Morning Discussion

You've probably seen the links in previous chatty posts by now but in case you missed it, check out the ComicCon trailer for AMC's The Walking Dead.

Since the series isn't landing until October 31, I've decided to ruin the entire experience and read the graphic novels. Well, ruin might be the wrong word as AMC has stated that the adaptation is based on the series. This means it may see a number of changes, which fans may just have to start dealing with now or decide to ignore the show entirely.

Sometimes changes work out for the better; however, sometimes changes can ruin the overall message or experience. For example, Watchmen was completely destroyed for me when the film decided to pull Dr. Manhattan's final, haunting lines of dialog and give them to a different character rendering them utterly meaningless.

What do you think about changes to source material? Do you want a carbon copy or something more tuned to the new medium it's being translated to?

Xav de Matos was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    August 26, 2010 5:01 AM

    Guild Wars 2

    So how many of you are getting this? This is the first MMO to every tickle my fancy..ever.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:02 AM

      I probably will be but it's going to be pushed to 2012, really no reason to get hyped for it now.

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        August 26, 2010 5:03 AM

        yea i've quit watching videos for it and reading about it. I don't want to hear anymore until it's close to release

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 5:04 AM

          The videos released so far have been really boring looking too.

          The Necromancer Death Shroud skill seems completely pointless.

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        August 26, 2010 5:05 AM

        i remember feeling that way about shadowbane

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          August 26, 2010 5:08 AM

          Shadowbane was glorious.

          We were running such a racket on the server we populated. Our guild setup one of the biggest neutral towns on the server under completely different names/accounts. We were a small band of guys who performed a lot of geurilla tactics on other big guilds. We raided a lot of huge guild cities just because we worked so well together. No one knew the resources we had and when these huge guilds tried to retaliate against us we would hold them off with only like 30 guys. We just kept funneling money in from the neutral city to make repairs.

          We were also all on the guards white list so I could be my thief character within the town and not have to worry about it. It was so fun. I miss that game :(

          • reply
            August 26, 2010 5:12 AM

            hehe this reads like a mafia movie narrative.

              • reply
                August 26, 2010 5:29 AM

                heh that sounds like an amazing thing to be part of :)

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                  August 26, 2010 5:31 AM

                  When the information leaked from a disgruntled ex-guild member (even very few people in the actual guild knew what we were doing) all hell broke loose. We had guilds that hated each other teaming up to knock on our doors. I think we held them off for 36+ hours before they finally breached. There were about 3-400 of them attack our force of around 50. It was so fucking awesome.

                  • reply
                    August 26, 2010 8:35 AM

                    I am sad knowing I missed such awesome MMOs like Shadowbane and Ultima Online

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 5:06 AM

        oh..that sucks big donkey balls. :(

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 5:11 AM

        Yeah, it looks interesting but it's too far out for me to care about right now.

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 5:12 AM

        May I ask where this 2012 talk is coming from? I thought the release date is still TBA.

        @OP as of now I'm planning to get it on day 1.

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 5:13 AM

          Just pure speculation on my part.

          • reply
            August 26, 2010 5:17 AM

            Hmm, I personally expect it to be released in late 2011. It's been in development for quite a while now.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:11 AM

      I'm picking it up. However it's still a ways off so hopefully cataclysm fills that void until it's released.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:13 AM

      I'm going to get it for sure but I have very little faith in it being good.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:13 AM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:20 AM

      I'll be on it, but I'm not expecting it soon. Also waiting for the whole set of GW1 back on steam for 20 bucks again. I lost access to my old account, and I'd like to play it again.

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 5:21 AM

        Oh and I saw that GW2 art book online but it's sold out for US :(

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:29 AM

      If its not SWTOR or Cataclysm then I simply don't have room in my mind for it :/

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:30 AM

      I think I will. Even if they only pull off a fraction of what they're claiming it's looking very promising.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:32 AM

      Definite pre-order!

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:33 AM

      I'd get it but my pc specs won't be good enough :( any minimum specs released yet?

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 5:37 AM

        no all I could dig up was that it is being developed to run on a mid-range pc..but that naturally changes every 6months or so.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:34 AM

      hmm just watched an introduction video. the impression I get is that events online are not repeated for you as a player..past events stay as you left them (rescue a village and it stays rescued etc). How is this possible? If two of us are in the same village and one of us rescued it while the other still needs to do so..how does the game handle that?

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 5:35 AM

        Probably how Blizzard handles phasing. Same sort of thing.

