Bioware sent along a little package and Chr...

December 19, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

Sam and I just finished Knights of the Old ...

December 09, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

Well, I've been playing Knights of the Old Re...

November 30, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

Well, I've been playing Knights of the Old Republic, essentially just with Sam. It's very good, almost more than we deserve. It's considerable fun working our character into a Jedi, making a lightsabre, and flying around the galaxy. The graphics are great and the sound is even better. Hearing all the various aliens talking in their native tongue is classic Star Wars.

Plus there's a great story involving ancient secrets, evil Jedi, and a desparate plan to save the galaxy. It doesn't get any better than that.

Well, Knights of the Old Republic was suppose...

November 21, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

Well, Knights of the Old Republic was supposed to arrive today. It actually did arrive, then was taken away again by the dumb FedEx person. I guess it didn't matter that the last few games that came FedEx were left on our doorstep. This one had to be treated as something precious.

So, no lightsabre battles for me tonight. Sam had to be satisfied playing a little Morrowind and having his cat character go swimming out into the depths of the ocean before he had to take a bath. He's so deprived.

The only good thing I can say is that at least I'll get it on a Friday and can play it nonstop for as long as it takes. I'm sure Jamie will back me up on this one.

I haven't done a little games update for awhile

November 10, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I haven't done a little games update for awhile. I finished Halo, which was a fun little thing. I'm holding off on Max Payne 2, which I hear is extremely short. In another week, Knights of the Old Republic is arriving and I think Sam and I will be playing a lot of that.

Sam's been getting into adventure games, so we played "Sam and Max Hit the Road" over the weekend. He liked it quite a bit and we've started in on Monkey Island. Great fun.

I've been playing through Halo

October 19, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I've been playing through Halo. It's still pretty fun, with some big surprises from time to time. There is some repitition in certain areas, though, slogging through enemies as they swarm towards you. That part's a bit dull.

The vehicles are the shining point, in my opinion. Being able to jump in the jeep and tear around the island is great fun. Getting the tank was a highlight as well, with your buddies perched on the edge picking off bad guys.

These days I'm trying to balance my Neverwinter Nights project with actually using my computer for fun. It seems to go back and forth, though both are still progressing.

I picked up Halo for the PC last Friday

October 14, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I picked up Halo for the PC last Friday. I've been having a pretty good time with it, driving around with the Warthog (the jeep) and generally having a good time. It's been a long while since I've played a decent shooter, so it's a refreshing break from my usual Neverwinter Nights fiddling.

Sam played a bit the other day. I think he had the most fun throwing grenades at his jeep and trying to see how he could flip it all around the screen. Great fun.

Jedi Academy showed up yesterday

September 19, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

Jedi Academy showed up yesterday. So far, it seems a lot like Jedi Outcast in terms of how it plays. You get to create your own character, giving them a certain appearance and light saber color. Sam must have spent twenty minutes going through the different races and fiddling with their look.

We got a little stuck yesterday trying to finish the first mission. I was stuck with Emma, so Josh was helping Sam play. Unfortunately, they got to an unopenable door and couldn't figure out what to do next.

The game also came with a keychain lightsaber that has tiny LEDs that light up a glass rod. It looks quite cool, flashing red, green, and blue in quick succession.

I downloaded this little bridge builder game ...

September 08, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I downloaded this little bridge builder game yesterday and somehow can't get enough of it. Basically you can build a bridge then run a train across it to see if it collapses. It turns out there's an entire site about the genre. It's such a simple concept, yet addictively fun.

I can tell that video game season is soon app...

September 06, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I can tell that video game season is soon approaching. Fall tends to be the big time, perhaps because no one wants to release a game during the Summer as well as getting the word of mouth out before the Christmas rush. Who knows.

In the meantime, I've downloaded a bunch of demos, including Homeworld 2, Chrome, and the latest Jedi Knight game. Homeworld 2 is beautiful and relatively interesting, though there's not much new gameplay there. Chrome reminds me of Unreal 2, though driving vehicles is a novelty. Jedi Knight also seems like the last one, with slightly better looks and far cooler lightsaber moves.

I'm sensing a theme of "more of the same, but prettier". I think that's why I'm so interested in the more novel games, such as Half-Life 2 and Knights of the Old Republic. Sure, there are other games similar to those as well, but I hear great things about them and they seem to be pushing the envelope a bit more. Rare are the games that try to be completely novel, as the development costs for games these days runs into the multi millions.

I finally finished up Splinter Cell while at ...

August 19, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I finally finished up Splinter Cell while at the coast this weekend. It was relatively good fun, though the end was a bit repetative.

