Friday, July 19, 2002

Thanks for everyone who supported me on the radio interview--it was a lot of fun, though I was pretty nervous. For those of you who want to listen to it, the whole thing is available here.

Posted by Keeper @ 12:31 PM CST [Link]

Tuesday, July 16, 2002

The radio thing went really well. I was actually pretty nervous when my cell rang, and by the time the nervousness faded the whole thing was over, so I don't remember a lot of the interview. I was using a cracked version of Total Recorder to record the audio stream, but it didn't record properly--about 1:10 in, the recording breaks up into insane high frequency noise. Serves me right for trying to get something for free!

In any case, Mistress capped the interview on casette, so I'll have it digitized and up for download in a day or so. Thanks for everyone who's written in with kindness and support--you guys all kick ass!

Posted by Keeper @ 01:40 PM CST [Link]

Thursday, July 11, 2002

w00t!

The Chronicles was mentioned today on the KTBZ The Buzz morning show! I didn't get to hear the mention because I'm home sick today, but I'm totally psyched! I called in a bit before lunchtime and identified myself, and a nice gentleman called me back shortly thereafter to chat with me.

I asked if I could be on the radio and he agreed! So, I'll be doing a brief Q&A session on Tuesday, 16.July at around 0745 CDT. The Buzz has a live audio feed off of their web site, so all interested parties can tune in and listen to me make a fool out of myself and babble!

Posted by Keeper @ 11:26 AM CST [Link]

Wednesday, July 10, 2002

My continuing America's Army: Operations experience:

"Hmm. Let's try this server."
*click*
*wait*
CONNECTION FAILED.

"Hmm. Let's try this server."
*click*
*wait*
CONNECTION FAILED.

"Hmm. Let's try this server."
*click*
*wait*
CONNECTION FAILED.

"Hmm. Let's try this server."
*click*
*wait*
CONNECTION FAILED.

"Hmm. Let's try this server."
*click*
*wait*
CONNECTION FAILED.

"Hmm. Let's try this server."
*click*
*wait*
CONNECTION FAILED.

"Hmm. Let's try this server."
*click*
*wait*
CONNECTION FAILED.

"Hmm. Let's try this server."
*click*
*wait*
CONNECTION FAILED.

This is wearing pretty fucking thin.

Posted by Keeper @ 10:34 PM CST [Link]

Sunday, July 7, 2002

I've been able to play a small amount of AA:O, and that small bit both completely killed any enthusiasm I had for the game, and also reminded me why I don't play multiplayer games with the general public.

In short, people are idiots.

A bit more detail, if you wish: Gamespy and HomeLAN and the Great Dragon of the Internet are all conspiring to keep just about anyone from playing unless you manually type in a game's IP address, which I finally did. Once I joined up, I was rushed through the mission objectives, randomly assigned to a team with some kind of mission, and promptly shot by my teammates. In fact, I played three different games and I was shot each time by my teammates (in fact, the last time, I was grenaded by my teammates). Not on purpose, of course, but it happened nonetheless.

There was no teamwork, except that we all moved vaguely in the same direction some of the time. There was no communication among the team. I had no idea who the leader was. I had no idea what was happening, and then my teammates shot me because they were just as clueless as I was.

So, I will hold off on this game until the server pack is put out and I can host my own games on my own LAN with my own friends. That way, we can all verbally communicate, like we do when we play Ghost Recon, and perhaps actually enjoy the game. As it is now, playing multiplayer with five guys named 1337_K1LL4H, 5ux0rN470r, [-KMNOT-]R4v3r GRRRRL, IN_YOUR_AZZ, and 389djrRRRsdk is just not my idea of a good time.

Posted by Keeper @ 10:48 AM CST [Link]

Saturday, July 6, 2002

Has any game that touts itself as having an online component ever had a good launch?

I ask because I'm currently trying to play America's Army, and at this moment it's impossible to get on any servers because they're all down. All of them. Unfortunately, since the game requires that you play on-line as part of your qualification (unless you hack the game's config files), that means that, temporarily, no one can play the game.

This makes me very sad.

I seem to recall horribly bad problems with Battle.Net and Diablo II's launch. I also seem to recall horribly bad problems with the launches of EverQuest and Ultima On-Line.

FOR THE LOVE OF FUCK, PEOPLE, CAN'T ANYONE IN THE ENTIRE GAMING INDUSTRY LAUNCH A FUCKING MULTIPLAYER GAME WITHOUT THE LAUNCH TURNING INTO SOME KIND OF MONSTROUS TRAVESTY?!

Is that too harsh? I only ask because it seems that each company that tries to launch an on-line effort always says that they'll be ready, that their product will be different, and then they fall on their faces at exactly the same point where everyone else who's tried the same kind of thing has fallen before.

I will now go back to randomly clicking on on America's Army: Operations servers in Gamespy's shitty browser. Perhaps by next week, I will actually be able to play.

Posted by Keeper @ 03:49 PM CST [Link]