Mon, 30th Nov 2009 by Alfie.

It seems to have been difficult to get through the month without hearing or seeing something about Dragon Age: Origins as there has been a widespread advertising campaign on-line and on TV.

Having liked Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect, also by Bioware, I had a look, and I have to say I’m impressed.

I don’t have a powerhouse PC yet it runs mostly smoothly on my rig with reasonable loading times (some of the bigger battles with lots of effects do cause a bit of stuttering at times, but not unplayably so). It’s a new game system (with a pen and paper version planned) but the play style, particularly the combat system will be familiar to players of KotOR, with a real-time, pausable, system. As with KotOR and Mass Effect, much of the game play revolves around the multiple companions, who will converse between each other and with you about various things, some exchanges are quite humourous

Depending upon which version you bought, when, and where, there are various DownLoadable Content (DLC) packs, some for free, some paid for, with more in the pipeline. There is also a flash game, Dragon Age: Journeys which can net you some extra DLC items for achieving various goals within it.

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Tue, 17th Nov 2009 by Alfie.

I’ve been a bit busy lately undertaking a self-enforced C++ refresher course comprising two ‘Learning C++’ books, and some on-line tutorials as well as looking through two ‘C++ for Game programming’-type books (one on DirectX).

I now feel ready to tackle the pretty much required reading of Scott Meyer’s Effective C++ and More Effective C++.

So, if you see me around looking a bit dazed and confused you’ll know why

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Sun, 1st Nov 2009 by Alfie.

The campaign titles are links to download sites. Download, unpack, double-click the VPK file to install.

7 Hours Later - A complete five map campaign, 7 Hours Later is done in near professional quality. Start in the forest, and work your way to the airport slaying football-fields of freaks in the way. Completely worth the time to check this one out!

Back to School - The Survivors will be on there way to school while escaping from the bloody infected. Battle hordes of zombies in detailed environments while traveling Back to School.

Cape Murder - Your hapless band of misfits picked the mouth of this creek to land their sinking dingy. You hoped for safety. Welcome to disappointment village, population YOU!

Coal’d Blood - This campaign starts in an abandoned bed and breakfast and leads the survivors down into an old abandoned coal mine. The survivors eventually find their way out the other side of the cave to be rescued by a passing news chopper.

Dam It! - This large, well built map will have you enter a dam packed full of zombies. Work your way through the 5-story complex through sleeping areas, offices and generators to finally reach the rooftop for an action-packed chopper rescue.

Death Aboard - How many times can you escape a prison? Apparently one more, because Death Aboard does a great job on the zombie threat scale. Once you fly the coup, catch a boat at the docks and prepare for the finale on an island with a lighthouse!

Death Row - This three part campaign will have our survivors battling their way through a city to a prison on the outskirts of town where they will get inside and radio for assistance. The attention to detail on these maps makes it very enjoyable!

Death Stop - A well thought out 4-map campaign, Death Stop has your favorite survivalists working their way to a truck stop against a zombie onslaught. There are a lot items in this map, so have fun shooting all the propane tanks and gasoline canisters.

Night Terror - Welcome to your nightmare! Night Terror will take you on a crazy trip through a forest to a haunted house, through an underground crypt, jungle ruins, and much more. A strange mix-up, keeps your attention all the way through.

Suicide Blitz - Another awesomely designed campaign, Suicide Blitz has you rampaging against zombies until a big finish in a gigantic stadium. Surprise, surprise, there is no football going on - but your brain is on the 20 yard line.

Vienna Calling - It’s really hard to be a tourist when a zombie is trying to crack open your spleen like a coconut, so don’t spend to much time exploring ancient catacombs or the famous recreational areas of Vienna or the angry undead Austrians will kill you.

The Arena of the Dead - Escort your companions across town and over the rooftops to the Arena. Hold off the legions of zombies until the Rescue Chopper arrives.

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