Be a Better Hero: Sharing is Caring! Gunnner, Soldier, and Commando Tips

Battlefield Heroes is a solo friendly game. At the same time, it is a team-based game. There is no free-for-all or deathmatch game modes. Each round focuses on team vs team capture-the-points gameplay. So, while a good solo player can do well, a few team players can dominate. The key to this domination is making sure to share all of the Heroes different group abilities.

Soldier

Soldiers are the pen-ultimate team player in BF:H. They provide the healing! A Soldiers healing ability is great by itself, but when it hits multiple injured team mates, the healing is increased and the points gained for healing are increased. This is a great incentive for EVERY soldier to be a team player. Soldiers are the cornerstone of BF:H grouping.

Gunner

If Soldiers are the cornerstone, Gunners are the brick walls, roof, and bell tower. With the recent Heroes of the Fall update, Gunners received a couple boosts to their team play. First, their shield ability is now shareable for those around the Gunner. Never charge into an enemy hornet nest without a shield up and running.

Secondly, a Gunners explosive keg now has a slow-down attached to any enemy it hits. Since commandos and enemy Gunners are always trying to sprint away, slowing them with a keg is invaluable when trying to lock down an area.

Also of importance is the Gunner's Leg It ability. Once used, the gunner and everyone around him will gain a boost of speed. Since vehicles are first come, first serve, a team will always need a speed boost to get where they are going. Once in combat, speed kills and makes for frustratingly hard targets to hit.

Lastly, Gunners are the best tank killers. I recommend that any Gunner spends a few dollars and buy a permanent rocket launcher in the BF:H store. Yes, spend money on a free game! Save those VP for band aids!

Commando

Out of all the classes, the Commando is by far the weakest team player. They are stealthy assassins, not hard charging knuckle-draggers! However, there are some abilities they can use to assist the team.

First off, mark target is invaluable for outing hard to find enemy commandos. Once lite up, the team can easily take care of the rest. At the minimum, it will make most enemy Commandos retreat while the mark wears off. A marked and dead Commando is better, but a retreating one isn't too bad either.

Secondly, with improvements to troop trap recently, Commandos can be very useful while staying completely stealthed. A good commando can skirt the outside of a battle and drop troop traps behind enemy players. Then team mates can try and force the enemy towards the troop trap. All of this, without the commando having to unstealth.

Don't forget, commandos are great at sneaking up on tanks and planting TNT! Combine this with a Gunners rockets and tanks are nothing more than easy kills.

Remember, sharing is caring!

Heartless_' Favre Bowl Recap

So, the Vikings won, but they deserved to win. The Packers made too many mistakes, missed too many opportunities, and got greedy when they didn't need to.

The Packers have lost two games this season. Both times, the blame can be squarely placed on one aspect of the team: the Offensive Line. This is the WORST offensive line I've ever seen play and the stats prove it. Aaron Rodgers is on pace to become the most sacked quarterback in a single season by a wide margin. With another injured lineman today, the Packers are in deep shit. Not even the best receiving corp in the NFL can save an offense from a banged up and underpowered offensive line.

Whats sad about this, its not the players fault. The Packers offensive line was put together to be agile and responsive in a zone blocking scheme. This scheme is focused on building the run game and pounding the football. It requires a different type of lineman: quick, small, and flexible. That is exactly what the Packers have.

Unfortunately, this scheme has fallen apart along with the Packers running game. Without that running game, the passing game has to be relied on, but since zone blocking isn't about pass protection, the Packers are finding themselves fucked in the ass. We're not talking a break down a couple times a game. Aaron Rodgers is being hurried, hit, or sacked on the MAJORITY of pass plays. Its not even close.

If the Packers had an offensive line built for pass protection, I feel confident they would be sitting at 4-0. They have an explosive offense and a capable defense. They can turn games around in a matter of minutes and in both losses have nearly pulled out miracle finishes. That's the problem though, they are fighting to finish the game and only succeeding when the defense drops everyone into coverage. Aaron Rodgers can destroy defenses late in games, but doesn't get the time to do so earlier in the game.