Strangely, the other game I played quite a bit of was Icewind Dale 2. While it struck me again as being mostly a dungeon crawl, there's something satisifying about controlling a large party and strategically planning battles. The combat is quite tough, even for a veteran of D&D games such as I. Towards the end, though, I became bored and put it away once again.

I'm still trying to work on my Neverwinter Nights campaign. Very slow going with all the other things keeping me busy.

I Was an Atomic Mutant is indeed quite a bit ...

July 03, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I Was an Atomic Mutant is indeed quite a bit of fun. It's a simple game, worth the $8 I paid for it. There's something satisfying about smashing buildings when you're a floating brain or huge lizard. Good times.

As for my second game, I've only played a bit. It looks like one of those "deep" RPGs, but I sadly don't have a lot of time to get into them. Most of my time, as always, is dedicated to Neverwinter Nights.

Basically all my free gaming time is spent wo...

June 29, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

Basically all my free gaming time is spent working on my Neverwinter Nights modules. It's incredibly time consuming, but hopefully worth it in the long run. I still get e-mails from people all over the world, which is a nice touch.

I did order a couple of cheap games over the Internet. One is Divine Divinity, which I've wanted to play (though I doubt I'll have time to finish). The other is I Was An Atomic Mutant, which had a really fun demo. That one's sort of for Sam, who loves these sorts of things.

I picked up Grand Theft Auto: Vice City the o...

May 22, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I picked up Grand Theft Auto: Vice City the other day, which is fairly entertaining. The graphics are a bit dated, but it's fun enough to break out every once in awhile.

My true passion continues to be Neverwinter Nights. My current campaign is wrapping up, with a small army of testers trying to break it. I had hoped to finish it before Emma was born and I may just get my wish. Of course, I'm already planning my next module in my free time. I'm hoping to take my time with it, though.

E3 is going on at the moment, the biggest com...

May 15, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

E3 is going on at the moment, the biggest computer game expo around. They've started to show movies from games that will be released this year and I'm simply blown away. The graphics are slowly approaching realistic, from facial expressions to real-life physics. It's got me all excited, wanted to build a new computer system for this Fall. I already have it planned out, hoping to put the computer in the sauna (which we never use) and route all the cables for video, keyboard, and so on through the wall. That should keep things mighty quiet.

I'm also slowly finishing up the final module in my Neverwinter Nights campaign. It's huge and sprawling, with lots of work put into it over these last few months. Hopefully people get a kick out of it.

A friend of mine lent me Unreal 2, which Sam ...

April 24, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

A friend of mine lent me Unreal 2, which Sam and I have been playing after work. It's a very pretty game, though the gameplay is fairly mundane - walk through the linear level and kill the bad guy at the end. There are some fun scripted events (e.g. a cool elevator scene). It's also supposed to be very short (I'd guess I'm halfway through at the moment).

I'm still doing my Neverwinter Nights project, which takes huge amounts of time. I got an offer from a Japanese player to translate it. I'm still amazed at how international the e-mail I receive has become.

I've been playing a little Splinter Cell

April 05, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I've been playing a little Splinter Cell. Not much, as my Neverwinter Nights obsession continues strong. Sam and I were playing this morning and we ran across this office basketball hoop, complete with little foam basketballs. Well, we couldn't resist and we spent many a happy moment with our tough secret agent shooting baskets.

Mostly, though, I keep working on my Neverwinter Nights projects. It's pretty time consuming, but the results are quite nice. I still get daily e-mails about how much people appreciate the games. Plus it's still fun to make them. Of course, with the baby on the way, who knows if I'll be able to keep up the pace.

Splinter Cell finally arrived

February 28, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

Splinter Cell finally arrived. It's pretty good - the shadow effects are pretty amazing. It's a fairly traditional sneaker-style game, hiding in the shadows is a big part of the game.

I'm also approaching the release of my latest Neverwinter Nights module. The testing has gone really well, with some good suggestions voiced by people. There's a few more things I'd like to fiddle with, but I think it's to the point where I could release it soon.

I had another piece of fan mail today that go...

February 20, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I had another piece of fan mail today that got to me. It was from a woman who had contracted leukemia and my impression is that things had not been going well. She played through my modules with her husband and loved the way he laughed out loud during the funny parts of the game. Evidently those moments were rare in her life, and she wanted to let me know she appreciated my role in making it happen.

I'm still working hard on the campaign. It's amazing how much work these things take. I think I'm approaching the final stages of the game, getting to all the details I leave until the last minute.

I've been getting a lot of fan mail about my ...

