Open my eyes.
Stand up.
Brush myself off.
Take a deeeeep breath.
Summon a little more strength - and...
OK - I'm ready to give a little more.
Sorry for being absent. Between sickness, school work (our final academic term), looking for a job placement, and dealing with normal life circumstances the stress soared to new heights. It's been a pretty hard go the last month and I look forward to a little bit of free time once school is finished. It's almost done, though, and I've just got to push that LITTLE bit harder to get through.
Sadly, with all that has been going on, I've lost almost all my extra time and lost out on just about every hobby I have. I often find myself wishing I could sit down to program a bit - play the new games that have come out - go to TKD - play with my kids - enjoy the spring weather... so much I'd like to do... But you know what? It's these moments that define us! Do I have what it takes to keep going? Can I give a little more of myself? Will I endure the onslaught of assignments and tests?
I answer yes on all accounts. It's hard and my body and mind are definitely tired. I find myself falling asleep regularly during the day, experiencing frequent/persistent headaches, often coming down sick, being more forgetful than usual, and finding less and less enjoyment in the things that normally give my life balance. However; I'm not done yet! I've still got more to give.
Not only do I need to do this for me, but I need to set a good example for my little ones. I want them to know and understand that their father worked as hard as he could - that despite how depressing or impossible a situation seemed - he always tackled it with his head held high. I think this is an important skill to have and would like my kids to understand that obstacles are there to be overcome.
Now, if you'll excuse me - I need to go for a quick nap and recharge a bit (maintaining good health is pretty important - don't underestimate how much feeling good can make a difference)
~Veysey
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
A day in the life
Of course we all get busy and lost in our day to day lives but I thought I'd give a little insight into what I've been doing lately in hopes that it shows I try to walk the path as much as you'll hear me preach about it.
Part 1: School Life
March Break is coming up, but before that, we have 5 tests to get through. Law, Statistics, Accounting, Entrepreneurship, and Financial. Of course, each test will have ~5 hours of hard study time devoted to it and whatever time it takes to grasp or learn the material (usually accomplished in class). The hard study time is really just revisiting each section, writing some notes, working out a problem or two, and then reflecting with no material in front of me. While in class, I make sure to ask a lot of questions and get the answers early. If I don't understand something, I let it preoccupy me - that way I almost force myself to learn or become obsessed. This makes "crunch time" a lot easier and less stressful. I'm a 90s student but I wouldn't say I'm smarter than my classmates, I just devote more effort to learning I think - something everyone can do.
Try it next time you get the chance - it doesn't need to be with just school (you may get that impression in a bit anyway).
Part 2: Personal Projects
My projects are things I devote some spare time to in order to improve myself overall. I used to be a software developer and although I'm out of that business as a career, it's still very much a hobby. Currently, I'm making a local web page that serves as a scheduling tool that I can set as my home page to help keep me better organized (who doesn't open their browser window at least once a day?). I've taken this opportunity to refresh my HTML knowledge and learn PHP as well as learn to work with MySQL. It's an interesting project that requires lots of research, but the process is fun and teaches me not only the specifics of those tools, but reminds me of the learning process and how I grasp things in general.
I am also working on a game of my own. I've been trying to get it prepared to show a little bit off on this blog, but sadly, time has been scarce the last couple of weeks. I'm using a program called Game Maker and find it very enjoyable. Currently my problems lie with collision detection in the actual engine but what I'm actively working on is a functional menu to help with in game debugging. Once this is done, I'll be able to get back to the game and hopefully whip up something more visually stimulating to show and explain. Again, the learning process is extremely rewarding.
Part 3: Hobby Choice
My passion has always been with video games, but lately I find I'm very drawn to fighters of many types. The quick pick up and play is nice for someone as busy as I am but getting online for some matches can sometimes be troublesome. I'll really play anything but I tend to focus on 2D fighters as a favorite sub genre. What do I really like about them? They push me to grow in a lot of areas. Maybe I face a player who is extremely offensive and I lose - I now know I need to learn to be more defensive and find the openings/mistakes in those rushdown strategies so I can punish/get some hits in. I need to learn to read patterns and predict opponents. I need to learn when I can be the aggressive one. I need to learn to hide my intents and openings. I need to practice a lot in training to get used to situations/combos/move properties/etc. There is literally so much I can gain from playing a fighter that I can transfer into my day to day life.
Of course, one fighter might weight more heavily on fast paced gameplay and making quick (but accurate) judgments, while another might be a little slower focusing on properly reading your opponent and coming up with the right answers to every situation. In this respect, I play a lot of different fighters for the different value each brings to the table. Am I good? Not yet, but I'll keep practicing and someday really shine brightly - showing everyone that hard work, dedication, and focus can help you accomplish a lot.
Interestingly enough, I recently joined Taekwondo for the same reasons. It challenges my body and mind and allows for seemingly infinite growth. It's good for your health, too!
Part 4: Social Life
While I'm not the most fluent conversationalist, I do still open myself to the social customs of our part of the world. Sure, I enjoy the company of others and can really let loose but more often than not, they have something I'd like to learn. How is he so capable of just striking up a conversation with anyone? Why does she always approach problems like that? Does that relationship dynamic really work? Why?
Yes, I want to know what makes them tick - basically so I can incorporate what I feel to be good traits into my own lifestyle and grow into something better. Also, having contacts and a network is very important in the business world. Don't get me wrong, while I befriend those I feel will benefit me - it also works in reverse. I will do my best to be of benefit to those I am a friend of as well. Even trade, right? For this reason, I don't have many close friends, but those I do have, I respect and look after with great vigilance.
