These bobble-head spaceships are very well done. Seems like there might be some artist liberal leanings in that John McCain looks crotchety and Barack Obama is smiling, but maybe that’s just this writer’s interpretation.

Presidential candidates:

Vice President candidates:

Caught this poison pill at Boing Boing via the official McCain website and wanted to pass along:

It may be typical of the pro-Obama Dungeons & Dragons crowd [editor: Boing Boing stripped this important link from their use of this same quote] to disparage a fellow countryman’s memory of war from the comfort of mom’s basement, but most Americans have the humility and gratitude to respect and learn from the memories of men who suffered on behalf of others

I hope I speak for the rest of the VTOR authors regardless of their political party affiliation when I say this Michael Goldfarb needs to be thrown into a week long Dungeons and Dragons gameplay marathon battling D&D’s most stupidest and heinous creatures. Seriously, doesn’t Goldfarb realize that D&D players vote too? I guess it’s lost on people like Goldfarb to realize that one can enjoy playing D&D and not be “pro-Obama.” Although this author will admit that he’s much more pro-Obama than pro-another-four-years-of-Bush-McCain.

November can’t get here soon enough so we can see this type of campaign mud slinging end.

Wait, to be far to Senator McCain, it is important to follow the link to the Goldfarb apology that Boing Boing neglected to leave in the quote on McCain’s site. I’m assuming because they linked that it’s a legitimate Goldfarb apology. In that link, which I left in the quote above Goldfarb writes:

If my comments caused any harm or hurt to the hard working Americans who play Dungeons & Dragons, I apologize. This campaign is committed to increasing the strength, constitution, dexterity, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma scores of every American.
–Michael Goldfarb

The comments in this post are beyond funny, especially the ones wondering about Goldfarb’s alignment? Never piss off hard working D&D geeks!

You can download a demo and buy the game in Windows, Mac or Linux for $19.95 from Playgreenhouse.com or for 1600 Microsoft Points ($20) on your Xbox 360 over Xbox Live. The Xbox version comes with the perk of achievements, which the other versions don’t have. Gamespot users gave it an 8/10 and Gamespot critics a 7.7:

Penny Arcade Adventures is slick with rain, humor, and all sorts of awesome, but it’s for fans of the comic’s brand of humor only.

This is a bit pricey compared to other Xbox Live games, most of which are priced at 400 or 800 Microsoft Points. Add to that an announcement was made on that front this week that indie developers using the Xbox Creators Club and pass an Xbox Live peer review will be able to sell their games on Xbox Live for 200-800 Microsoft Points and the pricing looks even more out of whack.

Then again if you compare to a DVD, where most sell between $15-25, with Blu-ray costing a little more, the heavy story aspect of Rain Slick Precipice might be right in line. Personally, I’m not big on the story part of RPG. I usually skip past the cinematic parts of all games, not just RPG. I don’t care much for games where you have to watch the story in order to get into the gameplay. Let me get in and start exploring already. If I want to watch a movie I’ll rent or buy a DVD or flick on the tube.

At the same time, I do like a game with a background and story that makes sense. I simply prefer to experience the story through playing the game, not being told/shown the story in a series of non-interactive videos.

What about you? Do you like the story parts of games? Do you watch them over and over or only the first time?

Clearly there is interest in adult-related MMO and MMORPG. It’s not an area we cover that much around here, but when we do search engine users seem to be digging it. Let’s give Age of Conan and Runescape props for making the top 5 through the first half of the year.

My post back in February 2006 on Pear computers the virtual computer inside Second Life is getting some search engine love too. SL citizens you can still find the Pear Store (SLurl: Watarrka Park 7,5,32).

Still curious what Steve Jobs would think about the Pear? Sort of a nice tribute to Apple, but the lawyer types might not be as open-minded.

Coming full circle to the search engine users landing here looking for more information on adult MMOs? Perhaps someday we’ll add that kind of coverage at a separate location. A place that’s adult-focused. I’m thinking the date 9-6-9 would be a good launch date, what do you think?

Wonder if female Age of Conan gamers are sent pictures of sexually suggestive male avatars? Or if the assumption that most the AOC recipients will be gamers with a lust for busty, tat-ridden babes?  After fellow VTOR author Evansmom’s post a couple days ago about 50+ female gamers being a significant market, I’m curious how many of these gamers will find this type of notice compelling to dial up their five, favorite virtual friends with buddy passes?

Bottom line: I don’t get what the female in the picture has to do with buddy keys being enabled other than being a cheap sex sells reminder that AOC is adult.  I don’t blame Funcom if it’s as simple as that, but why only go part way? Why not show us that same woman with those breasts exposed? I realize Funcom was shooting for a more sexy MMORPG with AOC, so stop being a tease already!

Relax folks, I’m joking. Mostly.

