Esoteric Drifter

I’ve been Planning a Road Trip from LA to Chicago by car.
Stopping in:

• Vegas
• Salt Lake City
• Mt. Rushmore
• Souix Falls
• Sussex, MO

Check out the itinerary: http://bit.ly/RTitinerary

And the Mapquest route http://bit.ly/RTmapquest

Im posting an Add on Craigslist in every town I plan on stopping in. I hope to meet some interesting people.

Its been years since Ive logged onto an Massive Multiplayer Online Game from my computer. And there are few gaming franchises that would incite me to do so. Fallout is one of those.

Interplay has opened up their teaser site for Fallout Online, and their forum is already buzzing with suggestions on how Project V13 should be. I should point out, the franchise has been around since the late nineties, and has a devoute following of loyal ‘vault dwellers’ myself included. Its been buzzing since early 2008, so apparently Im not as loyal as I should be.

So why are so many people salivating over a new MMORPG? With World of Warcraft, Warhammer, Everquest2, EVE Online, and oh so many others, are not there enough around? Yes, there are enough around. But when you look at them, they are all essentially the same: You pick a character, select a class, and run around smacking other players on the opposing team.

Lets look at the classic Cookie Cutter MMOG:

• have different looking characters do essentially the same thing
• Divide all players into two teams, the good guys and the ‘other’ good guys
• You can live forever! if you die, don’t worry, you’ll be back… you might have to wait a couple minutes until your at full strength.

Fallout has the ability to break this mold. Its historical game-play is the antithesis of the traditional MMOG. In all of Interplay’s Fallout games death was serious. Death was final, and this added an incredible level of strategy to the game. Eve Online, a space themed MMOG left this mold, and it is a great game! In Eve, if your character died they lost all of their possessions you carried at the moment.

Another way Fallout can take a step away from the pack is its World. The Game takes place in a post apocalyptic environment where only you can decide the path of your character. You can be a Smooth talking political denizen, or a sneaky thief who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. There is no set good or evil for the character, but you do have to deal with the consequences of your actions. A player who killed children wasn’t going to get along well with civilians and merchants, but would have a good leg-in with a gang of miscreants. As a MMOG, Fallout has the ability to back away from ‘team play’ by creating a more realistic world where players are truly free to chose their own destiny instead of a ‘side’

Lastly, Fallout Online can put the skills of each character in the hands of the player. You can develop a character who is an outspoken physician who can heal almost any wound and talk a restless mob into dropping their weapons (but cant fight for a damn), or a giant brute who likes to hit things with hammers (but couldn’t fit into a car, and can barley speak), an excellent sharpshooter who’s face is so deformed almost no one will talk to him, or a skilled auto technician who cant shoot strait, but can throw a wrench or knife better than anyone. The SPECIAL system set up in the Fallout franchise was ideal for the creation of these specialized and unique characters.

I want to point out that I am not, in any way referring to fallout 3. Which was a terrible failure of a game, despite the company ‘buying’ prizes.

So will Interplay be able to make a ground breaking new MMOG experience? I doubt it, for two reasons:

Interplay’s legal battle with Bethesda is causing them to rush into production.

The ‘changes’ particularly in the death system that I have outlined will not be well received by gamers. And I doubt Interplay is the same ‘ballsy’ company that created the game 12 years ago.

I dont watch television, so when someone uses the lingo of ‘talking heads’ to make their point, it freaks me out. In a recent friendly political conversation I heard the strangest phrases, like
“spewing venomous lies of destruction”

Seriously, who says that stuff? It sounds like its out of a ‘boogyman’ story!

That got me thinking…

What does the Political Boogieman do? What does it look like?
From what I gather there are a few of them, and they are:

• The Killer Donkey that steals money and eats children out of women’s stomachs while fornicating with other donkeys of the same sex.
• The Gold Hoarding Leprechaun who beats malnourished children and is bent on stripping all forms of advanced economic theory from the earth with a time machine.
• The Pot Smoker that thinks it would be really funny to live in tree houses, walk everywhere (with horses on their backs), and castrate people who have more than one child.
• The Grotesquely Overweight Elephant that voraciously devours everything in sight, mowing down anyone who stands in its way with a gataling gun.

Children: I hate to say it, but there are probably one or more of these creatures in your house.

I am seriously considering the iPad to replace my netbook. I am a college student, and use my netbook in class (on one of those really small chair/desks) to take notes.

When I am taking notes, in class, It is imperative that I can feel each keystroke as I feverishly type as much of the lecture as possible. Im not worried about formating, that comes later as I review. Using a physical keyboard is essential for me in this situation, I cannot afford the moments hesitation of looking at the screen to see if my hands are still on the home-row!

So, will the bluetooth Apple Wireless Keyboard be compatible with the iPad? I think if it is I will take the iPad from my backpack to set up my notes before class, then return it to my backpack durring a lecture. Leaving only the keyboard on the desk, limiting my distractions (like the ever-present temptation to check facebook in class) This is very exciting to me, I hope it will be possible.

I’m very torn on the iPad. I would really like to have one, but the Pros and Cons are close. Ultimately I am looking to replace my Netbook (Asus Eee-PC 900A) with something that is more compatible with my at home Mac and my iPhone.

Pros:

• Compact/light weight

Its size and shape are perfect for the desks in class, and for my backpack!

• inexpensive (compared to a laptop)
• Mac Compatible

I like the fact that my iPhone and Mac-Mini work so well together, and would like to see the same with my portable note taker.

• Apple Coolness Factor
• improved email response

The iPhone is great for getting (almost) realtime emails but that email contains an attachment that needs your input you’ve got to get yourself to a computer. The iPad is the answer, all you need is wifi.

Cons:

• Expensive (compared to a netbook)
• No physical keyboard

I dont usually look at the keyboard when Im typing in class, i type while im watching the presentation, or the prof write stuff on a board, eye contact is important in class. I wish Apple would put out a compact bluetooth keyboard.

• Planned Obsolescence

Apple seems to be good at planned obsolescence. They are the top luxury name for electronics, and there is no technical reason for them not to have a video camera on the iPad at release, or a more powerful processor. Its easy to predict there will be a camera available next year.

• The Overly geeky effect

Im in college, and while having this device for class notes makes a lot of sense, it also makes me very geeky. I should point out, this isn’t really a con, because of the Apple coolness effect, and because it will replace my lynux netbook.

Taking all this into consideration, I still think the iPad will be perfect for my needs… IF… I can find a compatible, and compact bluetooth keyboard…

My little sister would love to get her hands on my netbook!