February 16, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I've been getting a lot of fan mail about my game - usually three or four each day. This one was particularly touching, from a young couple in Israel, so I thought I'd reprint it:

This is just a short note to let you know how much we both appreciate all of the hard work and craftsmanship you have clearly put into your Neverwinter modules. We played as much of the Dreamcatcher series as is currently available and were so impressed that we went back and are currently playing the Shadowlords series. We have found not only the 'action' elements, but also the plotlines and characters to be topnotch, in many cases better than that in the original game itself. It comes as no surprise to us that Bioware offered you a job based on the quality of the modules we have played.

Unlike the majority of players and designers out there (which we can assume by the fact that there are so many "Nude Aribeth" hacks), we are a thirty-something married couple who enjoy playing NWN together as a way to relax after finally getting our 3 1/2 year old son to sleep. When we started playing the Dreamcatcher series, we found that we were spending a great deal of time arguing about whose turn it was at the keyboard, which tells you how avidly we both followed the plot. The romantic elements especially were handled so maturely and smoothly that they perfectly complemented the main adventure plot. Since we are both writers, we know how difficult that can be in any medium, let alone a role-playing module.

As our small corner of the world becomes tenser and tenser, your modules have provided us with a welcome distraction and a great deal of pleasure over the last few weeks. Since our PC is going to be in our sealed security room with us, your modules may have the dubious distinction of being played with gasmasks on. If the current situation comes to that (hopefully not, god willing) I am sure they will help pass even such trying times.

Thank you again for your work, and best wishes to you and your family.

I got my third and best job offer today

February 07, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I got my third and best job offer today. This time from Bioware, the people that made the Neverwinter Nights game. Fortunately my will is strong and I turned them down. Though quitting my high-paying corporate job and moving to the cold reaches of Canada to do the work I love makes a good plot for a movie, I decided it wouldn't suit reality all that much.

I also got an e-mail from GameStar, a German gaming magazine, wanting to include two of my modules on their cover CD. I'm currently working on sending them my approval. Ah, the joys of fame.

I got another job offer based on my work on N...

February 05, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I got another job offer based on my work on Neverwinter Nights. These were some ex-Blizzard employees in Seattle. I politely declined.

It is flattering to know that I'm probably good enough to work "with the pros". Maybe after I retire I'll make games in a more dedicated fashion. Right now it's nice to have it be a part-time hobby. I can walk away any time, ignore bug reports, or ship something that isn't quite finished. Well, maybe I'm describing half the computer game companies out there, but I certainly don't want to have that be my life.

My modules are coming along nicely. Dreamcatcher 2 is currently the highest rated module out there, sporting a perfect 10 rating. The second highest module is Dreamcatcher 1. It's fun to put something together that people appreciate.

Work on my game continues

February 01, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

Work on my game continues. I'm having a good time making new items for my latest module. So far I have an assortment of traps, a raven, a ghost, a magical hand, and assorted new creatures. It's still looking like I'll get this whole thing done by the time Emma is born.

Unreal 2 comes out next week, though I've heard mixed reviews. Sam and I will probably have a good time playing it while Jamie's at the coast. Also, Splinter Cell should come out a week or two after that. Great fun.

I've been making all sorts of odd and interes...

January 19, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I've been making all sorts of odd and interesting things for my Neverwinter Nights game. I have players riding dragons and breathing fire down on pirate ships in the ocean below. It's pretty darn' cool looking.

My first module is still #1 at the Neverwinter Vault, with tons of people downloading it. Unfortunately, they're also finding bugs so I've been spending lots of time doing bug fixes. Life as a game designer can be somewhat grueling.

My Neverwinter Nights module is becoming a bi...

January 17, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

My Neverwinter Nights module is becoming a big hit. It's currently the #1 rated module on the main fan site. Lots of positive reviews and people raving about it. A little less than a thousand downloads after just a week on the site.

I'm hoping to finish up the second one in the series within a couple weeks. I suspect I'll be bug testing this weekend, making sure it all works. Hopefully Sam and maybe Josh will help me out with multiplayer testing, which is equally important.

I've been working hard to get my new Neverwin...

January 10, 2003 by Adam in Adam's Games

I've been working hard to get my new Neverwinter Nights module, Dreamcatcher1 - Skyfall, out the door. The problem was that I needed to test the multiplayer aspects and make sure it worked. Fortunately, I convinced Sam to help me out. He was actually quite helpful, following me around without too much trouble. When we started having a terrible battle, he'd help out and following my yelps without too much complaining. I don't think he died once, though there was a close call when he stood in a Wall of Fire a bit too long.

Sam still loves his Star Wars game, though we've got some new ones coming out in a few weeks. I'm ready for a change, as there's only so many times you can run around dueling with lightsabers and firing blasters about. I'm still playing Icewind Dale 2, though very slowly. I find I'd rather work on my modules that play IWD2.