Personally, I think Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy have to answer for the offensive line. If mid-season hits and the Packers are a .500 ball club, someone needs to be fired. McCarthy can go for pushing the zone block so strongly. Ted Thompson can go for failing to strengthen a part of the team that has been languishing for years (all the way back to when Favre still wore green and gold). Hopefully we don't get to that point.

The last question that the Favre Bowl needed to answer was whether the Packers made the right decision to push Favre away two years ago. Personally, I still feel the Packers should of stuck with Favre. Rodgers hadn't proven himself at that point and was injured in every game he came into in relief of Favre. He was a liability, where as we knew Favre had another year or two in him.

However, this game tonight doesn't prove either side right. Favre would be doing WORSE than Rodgers if he was on the Packers roster right now. He is far less mobile and would be in a lot worse shape if he was being sacked 7+ times a game. Where the Packers are now, with Rodgers, is fine with me. Rodgers is good, but still needs to prove he can win games. Rodgers is going to be a premier quarterback in this league at some point. The question is whether he can put up with the Packers approach to drafting talent instead of going to free agency for proven veterans.

Still a good game to watch and fuck the NFL and the lack of change to the pass interference rules. Too many games are being decided on one or two insanely questionable pass interference calls. The penalty doesn't fit the crime and the rule needs to be changed.

Favre Bowl: Tonight @ 8:30PM!

I'm as giddy as a school girl today. Tonight is the Favre Bowl. Brett Favre will be taking on the Green Bay Packers for the first time since being ushered out of Green Bay after his first retirement attempt. Its shaping up to be a great game:

It’s supposed to be Brett Favre versus the Green Bay Packers, an intense one-game referendum on whether Favre’s former team made the right choice when it sent the three-time MVP packing last season.

And if Aaron Rodgers steals the show with a big performance against the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome on Monday night, he could take a huge step toward proving the Packers right.

So, who am I rooting for as both a self-proclaimed Cheeshead and diehard Favre fan? Lets just say this is what Favre can look forward to tonight (just insert a Packers and Vikings uniform):

The Folly of Changing Things

UPDATE: 12:19 PM - DISQUS comment import is complete. DISQUS integration is complete.

UPDATE: 10:29 PM - Template is back to an agreeable state

I moved my blog over to the DISQUS commenting system today. However, that was not the plan. I had intended to TEST DISQUS on my test blog heartless-gamer.blogspot.com. Unfortunately, doing so in the middle of a 12-hour work shift on a Sunday I failed to notice I was updating my live blog at hgamer.blogspot.com.

So, every last comment ever left on this blog is missing at the moment. A rescue import is on the way into DISQUS and should solve the problem.

Secondly, I fucked up my template and as I have no recent backup for some under-the-hood changes I made it will be a bit before normalcy is restored. That's life though and I'll work at restoring what I can.

Be A Better Hero: Heroes of the Fall Update, List of Ranks and More

First off, another congrats is in order as two million Heroes have marched out upon the Field of Battle:

EA has announced that free-to-play online shooter Battlefield Heroes has two million users, sauntering past the milestone in three months.

This is a great sign for a game still technically in beta (one of the better betas I have been in). Secondly, a new game update was released as well:

To celebrate, the publisher has a meaty update planned for next week, Heroes of the Fall, which we partly told you about earlier this month when we discussed a Gunner revamp and a new ranking system.

With the recent update, a new map was introduced: Riverside Rush. It is an infantry-focused map and offers a closed quarter action balanced by open transitional areas. While the initial rush of the map is not hell-bent on a single target ala Victory Village’s Road Block or Church Square, some importance does need to be placed on where a Hero ventures after their initial capture point.

The middle of the map is fairly wide open and ripe for camping commandos to collect a few kills. Fortunately, trenches are available to duck into. I strongly recommend the use of these trenches for Gunners and Soldiers when attempting to move across the middle portion of the map. Caution needs to be used, as a Hero can be trapped by enemies from above the trenches. However, the risk is worth the reward when needing to avoid pesky sniper bullets or the times an enemy can be caught unaware.

