage Reprise (Over!)
Posted by Dark Paladin on October 18th, 2009, 11:13 pm. Category: Global announcement
RVET Event #25: October 2009
Fist of RuneVillage Reprise
The Hunter gasped for breath as he ran across the dark landscape. Time was running out, his Prey was hiding in one of the many nooks or crannys of the arena, and he was already growing impatient in his search. "I'm going to find you!" he yelled in frustration, knowing that each passing second earned more points for his nemesis. Hearing a faint squeal from a nearby rock formation, he instinctively drew his sword and began to creep around the left side of the boulders, ready to jump around and attack his Prey when...THUMP! He was smacked around the back of the head with a large bowl. "No one messes with a Villager!" ZinyX said triumphantly, sprinting back towards the center of the arena.
General Information
What: Fist of Guthix Party
When: Sunday, October 25
World: 102 (F2P)
Time: 9 PM GMT (10 PM BST), 5 PM EST, 2 PM PST (3 hours later than usual!)
Meeting Place: Fist of Guthix Lobby
Fist of Guthix Party InformationHas it really been a year since Fist of Guthix was released, and hence, our last Fist of Guthix party? Indeed, the game we played way back in RVET #10 has returned, and we're all heading into the Wilderness to...well, evade death!
Fist of Guthix is a completely free-to-play (F2P) minigame. It involves a two-round game of Hunter and Prey, using randomly selected opponents in a large arena with many other players. With Villagers making up a large portion of the players, you'll never know who you'll be tracking down in this big underground arena. Last time we played, a bunch of RuneVillagers joined in, which threw Villager against Villager in a quirky-yet-fun game of hide-and-seek. Friends become foes as the battles ensue...
For a refresher course on how to play Fist of Guthix, you can check out the Fist of Guthix Special Report by clicking here. To reach the Fist of Guthix Lobby, you must travel a short distance into the Wilderness, using the map on the right. (There is a Bank in the lobby, so feel free to bring nothing of value directly into the Wilderness.)
Who's the best at evading death? We hope to see you all this Sunday, at a new time of 10 PM BST!
Recent RVET Event Winners
This section proclaims the winners of past RVET events. Want to have your name up here on a Global for all to see? Come on down to our events and give it your all!
August '09 Games Room Champions: ZinyX (Runelink) and Jackstick (Draughts)
July '09 Skilling Contest Winners (FI & WC): Avian Maid & Glodenox
April '09 Skilling Contest Winners (FM & RC): Vincent Ashe & mentos
February '09 Barbarian Assault Team: Glodenox, Weirdocal, Jaron, Vincent Ashe, Jimmybe
January '09 Staff vs. Villagers War: Villagers win
December '08 Fight Pits Champion: Jaron
August '08 Who's that Villager Winner: Jackstick
May '08 Castle Wars Winners: Team Saradomin
April '08 Trouble Brewing Team: Caedo, Goten, Jaron, Justin, Shadow7, Simons Pure
March '08 Egg Hunt Winners: Simons Pure (2 eggs), Shadowsmage, Zinyx, Devil Fly
February '08 Snowball Fight Victors: Justin's Wind Faction
January '08 Fight Pits Champions: Simons Pure, Paidea, Ges2
December '07 Games Room Champions: Dark Paladin, Jaron, The123king, The Slayer
About The RuneVillage Events Team
The RuneVillage Events Team is a team lead by Dark Paladin, dr henry, and Jaron, with strong support from Jimmybe and Tyler. Together, we plan one event every month for all of RuneVillage to participate in. Hopefully, you will enjoy this event as well as every other event we host, as a lot of thought and time goes into each and every one we do. Also note that if you have an idea for an event and want our help, please do not hesitate to contact us and we shall see if we can help out.
- The RuneVillage Events Team -
Jagex Interview - Mod Chris L [Within The Light]
Posted by Jackstick on October 16th, 2009, 6:49 pm. Category: RuneVillage News
Hello again,
First we want to thank everyone who submitted questions in this topic, you all had some really good questions and I'm sure Mod Chris L enjoyed writing responses to them.
We also want to thank Jagex for giving us this opportunity to interview their staff, we really look forward to any future interviews with Jagex!
ALSO! Check out the Within The Light concept art that Jagex sent us!
RuneVillage Within The Light Interview with Jagex - Mod Chris L
Pyro3000: What other names were considered?
»Mod Chris L: I originally pitched this quest as “The Path to Prifddinas”, with the backup name “Within the Light”. Whilst I quite liked The Path to Prifddinas, we didn’t chose it as it might have gotten players hopes up a little to much for actually gaining access to the city on the quest. Luckily, Mod Mark really liked Within the Light, so we went with that.
_______________________________________________________________
DragonCrusher1: Was there any particular reasoning behind naming the quest "Within The Light"?
»Mod Chris L: The final pillar in the temple of light is energised by the players effort in Mournings end part II. It has Red, Blue and Green light shot into to solve the Temple of Light. In the next quest, following this pillars activation, the player energises and goes within the light itself where the same three beams carry on – That’s where I orginally got the name from.
_______________________________________________________________
Scar: How far along in the series are we, or is the end not yet planned?
