Of men and mosters... (or The Survival Guide of the Post-Apocalyptic Man)

You might wonder why this article is in English and not in Romanian as usual. To tell you the truth, someone sugested I should try writing in English. I also think it's a good challenge, a way to improve my skills and artistic sense. So my idea is to test my writing skills by writing about the spookiest and most frightening things I can think of: the monsters of Fallout 3, with all the details and gore you can handle. I'll start from the weakest and continue to the strongest.

1. RADROACH

DESCRIPTION: As the name suggests, it is a common cockroach mutated by radiation into a flesh-eating monster the size of a cat. It lurks in dark and damp areas, or in places where there are decomposing bodies, like the subway stations.

HOW TO KILL: It's the weakest enemy in the game. One hit from any weapon, be it lead pipe or assault rifle will finish it.

BEWARE: It's more of a nuisance than a threat, so I suggest to kill it with a meele weapon or not to attack it all, just run!

2. BLOATFLY

DESCRIPTION: It's origins are unclear, but I suppose it is a large fly. A very large one! You can hear it's distinct buzz from about 5 metres. It shoots with a type of larvae that have stings, so be careful (not that it has that much power...).

HOW TO KILL: The same as above...

BEWARE: I sugest you don't run, but rather get rid of it. It's very annoying.

3. RADSCORPION

DESCRIPTION: What can I say? A very big scorpion that tries to kill you with its pincers or tail. If you cripple them it will just follow but it won't be able to attack you (very funny!). 

HOW TO KILL: Aim for the tail or torso and a few shots will take it done. You can also have a meele duel and try to hit him with the baseball bat.

BEWARE: There are also GIANT Radscorpions, not to mention the infamous and venomous ALBINO Radscorpion. If your game difficulty is higher than Normal, make sure you're packing some firepower!

4. MOLERAT:

DESCRIPTION: Half mole, half giant rat, this discusting creature will try to disembowel you (with little succes) with its giant teeth and bad smell. They live mostly in the sewers in packs, but can be found in the more sun-bleached areas of the Wasteland too.

HOW TO KILL: Aim for the head with a Power Fist or a Hunting Rifle. You can also use the Molerat Repellent to make it explode after two or three hits.

BEWARE: It can be dangerous if you're under level 5.

5. GIANT ANT:

DESCRIPTION: There are 4 types of ants: the small workers, the relatively dangerous soldiers, the ugly warriors and the giant, green-blob-shooting queens. The ants appear mostly underground in the caves, and there are only three queens so you're in luck! BUT, in the Grayditch and the Marigold Metro Station area, there are Fire Ants, that shoot fire at short distances. They also have 5 unique Nest Guardians that protect the oversized fourth queen.

HOW TO KILL: Aim for the head with a sniper or throw a grenade, just keep your distance (or shoot in the antennae to make them frenzy!).

BEWARE: The queens and fire ants (and warriors at lower levels) are quite dangerous.

6. WILD DOGS:

DESCRIPTION: The dogs haven't suffered any mutation since the war, but have become more aggresive and now roam the wastes in packs searching for food. You can domesticate only Dogmeat from Scrapyard.

HOW TO KILL: Head as usual.

BEWARE: At lower levels or harder difficulties, when you have lower stats or weak armor, you'll be more like canned food for them than a threat.

7. MIRELURKS, HUNTERS AND KINGS

DESCRIPTION: The post-apocalyptic version of crabs, these bipedal sea creatures roam near the irradiated Potomac or in flooded subway stations. The normal ones and hunters attack you with their claws and pincers, while the more humanoid kings use claws or a sonic attack that can cripple your head.

HOW TO KILL: It's tricky... For the first two, aim for the small unprotected face, as the rest of the body is covered in tough scales and can absorb a lot of damage. As for the king, aim for the head and maybe you can cripple it, thus stopping his sonic attacks.

BEWARE: Keep your distance at ALL COSTS!

8. FERAL GHOULS, ROAMERS, GLOWING ONES AND REAVERS

DESCRIPTION: Ghouls are humans that were subjected to so much radiation that their skin melted, revealing their flesh and bones. Some of them became feral, wild and now reside wherever there is radiation or darkness, attacking anything that is not a ghoul. The ghouls of the Capital Wasteland were mostly people who hid in the metro stations when the bombs fell, thus becoming irradiated and subsequently feral. The roamers are ghouls that were soldiers, so they have armor and higher damage. Glowing Ones are ghouls that absorbed so much radiation that they glow in the dark! They can also emit a radiation pulse that heals them and other ghouls. The reavers are stronger than Glowing Ones, have better armor and can shoot with grenade-like "radioactive gore".