Also included in the update are Ranks. However, the exact way in which Ranks work is unknown. What we do know is that doing damage and gaining points contribute to gaining rank and that ranks start after reaching level 10 with a Hero. They give no bonuses other than a fancy title in game that other players can see.

The only way to see your Hero’s current rank is to go to the main website, log in, and check your Hero’s profile. It will be listed to the right. Below, for example, on my Gunner, Column, I have reached the rank of Specialist:


Rumor has it that these are the Ranks available in the game:

Player_Prestige_Level_1 [Private]
Player_Prestige_Level_2 [Specialist]
Player_Prestige_Level_3 [Corporal]
Player_Prestige_Level_4 [Sergeant]
Player_Prestige_Level_5 [Lieutenant]
Player_Prestige_Level_6 [Captain]
Player_Prestige_Level_7 [Major]
Player_Prestige_Level_8 [LT.Colonel]
Player_Prestige_Level_9 [Colonel ]
Player_Prestige_Level_10 [Brigadier General]
Player_Prestige_Level_11 [Major General]
Player_Prestige_Level_12 [LT.General]
Player_Prestige_Level_13 [General]
Player_Prestige_Level_14 Lazy Lackey
Player_Prestige_Level_15 Merry Mercenary
Player_Prestige_Level_16 Narcoleptic Nemesis
Player_Prestige_Level_17 Inadequate Opponent
Player_Prestige_Level_18 Heroic Protagonist
Player_Prestige_Level_19 Querulist Contender
Player_Prestige_Level_20 Rabble Rouser
Player_Prestige_Level_21 Salted Seargant
Player_Prestige_Level_22 Tactical Error
Player_Prestige_Level_23 Ursine Aggressor
Player_Prestige_Level_24 Vitriolic Victor
Player_Prestige_Level_25 Wayside Wanderer
Player_Prestige_Level_26 Wartime Wonder
Player_Prestige_Level_27 Eager Beaver
Player_Prestige_Level_28 Spring Chicken
Player_Prestige_Level_29 Fully Functional
Player_Prestige_Level_30 Pesky Private
Player_Prestige_Level_31 Strapping Specialist
Player_Prestige_Level_32 Cool Corporal
Player_Prestige_Level_33 Loony Lieutenant
Player_Prestige_Level_34 Crazed Captain
Player_Prestige_Level_35 Misunderstood Major
Player_Prestige_Level_36 Loopy Lieutenant Colonel
Player_Prestige_Level_37 Crafty Colonel
Player_Prestige_Level_38 Big Bad Brigadier General
Player_Prestige_Level_39 Mighty Major General
Player_Prestige_Level_40 Lucky Lieutenant General
Player_Prestige_Level_41 Generous General
Player_Prestige_Level_42 Zany Xenophobe
Player_Prestige_Level_43 Infamous Infiltrator
Player_Prestige_Level_44 Artful Dodger
Player_Prestige_Level_45 Combat Artist
Player_Prestige_Level_46 Gastral Gladiator
Player_Prestige_Level_47 Armchair Admiral
Player_Prestige_Level_48 Naughty Novice
Player_Prestige_Level_49 Wayward Warrior
Player_Prestige_Level_50 Not So Mr. Nice Guy

I have no confirmation that these are correct, but this list has been continually quoted on the fan sites.

Gunners also received a sweeping update. Explosive Keg now slows down enemies that are caught in the blast range. Frenzy Fire now returns health points to the Hero if a target is hit (even vehicle hits return health, so shoot those easy to hit planes and jeeps). Lastly, the Gunner’s shield ability can now be shared with teammates. Remember, sharing is caring!

Overall, the update has been a smashing success. Riverside Rush is a great map. I feel well rounded and team-focused on my Gunner now. So much so, that the Gunner has now overtaken my Soldier in both level and playtime.
As always, check it out for yourself. Battlefield Heroes is 100% free-to-play.