»Mod Chris L: Excluding Catapult Construction, Within the Light makes quest number 8 of this storyline. I have a very clear idea of what I see as “the end” and believe that there maybe 1 or 2 more to come.
_______________________________________________________________
Ericteg: We finally had a use for the coloured wheel, can I conclude that this new puzzle was already thought of in MEP 2?
»Mod Chris L: The coloured wheel was meant to be used in the exact same manner in ME:II! I wanted to keep the new puzzle in line with the previous elven puzzles, so re-used the colour wheel as well.
_______________________________________________________________
Ericteg: Will the next part in this series, as this was a kind of 'story-telling' quest, be anywhere reasonably close to us?
»Mod Chris L: If you asked this question in regards to when you’ll see the next elf quest ingame - It’s out of my hands, but we had the all clear for graphical resource, I’d happily start on the next one as soon as I could.
_______________________________________________________________
Ericteg: With all these new developments, will we ever see the long-anticipated city of Prifddinas?
»Mod Chris L: Yes
_______________________________________________________________
Huntx: The elf series of quests has always been the widespread favorite of many, especially high-leveled players (as the requirements are getting higher and higher for each new quest in the series). That said, will the opportunity be taken to release new high-leveled armor/weapons within future installments in this quest storyline?
»Mod Chris L: I can’t really say, but I definitely agree, and will certain pitch something along these lines - If I had my way, I wouldn’t stop with just armour and weapons though
_______________________________________________________________
Guess I 0wn: what is the final pillar?
»Mod Chris L: As kind of touched on in a previous question - it is the only pillar in the Temple that light can merge in without the need of a tinting crystal. It was left as hint of what was to come in regards to mixing light..
_______________________________________________________________
Goten: Is there a chance that the teleport crystal used to teleport to the Temple of Light during the quest can become obtainable after the quest is completed? As of now, the need for Mourner gear to kill Dark Beasts is a huge hindrance. With the ability to teleport into the tunnel during the quest, many high-level Slayers may choose not to finish the quest simply to make use of the teleport.
»Mod Chris L: You’ll be seeing this soon
_______________________________________________________________
Goten: Will the next quest in the Elf series be in development any time soon? I think it's safe to say that the Plague questline is one of the most popular, if not *the* most popular, questline in RuneScape, and many players are eager to see where it leads.
»Mod Chris L: I touched on this in a previous question. As a player myself, I can totally agree about the questline’s popularity and I would like nothing more than to start on the next installment right now. There are other projects and the like that require just as must attention and resource though.
_______________________________________________________________
Goten: Was the possible release of the Crystal Halberd considered during the development of this quest? Players have been waiting years for the release of this weapon ever since Ilfeen stated she'd been trying to "get the melody right," and it's become a largely anticipated Elven quest reward.
»Mod Chris L: It was considered, but due to the length of time between ME:II and this quest, we wanted to mainly draw players back to the storyline, refresh memories and the like, rather than focusing on item rewards. The Crystal Halberd certainly hasn’t been forgotten and as I touched on before, I’d like to include more than just one item when “chanting” is expanded so-to speak.
_______________________________________________________________
Goten: When you enter the room with the light puzzle, you find a Dead Slave's corpse. When you search the corpse, you find a knife, hatchet, color wheel, and set of notes implying that he died from starvation. The corpse itself, however, lays in a pile of blood. This implies that the slave didn't die from starvation, but was wounded somehow. Was this simply an oversight by the developers, or did he slit his own throat to escape the slow death of starvation?
»Mod Chris L: What a poor guy eh? As you may know, solving a certain puzzle shows you that there is more up above than just more tree. This guy looked up and saw the same thing, but tried a more hands-on approach to getting up there. Unfortunately, as his note says.. his strength left him, along with his grip.
_______________________________________________________________
Goten: During the quest, the player makes a promise to speak to the Head Mourner about granting the gnome his freedom. However, actually speaking to the Head Mourner is not required to progress further into the quest, and upon completion of the quest it is no longer possible to speak with him about freeing the gnome. In either case, the Gnome remains unfreed, which upset many players for failing to keep their word. Is there still a chance that he will be set free later in the storyline?
»Mod Chris L: This was deliberate. Usually, if quests have a good/evil decision, you are on the path of good by default. Here, this is reversed and whilst you “give him your word”, you can just leave him and not make good on your promise. This time, you have to actively be “good”… After all, its not like it takes a lot to walk into the next room for a quick chat with the head mourner is it?
The gnome remains unfreed regardless, but his future is definitely effected by your choice here, as he gets quite vocal about after all is said and done! There isn’t a plan to reverse this in the next quest, so for now, the gnome will have to suffer the consequences of your actions… and this isn’t the first time during this quest series that you’ve made a decision that has an effect on him.
_______________________________________________________________
Goten: In relation to the gnome, two Janitors are added to the Gnome's cell room after the completion of Within the Light. These janitors are supposedly human, meaning they're not part of the Dark Elf conspiracy. Have these janitors paid any mind to the gnome being in relatively good health despite the vicious plague supposedly contaminating the air?
