Nintendo 3DS: First Impressions

Depth perception and I have never been on the best of terms. I can't parallel park to save my life, baseball was always an exercise in blind luck, and to this day, I have yet to see the stupid sailboat in those magic eye paintings. Despite my considerable z-axis shortcomings, I was still pretty excited to try out the new Nintendo 3DS. Regardless of the actual effect, it's still a new Nintendo handheld and that's more than enough for me to rush home today to scoop the package off my doorstep. Unfortunately, I had convinced myself the system was coming out about 2 days later than it actually did, so I neglected to get around to ordering one of those nifty game cartridge things to play in it, so for now, we're just going to take a look at the system itself.

First of all, the thing is about what you'd expect from something with the DS title. It's just a little bit larger than the DSLite, but not as much as you may have heard. It took me a few good stare downs to see the difference, but then again, I'm not a very good judge of distance. The system sports the same clamshell style we've seen since the GBA SP and opens to a nice, widescreen display. Buttons have a nice springy click to them all around, including the shoulder buttons which have always been a bit spongy. The new analog nub feels terrific, though I currently don't have any games to verify this against.

The UI has a nice modern feel, though I find it oddly reliant on the Home button despite having used Apple's iOS for several years now. The system comes with a few games to test out, both of which rely on a terribly low resolution camera for some simple, alternate reality fun. Face Raiders has you taking blurry pictures of your friends to shoot in floating heads that smash through the video for you to swing around and shoot for some mindless, unsettling fun. The other AR Game, succinctly titled AR Games, has you put a card on the table that turns into a box of targets to shoot. I actually found this to be pretty fantastic and would have played it for hours had it not turned out to be a single 60 sec level. In both cases though, I'll be happy to ditch the grainy, Sega CD style background of my home for some nice, colorful polygons.

Now that I've wasted a good amount of time talking about all the things no one cares about, lets get to what actually matters. The 3D effect is nice, and while I don't suspect I notice it as well as others I can tell the difference between when its on and when its off. There's clearly an optimal range of where you can really see it that will take a little practice to adjust to naturally. Luckily, being a handheld it's rather easy adjust the screen to the proper angle. It seems though, that the Dual Screen nature of the DS actually hinders this somewhat, as peaking down at the lower screen regularly will throw you off. Overall though, it seems to work and will ultimately be up to the games to determine if its a solid innovation or a gimmick, and whether or not the 3D slider is toggled on or off.

For now though, I'm ready to leave it on and give this whole third dimension a try. In the worst case scenario, it's another solid, Nintendo portable device capable of sporting some notably improved visuals over its predecessor. The potential is there, just waiting for developers to unlock it. Hopefully, like the DS before it, they can once again far surpass our expectations.

Warmachine: Heavy Metal

So... not a lot of games lately, which has given me a critical case of writer's block. Partially that's just the post Christmas doldrums, though I have a few I just haven't yet gotten to. Mainly however, I recently lost all of my time and sanity by deciding to try painting up some really nice figures from one of those finicky hobby games. After perusing Games-Workshop's 40k universe for a bit, I found a set of figures I really liked from Privateer Press, the makers of Monsterpocalypse and decided to start up an army for Warmachine. Unfortunately, there's not really much of a hobby gaming scene in my area, so I'm probably far more interested in displaying figures than playing them, but luckily I have a friend with a few figures from the compatible sister game Hordes to run against occasionally.

I've only played a single game thus far using the proxy, print and play rules found on the Privateer Press Website, but I thought a little introduction to the game was in order before introducing the figures I've been working on. Warmachine takes place in a fantasy universe with a heavy steampunk influence. You control a Warcaster, who's a sort of super powerful battle mage who casts spells and most importantly, can control giant mechanical men known as Warjacks. The Warcaster is really the heart and sole of the game, as they are given a limited number of focus points each turn to cast spells, buff their army, or direct their 'jacks to their maximum potential. The degree in which a warcaster affects gameplay is particularly impressive, and one of the most enticing aspects of the game is the fact that simply switching out this single figure will completely change how the rest of your army plays.

Players take turns moving their figures, using special abilities, and attacking. The game is one of those bizarre, tape measure based games where movement and attacks are all literally handled in inches. Historically, this has been a huge turn off for me, but I found one aspect of it in Warmachine I particularly enjoy. Namely, whenever you wish to attack a figure, you have to declare your target before doing any measurements. This really encourages an aggressive playstyle as trying to stick to the edge of your range can often lead to completely wasted shots. There's a bit of uncertainty and judgement that really couldn't be captured through other means. You have to be absolutely certain before charging into combat or you may find your blades swinging in the air inches away from their targets, who will be all to happy to counterattack the next turn.

The goal of the game is to destroy the opposing Warcaster. No matter how well you're doing, you lose if your opponent captures your "king". Warcasters have a limited range in which they can use focus to boost their troops, however, so having them hang back where its safe generally isn't an option. Each warcaster also has a "Feat" which serves as a once per game super move, capable of deciding the match if timed correctly. Our first game ended with my caster seeing an opening, and rather than support her troops, simply used all of her focus to boost herself and take my friend's warcaster in a single assault.

