“Zombies, RUN!” GPS Game Mechanics Meets Survival Horror

My good friend, Nicholas Teri (a.k.a. KiNgDeem), shared a wonderful article about the new “Zombies, RUN!” game for the iPhone (and other smartphones).  You should check it out!  Here are some images and thoughts.  What excites me about the game is that it is a unique title that truly takes advantage of touch-screen and GPS technology alike.  Check out the game in action on the iPhone!

These "screenshots" on the iPhone show some very tantalizing screens for the "Zombies, RUN!" game.. You can see it's already a unique video game.

Apparently, this video game is much like FourSquare (which is a game in itself) in that it takes your existing daily routine and makes it more fun.  By combining exercise and game mechanics, “Zombies, RUN!” gives you added incentives for being active.  In this manner, the game seems poised to provide both intrinsic and extrinsic value, which is great since we all know exercise is not always appealing, even if we know the health benefits.

This and related images in this post provided courtesy of SixToStart.com - thank you!

As you can see here, the routes do not have you running into walls or anything crazy.  The game takes routes you have taken and plugs them into a dynamic mission generation system.  Item drops such as med kits and ammo are randomized so it’s a fresh game every time, without you running around to random locations and having people look at you funny.

Hey, don’t look at me like that..  I’m just texting..  I’m not running away from invisible monsters – REALLY!

This is a pretty zany, if not, crazy game concept..  Which is why I think it’ll be a huge hit!  I’m surprised more folks have not followed suit with these sorts of game mechanics considering smartphones and Internet tablets alike all come with GPS devices these days (most of the time) yet they are severely under-used.

I know some folks will worry about privacy issues  but, for those that are already into the whole social media craze,  I think that’s a moot point.  If the developers are smart about it, they’ll use this is an opportunity to throw in social networking and have some co-op play opportunities.  I can also see this as being a candidate for natural product placement, though I know some gaming purists detest in-game advertising.

The potential here is great.  I’m pretty excited about this and hope Nick follows up with more reports.  This is easily one of the most interesting and innovative games I’ve seen on a smartphone since Angry Birds (though we know THAT game was a rip – Gorillas, Worms, Scorched Earth, Warheads…  yeah, been there, done that).

This game will likely be much more sticky than FourSquare, simply because it doesn’t take you far outside of your normal routine.  Even better, you get rewarded for what you’re already doing.  FourSquare takes a lot more commitment and persistent, which can make some gamers grow bored after a while.  It’d be nice to see Empire Avenue or Klout integrate something like “Zombies, RUN!” into their stats.  I know, it’s not happening but a guy can dream, no?

So, what do you think..  Is this something you’d play?  Let’s discuss.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Box Buster Preview PLUS Throwback Booster Unveiled

I’ve been promising a HUGE Box Buster so here’s a preview.  I just opened up the

• 1 Dragon Knight Draco-Equiste Tin (1 Stardust Overdrive Booster Pack, 2 Absolute Powerforce Booster Packs, 2 Shining Darkness Booster Packs, 1 Secret Rare “Dragon Knight Draco-Equiste” Card, And 4 Super Rare Cards: “Archfiend of Gilfer”, “The Wicked Dreadroot”, “Dragonic Knight”, and “Dark Armed Dragon”)
• 2 Storm of Ragnarok Booster Packs
• 2 Hidden Arsenal 3 Booster Packs
• 2 Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D: Bonds Beyond Time Movie Pack
• 1 Rise of Destiny Booster Pack

…The throwback here is the Rise of Destiny booster pack.  Now, you may know that I love old-school Yu-Gi-Oh! so coming across a 1st Edition booster pack at a neighborhood store was a pleasant surprise.

Rise Of Destiny SPECIAL EDITION - Available at Yugiohmint.com for an AWESOME price - WHILE SUPPLIES LAST (yeah, there's always a catch)!!

 

Yu-Gi-Oh! Card Of The Moment – Meklord Emperor Wisel

It’s time to get back to the roots of DPO – the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG – w00t!

Today, I come with a brand-spanking-new (at least to me) card that came with the September 2011 (Issue 8) edition of Shonen Jump.  Are you ready? *drumroll*

Shonen Jump Limited Edition - Meklord Emperor Wisel - September 2011 Issue 8

Meklord Emperor Wisel is possibly the sexiest card of the Meklord set.  Sure, Meklord Emperor Granel is great if you play against someone that loves synchros but, let’s be honest, synchro summons are a major pain in the arse and rather easy to counter if you know what you are doing..  So Emperor Wisel is the better choice in most cases.

CARD EFFECT:  Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must be Special Summoned by its own effect, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. When a face-up monster you control is destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon this card (from your hand). Other monsters you control cannot declare an attack. Once per turn: You can target 1 Synchro Monster your opponent controls; equip that target to this card. This card gains ATK equal to those equipped monsters’ combined ATK. Once per turn, when an opponent’s Spell Card is activated: You can negate the activation and destroy it.

