Of Morning Glory

It's been a year.

I'll say it again, it didn't get through the first time. It's been a year.

This blog has, from slightly humbler than average beginnings, turned into something worthy of the ages ! Yep, I'm gonna see if I can write a single massive post. As many reviews as I could possibly cram into it within 5 hours along with some updates on RuneScape. I'm also gonna reminisce on what's been happening through this year.

Oh, and this blog has 120 posts. That's 1 post per 4 days. That's without updating for a good 2 months.

Portal: A Review

I praise Portal. Just like any other review for it's innovative gameplay, dark humor and well designed levels.

Pros:
Dark humor
Stimulating

Cons:
Short
Like, really short
Just so short
Easy, too

Story
There is no story. This game doesn't need one to perfect. A few tidbits left behind by another subject and the junk GLaDOS spews at you is plenty. Eventually, you should be smart enough to realize something is very wrong when nothing alive is watching you.

Graphics
A notch above average, the art direction is at least somewhat fun throughout. A bit bland when you consider most test chambers look the same. Graphics are shiny here, there and everywhere. Just like Half-Life 2, Portal has lenient system requirements and will run on most PCs. Real pretty for a game in which most rooms are blue and white.

Sound
This is where the game starts to shine. Wonderous voice acting from Ellen McClain gives life to those adorable turrets and GLaDOS, injecting most of the grim humor into this game through her snarky remarks and marvelous charm. Music is a dark, mysterious type of ambient stuff. Sounds are well done.

Gameplay
The Portal Gun. It's all that one needs to make this game perfect. The whole concept of walking into a wall then falling out of the ceiling followed by shooting upwards towards the ceiling and follwed by using momentum gathered to fire out of a wall through an energy barrier. Most of the game is just one monstrous tutorial that readies you for the last few chambers. With plenty of fun with physics and being flung out of walls through walls makes this something new and fun.

Pros
GLaDOS may be one of the greatest female antognists ever. Her dry sense of humor and habit of helping and very well trying to kill you make her that much more charming than anything ever released. Every turret is adorable. They cry when brought down, they coax you out into the open. They make you feel sorry for killing them.

Cons
It's short. I was at level 18 out of 19 within an hour. Test chamber are real short.

Really, really, really, short. Really.

The fact that I made it to level 18 out of 19 within an hour means it's easy too. The myriad of challenge and advanced maps grant you several extra hours even after you're done with the story.

Overall
Forget about this. Just go and buy it ! If you already have it, play it !


Half-Life 2: A Review

Half-Life is well known as a straighforward, action orientated first person shooter. Go here. Shoot this. Die. Run from this.

Pros
Pretty water
Pretty
Level design that's near legendary
Gentle on any rig

Cons
Zombies are just so realistic
Dumbest allies ever

Story
You're Gordon Freeman. You're awakened into a post apocalyptic future/present and sent on your merry way. You meet old friends. Kill one or two ugly things and end up starting a war against the local evil overlords unintentionally.

Graphics
Pretty water and light effects with wonderful ar direction throughout. From the graffiti on walls right down to the hideous enemies you deal with, art direction is quite original with an Earstern European style running from border to border.

Sound
Voice direction and acting is intriguing , everywhere you go, someone has something to say. Every weapon has a kick to it, no matter how often used. You don't talk. At all. Alyx's man of few words comment in the beginning is an indication of this.

Gameplay
This is where it shines. Half-Life 2's level design is spectacular at best and impresive at least. From the zombie infested mining town of Ravenholm through Highway 17 and into prison complexes, old and new, this game surprises you at it's every turn with object palcement and sheer creativity. Squad AI is smart enough to make a beeline for cover and dumb enough to run headlong grenades. Ammunition must be preserved and the Gravity Gun will accompany you through the areas where you can't use average gunfire. The physics in Half-Life 2 are great. The Gravity Gun is a nod to this as you can very well soar through much of the game througj it alone.

Pros
Whereas the ID engine deals in shadow, the Source engine renders massive areas in flawless perfection. Water is wonderfully detailed. The light system requirements mean your computer is under less stress and performs well on most rigs, even at higher details.

