Showing posts with label Epic Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Epic Games. Show all posts

Thursday, September 8, 2022

Fortnite | Battle Pass & Zero Build ... Budget Gaming Tips 2022

These days gamers are limited on what they can or cannot buy in regards to video games. This includes full-on retail releases, DLC, and things like battle passes in free to play games. For a while now I have struggled in that area like most gamers. Where do I put my extra money each month? What do I buy into? These are questions I'm always asking myself. I am personally known for splurging on multiple releases each month including DLC, and even battle passes. Out of all of that I have learned that some things are more bang for your buck than others though. Whether it be the replay value, length of the game, or whether or not there is a plan for ongoing content what I buy depends wholly on those measures of worth. You could call me a budget gamer. A guy who purposefully seeks out the best deals. Be it day one releases that may become harder to find later on, or games on sale I buy what best benefits me. 

Friday, November 29, 2019

My First Fortnite Battle Pass Grind ... Impressions

When it comes to Fortnite I mostly avoided the first chapter, and all of it's seasons. I might have logged on a couple of times to try it out, but my early impressions weren't good. I played mostly solo during chapter one, and the matchmaking was nothing like it is now. It felt like I had no chance at all, and that I was up against the sweatiest of pro players. I couldn't make it to the top 10 no matter how hard I tried. In chapter two the matchmaking seemed to take a turn for the better though, and I actually got two first place victory royales in solo with no building. Before I decided to actually pay up for the battle pass in chapter two I had progressed through half of the battle pass unlocks. Seeing as the matchmaking was more skill based, and I was actually doing well in-game I was willing to give it a chance. Admittedly at first chapter two was fun, and for once I was really into it. I spent a good amount of time fine tuning my approach, and settings to a serious extent. I also learned about the different game modes, and nearly 100% completed the battle pass missions. Currently I'm missing only the special variations for the legendary battle pass skin, and the secret skin that you unlock for completing the series of event missions. I have stopped for the moment, and kind of feel a disconnect after having witnessed a shift in the skill based matchmaking, as well as Epic Games' choice to turn my report option red signifying they are basically ignoring my player reports.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Are Fortnite Cosmetics Really Cosmetics Only???

I've noticed something concerning about damage dealt in Fortnite recently. Some players get the standard whole number damage levels according to shield, and health remaining while others have decimal points or fractions of point damage taken away when shot. At first I thought this was a player hack or a glitch, but the more I watched the instances where it happened the more I noticed that the higher ranked skins were used by the offending players. Possibly meaning that Epic Games has not been forthcoming about the nature of the cosmetics. While I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt I've yet to see a player get banned for being reported for it in the live feed. They are more than welcome to prove it otherwise via a comment here, or a public statement elsewhere, but whatever the case may be it's not looking good. Either players are hacking shield and health or Epic Games is knowingly selling game changing cosmetics in the guise of cosmetic only microtransactions.

Saturday, August 10, 2019

"The Gamer's Brain": How Neuroscience, and UX Can Impact Video Game Design by Celia Hodent

As a gamer we are mostly aware now of the mental gymnastics taking place within the corporate side of the gaming industry due to informative journalistic leaks regarding questionable moneymaking efforts. We are aware of the mental manipulation that takes place, and the UX (user experience) tactics that experts utilize to create lucrative business endeavors. As we are aware so too are the game developers, and publishers. Developers, and publisher who hire UX experts like Celia Hodent (Epic Games/Fortnite, Ubisoft ...) to be a panel adviser. While this particular book, "The Gamer's Brain", isn't directed at us as gamers in that regard I feel it can still serve a dual purpose for both gamers, and game creators alike if they care to learn a little more about the industry they partake of. The book is very telling in it's detailed breakdown of how the gamer brain works on a neurological/psychological level, and how to best work that knowledge into game design for profit sake, and business sustainability. Using college level explanations, and various graphic references to backup information such as data pertaining to neuroscience, and UX understanding Celia Hodent unveils the inner workings of the user experience through her own personal industry experience. Broken up into two parts that each span seven chapters Celia eases the reader into things like perception, attention, cognitive bias, and eventually methodology as well as application in the processes of the creation of successful video games. It's more or less a comprehensive guide for a better business perspective.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Paragon ~ Drongo

Today Epic Games released their new Paragon character, "Drongo". Drongo is being hailed as a scavenger, and looks like someone from a post-apocalyptic wasteland. His name sounds sort of Australian, and the inclusion of an ability damage boomerang pretty much confirms this origin. His skills are very military in nature outside of the inclusion of the boomerang. He has an AOE gas grenade that's good for clearing out minions, and banking gold. He also has a radioactive bullet buff that goes along with his primary weapon which is a revolver that does not require reload. His ultimate is a cluster rocket that when launched causes Drongo to back flip out of the way. A sort of scatter blast without the blast. In the way of stats he is heavy on the basic damage, but low on durability, and the other stats. Though his mobility is fairly good as well.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Everything Wrong With the Paragon Open Beta

I would like to first state that these findings are in regards to the open beta of Paragon. The game has yet to become a finalized experience, and is subject to change at the discretion of the developers. It could improve, or it could get worse over time depending on how the game is managed. I need to also state that what I'm about to say contains only my opinions, and that it does not reflect the opinions of anyone else unless they choose to agree with me. In no way is what I'm going to tell you a tool being used to turn you away from the game. It is instead an article I'm hoping the developers read, and take note of in their goal to perfect Paragon ...