Digital Distribution Domination

The weekly numbers are in and MMOGs are dominating the digital distribution channels such as Steam and Direct2Drive.

Steam Top Ten (9/20 - 9/26):

1. Aion Collector's Edition
2. Aion
3. Fallen Earth
4. Batman: Arkham Asylum
5. F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
6. Left 4 Dead
7. Resident Evil 5
8. Counter-Strike
9. Star Wars Jedi Knight Collection
10. Red Faction: Guerrilla

Direct2Drive Top Ten (9/20 - 9/26):

1. Aion Collector's Edition
2. Aion
3. Fallen Earth
4. Neverwinter Nights 2
5. Assassin's Creed Director's Cut
6. Titan Quest Bundle
7. Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir
8. Champions Online
9. BioShock
10. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

The important MMOGs to note are Aion and Fallen Earth. Both have strong showings. Hiding in the charts is Champions Online, which launched a few weeks ago. Also related to a certain happening within the MMOG space, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic had a recent surge in popularity due to a reduced price from Bioware as they promoted their upcoming MMOG; Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Digital distribution is no longer the future, it is the NOW.

Sept 2009: What I'm Playing/What I'm Paying

As a born again Value Gamer, I've decided to put together a monthly post detailing what I'm playing and what monetary investment I am putting into them. With the raw data dumped, I can check to see if it has been worth it.

Check out the "What I'm Playing/What I'm Paying" Google Spreadsheet.



Commentary:

Now the first number that should jump out at anyone is $150 for Batman: Arkham Asylum. In an attempt to be honest with myself, I included the cost of a new video card which came with a free copy of Batman:AA. So, I paid $150 for the video card and received a kick-ass game for free. That's value.

Secondly, I am including $10 that was spent on the still-in-open-beta Battlefield Heroes. That $10 resulted in this fine looking fella:


Lastly, I am still spending my MMO time in both Dungeons and Dragons Online and The Chronicles of Spellborn. With my very limited time lately (due to the baby), I am finding it hard to justify having even FREE MMOGs on my hard drive. I feel guilty not playing them enough. So, one of these two MMOs may need to be cut off at some point, but as they are both free-to-play, it should be an easy decision to make (or not make!).

For the month of September, my gaming has cost me $160, but a new video card is ALWAYS a great investment in my book. Especially when a great game like Batman:AA is included! Oh, and maybe its easier to chew on since it will ease my ability to edit high definition video of Heartless_ Jr.

Micro-transactions of The Old Republic

First, Star Wars: The Old Republic has started taking applications for Closed Beta.

Secondly, the Galactic Holofeed blog has dug up some interesting information out of the Terms of Service (ToS) in regards to possible micro-transactions in SW:ToR.

(I) You acknowledge and agree that all items acquired for points during the Game Program are non-refundable and non-tradable.

(K) You acknowledge and agree that BWA reserves the right to change/add/remove points rewarded in the Game store at any time and without warning.

(M) You acknowledge and agree that points acquired during the Game Program cannot be saved up for or used in the commercial version of the Game.

Kill Ten Rats has commentary here.

What are these points that can be traded for items? Earlier in the Terms of Service, they explain that BWA is BioWare Austin, and that “Game Program” refers to the beta test, but the “points” were never explained. Perhaps you get some kind of point-based reward for submitting bugs? I don’t know, but it does sound an awful lot like beta testers will be testing out micro-transactions.

A year or so ago, and I would of have started crying foul right about now, but I'm no longer afraid of micro-transactions. When done properly they can work as a business model. In this case, just like the actual game that will be SW:ToR, we need details and Bioware is sparse (at best) with those.

New Player Thoughts on DDO: Eberron Unlimited

When Dungeons and Dragons Online was first released, I was displeased with Turbine’s approach to the game. I wanted an MMOG that recreated the D&D tabletop experience, with real Dungeon Masters and the freedom experienced at the tabletop. I still want that in a MMO D&D “game”. However, Turbine created an MMOG in the D&D Eberron campaign setting with standard MMOG practices (a subscription, faction grinding, etc.). I blinded myself to the unique game that DDO was (and still is). I’ve found myself having to come back and re-evaluate this game, because suddenly I’m finding myself enjoying it (mostly because I’m not paying for it).

