The Underqualified Destiny Review You Don’t Need

Let’s preface this with a couple things. One, I am a new father, and have probably a third of the available time that I have had in the past for gaming. Two, my gaming habits for the past six or so years has been almost exclusively for social purposes.  My friends live at closest 100 miles away, and farthest 1100, so online gaming is a perfect platform for us to hang out. Three, like many I am a huge Halo fan, and was terribly excited to see Bungie’s new offering as they are one of maybe three companies that I would do anything to work for so expectations were high, but also tempered because we are talking about following up one of the biggest lightning strikes in the history of video games.

Now that we have that out of the way, first impressions.  As expected from such a seasoned developer like Bungie, the production values are great.  The game looks amazing, from the character modeling, to the environment textures, to the vast and inspiring skyboxes that they continue to employ throughout their worlds. I am sure there are some graphical glitches somewhere, but I cannot think of any that have been particularly noticeable yet myself, and that level of polish shines through in the other areas to.  The sounds all seem to fit the effect they are tied to, and the controls are tight.  You feel like you are playing Halo to an extent, but did you expect anything different from the company that made FPS relevant in the post N64 world?

After the first hour or so of new game feeling, you start to get the hang of the general feel of the world.  As far as story goes, I am currently not done with the available missions, but I am killing aliens that are chasing a giant ball around the universe.  That is all well and good, even Halo was at its simplest a “kill everything in sight” game, but there feels to be zero character development.  No recurring NPC’s that matter, and you end up being a faceless, voiceless murder machine.  There is a lot of room to improve here, and maybe it does with the content releases that are planned, but who knows.  I have several friends who have completed the current content, and are very happy leveling past 20 and doing everything they can to obtain better gear.  Again there is a lot to talk about on that subject, but for now, I will leave it to people who are more progressed than I.

There are two main issues I have with the game though. First, the social aspect.  Talked about as at least a pseudo MMO, there is very few social aspects built into the game.  There is no player trading, no local chat, and the tower is limited to 16 player blocks.  Even the world maps where you end up randomly assigned is vastly empty and I have yet to see more than six or seven people within visible distance of each other.  Beyond that the only voice chat available is with your fireteam.  Even in the Crucible if you do not invite the matchmade teammates to your fireteam, you cannot hear them at all, and obviously you cannot hear the other team either.  As I stated in the opening statement, I play games to hang out with my friends, which is why outside of the Crucible, and the 6 man raid I am not high enough level to attempt yet, I have a huge problem.  You can only group up in fireteams of three.  When we gather we are consistently a group of at least 6 playing at the same time.  At that point it is Crucible or bust, and we are forced to use the Xbox one party app to talk to each other.(The recent update though has seemed to remedy some of the issues that we were experiencing while trying to play Titanfall in the previous months.)  I very much enjoy the competitive multiplayer, and as a group it is much more manageable and fun, but still the game seems to dissuade you from playing with large groups, or forcing you to choose between this friend or that friend when you end up online with several different groups of people.

Second content.  I will not complain about the current amount of content.  There is plenty there for me, as I do not have copious amounts of free time.  Also Bungie seems to remember how popular the weekend double xp sessions were in Halo 3, and have unique events that should be available every weekend, as well as periodic new raids and missions.  That is great, I like a constant stream of semi new content.  The real rub though is the paid expansions.  With a planned release in December of “The Dark Below” there is going to be a new story arc with I would imagine new level caps and equipment.  The big question is can I access that equipment and levels without the expansion? Also how will players be restricted when playing with friends that do or do not have the same content. It is hard to get every person on board with expansions on console, at least in my experience, and it either turns into deciding to not play with friends from time to time because they do not have the same content, or not playing that additional content because you would rather play with your full group of friends.  That worries me about the longevity of the game.  Rarely do you see a console game able to compete with the games that come out the following cycle.  A year is about the most you get out of even a AAA title nowadays, and that is why the Call of Duty franchise has multiple studios working on separate lines of games so they have something for everyone to buy every year.  I want Destiny to last, but I am just not sure how they are going to make it stick.

There are a lot of things that people can harp on with Destiny, and most of them are at least partially justified, although maybe not to the degree that is expressed by the general public.  I think competing this fall with CoD 14.2 Kill the Badguys edition and Master Chief Collection will do a lot to see how far Destiny can go.  I enjoy it, and with realistic expectations, it is a very enjoyable, well made game.  Bottom line is you should buy this game, and you will get your monies worth in entertainment.