I don't have nearly the experience with the game to comment on how it plays beyond the small array of figures available in the starter kits, but after a look through the complete rules, it appears to be a well thought out, highly engaging game. The rulebook itself clocks in at a massive 255 pages, though to be fair this mostly consists of backstory, fluff, artwork, and advice for painting the figures. However, the real rules still make up 67 pages, dwarfing my previous complaints about the Monsterpocalypse rules. Some of this appears to be an attempt to make the game nearly impossible to rules lawyer, leading to some long winded explanations of extremely simple concepts. Much like Privateer's other game, most of it plays far better than it reads, and there appear to be few instances where the rules appear disconnected from expectations.

Overall, I'm extremely impressed with what Privateer Press has put together; I'm simply disappointed that there isn't the kind of community required for me to get as much out of this game as I'd like. Certainly, its important to remember the "hobby" part of hobby gaming and that much of the draw is bringing color and life to the figures, crafting your own toys, as it were to play. The flip side, of course, is that it requires an intimidating amount of effort to get into. Its a terrible shame the bar for entry to the game is so high, as it would otherwise be an extremely easy recommendation. Heroscape remains one of the best introductions to miniature combat available, but for those willing to give the terrors of painting and rulers a try, I don't think there's a better place to start.

Pardon the Interruption

Sadly, I haven't gotten in a whole lot of gaming in the last week and have fallen a bit behind on my updates. I'll be taking a break this week and get back to my regular schedule on Monday.

Artistic License: Miniature Painting

There are certain aspects of gaming I swore I'd never get into. Miniature games were one line in the sand and upon failing that, I set up my next barricade at painting the little figures myself. Recently, that dam broke as well and surprisingly, I found myself pretty pleased with the results. I am by no means an expert painter with just around 4 months of experience under my belt, but I thought I'd put together a little guide for anyone out there who'd like to give it a try. There are far more talented painters out there and far more advanced techniques, but if you've mostly avoided painting because you don't think you'd be happy with the results (guilty), this is a pretty easy way to get in some practice.

1. Pick your Figures

No one wants to ruin a $50 pewter statue trying to learn to paint. If possible, get started with a game that gives you something safe to practice with. Memoir '44 has some barbed wire and sandbags that are quite safe, though painting the dozens of little soldiers is a daunting task I haven't bothered with myself. Personally, I went with the zombies from Last Night on Earth. You really can't go wrong with zombies. No matter, how mangled, mutilated, or paint splattered they turn out, they still look like zombies.

2. Apply Primer

You may wish to wash off the figures before this step, as it removes gunk that can make it hard for the paint to stick. I try to remember to do this myself, but I've forgotten enough times to know its not the most important step in the process. The main thing is getting a coat of primer down to help your paints stick to the figure. I use the Formula P3 from Privateer Press, as that was what a friend suggested and it hasn't let me down yet. I can't say I've got anything to compare it to. Black is generally the best way to start; it hides mistakes very well, is very easy to see where it's missing when sprayed, and provides some natural shading. Simply put your figures in a box, hold the can about a foot and a half away and spray a nice, thin, even coat across the whole thing. You'll probably have to do this a few times and rotate the figure. Priming can take a while, but its generally very important you get the figure well covered. Let the figure dry overnight and you're ready for the next step.

3. Paint the Figure

Here's the bulk of the work and easily the most satisfying part of the process. Use acrylic paints and paint the figure whatever colors you prefer. They don't have to be particularly fancy paints; mine come from the local Hobby Lobby, but you'll want to get a nice, fine tipped brush and try to keep the tip in good shape. Generally I go over the large areas with a larger brush quickly to make sure I like the color scheme, the return with a much smaller tip and hit the details. The main thing to realize here is that painting figures is more like a coloring book than a canvas. You're filling in existing lines with colors, not drawing from scratch. It's mostly a matter of patience; simply looking things over and applying additional paint where you find a spot you missed. Once you're happy with the figure, give it another night to dry, then its time to cheat.

4. Go for a Dip

I'm sure professional painters and people far more talented than me just cringed at that bullet, but I can't stress how much this helps make your earliest figures look significantly better. Go to your local hardware store and get a can of wood stain. I use MinWax Polyshades Antique Walnut. Dip your figure in this stuff (or apply the stain with a large brush) and then remove any excess stain as best you can. Some people shake them inside a box; personally, I drop the figure into a paper towel and dab around the edges to remove the extras. The purpose of this is twofold. One, the polyurethane creates a protective layer that will keep the paint from rubbing off the figure. Two, the stain will act like an ink or a wash, seeping into the cracks of the figure and creating nice, dark lines to really make the details on the figure stand out. Your figures will be rather sticky after coated with this stain, however and must be left to dry for quite a while. I can take 3-4 days before that feeling goes away, so find a nice spot to let them sit for a while. You won't want to continue until they lose that tacky texture.

5. Seal the Figure

We're almost done now. Just one final step. Find a clear coat spray and apply it to the figure in a very similar fashion as the primer. For things I'd like a little duller like ruins or zombies I use a matte spray. For things I'd like to keep a bit of a shine like heroes or machines, I use a simply clear coat spray. As I said, this is similar to the primer step. Place the figure in a box and coat it a couple times with a nice, thin, even spray. I tend to be a little more cautious here, as the stain will also provide a bit of protection. Give this last coat time to dry and its time for the single most important step.

