Pirated PC Games: would you continue to buy them?
The question suggests a very strong sentiment in my mind: would I buy a PC pirated game? Well lets compare the cost of an original PC title compared to a pirated PC title:
1. Original PC game : Rs 1000 (approx)
2. Pirated PC game : Rs 100 to Rs 500
Any would would then draw a conclusion saying that pirated PC games rocks! But hey wait......if someone tells you that you would get more than 100 original branded games like Hitman, Tomb Raider, Age of Empires, Colin McRae, etc for under Rs 300...you would say what the f.....how is this possible???
Yes this is possible if one would subscribe to the popular Games On Demand service which is hugely popular around the world. This is brought exclusively in India by Indiagames Ltd. You have to just pay a monthly sum of Rs 300 and you would get to choose to download more than 300 PC titles!! and what more the number of games continue to increase month by month.
See it for yourself. Log onto http://god.indiagames.com/premium/index.jsp to know more about this service.
Friday, October 27, 2006
GDC Radio - www.gdcradio.net
This service allows people to access various podcasts of differen events which also inlcude the official Game Developer's Conference (GDC) podcasts. I'm currently listening to "Big Name Franchises Go Mobile", "Burning down the house - game developer's rant", "How AI enables designers", and much more. All the podcasts are in mp3 format. I actually listen to this podcasts when I'm driving! Some entertainment huh?? But its fun!
This service allows people to access various podcasts of differen events which also inlcude the official Game Developer's Conference (GDC) podcasts. I'm currently listening to "Big Name Franchises Go Mobile", "Burning down the house - game developer's rant", "How AI enables designers", and much more. All the podcasts are in mp3 format. I actually listen to this podcasts when I'm driving! Some entertainment huh?? But its fun!
Games On Demand (GOD)
I'm currently playing on MTNL's Games On Demand service powered by Indiagames Ltd. I really love this service as one has to pay only Rs 300 for all original games! I'm currently playing a daily count of 2 hours after work. It really is putting my PS2 to rest.
Here is the link to the official site:
http://games.mtnlmumbai.in/premium/index.jsp
So join and enjoy the gaming service!
I'm currently playing on MTNL's Games On Demand service powered by Indiagames Ltd. I really love this service as one has to pay only Rs 300 for all original games! I'm currently playing a daily count of 2 hours after work. It really is putting my PS2 to rest.
Here is the link to the official site:
http://games.mtnlmumbai.in/premium/index.jsp
So join and enjoy the gaming service!
A Little about Starcraft
Starcraft is the first strategy game which started the different race mechanisms. What this meant is that different players can play their multiplayer game *oosing different races and achieve completely different game styles but still maintain game balance. This became so popular that it created a rage in the field of strategy gaming and thus started the race syndrome. Now every strategy game after this started to adopt this same strategy. Examples would include Warcraft and its MMORPG World of Warcraft, Total Annihilation and its now future crazy RTS Supreme Commander.
The races in Starcraft include 3 kinds:
1. Terran
Strengths:
Mobility, great defense, build anywhere, cloaking, versatility, Marines, strong through whole tech-tree, easy to learn, instant cloak detection, ability to repair buildings and most units. Weaknesses:
Tendency to "turtle", need lots of space, require active scouting, require micromanagement for special abilities, vulnerable to Dark Swarm, buildings burn up when highly damaged.
2. Protoss
In stark contrast to the adaptive Terrans and feral Zerg are the stolid, conservative Protoss. With their highly advanced technology and potent psionic abilities, the Protoss have long considered themselves the most powerful species in the known galaxy. Although they are not a prolific people, they have learned to bolster the ranks of their military with robotic war machines and to combine their intrinsic psionic ability with technology, thus producing some of the most effective warriors ever known. If the Protoss have a weakness, though, it is their refusal to accept change. The tenets of their major religion, known as the Khala, form a rigid path and the Protoss are loathe to deviate from it for fear of once again falling into civil strife.
3. Zerg
The Zerg are composed of several different types of creatures that have been integrated into the Swarm by the Overmind. These creatures, or breeds, have been selectively evolved to become efficient killers and to assist the Zerg in their quest for ultimate power. The Zerg do not utilize technology in the common sense, but their natural weaponry and armor is comparable to the most advanced gadgetry employed by any other species. This biological evolution, combined with an unmatched savagery and their blind devotion to the Overmind, make the Zerg an extremely formidable and deadly foe.
Starcraft is the first strategy game which started the different race mechanisms. What this meant is that different players can play their multiplayer game *oosing different races and achieve completely different game styles but still maintain game balance. This became so popular that it created a rage in the field of strategy gaming and thus started the race syndrome. Now every strategy game after this started to adopt this same strategy. Examples would include Warcraft and its MMORPG World of Warcraft, Total Annihilation and its now future crazy RTS Supreme Commander.
