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.
Upcoming Massive Drop Party!
Posted by Tanksandguns on January 29th, 2011, 7:01 pm. Category: Global announcement
In the spirit of the new Free Trade and Wilderness, we're going to be hosting a drop party at the end of February! It will be the biggest drop party we've hosted in over 3 years! What we need, are donations, they can be anything, and everyone will get credit for everything they donate in the RVET Topic. All donations will be sent to my Runescape Account, so if you want to donate, either post here, or PM me, and we can set up a meeting time/place. Keep in mind, the drop party will be both F2P and P2P. Also, if you pledge an item or an amount of money, please stick to it. If you think you'll have second thoughts, don't donate! We're accepting every donation, nothing will be turned down! So far, we have 45mil in donations! This is going to be a great way for Villagers to hang out, have fun, and celebrate the Free Trade repeal! Also, it's a great way to recruit new members to RV, since that's how a lot of our older members first found out about it!
Current bank pic:
New Clan Chat Moderators!
Posted by Christopher on January 29th, 2011, 8:41 am. Category: RuneVillage News
Huntx (Huntx), Marik (Markuro), and arsenicCatnip (Kikorishadow) are now Clan Chat Moderators.
Fear them and stuff.
Are You Returning to Runescape??
Posted by hiker on January 25th, 2011, 4:03 pm. Category: Global announcement
Jagex wrote:
Since announcing the return of the Wilderness and Free Trade we’ve been staggered by the interest shown not only by the existing RS community, but by the many returning players and clans looking to get back into RuneScape to prepare for the 1st Feb. Naturally some of these returning players have forgotten their login details and are therefore running through the account recovery process to make sure they’re able to access their beloved accounts on the big day.
By registering an email address to an account, players will receive a much faster and more efficient service when it comes to account recovery (not to mention they’ll receive 10 extra bank spaces in-game!). So, to make sure we’re getting people back into the game as quickly as possible in the lead up the Wildy and Free Trade launch, we’d really appreciate any help you can give us in getting the word out to as many players as possible about the benefits of registering an email address. For some more info including how to set an email address, follow this link: http://www.runescape.com/email_registration.ws
By registering an email address to an account, players will receive a much faster and more efficient service when it comes to account recovery (not to mention they’ll receive 10 extra bank spaces in-game!). So, to make sure we’re getting people back into the game as quickly as possible in the lead up the Wildy and Free Trade launch, we’d really appreciate any help you can give us in getting the word out to as many players as possible about the benefits of registering an email address. For some more info including how to set an email address, follow this link: http://www.runescape.com/email_registration.ws
Some of you may have noticed that Jaron's rank is now "Village Elder." This is not an error.... Jaron has resigned his Adminstrator Position...
This is not a suprise to me- Jaron turned in a 120-day notice of his resignation.
As most of you know, Jaron has served untirelessly and unselfishly for the past several years, first as a Moderator and then later as a Forum Adminstrator.
And I guess he's just a bit shy when it comes to posting this sort of thing himself. But basically, in the time he's been on the staff here at the Village, Jaron has graduated high school, graduated college, and now has a full-time job as a software engineer. Unfortunatly, his job requires a long commute each day, and is a major change in his lifestyle and his available hours for the Village.
But he has promised me faithfully that this is not in any way a "goodbye," but simple recognition that real life is consuming many hours of his day. He has promised that he'll keep up with his "side projects" such as the RV Highscores, RVET, and of course, "The Adventures of Jimmy" -- and probably others- Jaron has his hand in so many projects in the Village, I can't remember them all.
Jaron has left his impact on so many aspects of the Village, that I can't image what we would have been like if he had not been here. There is absolutely no way that I could ask for a better Villager or Admin that what Jaron has proven to be these years. In his quiet, unassuming manner, Jaron has moved the Village along through some difficult times, being a strong leader, although he would deny any leadership skills.
And I say these things not as a "eulogy" or in parting- as I said, Jaron has promised this is not 'goodbye'-- but I guess because they're things I've never said enough to Jaron, or publically about Jaron, and I want everyone who does not know him, to know what a great guy, and a great Villager he is.
Of course those of you who know Jaron don't have to be told what a wonderful guy he is. He's the best.
And sometimes it's hard for me to realize that Jaron (and other Villagers) have actually grown up here. The first picture I ever saw of Jaron he looked like he was about 15, but in the recent video he posted playing piano, he's obviously an adult now, and has to deal with the common problems of life, including a job, a long commute, and trying to still to have a life in your spare time.
So there is no way I can begrudge Jaron's resignation, although I spent a fair amount of time the past four months trying to change his mind!
Remembering that there is nothing constant in life except change, we will have to accept the circumstances that have led to this day, and hope that one day in the future, circumstances will once again change and give us a bit more time with Jaron.
Unfortunately we don't have gold watches here in the Village, but if we did, and if anyone has ever earned one, it's you Jaron.
And although this is not "goodbye", I hope that this new path through your life will only bring you--
Happy Trails,
hiker
This is not a suprise to me- Jaron turned in a 120-day notice of his resignation.
As most of you know, Jaron has served untirelessly and unselfishly for the past several years, first as a Moderator and then later as a Forum Adminstrator.
And I guess he's just a bit shy when it comes to posting this sort of thing himself. But basically, in the time he's been on the staff here at the Village, Jaron has graduated high school, graduated college, and now has a full-time job as a software engineer. Unfortunatly, his job requires a long commute each day, and is a major change in his lifestyle and his available hours for the Village.
But he has promised me faithfully that this is not in any way a "goodbye," but simple recognition that real life is consuming many hours of his day. He has promised that he'll keep up with his "side projects" such as the RV Highscores, RVET, and of course, "The Adventures of Jimmy" -- and probably others- Jaron has his hand in so many projects in the Village, I can't remember them all.