»Mod Chris L: Following their new change of location, the S & S cleaning company is making more money down here cleaning up for the mourners. Whilst the gnomes condition may seem stable, I doubt they’d risk their wealth by removing their gasmasks – as Scotty might tell you himself.
_______________________________________________________________
Goten: When journeying through the Temple of Light with Arianwyn, he 1-hits any Shadows he sees with his Crystal Bow. What's his Ranged level, and where does he find the time to train so many skills? I can only assume he's equally proficient in Elven Magic, and is a master Chanter as well.
»Mod Chris L: He didn’t become leader of the resistance by standing in Lletya all day doing nothing (although he does a good job of that most days), you’re right to assume he’s no newcomer to all combat. Elves are especially into their ranged combat, and Arianwyn is at the top of his game, not that he needs a skillcape to show off.
_______________________________________________________________
Goten: Elven Magic is mentioned by Arianwyn during the quest. Is there a possibility of an Elven Spellbook being release at some point in the questline? Regardless of your answer, what types of spells does Elven Magic consist of? Lunar Magics are more support-type spells while Ancient Magics are destructive types, so does Elven magic focus on a specific element of use as well?
»Mod Chris L: As you’ve said, I can’t really answer this, but don’t think I’ve not thought on it. Elven magic is largely stored in Crystal seeds, which are a product of chanting, so there are very close ties there which I’d like to explore in the future.
_______________________________________________________________
Wouterk: On the day of the release you said the following on the RSOF:
"As some of you have gathered, it isn't meant to be super-difficult (although there is something about the puzzle that no-one has mentioned yet...)" Has anyone mentioned it by now? I've been searching on the forums and heard many people speculating about it. Could you please give an other hint? what do we have to look for? has it something to do with the ring of visibility? Please clarify! I can't stand the curiosity anymore!!
»Mod Chris L: Ok, I have to confess to this one – I think the comment was mis-interpreted as I was referring to the light puzzle technically, rather than actual hidden content (which now plagues my thoughts on how to get some in). What I was saying about that was most people I had chatted with didn’t realise the light puzzle is random. The 4 switches to unlock are not in the same location for everyone, so some people might have a bit of trouble trying it if they used a quest guide… I’ve already seen a few quest guides published with incorrect instructions!
Without spoiling anything, I’ll certainly try and hide something next time for you guys
_______________________________________________________________
Wouterk: Is the 'aura' around our character after the death altar charge a teaser of the runetek 5 engine capabilities? (bloom/particle effect) Or was this effect already possible with the previous runetek version?
»Mod Chris L: It would have been possible before RuneTek 5, but it is still a clever bit of animation and timing, which I thought would be possible to make look good, so I created it for that part of the quest
_______________________________________________________________
Emmen: Is the "Iestin" who signed the Prifddinas Report the same NPC as mentioned in a book called Edern's Journal? In that book an Iestin identified as a scholar researching the Prifddinas under-city and the Grand Library (and brother of Edern).
»Mod Chris L: I’m glad someone picked up on this
You’d be right in that assumption._______________________________________________________________
Emmen: Prifddinas has been empty ever since it was created and nobody was ever sure if it would be filled with buildings. Were you told to explain why this was during the quest, or did it just come about naturally as you developed the storyline?
»Mod Chris L: Great question – When I was first told I’d be doing the next elven quest, I naturally thought to Prifddinas. Although as graphical time for this quest was a limit, I wanted to explain about prifddinas in it. From knowledge of the elves and how their crystal systems work, it would have been possible for powerful elves to revert it to crystal, just like other elven objects.
I wanted to make this part of the storyline as I felt, after seeing the blank fields there for years, it would be a little underwhelming to have the city suddenly pop up after a game update. Taking the story in this direction allows the player to be witness to the absence (and ultimately rebirth) of an entire city they have been working towards.
_______________________________________________________________
Emmen: When did you pick up this storyline and how long did it take to develop Within The Light?
»Mod Chris L: When I joined the content team from QA earlier this year, I mentioned that the elves were one of my favourite parts of RuneScape, and as a high leveled player I’d love to see or drive that storyline onwards after it had been dormant for so long - shortly after I was elven curator! Within the Light took me around two months to make. (It was spread out whilst waiting for Graphics to be built and I had other things on the go too, such as the High level Agility project).
_______________________________________________________________
Emmen: Now that you have re-started this awesome storyline, are you going to work to a set amount of quests until it is complete or is that yet unknown?
»Mod Chris L: I envision one or two quests more until we see a definitive “end” point, however that is all down to how big I’m allowed to make one quest! (and how much time I can have allocated to do it).
_______________________________________________________________
Zurielslove: Will the elven camp be updated this year? "Within the Light" is obviously related to Prifddinas and Prifddinas has been dead content waiting to be updated for the players. The elven camp has been there for years and it should be time to have a purpose. "Release of Prifddinas and Christmas event would be nice.
Little elves with Santa hats. (Santa's workers)"»Mod Chris L: I don’t think there is plans for an elven graphical rework as of yet. As for santa hats, we’ve deliberately tried to keep such comical/seasonal humour away from the elves as they hold such prestige within the game and doing something like that would devalue their prestige.