HOW TO KILL: Head and distance. Head and distance!

BEWARE: They come in groups of at least three.

9. YAO GUAI

DESCRIPTION: Mutated bears. This agile creatures come in pairs sometimes and just love to eat your tender human flesh. A shotgun comes in nicely (or a rocket launcher if possible:).

HOW TO KILL: As I said, use a strong weapon and aim for the head.

BEWARE: They can sneak up on you.

10. PROTECTRONS

DESCRIPTION: The weakest of the four robots, these slow pieces of junk will shoot at you with three lasers before being easily destroyed. Still dangerous at low levels. You will also see them guarding some cities and greeting you, or acting as presidents.They provide Energy Cells, scrap metal and sometimes module sensors or fission batteries.

HOW TO KILL:  Aim for its large and glowing head or shoot of the combat inhibitor, making it frenzy and shoot everything around it! Can't miss.

BEWARE: Its low audio card and strange voice will scare the f**k out of you if you're playing in the middle of the night.

11. ROBOBRAIN

DESCRIPTION: A brain encased in a jar and attached to a big bucket with lasers and a feminine voice, it is always funny to shoot the brain out. And to hear them say "Be careful, I'm quite good at killing" or "I hope we can still be friends after this". They have grown tired of killing but cannot override their programs.

HOW TO KILL: Head. Head. Head.

BEWARE: It can unleash a psychic attack and cripple body parts.

12. MISTER GUTSY

DESCRIPTION: The Mr. Handy robot is a floating butler with a British accent. The Mr. Gutsy is an unpleasant killing machine armed with a flamethrower, a plasma rifle and an agressive sargeant voice.

HOW TO KILL: Keep moving and aim for the main part.

BEWARE: It shouts anti-communist slogans.

13. SENTRY BOT

DESCRIPTION: The T-Rex of the machines, this 2 metre high monstruosity is armed with a minigun, a rocket launcher and some armor! Very rare and very angry!

HOW TO KILL: Head, a lot of stimpaks and a good shotgun!

BEWARE: One of the most dangerous enemies! Its voice will reach the depths of your heart and its bullets the depths of your lower intestine.

14. DEATHCLAW

DESCRIPTION: The most dangerous of them all, this 6-feet reptile has claws the size of your arm and can leap towards in a devastating attack! It is also used by the Enclave as pets and guard dogs, something that can be used against them if you aim for the mind-control device.

HOW TO KILL: Head and a good assault rifle.

BEWARE: If it sneaks up on you at night and leaps at you from behind, chances are you won't live enough to get frightened by its teeth!

BONUS: BRAHMIN

The cows of the future, this two-headed animals are used as pack mules for traders, for meat,leather, milk and for games (it's funny to knock it off). But be careful at he Mad Brahmin, which will stop at nothing to kill you.

Al doilea planset indepartat

Pana la sfarsitul lui 2008, mai toti gamerii care vroiau sa se joace un FPS decent, adica mai bun decat CS sau Delta Force, asteptau cu nerabdare aparitia celui de Al doilea planset indepartat a.k.a. Far Cry 2. Inca o franzela scoasa cu succes din pantecele Ubisoftului, aceasta corcitura (in sens bun) de shootere, role playing games, tactica si multe explozii a fost aplaudata din al doilea moment. Asta fiindca in primul moment a fost primit cu scepticism ca urmasul primului Far Cry. Nu ca primul n-ar fi fost bun, dar parea cam demodat pentru cei din 2008. Si eu sunt de acord cu faptul ca mutantii au cam stricat povestea...

Oricum, de ce e atat de faimos acest joc? Primul se petrecea pe o insula plina de mercenari si monstri de pe care trebuia sa salvezi o reporterita. Al doilea se petrece intr-o tara africana in mijlocul unui razboi civil. Imediat ce ajungi in capitala esti primit de soldati, jeep-uri, mitraliere, malarie (vorbesc serios!) si tinta ta, Sacalul. Aceasta persoana misterioasa este un traficant de arme ai carui clienti sunt ambele parti ale razboiului. Dupa ce supravietuiesti, ai optiunea de a te alatura uneia dintre cele doua parti si poti incepe a distruge o multime de chestii.

La inceput alegi dintre 12 mercenari, fiecare avand un trecut special care vine impachetat cu abilitati si mai speciale, iar ceilalti 11 vor aparea in joc ca personaje controlate de computer. Vei putea alege unul dintre ei ca cel mai bun prieten, acesta ajutandu-te in misiuni. Vei putea sa alegi si un al doilea cel mai bun prieten care te va ajuta cand ai lesinat si te va vindeca. Vei fi ajutat si de un preot care iti da medicamente si de un reporter ce lupta impotriva tiraniei.

