Category Archives: Random

A Child rapist, Hitler, and the Skyrim UI Designer walk into a bar…

Posted on November 14, 2011 by SynCaine

Like pretty much the rest of the world, I was playing Skyrim all weekend (being sick helped in that regard actually). Anytime you play a game 20+ hours in the first few days, that says a lot about the game, … Continue reading →

Posted in Random, Rant | 62 Comments

I hate myself

Posted on November 11, 2011 by SynCaine

Just picked up Skyrim on Steam. I know it’s buggy. I know it will be better in 6 months. I know it will be cheaper in 6 months. I know in 12 months there will be a GoTY edition for … Continue reading →

Posted in Random | 27 Comments

Who would you rather: Zynga or Blizzard?

Posted on November 10, 2011 by SynCaine

In this corner, we have scam-factory Zynga. No longer allowed to scam its customers (much), they have moved on to bullying their employees. Be sure to friend them! In the other corner, we have the titanic titan (see what I … Continue reading →

Posted in Mass Media, Random, Rant, World of Warcraft | 15 Comments

Gamer evolution, 30 minutes a day

Posted on November 4, 2011 by SynCaine

Time requirements and complexity in gaming are clearly not the same thing, but they are linked. The more complex your game, the more time required to learn it. But a game can be both ‘simple’ and incredibly hard (Meatboy), or … Continue reading →

Posted in Combat Systems, Console Gaming, EVE Online, League of Legends, MMO design, PvP, Random, World of Warcraft | 2 Comments

Casual players are a dying breed

Posted on November 3, 2011 by SynCaine

Whenever the topic of casual games comes up, I always question who exactly these ‘casual gamers’ are, and I think the term itself is a little misleading. I think ‘casual player’ is more accurate. Gamer to me, be they casual … Continue reading →

Posted in Console Gaming, Mass Media, Random, Rant | 13 Comments

It’s a race to the bottom!

Posted on October 21, 2011 by SynCaine

Oh Blizzard. Free D3 to save WoW?(read: inflate sub numbers temporarily) Pandas? Pet fighting? A new race + new class + cap increase all in one expansion? It’s like WoW is in panic mode or something… On a slightly more … Continue reading →

Posted in EVE Online, Random, Rant, World of Warcraft | 20 Comments

I want sand in every genre

Posted on October 20, 2011 by SynCaine

I prefer a TBS game (Final Fantasy Tactics-like games) that lets me build my party from scratch over one that gives me pre-made party members. This post is not about any one specific game, just some random thoughts. Creating the … Continue reading →

Posted in Combat Systems, Random | 5 Comments

Dungeon Defenders: Flawed fun

Posted on October 20, 2011 by SynCaine

I played Dungeon Defenders last night, having purchased it as a 4-pack with my regular gaming buddies, for about five hours (casually, yo). I think the fact that we played it for five hours straight says a lot right there, … Continue reading →

Posted in Combat Systems, Console Gaming, Random | 5 Comments

Might and Magic Heroes 6 review

Posted on October 17, 2011 by SynCaine

Might and Magic Heroes 6 (since when is this series not called Heroes of Might and Magic?) was released last Thursday, and over the weekend I spent a good deal of time with it, including a multi-player game along with … Continue reading →

Posted in Random | 20 Comments

These are not the customers you are looking for

Posted on October 14, 2011 by SynCaine

You know, if I knew absolutely nothing about SW:TOR, and I read/heard this presentation, I’d be absolutely pumped for whatever MMO Damion Schubert is talking about. Converting casuals into hardcore players, retaining those hardcore players, understanding the importance of such … Continue reading →

Posted in MMO design, Random, SW:TOR | 11 Comments