_______________________________________________________________
Swedishskinjer: Will the developer of Within the Light be developing the next installment in the elf series? Is there any rough outline for how many more quests will be in this particular series?
»Mod Chris L: Yes, I’ll be working on the next installments and as I’ve mentioned above, I can see 1 or 2 more quests to come.
_______________________________________________________________
Swedishskinjer: Are there any plans to make an upcoming installment of the elf series Grandmaster?
»Mod Chris L: Oh yes!
_______________________________________________________________
Swedishskinjer: Why was this quest so short? Will the upcoming ones be a bit more challenging?
»Mod Chris L: Definitely – In regards to length, this was meant to be a refresher quest for the storyline and to bridge the gap about why the Death guard were so interested in the Death altar. If you follow the quest series on a map, it all culminates in the death altar, which was a dead-end. Within the Light is a bridge quest that was to refresh the players and show them why this area was so important for the secret path it had within it.
_______________________________________________________________
Swedishskinjer: In Within the Light, a relationship is established between the dwarves and elves to access the under-city. Did the developer do this to possibly hint at a future alliance between dwarves and elves, due to the contributions of the dwarf race in accessing this city?
»Mod Chris L: Thorgel and his men have been with this plotline since the Underground pass, hence they’ve been loyal to the player and the elven cause, they are already in alliance and both seek their homelands. If Prifddinas returns, I’m sure the dwarven relations will not be forgotten.
_______________________________________________________________
Swedishskinjer: Could we expect to see some more of Lord Iowerth/King Lathas in installments of the elf series after Within the Light? Is a huge finale being considered for what is arguably the longest-running series in the game?
»Mod Chris L: Yes, Maybe and Definitely!
_______________________________________________________________
n00b 4 m1nin: Will there be a Priffindas teleport?
»Mod Chris L: I can’t say what content will be made, but I’d certainly include something like teleport locations.
_______________________________________________________________
dustin: Do you think that Runescape has became too complicated?
»Mod Chris L: RuneScape in general? For me, not really, but I have been playing for a long time now. For a new player I think they may find it overwhelming, but that is because there is so much to do due to the freedom and amount of skills the game has to offer. Whilst some parts of RuneScape are complicated, I’d like to think those parts are understandable if you try, or if you are introduced to them “later on” in your RuneScape playtime (such as not getting a complicated Light temple puzzle in Sheep Shearer!)
16-Oct-2009 - Future Q&A Sessions
Posted by Dark Paladin on October 16th, 2009, 4:54 am. Category: RuneScape News
RuneScape.com wrote:
We got a lot out of the recent Q&A sessions, so we’ve decided to hold them on a more regular basis. To that end, we’re planning to do the next round of Q&A sessions in January next year, with a further session or two to be held throughout 2010.
As with the previous Q&As, we would open a thread for everyone to ask questions in, collate and then answer those questions a short while later, then hold a live Q&A session on the forums. We also plan to slightly mix up the topics covered for a bit of variety. A detailed schedule for the next session will be published early in the new year.
Also, from next Thursday (22nd October), we will be holding weekly CM-related Q&A sessions, which will be announced and run on the forums, and will cover such topics as Mod recruitment, clans, player-created gameplay, etc. Keep an eye on the Jagex Lite forum for more details.
Mod Kelvin
Head of Community Management
As with the previous Q&As, we would open a thread for everyone to ask questions in, collate and then answer those questions a short while later, then hold a live Q&A session on the forums. We also plan to slightly mix up the topics covered for a bit of variety. A detailed schedule for the next session will be published early in the new year.
Also, from next Thursday (22nd October), we will be holding weekly CM-related Q&A sessions, which will be announced and run on the forums, and will cover such topics as Mod recruitment, clans, player-created gameplay, etc. Keep an eye on the Jagex Lite forum for more details.
Mod Kelvin
Head of Community Management
The Righteous Return of the Greatest Competition Ever
Posted by Rocky on October 15th, 2009, 7:17 pm. Category: RuneVillage News
Alert! Alert! Very exciting news coming your way! After a very long time, RuneVillage's favorite signature competition is back. For a while now we, the Signature of the Week judges, have been contemplating how best to revamp the SoTW in a way that would help rekindle the passion of competition, and we have decided that in order to do so, we had to turn that W upside down. Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to introduce you to the Signature of the Month competition.
From now on, the newly refurbished Signature of the Month competition will run from the 15th of every month to the 10th of the next month, with about week in between for the judges to contemplate the radically beautiful entries submitted over the three previous weeks.
For those wondering how we plan on keeping a SoTM global up all the time, fret not. We have decided that having such a global up all the time would be rather silly, and that instead we will have the topic set up as an announcement in General Pictures from the 15th to the 3rd, and then as a global from the 3rd to the 10th so that people know to get their entries in.
For those wondering, here are a couple of links that might be helpful in getting familiar with the new SoTM competition. First, Steely Mallon has graciously compiled a list of websites that may be helpful in learning about graphic design programs, tutorials in the various programs, and other such tidbits of useful information that can be found here. Second, everyone planning on entering a SoTM should familiarize themselves with the rules of the competition, which can be found in all SotM topics. You wouldn't want to enter a beautiful piece of work just to have it turned away because the filesize was too large. And third, the Winner's Thread, which catalogs all the previous winners of SoTM and SoTW competitions, can be found here.