Realismul este coplesitor. Ai de ales intre pusti, mitraliere, lansatoarew de grenazi si rachete, Uzi-uri, pistoale si multe altele. Armele se degradeaza si la un moment dat iti explodeaza in mana! Trebuie sa iei si medicamente pentru malarie. Vei folosi un GPS si o harta ca sa gasesti munitie, diamante, arme, locatii speciale, drumuri ale soldatilor si convoaielor si alte lucruri ce te ajuta in planuirea unui atac. Poti doar sa ranesti un inamic si sa astepti sa vina ceilalti sa se adune pentru kebab cu rachete sau poti sa tragi in cutia cu munitie, aruncand gloante peste tot!

Una peste alta, acest joc pare super si vi-l recomand din toata inima!

De la Neanderthal la Americani; de la Pac-Man la Far Cry 2

Istoria si antropologia ne spun ca omul de astazi, magnificul construitor al turnului din Dubai si umilul servitor al PlayStation-ului, a evoluat din exponatele cele mai haioase si simpatice de la zoo: maimuticile. Treptat, treptat am devenit bipezi, cutia toracica s-a aplatizat, mandibula s-a intarit, capul (dar nu si creierul) s-a micsorat si am invatat cum sa folosim unelte, cum sa construim case si cum sa ne organizam. Si desi suna ciudat, jocurile au evoluat in acelasi mod.

Daca am voie sa dau un scurt citat din VideoBiblia: "La inceput a fost Tennis for 2". Adica primul joc facut vreodata a fost unul de tenis in '47, folosindu-se de un computer care, mare minune la vremea aceea, incapea intr-o singura camera! In timp, jocurile au evoluat si au aparut PC-urile, PS-urile, Xbox-urile, Dreamcast-urile si alte console care se termina cu "-urile". In '94 apare primul PlayStation, revolutionand industria consolelor impreuna cu Sega care face acele jocuri, acum vechi, ce se jucau pe televizor. Apoi in '98 apare PS2. Dar apar si alte schimbari... O mare "revolutie", am putea spune, in legatura cu toate jocurile (cu exceptia pateticului FPS:). In '96, primul Resident Evil lanseaza genul survival-horror care e la moda si acum, cu jocuri ca Fallout 3 sau Alone in the Dark. Elementele de baza ale genului sunt atmosfera intunecata, claustrofobica, suspansul, monstri horror si periculosi si munitie rara, ca si alte resurse. Astfel, trebuie sa faci decizii tactice si nu poti doar merge si impusca in dreapta si-n stanga. In ultimul timp a fost combinat cu RPG-ul dand rezultate spectaculoase, cel putin (Fallout 3 apare pe lista!).

O alta schimbare majora s-a petrecut in randul RTS-urilor prin StarCraft. Inainte de el, jocurile de strategie contineau doua rase sau organizatii identice din punct de vedere al soldatilor, facand gameplay-ul nesatisfacator. StarCraft aduce o inovatie, cu trei rase RADICAL diferite cu trei gameplay-uri pe gustul fiecaruia. Acest curent a fost continuat in domeniul graficii de Warcraft III, care combina GAMEPLAY cu GRAFICA cu MAGIE si cu EROI, iesind ceva... magnific... Din pacate "succesorul" sau, WoW, e o bucata de !&%#@. Putem introduce in categoria aceasta si evolutia unui alt tip de jocuri: sandbox-urile. Incepand cu GTA, continuand cu GTA III si culminand cu GTA IV, Mercenaries 2 si FAr Cry 2, acest tip de jocuri se rezuma la o harta imensa care poate fi strabatuta in lung si-n lat cum vrei tu! Atragator, nu?

Codasul e FPS-ul care a evoluat numai in '99 prin Rainbow Six si apoi s-a rafinat in 2002 prin Call of Duty. Dar ce se intam,pla AZI? Raspunsul e ca jocurile se reinventeaza: e la moda modelul un soldat din Warcraft decat modelul o echipa din Battle for Middle-Earth. Astfel putem face o cronologie a jocurilor:

1. Preistoria=Tennis for 2 si totul pana la anii '80.

2.Antichitatea=1990-2000 ->inflorirea jocurilor si consolelor, modernizarea si rafinarea lor.

3.Evul Intunecat=2001-2005 ->stagnarea productiei de jocuri video. Perioada proasta pentru producatori si gameri. Culmineaza in anul 2005, cand singurele jocuri cu succes din acel an sunt cele despre Al Doilea Razboi Mondial, avand astfel gameplay repetitiv. 