Part 5: Family Time
On top of all this, I have 4 great kids and a wonderful wife. Everything I learn and do is in part for them - I will explore the paths, learn what I can, see what works and what doesn't, and then pass that information along. Not to say I sit down and tell them, but I firmly believe in leading by example. I will give my all. I will show them what I believe and why I believe it. I will enrich their lives by teaching them the best ways to approach life in general. I will help them build on their strengths and cover their weaknesses. I do everything I can to show them everything and anything is possible and encourage them to the best of my ability.
My oldest is very keen on "practice makes perfect". That is the concept that she most readily latched onto and that is the concept I most encourage in her. It will get her far and I try to show her that it can apply to things that initially don't seem like they would apply. Of course, teaching her that she needs to find a balance between practice and other aspects of life is a very important lesson for her since she could easily get lost in the thrill of self improvement.
My second oldest seemed to latch on to "Be yourself". She marches to her own beat and is encouraged at every turn. She doesn't care what you think as long as she's happy and enjoying herself. A very spectacular trait and one that will save her a lot of grief. Of course, her lesson comes in that in order to stay happy, you sometimes need to respect the people around you and help them stay happy as well. Working together can often produce much more agreeable results with much less conflict.
My third oldest has an affinity towards "Knowing your opponent". She reads situations very well and gets away with more than she should because of it. You certainly can't discourage that since it will help her climb the social ladder faster than most. The challenge here is teaching her that just because you know something doesn't mean you need to (or should) use it. She also needs to be taught that she needs to find more socially acceptable ways of testing her knowledge of people. If she masters this, she will have strong manipulation skills. It sounds bad, but manipulation is only a tool - it's what you do with it that matters. In that regard, I foresee needing to focus on teaching her strong leadership and responsibility skills as well. That way, she should be able to put that innate skill to excellent use should she choose to.
My youngest is a questioner ... "How does that work?" seems to be his approach. He wants to know why it works, how it works, and what good it'll do for him. Excellent. He'll excel in the use of tools - whether they be physical objects, languages, ideologies, etc he should be able to make sense of them and properly assess how much they're REALLY worth to him. I doubt he'll waste much time on frivolous things when he's older. He'll need to be shown and taught that sometimes you need to think outside the box to really see the true value in something... otherwise he'll miss out on so much and that won't do at all.
Finally, my wife is as pure as they come. Living by "If they're happy, so am I", she does her very best to make everyone as happy as possible. A wonderful trait in a person. She really does make a room shine and keep people feeling comfortable and right at home. Sadly, this trait sometimes comes at the expense of her own happiness and that is unacceptable. I need to teach her and show her that while her trait is a unique and beautiful one, she needs to learn to strike a balance. She puts too much effort into other people and not enough into herself. If she breaks, she will no longer shine on those around her - helping their day to day lives. In that regard, it is important for her to learn the art of efficiency. How can she do as little as possible but get the most out of it? Instead of (for example) baking one special cupcake for each person in the room, maybe she could consider making a batch of cupcakes and put a small special touch on each pertaining to the individual in question. Or make a cake and decorate it in a fashion that gives each individual a special piece that means something to them. Efficiency would really help her accomplish her goals without compromising her personality. I will do all I can to help her succeed.
Part 6: To Conclude
So there you have it... I basically spend my time either trying to improve or helping others improve. I rarely take time to just sit back and relax (ie: watch television... happens about once a month) and I'm always on the go. But that's ok - it's important to tell people what you feel is right, although it's much more effective to show them. Despite being a strong introvert, I make a point to get out there and help others in any way I can without sacrificing too much. Some may say this will cause a person to burn out early, but I'd rather burn as brightly as possible while I can and show everyone that there is always another step you can take.
I hope I've at least inspired one other person to stand a little taller, walk a little further, fight a little longer, or otherwise push a little harder.
~Veysey
Part 1: School Life
March Break is coming up, but before that, we have 5 tests to get through. Law, Statistics, Accounting, Entrepreneurship, and Financial. Of course, each test will have ~5 hours of hard study time devoted to it and whatever time it takes to grasp or learn the material (usually accomplished in class). The hard study time is really just revisiting each section, writing some notes, working out a problem or two, and then reflecting with no material in front of me. While in class, I make sure to ask a lot of questions and get the answers early. If I don't understand something, I let it preoccupy me - that way I almost force myself to learn or become obsessed. This makes "crunch time" a lot easier and less stressful. I'm a 90s student but I wouldn't say I'm smarter than my classmates, I just devote more effort to learning I think - something everyone can do.
Try it next time you get the chance - it doesn't need to be with just school (you may get that impression in a bit anyway).
Part 2: Personal Projects
My projects are things I devote some spare time to in order to improve myself overall. I used to be a software developer and although I'm out of that business as a career, it's still very much a hobby. Currently, I'm making a local web page that serves as a scheduling tool that I can set as my home page to help keep me better organized (who doesn't open their browser window at least once a day?). I've taken this opportunity to refresh my HTML knowledge and learn PHP as well as learn to work with MySQL. It's an interesting project that requires lots of research, but the process is fun and teaches me not only the specifics of those tools, but reminds me of the learning process and how I grasp things in general.
I am also working on a game of my own. I've been trying to get it prepared to show a little bit off on this blog, but sadly, time has been scarce the last couple of weeks. I'm using a program called Game Maker and find it very enjoyable. Currently my problems lie with collision detection in the actual engine but what I'm actively working on is a functional menu to help with in game debugging. Once this is done, I'll be able to get back to the game and hopefully whip up something more visually stimulating to show and explain. Again, the learning process is extremely rewarding.