Finishing Up Finals

     It has been a hectic couple days, and I am down to the last night of hard work, and then finally a couple weeks off before it starts all over again.  This is a short story that I first wrote a while back, and it still needs work but I have at least looked over it again and think it is a good start.  Science-fiction is what I really like to read, and write, and this is an attempt at the subject outside of the longer story I am working on. Enjoy.

Aranor Prime

Clenching his teeth as his modified Stinger pierced through Aranor Prime's thick atmosphere Raynok made sure he caught the last glimpse of black space before being completely engulfed in the sky. Entries were never easy, and he wanted to make sure that the last thing he saw was the great provider, the endless reaches of space.

Having been on so many trips, in and out of hyperspace and suspended sleep Raynok had already outlived his children three times over. His name continued on with some miner, or ship welder, or Trap dealer in some dark alley, but he could not care less. He relished his job with the Earth Republic, as their ambassador, delicately installing leaders on the galaxies many colonies ensuring that the human race remained strong in the greatest expansion ever known.

As the cabin grew in temperature Raynok let his eyes fall shut and relaxed because it should all be smooth sailing from here. It reminded him of the red sand beaches of Messier 31, laying out on his private property that he got to stay at so rarely now it took the intensity of atmospheric entry to drag that place from the depths of his memory. That short rest came after quelling the riots on Mayall minor, where he orchestrated a cyber campaign to convince the people that things would recover. The planets existing tactics were to soft, and Raynok had a touch that few rivaled. Such subtle tactics were not always his preferred method, but it was always paramount that he was not seen.

The counter thrusters came to life and wedged him farther into his cradle as the ship started its auto landing procedure. A pine forest outside of the capital city of Kexune made for a good landing spot to keep out of sight. The trip would be a couple standard days and he needed to be sure that he could get back to his ship without it being disturbed. Grabbing his pack, and donning his ghost suit, he swung open the door and felt the fresh air rush around him. If only all the places he had been had such an inviting climate.

Like on Meisley 5 where there was very little water, and the whole place was a dust bowl. The planet would have never been able to support more than a couple hundred thousand inhabitants without the asteroid mining system brought to the planet by the Republic. After harvesting ice from the nearby asteroid belt, it would be transported to one of the many underground reservoirs that supported the mining colonies that harvest the rare earth elements essential to many of the space faring needs of the fleet. They were worked hard, and production had slowed, and some members of cabinet had become worried. Raynok was sent to investigate, and somehow one of the cities reservoirs had been poisoned and thousands of their workers either died or were bed ridden for weeks. They came back stronger than ever, and production has not slipped since.

When Raynok reached the maglev station that would take him into town, he would need to don a more appropriate outfit. Being a very important government official there were always those who might take a chance at his life. Accessing the suits forearm controls, he selected a fine three piece suit, gray with white pinstripes for the suit to morph into. One of the main benefits of the ghost suit, but it also provided protection from personal assault weapons. It was finished off with a green bow tie and pocket square. While many things had changed in the thousand years since men first donned the suit, the basics still lived true. Paying his fare and stepped onto the train to be whisked into the city by nightfall.

The cabin was fairly stark, black plasteel walls curved up either side, with large floor to ceiling windows at every set of four facing seats. Tomorrow he would be making sure that the coverage of the inauguration for the now planet governor was sufficient. Aranor Prime was in a sector close to where some of the original Republic colonies had been overrun by the Syndicate and this new leader was surely going to be able to curb any of those thoughts here.

There was no comfort in the night, long ago he had learned that sleep was not his friend in unfamiliar places. Even when around those supposedly on the same side, there was risk. He worked alone now, not that the Republic liked it, but they were not going to argue because Raynok was perfect. Ten years ago, in his life time he had no idea how many standard years had passed, he was assigned to escort the minister of commerce to the produce rich planet Halmath. They did not send him alone as normal, but with a young ambassador that from all outward appearances had what it was going to take. They took shifts looking out for the minister, even on a Republic ship you had to be wary. One outside the chamber, the other inside. Twelve hour shifts, so getting sleep in while locked inside was the best way to try and get through it. Raynok let himself drift off after probably his third full cycle without sleep. Sleep so deep that he barely ripped himself back to reality in time to dodge the young mans electroblade. The minister had not been so fortunate, and he lay in a pool of his own blood by his wardrobe. Raynok spun to face the man and could see the confidence in his eyes as he muttered,”I won't miss again.”

