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.
Some of you have probably noticed that we do not have the influx of new members or the high level of activity that we once had. 
Speaking for the staff of the Village, we would like to turn that trend around.
Our goal is not necessarily to be back as one of the top couple of sites-- been there, done that-- but to be a nice-sized site with sufficient members to sustain us-- enough to keep up the various projects we have, such as guide-writing, and mapping and database entries, but also more members for the "fun" stuff -- enough for a 'quorum' at soul wars and castle wars-- more loot at drop parties.
The staff has been discussing this for two or three weeks now in the Staff Lounge-- this is where the forum changes originated from as well as the change to colors for Legends and Elders. We have two or three more projects that are hatching within that forum at the moment, but just to keep the ball rolling, and to get the widest group of ideas, we'd now like to involve ALL Villagers in this process.
Remember the goal is to gain new members, especially Runescape players, and to retain more of our "old" members.
And just having new members is not quite all - we want them to be active members-- members who will post to the forums and participate in our activities.
So let your imaginations run wild in this thread-- give us your best ideas whether original or something you may have seen in another forum. And then let's discuss it-- chew it up and let's see if it will work.
Oh, and Jagex sends us occasional teasers-- here's a little teaser of our own! (a short message)
Speaking for the staff of the Village, we would like to turn that trend around.
Our goal is not necessarily to be back as one of the top couple of sites-- been there, done that-- but to be a nice-sized site with sufficient members to sustain us-- enough to keep up the various projects we have, such as guide-writing, and mapping and database entries, but also more members for the "fun" stuff -- enough for a 'quorum' at soul wars and castle wars-- more loot at drop parties.
The staff has been discussing this for two or three weeks now in the Staff Lounge-- this is where the forum changes originated from as well as the change to colors for Legends and Elders. We have two or three more projects that are hatching within that forum at the moment, but just to keep the ball rolling, and to get the widest group of ideas, we'd now like to involve ALL Villagers in this process.
Remember the goal is to gain new members, especially Runescape players, and to retain more of our "old" members.
And just having new members is not quite all - we want them to be active members-- members who will post to the forums and participate in our activities.
So let your imaginations run wild in this thread-- give us your best ideas whether original or something you may have seen in another forum. And then let's discuss it-- chew it up and let's see if it will work.
Oh, and Jagex sends us occasional teasers-- here's a little teaser of our own! (a short message)
30-Jun-2011 - Introducing: Clan Citadels
Posted by Glodenox on June 30th, 2011, 1:44 pm. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
We’ve seen some huge updates this year but, on July 26 2011, we eclipse them all as we reach for the skies and unleash our biggest update of the year so far: Clan Citadels!
Floating high above the land of Gielinor, your clan citadel will be your clan’s stronghold; your training ground; your home.
Working together, you’ll gather the resources and materials needed to build and maintain your realm, with tiered progression. Enjoy the fruits of your labour as you proudly watch your Citadel grow to become ever grander.
A huge range of customisation options will make your clan’s citadel truly unique; allowing you to reflect the values you hold dear and demonstrate to the world exactly what you and your clan stand for.
Your mighty fortress will not only be your home, but also a proving ground within which you and your clan-mates can gather resources and learn to work and fight as one, whether it’s for future battles or just to prove that you’re the greatest clan in the game!
Clan citadels will be a members only update, available to clans with five or more subscribing players, from July 26. Until then, check out this mouth-watering concept art to see just what is on, or above, the horizon.
There's a wealth of information coming very soon, including more details of how you’ll be able to customise your citadel and a few huge surprises. Watch the skies!
The RuneScape Team
Floating high above the land of Gielinor, your clan citadel will be your clan’s stronghold; your training ground; your home.
Working together, you’ll gather the resources and materials needed to build and maintain your realm, with tiered progression. Enjoy the fruits of your labour as you proudly watch your Citadel grow to become ever grander.
A huge range of customisation options will make your clan’s citadel truly unique; allowing you to reflect the values you hold dear and demonstrate to the world exactly what you and your clan stand for.
Your mighty fortress will not only be your home, but also a proving ground within which you and your clan-mates can gather resources and learn to work and fight as one, whether it’s for future battles or just to prove that you’re the greatest clan in the game!
Clan citadels will be a members only update, available to clans with five or more subscribing players, from July 26. Until then, check out this mouth-watering concept art to see just what is on, or above, the horizon.
There's a wealth of information coming very soon, including more details of how you’ll be able to customise your citadel and a few huge surprises. Watch the skies!
The RuneScape Team
I'm going to be moving some forums around and such to try and concentrate activity better. Please bare with me. 
23-Jun-2011 - Introducing: the Members’ Loyalty Programme!
Posted by Regulus on June 23rd, 2011, 9:57 pm. Category: RuneScape News
Quote:
Being a RuneScape member means more activities, more quests and more skills. From June the 28th it will also mean access to a fleet of unlockable and exclusive rewards with the introduction of the Members’ Loyalty Programme.
The concept is simple. Being a member earns you Loyalty Points that can be traded for rewards, including an array of new clothes; brand new and exclusive emotes; and, perhaps most exciting of all, an arsenal of gameplay enhancing auras.
Some rewards are just too glorious to fit into your existing inventory and so Loyalty Programme members will also enjoy an additional equipment slot created for exclusive Loyalty Programme auras.
Only current members will receive enough Loyalty Points to immediately make the most of the new equipment slot. To take full advantage of this and all the other rewards available, subscribe today!
Does June the 28th just seem like a lifetime away? Check out Loyalty Programme rewards in this video preview:
The concept is simple. Being a member earns you Loyalty Points that can be traded for rewards, including an array of new clothes; brand new and exclusive emotes; and, perhaps most exciting of all, an arsenal of gameplay enhancing auras.
