Please form an orderly queue to die.

If you have been playing through Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand, you may have noticed a couple of things about it. First off, the plot is relentless bleak, dour and mean spirited. Secondly, the content is still quite buggy and subject to lag and rubber banding. When compared to last years free update Shores of the Anduin, this is an inferior product. It also raises concerns as to whether the next expansion, Helm’s Deep, will be of a similar standard. Although I do not claim to speak for the majority, I have certainly heard these sentiments expressed by other players in my kinship and on the global chat channel.

Let us consider the plot which has always been a major selling point for LOTRO. Taking into account where we are with regard to the narrative, it is definitely justifiable to depict turmoil and grief within Rohan. Unfortunately this seems to be taken to extremes with literally every character that we meet coming to an unpleasant demise. We are left to watch NPC after NPC go stupidly to their death while we just look on. Then to add insult to injury, we have to spend ten minutes or so participating in a virtual funeral. Well done Turbine, you certainly filled a gap in the market with that idea. Shame there wasn’t a reception with a buffet afterwards.

Awkward…

We are also give the opportunity, almost as an after thought, to check in with the Grey Company (or the Red Shirts of Middle -earth as Syp recently named them). Once again they are reduced to nothing more than a bunch of petulant, contract cleaners. As for Horn and Nona’s romantic story arc, all I can say is that someone at Turbine must have had a string of seriously unhappy, tumultuous relationships and as a result we are all participating in their ongoing virtual therapy. Update 11 does its utmost to suck all the joy out of LOTRO. It makes Eeyore look like the life and soul of the party.

Then we have the bugs. Error messages in the chat window. NPCs that fail to appear. NPC that appear multiple times.  NPCs that refuse to respond when clicked upon. The server disconnects, the slow loading of the world when entering or leaving an instance. As for the lag, stuttering and rubber banding, it’s the worst the games seen yet. The slow down in the central town of Forlaw is terrible. Furthermore mounted combat is still the favoured mode of combat in this new region, so when you combine the rocky terrain of Wildermore with the high mob density along with these connectivity issues then you have a mess. The game engine struggles to keep up, frame rates drop and LOTRO become very difficult to play in a enjoyable fashion.

It’s like some weird temporal anomaly.

As a result of this situation, players who only recently returned to the game are moving on. It’s not as if there aren’t any other quality MMOs out there is it? So once again Turbine has to rely on the good will of their core players and the fact that LOTRO is the only Tolkien gig in town. But the broken player music system means they’ve even started to piss off this key group. I have a great deal of love for this game as it was my first MMO. However, it would seem that despite having a great IP and a loyal fan base, Turbine seem to be doing their best to scupper their own product. They really need to raise their game if they want Helm’s Deep to be a success. Whether they do so remains to be seen.

Microsoft unveiled its new next generation console, the Xbox One, yesterday at a major press event at its Redmond Headquarters. Microsoft’s Don Mattrick posed the question “”What if a single device could provide all your entertainment, what if it could turn on your TV and talk to all the devices in your living room?” and then went on to highlight the various services that the Xbox One can deliver. Ironically gaming was the last to be referenced and seemed almost to be an after thought. Furthermore there was an emphasis upon so-called “Bro games” (CoD, FIFA, Madden NFL) and a somewhat conspicuous lack of diversity. Although Twitter should never be used as a definitive litmus test, it was obvious that opinion was divided on the new console.

Concern is not really centred around the consoles revised specifications, which are pretty much what most gamers expected.  Microsoft have addd a Blu-ray drive, Skype functionality,vibrating feedback for its gamepad’s triggers and upgraded the Kinect camera’s sensor to 1080p. The processing and graphics capability are also suitably beefed up. What is causing consternation is the shift towards a broader functionality, potentially at the expense of core gamers. Providing a living room based entertainment centre, which allows communication, TV, on-demand viewing and internet browsing certainly widens the functionality of the Xbox One. Yet wider appeal often equates with casual gaming and therefore could be a step away from the traditional demographic.