Part 3: Hobby Choice
My passion has always been with video games, but lately I find I'm very drawn to fighters of many types. The quick pick up and play is nice for someone as busy as I am but getting online for some matches can sometimes be troublesome. I'll really play anything but I tend to focus on 2D fighters as a favorite sub genre. What do I really like about them? They push me to grow in a lot of areas. Maybe I face a player who is extremely offensive and I lose - I now know I need to learn to be more defensive and find the openings/mistakes in those rushdown strategies so I can punish/get some hits in. I need to learn to read patterns and predict opponents. I need to learn when I can be the aggressive one. I need to learn to hide my intents and openings. I need to practice a lot in training to get used to situations/combos/move properties/etc. There is literally so much I can gain from playing a fighter that I can transfer into my day to day life.
Of course, one fighter might weight more heavily on fast paced gameplay and making quick (but accurate) judgments, while another might be a little slower focusing on properly reading your opponent and coming up with the right answers to every situation. In this respect, I play a lot of different fighters for the different value each brings to the table. Am I good? Not yet, but I'll keep practicing and someday really shine brightly - showing everyone that hard work, dedication, and focus can help you accomplish a lot.
Interestingly enough, I recently joined Taekwondo for the same reasons. It challenges my body and mind and allows for seemingly infinite growth. It's good for your health, too!
Part 4: Social Life
While I'm not the most fluent conversationalist, I do still open myself to the social customs of our part of the world. Sure, I enjoy the company of others and can really let loose but more often than not, they have something I'd like to learn. How is he so capable of just striking up a conversation with anyone? Why does she always approach problems like that? Does that relationship dynamic really work? Why?
Yes, I want to know what makes them tick - basically so I can incorporate what I feel to be good traits into my own lifestyle and grow into something better. Also, having contacts and a network is very important in the business world. Don't get me wrong, while I befriend those I feel will benefit me - it also works in reverse. I will do my best to be of benefit to those I am a friend of as well. Even trade, right? For this reason, I don't have many close friends, but those I do have, I respect and look after with great vigilance.
Part 5: Family Time
On top of all this, I have 4 great kids and a wonderful wife. Everything I learn and do is in part for them - I will explore the paths, learn what I can, see what works and what doesn't, and then pass that information along. Not to say I sit down and tell them, but I firmly believe in leading by example. I will give my all. I will show them what I believe and why I believe it. I will enrich their lives by teaching them the best ways to approach life in general. I will help them build on their strengths and cover their weaknesses. I do everything I can to show them everything and anything is possible and encourage them to the best of my ability.
My oldest is very keen on "practice makes perfect". That is the concept that she most readily latched onto and that is the concept I most encourage in her. It will get her far and I try to show her that it can apply to things that initially don't seem like they would apply. Of course, teaching her that she needs to find a balance between practice and other aspects of life is a very important lesson for her since she could easily get lost in the thrill of self improvement.
My second oldest seemed to latch on to "Be yourself". She marches to her own beat and is encouraged at every turn. She doesn't care what you think as long as she's happy and enjoying herself. A very spectacular trait and one that will save her a lot of grief. Of course, her lesson comes in that in order to stay happy, you sometimes need to respect the people around you and help them stay happy as well. Working together can often produce much more agreeable results with much less conflict.
My third oldest has an affinity towards "Knowing your opponent". She reads situations very well and gets away with more than she should because of it. You certainly can't discourage that since it will help her climb the social ladder faster than most. The challenge here is teaching her that just because you know something doesn't mean you need to (or should) use it. She also needs to be taught that she needs to find more socially acceptable ways of testing her knowledge of people. If she masters this, she will have strong manipulation skills. It sounds bad, but manipulation is only a tool - it's what you do with it that matters. In that regard, I foresee needing to focus on teaching her strong leadership and responsibility skills as well. That way, she should be able to put that innate skill to excellent use should she choose to.
My youngest is a questioner ... "How does that work?" seems to be his approach. He wants to know why it works, how it works, and what good it'll do for him. Excellent. He'll excel in the use of tools - whether they be physical objects, languages, ideologies, etc he should be able to make sense of them and properly assess how much they're REALLY worth to him. I doubt he'll waste much time on frivolous things when he's older. He'll need to be shown and taught that sometimes you need to think outside the box to really see the true value in something... otherwise he'll miss out on so much and that won't do at all.
Finally, my wife is as pure as they come. Living by "If they're happy, so am I", she does her very best to make everyone as happy as possible. A wonderful trait in a person. She really does make a room shine and keep people feeling comfortable and right at home. Sadly, this trait sometimes comes at the expense of her own happiness and that is unacceptable. I need to teach her and show her that while her trait is a unique and beautiful one, she needs to learn to strike a balance. She puts too much effort into other people and not enough into herself. If she breaks, she will no longer shine on those around her - helping their day to day lives. In that regard, it is important for her to learn the art of efficiency. How can she do as little as possible but get the most out of it? Instead of (for example) baking one special cupcake for each person in the room, maybe she could consider making a batch of cupcakes and put a small special touch on each pertaining to the individual in question. Or make a cake and decorate it in a fashion that gives each individual a special piece that means something to them. Efficiency would really help her accomplish her goals without compromising her personality. I will do all I can to help her succeed.
Part 6: To Conclude
So there you have it... I basically spend my time either trying to improve or helping others improve. I rarely take time to just sit back and relax (ie: watch television... happens about once a month) and I'm always on the go. But that's ok - it's important to tell people what you feel is right, although it's much more effective to show them. Despite being a strong introvert, I make a point to get out there and help others in any way I can without sacrificing too much. Some may say this will cause a person to burn out early, but I'd rather burn as brightly as possible while I can and show everyone that there is always another step you can take.