Some rewards are just too glorious to fit into your existing inventory and so Loyalty Programme members will also enjoy an additional equipment slot created for exclusive Loyalty Programme auras.
Only current members will receive enough Loyalty Points to immediately make the most of the new equipment slot. To take full advantage of this and all the other rewards available, subscribe today!
Does June the 28th just seem like a lifetime away? Check out Loyalty Programme rewards in this video preview:
I want my hands on that Samba set D:
21-Jun-2011 - World Queuing, Instance Worlds and Katanas
Posted by Freeasacar on June 21st, 2011, 11:36 am. Category: RuneScape News
This is a "no update week" but some technical changes were made so I thought I'd post them in lieu of anything interesting. There are no patch notes.
Also here's the FAQ for the Ornate Katana that you can only receive by using a 90 day Runescape membership card from GameStop in the USA within the next 3 weeks.
Hopefully the Instance World system will be introduced to other minigames like Castle Wars and Pest Control in the future.
Runescape Forums wrote:
System update...
Hi all,
This update has added two changes into game. The first is a new world queuing system, where you will now be placed into a queue when trying to log into a full world, which will automatically log you in once there is enough free space on the world.
The second update has added some preliminary functionality to a new “instance world” system. If you take a trip to the TzHaar Fight Pit, you will now be able to select to play either “Local” or “Global” matches. A local match will function in the exact same way as before. A global match will automatically log you into a special instance world, along with anyone from any server who selects the same, to allow for easier access to larger games.
We’ll be keeping an eye on the effects of this over the coming week. Invite your friends along for a round or two of gladiatorial violence in the Fight Pit and you’ll be helping us tremendously.
There will be no game update this week.
Mod Easty
Edit: The latest update was to fix a problem with attempting to ban people from friends/clan chat channels. This also solved problems with freezing on trying to log into an instance world.
Hi all,
This update has added two changes into game. The first is a new world queuing system, where you will now be placed into a queue when trying to log into a full world, which will automatically log you in once there is enough free space on the world.
The second update has added some preliminary functionality to a new “instance world” system. If you take a trip to the TzHaar Fight Pit, you will now be able to select to play either “Local” or “Global” matches. A local match will function in the exact same way as before. A global match will automatically log you into a special instance world, along with anyone from any server who selects the same, to allow for easier access to larger games.
We’ll be keeping an eye on the effects of this over the coming week. Invite your friends along for a round or two of gladiatorial violence in the Fight Pit and you’ll be helping us tremendously.
There will be no game update this week.
Mod Easty
Edit: The latest update was to fix a problem with attempting to ban people from friends/clan chat channels. This also solved problems with freezing on trying to log into an instance world.
Also here's the FAQ for the Ornate Katana that you can only receive by using a 90 day Runescape membership card from GameStop in the USA within the next 3 weeks.
Runescape Forums wrote:
Ornate Katana Specific FAQ
How can I get the katana?
The katana is only available when you purchase and redeem a 90 Day RuneScape membership card from GameStop (US only) between the 20th June and the 10th July 2011.
Where do I collect my katana?
Once you have redeemed your RuneScape Game Card, the item will be automatically added to your in-game bank. If you do not have enough bank space for the item, just speak to Diango in Draynor Village and he will provide you with one; just select the chat option 'Can I see your other items?'.
What level do I need to be in order wield the katana?
The katana is a level 1 weapon and doesn’t require any levels in attack, strength or defence to wield. Please visit this article for more information.
Is the katana a tradable item?
The Katana cannot be traded with other players.
Why is the promotion not available in my country?
We work hard to ensure that promotions are available in all countries that sell RuneScape Game Cards. In some instances this is not always achievable, as we rely on retailers to help support the promotion. This may mean promotions are either delayed or unavailable.
What happens if I lose my katana?
If you lose your item, just speak to Diango in Draynor Village and he will give it back to you – choose the chat option 'Do you have anything else?'.
What happens after my membership expires; can I still keep the sword?
The katana is a members' only item. If your membership expires it will become a 'members' object' and you won't be able to use it until you re-subscribe.
Please note that The katana is only available when you purchase and redeem a 90 Day RuneScape membership card from GameStop between the 20th June and the 10th July 2011.
How can I get the katana?
The katana is only available when you purchase and redeem a 90 Day RuneScape membership card from GameStop (US only) between the 20th June and the 10th July 2011.
Where do I collect my katana?
Once you have redeemed your RuneScape Game Card, the item will be automatically added to your in-game bank. If you do not have enough bank space for the item, just speak to Diango in Draynor Village and he will provide you with one; just select the chat option 'Can I see your other items?'.
What level do I need to be in order wield the katana?
The katana is a level 1 weapon and doesn’t require any levels in attack, strength or defence to wield. Please visit this article for more information.
Is the katana a tradable item?
The Katana cannot be traded with other players.
Why is the promotion not available in my country?
We work hard to ensure that promotions are available in all countries that sell RuneScape Game Cards. In some instances this is not always achievable, as we rely on retailers to help support the promotion. This may mean promotions are either delayed or unavailable.
What happens if I lose my katana?
If you lose your item, just speak to Diango in Draynor Village and he will give it back to you – choose the chat option 'Do you have anything else?'.
What happens after my membership expires; can I still keep the sword?
The katana is a members' only item. If your membership expires it will become a 'members' object' and you won't be able to use it until you re-subscribe.
Please note that The katana is only available when you purchase and redeem a 90 Day RuneScape membership card from GameStop between the 20th June and the 10th July 2011.
Hopefully the Instance World system will be introduced to other minigames like Castle Wars and Pest Control in the future.
RVET #47: Soul Wars (Over, thanks for coming!)