4.Rensterea=2006-prezent ->vremurile bune, de continua expansiune a industriei.

Dar ma gandesc, cum vor arata jocurile min epoca moderna. Am eu o idee destul de trasnita: competitia dintre jocuri la un alt nivel. Sunt aproape sigur ca se va inventa un aparat miraculos care va putea combina mai multe jocuri intr-unul pentru un nou nivel de gameplay. Pe scurt, tu si avatarul tau din WoW 3 se va lupta cu personajul principal din GTA VI intr-o harta din Counter-Strike 3. Dar totusi, ce se va intampla in perioada WWII a jocurilor video? Nici nu vreau sa ma gandesc...

Adrenalina si sange

Printr-un set de circumstante aleatorii am gasit pe YouTube o sectiune ce cuprinde cateva videouri facute de Machinima, facand parte din categoria "Top 10...". Plictisit de scoala si fara altceva de lucru, m-am gandit sa verific cele mai bune arme din Fallout 3, respectiv din toate jocurile. Interesant... Am verificat si videourile cu Halo 3 si ODST. Atragator... Pana la urma am verificat videoul cu top 10 moduri de a muri in Resident Evil 5. Ce oameni bolnavi... Cat sange... Cate moduri... Oricum, rezultatul a fost ca am tremurat pentru tot restul zilei, am avut cosmaruri la noapte si acum, cu mana tremuranda, va dau link-ul. Have fun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL6NsdNhoYo

Asa ca in spiritul acestui blog ma voi folosi de aceasta ocazie ca sa va prezint top 5 momente memorabile din Fallout 3 (ma joc pe el acuma asa ca va voi mai bate la cap cu el):                            

5. Mothership Zeta

In al cincilea add-on, vei primi un semnal ciudat de la o nava spatiala cazuta in padure, de unde vei fi teleportat... pe o nava extraterestra! Impreuna cu ceilalti captivi (printre care o fetita rapita pe vremea razboiului, un medic de pe vremea razboiului cu China, o mercenara, un desperados din Vestul Salbatic si un samurai!) puteti astepta disecarea dureroasa, sau puteti evada si lupta cu omuletii verzi folosindu-le propriile arme! Imaginati-va bastonul electric, armele laser si mitraliera plasmatica... Oooh...!

4. Asaltarea laboratorului subteran

In al patrulea add-on, Point Lookout, vei calatori spre zona mlastinoasa si uitata de lume a rezervatiei naturale, acuma teritoriul mutantilor deformati, triburilor salbatice si a misteriosului fruct punga. Impreuna cu zombie-ul britanic Desmond, vei asalta in ultima misiune laboratorul subteran al rivalului, Profesorul Calvert. Doar ca inamicul e un creier intr-un borcan cu abilitati psihice. Ooops! Poti alege de partea cui sa fii, ca sa nu mai spunem de recompense...

3. Asaltarea Proiectului Puritate

In povestea principala, tatal tau lucra la Proiectul Puritate, o masinarie care avea sa purifice toata apa iradiata. O problema: s-au bagat tipii rai (ca intotdeauna), tati a murit, tu a trebuit sa-ti croiesti drum printr-o instalatie subterana sa iei un aparat special ce activeaza Proiectul si intr-un final il recuceresti cu stil. Adica cu o armata de soldati in spatele tau, condusi de tine si de un robot de 3 etaje ce scoate lasere din ochi. Adversarii: soldati in armura amplasati langa rau plus elicoptere cu bombe... Sa inceapa distractia...

2. Aleea Calmului (Tranquility Lane):

Tatal tau s-a dus in secret in instalatia subterana 112 ca sa gaseasca notite cu privire la aparatul special de mai sus. Ce a gasit a fost un profesor nebun batran de 200 ani prins intr-o realitate virtuala unde tortureaza oameni... sub forma unei fetite... LOL. Asa ca intri si tu in simulare unde poti sa omori intr-un mod crud oamenii nevinovati, sa ii eliberezi din suferinta sau ambele! Plus ca poti sa vorbesti cu fetita care isi schimba vocea de la una dragalasa la una de barbat. HFS!

1. Cantenbury Commons:

Primul lucru pe care il gasesti in oras e o confruntare dintre o femeie nebuna ce controleaza furnici si un barbat si mai nebun ce controleaza roboti (pardon, sunt supereroi). Dupa o lupta scurta, primesti sarcina de a-i opri; cum e alegerea ta: omoara-i, convinge-i sa renunte, sau omoara-l pe unul, i-ai costumul si da-l la celalalt pentru o arma speciala!