Jaron has left his impact on so many aspects of the Village, that I can't image what we would have been like if he had not been here. There is absolutely no way that I could ask for a better Villager or Admin that what Jaron has proven to be these years. In his quiet, unassuming manner, Jaron has moved the Village along through some difficult times, being a strong leader, although he would deny any leadership skills.
And I say these things not as a "eulogy" or in parting- as I said, Jaron has promised this is not 'goodbye'-- but I guess because they're things I've never said enough to Jaron, or publically about Jaron, and I want everyone who does not know him, to know what a great guy, and a great Villager he is.
Of course those of you who know Jaron don't have to be told what a wonderful guy he is. He's the best.
And sometimes it's hard for me to realize that Jaron (and other Villagers) have actually grown up here. The first picture I ever saw of Jaron he looked like he was about 15, but in the recent video he posted playing piano, he's obviously an adult now, and has to deal with the common problems of life, including a job, a long commute, and trying to still to have a life in your spare time.
So there is no way I can begrudge Jaron's resignation, although I spent a fair amount of time the past four months trying to change his mind!
Remembering that there is nothing constant in life except change, we will have to accept the circumstances that have led to this day, and hope that one day in the future, circumstances will once again change and give us a bit more time with Jaron.
Unfortunately we don't have gold watches here in the Village, but if we did, and if anyone has ever earned one, it's you Jaron.
And although this is not "goodbye", I hope that this new path through your life will only bring you--
Happy Trails,
hiker
21-Jan-2011 - Free Trade & Wilderness - FAQ Now Live!
Posted by TrendyHaz on January 21st, 2011, 2:03 pm. Category: RuneScape News
runescape.com wrote:
We've gathered the top questions that you've been asking during the last month, and the Wilderness and Free Trade FAQ is now available for you to read.
Check out the Wilderness and Free Trade FAQ to see the answers from the RuneScape Content team.
If you have a burning question and the answer is not in the FAQ, make sure you set your forum alarm for tomorrow's live Q&A with Mod Mark. You'll be able to post your question on this thread, which will be open tomorrow from 3pm GMT, and Mod Mark will start answering them.
See you on the forums,
Mod Kat
Community Management
Check out the Wilderness and Free Trade FAQ to see the answers from the RuneScape Content team.
If you have a burning question and the answer is not in the FAQ, make sure you set your forum alarm for tomorrow's live Q&A with Mod Mark. You'll be able to post your question on this thread, which will be open tomorrow from 3pm GMT, and Mod Mark will start answering them.
See you on the forums,
Mod Kat
Community Management
RsRadio Discussion topic
Posted by Glodenox on January 20th, 2011, 11:19 am. Category: RuneVillage News
Hey there!
RsRadio is an online radio service which focuses mainly on RuneScape players. The motto of the radio is "We Play Everything".
To access the radio, visit this page: http://www.runevillage.com/radio.php
Since the initial reaction of the community wasn't completely positive, we've removed the link at the top-right corner. We do feel that we should give the radio a chance, but it shouldn't be displayed so prominently on each page of the site.
Should you want to apply to become a DJ as well, visit this page: http://rsradio.net/?page=application
This topic has been made to discuss the RsRadio. Should you have any questions or remarks, this is the spot. Song requests are usually given in the chat, so posting those here may not have an effect.
Greetings,
Glodenox
RsRadio is an online radio service which focuses mainly on RuneScape players. The motto of the radio is "We Play Everything".
To access the radio, visit this page: http://www.runevillage.com/radio.php
Since the initial reaction of the community wasn't completely positive, we've removed the link at the top-right corner. We do feel that we should give the radio a chance, but it shouldn't be displayed so prominently on each page of the site.
Should you want to apply to become a DJ as well, visit this page: http://rsradio.net/?page=application
This topic has been made to discuss the RsRadio. Should you have any questions or remarks, this is the spot. Song requests are usually given in the chat, so posting those here may not have an effect.
Greetings,
Glodenox
Forum software update completed.
Posted by Glodenox on January 18th, 2011, 8:30 pm. Category: RuneVillage News
We'll be upgrading to the latest version of phpBB.
There aren't that many new features since it is mainly a maintenance release to fix a bunch of bugs.
The main things you could notice:
For the full changelog of the upcoming upgrade: http://www.phpbb.com/support/documents. ... 3#v307-PL1
It should take about 9 minutes to upload the new files and then a minute to perform the changes to the database. During that time, the board will remain open, but you may get error messages on some pages where things have been changed. I'd therefore advice to not start writing lengthy messages during that time.
EDIT: update completed.
Greetings,
Glodenox
There aren't that many new features since it is mainly a maintenance release to fix a bunch of bugs.
The main things you could notice:
- Reply to all for PMs is now made available on our style as well in case you receive a PM which was addressed to several people.
- Hot topic information is displayed again. Topics with a lot of posts in a certain timeframe will be identified with a different icon. We had that in the past, but apparently something was set incorrectly in our imageset.
- The statistics numbers at the index page are now comma-separated.
For the full changelog of the upcoming upgrade: http://www.phpbb.com/support/documents. ... 3#v307-PL1
It should take about 9 minutes to upload the new files and then a minute to perform the changes to the database. During that time, the board will remain open, but you may get error messages on some pages where things have been changed. I'd therefore advice to not start writing lengthy messages during that time.
EDIT: update completed.
Greetings,
Glodenox
17th January 2011 - Hati – The Winter Wolf
Posted by Justin on January 17th, 2011, 12:04 pm. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
The Fremennik are a hardy bunch, but they’re still vulnerable to frostbite. Wrapping up warm won’t help them, however: this frostbite belongs to the giant wolf, Hati! As many Fremennik are abroad at Daemonheim, this winter, they have swallowed their pride and asked the adventurers of RuneScape to band together and rid them of this legendary lupine.
The invite is open to all RuneScape members, and can be started by talking to the Fremennik citizen who stands inside the gates of Rellekka. Even those who are yet to brave White Wolf Mountain can participate: simply talk to the wolf hunter in Barbarian Village (Gunnarsgrunn) and he will lead you to Rellekka. While you’re out searching for Hati, you might even stumble across defenders of the realm (aka Jagex moderators) who will pitch into the fight where they can.