Finally, we would like to thank you for being so patient in waiting for the return of this spectacular competition. We know many mourned the loss of the SoTW back in 2008, so we're all quite excited to see how this new and improved SoTM plays out.
Signature of the Month #1!
Jackstick and Rocky Martin
SoTM Managers
From now on, the newly refurbished Signature of the Month competition will run from the 15th of every month to the 10th of the next month, with about week in between for the judges to contemplate the radically beautiful entries submitted over the three previous weeks.
For those wondering how we plan on keeping a SoTM global up all the time, fret not. We have decided that having such a global up all the time would be rather silly, and that instead we will have the topic set up as an announcement in General Pictures from the 15th to the 3rd, and then as a global from the 3rd to the 10th so that people know to get their entries in.
For those wondering, here are a couple of links that might be helpful in getting familiar with the new SoTM competition. First, Steely Mallon has graciously compiled a list of websites that may be helpful in learning about graphic design programs, tutorials in the various programs, and other such tidbits of useful information that can be found here. Second, everyone planning on entering a SoTM should familiarize themselves with the rules of the competition, which can be found in all SotM topics. You wouldn't want to enter a beautiful piece of work just to have it turned away because the filesize was too large. And third, the Winner's Thread, which catalogs all the previous winners of SoTM and SoTW competitions, can be found here.
Finally, we would like to thank you for being so patient in waiting for the return of this spectacular competition. We know many mourned the loss of the SoTW back in 2008, so we're all quite excited to see how this new and improved SoTM plays out.
Signature of the Month #1!
Jackstick and Rocky Martin
SoTM Managers
Signature of the Month #1 -It's back, it's finally back!
Posted by Jackstick on October 15th, 2009, 4:08 pm. Category: RuneVillage News
Hello hello, villagers!
The signature competition, now known as the Signature of the Month, is back! We apologize for taking so long to start this thing up, a lot of us have been busy with some other projects and assignments around RV, so we weren't able to launch as soon as we had hoped. But no need to worry, the hard part is out of the way and we plan to get this competition going again. This time you'll have a lot more time to work on your entries, and since the image and file size limits have been increased you'll have a little bit more freedom!
This is the first Signature of the Month competition and this is a non-themed SotM, meaning your signature can be about anything! The deadline for SotM #1 is Tuesday November 10th, 2009 (as a reminder, this topic will be globalled one week before the deadline). The reason it's not a full month (Oct 15 to Nov 15) is because we need a bit of time to work on the next SotM and to judge this one. The results for this competition will be announced in the next competition's topic and in the Winner's List.
Need some help? Check out our Graphics Tutorial Supersticky and our Graphic Design Resource Guide.
» Rule 1: The signature size limits for the SotM are 500x150 pixels and 150kb file size. Users who submit signatures above these limits will be pmed. If they don't resize the image, they will be disqualified from the competition.
» Rule 2: All signatures must be made by you and no one else! You may work with stock images but you have to actually add a significant amount of your own work to it for it to be submitted in the competition. You may NOT find an existing signature, add onto it, and submit it as your own.
» Rule 3: All RuneVillage Rules apply to this competition. If the signature you submit violates any of the rules, it will not be submitted and you -may- be disqualified from the competition.
» Rule 4: Some SotM competitions will have themes, and you must follow the theme to be entered in the competition.
» Rule 5: You may only submit ONE signature in each competition. If you submit more than one, you will be asked to pick one to submit.
» Rule 6: You may not enter in any SotM competitions if you are a SotM Judge.
» Rule 7: Any signature you enter must not have been submitted in any previous SotW or SotM competitions and must not be submitted in future SotM competitions.
PenguinGuy
Mord
TheAnimal
Goten
Tru Ninja
Simons Pure
Noronha89
Noen
Axeslinger172
H K
Fear
If you have any questions about the SotM please post them in this topic or pm Jackstick or Rocky Martin.
Thanks!
- The Signature of the Month Team
Time for another Jagex Interview!
Posted by Jackstick on October 13th, 2009, 2:37 pm. Category: RuneVillage News
Hello villagers!
As you may recall from a few months ago, as a part of Jagex's increased support for fansites, we (and several other fansites) were offered the chance to interview Jagex staff members. Our interview was with Mod Mark, you can read all about that in the RuneVillage Interview with Jagex - Mod Mark topic.
Now Jagex is offering another opportunity for fansites to interview Jagex staff members on recent significant RuneScape updates, and today it's RuneVillage's turn for an exclusive interview with Mod Chris L! This time they have requested that we ask questions about their new 'Within The Light' quest.
We have approximately 48 hours to compile a list of questions, so I suggest you all post your questions as soon as you can.
Thanks!
- The RuneVillage Staff
As you may recall from a few months ago, as a part of Jagex's increased support for fansites, we (and several other fansites) were offered the chance to interview Jagex staff members. Our interview was with Mod Mark, you can read all about that in the RuneVillage Interview with Jagex - Mod Mark topic.