Posted by Jackstick on June 19th, 2011, 10:59 pm. Category: Global announcement
RVET Event #47: June 2011
Soul Wars
The frantic battle was becoming more and more pointless by the moment. "You fools!" yelled the Avatar of Destruction. "You think your pointy red swords and Abyssal Whips can harm ME? What a grand and intoxicating innocence!" "I wish he'd shut up," Magicana Drofulcus said, his attacks all for naught. "You know, I think I can help you out with that one," ZinyX said, slaying a nearby Jelly and offering the Soul Fragment it dropped to the Soul Obelisk. All at once, Magicana's attacks began to deal a great amount of damage. Others around them started slaying more Jellies and Pyrefiends so more Villagers could join in on the fight. One Villager rallied the troops, ready to lead the team to victory. "Perfect! Keep it up--this battle won't be lasting much longer..."
General InformationWhat: Soul Wars Event
When: Sunday, June 26
World: 104 (P2P)
Time: 9 PM GMT, 4 PM EST, 1 PM PST
Meeting Place: Middle of Edgeville
Soul Wars Party Information
It's time for a rousing game of Soul Wars! Soul Wars is a "Safe Minigame" where you use your Slayer Level and combat skills to kill the other team's Level 525 Avatar as many times as you possibly can in 20 minutes. The entrance to the game (as shown above) is in Edgeville, and you can only bring combat equipment, except for capes or food. Jagex's Knowledge Base Article is a prime source for any more information you need, for those players that have never attended a game of it before.
Are you going to fight tooth and nail to topple our opponent's Avatar, or cleverly offer up Soul Fragments to weaken the Avatar for others? We'll find out this Sunday at 9 PM GMT--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!
May '11 Crossword Winner: hOnK
April '11 Skilling Contest Winners (FI & HU): Flick & Grackman
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 -
14-Jun-2011 - Troll Invasion
Posted by Glodenox on June 14th, 2011, 8:23 am. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
Trolls have begun their invasion of Burthorpe in earnest, leaping from the Death Plateau into the Imperial Guard’s ranks. The Guard’s claws are not quite enough to hold them back, so they need your help. Whether you’re a skiller or a fighter, the Guard welcome you.
You can choose between fighting them head on, or repairing the single defence that stands between the trolls and a fleshy buffet. Opt for close combat and you’ll be thrown into 20 increasingly difficult waves of trolls; starting with common mountain trolls, you’ll quickly be dodging the strikes of dynamite trolls, troll summoners and Cliff - he’s big, he’s ugly, and he once ate a coastline. If that sounds too tame, there’s a 7-wave version to test your mettle. Only 7 waves, you say? Try holding back Cliff with dynamite, runts, spells, poison and rocks whizzing past your head!
Crafters, constructers and firemakers can also take on the trolls. Tend the ballistas, top up the oil drums and repair broken walls to frustrate your opponents. Just make sure the trolls don’t get their stone mitts on your defences, or they’ll start pummelling it into nothingness. Hardcore defenders will even find morale boosting effects that can be used to whip up the Imperial Guard into a troll-busting force.
You’ll be able to fight against the troll invasion whenever the fancy takes you, but you will only receive an XP reward for doing so once a month. Try to make the most of that attempt, as the XP you receive is based on how many waves you manage to survive or how many trolls you kill defending the keep! You’ll then be able to put the XP into a skill of your choice, in a similar manner to Penguin Hide ’n’ Seek.
Mod Nancy and Mod Prime
RuneScape Content Developers
Summary:
You can choose between fighting them head on, or repairing the single defence that stands between the trolls and a fleshy buffet. Opt for close combat and you’ll be thrown into 20 increasingly difficult waves of trolls; starting with common mountain trolls, you’ll quickly be dodging the strikes of dynamite trolls, troll summoners and Cliff - he’s big, he’s ugly, and he once ate a coastline. If that sounds too tame, there’s a 7-wave version to test your mettle. Only 7 waves, you say? Try holding back Cliff with dynamite, runts, spells, poison and rocks whizzing past your head!
Crafters, constructers and firemakers can also take on the trolls. Tend the ballistas, top up the oil drums and repair broken walls to frustrate your opponents. Just make sure the trolls don’t get their stone mitts on your defences, or they’ll start pummelling it into nothingness. Hardcore defenders will even find morale boosting effects that can be used to whip up the Imperial Guard into a troll-busting force.
You’ll be able to fight against the troll invasion whenever the fancy takes you, but you will only receive an XP reward for doing so once a month. Try to make the most of that attempt, as the XP you receive is based on how many waves you manage to survive or how many trolls you kill defending the keep! You’ll then be able to put the XP into a skill of your choice, in a similar manner to Penguin Hide ’n’ Seek.
Mod Nancy and Mod Prime
RuneScape Content Developers
Summary:
Quote:
Where to start Troll Invasion:
Talk to Captain Jute in Burthorpe, near the Warriors’ Guild
Requirements to start Troll Invasion:
There are no requirements to play Troll Invasion
Talk to Captain Jute in Burthorpe, near the Warriors’ Guild
Requirements to start Troll Invasion:
There are no requirements to play Troll Invasion
Patch Notes
The following small fixes and adjustments have now been made to the game. If you spot any further bugs in-game, please use the Bug Report feature ('Submit a Bug Report' under the 'Help' drop-down menu of the website).
Graphical
- The 3rd tier duelist hat no longer transforms into the 2nd tier hat when performing the emote.
- Torva platelegs no longer stretch during certain emotes.
- Items dropped on a rug in Canifis no longer clip with the rug.
- A crossbow shortcut in Yanille no longer causes scenery around to disappear.
- A hole next to the Granite Quarry no longer appears to be filled in.
- Some height mapping has been smoothed out near the Slayer master’s house in Burthorpe.
- A roof on Barbarian Outpost has had textures added to it.
- Aggie has now been updated to match the Draynor version in the Swept Away quest.
- Some flickering issues have been fixed in portions of the Forgettable Tale... quest.