Hati feeds for four weeks of the year, which only gives a small window of opportunity to gear up, gather like-minded adventurers and rid RuneScape of the beast. Wolf-killers should keep in mind that Hati leaves the game on Monday 14th February, taking any potential rewards with it, so now’s your only chance to send him howling to his doom!
Speaking of rewards... The Hati head is a cosmetic hat that shows off your achievement, while the Hati paws are the highlight: these gloves reward you with double the XP you gain from skills (Attack, Constitution, Defence, Magic, Ranged, Strength) while in combat. There is a limit to the additional XP you can gain from these gloves, but that limit is determined by your levels in those combat skills. On Tuesday 10th May, these gloves will lose any remaining charge, so make sure to use them while you can. Once their charge has run out, you can still keep hold of them as a second cosmetic item to match your hat.
“I come at coldest winter to bite and gnash and gnaw. People of the Fremennik, fear me. I am Hati, and I will devour the moon, and my brother, Sköll, the sun, and thus will begin the End of Things.” – Fremennik folk tale
Mod Trig & Mod Moltare
RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
In other news...
While fighting Hati, you'll probably notice that he is quite talkative. To understand what he's saying, you might want to seek input from RuneScape's Scandinavian communities on the English-Scandinavian Friendship Forums.
Players who have played a lot of Fish Flingers contests may have found their career totals wouldn't change. This has now been altered to give a greater degree of accuracy when determining career totals.
Compost bins have been given a handy "Empty" option for quickly gathering multiple buckets of compost.
The gate to the Falador Farming patch has been permanently opened to allow for easier travel.
The invite is open to all RuneScape members, and can be started by talking to the Fremennik citizen who stands inside the gates of Rellekka. Even those who are yet to brave White Wolf Mountain can participate: simply talk to the wolf hunter in Barbarian Village (Gunnarsgrunn) and he will lead you to Rellekka. While you’re out searching for Hati, you might even stumble across defenders of the realm (aka Jagex moderators) who will pitch into the fight where they can.
Hati feeds for four weeks of the year, which only gives a small window of opportunity to gear up, gather like-minded adventurers and rid RuneScape of the beast. Wolf-killers should keep in mind that Hati leaves the game on Monday 14th February, taking any potential rewards with it, so now’s your only chance to send him howling to his doom!
Speaking of rewards... The Hati head is a cosmetic hat that shows off your achievement, while the Hati paws are the highlight: these gloves reward you with double the XP you gain from skills (Attack, Constitution, Defence, Magic, Ranged, Strength) while in combat. There is a limit to the additional XP you can gain from these gloves, but that limit is determined by your levels in those combat skills. On Tuesday 10th May, these gloves will lose any remaining charge, so make sure to use them while you can. Once their charge has run out, you can still keep hold of them as a second cosmetic item to match your hat.
“I come at coldest winter to bite and gnash and gnaw. People of the Fremennik, fear me. I am Hati, and I will devour the moon, and my brother, Sköll, the sun, and thus will begin the End of Things.” – Fremennik folk tale
Mod Trig & Mod Moltare
RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
| Where to start hunting Hati: Speak to the Fremennik citizen just inside Rellekka's gate. You can talk to the wolf hunter in Barbarian Village to get to Rellekka. Requirements to start hunting Hati: Be brave enough to fight a level 654 enemy, alone or with a group. |
In other news...
While fighting Hati, you'll probably notice that he is quite talkative. To understand what he's saying, you might want to seek input from RuneScape's Scandinavian communities on the English-Scandinavian Friendship Forums.
Players who have played a lot of Fish Flingers contests may have found their career totals wouldn't change. This has now been altered to give a greater degree of accuracy when determining career totals.
Compost bins have been given a handy "Empty" option for quickly gathering multiple buckets of compost.
The gate to the Falador Farming patch has been permanently opened to allow for easier travel.
17th January 2011 - The Wilderness & Free Trade Will Return!
Posted by Justin on January 17th, 2011, 10:05 am. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
Thank you to all those of you who took part in the historic RuneScape Referendum, which ended on Friday. We received an incredible 1.2 million votes, with a united 91% of you voting for the restoration of free trade and the Wilderness. We have heard your call and will be restoring these much loved features to RuneScape on Tuesday 1st February.
The clock is ticking and you have just two weeks to get ready for this monumental update. To help you prepare, we will be releasing a series of guides, FAQs and expert advice about the Wilderness and free trade, so that players both old and new can get ready for this epic release.
Now it is up to you to prepare for battle, level your account, gear up your armour and equip yourself for the ultimate Wilderness experience.
There is just one question left unanswered: are you ready?
Mark Gerhard and the RuneScape Team
The clock is ticking and you have just two weeks to get ready for this monumental update. To help you prepare, we will be releasing a series of guides, FAQs and expert advice about the Wilderness and free trade, so that players both old and new can get ready for this epic release.
Now it is up to you to prepare for battle, level your account, gear up your armour and equip yourself for the ultimate Wilderness experience.
There is just one question left unanswered: are you ready?
Mark Gerhard and the RuneScape Team
Custom Profile Field: RS Name
Posted by -knight- on January 15th, 2011, 1:00 pm. Category: Global announcement
Hey ladies,
Just a small suggestion. We add a custom profile field for in-game RS names, that shows up on the left of posts along with the users' join date, post count, location, etc.
I don't really need to name the reasons for this, it's pretty straight-forward.
I know a significant amount of RV-goers don't actually play anymore, so the field could be hidden or just say something along the lines of "retired" for them
Waddayathink?
Just a small suggestion. We add a custom profile field for in-game RS names, that shows up on the left of posts along with the users' join date, post count, location, etc.
I don't really need to name the reasons for this, it's pretty straight-forward.