Cons
The zombie's groaning is unnverving at any rate. Oh, and in later stages when you're forced to baby sit a squad who run into grenades. Into machine gun nests. And don't do anything other than apologize when they're in your way means you'll rip out your hair in sheer frustration at them.

Overall
I highly recommend it. Wonderfully designed and built, it has many things a proper first-person shooter should


Evolution of the Blog.
As of now, I'm running out of words in m vocabulary to stay with the reviews. So we'll leave them for now.

I originally started The Bored Runescaper as a way to display my achievements and adventures in RuneScape. This blog has evolved onwards to Musings of a Small Mind. With reviews, rants and the occasional useful thing, this blog is something I've wanted for some time now: a journal.

If one reads from the first posts, one may even see the evolution of this blog and watch it mature.

Refer to post 2 for an immature rant. Back when I was just another noob. I see myself looking on in a more mature way, offering proper opinions instead of just 'lol'.

I also see myself as a snappy dresser.


RuneScape: A Review

Where there are games, there are places where player do stupid stuff, kill stuff and avoid the real world.

Pros
Broswer based
1.3 mb download
Impressive Java graphics
Great variety

Cons
Weak graphics in when compared to others
Addictive
Immature playerbase

Story
You're an adventurer. Is that enough or shall I list the birthdays of everyone who plays this game ?

Graphics
The graphics of RuneScape push the envelope on what is possible in Java. They are incredible for anything browser based. Fully 3d, dynamic shadows and more. Runescape is what the Browser based MMORPG should be. The only complaint I have is with Runescape, I set the bar too high for future MMORPG reviews.

Sound
The sound is rudimentary at best, with few effects for most actions. Music is a different story. With no less than 570 songs, RuneScapes music is vibrant, well crafted and that much larger than anything I've ever seen.

Gameplay
Gameplay is where this game shines beautifully. With addictive gameplay at every turn, a slew of skills, quests and other things to build your character on. Setting personal goals for yourself merely adds to the fun. The world isn't small considering what it can offer. The game is updated no less than once every 2 weeks.

Pros
The fact that it offers full 3D graphics for no large download on your broswer should arouse most into registration

Cons
Graphics seem dated when compared to other superior games and do seem pixelated at times. Addiction poses a problem and RuneScape has her fair share of mishaps and scandals. The fanbase is made up of mostly teenagers and pre-teens. The game offers simply chat. The game is big. Hilarity ensues.

Overall
Highly recommended for gamers on a budget. Well presented and almost child friendly.


The stupid spellchecker doesn't work. There will be many errors in this post. I apologize.

Evolution of the Character.
I was introduced to RuneScape via Miniclip. Ironically, I consider myself a slightly more mature player who was introduced via Miniclip. Boombaye was the first account I ever made. He is lost to the winds now. I resent the 1 after Boombaye. It's not what I wanted. I registered in late December of 2006, missing out on the Christmas event. I headed out back of Lumbridge Castle and trained. I just killed goblins by the truckload. Eventually, I met my first random event and became hooked to these events.

Boombaye1 evolved from a mere reason to test the waters of RuneScape into a full-blown main account. I am proud of her.

Naturally.

So.

What you see is a very long post, dedicated to my first year, reviews and a little update.

I'm far from gone in RuneScape. I've picked up 85 Woodcutting, which may very we;; be one of my greatest level yet. Because for the first time in ever, Boombaye1's highest skill level is on par with her highest combat level. Impressive for me.

I expect 59, possibly 60 Firemaking by the end of the day. Rapidly (by free world standards) closing a 45k experience gap towards 86 Attack. The first combat level I'll gain since leaving members. Elegant proof of how long I've been gone. An additional 71 Cooking and 50 Runecrafting have been achieved with 37k left on the way to 70 Fishing. All this in 3 days.

Need I remind you: This is a free world.

With Christmas en route, I'd like to take a moment to remember something incredibly stupid. The fact that I want to give my friends gifts. The last gift I gave was a Dragon Spear to Megs60 1 day after Christmas. She's long gone now. I wish JaGex would let us give gifts. Just for 1 day.

The polar ice caps are melting.

By this time in a few years, Santa will die from that.

THE BLOOD OF SANTA CLAUSE IS ON YOUR HANDS !

Regards, Boombaye1