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prima games podcast, the eighteenth
Ratings! PEGI! ESRB! Censorship! Scribblenauts! io9.com! Listen!
The Prima Games Blog is the place to read about new video games, get expert strategy, tips, downloads,
free walkthroughs, and insider game info by gamers for gamers.
Archive for August, 2009
Aug
29
2009
Aug
25
2009
Comments: 2
Fallout and about: Game add-on pack 02. Blog 01 / 01
The guide follows the rule of having increasingly more awesome Brotherhood of Steel action poses
Darting through Old Olney, the guide tells you when to fear the Deathclaws, and even reveals more about Kidd and Witt’s demise
There’s a fully detailed map of Point Lookout, showing absolutely everything you can find. And we mean everything.
My Wasteland wandering took a turn for the swampy over the past couple of months when I attempted a meander through the wilds of Point Lookout, and furthered my cunning adventures across the Capital Wasteland in Broken Steel. The information I accrued, including some delicious Easter Eggs never seen outside of the Bethesda compound, are all bundled up nicely in the third (or fourth) official strategy guide, on sale now (August 25th). Naturally I was more than eager to explore every nook, cranny, and deranged Russian bear nest around, and thankfully the good folks at Bethesda were there for the highs (setting fire to an occult tome of fearsome power) and the lows (weeping at the headless torso of a favorite robot), as well as the stuff only the truly deranged would ever find (like that sunken ocean treasure with no buoy marker).
Those with previous Fallout guide experience will be familiar with the format. To start with, there’s an entertaining Foreward written by a Bethesda staffer, then a chapter all about the new entities, Perks, and other matters that affect your character’s ongoing well-being. Tips on all the new Perks you receive throughout your increased level cap are of particular interest, but there’s also complete statistical evidence for every new item, weapon, and inventory piece that sometimes borders on the insanely-meticulous. Did you know, for example, that the Police Hat is the only headgear you can wear with “that scar” on your head? If you did, you’ve probably been playing this game too much, but even so, you’ll still need to add this tome to your collection.
Due to the fact that Point Lookout receives a thorough inspection and trek, the Enhanced chapters are only for the additional items you receive during the two new content releases, which is what this guide is mainly all about; Broken Steel and Point Lookout. When you’re ready to embark on an Enclave-culling campaign, you’d expect there to be copious and detailed notes on every move you can make throughout Broken Steel… and you’d be right. But you’ll also be happy to find newly-updated maps showing exactly how the Capital Wasteland has changed since the invention and distribution of Aqua Pura. Every single new occurrence is logged, as well as all the Miscellaneous and Freeform Quests so you don’t miss a trick. Whether it’s befriending Bandits or shaking down a Ghoul with a bad wig, there’s a wealth of information to share here. So we did.
The gloomy and violent Point Lookout has an atmosphere so thick you could cut with a spoon. So we chartered a Ferryboat and turned over every rock and dived into the ocean depths to locate every single item in this brand-new region. Aside from taking you through the Main, Miscellaneous and Freeform Quests in these parts, there’s an extra-massive Tour chapter with dozens of secondary locations. Need to know the precise location of the downed Jet pilot, and know what was on his Blackbox voice recorder? Maybe you don’t, but we’re telling you anyway. Heck, there’s even a trip back to the Dunwich Building for a certain, supernatural Quest.
We sincerely hope you enjoy perusing through this guide as much as I did blasting Ghouls and Ghoul hunters in Plik’s private safari. After a quick trip around low-earth orbit for an extra-special final guide later this year that could cause a hernia if you lift it, my year-and-a-half rampage through the Capital Wasteland may soon be at an end….
Purchase the original guide HERE or the Limited Edition Collector’s Edition HERE.
Purchase the Game Add-On Guide for Operation Anchorage and The Pitt HERE.
Purchase the Game Add-On Guide for Broken Steel and Point Lookout HERE.
A smattering of never-been-seen-before art finishes off this tome nicely.
Aug
25
2009
Comments: 0
prima games podcast, the seventeenth
Console Wars II, Electric Boogaloo! PS3 Slim! Brutal Legend! Mini Ninjas! Thru-you.com! Listen!
Aug
15
2009
Comments: 1
prima games podcast, the sixteenth
Console price wars! Madden 10! Movie Trailer! Listen!
Aug
12
2009
Comments: 2
From Brawl to Smash-Up
I’m now at the tail end of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up guide and I just received frame data from Ubisoft. I do most of the fighting game guides for Prima and I always ask the developers for frame data, but this is the first time I’ve actually gotten that request fulfilled. I’m quite pleased to announce that frame data will be included in the Smash-Up guide. I’m just debating on how best to present it (a separate chapter or part of the character chapter).
In other news, I wanted to briefly touch on the differences between Super Smash Bros. Brawl and TMNT: Smash-Up. I’m moderately active on Smash Boards, and I know many competitive Smash Bros. players are looking at TMNT and comparing it to both Brawl and Melee.