I know a significant amount of RV-goers don't actually play anymore, so the field could be hidden or just say something along the lines of "retired" for them
Waddayathink?
14th January 2011 - RuneScape Referendum: Voting Closed
Posted by Justin on January 14th, 2011, 12:06 pm. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
Voting for RuneScape's Referendum has now closed. The community's response has been incredible, with well over 1.2 million votes cast in just three short weeks.
The results are now in and, with 91% of the vote, you’ve told us loudly and clearly that you support the restoration of free trade and the Wilderness.
On behalf of everyone here at Jagex, we want to express our sincerest thanks for your votes, feedback and for playing such an important role in deciding the future of your game. We have been overwhelmed by the number of you who took part, and are extremely grateful to all those who took it upon themselves to campaign so passionately both for and against the proposed update.
While the percentage of votes speak for themselves, it’s important that we seriously consider all of your feedback and comments. So, we’ll be sitting down this weekend to consider the next steps and will be making an official announcement on Monday 17th January.
Mark Gerhard and the RuneScape Team
The results are now in and, with 91% of the vote, you’ve told us loudly and clearly that you support the restoration of free trade and the Wilderness.
On behalf of everyone here at Jagex, we want to express our sincerest thanks for your votes, feedback and for playing such an important role in deciding the future of your game. We have been overwhelmed by the number of you who took part, and are extremely grateful to all those who took it upon themselves to campaign so passionately both for and against the proposed update.
While the percentage of votes speak for themselves, it’s important that we seriously consider all of your feedback and comments. So, we’ll be sitting down this weekend to consider the next steps and will be making an official announcement on Monday 17th January.
Mark Gerhard and the RuneScape Team
RsRadio added to the site
Posted by Glodenox on January 13th, 2011, 7:40 pm. Category: RuneVillage News
Hey there!
Today we release our connection with RuneScape Radio on our website. RuneScape Radio is an online radio service that tries to focus on the RuneScape players. Their motto is "We play everything", which means they play all sorts of music, usually depending on which DJ is playing. They are trying to expand to more and more fansites and we think this may prove to be interesting for you guys.
On the top right corner of every page on the site, you're able to see which song is currently playing, as well as a link to the radio page, where you can listen to the radio station and discuss the current music playing in a shoutbox.
For those interested: you can also apply to become a DJ on the radio station if you'd want to. A bit of knowledge of how SHOUTcast works is of course an advantage.
Greetings,
Glodenox
Today we release our connection with RuneScape Radio on our website. RuneScape Radio is an online radio service that tries to focus on the RuneScape players. Their motto is "We play everything", which means they play all sorts of music, usually depending on which DJ is playing. They are trying to expand to more and more fansites and we think this may prove to be interesting for you guys.
On the top right corner of every page on the site, you're able to see which song is currently playing, as well as a link to the radio page, where you can listen to the radio station and discuss the current music playing in a shoutbox.
For those interested: you can also apply to become a DJ on the radio station if you'd want to. A bit of knowledge of how SHOUTcast works is of course an advantage.
Greetings,
Glodenox
Chat Moderator Promotions!
Posted by Jackstick on January 11th, 2011, 4:32 am. Category: RuneVillage News
Please forgive my horrible drawing and storytelling skills
In case some of you haven't noticed, we've had quite a few chat mods resign on us in the past weeks/months. It's always sad to watch good staff members step down, but it does open up an opportunity for new promotions!
Please help me welcome Mackerel back to the Chat Moderator team... and bluecoat, Pyro3000 (currently Leanan Sidhe), Rory, and TheAnimal as our new Chat Moderators!
In case some of you haven't noticed, we've had quite a few chat mods resign on us in the past weeks/months. It's always sad to watch good staff members step down, but it does open up an opportunity for new promotions!
Please help me welcome Mackerel back to the Chat Moderator team... and bluecoat, Pyro3000 (currently Leanan Sidhe), Rory, and TheAnimal as our new Chat Moderators!
RVET #42: Back to our Roots (Over, thanks for coming!)
Posted by Tanksandguns on January 10th, 2011, 7:32 pm. Category: Global announcement
RVET Event #42: January 2011
Back to our Roots
The knight walked and walked across the lands of RuneScape. He knew not where they were going, but followed the knight in front of him with complete faith. He chatted with his fellow knights, and laughed all the while. His pockets were crammed, and he was barely able to walk due to all the cabbage being carried in his pockets and pack. Their target soon became clear; they were heading straight for Varrock! He felt bad for anyone caught in the crossfire of their bombing, but at the same time, he enjoyed it. He pondered for a moment at what would come next? Where would their journey lead them after the Cabbage Bombing? Could they be going the legendary lair of the King Black Dragon? Only time would tell.
General Information
What: Conga Line, Cabbage Bombing, KBD Trip
When: Sunday, January 16th
World: 102 (F2P)
Time: 9 PM GMT, 4 PM EST, 1 PM PST
Meeting Place: Lumbridge Castle Courtyard
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of RuneScape
The RVET would like to invite everyone to the celebration of RuneScape's 10th anniversary since it was created. We're going back to our roots with this event by doing some of our more nostalgic events. We'll be starting off with a Conga Line across Runescape, and we will meet in Lumbridge. Then, we'll be Cabbage Bombing the Grand Exchange and Varrock. If there are enough people that want, we will finish off the day with a KBD Trip using only weapons that could be found in RSC.
We hope to see you all there!
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!
November '10 Skilling Contest Winners (ST & AG): Ranger Blue & Glodenox
October '10 Hide and Seek Winners: yogirl223 and kikori kid
October '10 Costume Contest Winners: yogirl223, Ventrue, and n00b 4 m1nin
August '10 Games Room Champions: Guirun (Runelink) and Jaron (Draughts)
July '10 Skilling Contest Winners (SL & CK): Grackman and Regulus
May '10 Who's that Villager II Winners: Monk Basher and Muscular Ape
February '10 Skilling Contest Winner (CON): Grackman
November '09 Skilling Contest Winners (MI & SM): Glodenox and Simons Pure
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 led by Jaron with strong support from Dark Paladin, Jackstick, Landerpurex, Mackerel, n00b 4 m1nin, sammich, and Tanksandguns. 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 -
10th January 2011 - God Wars Dungeon - The Ancient Prison
Posted by Justin on January 10th, 2011, 10:39 am. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
Nex, one of Zaros's most powerful weapons of war, has reawakened after unknown years of enchanted sleep and imprisonment. Only the strongest will survive the encounter if they dare enter the ancient prison that lies behind the fabled frozen door.