COUNTERS & WEAKNESSES:  If you play against a trap-heavy deck or someone that banishes or returns cards to your hand/deck, then it’ll be hard to even get this card into play and you’ll have it rather vulnerable without proper backup.  Also note that the effect of this card is VERY different from what the Anime and Manga would suggest!

DECK BUILDING TIPS:  I can see this card being part of a great deck core for Machine-heavy decks.  Imagine Meklord Emperor Wisel backing up Jinzo.  Now you are limiting your opponent’s spell and trap card plays.  WOW..  That’s a combo to contend with but, of course, you have to worry about fair play rules and all that good stuff.  In any case, there are many awesome Machine monsters and support cards out there so the potential here is immense.  With a Machine Duplication and several low-level Machine monsters in your deck, you can load up your defensive line easily, too.  I may be building yet another new deck now…  Don’t forget to have some trap card counters handy, just in case!

FINAL THOUGHTS:  Effect monsters are always good in my book and, while there are more counters for effect monsters these days, this one has a reasonable set of summoning conditions and is well worth it.  Relinquished was always one of my favorite monsters because it gave you beatdown muscle and field control.  With Meklord Emperor Wisel, the added bonus is spell-card countering and powerful base stats.  Here’s a card that is flexible enough to be added to virtually any deck you build.  Go for it!

Brink: Is It The First Person Shooter You’ve Been Waiting For?

Now that I’ve logged a good amount of play time in the first two days of “Brinkdom”, I’d like to preface my excitement with a bit of a reality check…

Replay value and the length of a video game are certainly key elements that add value to an offering. In the case of Brink, jaded gamers may say it’s too short. If you want to be overly-critical, the game doesn’t have a very deep story nor does it have plenty of gameplay modes upon release. I think it all works well and, if I know Splash Damage well enough, they’re going to find ways to keep Brink fresh and fun.

If you’re like my cousin and Brink reminds you of Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, good observation! That’s arguably Splash Damage’s most well-known work. We won’t talk about Quake Wars so, really, this is their first real console entry. They’re going to want to do some big things here and Brink is set up to be expandable and user-driven. I’d say any shortcoming cited on this article are purely first impressions and not final in any way. Brink definitely feeds a very real need in a marketplace littered with clones and crap…

—

It’s been yet another busy day for me but I did manage to log a couple of hours on Brink. In a few words, it is well worth the money as far as I am concerned. Brink is Bethesda’s take on the FPS genre and, thanks to their experience with the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series (and teaming up with Splash Damage), there are some very welcomed RPG elements.

I’d compare Brink with some of my other favorite XBox 360 shooters: Borderlands, Team Fortress 2, Gears of War 3, and Rainbow Six Vegas 2. I’d say it is more akin to the foremost than the latter. While the game stands out on it’s own, the deep character customization, class-based obejctiive focus, and team-focused game mechanics should be familiar to the seasoned shooter veteran. Bethesda has done the impossible by weaving the Brink story into virtually every gameplay option.

I’m really excited about Brink but let’s dig deeper because, really, this game is not for everyone…

The Economy of Gaming: Why Paying To Play Is A GOOD Thing

Hello Yu-Gi-Oh! fans, video game geeks, and strategy buffs!

Today’s article will be a bit of a break from the very Yu-Gi-Oh! and Japanese-centric stuff we tend to have here on DPO (I think Rin should keep every geek out there very happy). I want to discuss an issue that affects all of us, yet very few of us truly grasp: the economy of gaming.

A while ago I read a very moving article about how used games hurt the gaming industry. Thing is, used games only represent only one facet of what is really a much greater issue. That issue is that games are becoming more expensive to make as games are made with high production value (i.e. nice eye candy) in mind. With the cost of publishing, distributing, marketing, and all sorts of overhead on top of it all, it’s not just about developing a good video game: you need a massive budget or at least a really good plan to have significant market penetration. The costs of putting out a game can sneak up on developers, especially the small and indie shops, which means that the cost needs to be passed on to the consumer or off-set somehow. Developers have mouths to feed too, you know!

Sadly, there are gamers that do not understand basic economic rules such as supply-and-demand and marketing overhead. They want games to be cheap and, sometimes, free. Surely, we all like free stuff so I ain’t knocking you bargain hunters out there. As a gamer, I love when I can find a great game that I can involve my gaming group, The Nipples of Fate (NoF), in without having to pay a single red cent. It makes easier for everyone to jump on-board or at least try it out.

The issue here is that, as games become more expensive, many online gaming experiences are becoming more exclusive. Video games are reaching more of a luxury status as next-gen systems become over-priced and, at times, scarce. If you’re old like me, the price points we’ve grown accustomed to have gone from $39.99-49,99 to $59.99-69.99 and, when you’re on a tight budget, that extra $20 can be better spent on gas, public transportation, or lunch money, depending on your needs. Of course, you have to factor in inflation, which really makes video games costs about the same for the past three decades.