While I can’t give too much away at this point, and there’s a section in the General Strategies chapter of the guide that covers this slightly more in-depth (I say slightly because this is a TMNT guide, not a guide on transitioning from Brawl to TMNT), but I can say that the game does not play like Melee. It’s much closer to Brawl, but it’s still quite a bit different. Knocking players out of the stage (referred to as ring outs in the game) is not the focus of combat like it is in Brawl. Some stages have easier ring outs than others, but there aren’t recovery attacks (Up+B in Smash) in the same way they’re presented and used in Smash. Smash Attacks also perform differently and must be setup differently.
The stun system in TMNT will add a new level of depth to competitive Smash, but overall I think Smash players will have to view TMNT as a brand new game and not an extension of the Smash series. It’s also important to look at TMNT as the first game in a series and not the fourth Smash title. Having three previous games allowed Brawl to advance the characters and refine the gameplay (although I know a lot of competitive players would have rather seen Melee 2 instead of Brawl). If you want to compare TMNT to Smash, it would be best to compare it to Smash 64 since that’s the first game in the series. You can’t expect the refined gameplay you’d find in the fourth installment in a series. For example, the number of characters in TMNT is far less than the number of characters in Brawl, but if we see three more games in the TMNT series, I’m sure the characters count will meet and possibly exceed that of Brawl.
Now I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with TMNT. I think Turtles fans will enjoy it and it does have some depth for possible competitive play. However, I don’t want reviewers and competitive Smash players to immediately write the game off without taking into account that it’s the first in the series. It’s difficult not to directly compare TMNT to Brawl, but I don’t feel it’s a fair comparison given the history of the two franchises.
Getting back to the gameplay, I’ve read some comments on Smash Boards about how some players feel the game lacks depth and will cater to novice players without offering much for competitive play. This is not a review, so I won’t offer a definitive opinion on the matter, but as a competitive player I feel that this game is focused on TMNT fans as opposed to the tournament scene. Aerial combat takes a back seat, and ground combat at higher levels of play is more about evasion than anything else. There’s down falling and other high level techniques from Brawl, but many of them can’t be used in the same way you’d use them in Brawl. Essentially, you can’t play TMNT at high levels like you’d play Brawl at high levels. There are no chain grabs, and the combo system is very different, etc.
I will be keeping a close eye on the reviews for TMNT as well as looking at what the competitive Smash community thinks of the game. I think reviewers will try to compare this too much to Brawl, which shouldn’t happen, but inevitably will. I also think that competitive players will try to play TMNT like Brawl instead of looking at it as a brand new game. I look forward to seeing what the competitive community can do with it though. You’ll have access to complete frame data in the guide, providing a lot more knowledge at release than you got with Brawl or any other Smash game.
I’ll keep an eye on the Smash Boards thread for TMNT and try to post another blog answering some high level questions before the game releases. However, the frame data in the guide should give competitive players a lot of insight into the game.
P.S. The glow around the characters is not an issue. There’s no reason to complain about it.
Aug
08
2009
Comments: 0
prima games podcast, the fifteenth
Rant! Ranty Rant Rant! Integrity! Metroid! D&D Again! Listen
Aug
06
2009
Comments: 2
TOP 10 TIPS for Playing East India Company
Get the most out of East India Company with these tips from the Official East India Company Strategy Guide.
1. Iron Wares are a more valuable export item than their profit margin might imply. Although you won’t get rich by trading them, they are an essential component for upgrading most port buildings, so keep a supply of them in the Warehouses of the ports you control. After all, if you wind up squeezed for cash or need to make room in that port’s Warehouse, you can always sell them instantly at the Trading Post.
2. As your fleet’s crews level up their navigation experience, the view range of their fleet increases as well. You can further improve a fleet’s view range by choosing the Eagle Eyes skill for a fleet commander who levels up.
3. When importing Main Trade Items (MTI) that you don’t plan to sell right away, balance your fleets’ cargo between MTIs and high-profit generic trade items. This helps ensure that you’ll still be able to cover the cost of the voyage by having something to sell when you return to your Home Port, since you won’t be turning an immediate profit by storing MTIs in your Warehouse.
4. Your fleet sails at the speed of its lowest ship, so don’t handicap faster ships by pairing them with slower ones in the same fleet. A Schooner’s greatest asset is its high speed, but if you put it in a fleet with the much slower Galleon, you’ll have taken away the Schooner’s biggest advantage.
5. After a battle is resolved, you sometimes have the option of seizing one or more ships from the defeated fleet. However, if you already have five ships in your fleet, you cannot add any captured ships to your fleet. You might want to limit your warship fleets to four ships if you want to be able to take command of the remaining ships in fleets that you defeat.