This was from the Tuesday night Playstation blog meet-up in L.A.  They had over 75 people show up and according to the picture above at least, it was like over 90% males in attendance. My question and that of comment #4 Onna76_NL, #5 misteroy, where are all the female gamers? I know there are more female gamers than this picture represents and if there were 75+ there then the picture is missing over 45 more people. Were the missing girls all camera shy?

Whatever the case, skip on over to PS3 Fanboy and read the comments for a good laugh. They did a caption me Fark-type post that has some hilarious comments, among my favorites (spelling fixed by me):  Deadpool: “For the last time! I’m not Ben Affleck!”

Maybe it’s the comical expression of McCain that makes me laugh out loud. Yeah, this is of dubious virtual reality value and don’t want this post to morph into a political discussion (save that for political blogs) but hey, this is well done. Who should we credit?

The Kingdom of Loathing is a fun text rpg game with a mmo type feel. It’s not a game where you team up to fight mobs but there are clans you can join. The clans provide a way to meet others and help with quests or items. The game is played in your browser entirely. All the graphics in the game are hand drawn stick figures which make it an easy game to play anywhere! The quests you will find are filled with humor and wit. When you join up and create your character you can go to Mt. Noob in the Big Mountains area. This is where all new players start and get used to the mechanics in the game.

Start out by signing up and create your character. You have 6 classes to choose from which range from a typical mele to a magical character. This is more a turn based game rather than a real time game. You get 40 turns a day with a max limit set at 200. You can also gain more turns by using certain items or by being in a clan. You can also gain more turns by eating food or by drinking. The drinking can get you intoxicated which will end your play for the day if you get too drunk. The currency in this game is meat which you can use to make different food or items. The crafting system in this game is very easy and imaginitive. Combine stuff together and make better stuff to use in a fight or sell. Some quests require you to combine things together to finish.

The combat in the game is turn based which means you will take turns against a mob exchanging hits. You can use a weapon, skill or an item. You can also have pets fighting with you which are called familiars. Each familiar are very different and some will do damage to yourself. The familiars can level up to a max of level 20 which can make them stronger. This game is very different from others because most players are looking to collect as many things as they can. They can sell rare items in their own store which you must be level 9 or above to have. You can also sell stuff in the flea market if you can’t get a store yet. There are also trophies for collecting or doing stuff in the game. You can show off your trophies to others also.

This game is played by yourself but you can also fight against other players. The PVP system in this game is started by breaking your Magical Mystical Hippy Stone. The combat in PVP is a bit different where you can lose stuff you have. You will be able to choose what the winner gets after the fight. There is also mini games two players can play while in pvp also. Acension is when you finish the game and can play again at level 1. By playing again some parts of the game will open up for you that others can’t get into. You will also be able to play the game again with certain options which can make it harder or easier.

I find this game fun and very easy to play anywhere! The biggest problem is you could lose your character if you don’t log in for a 60 day period. I couldn’t imagine having so many rare stuff and losing everything because I got busy with other stuff.

• Kingdom of Loathing Wiki.
• Wikipedia info for Kingdom of Loathing.

As Mr. T of A-Team and Rocky III fame would say: shut up, fool! Go watch the WoW commercials already.

Forget Windows Vista, the WoW starts now.

Even if you still love and play D&D, it’s hard not to at least smile with passages like this:

The “Gas Spore” is a monster that looks like a Beholder…only when you attack it, it explodes and infects you with deadly spores that will kill you. So we’ve got a monster that is a monster you have to fight as well as monster that exists only to look like a monster you have to fight. This brings up the first issue I have with D&D: There is no hope for you if you exist in this world. Nothing can be trusted. If the game master wants to kill you, you’re dead. Think I’m exaggerating? Wait until I show you the monster that kills you by becoming your pants and tricking you into putting them on.

We’ve covered D&D online at VTOR which I played for a couple months and then lost interest because it was a bit too repetitive. One of the strengths of D&D is when it involves imagination from both the Game Master and players. D&D online doesn’t have that type of interaction. Neither does the most popular MMORPG out there: World of Warcraft.

Second Life, although not a game, offers more of the D&D free range exploration and creativity. After writing about the D&D Animated TV series, I learned that people play D&D inside Second Life. Still haven’t been able to catch up with a session of D&D played inside SL, but it sounds intriguing.

I’d like to play an MMORPG where players take a more active role in the storyline. Something more involved than your character choosing which quests to take like many MMORPG. Something where you actually participate in changing quest outcomes based on party decisions or the ability to create your own quests. Ever played an MMORPG like this? Recommendations?

Update 2:00pm PST: Poking around a bit more after publishing, I learned that Wizards of the Coast who owns and operates D&D these days pays six cents per word for accepted D&D article submissions. If we convert that out in Linden dollars:

1,000 words = $60 USD = L$15,900

Not bad. Exclusive rights though, so if you’ve blogged about something D&D oriented brilliantly, that doesn’t apply.