Now Jagex is offering another opportunity for fansites to interview Jagex staff members on recent significant RuneScape updates, and today it's RuneVillage's turn for an exclusive interview with Mod Chris L! This time they have requested that we ask questions about their new 'Within The Light' quest.
We have approximately 48 hours to compile a list of questions, so I suggest you all post your questions as soon as you can.
Thanks!
- The RuneVillage Staff
13-Oct-2009 - Within the Light
Posted by Don Toboy on October 13th, 2009, 8:20 am. Category: RuneScape News
Quote:
Those who have unraveled the mysteries of the plague in West Ardougne, met with the elves and infiltrated the Death Guard will find themselves able to help Arianwyn once again, as they go Within the Light.
In reactivating the Temple of Light’s safeguards, you may have thwarted the Death Guard’s plans to harness the ancient elven power of a certain altar – at least for the time being – but just what is so special about this altar? Why did the elder elves go to such trouble to protect this one particular altar? Find out as you further explore the mysterious Temple of Light.
This quest is a continuation of RuneScape’s longest-running quest line, the first three parts of which – Plague City, Biohazard and Underground Pass – were originally released for RuneScape Classic. Four further quests later – Regicide, Roving Elves, and Mourning’s Ends Parts I and II – plus the Catapult Construction side story, and we reach Within the Light.
As it has been a while since those quests were released, this quest introduces a new NPC in Lletya – the elven scribe – who will happily help you to recall your past elf-related glories. Within the Light ties together some of the strands of this storyline, which will start to give you a better idea of what is to come.
Mod Chris L
RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
Where to start Within the Light:
Speak to Arianwyn in Lletya.
Requirements to complete Within the Light:
69 Agility
70 Fletching
75 Woodcutting
75 Ranged
Mourning's Ends Part II: The Temple of Light
In other news...
The last suggested name for Clan Chat channels persists when changing worlds and between logouts, and will attempt to rejoin the channel if it still exists.
The Wilderness Agility Course has been added to the allowed areas for Bounty and Bounty (+1) worlds.
When inputting numbers (for example, when withdrawing items from your bank) you can now use 'k' (or 'K') for thousand, and 'm' (or 'M') for million.
In reactivating the Temple of Light’s safeguards, you may have thwarted the Death Guard’s plans to harness the ancient elven power of a certain altar – at least for the time being – but just what is so special about this altar? Why did the elder elves go to such trouble to protect this one particular altar? Find out as you further explore the mysterious Temple of Light.
This quest is a continuation of RuneScape’s longest-running quest line, the first three parts of which – Plague City, Biohazard and Underground Pass – were originally released for RuneScape Classic. Four further quests later – Regicide, Roving Elves, and Mourning’s Ends Parts I and II – plus the Catapult Construction side story, and we reach Within the Light.
As it has been a while since those quests were released, this quest introduces a new NPC in Lletya – the elven scribe – who will happily help you to recall your past elf-related glories. Within the Light ties together some of the strands of this storyline, which will start to give you a better idea of what is to come.
Mod Chris L
RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
Where to start Within the Light:
Speak to Arianwyn in Lletya.
Requirements to complete Within the Light:
69 Agility
70 Fletching
75 Woodcutting
75 Ranged
Mourning's Ends Part II: The Temple of Light
In other news...
The last suggested name for Clan Chat channels persists when changing worlds and between logouts, and will attempt to rejoin the channel if it still exists.
The Wilderness Agility Course has been added to the allowed areas for Bounty and Bounty (+1) worlds.
When inputting numbers (for example, when withdrawing items from your bank) you can now use 'k' (or 'K') for thousand, and 'm' (or 'M') for million.
08-Oct-2009 - Postbag, Gallery and Wallpapers
Posted by Dark Paladin on October 8th, 2009, 6:36 pm. Category: RuneScape News
Quote:
We offer a brand new Postbag from the Hedge this week. In it you'll find the customary stories, thoughts and opinions of our cast of characters, as well as a request for you to produce party cracker jokes for a Christmas postbag.
Alongside your impressive contributions to the Players' Gallery, we have five wallpapers to enjoy and download. The God Wars bosses and a battle across the Lum are the focus of the latest batch.
Alongside your impressive contributions to the Players' Gallery, we have five wallpapers to enjoy and download. The God Wars bosses and a battle across the Lum are the focus of the latest batch.
02-Oct-2009 - "Worst Update Ever!"
Posted by Dark Paladin on October 7th, 2009, 1:32 pm. Category: RuneScape News
RuneScape.com wrote:
We have decided to freshen up the Official Jagex Store a little by introducing some brand new items and packs.
T-shirts
Designed by staff here at Jagex, we wanted to bring these t-shirts out as a special and personal celebration of our experiences of the unique history and culture that has developed around our games. Check out the "Worst Update Ever", "Mugger Level 6" and "Rare" t-shirts, and the FunOrb "Let's Bounce!" t-shirt, and you’ll see what we mean.
Posters
We have also added four high-quality posters to the store in response to demand we've received over the last few weeks. You will now be able to find three RuneScape scenes in the store, and a brand new Arcanists-themed poster that our FunOrb players might be interested in.
Packs
We’ve released six new packs that offer some great savings – our new gamer pack is better than ever – and with the variety that’s now on offer, there should be something for everyone.