The races in Starcraft include 3 kinds:
1. Terran
Strengths:
Mobility, great defense, build anywhere, cloaking, versatility, Marines, strong through whole tech-tree, easy to learn, instant cloak detection, ability to repair buildings and most units. Weaknesses:
Tendency to "turtle", need lots of space, require active scouting, require micromanagement for special abilities, vulnerable to Dark Swarm, buildings burn up when highly damaged.
2. Protoss
In stark contrast to the adaptive Terrans and feral Zerg are the stolid, conservative Protoss. With their highly advanced technology and potent psionic abilities, the Protoss have long considered themselves the most powerful species in the known galaxy. Although they are not a prolific people, they have learned to bolster the ranks of their military with robotic war machines and to combine their intrinsic psionic ability with technology, thus producing some of the most effective warriors ever known. If the Protoss have a weakness, though, it is their refusal to accept change. The tenets of their major religion, known as the Khala, form a rigid path and the Protoss are loathe to deviate from it for fear of once again falling into civil strife.
3. Zerg
The Zerg are composed of several different types of creatures that have been integrated into the Swarm by the Overmind. These creatures, or breeds, have been selectively evolved to become efficient killers and to assist the Zerg in their quest for ultimate power. The Zerg do not utilize technology in the common sense, but their natural weaponry and armor is comparable to the most advanced gadgetry employed by any other species. This biological evolution, combined with an unmatched savagery and their blind devotion to the Overmind, make the Zerg an extremely formidable and deadly foe.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Finished playing: BLACK(PS2)
BLACK on the PS2 got a 7.5 rating on gamespot. I really agree to this rating, probably would have also given it the same (or less). The AI in this game sucks! I mean really sucks! People just pop up from behind you, they suddenly appear from the rooms which you have just cleared. They appear right in front of you like magic and then they hold a shot gun and then they blow you up. I think they should have really worked on the AI in this generation of gaming, especially from the developers of BurnOut (Criterion Games, RenderWare engine). I was really dissappointed from the AI. But the graphics looked amazing. The shading on the gun was very good. I also felt the level design of some of the levels (especially the last one) was very bad. The finale was just about killing more people coming out of the same spot. They were just ants coming out from an anthill! But anyways enjoyed killing a lot of people.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Currently Playing: StarCraft by Blizzard
I'm a huge fan of Blizzard games. I first started playing their games with Warcraft - Reign of Chaos. It was an amazing games of its genre. Currently I decided to play one of their old games, Starcraft. It immediately caught my attention on its gameplay. There is nothing much new to today's games available in this genre, but what I liked about this game is its story-telling. They continued the same appraoch with their Warcraft series. I just loved the gameplay mechanics in this game. It is very addictive and I'm playing is for atleasr an hour daily! (well getting an houd daily to play games is tough!).
I'm a huge fan of Blizzard games. I first started playing their games with Warcraft - Reign of Chaos. It was an amazing games of its genre. Currently I decided to play one of their old games, Starcraft. It immediately caught my attention on its gameplay. There is nothing much new to today's games available in this genre, but what I liked about this game is its story-telling. They continued the same appraoch with their Warcraft series. I just loved the gameplay mechanics in this game. It is very addictive and I'm playing is for atleasr an hour daily! (well getting an houd daily to play games is tough!).
Friday, June 16, 2006
XBOX 360 in India
I was at IMAX Wadala the other day to watch a movie and guess what did I see, a fully loaded XBOX 360 booth showing all their latest games! It was so exciting to see their presence in India. Also this is the first time in India that a major console release is going to happen simultaneously with its world wide launch. PlayStation was in India a couple of years back but it missed the push required by the company, Sony. Microsoft has taken this into notice and have launched a good campaign to woo gamers into buying their next gen console. Its price tag is steep, retailing with 2 price variants, Rs. 19000 and Rs 25000. The higher version comes with a hard disc. I would personally recommed the higher version as it can be used to store music, download cool content from their XBOX Live service. They recently allowed their XBOX Live subscibers (which is FREE) to view the videos which were released at E3 this year. Thats so cool! I remember catching all the action of E3 on my PC by downloading all the videos from GameSpot. But imaging if I had a X360, it would be just press the button, and I could look at all the videos at one shot!
The sad part with the next gen consoles is that it is best viewed with a HD compatible TV (LCD or Plasma). The cheapest LCD TV retails at over Rs 45000 in India (by SamSung). Without this TV it would just look as an ordinary game console!
I'm waiting for the prices of the LCD TV to fall down. Once this happens I shall buy both the X360 and the LCD TV!