I hope I've at least inspired one other person to stand a little taller, walk a little further, fight a little longer, or otherwise push a little harder.
~Veysey
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Where is MY MMO fix?
Alright, first off - in light of a certain comment, I've got to apologize for my absence. As an aspiring Business Accountant (student) with 4 children, my time is limited. That doesn't include my various other obligations and the rather nasty winter we've been having here in Atlantic Canada. I have my reasons, but that doesn't excuse the fact that some of you would prefer I updated a little more frequently - or at least be a little more predictable. I'll work on that.
On to what I'd like to talk about - fighting games. Now you're asking "How does that relate to the title?". Let's start off with a little background. I studied as a game designer/programmer and followed up with some education in computer graphics which also revolved around game development. Now I'm studying as a business professional and I'm seeing an opportunity that is only beginning to be tapped. I'm talking about MMO fighters.
I know what you're thinking - we already have online, match making, rankings, arcade scenes, tournaments... all of that is already there and works (seemingly) but from my perspective, this genre hasn't reached its full potential yet. There are so many people itching to get into it but just don't know how. There is a ton of money waiting to be spent on it - yet no one is REALLY taking advantage of it. You have the giants like Capcom who are moving in the right direction - getting outside advice and guidance from experienced players like Seth Killian (very very smart move Capcom, you understand your market very well). They offer periodic updates to their main titles like Street Fighter 4 and focus pretty heavily on the arcade scene followed by the console scene. They obviously are making some sort of profit or we wouldn't be seeing SF4 getting updated and tweaked. Downloadable content gives them a little extra $$ without forcing it down the consumers throat and allows them to continue working on the game.
Now let's take the concept a little further: What if... WHAT IF they treated a fighter like SF4 like an MMO? You pay a small fee to purchase the game and you have access to everything. You can go online, you can fight people, you can rank up, you can do any extra training/grinding that they work into the system - you can do everything... eventually. Now also allow players to pay a small monthly fee which grants them access to new characters and downloadable content for free - and earlier than when it would be available to the non paying members. This means paying members can toy with new balances, characters, costumes, modes, etc earlier than anyone else. Certainly something many people would consider worth the purchase - especially if there is a gap of about a quarter (3 months) between the paying members getting the content and those who can't afford it and/or don't want to pay (or simply can't).
This gives the developers a little more financial breathing room for further balancing the game, adding new characters, developing new modes/content, etc. without needing to release a new game every year or two. It also opens the possibility up to dedicated (and more reliable) servers. More importantly, if the pricing structure is bang on, they may even be able to keep their online interfacing completely up-to-date with the most recent advances in technology. Sure we'd still likely see a completely new engine every so often and "start from scratch" again, but I think the games would last much longer (closer to that of a home consoles lifespan) and that is something I think people wouldn't mind so much.
There is a bit of working to do with the arcade scene, though. Since arcade play is large in certain parts of the world, I'd think that those machines would need to be able to interface with home console versions and vice versa. Balance and character patches getting on the arcades would need to be a must as well. If those systems are in place, cosmetic dlc would be easy enough to incorporate as well. Also, since arcades would also be completely up-to-date at all times, those who prefer the arcade over their home consoles could still use that avenue. Since arcades are most popular in forgien markets, I can't really make an educated guess on the impact this would have on their revenues, but in North America, I don't foresee much of a hit in that area (no real research to back that up though).
There is one glaring problem left - newcomers. The fighting genre is mostly reserved for the most dedicated of gamers since they require constant vigilance in self-improvement. A lot of my local friends falter in this area mostly because of a lack of guidance. We have very good training modes in recent fighters, but they're extremely daunting to a newcomer. We have missions/trials/etc which help you get a good feel for the characters, but those rarely prepare you for actual battle. If the developer used some of the revenue for R&D in these areas, they could help newcomers by making more applicable modes for training purposes. Repetitions is a good example of on way some players train to help get to know their characters. Help these players by giving small rewards for daily training in this area. They could also offer situation specific practice that pertains to the current meta of their level. "Find x ways to punish y character doing z move" and give a small reward on completion. This helps them understand matchups and - through a little trial and error - what will and won't work in those situation. The possibilities are endless.
For the rewards, they don't need to be big, but they do need to be meaningful. Say I get rewarded for completing X number of training days in a month and they let me try out a new costume for the remainder of the month. Or even a small discount on my next months fee. Paid for practice? Bring up the skill level of the community? Sounds good to me.
I think you get the idea and obviously it goes much MUCH deeper than this. It's just a general concept that I've always wondered why it wasn't pursued. With micro-transactions becoming more and more popular - why not take advantage of it? With the right model, the company could make a huge profit, players get a continually up-to-date fighter, the general skill and knowledge in the genre increases, potentially more solid connections, and overall - I don't think many people would be upset considering what they would get out of it. Either way, even if my approach isn't bang on, I think there is some serious potential in this area. Someone get on it and make some money!
'Till next time
~Veysey
On to what I'd like to talk about - fighting games. Now you're asking "How does that relate to the title?". Let's start off with a little background. I studied as a game designer/programmer and followed up with some education in computer graphics which also revolved around game development. Now I'm studying as a business professional and I'm seeing an opportunity that is only beginning to be tapped. I'm talking about MMO fighters.