6. Take good care of your ships, especially the larger and more expensive ones. Not only does replacing them cost a small fortune, it also takes a long time. Losing a 90-Gun Ship-of-the-Line, for instance, means that you’ll be without its replacement for 15 months. Never skimp on repair costs, and never sail a damaged fleet unless you have no other option.
7. You will always take an up-front financial hit when you assemble a fleet from scratch. Constructing a fleet of three Brigs, for example, costs a total of 150,000£ and takes 15 months from start to finish. During that time, those ships are not earning you any money, so your other fleets need to make up that financial shortfall. You can set sail with only one or two ships from that fleet before they’re all ready, but you’ll still have to pay commander and crew salaries.
8. Want to improve your profit margins without building more fleets? Upgrade the Trading Posts of ports that you control and trade with frequently (being mindful of the increased upkeep costs that come with the improvements), and assign trading skills like Organizer, Haggler, and Salesman to your fleet commanders when they level up.
9. Automatic trading routes (ATR) can be a huge time-saver, but they can also wreck your finances if you don’t keep a generous cash cushion in your Treasury to cover the purchases of export items and Main Trade Items. A good rule of thumb is to have 200,000£ on hand at all times per ATR.
10. If you find your profits dropping after setting up a number of Automatic Trading Routes (ATR), it’s probably because their timing is off, and those fleets are short of cash when it’s time for them to sell their export items and purchase Main Trade Items, which causes them to purchase cheaper and less profitable generic trade items. If this happens, cancel the ATRs and manually micro-manage your trading until you’ve rebuilt your cash cushion.
Get the Complete Guide Here!
Aug
02
2009
Comments: 0
Battlefield 1943 Tips
So are you hooked on Battlefield 1943 like I am? Like the other games in the series, this one is seriously addictive and well worth the $15 it costs to download from Xbox Live or the Playstation Network. But by now, even the novice players are getting the hang of it. So if you’re late to the party, here’s a few useful tips to help you survive.
- My favorite class? The Rifleman. The M1 Garand (available in both the Marine and Japanese kits) is by far the most balanced weapon in the game offering the perfect balance of power, range, and rate of fire. It only holds eight rounds, so be sure to reload after each engagement. For best results, crouch and peer through the iron sight view before squeezing the trigger. Also, let the rifle settle after each shot to combat the effects of recoil.
- Learn to Defend! Too many players simply race from one control point to the next, never leaving anyone behind to defend captured territory. As a result, the match resembles a game of whack-a-mole, with players wandering all over the map. Remember, your team only needs to hold three out of the five flags to bleed the enemy ticket count. So capture three control points and defend them!
- Tanks are absolute beasts, if deployed correctly. Don’t drive headlong into a swarm of enemy infantry; you’ll quickly get picked apart by explosive charges and anti-tank rounds. Instead, use tanks as standoff weapons during assaults. Hold back and shell a position, providing support while infantry move in for the capture.
- A tank’s front armor is the strongest, so keep it facing toward your enemy at all times. Likewise, look for opportunities to flank enemy tanks, targeting the weaker side or rear armor. The rear armor is the weakest, making it the most effective spot to hit a tank with rifle grenades and anti-tank rounds.
- Flak canons are great for taking out fighters and bombers…just be sure to lead them. But they inflict no damage against tanks. So if you see an enemy tank rolling toward your position, jump out of the flak canon and seek more suitable cover.
- Air raid bombers can be shot down by fighters and flak canons. So don’t let those enemy bombers reach their target. Shoot them down before they can drop their bombs.
- Always use the bomb sight view when controlling the bombers during an air raid. Steer the bombers toward the largest concentration of enemy units, as noted by the red icons on the HUD. Enemy held control points make decent targets too, as they’re constantly spawning fresh units. If targeting a control point, hit one near the frontlines, as most players spawn closest to the action.
- When strafing with a fighter, use the rudder to line-up your target. The rudder is mapped to the left analog stick and controls the plane’s yaw. Applying rudder during tight turns is also effective, sometimes allowing you to out turn a pesky bandit on your tail.
- Is your plane damaged? No need to land and repair it with a wrench. Simply fly over a friendly airfield or aircraft carrier. If you’re low enough, your plane will be repaired. For best results, cut the throttle and glide over the runway to maximize your flight time, ensuring your plane’s health is completely restored with one pass. However, you’re extremely vulnerable when performing a low speed fly over so make sure the airspace is clear of threats.
- The Japanese Zero is much more agile and maneuverable than the Marine Corsair so take this into account before charging into a dogfight. The Corsair tends to stall, so stay on the throttle while climbing and keep up your airspeed during tight turns.
- Use Squads! If you join (or start) a squad, you can spawn on your squad members’ positions. This is useful when launching an assault against a well defended control point. Have on squad member hold back and serve as the spawn point while the rest of the squad attacks. You can have up to four players in a squad.