To open the frozen door, you will first need to obtain a frozen key. This key has been divided into four parts, with the four existing factions each guarding one of those parts. Given that they have sensed Nex’s reawakening, you might find them more willing to drop their part of the key, and with it pass to you the responsibility of keeping Nex contained.
Only the most dedicated followers of Armadyl, Bandos, Saradomin and Zamorak were entrusted with a key part, so you will need to access each faction's stronghold (not the boss room) and defeat them for the drop. As such, the requirements to get all four key parts are 70 Agility, Constitution, Strength and Ranged. Once reformed, the frozen key has five charges before stuffing it in the frozen door will destroy it, but this can be prevented if you have a repair stand in your player-owned house and at least 50,000 spare coins.
Some things to keep in mind for those who dare to brave the ancient prison:
If you (and your friends) manage to beat the odds and Nex, you might be lucky enough to receive one of her unique drops. These consist of level 80 life point-boosting torva (melee), pernix (Ranged) and virtus (magic) armour, cosmetic ancient ceremonial robes, and the desirable zaryte bow!
Mod Chris L
RuneScape Content Developer
In other news...
With all this action in the dungeon, you might find the other factions' leaders have cleared their throats, as they now feature full voice acting and general improvements to their sound effects!
Adventurers who have completed the Love Story quest may wish to travel to East Keldagrim to talk to a dwarf called Runvastr (in the building north-east of the Laughing Miner inn). If you deliver something from him to the Wise Old Man back in Draynor, you’ll earn the ability to chip Teleport to House teletabs to take you to Trollheim instead.
The Overload potion’s 'wearing off' message is now a dark red to make it stand out. This may help while fighting Nex!
TzTok-Jad has had his magic attack animation priority raised above his defend animation, making it clearer when he's about to use a magic attack.
It is now possible to kick (and add a temporary ban to) players who are not currently in a Clan Chat channel. It is also now possible to 'top up' a temporary ban by re-kicking a banned player.
From the next update onwards, broadcasted system update warnings will appear more clearly both in-game and in the Lobby. It now appears dark red in the chat window (in all tabs), and in bright red in both of the Friends and Clan Chat sections of the Lobby.
To open the frozen door, you will first need to obtain a frozen key. This key has been divided into four parts, with the four existing factions each guarding one of those parts. Given that they have sensed Nex’s reawakening, you might find them more willing to drop their part of the key, and with it pass to you the responsibility of keeping Nex contained.
Only the most dedicated followers of Armadyl, Bandos, Saradomin and Zamorak were entrusted with a key part, so you will need to access each faction's stronghold (not the boss room) and defeat them for the drop. As such, the requirements to get all four key parts are 70 Agility, Constitution, Strength and Ranged. Once reformed, the frozen key has five charges before stuffing it in the frozen door will destroy it, but this can be prevented if you have a repair stand in your player-owned house and at least 50,000 spare coins.
Some things to keep in mind for those who dare to brave the ancient prison:
- The last army of Zaros has been frozen for longer than anything else in the dungeon. As such, you'll find them even more aggressive than the other creatures here (and some have special abilities). Have a plan of attack ready, or even getting into the boss room will be harder than you think.
- If you are strong enough to get your Zaros kill count up to 40, you’ll be able to proceed to the next chamber where the prison’s warden resides. This is a good and safe opportunity to fully prepare yourself (and make a new friend) before heading on to fight Nex.
- Nex is extremely dangerous! She can navigate the map with great intelligence, and uses a very powerful arsenal of attacks and special abilities – you will need help. Please do not take this warning lightly and only go if you are prepared to suffer death.
- The only way to exit Nex’s chamber is to teleport out...or to die! Memento mori...
If you (and your friends) manage to beat the odds and Nex, you might be lucky enough to receive one of her unique drops. These consist of level 80 life point-boosting torva (melee), pernix (Ranged) and virtus (magic) armour, cosmetic ancient ceremonial robes, and the desirable zaryte bow!
Mod Chris L
RuneScape Content Developer
In other news...
With all this action in the dungeon, you might find the other factions' leaders have cleared their throats, as they now feature full voice acting and general improvements to their sound effects!
Adventurers who have completed the Love Story quest may wish to travel to East Keldagrim to talk to a dwarf called Runvastr (in the building north-east of the Laughing Miner inn). If you deliver something from him to the Wise Old Man back in Draynor, you’ll earn the ability to chip Teleport to House teletabs to take you to Trollheim instead.
The Overload potion’s 'wearing off' message is now a dark red to make it stand out. This may help while fighting Nex!
TzTok-Jad has had his magic attack animation priority raised above his defend animation, making it clearer when he's about to use a magic attack.
It is now possible to kick (and add a temporary ban to) players who are not currently in a Clan Chat channel. It is also now possible to 'top up' a temporary ban by re-kicking a banned player.
From the next update onwards, broadcasted system update warnings will appear more clearly both in-game and in the Lobby. It now appears dark red in the chat window (in all tabs), and in bright red in both of the Friends and Clan Chat sections of the Lobby.
Interview With A Hiker...
Posted by hiker on January 9th, 2011, 9:22 pm. Category: Global announcement
http://runescapereader.blogspot.com/
feel free to rate and or tweet ...
feel free to rate and or tweet ...
In case you read the topics in Hiker's Campfire, this announcement doesn't really come as a surprise, but if you didn't: the chat has been redone!