Yet this trend towards the mainstream and the accompanying change in business model is the reality of today market. As MMO players have found out to their cost, the developers go nowadays to where the money is. In this case Microsoft are simply trying to make their product more accessible by stepping away from its traditional game console label. There is also a clear desire to be a single entertainment gateway and offer what Netflix, Steam and Origin currently, do as well as a wealth of social media. Will such a broadening of horizons be at the expense of current niche markets? There is also the question of whether the public are ready for the idea of putting all their eggs in one basket, especially in these days where consumers often find themselves renting a service, rather than owning a product.

Then of course, the are concerns about the following areas associated with the  Xbox One . How will Microsoft accommodate the previously owned game industry, what are the security and privacy issues associated with the need for the Kinect to be permanently attached and a console that is never truly off. Then there remains the issue of DRM and an “always on” internet connection. For the mean time this subject seems to have be kicked into the long grass, but I have a feeling that it may well return to haunt both Microsoft and gamers alike. Finally there is the Elephant in the room as to whether the Xbox One is like it’s predecessors, is simply going to be a product that is too US-centric win its business model and target demographics. The PS4 seemed to focus a lot more on traditional gaming . Will this mean a shift in the market. Then of course there is still that wild card that is the Steam Box.  There are interesting times ahead and market dominance is not necessarily a forgone conclusion for Microsoft.

Star Trek Online launched its first major expansion today, Legacy of Romulus. Unfortunately, due to my busy schedule at present, I have had precious little time to explore the free new content. The 10 GB patch not only provides a wealth of new material but overhauls many existing elements of the game. The most noticeable is the character selection screen and the GUI itself. Not only does it look very sleek but it is customisable allowing players to alter it to their own personal preference. I particularly like the character selection screen and the way it offers a far more traditional Star Trek look and feel, with its clear focuses upon you, your ship and your crew.

The expansion and it’s iconic Romulan class content has certainly renewed interest in this three year old MMO. The F2P game has subsequently experienced and increase in user logons, resulting in some unfortunate server queues. As usual Cryptic have attempted to deal with this in their own unique way and the community has been up in arms about the inconvenience. Personally my limited gaming time has meant that I have managed to avoid these issues and when I do commence playing again, I can roll a new Klingon or Romulan alt and effectively have a new game to play through. This means Cryptic will get another three months of subscription from me. Not bad in the current competitive MMO market.

STO has struggled over its lifespan to become the game that it ought to be. When you consider the global popularity of the Star Trek franchise, the game should be far bigger and popular than it currently is. F2P has certainly been a major boost to the MMO but Legacy of Romulus finally sees STO as the game it needed to be when it launched in 2010. I sincerely hope that this is a major turning point in the games history and that it goes from strength to strength. Despite some of Cryptics odd business and marketing foibles, they do seem to have a passion for the game and the content is often engaging and very lore literate. Let us hope STO continues to go “where no one has gone before”.

This weeks Contains Moderate Peril Podcast starts with a look at the problematic launch of Update 11 for LOTRO. Brian and I reflect upon some of the bugs and problems that have arisen, as well as the positive changes such as the new Lore-master pet for Mounted Combat. We then consider Trion’s recent announcement that Rift will be going free to play next month. Will this be a good conversion and a positive change for the game? How well will Rift cope with the new competition that’s on the horizon? Will it lure former players back Telara? This week’s wider gaming discussion is about the common mechanic of plot choices in RPGs and MMos. What happens when players are reticent to make a major decision for fear of making the wrong choice? Finally, I reflect upon the forthcoming Blu-ray and DVD release of A Good Day to Die hard. Is John McClane’s fifth adventure a successful entry in the franchise?

Show notes for this weeks podcast:

MMO Round-up:

• LOTRO: Upate 11 [Starts 01:27]
• Not the best launch for Turbine. Has the community just come to expect this?
• Is the player music system broken?
• Revision to Mounted Combat means the Lore-master now has a new pet, the War Wolf.
• Hobbit Presents are here to stay (and there is no way to to turn them off from the GUI).
• It’s a very competitive MMO market at present. Are Turbine doing enough or coasting?

