Onder Skall reviews some of the grid's most intriguing games
Everybody likes a gameshow now and then, and right now there's none hotter than the primetime "Deal or No Deal". The Second Life indy version possesses every bit as much energy and pizazz, and is a great time even if there aren't any models holding the cases. We'll also take a look at a basic shooter that manages to be fun, fast, and flexible. Strap on your body armor and get ready for some trigger-happy action. And finally, there is no shortage of RPGs in Second Life, but few are as huge or elaborate as this one. We get intense and in-depth after the fold.
Genre: RPG
Creator(s): Baal Zobel
Estimated Number of Players: 400+ in total, sim is generally full.
Gameplay: Assasins vs. Vampires vs. Nekko. You must be just a bit psychopathic to enter.
Top Qualities: Amazing, detailed and gorgeous build. Huge dedicated player group. Elaborate back stories and well defined character classes.
Current Shortcomings: Getting a bit overcrowded. Not for people looking for a PG good time. Not a lot of room for levity - gets to be pretty serious.
Where to Play/Buy: Midian City
<http://slurl.com/secondlife/Midian%2520City/139/46/30/>
If you're tired of sanitary corporate builds or just in search of dark adventure, it might be time for a trip to Midian City.
Midian is a full-sim roleplay environment in the spirit of Blade Runner
meets Underworld. The build is a complex series of narrow streets and
dark alleys that are simultaneously decrepit and gorgeous. If you ever
finish exploring the many sights at ground level, turn your gaze
upwards to the maze of catwalks or sneak down into the tunnels below.
It's a stunning build, and a favorite among Second Life photographers.
When you're ready to play, pick up a copy of the MPD interface, pick a
faction, and assume a new identity as one of the city's residents. In
all of my visits to Midian there has never been a time where the sim
was vacant, so know the city's mythology and expect to interact with
the residents accordingly. Saying the wrong thing here could get you
killed.
While there is a combat interface, fighting is something that happens
as a consequence of the unfolding story between players. You won't find
people randomly attacking everyone in sight here. A definite
cat-and-mouse feel pervades the conflicts, with some factions designed
specifically to be prey for others. Obviously, weapons manufacturers do
well here.
Intermingled with the stories of guns for hire, cat-people and muggers is a scene that carries with it a sexual tension. Peep shows and prostitutes are the norm, and one might well be inclined after a time to seek out some sense of purity in the well-rendered church. Of course, in here lurkers hang in the shadows. Corrosion knows no boundaries.
The roleplay environment of Midian City has refined itself into something approaching art. If you're looking for cyberpunk, look no further.
A complete review of Midian is available at my blog, along with in-depth commentary from residents of Midian City.
Genre: Gameshow
Creator(s): Artemis Cain
Estimated Number of Players: One player at a time, and as many audience members as can cram into the sim.
Gameplay: Drama and tension as one lucky contestant gets a chance at big cash prizes
Top Qualities: Really packs a room. Tweaked to create as little lag as possible. A rare opportunity for large groups of avatars to shout without it being considered rude.
Current Shortcomings: Needs a really good host in order to be enjoyable. No one-player version possible. No models holding the cases.
Where to Play/Buy: Play at Under the Boardwalk <
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sugarloaf/250/220/62>, purchase on SLX
I found a copy of "Take It or Leave It" running at Under the Boardwalk over in Caeshu. The contestant picks a case valued anywhere between L$1 to L$10000. Next, they choose from several other possible cases, whose values are revealed and removed from the board. The host answers a phone call from "the banker" with an offer of slightly less than the average value of the remaining cases. The contestant is then faced with a choice: do they take the deal, or do they eliminate more values from the board and get a new offer from the banker?
The trick with a game like this one is that audience participation is critical. You need a crowd interested in being an audience, and who won't all leave as soon as they find out that they aren't tonight's lucky contestant. Drama and excitement are critical so the host is the key.
Stuart Warf, the host at Under the Boardwalk, was charming and helped to get the crowd whipped into a frenzy. Apparently he gets to know the contestant a bit and works personal details into the back-and-forth between player and host. Whenever the whole crowd started yelling "leave it! Leave it!" Stuart would step in and help the contestant weigh the options, walking them through why they just might want to "take it" and end the game. Stuart was a maestro at creating tension, which made the entire experience that much more exciting for everybody.
If you're looking for a great way to get some dwell, hire yourself a charismatic host (I hear Stuart takes bookings!), pick up a copy of "Take It or Leave It" and prepare yourself for a great show.
Genre: Shooter
Creator(s): Jack Hathor
Estimated Number of Players: Hundreds have played, under 14 at a time.
Gameplay: Unreal Tournament without the blood or explosions but with real money in the pot.
Top Qualities: Fast-- plays well without lagging. Multiple play modes to fit different player's styles. Lacks the grimness of typical shooters.
Current Shortcomings: No league play. Getting a game started for the first time is a bit tricky until you get used to the setup. Lacks the grenades and explosions of typical shooters.
Where to Play/Buy: Play at Megabux <http://slurl.com/secondlife/Shamrock/101/123/104>, purchase on SLX.
Permit me to geek out for a moment: when I was a kid there was nothing cooler than Lasertag. You were actually running around shooting real lasers! Like Han Solo! Of course, the price was high and the marketing aimed at kids who would settle for a few action figures, so the fad passed in favor of Nerf toys. Nerf toys, as every geek knows, never stopped being cool.
A translation of Lasertag in Second Life could easily have turned into a lag monster. After the failure of Unreal:SL many gave up on this kind of game, but luckily somebody wouldn't give up. Stripped down to the bare essentials of scorekeeping and collision detection, LaserQuest moves the action right along without major technical issues. They even managed to work four game modes in.
In stead of the gratuitous explosions and splattering blood of a standard shooter we have a very "backyard game" kind of feel. The lasers you shoot are glowing prims that feel a bit more like Nerf foam darts, which changes the dynamic a bit. It makes the competitive element a lot friendlier, somehow, to lose this notion that you're actually trying to destroy anybody.
As I'd mentioned, you get four different game modes: team vs. team, defend your base, capture the flag, and last man standing. I really like playing defense so the "Shoot the Base" mode appeals to me, but that's the real appeal of shooters like these: you can choose your own style of play. You also get to choose how much money you and your friends are going to throw into the pot for the winner, which can make things even more interesting!
LaserQuest combines flexibility with simplicity for a really good time. Check out the copy running at Megabux if you're curious!
Onder Skall writes about SL games on his own blog, and continues to cover them for New World Notes. To tell him about a Second Life game, IM him in-world, or e-mail [email protected].
Awesome reviews, Onder. And welcome! Looking forward to more gaming goodness.
Posted by: rikomatic | Friday, March 09, 2007 at 06:52 AM