The Flash-based chat that we used to have had the tendency to require a lot of server resources when a lot of people were in there, which slowed down the server and used up a lot of bandwidth. This encouraged us to redo the code of the Meepster chat we used to have in the past. Fantasy_guy (now known as Fire_Adept) put a lot of time into rewriting the server back-end completely in very clean and expandable C++. The last couple of weeks Thyker and me made the final adjustments to make the server and client programs ready for release. So thank you Fire_Adept and Thyker for your help in this!
The chat is now located at http://www.runevillage.com/RVChat/. Any links to the previous chat should redirect you to there from now on.
At the very moment, we're still missing MeepBot, but we're working hard to build the bot again and we'll do our very best to make it better than ever!
In case you're wondering, these were some of the last messages in the chat:
Greetings,
Glodenox
The Flash-based chat that we used to have had the tendency to require a lot of server resources when a lot of people were in there, which slowed down the server and used up a lot of bandwidth. This encouraged us to redo the code of the Meepster chat we used to have in the past. Fantasy_guy (now known as Fire_Adept) put a lot of time into rewriting the server back-end completely in very clean and expandable C++. The last couple of weeks Thyker and me made the final adjustments to make the server and client programs ready for release. So thank you Fire_Adept and Thyker for your help in this!
The chat is now located at http://www.runevillage.com/RVChat/. Any links to the previous chat should redirect you to there from now on.
At the very moment, we're still missing MeepBot, but we're working hard to build the bot again and we'll do our very best to make it better than ever!
In case you're wondering, these were some of the last messages in the chat:
Hidden:
Greetings,
Glodenox
7th January 2011 - Clan Logo Design Competition
Posted by Justin on January 7th, 2011, 1:42 pm. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
As you’ll have already seen in Mod Maz and Mod Roderick’s Tools for Clans 2 Developer Blog, we’re bringing clan logos to RuneScape as part of the clan tools update!
To celebrate this new era of clan customisation we’re launching the Clan Logo Design Competition! The title says it all: we want you to send us your ideas for a clan logo, the best of which we’ll actually include alongside Jagex-created clan logos in the clan tools update! Just think, thousands of players world-wide could one day unite their entire clans under your logo. Pretty cool, right?
To give you an idea of what we’re after, here are some sample logos that we’ve put together:
Don’t worry if you’re not related to Da Vinci – it’s the concept we’re after, so even if your art skills are as bad as mine, you’ll still stand a chance of winning!
So what are you waiting for? Whether you’re already in a clan with a cool logo that you just have to immortalise in-game, or a solo player with a brilliant idea for a logo, we want to see what you can come up with!
For full details on this competition along with prizes, how to enter, rules and a rather lovely discussion, visit the forum thread.
Good luck!
Mod Hohbein
Community Management
To celebrate this new era of clan customisation we’re launching the Clan Logo Design Competition! The title says it all: we want you to send us your ideas for a clan logo, the best of which we’ll actually include alongside Jagex-created clan logos in the clan tools update! Just think, thousands of players world-wide could one day unite their entire clans under your logo. Pretty cool, right?
To give you an idea of what we’re after, here are some sample logos that we’ve put together:
Don’t worry if you’re not related to Da Vinci – it’s the concept we’re after, so even if your art skills are as bad as mine, you’ll still stand a chance of winning!
So what are you waiting for? Whether you’re already in a clan with a cool logo that you just have to immortalise in-game, or a solo player with a brilliant idea for a logo, we want to see what you can come up with!
For full details on this competition along with prizes, how to enter, rules and a rather lovely discussion, visit the forum thread.
Good luck!
Mod Hohbein
Community Management
We're doing something right!
Posted by hiker on January 5th, 2011, 10:04 pm. Category: Global announcement
I had an occasion today to be on the Alexa website, and while I was there, took a peek at our stats....
Our "Traffic Rank" - our ranking among all websites rose an incredible 1,000,248 places in the past month!
I realize the discussion about the revival of Free Trade and the Wilderness has affected this somewhat, but for the past 3month period, our rank has increased 166,813 places!
We are now ranked the 864,471th most visited site.
Our "Reach", the percent of internet users who view our site increased 130% in the past 30 days, and shows a 20% increase over the last three months.
"Total Pageviews" are up 450% for the month, and 40% up for the last quarter.
"Pageviews Per User" increased by 140% this month, with a 20% increase over the last 90 days.
The average user views 2.8 *unique* pages per visit... .....
And if you wonder if the work by our guides team is having an effect, here are the top 10 search terms that have brought users to our site:
1 malignus' tower
2 runevillage
3 soul wars cape
4 mournings end part
5 speak to hans to solve the clue
6 rune escape
7 revanants
8 karamja island
9 space battleship yamato trailer hd
10 fletching profit
Although I don't know where that thing about the space battleship came from, the rest pretty much have to do with people looking for guides....
The guides help bring people here, and the more updated and new guides we have will help bring them back!
A big "THANKS" to those of you who have done things to help these figures rise, and to those who have not done anything, hopefully this will show that *you* can have an effect and make a difference!
Our "Traffic Rank" - our ranking among all websites rose an incredible 1,000,248 places in the past month!
I realize the discussion about the revival of Free Trade and the Wilderness has affected this somewhat, but for the past 3month period, our rank has increased 166,813 places!
We are now ranked the 864,471th most visited site.
Our "Reach", the percent of internet users who view our site increased 130% in the past 30 days, and shows a 20% increase over the last three months.
"Total Pageviews" are up 450% for the month, and 40% up for the last quarter.
"Pageviews Per User" increased by 140% this month, with a 20% increase over the last 90 days.
The average user views 2.8 *unique* pages per visit... .....
And if you wonder if the work by our guides team is having an effect, here are the top 10 search terms that have brought users to our site:
1 malignus' tower
2 runevillage
3 soul wars cape
4 mournings end part
5 speak to hans to solve the clue
6 rune escape
7 revanants
8 karamja island
9 space battleship yamato trailer hd
10 fletching profit
Although I don't know where that thing about the space battleship came from, the rest pretty much have to do with people looking for guides....