I don’t love everything about the game and some of my original gripes are still valid. The DM voice-overs are still distracting and uncomfortable: so much that is said, is already or could be shown. When I walk into a dungeon and see an untouched, rusty lever, I do not need a voice-over to tell me that it “cranks and grinds” when I pull it (especially with the sound effects already going off).

Secondly, the combat still makes my wrists hurt. There is a lot of clicking and button management to operate any character successfully. Every attack or block is a click, all while managing character movement. I am not sure why this is such an issue for me in DDO. I play The Chronicles of Spellborn, with a similar click-to-attack system, without issue. I play tons of FPS games, which are always frantic. My only guess is the way DDO clumps the combat encounters together, forcing a lot of clicking in a small time period. Also, a lack of any sort of “round” timer means a lot of extra clicking is done for nothing. Also, Turbine strings the dungeon sections together with a thousand destructible containers.

Third, character creation is still ripe for confusion and mistakes, but I believe this is a problem with the underlying D&D structure. Character creation has always been a source for trouble and has been ever since I picked up my AD&D 2E books over a decade ago. D&D’s character structure doesn’t fit well into video game form, even more so when MMO is thrown into the picture. Turbine has paired the system down and changed enough to make it work. It’s not great, but it’s functional. Players should not be surprised when their first character winds up as a failed experiment unless it’s well planned out with advice from veteran players.

Another gripe I had was my lack of faith that Turbine could create new content fast enough for the game. At launch, content was limited and the leveling was capped at 10. D&D has never been strictly about leveling, so this gave Turbine room to grow the game. However, early reports showed that only a minority of content was needed to reach level 10, with the leftover content completely worthless to level 10 players.

It is a different story now that DDO has been out long enough for Turbine to release several updates. New free-to-play players have a plethora of content available to purchase and unlock. It’s refreshing to think that spending money on DDO will directly result in a quantifiable experience in game. A player buys Adventure Pack A and plays Adventure Pack A. I never thought I would like it, but as I’ve transitioned to a free-to-play fan, I’ve found it to be a model that makes complete sense.

The decision to spend money, which I have not yet done, is made even easier by how enjoyable the dungeons and areas can be within DDO. The areas do not change from one visit to the next and one visit to a spoiler website can ruin the entire experience, but when approached for the first time with no insider knowledge, the dungeons are absolutely the best in any MMOG I’ve played. This may become a hindrance at higher levels when content MUST be repeated to progress forward, but on the journey to level 20 that most free-to-play players are currently on, it keeps them coming back and wanting to progress. That leads them to spend money and unlock parts of the game they want.

That is important. Turbine needs to make money, especially now that the game is free-to-play. Eventually, the new wave of players is going to chew up what is available. Turbine has already delayed some high end development to focus on the shift to a free-to-play model, so they are behind the curve. If they can keep on top of content and give players a reason to progress, the new business model is golden.

My overall conclusion about DDO is about the same as it originally was. DDO is a great dungeon crawler, but with a sometimes cumbersome combat system and an underlying structure that doesn’t fit well into a video game. The problem of content has been solved and I’m not as angry that Turbine didn’t make the game I wanted. DDO:EU is worth checking out and now that it costs nothing to do so, I’m a much happier gamer to oblige Turbine the chance to sell me something.

WTF

Seriously, What the Favre!

Twelve seconds away from a 3-0 record to start the season, the 49ers instead left the noisy Metrodome with a brutal defeat when Favre heaved a 32-yard touchdown pass to an obscure wide receiver named Greg Lewis in the back of the end zone with 2 seconds left.

"He made a play. You don't go to the Hall of Fame if you don't make plays," said weary defensive end Justin Smith, who came oh-so-close to Favre on the fateful fling. "He added another to his highlight reel."

I guess the Vikings got what they paid for.