I know what you're thinking - we already have online, match making, rankings, arcade scenes, tournaments... all of that is already there and works (seemingly) but from my perspective, this genre hasn't reached its full potential yet. There are so many people itching to get into it but just don't know how. There is a ton of money waiting to be spent on it - yet no one is REALLY taking advantage of it. You have the giants like Capcom who are moving in the right direction - getting outside advice and guidance from experienced players like Seth Killian (very very smart move Capcom, you understand your market very well). They offer periodic updates to their main titles like Street Fighter 4 and focus pretty heavily on the arcade scene followed by the console scene. They obviously are making some sort of profit or we wouldn't be seeing SF4 getting updated and tweaked. Downloadable content gives them a little extra $$ without forcing it down the consumers throat and allows them to continue working on the game.
Now let's take the concept a little further: What if... WHAT IF they treated a fighter like SF4 like an MMO? You pay a small fee to purchase the game and you have access to everything. You can go online, you can fight people, you can rank up, you can do any extra training/grinding that they work into the system - you can do everything... eventually. Now also allow players to pay a small monthly fee which grants them access to new characters and downloadable content for free - and earlier than when it would be available to the non paying members. This means paying members can toy with new balances, characters, costumes, modes, etc earlier than anyone else. Certainly something many people would consider worth the purchase - especially if there is a gap of about a quarter (3 months) between the paying members getting the content and those who can't afford it and/or don't want to pay (or simply can't).
This gives the developers a little more financial breathing room for further balancing the game, adding new characters, developing new modes/content, etc. without needing to release a new game every year or two. It also opens the possibility up to dedicated (and more reliable) servers. More importantly, if the pricing structure is bang on, they may even be able to keep their online interfacing completely up-to-date with the most recent advances in technology. Sure we'd still likely see a completely new engine every so often and "start from scratch" again, but I think the games would last much longer (closer to that of a home consoles lifespan) and that is something I think people wouldn't mind so much.
There is a bit of working to do with the arcade scene, though. Since arcade play is large in certain parts of the world, I'd think that those machines would need to be able to interface with home console versions and vice versa. Balance and character patches getting on the arcades would need to be a must as well. If those systems are in place, cosmetic dlc would be easy enough to incorporate as well. Also, since arcades would also be completely up-to-date at all times, those who prefer the arcade over their home consoles could still use that avenue. Since arcades are most popular in forgien markets, I can't really make an educated guess on the impact this would have on their revenues, but in North America, I don't foresee much of a hit in that area (no real research to back that up though).
There is one glaring problem left - newcomers. The fighting genre is mostly reserved for the most dedicated of gamers since they require constant vigilance in self-improvement. A lot of my local friends falter in this area mostly because of a lack of guidance. We have very good training modes in recent fighters, but they're extremely daunting to a newcomer. We have missions/trials/etc which help you get a good feel for the characters, but those rarely prepare you for actual battle. If the developer used some of the revenue for R&D in these areas, they could help newcomers by making more applicable modes for training purposes. Repetitions is a good example of on way some players train to help get to know their characters. Help these players by giving small rewards for daily training in this area. They could also offer situation specific practice that pertains to the current meta of their level. "Find x ways to punish y character doing z move" and give a small reward on completion. This helps them understand matchups and - through a little trial and error - what will and won't work in those situation. The possibilities are endless.
For the rewards, they don't need to be big, but they do need to be meaningful. Say I get rewarded for completing X number of training days in a month and they let me try out a new costume for the remainder of the month. Or even a small discount on my next months fee. Paid for practice? Bring up the skill level of the community? Sounds good to me.
I think you get the idea and obviously it goes much MUCH deeper than this. It's just a general concept that I've always wondered why it wasn't pursued. With micro-transactions becoming more and more popular - why not take advantage of it? With the right model, the company could make a huge profit, players get a continually up-to-date fighter, the general skill and knowledge in the genre increases, potentially more solid connections, and overall - I don't think many people would be upset considering what they would get out of it. Either way, even if my approach isn't bang on, I think there is some serious potential in this area. Someone get on it and make some money!
'Till next time
~Veysey
Friday, February 4, 2011
Push harder
No, really - Push. Harder.
I know you can.
I know you're procrastinating.
I know you're holding back.
I also know you're scared of what it means.
Don't be worried. Let it go. The body and mind can handle more than you give it credit.
Remember that time when you got the best mark in your class? Or when your parents/friends/teachers commended you on a job well done? When you graduated and finally accomplished what you had waited years for? How about when you made that awesome shot in sports? Or when you schooled your online friends at Halo or Street Fighter? That moment that YOU were the best - that YOU were the one in the limelight. That time that YOU succeeded due to your own merits - the time YOU accomplished a goal that YOU set.
Remember the moment and remember how you felt. Remember how great it was - how relieving it was. How happy and proud you were with yourself.
That good feeling you're having? It's called confidence. Do not forget it. That feeling will give you anything you want. Anything you truly feel you need. The biggest hurdle you have to overcome is your own mental barriers. Maybe you want to be the worlds best Soccer/Football player, or you want to change how you think on a day to day basis. Maybe you even want to change how you hold yourself or how you speak/sound. They all can be accomplished and it doesn't matter who you are.
Use the positive feelings I tried to help you re-experience to your advantage. Those feelings will give you the energy you need to push forward. You need to learn to invoke those feelings on command (usually through memory). If you are practicing hard at Soccer/Football and become fatigued, use those feelings to give you an extra "boost". It works with anything... when you notice the feeling is gone, do what you can to get it back - use it as a trigger to remember you were supposed to be practicing/doing/learning something.More importantly - use it to give you the energy you need to push harder - to push further than anyone else.
