Monthly Archives: May 2016

AdventureQuest 3D Beta Tour w/ Artix

By Blair Nishkian (Tagspeech)

AQ3D Interview 07

I recently sat down with Founder and CEO of Artix Entertainment, Adam Bohn – though his players know him as a wide-eyed, brown-haired knight with a red cape named Artix.  He told me that he actually had large anime eyes in real-life, and I believed him, as the man sounded like he was overflowing with energy and enthusiasm, not just for his product, which is AdventureQuest 3D, but for life itself.  I respected that.  Having never played or even heard of AdventureQuest up until this point, it was good to be given a tour of the phenomenon by the creator himself.  Of course, there were many detours along the way, such as my need to have a mid-tour sex change since my avatar was a big, bulky man and that makes me feel weird.  Artix was an accommodating host in that regard, and he lavished me with capes, hats, armors, and all sorts of treats – I settled on a tricorn hat and some rounded pauldrons with a red cape.  I felt dapper as hell.

AQ3D Interview 03

AdventureQuest is apparently an older game with a loyal following, and I saw that loyal following myself, by the sheer number of players that swarmed Artix and myself out of interest.  It very much felt like a living world, not in the sense that I was unaware I was playing a video game (I’m far too jaded for that), but in the sense that the players themselves had a lot of energy and interest in what they were doing.  They seemed to actually like the game they inhabited, which is a far cry from the usual joyless skinner boxes I’m asked to spend my time with in other online games.  AdventureQuest has always gone out of its way to be weird, unique, and intriguing.  They have an inn that has boasted actual live musical guests in the past.  Perhaps you’ve heard of They Might be Giants?  Yes?  No?  I’m old.  Well, they had the Cruxshadows, too, believe it or not, and if you’ve heard of them, then you hung around the goth kids in high school, like I did.

AdventureQuest 3D Beta Tour w/ Artix

While wandering through AdventureQuest 3D you might click on a painting and be sucked into a 2D world and have a little adventure there.  You might fall into a cellar and adventure your way through some nasties to get out.  You might adventure your way behind a bookcase into a secret room, or adventure the crap all over a forest area with rewards and quests that change every time.  AdventureQuest isn’t just a name, apparently, they go out of their way to make the game chock full of strange, often surreal adventures that actually wake players up and go “what the hell is a Dricken?”  It’s a dragon crossed with a chicken, obviously, and it’s going to kill you, so run.

AQ3D Interview 08

But that’s all fun and games.  The real question these days is ‘how do I share my fun and games with my friends as instantly and easily as possible?’  It seems harder than ever.  You’ve got phone game people, you’ve got console people, you’ve got PC people, and nary the three shall meet.  But AdventureQuest 3D has come up with a cunning plot to solve that problem.  If you want to play with your friends, whether they enjoy the game on their phone or their 1337 GAMING RIG, all you have to do is generate a code, distribute it to them, and poof, they’re standing next to you in game, no matter what.  Go on and adventure yourselves, you earned it.

AdventureQuest 3D Beta Tour w/ Artix

Do you like goblins that try to kill you to the sounds of a polyrhythmic, disturbing music track while you run through a flying bacon citadel?  No?  Most people don’t.  But if you do, AdventureQuest 3D has it.  It has it all.  Self-serious extermination adventures, goofy chicken adventures, slay the undead adventures, whatever your favorite kind of adventure, it’s probably here, somewhere.  Personally I was struck by how nice the areas were.  And how social it all seemed – I love socializing and roleplaying, and all that girly, stupid stuff nobody likes.  The character models were also slick, and it’s all very well put-together, nice and stylized without being -too- absurd.

AQ3D Interview 09

Of course, Artix described the whole game as being “a nostalgia shot to the groin” at which point I had to ask him if that was where he always had his shots.  He declined to comment (good move).  He also said that “3D is like 2D but with more D” and had to be told that the phrase was no longer appropriate for all audiences.  Such innocence.  AdventureQuest 3D might be one of the few games out there that isn’t completely cynical, and for that alone, I’m looking forward to its release in the coming months.