The guides help bring people here, and the more updated and new guides we have will help bring them back!
A big "THANKS" to those of you who have done things to help these figures rise, and to those who have not done anything, hopefully this will show that *you* can have an effect and make a difference!
4th January 2011 - King of the Dwarves
Posted by Glodenox on January 4th, 2011, 12:28 pm. Category: RuneScape News
RuneScape.com wrote:
"No band of petty councillors can preserve this city through its darkest days — only a king."
Those are the words of the Azdaran Fragment, the oldest surviving document in the history of Keldagrim. Keldagrim’s Age of Kings came to an end centuries ago, and even the last king’s statue now bears the face of one of Keldagrim’s current rulers, the Consortium of Mining Companies. But there are still those who would see a return to the Age of Kings — and even more who simply want the Consortium removed from power, without regard for what would come afterwards.
Is the Azdaran Fragment simply a statement of its writers’ beliefs, or will it prove to be a grim prophecy? Facing unrest within the city and enemies outside it, can the Consortium cling to power — and if not, what will replace it? Join Veldaban and new allies as you attempt to answer a long-ignored question: who is the King of the Dwarves?
Mod John A
Senior RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
In other news...
Party Pete is taking his infamous drop parties on tour, in celebration of RuneScape's 10th Anniversary. You'll be able to get two new items from these drop parties - a 10th Anniversary cake and candles - though you can also get these from monster drops around Misthalin and Asgarnia.
If you are poisoned, clicking on the life points status globe next to the minimap will cause you to cast the Cure Me spell (provided you are using the Lunar spellbook, have the necessary runes and don’t have an anti-poison potion).
The pre-purchase info displayed for items in shops and at the Grand Exchange will now list damage absorption statistics.
The Christmas 2010 event has now been removed from the game.
Those are the words of the Azdaran Fragment, the oldest surviving document in the history of Keldagrim. Keldagrim’s Age of Kings came to an end centuries ago, and even the last king’s statue now bears the face of one of Keldagrim’s current rulers, the Consortium of Mining Companies. But there are still those who would see a return to the Age of Kings — and even more who simply want the Consortium removed from power, without regard for what would come afterwards.
Is the Azdaran Fragment simply a statement of its writers’ beliefs, or will it prove to be a grim prophecy? Facing unrest within the city and enemies outside it, can the Consortium cling to power — and if not, what will replace it? Join Veldaban and new allies as you attempt to answer a long-ignored question: who is the King of the Dwarves?
Mod John A
Senior RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
| Where to start King of the Dwarves: Speak to lava-flow miner Sven outside the lava flow mine in Keldagrim East. Requirements to start King of the Dwarves: 68 Mining 70 Smithing 77 Strength Forgiveness of a Chaos Dwarf My Arm’s Big Adventure Must be able to defeat a level 160 enemy |
In other news...
Party Pete is taking his infamous drop parties on tour, in celebration of RuneScape's 10th Anniversary. You'll be able to get two new items from these drop parties - a 10th Anniversary cake and candles - though you can also get these from monster drops around Misthalin and Asgarnia.
If you are poisoned, clicking on the life points status globe next to the minimap will cause you to cast the Cure Me spell (provided you are using the Lunar spellbook, have the necessary runes and don’t have an anti-poison potion).
The pre-purchase info displayed for items in shops and at the Grand Exchange will now list damage absorption statistics.
The Christmas 2010 event has now been removed from the game.
I will not beg for donations this month.
Posted by hiker on January 1st, 2011, 10:07 pm. Category: RuneVillage News
In a heated contest to see who's first, Frank (insert current version) and Jaron both sent donations this first day of the year, getting the Village's finances off to a good start.
Because of them, and our small band of monthly donors, begging will not be required this month. Which is good, because I really, really hate doing that.
However, if you're thinking of sending something our way, don't be discouraged just because you can't be *first*-- you can still be *one of the first* and maybe i won't have to beg next quarter either!
Happy Trails,
Because of them, and our small band of monthly donors, begging will not be required this month. Which is good, because I really, really hate doing that.
However, if you're thinking of sending something our way, don't be discouraged just because you can't be *first*-- you can still be *one of the first* and maybe i won't have to beg next quarter either!
Happy Trails,
1st January 2011 - Behind the Scenes - January
Posted by Justin on January 1st, 2011, 9:03 pm. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
January’s content starts the New Year with a bang! We’re planning an epic and high-level God Wars boss with level 80 drops, generous combat XP rewards from the new Hati wolf and a fantastic new dwarf quest.
King of the Dwarves
A new year often brings with it change, and that’s certainly true for Keldagrim, the setting of the first quest planned for release in 2011. An unexpected chaos dwarf attack throws the city into turmoil and forces the Consortium to make a tough decision. Faced by threats from both inside and outside the city, Keldagrim’s rulers will struggle to hold on to power—and if they fail, the Red Axe is poised to sweep in and take over.
Rejoin old allies and pick up some new ones, and face up to the long-buried past as you attempt to answer the question: just who is the King of the Dwarves? Generous XP rewards and access to a new gravestone (hand-chiselled by Keldagrim’s finest stonemason) are on the cards for those who rescue some trapped miners, involve themselves in dwarven politics and then pick up some big rocks.
God Wars Expansion + Level 80 Combat Gear
All that is known of the history of the God Wars Dungeon’s is that, at one point towards the end of the Third Age, a flight of aviantese took refuge there from Zamorak’s demon horde, to protect the newly forged god sword. Reinforcements arrived in the form of General Graardor and Commander Zilyana, and the battle raged.
Little did they know that another secret laid buried beneath the blood and snow – a prison of ice for the last army of Zaros, and its leader, the fearsome and majestic Nex. These Zarosians were originally imprisoned at the beginning of the Third Age, by Sardominist forces on a crusade to wipe Zaros and his followers from the history books.