He did not, catching Raynok through the left bicep.

“I did not miss either.” Raynok was calm, holding the grip of his own electroblade tightly against the chest of the other man.”You should have aimed better.” His body went limp and Raynok let him fall to the floor.

They had never asked him to take backup, or any kind of assistance from that day on. Working so efficiently they saved money even by paying him double what he made before the incident. He had amassed the kind of wealth that many dreamed of, and maybe if he found himself lucky he could fly off into the darkness one last time and not look back. Today was important though, and he pushed everything out of his mind to make sure he knew every step he needed to make.

The cities capitol square was immense. Easily holding five hundred thousand people in its main courtyard, with plenty of overflow space for the likely millions to be in attendance today. Raynok would be observing from a distance today, not able to fake credentials to be closer, but no matter. Everything was to go smoothly and preferring to not be in large crowds this would work fine.

It was nearly noon when Raynok reached his prefect viewing platform. He took out his tripod and assembled his equipment so he could get a closer view of the governor. Being nearly four kilometers away would normally be a problem, but he made sure to bring his best magnifier and he had already tuned his earpiece into the broadcast channel so it would be like he was in the front row. Settling in, he sat back and took a deep breath, drifting briefly to his memories of Earth. Who knows if the redwoods from his childhood even existed anymore, but strolling through the noble trees in his mind focused him more than anything else, and the governor was coming to stage now.

After the Republic anthem faded and the crowd was tired of its own ovation, the governor began his speech.

“I thank you all for being here today, and for those tuning in around the galaxy, welcome to our beautiful planet. It is truly a blessing of the highest degree to become governor of this world, especially at a time when we as a people are exploring and finding all the riches that the galaxy has to offer. It is what has always been dreamed, and now our dreams are reality.”

“I come from a long line of hard workers, and I think I am accurate when I say us Aranorians are made of the sternest stuff around, and we represent all of the working classes that have so long propped up society.” He paused to allow the crowd to cheer with agreement.

“It has been so long that we have been leaned upon to support the ideas and values of the Republic, and help the human race expand beyond our ancestors wildest dreams. The question is, when is enough, enough? Why should we continue to work so hard on expansion when there are more colonies, and more planets under our control than we could populate even in a thousand more years?” The question seemed to hang over the crowd, unsure on how to answer, or whether to answer his call at all.

“Every year the Republic asks for more and more, why? Where does it all go? How much better off are you? I say we should fight for ourselves, keep more, and break away from the grip that the Republic has built over the centuries.”

Before the crowd could respond he continued,”we are already on the far reaches of the galaxy, the Republic has no control here, they cannot touch us. My people, listen, we do not need them, I will not send any more resources off planet, and we will all prosper more than ever before!”

Raynok was shocked. There had been rumors of the Syndicate having infiltrated some of the government here, but to be so blatant about their intentions was bold. No matter, there was a reason why Raynok was sent here, because he was the best. Surveying his equipment, making sure his optics were true, he squeezed the trigger and click.

Past

More short stuff as I wrap up my creative writing project.

Past

Longing for a mulligan on this crack stepped, or that mirror broke

Midnight obsessions with what if's and woulda coulda and shoulda's

The why's, the who's the what's

They make us who we are, that we do not see

We see what we could have been

Where we should have picked A rather than B

Would things have been different

What if I took that leap

In a universe with infinite possibilities

Those things have lead to this specific point

All the available paths pruned to give this one answer

A flaw that controls what risks you take

Choose the beaten path, instead of following what might be

Only to end up with more lost time

And questions to burrow into your late nights

Quick post

The semester is winding down, and things are going to be hectic as usual, but this is a short piece that is going in my final project for the poetry section.  Do you like?

Aces

So you were not dealt pocket aces

To bad, neither were the rest of us

Some of us got a four seven unsuited

Some a two and an eight, others a cup and a rock

How do you play poker with that?

You figure it out, you make it work

Work harder, longer, or smarter, but make your own luck

Even those with pocket aces, may see a couple fives and a six on the flop

They have to grow and learn or be left behind just like everyone else

Take your “shortcomings” own them, and take yourself where you want to go

Not where someone else thinks your hand should take you

Woohoo post number two!

For our creative writing class last week we had to write a short fiction story based on a fairy tale.  Now the term fairy tale was used somewhat loosely, but this was what I came up with for our group after we brainstormed.  Should not be too hard to figure out what story it is mimicking.