Head over to the Jagex Store now to check out the new items for yourself.
Mod Simon S
Head of Business Development
T-shirts
Designed by staff here at Jagex, we wanted to bring these t-shirts out as a special and personal celebration of our experiences of the unique history and culture that has developed around our games. Check out the "Worst Update Ever", "Mugger Level 6" and "Rare" t-shirts, and the FunOrb "Let's Bounce!" t-shirt, and you’ll see what we mean.
Posters
We have also added four high-quality posters to the store in response to demand we've received over the last few weeks. You will now be able to find three RuneScape scenes in the store, and a brand new Arcanists-themed poster that our FunOrb players might be interested in.
Packs
We’ve released six new packs that offer some great savings – our new gamer pack is better than ever – and with the variety that’s now on offer, there should be something for everyone.
Head over to the Jagex Store now to check out the new items for yourself.
Mod Simon S
Head of Business Development
07-Oct-2009 - Photo Booth and Forum Avatars
Posted by Rory on October 7th, 2009, 3:40 am. Category: RuneScape News
RuneScape wrote:
Iconis the wizard has set up a strange tent in a quiet field near Falador, not too far from his colleague the Makeover Mage, just through the members’ gate. He’s advertising there the wonders of his new picture-taking magic, which sends a still representation of any adventurer to a completely different plane of existence altogether: the RuneScape forums.
Expose yourself to the mischievous magic of Iconis’s impish business partner in the Photo Booth and you may find that the next post you make on the RuneScape forums will have a picture of your head and whatever was on it when the spell was cast. (Note that you can't pose for a photo while wearing or wielding borrowed items.)
There are only so many spells the poor imp can perform at any one time, though, so for the first few days, it might take several hours from you taking your picture to it being displayed on the forums. Iconis thanks you for your patience.
Mod Maylea
RuneScape Content Developer
and
Mod Heinz
Web Systems Developer
Expose yourself to the mischievous magic of Iconis’s impish business partner in the Photo Booth and you may find that the next post you make on the RuneScape forums will have a picture of your head and whatever was on it when the spell was cast. (Note that you can't pose for a photo while wearing or wielding borrowed items.)
There are only so many spells the poor imp can perform at any one time, though, so for the first few days, it might take several hours from you taking your picture to it being displayed on the forums. Iconis thanks you for your patience.
Mod Maylea
RuneScape Content Developer
and
Mod Heinz
Web Systems Developer
07-Oct-2009 - High-level Herblore Potions
Posted by Rory on October 7th, 2009, 3:39 am. Category: RuneScape News
RuneScape wrote:
This week, high-level herbalists will find a variety of new, untradeable potions at their disposal. Using your increased knowledge of the Herblore skill, you will find you now have the ability to add tertiary ingredients to some potions to increase their effect.
These potions aren't just limited to stat boosts either. Have you ever wanted to take your godsword on dragon-slaying trips? Now's your chance, with the super antifire potion (at level 84). Are you approaching near mastery of the Herblore skill? If so, there’s a potion that may just ‘overload’ your entire body (at level 96) – dare you drink it?
On a side note, those who can mix the extreme magic potion will find it doesn't work in a similar way to its lower-level equivalents. When used, this potion will boost all offensive spell damage by 40% for a duration of six minutes, and will stack with magic staves that boost magic damage.
Mod Chris L
RuneScape Content Developer
In other news...
As part of the conversion of the worn interface and inventory to a newer internal file format, certain items now have clearer right-click options when using them. For example, the amulet of glory now lists the four different destinations it can take you to instead of just saying 'Operate'.
The Game Engine team have made sure the player list is now randomised to prevent priority being given to some players over others because of their IP address.
You can now navigate around the world map using arrow keys.
These potions aren't just limited to stat boosts either. Have you ever wanted to take your godsword on dragon-slaying trips? Now's your chance, with the super antifire potion (at level 84). Are you approaching near mastery of the Herblore skill? If so, there’s a potion that may just ‘overload’ your entire body (at level 96) – dare you drink it?
On a side note, those who can mix the extreme magic potion will find it doesn't work in a similar way to its lower-level equivalents. When used, this potion will boost all offensive spell damage by 40% for a duration of six minutes, and will stack with magic staves that boost magic damage.
Mod Chris L
RuneScape Content Developer
In other news...
As part of the conversion of the worn interface and inventory to a newer internal file format, certain items now have clearer right-click options when using them. For example, the amulet of glory now lists the four different destinations it can take you to instead of just saying 'Operate'.
The Game Engine team have made sure the player list is now randomised to prevent priority being given to some players over others because of their IP address.
You can now navigate around the world map using arrow keys.
Half-Witted Episode 101: The Podcast is Back! ON ITUNES
Posted by Frogger on October 5th, 2009, 8:17 pm. Category: RuneVillage News
That's right, mogo and I have brought back the podcast. This time we don't have any intentions to stop doing the show and we've improved various parts of the show. Now, the podcast will include some cool musics when you listen to it, something to spice things up. Next, we've renamed the show to Half-Witted, it's explained at the beginning of the show.