Now that you know one way to summon those feelings, seek out more. Find a wealth of ways to motivate yourself and give yourself confidence. Change the way you think - change the way you see yourself. I don't care what you look like. I don't care what disability you have. I don't care what others have said to you - you CAN do it! You can overcome anything - ANYTHING. You can do anything - ANYTHING. Step forward and show the world the wonders you can accomplish.
---
I've used this technique all my life and I've learned to apply it in many different circumstances. It's helped me excel at video games, school, personal interactions, overcoming fears, learning new skills ... it's gotten to the point that there is very little I feel I cannot do. What's more is it's like a snowball - it starts small, but as you develop the skill, it gets bigger and more sturdy. It eventually becomes part of you and you'll be better for it. You'll become everything you ever wanted... and more.
You can do it too and I would love it if you stood beside me.
~Veysey
I know you can.
I know you're procrastinating.
I know you're holding back.
I also know you're scared of what it means.
Don't be worried. Let it go. The body and mind can handle more than you give it credit.
Remember that time when you got the best mark in your class? Or when your parents/friends/teachers commended you on a job well done? When you graduated and finally accomplished what you had waited years for? How about when you made that awesome shot in sports? Or when you schooled your online friends at Halo or Street Fighter? That moment that YOU were the best - that YOU were the one in the limelight. That time that YOU succeeded due to your own merits - the time YOU accomplished a goal that YOU set.
Remember the moment and remember how you felt. Remember how great it was - how relieving it was. How happy and proud you were with yourself.
That good feeling you're having? It's called confidence. Do not forget it. That feeling will give you anything you want. Anything you truly feel you need. The biggest hurdle you have to overcome is your own mental barriers. Maybe you want to be the worlds best Soccer/Football player, or you want to change how you think on a day to day basis. Maybe you even want to change how you hold yourself or how you speak/sound. They all can be accomplished and it doesn't matter who you are.
Use the positive feelings I tried to help you re-experience to your advantage. Those feelings will give you the energy you need to push forward. You need to learn to invoke those feelings on command (usually through memory). If you are practicing hard at Soccer/Football and become fatigued, use those feelings to give you an extra "boost". It works with anything... when you notice the feeling is gone, do what you can to get it back - use it as a trigger to remember you were supposed to be practicing/doing/learning something.More importantly - use it to give you the energy you need to push harder - to push further than anyone else.
Now that you know one way to summon those feelings, seek out more. Find a wealth of ways to motivate yourself and give yourself confidence. Change the way you think - change the way you see yourself. I don't care what you look like. I don't care what disability you have. I don't care what others have said to you - you CAN do it! You can overcome anything - ANYTHING. You can do anything - ANYTHING. Step forward and show the world the wonders you can accomplish.
---
I've used this technique all my life and I've learned to apply it in many different circumstances. It's helped me excel at video games, school, personal interactions, overcoming fears, learning new skills ... it's gotten to the point that there is very little I feel I cannot do. What's more is it's like a snowball - it starts small, but as you develop the skill, it gets bigger and more sturdy. It eventually becomes part of you and you'll be better for it. You'll become everything you ever wanted... and more.
You can do it too and I would love it if you stood beside me.
~Veysey
Monday, January 31, 2011
Dissidia Duodecim Final Fantasy : Prologus
As some of you may know, the new Dissidia Final Fantasy - Dissidia Duodecim Final Fantasy (DDFF) will soon be released but for those who follow a little more in depth also know that the Japanese demo is out on their PSN marketplace for a little more than $3. North America and Europe should be getting a demo on their respective market places at some point but for now, I've got my hands on the Japanese version and would like to throw out some opinions about the core system changes from Dissidia to Duodecim.
Assist System
The assist system is brand new to the DFF series and tries to address the issue of some characters having a hard time landing brave or HP attacks. It works really well and they play a big role in the gameplay. It's definitely something you'll need to adapt to because not using them will handicap you severely and not learning to deal with them properly will allow for your opponent to score big combos.
Some characters like Jecht (my personal main) are able to score three consecutive HP hits thanks to the assist system and how it works with his personal moveset. Other characters might rely on assists for long, damaging combos to score breaks (and the brave pool). Almost everyone can set "traps" with their assists which range from punishing dodges to forcing the opponent to choose between getting hit by your HP attack or your assists HP attack. Characters like Cecil should have an easier time with their brave game and characters like Squall should be able to grab those hard-to-find HP opportunities a little easier.
Building assist is usually done simply by using attacks BUT if you're low on HP or very low on brave and score a counter hit, you'll get something called "Assist Charge". Depending on how much risk you took to land that counter attack (ex: very low HP) you could fill up your entire Assist gauge or half of the gauge. It puts a lot of risk and reward into the game and leaves players with more questions like "Will he really take that chance?". I think this system will provide for a much richer Player versus Player (PvP) experience.
EX System
A lot about EX has been changed. For one, a lot of moves no longer produce a lot of EX force and the player needs to be more mindful of what moves create a lot of EX force for them and what doesn't and use those moves accordingly. Thanks to less EX force in general, EX cores don't usually have a lot of EX to offer when someone gets to them unless they are left to build up.
EX Countering/Splicing/etc has been completely removed. Now, if you use your EX mode while being hit or while suffering from hitstun/knockback you'll enter something called EX Revenge. You expend your entire EX Bar for ~5 seconds of free attacks. Some characters like Garland can really use this to their advantage to do some serious damage while other characters like Jecht might want to use their EX mode instead (situational dependent obviously).
If you DON'T use EX Revenge, you'll enter EX mode just like in the original Dissidia and have ~22 seconds of time to play with your added abilities and possibly score an HP hit and burst (again, just like Dissidia).