- The Fremennik Saga bear pelt no longer clips with the floor.
- Some patches of shadow in Taverley dungeon have been removed.
- Some strange shading on the back of the Runecrafting player kit blouse has been fixed.
- A monk of Entrana's chathead has been altered to reflect his appearance.
- Parts of Varrock Castle’s wall have been updated to give them a grey top when remove roofs is enabled.
- The roof corners of the anvil building in Yanille now disappear correctly with remove roofs enabled.
- The boards in the Pattern Recognition random event classroom no longer flicker.
- A table in Varrock Castle no longer clips with the floor.
- A missing chathead animation in some Skaldrun dialogue has been fixed.
- A platform no longer clips with the ground in the Miscellania dungeon.
- Sir Bedivere and Sir Pelleas now have the correct colour hair on their chatheads.
- It is no longer possible to see through the back of the wall in the Signature Heroes saga starting room.
- The Poison Arrow's pub board is now coloured.
- The princess blouse is no longer grey when worn.
- Dungeon triangle keys are no longer sat too high in the player's inventory.
- Thaerisk's chathead hair colour now matches his model.
- Some water near Piscatoris has had the heights levelled out to prevent dark lines appearing on the minimap.
- Lady Keli no longer jerks her leg when walking.
Quests
- A piece of Deadliest Catch dialogue no longer states that ‘The Guns’ is talking when it's Jones.
Activities
- The ramokee room checkpoint in the Thok it to 'em saga no longer causes a door to become impassable.
- The fire that melts Skaldrun out of the block of ice no longer appears before it's lit.
- The Signature Heroes will now follow you more consistently during the Three's Company saga.
- The spellbook in the Signature Heroes saga will no longer revert to the normal spellbook.
- A typo in Ozan's chat in the Signature Heroes saga has been fixed.
- The ‘mark’ option on shades in the Thok it to 'em saga has been removed.
- Ending the Signature Heroes saga will no longer leave any weapons equipped.
- All children now disappear correctly in the Vengeance saga.
- Some storage boxes by the ‘All Fired Up’ beacons were missing; they have now been replaced.
Miscellaneous
- The Steel Titan once again uses its melee attacks in PvP combat.
- TzTok Jad's attack sounds have been updated to give a magic charging sound, and ensuring the sounds can be heard from maximum attack distance.
- The Completionist cape now counts as the Ardougne cape when pickpocketing.
- Fist of Guthix ratings once again display correctly using quickchat.
- Some dialogue has been updated to state that the geyser titan also recharges rings of wealth.
- Packs of Juju vials of water have had their shop prices increased to match the price of individual vials. You will also be able to buy more vials on the Grand Exchange.
- The Kal'Ger cutscene in Dungeoneering will now play more consistently.
- A tile in the upstairs of Bob's Axes no longer blocks the player.
10-Jun-2011 -RuneFest 2011 is On!
Posted by Matt258 on June 10th, 2011, 10:34 am. Category: RuneScape News
Thanks to the huge success of last year’s RuneFest, we are proud to announce that we’re back with RuneFest 2011! And in celebration of 10 years of RuneScape, this year's RuneFest will be bigger and better!
RuneFest 2011 will also be held over two days allowing you to completely immerse yourself in the experience and live RuneScape for a whole weekend. And for a truly memorable event, we’ve secured a stunning three floor venue in the heart of London overlooking the River Thames.
Each floor will be themed and feature an array of entertainment guaranteed to satisfy even the most ardent RuneScape fan. There are more new features than you can wave a bronze dagger at as well as some of last year’s favourites: the Insider Sessions and the Golden Gnome Video Awards. The Gaming Area is also back and is bigger and better than ever with events galore, giveaways, more opportunities to play and slay the RuneScape team. This year, we’ve gone all out on some pretty special exclusive content for all RuneFest attendees.
If all of that wasn’t enough, there’s a Halloween after party! Inspired by last year’s late night shenanigans, we’re holding an exclusive after party featuring games, ghouls, live bands, DJs and a special one-off community mash-up among the evening’s entertainment.
With an ever-expanding schedule of fantastic activities and events, you’ll need to keep your ears to the ground and your eyes on www.runefest.com to stay up to date with the latest announcements. You can also register for emails updates to get all the RuneFest news sent directly to your inbox!
RuneFest 2011 will take place over the weekend of Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th October 2011 at Old Billingsgate, Central London, UK. Tickets go on sale from Monday June 27 2011 and are £59 for a one-day pass, and £99 for the weekend.
The Halloween after party costs £49 and is open exclusively to RuneFest attendees. Tickets are limited so if you want to be there, you’ll need to get in quick!
If you’re looking for the ultimate experience and don’t want to miss a moment of RuneFest then there are a number of VIP tickets available. VIP tickets give you a truly individual weekend with priority seating for all presentations, private insider sessions with senior developers, signed concept art and a private J-Mod staffed area with your own VIP bar. You get all that, guaranteed access to the Halloween after party plus a few surprises we’re still keeping under our hats for now for £179.
We will be unveiling lots of exciting features over the coming weeks before tickets go on sale and will be announcing the first competition – the Golden Gnome Video Awards – next week, including news about this year’s categories and some very exciting prizes. In the meantime, you can start planning your RuneFest on the dedicated forums.
See you there!
The RuneFest Team
RuneFest 2011 will also be held over two days allowing you to completely immerse yourself in the experience and live RuneScape for a whole weekend. And for a truly memorable event, we’ve secured a stunning three floor venue in the heart of London overlooking the River Thames.
Each floor will be themed and feature an array of entertainment guaranteed to satisfy even the most ardent RuneScape fan. There are more new features than you can wave a bronze dagger at as well as some of last year’s favourites: the Insider Sessions and the Golden Gnome Video Awards. The Gaming Area is also back and is bigger and better than ever with events galore, giveaways, more opportunities to play and slay the RuneScape team. This year, we’ve gone all out on some pretty special exclusive content for all RuneFest attendees.