Our intentions are to release a show as frequently as possible, and if you're wondering we will have guests on. Any interested in becoming a guest on the show please send me a PM and we'll compile a list of people later. We'll contact you about a week before we do the show that we want you on so you can get everything necessary. Thing you will need is skype, a microphone, and being available when we are to do the show.
This week we're talking about: where mogo and I have been for the year, runevillage news, aion and guild wars, rants and of course of our usual rambling.
Also we'd like you guys to submit any questions that you may have about anything, and to the best of our knowledge we will try to answer them on the spot during the show. To submit a question just reply to this post and we'll go through and pick out a couple questions to use.
Half-Witted Episode 101: DOWNLOAD
Nate & Tom
EDIT:
You can get a hold of the podcast on iTunes now, just click here!
Our intentions are to release a show as frequently as possible, and if you're wondering we will have guests on. Any interested in becoming a guest on the show please send me a PM and we'll compile a list of people later. We'll contact you about a week before we do the show that we want you on so you can get everything necessary. Thing you will need is skype, a microphone, and being available when we are to do the show.
This week we're talking about: where mogo and I have been for the year, runevillage news, aion and guild wars, rants and of course of our usual rambling.
Also we'd like you guys to submit any questions that you may have about anything, and to the best of our knowledge we will try to answer them on the spot during the show. To submit a question just reply to this post and we'll go through and pick out a couple questions to use.
Half-Witted Episode 101: DOWNLOAD
Nate & Tom
EDIT:
You can get a hold of the podcast on iTunes now, just click here!
01-Oct-2009 - Display Names
Posted by Martin on October 1st, 2009, 8:48 am. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
Members are now able to change their display name to something different from their username. This display name is the name by which other players will see you in all Jagex games and across all website features – from the hiscores to the forums. Your username will always remain the same, regardless of what you change your display name to, as this is what you use to log into the game and website. (NB: Everyone’s initial display name is the same as their username.)
Changing your display name
The ability to change display names is currently only available to members of either RuneScape or FunOrb. To change your display name, visit the Account Management section of RuneScape or FunOrb and select ‘Change your display name’. You can then change your display name to anything that is not currently in use by or ‘held’ for (see next paragraph) another player. (NB: Once you have changed your display name, you will be unable to do so again for 28 days, even to revert back to your previous display name, so make sure you are happy with your new name before confirming the change.)
After these 28 days, you will have a period of time in which you can revert back to your previous display name, should you wish. You will have at least 7 days after the 28 days to revert to your previous display name, as it will be ‘held’ for you and unavailable to anyone else in this time. Depending on how long that name was in your possession before you changed it, you may have more than 7 days to revert to your reserved name.
When you change your display name, an icon will appear next to it on your friends’ Friends Lists. This will inform your friends that you have just changed your name and, by hovering their mouse cursor over that icon, they will see what your previous display name was. It will take a while (up to 15 minutes) for your display name to be updated across the website, so your previous display name may still show on the hiscores or forums for this short time.
Offensive display names
Display names allow us to remove names we deem offensive. Previously, we were only able to ban accounts with offensive names; now, we will simply remove the offensive name from the account. Should this happen, you will receive a temporary display name in the form of a random string of numbers (such as “[#123456789]”), and you will not be able to log into the game until you choose a new name. Players who repeatedly choose offensive names will lose the privilege of being able to change their display name for one year, and will instead be assigned one by a Jagex moderator.
Finally, please be patient with the system at this time, as it will be under a lot of load by many players trying to access it. If you do not get a response, please try again at a later time.
Mod Duncan
Web Systems Developer
Changing your display name
The ability to change display names is currently only available to members of either RuneScape or FunOrb. To change your display name, visit the Account Management section of RuneScape or FunOrb and select ‘Change your display name’. You can then change your display name to anything that is not currently in use by or ‘held’ for (see next paragraph) another player. (NB: Once you have changed your display name, you will be unable to do so again for 28 days, even to revert back to your previous display name, so make sure you are happy with your new name before confirming the change.)
After these 28 days, you will have a period of time in which you can revert back to your previous display name, should you wish. You will have at least 7 days after the 28 days to revert to your previous display name, as it will be ‘held’ for you and unavailable to anyone else in this time. Depending on how long that name was in your possession before you changed it, you may have more than 7 days to revert to your reserved name.
When you change your display name, an icon will appear next to it on your friends’ Friends Lists. This will inform your friends that you have just changed your name and, by hovering their mouse cursor over that icon, they will see what your previous display name was. It will take a while (up to 15 minutes) for your display name to be updated across the website, so your previous display name may still show on the hiscores or forums for this short time.
Offensive display names
Display names allow us to remove names we deem offensive. Previously, we were only able to ban accounts with offensive names; now, we will simply remove the offensive name from the account. Should this happen, you will receive a temporary display name in the form of a random string of numbers (such as “[#123456789]”), and you will not be able to log into the game until you choose a new name. Players who repeatedly choose offensive names will lose the privilege of being able to change their display name for one year, and will instead be assigned one by a Jagex moderator.
Finally, please be patient with the system at this time, as it will be under a lot of load by many players trying to access it. If you do not get a response, please try again at a later time.
Mod Duncan
Web Systems Developer