        No idea on the technical aspects though.

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 5:37 AM

          not familiar with WoW or phasing..how does that work?

          • reply
            August 26, 2010 5:39 AM

            Players can run around in different parts of the same area. You are kind of on a different plane of existance. Once you complete certain objectives you morph into the 'real world' and join everyone else in the 'finished world'. They started using the tech in Lich King. It's really cool stuff.

            http://www.wowwiki.com/Phasing

            • reply
              August 26, 2010 5:43 AM

              man that is great...I wish this game didn't get on my radar so early heh.

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 6:51 AM

          no it doesn't use that at all. it uses persistent event chains, with a lot of events having a cyclical two-way kind of direction, so the players can either push the monsters back, or let them take over more and more. other events are on certain conditions, times, quests, etc though... the point is to always have the explorable areas full of crazy shit going down which players can participate in and change the whole flow of the map. some events even interact with other events.

          • reply
            August 26, 2010 6:53 AM

            also there are some instances for player story only specific stuff I should add, like the home city will have a whole block that's modified by your story choices

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 6:55 AM

        From what they've been making it sound and from some of the previews it's a quest that anyone can come into during its progress and join in. If a town is under attack then it's happening in real time which means anyone can join in to save it or choose not to do it. So you either catch an event while it's in progress or go do another one. So if a town gets saved then it's saved for everyone on the server whether or not they choose to participate in it.

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 7:01 AM

          Are you sure? I was under the impression they were just using phasing for most of it. Once-per-server events would require an insane amount of content.

          • reply
            August 26, 2010 8:07 AM

            I imagine it might be a constantly happening sort of thing. A town would get taken over if it wasn't always defended.

          • reply
            August 26, 2010 8:10 AM

            Constant tug of war, no phasing. Don't think of them as server events, as some kind of landmark big deal. Just think of them as random occurrences.

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 8:11 AM

        They stay until there's a new event to change it, yes. But they're not individual quests, they're events that people band together to accomplish. There would be no circumstance where you rescued a town and someone right next to you didn't. You'd both be there while the town is under attack. It's not a quest. It's not phasing. It's just stuff happening in the world.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:35 AM

      No doubt at all.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:36 AM

      I enjoyed the first one but didn't play it enough. Same with City of Heroes.

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      August 26, 2010 5:37 AM

      Yeah, getting it. Really liked the first one as far as the PvP went, PvE was kind of crap and made me quit down the line. All they have to do is do better on the PVE side of things and add some more forms of doing PvP, which I understand they are doing, and I'm sold.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:40 AM

      Day 1. I'm there.

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 5:54 AM

        I may reprise my one and only Guild Wars character and quest with you, my good man!

        His name - I'm Your Huckleberry.

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 9:00 AM

        Let's party.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:49 AM

      No :(
      Game lacks MY CLASS ;.;

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 5:53 AM

        I miss my monk from GW1 from time to time, but given the fact that they are doing away with alot of MMO stereotypes with the sequel, I'm looking forward to seeing just how far they'll go in blurring the lines between classes and their respective roles.

        Interesting read: http://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/combat/healing-death/

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 6:10 AM

          I kind of wish they could reinvent the class instead of doing away with it entirely, maybe some other time.

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 6:16 AM

          "That's why we don't have a dedicated healing class."

          • reply
            August 26, 2010 6:32 AM

            I bet there will be a way for you to play an awesome support class as the Elementalist, though. Probably by way of damage shields and wards, buffs, and crowd control perhaps.

            • reply
              August 26, 2010 6:37 AM

              I only playing a primary healer. It's the only class I like in MMOs. I miss Earth and Beyond :(

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 9:17 AM

          Yeah, going to be pretty versatile.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:49 AM

      I will indubitably be playing this day 1. Pants dragon activate!!

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 6:43 AM

        Now I just need to divorce my wife, quit my job and live at my parents house to truly enjoy this game. Level 80, here I come!!

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 5:55 AM

      [deleted]

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 5:59 AM

        It's going to have persistent world and all that shit you expect from a regular mmo. 'xcept for monthly fee.

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 8:59 AM

          I think people are hyping up the MMO aspects a bit too much unless I missed the part where they promised the ability to traverse an entire continent without some manner of hub/loading/whatever. They've been a bit evasive except to say if you see a mountain, you can walk to it. So while it will be quite a bit beyond what the original GW did, I'm not going to believe that it's a "true" MMO in the sense of how WoW and other games have done things.