I was at IMAX Wadala the other day to watch a movie and guess what did I see, a fully loaded XBOX 360 booth showing all their latest games! It was so exciting to see their presence in India. Also this is the first time in India that a major console release is going to happen simultaneously with its world wide launch. PlayStation was in India a couple of years back but it missed the push required by the company, Sony. Microsoft has taken this into notice and have launched a good campaign to woo gamers into buying their next gen console. Its price tag is steep, retailing with 2 price variants, Rs. 19000 and Rs 25000. The higher version comes with a hard disc. I would personally recommed the higher version as it can be used to store music, download cool content from their XBOX Live service. They recently allowed their XBOX Live subscibers (which is FREE) to view the videos which were released at E3 this year. Thats so cool! I remember catching all the action of E3 on my PC by downloading all the videos from GameSpot. But imaging if I had a X360, it would be just press the button, and I could look at all the videos at one shot!
The sad part with the next gen consoles is that it is best viewed with a HD compatible TV (LCD or Plasma). The cheapest LCD TV retails at over Rs 45000 in India (by SamSung). Without this TV it would just look as an ordinary game console!
I'm waiting for the prices of the LCD TV to fall down. Once this happens I shall buy both the X360 and the LCD TV!
I'm ranked ELITE in BurnOut Revenge!
I've finished more than 70% of my best racing game, BurnOut Revenge. With this accomplishment, I've been ranked as ELITE in the racing rankings! This game has got the best level designs I've seen in a racing game till date. The levels are so beatifully used and are modular in design that every new level looks unique! They just mix n match the level's modular components and voila! they get a new level! Also the crash mode in this game is so much fun! I've never had so much fun with crash mode with the previous BurnOut game. The environments used in this game are so stunning! The quality of design and the number of polygons used in this game sets a new standard in a racing game (PS2). The other day I was watching PGR on X360. It looked amazing. I just thought how BurnOut would look on this console!
Anyways I've enjoyed playing the BurnOut series so far and I can't wait for more from this team. Great going guys!
I've finished more than 70% of my best racing game, BurnOut Revenge. With this accomplishment, I've been ranked as ELITE in the racing rankings! This game has got the best level designs I've seen in a racing game till date. The levels are so beatifully used and are modular in design that every new level looks unique! They just mix n match the level's modular components and voila! they get a new level! Also the crash mode in this game is so much fun! I've never had so much fun with crash mode with the previous BurnOut game. The environments used in this game are so stunning! The quality of design and the number of polygons used in this game sets a new standard in a racing game (PS2). The other day I was watching PGR on X360. It looked amazing. I just thought how BurnOut would look on this console!
Anyways I've enjoyed playing the BurnOut series so far and I can't wait for more from this team. Great going guys!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
The Making of Shdow of Colossus
Shaodw of Colossus is one of the best game that I've played. It is also from one of my favorite designers Fumito Ueda. What I like about his team is that they create a game out of the concept that Fumito visualizes and the team never compromises on the outcome. Obviously they have the backing of Sony which probably very few companies can have. But the team really gave out a product which was talked about in every aspect of the game, be it animation, gameplay, sound, visuals..
Sony released the making of this game to the gaming audience. Here is the technical link to this article:
The making of Shadow of Colossus
This technical presentation was also discussed at this year's GDC at San Jose. A very good and detailed presentation about the making of the game. Do enjoy it as much as I did. I learned a lot from this presentation.
Shaodw of Colossus is one of the best game that I've played. It is also from one of my favorite designers Fumito Ueda. What I like about his team is that they create a game out of the concept that Fumito visualizes and the team never compromises on the outcome. Obviously they have the backing of Sony which probably very few companies can have. But the team really gave out a product which was talked about in every aspect of the game, be it animation, gameplay, sound, visuals..
Sony released the making of this game to the gaming audience. Here is the technical link to this article:
The making of Shadow of Colossus
This technical presentation was also discussed at this year's GDC at San Jose. A very good and detailed presentation about the making of the game. Do enjoy it as much as I did. I learned a lot from this presentation.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
What am I playing today?
BurnOut has always been my best racing game. I started playing racing games with NFS, went onto play NFS Underground. But nothing beats BurnOut. I have played all of the BurnOut series. But the version which blew me off was BurnOut Takedown. Then later came BurnOut Revenge. This game has betered its previous game by adding more to the level designs and all the crash modes (Crashbreaker mode!!!). I'm a really great fan of this series and the music of this game is also amazing.
May 6th 2006
- Shadow of Colossus (Ps2)
- BurnOut Revenge (Ps2)
BurnOut has always been my best racing game. I started playing racing games with NFS, went onto play NFS Underground. But nothing beats BurnOut. I have played all of the BurnOut series. But the version which blew me off was BurnOut Takedown. Then later came BurnOut Revenge. This game has betered its previous game by adding more to the level designs and all the crash modes (Crashbreaker mode!!!). I'm a really great fan of this series and the music of this game is also amazing.
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