Animazement from the Eyes of a Cosplayer

SonicCat

Animazement is a North Carolina based convention that I’ve attended a few times as Tuxedo Mask. Don’t judge me. I can feel it. Stop it.. stop it.. There we go. I received press passes from the convention which thrilled me, but I sadly could not make it! But I had an idea, a better idea.  I have friends in the cosplay community here, who wanted badly to go, but could not secure tickets. So I sent them in my stead, to gather photographs, and give me their thoughts on what a con is like around here for the cosplayers. Much love to SoniCat Cosplay for taking up my gauge, and going forth! I greatly appreciate the assist. So anyone reading this should absolutely take a look at their work, because it’s incredible. And straight from the mouths of babes, if you’ll pardon the expression, is Animazement:


“One of the best parts of Animazement is the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. This is a cosplayers dream. Amidst all the talk of cosplay and consent, Animazement is a very safe convention, where attendees can feel relaxed and just enjoy themselves. The con staff works very hard to ensure there is a pleasant environment, and any suspected cases of harassment are taken very seriously. Con staff are also very readily available, should any problems arise.

Animazement also does a really great job of arranging the schedule so that there are periods of downtime between big events. This is absolutely crucial for costume changes. Corsets and heels are not the most friendly wardrobe pieces, and it is extremely convenient to be able to go change without the fear of missing key events. Which brings up the next point, hotel proximity. There are several hotels and eating establishments within a couple minutes walk of the convention. This is great for carrying big props, or cumbersome armor. Parking is also convenient, and there are several close decks which are accessible during the con. However, be prepared to spend some money if you stay off-site. At seven dollars per entry, things can get expensive if you leave and return.

The convention is really great because of the amount of photographers available, and that the scenery of the convention center itself, along with the surrounding areas lend themselves very well to getting great shots. There are a lot of urban settings, but there is also a outdoor amphitheater, as well as artistic structures that are really great for photographs. It may be called Animazement but it’s more than just anime. Comics, Video Games, Celebrities, Disney Films, Memes, everything is here!

There are negatives though. The escalators are dreadfully out of service, and constantly breakdown. It’s a non-stop struggle to find out if you wait or climb. It is nearly impossible to navigate the dealers room in cosplay, especially with big props. Which means they have a large amount of vendors in the space, which is good, but you also run the risk of breaking your props. Also, cosplayers need to read the weapons and props policy very carefully, because they are super strict about certain props. It’s all in the name of safety, but they will send you outside if you break the rules.”

 

BLACKROOM

Blackroom is an upcoming FPS title created by John Romero and Adrian Carmack. Following back to the roots of old school FPS titles such as DOOM 1993, Blackroom focuses on fast, violent and masterful gameplay, as well as extensive exploration.

Features:

Feature packed: Enjoy a variety of multiplayer modes, single player campaign and co-op and tons of environments to explore.

Old school: Master fast, skillful movement with rocket jumping, strafe jumping and circle strafing and other classic FPS techniques.

Community support: BLACKROOM will include full mod support, as well as dedicated server support.

Metal: It features a new soundtrack and compositions by acclaimed metal guitarist George Lynch.

Exile Online

Exile Online is a cyberpunk MMO created by Exile Gaming Studio. Set in a dark and dangerous future, players will explore the world of Erebus and face against corrupt corporations, alien life and other menaces in order to achieve, uncover mysteries or just create a home for themselves.

Features:

Combat styles: Players can switch between ranged weapons or psionic powers, attack enemies up close or use stealth tactics, or even defeat enemies through technical thinking and strategy.

The Cybernet: Expand your mind and venture into the Cybernet: An alternate reality where anything goes.

World Persistence: Shape the world as you see fit on Erebus or in the Cybernet. Actions within the Cybernet and the real world will have lasting effects on both realities.

Player Housing: Settle down and create a nice home for yourself or friends to relax or create a base of operations.

Bottom Tier: Battleborn Mission 1

It’s finally here! The Bottom Tier series on Battleborn! Episode 1 focuses on the first mission, featuring Oscar Mike and Montana! Pay no heed to the sluggishness in the character introductions: We recorded that around 7am! #poorlifechoices It picks up, honest!  But here it is, in its explosive, spider-killing glory!

Dark Star Thresh: Why not Aurelion Sol?

League of Legends snuck out a new trailer today for a skin: Dark Star Thresh! I have a feeling this is going to be an Ultimate skin, and while I’m thrilled as a support main [though I’m ass with him], I have to ask myself: Why not Aurelion Sol? Why not Syndra? There were options here, and we went with Thresh? Well. . . okay!  No information is available yet, but there IS a really cool trailer to take a peek at, which I’ve provided below. If this is anything under a Legendary skin I’ll be sad, but I know one thing is for certain: Time for Riot to have some more of my money.

“Can you feel it?
Your future, torn away.
There is no escape, only oblivion.”

I won’t lie, I felt chills.