If all of that wasn’t enough, there’s a Halloween after party! Inspired by last year’s late night shenanigans, we’re holding an exclusive after party featuring games, ghouls, live bands, DJs and a special one-off community mash-up among the evening’s entertainment.
With an ever-expanding schedule of fantastic activities and events, you’ll need to keep your ears to the ground and your eyes on www.runefest.com to stay up to date with the latest announcements. You can also register for emails updates to get all the RuneFest news sent directly to your inbox!
RuneFest 2011 will take place over the weekend of Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th October 2011 at Old Billingsgate, Central London, UK. Tickets go on sale from Monday June 27 2011 and are £59 for a one-day pass, and £99 for the weekend.
The Halloween after party costs £49 and is open exclusively to RuneFest attendees. Tickets are limited so if you want to be there, you’ll need to get in quick!
If you’re looking for the ultimate experience and don’t want to miss a moment of RuneFest then there are a number of VIP tickets available. VIP tickets give you a truly individual weekend with priority seating for all presentations, private insider sessions with senior developers, signed concept art and a private J-Mod staffed area with your own VIP bar. You get all that, guaranteed access to the Halloween after party plus a few surprises we’re still keeping under our hats for now for £179.
We will be unveiling lots of exciting features over the coming weeks before tickets go on sale and will be announcing the first competition – the Golden Gnome Video Awards – next week, including news about this year’s categories and some very exciting prizes. In the meantime, you can start planning your RuneFest on the dedicated forums.
See you there!
The RuneFest Team
07-June 2011 - Deadliest Catch
Posted by Magicana Drofulcus on June 7th, 2011, 7:16 am. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
07-Jun-2011 – Deadliest Catch
Having spent his whole life fishing, Jones the fisherman has decided to retire in style. He believes that there’s a fortune to be had by hunting the dreaded Thalassus: a sea monster that’s rumoured to be thousands of years old and as big as a village. That’s what the stories say anyway, as no survivors have returned to tell tales of it, but you can be sure of one thing: you want to be far, far away from it when it surfaces.
If Jones is to stand a chance of landing this deadly beast, he needs your help. A rower, harpoon and map are needed before you can head out to hunt (those who suffer from sea-sickness, beware). Then there’s the small problem of finding the beast; while Thalassus is big, the oceans are bigger, and hunting it is like finding a giant, hungry needle in a humungous haystack.
You might come across treasure in the shipwrecks out to sea, and there’s a healthy haul of XP to salvage from this master quest. That’s not all, as additional hunting opportunities are on offer to eager sailors.
At the end of the day, a hunter or their quarry will be on the menu. So, who will be the Deadliest Catch: Jones or the Thalassus?
Mod Tim
RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
In other news...
As those who voted in the ‘What’s My Name?’ Guaranteed Content Poll will have already noted, the winning sea monster name of ‘Thalassus’ has made it in game and the creature is munching on players as we speak! Thank you to all of those who voted and got the name into RuneScape.
We are ending support for older versions of Java (versions older than Sun Java 1.6.0_10) in a couple of weeks time. So that we do not catch players unaware, we have created a warning screen for those players who will be affected, which will pop up when you initially load the RuneScape applet, offering links to help you upgrade. Upgrading from an older version of Java will have the added benefit of running the RuneScape applet more smoothly.
Having spent his whole life fishing, Jones the fisherman has decided to retire in style. He believes that there’s a fortune to be had by hunting the dreaded Thalassus: a sea monster that’s rumoured to be thousands of years old and as big as a village. That’s what the stories say anyway, as no survivors have returned to tell tales of it, but you can be sure of one thing: you want to be far, far away from it when it surfaces.
If Jones is to stand a chance of landing this deadly beast, he needs your help. A rower, harpoon and map are needed before you can head out to hunt (those who suffer from sea-sickness, beware). Then there’s the small problem of finding the beast; while Thalassus is big, the oceans are bigger, and hunting it is like finding a giant, hungry needle in a humungous haystack.
You might come across treasure in the shipwrecks out to sea, and there’s a healthy haul of XP to salvage from this master quest. That’s not all, as additional hunting opportunities are on offer to eager sailors.
At the end of the day, a hunter or their quarry will be on the menu. So, who will be the Deadliest Catch: Jones or the Thalassus?
Mod Tim
RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
Quote:
Where to start Deadliest Catch:
Talk to Jones next to the Fishing Guild bank. He’s the one with the large fishing rod.
Requirements to start Deadliest Catch:
70 Fishing
67 Hunter
60 Thieving
Tower of Life
Druidic Ritual
Talk to Jones next to the Fishing Guild bank. He’s the one with the large fishing rod.
Requirements to start Deadliest Catch:
70 Fishing
67 Hunter
60 Thieving
Tower of Life
Druidic Ritual
In other news...
As those who voted in the ‘What’s My Name?’ Guaranteed Content Poll will have already noted, the winning sea monster name of ‘Thalassus’ has made it in game and the creature is munching on players as we speak! Thank you to all of those who voted and got the name into RuneScape.
We are ending support for older versions of Java (versions older than Sun Java 1.6.0_10) in a couple of weeks time. So that we do not catch players unaware, we have created a warning screen for those players who will be affected, which will pop up when you initially load the RuneScape applet, offering links to help you upgrade. Upgrading from an older version of Java will have the added benefit of running the RuneScape applet more smoothly.
01-Jun-2011 - Fremennik Sagas
Posted by Freeasacar on June 1st, 2011, 9:23 am. Category: RuneScape News
Runescape.com wrote:
01-Jun-2011 - Fremennik Sagas
The immortal storyteller, Skaldrun, has been trapped in the frozen floors of Daemonheim for centuries. Players who free him from this chilly prison will gain the opportunity to literally step into the shoes of the protagonists of his Fremennik Sagas, and take on their unique abilities while living out their tales. Skaldrun has three such sagas he’s currently willing to share with you...