          Also, they did say that the story quests are still instanced so it continues to be GW-style in that respect.

          • reply
            August 26, 2010 9:16 AM

            there are plenty of MMOs that don't have this, that are universally considered to be full-fledged MMOs. Aion is super restrictive within a zone, and you must teleport between zones. and nobody has ever said Aion wasn't an MMO

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 6:05 AM

      oh hell yes. day 1 purchase.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 6:22 AM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 6:48 AM

      I probably will. Had lots of fun with the first game and I'd like to support these peeps

    • Zek legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
      reply
      August 26, 2010 6:56 AM

      I don't know what to expect from it but I'll buy it, it should be good enough for a free month at least.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 6:58 AM

      Seeing as it's supposedly not going to have a subscription like the original and it looks awesome so far I don't really have any reason not to buy it.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 7:01 AM

      I'll give it a few weeks post release. the first one lost steam really quickly for me

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 7:03 AM

      Played the first one for months with friends. Considering picking it up if it runs ok on my PC.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 7:06 AM

      Instabuy

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 7:07 AM

      unless something has changed in the sequel, guildwars is not an MMO

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 7:12 AM

        "something" has indeed changed in the sequel. read up about it

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 7:11 AM

      I am fucking getting this. As soon as the preorder is available.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 7:14 AM

      i'll buy it for the graphics. the gameplay looks ok and i'm not a big fan of pvp

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 8:30 AM

        i bet the outfits are going to look stunning.

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 8:31 AM

          have they shown much of how the gear looks yet? if they outsource anything to ncsoft korea it should be the gear imo

          • reply
            August 26, 2010 8:43 AM

            ive no idea. im just guessing based on the stuff shown so far and the reputation of their art department.

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 9:02 AM

        I think they're rocking more of a PvE slant, or at least I hope so, because fuck PvP

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 8:05 AM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 8:10 AM

      I am. If for the artwork alone. First mmo since WoW that I've been willing to try.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 8:23 AM

      100% Necromancer, MINIONS server me well mooohahhaaaaa

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 8:32 AM

      I'll pay full price for this. Gotta get it early.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 8:37 AM

      Yeah I'll try it out, looks like a big jump over the original which was okay.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 8:55 AM

      Looks interesting enough to give it a chance for sure, but it's gonna take something special to rip me away from WoW.

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 9:04 AM

        how about no monthly fees?

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 9:14 AM

        How about this being the only MMO announced recently that is doing anything to expand and further the genre? Ditching the stagnant world, people have an actual effect on their surroundings.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 8:58 AM

      http://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/professions/warrior/
      This looks too fun to pass up. Finally a MMO where combat looks fluid.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 9:01 AM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 9:22 AM

      I have not heard a single thing about this game, but I can answer your question after you answer one of mine: Is it going to have a system in place to allow you to play with your friends even if you have played far less or far more than they have?

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 9:30 AM

        yes

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 9:30 AM

        yes indeed

        watch the manifesto
        http://www.guildwars2.com/en/media/videos/

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 9:31 AM

          btw I'm a TF2 type of jump in and play kinda guy and GW2 is really appealing to me.

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 11:09 AM

          That was pretty sweet but it made no mention of what I asked :(

          • reply
            August 26, 2010 11:25 AM

            Yeah, I don't know if I've seen the answer to your question.

            Now that 80 is the level cap I don't know how things work.

            Besides level differences there are class issues you usually have to deal with. Don't have a healer in WOW? Not doing much. Here there is no dedicated healer, so you can just play with whatever classes you want.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 11:16 AM

      First day purchase :)

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 11:52 AM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 12:16 PM

      it's the only upcoming MMO I'm really excited for. TERA looks cool too, but I refused to get hyped up for a Korean MMO. :[

      • reply
        August 26, 2010 12:27 PM

        eh.. isnt gw2 korean?

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 12:32 PM

          No, developed by Arena.net (USA). Distributed by NCSoft (S. Korea).

        • reply
          August 26, 2010 12:34 PM

          NCSoft is a Korean company yeah, but Arena.net, who developed Guild Wars (and GW2) is American.

    • reply
      August 26, 2010 12:37 PM

      I'm curious what the hardware requirements are going to be like. All the demo videos I've seen look incredibly smooth, and I'm curious if I'm going to need to upgrade to see that kind of performance.

      I'll probably build a whole new PC sometime next year anyway though, my Feb 2008 PC is starting to show its age.

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