Assists and EX are opposites
The two were designed to be opposite of each other to help balance the game out. In practice, it works really well. If a player enters EX mode, the opponents Assist gauge drops to 0 BUT if the opposing player hits the EX moded character with an Assist attack, they'll score an EX Break. This kicks the player out of EX mode and gives the other player the brave pool. If the EX mode player can predict and counter the assist, they score an Assist Break which seals off the Assist gauge for the opponent and gives the EX moded player the brave pool.
As you can see, there isn't a "safe" tactic or strategy, it's more up to the player to decide which approach they'll be more comfortable with and what they can more readily deal with.
Extra
Obviously a lot of characters have seen a lot of changes ranging from something small like the ending lag on a move being reduced to having complete game changing overhauls. I won't cover them all because there is a lot but know that all characters have changed in at least some way.
Some of the core system mechanics have been tweaked a bit as well. For example, now you get severely punished for wiffing a block. If the opponent guard crushes or punishes the block cooldown, they score a 100% critical rate. Riposte no longer scores 100% criticals and criticals themselves have been reduced from x5 damage to x1.85. Brave pools seem significantly more balanced and players can't easily rely on one or two breaks for a win now.
---
There have been a lot of changes made and the game is a lot more solid this time around. We're also looking at quite a few new characters:
- Kain (FFIV)
- Gilgamesh (FFV)
- Tifa (FFVII)
- Laguna (FFVIII)
- Yuna (FFX)
- Prishe (FFXI)
- Vaan (FFXII)
- Lightning (FFXIII)
I can't possibly cover everything, but just know that the game is completely different and plays a lot better this time around. I highly encourage everyone interested to grab the demo when it comes out in their areas since you can unlock items that carry over to the final game and (at least for the Japanese demo) you'll unlock and exclusive Aerith Assist in the final game as well. If you want more in depth information, the following sites are fairly well maintained and have a lot of good information floating around:
http://dissidiaforums.com
http://www.counterburst.com/forum.php
Finally, here are a few gameplay videos of hard arcade mode with Jecht for those interested:
Fights 1-5
Fights 6-10
Fights 11-15
Fights 16-20
Fights 21-25
Fights 26-30
That's all for now
~Veysey
Assist System
The assist system is brand new to the DFF series and tries to address the issue of some characters having a hard time landing brave or HP attacks. It works really well and they play a big role in the gameplay. It's definitely something you'll need to adapt to because not using them will handicap you severely and not learning to deal with them properly will allow for your opponent to score big combos.
Some characters like Jecht (my personal main) are able to score three consecutive HP hits thanks to the assist system and how it works with his personal moveset. Other characters might rely on assists for long, damaging combos to score breaks (and the brave pool). Almost everyone can set "traps" with their assists which range from punishing dodges to forcing the opponent to choose between getting hit by your HP attack or your assists HP attack. Characters like Cecil should have an easier time with their brave game and characters like Squall should be able to grab those hard-to-find HP opportunities a little easier.
Building assist is usually done simply by using attacks BUT if you're low on HP or very low on brave and score a counter hit, you'll get something called "Assist Charge". Depending on how much risk you took to land that counter attack (ex: very low HP) you could fill up your entire Assist gauge or half of the gauge. It puts a lot of risk and reward into the game and leaves players with more questions like "Will he really take that chance?". I think this system will provide for a much richer Player versus Player (PvP) experience.
EX System
A lot about EX has been changed. For one, a lot of moves no longer produce a lot of EX force and the player needs to be more mindful of what moves create a lot of EX force for them and what doesn't and use those moves accordingly. Thanks to less EX force in general, EX cores don't usually have a lot of EX to offer when someone gets to them unless they are left to build up.
EX Countering/Splicing/etc has been completely removed. Now, if you use your EX mode while being hit or while suffering from hitstun/knockback you'll enter something called EX Revenge. You expend your entire EX Bar for ~5 seconds of free attacks. Some characters like Garland can really use this to their advantage to do some serious damage while other characters like Jecht might want to use their EX mode instead (situational dependent obviously).
If you DON'T use EX Revenge, you'll enter EX mode just like in the original Dissidia and have ~22 seconds of time to play with your added abilities and possibly score an HP hit and burst (again, just like Dissidia).
Assists and EX are opposites
The two were designed to be opposite of each other to help balance the game out. In practice, it works really well. If a player enters EX mode, the opponents Assist gauge drops to 0 BUT if the opposing player hits the EX moded character with an Assist attack, they'll score an EX Break. This kicks the player out of EX mode and gives the other player the brave pool. If the EX mode player can predict and counter the assist, they score an Assist Break which seals off the Assist gauge for the opponent and gives the EX moded player the brave pool.
As you can see, there isn't a "safe" tactic or strategy, it's more up to the player to decide which approach they'll be more comfortable with and what they can more readily deal with.
Extra
Obviously a lot of characters have seen a lot of changes ranging from something small like the ending lag on a move being reduced to having complete game changing overhauls. I won't cover them all because there is a lot but know that all characters have changed in at least some way.
Some of the core system mechanics have been tweaked a bit as well. For example, now you get severely punished for wiffing a block. If the opponent guard crushes or punishes the block cooldown, they score a 100% critical rate. Riposte no longer scores 100% criticals and criticals themselves have been reduced from x5 damage to x1.85. Brave pools seem significantly more balanced and players can't easily rely on one or two breaks for a win now.