The first of these sagas is Three’s Company, which marks the first in-game appearance of stoic Temple Knight Sir Owen, seer-sorceress Ariane, and the ever-charming, remarkably skilled and implausibly handsome Ozan (at least that’s how he’d put it). Take control of all three characters as they make their way through the frozen floors to track down a dangerous criminal intent on harnessing the secrets of summoning for his own nefarious ends. This saga is completely available to free-players and members alike.
In Vengeance, follow the dark tale of a sole-surviving forgotten warrior as she descends further into madness, despair and fury, all the while seeking retribution for the death of her brothers-in-arms at the hands of a party of adventurers. Players will need to work quickly, as she is constantly fighting the poison in her system, as well as resisting (or succumbing to) her madness.
Finally, Thok it to ‘Em gives players some incredibly large boots to fill, as they take on the role of Dungeoneering’s very own skill master: the mighty Thok! Smash, force and headbutt your way through Daemonheim in search of your injured brother, Marmaros, using Thok’s unmatched strength. As well as solving puzzles ‘the Thok way’, you’ll also have to do battle with several of Dungeoneering’s bosses.
All of these sagas come in both abridged and unabridged versions. The abridged sagas offer reduced story and rewards, but can be played by anyone who’s found that saga’s ‘memory fragment’ within Daemonheim. The unabridged sagas offer greater rewards and the complete story, but require certain other skill levels to become accessible. In terms of rewards, abridged sagas offer Dungeoneering XP and tokens, while unabridged versions give rewards of XP in the skills required to access the saga (so long as the sagas are completed to 100%, with all secondary objectives found!). All sagas are repeatable, though their rewards can only be claimed once.
Mod Raven
RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
Where to start Fremennik Sagas:
Free Skaldrun from one of Daemonheim’s frozen floors (you must have a Dungeoneering level of 6 and be playing on complexity 2+), then speak to him on the surface (near Marmaros and Thok).
Requirements to start each Fremennik Saga:
Three’s Company (free-to-play):
Find the bearskin on floors 1-11
11 Dungeoneering (abridged)
As above + 30 Attack, Magic and Ranged (unabridged)
Vengeance! (members):
Find the collection of swords on floors 12-21
23 Dungeoneering (abridged)
As above + 55 Agility and Thieving (unabridged)
Thok it to ‘Em (members):
Find the scribbled notes on floors 30-40
59 Dungeoneering (abridged)
As above + 70 Strength (unabridged)
In other news...
The sky lighting effect that appeared in Port Sarim last week has spread over the rest of the free lands. Take a stroll from Lumbridge to Draynor, then pop over to the Wizards' Tower or Grand Exchange to see the new effects.
The immortal storyteller, Skaldrun, has been trapped in the frozen floors of Daemonheim for centuries. Players who free him from this chilly prison will gain the opportunity to literally step into the shoes of the protagonists of his Fremennik Sagas, and take on their unique abilities while living out their tales. Skaldrun has three such sagas he’s currently willing to share with you...
The first of these sagas is Three’s Company, which marks the first in-game appearance of stoic Temple Knight Sir Owen, seer-sorceress Ariane, and the ever-charming, remarkably skilled and implausibly handsome Ozan (at least that’s how he’d put it). Take control of all three characters as they make their way through the frozen floors to track down a dangerous criminal intent on harnessing the secrets of summoning for his own nefarious ends. This saga is completely available to free-players and members alike.
In Vengeance, follow the dark tale of a sole-surviving forgotten warrior as she descends further into madness, despair and fury, all the while seeking retribution for the death of her brothers-in-arms at the hands of a party of adventurers. Players will need to work quickly, as she is constantly fighting the poison in her system, as well as resisting (or succumbing to) her madness.
Finally, Thok it to ‘Em gives players some incredibly large boots to fill, as they take on the role of Dungeoneering’s very own skill master: the mighty Thok! Smash, force and headbutt your way through Daemonheim in search of your injured brother, Marmaros, using Thok’s unmatched strength. As well as solving puzzles ‘the Thok way’, you’ll also have to do battle with several of Dungeoneering’s bosses.
All of these sagas come in both abridged and unabridged versions. The abridged sagas offer reduced story and rewards, but can be played by anyone who’s found that saga’s ‘memory fragment’ within Daemonheim. The unabridged sagas offer greater rewards and the complete story, but require certain other skill levels to become accessible. In terms of rewards, abridged sagas offer Dungeoneering XP and tokens, while unabridged versions give rewards of XP in the skills required to access the saga (so long as the sagas are completed to 100%, with all secondary objectives found!). All sagas are repeatable, though their rewards can only be claimed once.
Mod Raven
RuneScape Content Developer
Summary:
Where to start Fremennik Sagas:
Free Skaldrun from one of Daemonheim’s frozen floors (you must have a Dungeoneering level of 6 and be playing on complexity 2+), then speak to him on the surface (near Marmaros and Thok).
Requirements to start each Fremennik Saga:
Three’s Company (free-to-play):
Find the bearskin on floors 1-11
11 Dungeoneering (abridged)
As above + 30 Attack, Magic and Ranged (unabridged)
Vengeance! (members):
Find the collection of swords on floors 12-21
23 Dungeoneering (abridged)
As above + 55 Agility and Thieving (unabridged)
Thok it to ‘Em (members):
Find the scribbled notes on floors 30-40
59 Dungeoneering (abridged)
As above + 70 Strength (unabridged)
In other news...
The sky lighting effect that appeared in Port Sarim last week has spread over the rest of the free lands. Take a stroll from Lumbridge to Draynor, then pop over to the Wizards' Tower or Grand Exchange to see the new effects.
