In First for the New Year

First in on the New Year thread! Oh, wait ...

So I hope everyone has enjoyed their holiday celebrations, whether that be time spent with family or time spent completing Festivult quests (hopefully both!).

Personally, I have been continuing on my Team Fortress 2 compulsion, racking up more hours in that game then I have since the beginning of the year. Yet still I am only ranked in the 40's on Newbs - lol, it's no surprise as a lot of genuinely good players call Newbs their home and I still don't play that much.

The only other game I have been playing with any frequency is ... Vanguard! That's right - I am about two weeks into the free gametime for veterans and simply loving the changes Sigil-SOE has made to the game, specifically the Isle Dawn.

Honestly, I think if there were some sort of contest for most improved noob starter area in an MMORPG, DDO would win hands-down with Module 8. However, Vanguard's Isle of Dawn is a solid and well-designed starting area for such a massive and complex game. From the moment I stepped into the game, the experience flowed perfectly and before I knew it I was a level five adventurer and well on my way to the same rank in diplomacy.

Which I love. It seems like I heard a lot of people disparaging the diplomacy mini-game back when Vanguard first came out, and I can't understand why. I mean, sure, some people won't like it - that's just life. But so far I have had a tremendous blast with it. And the fact that you can use your diplomatic skills to create zone-wide buffs for yourself and other players is the icing on the cake.

I am also quite fond at this point of Vanguard's crafting system. Like diplomacy, it is a viable and fleshed-out alternative to adventuring (i.e. questing and killing). So far, I find it by far the most interesting and engaging crafting experience I have had in an MMORPG.

Of course, Vanguard being Vanguard there are still some ... issues. So far I have tried out a Raki Ranger and a Thestran Bard. I almost fell through the world with the Ranger; when I was swimming up onto land in the noob swamp and swam through and under the island. But I didn't fall through, thankfully I was righted and popped out on top. The most annoying bug I've noticed so far is that frequently I have melee weapons disappear out of both characters' hands. I think they are still equipped, but who knows?

All in all though, like a lovable alcoholic or a dim-witted but kind-hearted supervisor, Vanguard has reached the point where its strengths shine through its deficiencies. I might even subscribe if I can find a good guild to play with.

One last thing: THERE IS A HUGE SALE AT STEAM. Steam is having a new-year sale until tomorrow (Jan. 2) with some pretty massive price-cuts on certain games. Some standouts I noticed (regular price in parenthesis):

Bioshock: $4.99 ($19.99)

Portal: $4.99 ($19.99)

Warhammer 40K Dawn of War Complete Pack: $29.99 ($59.98)

Stalker: Clear Sky: $17.49 ($34.99)  Note: contains TAGES DRM for limited activations

Mount and Blade: $14.99 ($29.99)

ID Software Super Pack: $34.99 ($69.99)

Silent Hill 4: $24.99 ($49.99)

Those are just a few of the titles that jumped out at me. There are more extremely good deals and numerous OK deals. So while the sale on top-tier titles that normally go for $50 like Left 4 Dead, Spore, Warhammer: Age of Reckoning and Fallout 3 are not extreme deals, you can still save yourself $12 or $13 by buying them through Steam today or tomorrow.

You probably aren't wondering what my personal favorite deal is, but I'll tell you anyway: Doom 2 for $.99 - I couldn't not get this piece of PC gaming history for less than a buck.