Apparently, used games were not enough to keep Circuit City afloat. (Courtesy of GayGamer.net)

Rin: Daughters Of Mnemosyne – The Lore, The Story, And Why It’s SEXY

Lately, I’ve been on a real Anime kick while trying to catch up on Pokemon Black (DS) and Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG online play. Of course, this is rather difficult in between all the work that I have to do. Heck, I finally just got to reply to hundreds, if not thousands, of comments, which was a big project on it’s own. Apparently, people are still belly-aching about Yu-Gi-Oh! Online and the broken Duel Pass system.

Anywho, I’ve really enjoyed Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne A LOT. Like most, what initially lured me in was the fact that it was about a scantily-clad immortal detective. It didn’t hurt that she was a sexy geek in glasses. There is much more that makes Rin seksy, as you’ll find. Rin is available for instant viewing on Netflix but be forewarned: this is NSFW (Not Safe For Work) nor is it for kids.

Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne is rated TV-MA so, in the usual Anime fashion, you can expect lots of nudity and sex scenes. That’s not what makes Rin special, though. The story is very well-done and the characters are intriguing. Not to mention Rin and Mimi, the main characters in this Anime, kick butt and look DARN GOOD doing it!

Rin And Mimi Kick Butt And Look DARN GOOD Doing It!

The story starts off with Rin, a beautiful immortal detective, investigating and solving strange cases. As the show progresses, more supernatural elements arise. I suppose that is to be expected when you’re dealing with Rin and her immortal assistant, Mimi.

Things get a lot more interesting when the references to Apos and Yggdrasil become more pervasive. The concept of Yggdrasil has appeared throughout Anime, especially in Final Fantasy, but where is this concept rooted? Quite literally, the roots of the Yggdrasil tree goes back to Norse mythology and the fabled World Tree.

Geeky Stuff STILL Coming Soon And Why I Need Guest Bloggers

We’ll approach this DPO update as a FAQ (here is the official DPO – Duel Pass Online – FAQ) because I feel I owe you all some answers!

• Where is the fabled DPO Yu-Gi-Oh! Box Buster Extravaganza? I hope to get to this next week. I still have all the packs and boxes sealed. Believe me, I can’t wait to see what cards I got. I may very well release the content as rich text and add image-enhanced reviews to the article and the DPO Card Showcase.
• Where and what are the scantily-clad wimminz? Barring any setbacks with my other creative and project work, I should have two major site updates this week, including an Anime-style “Bad Apple” tribute and a look at why Mass Effect is one of the sexiest (or seksiest) video games of all time. We like Anime women too (light clothing optional) so we’ll definitely provide sufficient content to that end. In fact, my good friend and fellow NoF, KiNgDeeM, found High School of the Dead and that seems promising. I’ve also enjoyed Rin recently (highly recommend it if you can’t deny the guilty pleasure of Anime wimminz).
• Why won’t you duel me? I love you guys but I don’t do webcam duels. Find me on XBox LIVE. I’ll even clean up my friends list if you’re enough of a video game geek or Anime geek.
• Where have you been? I’ve been busy tweaking Y3B

and preparing to not only migrate the blog but also syndicate content and create off-page content to promote my creative works, branding, and geeky endeavors. I have to pay the bills eventually, after all.

In a few words, I have an abundance of ideas and inspiration but a lack of “free time”. NoF social gaming activity has always kept me busy as well, which is why we’re trying to recruit and expand aggressively to spread the balance of power and leadership. I love this blog. I love you guys. I LOVE you’re quirky and sometimes insightful comments! Weaving DPO into the NoF Network (RoNoF) is definitely part of my master plan so be patient, DPO fans!

Now, if you’re interested in geeky guest blogging on DPO or syndicating select content here, the qualifiers are as follows:

• Content must focus on the following geeky topics: video games, Anime, Manga/comics, fantasy and sci-fi TV shows, TCG/CCG tips and strategies, card reviews, and the like.
• I’ll gladly feature unique geeky stuff on here and link back to you!
• Each entry should have at least one nice image embedded in it as our readers LOVE eye candy.
• Gallery-style entries such as card showcases and box busters are VERY much welcomed!
• Speaking of galleries, I always find it fun to search for cosplay and gamer photos since it gives a face to the online game community. If you can build upon that, even better!
• Videos are good but keep load times, RSS readers, and mobile browsers in mind!
• Scantily-clad wimminz are allowed but no nudity (kids find this site quite easily and I don’t want parental flames).
• You must have a WordPress OpenID to get set up with editor access.
• You should become a fan and link, share, and comment away.
• Replying to comments is optional but strongly encouraged – let’s get conversations going!
• A comfort level with creating links on-page and off-page is a MUST to increase our audience participation.

As part of the perks, you’ll become part of our mastermind group and get to be involved in some cool projects. You’ll also have the opportunity to increase your own audience and meet cool like-minded geeks. DPO currently gets an adverage of 100 hits per day, with a good balance of new and old visitors. Right now, our goal is to minimize bounce rate by providing great content for a wider audience, not just Yu-Gi-Oh! fans, though that is still our core.

To apply, simply comment on this article and share it using our handy-dandy buttons. I look forward to working with the New DPO Team! More importantly, I hope to keep DPO fresh and fun for our returning supporters!