Runescape Forums wrote:
Patch Notes 01/06/2011
The following small fixes and adjustments have now been made to the game. If you spot any further bugs in-game, please use the Bug Report feature ('Submit a Bug Report' under the 'Help' drop-down menu of the website).
Graphical
* It is no longer possible to walk through a pillar in Draynor Village.
* Ingots no longer clip through the conveyor belt in Artisans Workshop.
* Baby platypus chatheads do not stretch any more.
* The clan cape no longer obscures amulets.
* A rug in Draynor Village does not flicker any more.
Quests / Tasks
* The ‘A Bolt from the Blue’ Varrock task now unlocks correctly.
* A certain confusion monster in A Soul's Bane is no longer invincible.
* Angry bears in A Soul's Bane have had their attack hunt range lowered.
* A cutscene in My Arm's Big Adventure has had camera angles updated to match the reworked Trollheim.
* Clicking out of a certain cutscene in Perils of Ice Mountain no longer leaves a player within the cutscene.
* Some misleading text during Great Brain Robbery has been altered.
Activities
* It is no longer possible to smuggle extra food into a duel using a dismissed familiar.
Miscellaneous
* Dungeoneering binds will no longer be lost when a server crashes.
* It is no longer possible to get an untrimmed skillcape with multiple maxed stats by leveling up on a free world.
* Stall owners will forgive you if you've stolen from their stalls after a certain amount of time.
* Ned's wife in Draynor has moved back into the house, kicking out the random man.
* The ability to plant two spirit trees has been added to the Farming skill advance guide.
* The chat filter buttons no longer disappear when going up or down stairs in fixed-size mode.
* Joining a friend’s chat now states correctly where the leave button is.
* It is no longer possible to attempt to alchemise or superheat using the explorer's ring during a game of Fish Flingers.
The following small fixes and adjustments have now been made to the game. If you spot any further bugs in-game, please use the Bug Report feature ('Submit a Bug Report' under the 'Help' drop-down menu of the website).
Graphical
* It is no longer possible to walk through a pillar in Draynor Village.
* Ingots no longer clip through the conveyor belt in Artisans Workshop.
* Baby platypus chatheads do not stretch any more.
* The clan cape no longer obscures amulets.
* A rug in Draynor Village does not flicker any more.
Quests / Tasks
* The ‘A Bolt from the Blue’ Varrock task now unlocks correctly.
* A certain confusion monster in A Soul's Bane is no longer invincible.
* Angry bears in A Soul's Bane have had their attack hunt range lowered.
* A cutscene in My Arm's Big Adventure has had camera angles updated to match the reworked Trollheim.
* Clicking out of a certain cutscene in Perils of Ice Mountain no longer leaves a player within the cutscene.
* Some misleading text during Great Brain Robbery has been altered.
Activities
* It is no longer possible to smuggle extra food into a duel using a dismissed familiar.
Miscellaneous
* Dungeoneering binds will no longer be lost when a server crashes.
* It is no longer possible to get an untrimmed skillcape with multiple maxed stats by leveling up on a free world.
* Stall owners will forgive you if you've stolen from their stalls after a certain amount of time.
* Ned's wife in Draynor has moved back into the house, kicking out the random man.
* The ability to plant two spirit trees has been added to the Farming skill advance guide.
* The chat filter buttons no longer disappear when going up or down stairs in fixed-size mode.
* Joining a friend’s chat now states correctly where the leave button is.
* It is no longer possible to attempt to alchemise or superheat using the explorer's ring during a game of Fish Flingers.
Runescape.com wrote:
01-Jun-2011 - Behind the Scenes - June
Eager to try out a new item slot? Forget rings, quivers or shoe slots: if you’re fashionable you’ll want an aura slot! Before the release of these buffing items, there’ll be two other updates in which you’ll have to overcome some imposing obstacles: a sea monster in our newest master quest, and a troll invasion in a new distraction and diversion.
Deadliest Catch (members)
This month’s master quest will ring bells for anyone interested in the guaranteed content polls. As named by you, the sea monster Thalassus has been terrorising the cold and inhospitable oceans to the north. No one has survived to sketch a picture of this hulking beast, but the inns are full of rumours: Thalassus is the size of the Wizards’ Tower, they say; sailors are eaten and digested while still alive in its belly.
Fisherman Jones wants to end the scare stories by landing the beast (gaining a little glory in the process). To join him, you’ll need a Fishing level of 70, a Hunter level of 67 and a Thieving level of 60, and there’s wieldable fishing nets on offer, and a range of bank deposit boxes to unlock if you do. The quest also offers you the opportunity to embark ten more times for additional Hunter XP, should you prove to be an enviable harpooner.
Troll Invasion (members)
Forget forum trolls: if you want a real nuisance, you can’t beat the real thing! Trolls are swarming down the hills of Burthorpe and are threatening to lay waste to any imperial guard that gets in their way. Who can stop them? Well, you, of course, but in two very different ways. This month’s single-player distraction and diversion allows you to choose between taking the trolls on in straight combat, or tending the defences that hold them back. Better still, there are no requirements to do so.
Take to the battlefield and you will face 20 waves of increasingly belligerent trolls, from the common mountain troll to the summoning troll, dynamite troll and Cliff, who – you’ve probably guessed – ate an entire cliff face for his first meal. If that proves too easy, there’s a more intense 7 wave version to conquer, which has an increased difficulty level.
For the skill-focussed among you, there is the option of keeping the gatehouse maintained instead. Tend to the ballista, top up the oil vats and repair broken barricades to keep the trolls from being successful. Your actions will increase the morale of the troops, who will fight back with increased vigour. Hold out for 10 minutes (the time it takes for a troll to get hungry for Burntmeat’s cooking) and the victory is yours. You will gain an XP tome for your first defence each month, and smaller XP rewards for any defence you complete after that.