George had always been a good kid, did well in school, played sports, listened to his parents, and was the ideal image everyone wants their son to be. His parents pat themselves on the back on a job well done and foresaw him going off to college and getting a degree and getting married and having children and a white picket fence. George thought that was what he wanted too, until he found out that he wanted something else even more.

He was just entering the seventh grade, surrounded by his peers all going through puberty and experiencing rapid changes in their bodies and minds. Growing exponentially, voices changing, styles changing, some good friends were no friends at all anymore, and some old enemies now were equals. George had not had his growth spurt yet, so early on he was the easy target for the bigger kids because it is always pick on the little kids.

“Look at the little boy.” “HAHA, he is so small. You think he lives in a miniature house too?” “Hey George, when are you going to become a man?”

That was when he decided he was going to change. He wanted to be a man, more than anything he wanted to be a man so they would stop picking on him, so he could be on the top of the totem poll. He started to pay less attention in class, because the bigger kids did not. They would stop looking at him like he did something wrong for doing well on a test, because now he pulled off straight C's. He no longer moved out of the way of people in the halls, instead holding his shoulders tight and bouncing off of the other kids. They noticed his rebellion. He even started to copy the clothes they wore. More jeans, and printed tee's instead of his khaki's and polo combo he had been wearing since he could remember. One of them even said “cool shirt” one day.

He found that their bullying subsided. They were not necessarily nice to him, but they did not shove him in the trashcans or trip him in the halls anymore. He felt stronger, more powerful, but knew he had to do more if he wanted to be like the other boys.

One Monday his friend Charles came to him to see how he did on the last test.

“Oh, I don't know, I got like a 72.”

“I thought you normally did better than that George, what happened.”

“I do not need to tell you!” George blurted while shoving Charles away.

“Hey, you did not need to do that.”

“Oh ya?” George reared back and punched Charles. “How did that feel huh?”

He was hauled off to the principles office that day, and he was almost ashamed, until school got out that day and all the big boys were waiting for him. He flinched when they came right up to him, but was surprised when they were all patting him on the back, congratulating him on growing up. That was all it took.

The next week it was two more kids. More detention. His parents tried to intervene but that made him lash out more. School did not get any better, and George finally started to grow. He was bigger than most of the other boys now, and wanted to feel even bigger. So he kept getting in fights, and even started to hang out with some of the high school kids that also liked to go around picking on kids.

One night out by the gas station that he had begun to frequent, a younger kid nabbed one of Georges new friends skateboards and tried to make off with it. He was not quick enough to get away though. George was the first one to catch him, and the first to start hitting him. The other boys joined in continued to pile on the kid. George went home that night finally feeling like he had become a real man, and the police were there waiting for him, to show him what happens to “real men.”

The other, other, other blog

I have way to many interests. Writing happens to be one of them, for now.  I am also taking a creative writing class as I thought it would help further my skills as a writer.  I have a project that I have started but has been shelved for a little while because I got extremely side tracked.  That story will get written as it gets written but this is more for my own exploration.  Trying different techniques and different viewpoints to try and broaden mt abilities, all which will hopefully make my other project easier to complete and be a better piece of work.

I have a lot of really rough writing prompt work that I will probably post to this blog just to either rewrite it, or maybe even hear some sort of feedback from others because I know that nothing I do is anywhere near perfect and most if it probably is not worth even reading.  I will include one of my previous writing prompts below as a starter, and hopefully I can make a habit of posting stuff here with some sort of regularity.

     One more. That is what you always say. Just one more it will be okay. Ya, I have probably said that way too many times, none worse than on a St. Patricks day.

    It started as soon work ended. I will just have a couple beers before I go out. A couple turns into a few, into a group, into five-spot. That should have been enough, but of course it was not.

     Neither was the pitcher of beer that Chris had ready for me when I arrived. Or the four that followed that one. Then came the shots, the Jameson, and the glittery paper green hat I took from some girl named Lauren. I hazily remember my bartender asking me if I was ordering another drink, I said no, or something similar, and he looked relieved.

     The rest of the story, is not told from my perspective, because I do not have one. My ride for the night  arrived at 2am to find me slung over a chair. Luckily for her, one of my other friends was there to help shove my body into the truck. Home was another story. Waking my roommate to help drag me up the driveway, and deposit me into the bed, I am sure she was glad to be rid of me.

     You do not want to know the details I awoke to the next morning, but I can just say I did not eat Vietnamese for quite a while after that.