During the ensuing chaos, Nex somehow managed to escape, and it took the combined might of all four of the other god wars armies to trap it once more. With the dungeon’s reopening in recent years, the strongest of RuneScape’s warriors head in to test themselves in combat and with the hope of attaining prestige, and rewards in the form of the blade and hilt of the legendary god sword. All this disturbance stirs Nex in its prison below...it seeks to escape once more and wreak havoc on its captors...and this time it’s your responsibility to contain it...
Defeating RuneScape’s most powerful and intelligent boss to date won’t be easy, with its arsenal of over 15 unique combat moves, each designed to test even the most powerful of players. You’re going to need help from your clan or some friends to take it down, but huge riches await those who succeed:
With a fully voice-supported battle and some of the richest graphics in the game, it’s shaping up to be one of the best and most exciting areas of RuneScape.
Hati Wolf
Each year, during the harsh winter months, the guttural howl of an ancient beast can be heard echoing across the Fremennik Province. The locals know the sound all too well, for it means only one thing: another victim has fallen prey to the legendary wolf, Hati. Existing for as long as any seer can remember, it’s a story rarely shared with outerlanders, being a legend drenched in fear and the blood of their forefathers. Some say it is the son of some ancient god, some think it’s merely a wolf with a taste for the weak...either way, it’s a dangerous foe that must be stopped at all cost.
The fight itself is designed for a group of mid- to high-level adventurers and takes place within the forests surrounding Rellekka. Heroes who defeat the wolf will gain access to new gloves, which, if worn in battle, will double combat XP for 10 hours. Think of it as a Bonus XP Weekend’s worth of combat XP, but wrapped up in a set of warm, wolf-skin combat gloves.
Loosely based on a Nordic festival, the Hati wolf is the first piece of members’ “seasonal content” we plan to release. This means that the event will be removed from the game after January. As with holiday events, though, the reward items will remain.
In other news...
If you have yet to have your vote in the ‘Bring Back the Wilderness and Free Trade’ referendum, now is the time to do so.
Happy New Year...and have fun!
Mod Mark
RuneScape Lead Designer
King of the Dwarves
A new year often brings with it change, and that’s certainly true for Keldagrim, the setting of the first quest planned for release in 2011. An unexpected chaos dwarf attack throws the city into turmoil and forces the Consortium to make a tough decision. Faced by threats from both inside and outside the city, Keldagrim’s rulers will struggle to hold on to power—and if they fail, the Red Axe is poised to sweep in and take over.
Rejoin old allies and pick up some new ones, and face up to the long-buried past as you attempt to answer the question: just who is the King of the Dwarves? Generous XP rewards and access to a new gravestone (hand-chiselled by Keldagrim’s finest stonemason) are on the cards for those who rescue some trapped miners, involve themselves in dwarven politics and then pick up some big rocks.
God Wars Expansion + Level 80 Combat Gear
All that is known of the history of the God Wars Dungeon’s is that, at one point towards the end of the Third Age, a flight of aviantese took refuge there from Zamorak’s demon horde, to protect the newly forged god sword. Reinforcements arrived in the form of General Graardor and Commander Zilyana, and the battle raged.
Little did they know that another secret laid buried beneath the blood and snow – a prison of ice for the last army of Zaros, and its leader, the fearsome and majestic Nex. These Zarosians were originally imprisoned at the beginning of the Third Age, by Sardominist forces on a crusade to wipe Zaros and his followers from the history books.
During the ensuing chaos, Nex somehow managed to escape, and it took the combined might of all four of the other god wars armies to trap it once more. With the dungeon’s reopening in recent years, the strongest of RuneScape’s warriors head in to test themselves in combat and with the hope of attaining prestige, and rewards in the form of the blade and hilt of the legendary god sword. All this disturbance stirs Nex in its prison below...it seeks to escape once more and wreak havoc on its captors...and this time it’s your responsibility to contain it...
Defeating RuneScape’s most powerful and intelligent boss to date won’t be easy, with its arsenal of over 15 unique combat moves, each designed to test even the most powerful of players. You’re going to need help from your clan or some friends to take it down, but huge riches await those who succeed:
- Brand new level 80 ’life point-boosting’ armour for rangers, mages and warriors with the best defensive statistics available to date, significantly changing the way high-level players will think about combat in the future.
- A brand new ’ammo-free’ bow, as fast and accurate as a chaotic crossbow and as powerful as dragonstone-tipped rune bolts.
- Brand new cosmetic robes for anyone with a need to show their loyalty to ‘The Big Z’.
With a fully voice-supported battle and some of the richest graphics in the game, it’s shaping up to be one of the best and most exciting areas of RuneScape.
Hati Wolf
Each year, during the harsh winter months, the guttural howl of an ancient beast can be heard echoing across the Fremennik Province. The locals know the sound all too well, for it means only one thing: another victim has fallen prey to the legendary wolf, Hati. Existing for as long as any seer can remember, it’s a story rarely shared with outerlanders, being a legend drenched in fear and the blood of their forefathers. Some say it is the son of some ancient god, some think it’s merely a wolf with a taste for the weak...either way, it’s a dangerous foe that must be stopped at all cost.
The fight itself is designed for a group of mid- to high-level adventurers and takes place within the forests surrounding Rellekka. Heroes who defeat the wolf will gain access to new gloves, which, if worn in battle, will double combat XP for 10 hours. Think of it as a Bonus XP Weekend’s worth of combat XP, but wrapped up in a set of warm, wolf-skin combat gloves.
Loosely based on a Nordic festival, the Hati wolf is the first piece of members’ “seasonal content” we plan to release. This means that the event will be removed from the game after January. As with holiday events, though, the reward items will remain.
In other news...
If you have yet to have your vote in the ‘Bring Back the Wilderness and Free Trade’ referendum, now is the time to do so.
Happy New Year...and have fun!
Mod Mark
RuneScape Lead Designer