Loyalty Rewards (members)
Last but not least, this month sees a huge selection of exciting rewards that you’ll be able to access through the Members Loyalty Program. Earn Loyalty Points to unlock a fantastic range of items, from custom titles to unique emotes, exclusive new costumes and amazing auras in a new player worn slot.
Don’t forget to register within the first two weeks of launch to take advantage of our introductory offers on the fantastic selection of rewards!
Have fun!
Mod Mark
RuneScape Lead Designer
Eager to try out a new item slot? Forget rings, quivers or shoe slots: if you’re fashionable you’ll want an aura slot! Before the release of these buffing items, there’ll be two other updates in which you’ll have to overcome some imposing obstacles: a sea monster in our newest master quest, and a troll invasion in a new distraction and diversion.
Deadliest Catch (members)
This month’s master quest will ring bells for anyone interested in the guaranteed content polls. As named by you, the sea monster Thalassus has been terrorising the cold and inhospitable oceans to the north. No one has survived to sketch a picture of this hulking beast, but the inns are full of rumours: Thalassus is the size of the Wizards’ Tower, they say; sailors are eaten and digested while still alive in its belly.
Fisherman Jones wants to end the scare stories by landing the beast (gaining a little glory in the process). To join him, you’ll need a Fishing level of 70, a Hunter level of 67 and a Thieving level of 60, and there’s wieldable fishing nets on offer, and a range of bank deposit boxes to unlock if you do. The quest also offers you the opportunity to embark ten more times for additional Hunter XP, should you prove to be an enviable harpooner.
Troll Invasion (members)
Forget forum trolls: if you want a real nuisance, you can’t beat the real thing! Trolls are swarming down the hills of Burthorpe and are threatening to lay waste to any imperial guard that gets in their way. Who can stop them? Well, you, of course, but in two very different ways. This month’s single-player distraction and diversion allows you to choose between taking the trolls on in straight combat, or tending the defences that hold them back. Better still, there are no requirements to do so.
Take to the battlefield and you will face 20 waves of increasingly belligerent trolls, from the common mountain troll to the summoning troll, dynamite troll and Cliff, who – you’ve probably guessed – ate an entire cliff face for his first meal. If that proves too easy, there’s a more intense 7 wave version to conquer, which has an increased difficulty level.
For the skill-focussed among you, there is the option of keeping the gatehouse maintained instead. Tend to the ballista, top up the oil vats and repair broken barricades to keep the trolls from being successful. Your actions will increase the morale of the troops, who will fight back with increased vigour. Hold out for 10 minutes (the time it takes for a troll to get hungry for Burntmeat’s cooking) and the victory is yours. You will gain an XP tome for your first defence each month, and smaller XP rewards for any defence you complete after that.
Loyalty Rewards (members)
Last but not least, this month sees a huge selection of exciting rewards that you’ll be able to access through the Members Loyalty Program. Earn Loyalty Points to unlock a fantastic range of items, from custom titles to unique emotes, exclusive new costumes and amazing auras in a new player worn slot.
Don’t forget to register within the first two weeks of launch to take advantage of our introductory offers on the fantastic selection of rewards!
Have fun!
Mod Mark
RuneScape Lead Designer
Runescape Forums wrote:
Members Loyalty Program FAQ
Just thought I'd drop by and answer a few questions and concerns.
Q. Are Loyalty Points like Micro Transactions and will Loyalty Points cost extra?
A. No, they're just a different currency if you like, given out to members each month to spend on the various cool rewards.
Q. Will free players get the aura slot?
A. The answer to this is in the name. It may appear on the interface for all players, but only members can equip and use the auras.
Q. Will I get Loyalty Points for any previous membership?
A. Unfortunately not. I refer you back to the following example:
"If you made rewards so that a 9 year member wouldn't be able to instantly buy them all, then it would take 9+ years for anyone to get enough points which isn't ideal.
Q. Will I lose my points if stop being a member?
A. No, once you've earned the Loyalty Points the only way they'll disappear is if you exchange them for the rewards.
Q. What's the best way to earn Loyalty Points?
A. All members will get points. Concurrent members will accumulate points faster than someone who only subscribes for some of the time so it will take longer to unlock the different items and rewards.
Q. If I spot more questions on this that I think need answering what will you do?
A. Answer some of them! Some questions I may leave for the update itself as more details will be given then.
Q. Still here?
A. Just checking!
A few more Q&A's have popped up throughout the thread for those who're interested...
Hope that helps,
Mod Nexus.
Just thought I'd drop by and answer a few questions and concerns.
Q. Are Loyalty Points like Micro Transactions and will Loyalty Points cost extra?
A. No, they're just a different currency if you like, given out to members each month to spend on the various cool rewards.
Q. Will free players get the aura slot?
A. The answer to this is in the name. It may appear on the interface for all players, but only members can equip and use the auras.
Q. Will I get Loyalty Points for any previous membership?
A. Unfortunately not. I refer you back to the following example:
"If you made rewards so that a 9 year member wouldn't be able to instantly buy them all, then it would take 9+ years for anyone to get enough points which isn't ideal.
Q. Will I lose my points if stop being a member?
A. No, once you've earned the Loyalty Points the only way they'll disappear is if you exchange them for the rewards.
Q. What's the best way to earn Loyalty Points?
A. All members will get points. Concurrent members will accumulate points faster than someone who only subscribes for some of the time so it will take longer to unlock the different items and rewards.
Q. If I spot more questions on this that I think need answering what will you do?
A. Answer some of them! Some questions I may leave for the update itself as more details will be given then.
Q. Still here?
A. Just checking!
A few more Q&A's have popped up throughout the thread for those who're interested...
Hope that helps,
Mod Nexus.