---
There have been a lot of changes made and the game is a lot more solid this time around. We're also looking at quite a few new characters:
- Kain (FFIV)
- Gilgamesh (FFV)
- Tifa (FFVII)
- Laguna (FFVIII)
- Yuna (FFX)
- Prishe (FFXI)
- Vaan (FFXII)
- Lightning (FFXIII)
I can't possibly cover everything, but just know that the game is completely different and plays a lot better this time around. I highly encourage everyone interested to grab the demo when it comes out in their areas since you can unlock items that carry over to the final game and (at least for the Japanese demo) you'll unlock and exclusive Aerith Assist in the final game as well. If you want more in depth information, the following sites are fairly well maintained and have a lot of good information floating around:
http://dissidiaforums.com
http://www.counterburst.com/forum.php
Finally, here are a few gameplay videos of hard arcade mode with Jecht for those interested:
Fights 1-5
Fights 6-10
Fights 11-15
Fights 16-20
Fights 21-25
Fights 26-30
That's all for now
~Veysey
Monday, January 24, 2011
Introductions and other things
Well, I'm not really good at these sort of things and i don't really care to waste people's time with the unimportant, so lets get right down to it.
I'm Veysey and I've been inspired/encouraged to start a blog as a sort or journal/area to jot down my thoughts and help keep track of things. My wife believes I have a lot to share and contribute (which is good, because if not, I'd not have bothered). What will I be sharing? Well, the areas I will likely talk about are the following:
So I guess you're going to need a bit more of an explanation I'm sure. OK, regarding competition, I very much enjoy the growth to both myself and those I'm involved with when I complete. I absolutely love the thrill of battle and analyzing how and why things flow the way they do. More than that, I adore being able to help my opponent with any issues they might be having. I believe competition is a very positive thing. Yes, someone has to win and someone has to lose BUT the winner learns that their answers were right and the loser learns that theirs were wrong. It's a very positive learning experience.
For games - I dabble a bit in game development. Currently I'm messing around with a program called Game Maker which is fairly enjoyable for someone like me who doesn't have much free time. I "grew up" on C++ and did a little bit of homebrew XBOX/PS2/GCN/GBA development before leaving the industry for a while. Now it's back as a hobby. I also play games a lot and tend to focus on speedrunning in single player games. For two player games, I tend to focus on fighters or fighter variants. Currently I'm playing Super Street Fighter 4 and Dissidia Final Fantasy.
Personal growth tends to come from challenging myself and my hobbies help me in that area. A lot of people I know have seemed to become stagnant as they've become older so I need to try all the harder and lead by example. I'll hopefully have a lot of insight to share here since I think my preliminary thoughts can really help people get a head start and hopefully readers can help propel me forward as well through comments and encouragement.
Of course we all have those days where a situation (or series of) presents itself and it provides an amazing lesson or some form of entertainment for outsiders. I'll be more than willing to share these and spill out my thoughts on the matter.
Finally, I keep myself very busy with various projects. I mentioned I'm toying with game development right now, I'm attending Taekwondo, I participate in gaming tournaments, I have 4 children and a wife, I'm back in school taking Business Accounting, and in all these areas I'm doing my best to help those around me. So don't be surprised if some of that spills over to here.
To finish off this long initial post (get used to it, I'll almost always have a lot to say), I just want to say thanks for stopping by and checking things out. I'll try to spice up the next post with something interesting. It will likely be gaming related since that's been my focus the last couple of days.
~Veysey
I'm Veysey and I've been inspired/encouraged to start a blog as a sort or journal/area to jot down my thoughts and help keep track of things. My wife believes I have a lot to share and contribute (which is good, because if not, I'd not have bothered). What will I be sharing? Well, the areas I will likely talk about are the following:
- Competition and things surrounding that
- Games from a development and/or consumer point of view
- Advancements in my personal growth and how I got there
- Interesting happenings that I feel can entertain and/or help others
- Guides/Notes/Insight into any of my various projects
So I guess you're going to need a bit more of an explanation I'm sure. OK, regarding competition, I very much enjoy the growth to both myself and those I'm involved with when I complete. I absolutely love the thrill of battle and analyzing how and why things flow the way they do. More than that, I adore being able to help my opponent with any issues they might be having. I believe competition is a very positive thing. Yes, someone has to win and someone has to lose BUT the winner learns that their answers were right and the loser learns that theirs were wrong. It's a very positive learning experience.
For games - I dabble a bit in game development. Currently I'm messing around with a program called Game Maker which is fairly enjoyable for someone like me who doesn't have much free time. I "grew up" on C++ and did a little bit of homebrew XBOX/PS2/GCN/GBA development before leaving the industry for a while. Now it's back as a hobby. I also play games a lot and tend to focus on speedrunning in single player games. For two player games, I tend to focus on fighters or fighter variants. Currently I'm playing Super Street Fighter 4 and Dissidia Final Fantasy.
Personal growth tends to come from challenging myself and my hobbies help me in that area. A lot of people I know have seemed to become stagnant as they've become older so I need to try all the harder and lead by example. I'll hopefully have a lot of insight to share here since I think my preliminary thoughts can really help people get a head start and hopefully readers can help propel me forward as well through comments and encouragement.
Of course we all have those days where a situation (or series of) presents itself and it provides an amazing lesson or some form of entertainment for outsiders. I'll be more than willing to share these and spill out my thoughts on the matter.
Finally, I keep myself very busy with various projects. I mentioned I'm toying with game development right now, I'm attending Taekwondo, I participate in gaming tournaments, I have 4 children and a wife, I'm back in school taking Business Accounting, and in all these areas I'm doing my best to help those around me. So don't be surprised if some of that spills over to here.
To finish off this long initial post (get used to it, I'll almost always have a lot to say), I just want to say thanks for stopping by and checking things out. I'll try to spice up the next post with something interesting. It will likely be gaming related since that's been my focus the last couple of days.
~Veysey
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