6. Time to Play!

That's it! Now you're free to throw these guys on the table and play. Plastic minis are generally quite resistant to chipping and damage, so there's no need to treat them as display only pieces. Even a bit of work goes a long way to bringing character and life to game and helping it pop on the table. Hopefully, if you've never thought you could paint figures before, this little guide will help you get started. Feel free to shoot me a message if you have any questions. To all the enormously talented folk out there, I welcome critiques and advice. I'll be posting more of my work in the future as well. Thanks for reading!

Super Meat Boy: A Choice Cut

Super Meat Boy is the kind of game that hides nothing up its sleeves. Within minutes of pressing start, the game hurls itself at you with its 8-bit tale of a beefy young hero out to save his bandaged princess from the terrible Dr. Fetus. Within a few levels, the game will splatter your raw platforming skills against all manner of whirling blades and pounding mallets, never once relenting, simply demanding you try again and again until you get things right. At this point you know whether or not this is the game for you; whether to dive in for more punishment or pack up for safer passage.

Team Meat has put together a platformer that hearkens back to the days of Nintendo hard, regularly injecting cutscenes with bits of NES nostalgia, while still bringing a good amount of modern conveniences to the table. The first thing to know, is that you will die. Super Meat Boy will throw a kitchen full of sharp objects your way every level and you can expect to fail dozens of times before reaching the end of any particular challenge. Luckily, the game doesn't give you time to dwell upon your defeat, respawning your little ground giblet back at the start for you to instantly give it another go. If you're the kind of gamer who demands retribution when struck down, Super Meat Boy is all too eager to throw you back into the grinder.

Unfortunately, while the controls are pixel perfect, there are still moments where the mooshy D-pad of the 360 get in the way. I'm a huge fan of Microsoft's successor to the coconut cracker, but 2D gaming requires a level of precision it just can't provide. Fortunately, the game has plenty of methods to kill you on its own, so the ratio of controller related deaths doesn't weigh too heavily over the game's own love of player punishment. If I have any complaints over the game itself, its that many of its more advanced features like the Dark World are all thrown at the player in the first few levels while the player is still trying to get a feel for the game. The feeling that you must play through these alternate challenges to advance can really drag the initial pacing down, where had they been saved for after the credits, they would have provided more incentive to hunt down every last secret.

Overall, Super Meat Boy is an uncompromising love letter to another era of platformers. It's the kind of game that throws you to the ground over and over, taunting you to face it once more. If you long for the days when a cackling villain would dare you to continue, then Super Meat Boy is probably just the kind of game you're looking for.

Small World: Please, No Singing

It's always nice to have options in a board game collection. Big, meaty games can be a lot of fun and extremely satisfying, but just as often you're not quite hungry enough to finish the whole thing, and trying to reheat the leftovers later is never quite as good. I start with the food analogy because if asked how I'd describe Small World by Days of Wonder, I'd have to say its about the perfect gaming salad. It's light, accessible, and made of little bits of wonderful things from other games. It's also the kind of game best brought to a party when you just don't know what kind of games people like. More often than not, there's something in there they'll enjoy.

Small World is an area control game that tracks the rise and fall of kingdoms composed of a myriad of creatures from European folklore. At the start of the game 6 races will be dealt out and randomly paired with a special power to creature a civilization with a unique set of mechanics. Often times you'll find bizarre and hilarious combinations like Peace Loving Orcs or the mule crushing Mounted Giants. Each player takes a turn picking a race and using tokens to take over as much land as possible, with multiple game boards assuring that no matter how many players you have, the world will be a little too small for everyone. As one race gains dominance over the board, others will go into decline, allowing players to take a fresh race to try and take control. At the end of your turn, you receive coins for each land you control, and after a set number of turns, the player with the most coins wins.

Where Small World really excels is in providing a quick, light hearted game that can appeal to quite a few different types of gamers. It's a game of varied powers and combat, but with mechanics that can be carefully weighed and calculated. You can crunch numbers and look for optimal moves all game, or you can simply pick a spot on the board and expand down the path of least resistance. Out of the box, the game provides a good amount of variety to remain fresh, but over the long term, its a game that really needs its expansions to shine. The expansion races and powers bump up the number of races you won't see each game considerably and generally encourage a lot more conflict, making the game significantly less predictable. Without the expansions, a 5 player game can often see every race, every game, which leads to very little variety once you've got the hang of it.

Small World does a lot of things well. It's bright and colorful with some really charming art design and entertaining mechanics; it provides a quick, 45 minute game of conquest that scales well across a number of different players; and it manages to create a game with just a little bit of something everyone can enjoy. If you're looking to introduce new players to modern games or just need something for when no one can quite agree on what to play, look no further. Small World proves to be exactly what it claims. A tiny version of the world of modern board games, simplified and mixed into its own blend of flavors. It might not be quite as satisfying as a dedicated offering, but its perfect when all you need is a little taste.