• Rift: [Starts 27:00]
• Trion announce that Rift will be going F2P June 12th.
• Rift is a game that offers a variety of content for players and is a high quality product.
• Will this be a good F2P conversion?
• Do players who purchased the game and have supported it via subscriptions feel adequately compensated by the term of the transition?

• When choices in RPGs becomes a dilemma: [Starts 41:17]
• MMOs andRPGs often use choice as a means to engage players.
• SWTOR does this very well with its Darkside versus Lightside choices.
• There is often a optimal outcome from the multiple choices available.
• Although choice can be fun, creating an illusion of control, it can also result in player inaction if decisions result in potential loss or failure to attain a goal.

• Movies & TV: [Starts 52:56]
• A Good Day to Die Hard will be available on Blu-ray and DVD shortly.
• The fifth instalment  is an utter caricature of the original movie and a clear indication that it’s time to end this particular franchise.
• Why do some studios place major titles in the hands of film makers who have now affinity or understanding of the product they are making?

The podcasts are intended to be broad in content and casual in their nature. They are fun to record and are intended to inform and amuse. All opinions offered are our own and do not reflect any official view held by the game developers or film studios whose products we discuss. There is some strong language used occasionally. To listen to the show you can use the embedded media player below, watch the You Tube video or directly download the MP3  file or alternatively use the iTunes store.

Music Credits:

Operation Smash by Morton Stevens

OP40 by Sean Murray

Warpipes by Chance Thomas

Bawitdaba by Kid Rock

Phones4Less by Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement

Aunt Flo by Derek Griffiths

Voiceover by DJ Ric Santos

Assault on Precinct 13 was John Carpenter’s second feature-length film. The movies score was composed and recorded by Carpenter himself on a synthesizer in about three days. It features a minimalist style comprising of four overlaid music tracks at a time, which are used sparingly throughout the movie.  The pulsating beats and elongated eerie notes combine with a mournful main melody. This lean, pared back  approach suits the narrative perfectly and reflects the tonal trend of cinema at the time. There are hints of Morricone (who Carpenter later worked with on The Thing) and Lalo Schifrin in the soundtrack.

It’s interesting that Carpenter’s subtle and understated compositions were perhaps more influential on minimalist electronic music, rather than on contemporary movie scores. Certainly Carpenter’s style became grander and musically more complex as he continued to score his later movies such as Prince of Darkness and later In the Mouth of Madness. They Live. Although he may well best known for the Halloween theme, the Assault on Precinct 13 soundtrack provided the original musical blueprint and is in many ways its equal. Film composers working today could learn valuable lessons from its simple eloquence.

Assault on Precinct 13: Main Title

One of the upsides of Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand, is the revision of the mounted combat trait system by Turbine. As a result the Lore-master class now has an additional pet that can be summoned while mounted and used in combat. The War Wolf  functions similarly to a skirmish soldier and is as equally erratic. However it does has some useful attributes and can be used as a aggro magnet, affording a speedy getaway for the Lore-master that pulls too many mobs. If used wisely (IE by a more competent player than me) it can be quite effective. The War Wolf is unlocked by spending skills points on the yellow talent tree and accessing the “riding companion” ability.

It would appear that the War Wolf’s default stance is guard. It will attack targets that you have already tagged or can be directed manually. If defeated, the pet cannot be summoned while the Lore-master is still in combat. Whether Turbine have plans to alter this to bring it in line with non-mounted pets I do not know. Perhaps a store item will be made available to accommodate this? Another thing to be aware of is the run speed of your mount. If you have a light War-steed and have configured your traits and bridle for extra speed then you may outrun the War Wolf, which will disappear after a while. I have not encountered this issue myself as I favour a medium War-steed and have sacrificed some speed for endurance.

Although the War Wolf may be a somewhat blunt tool (as some other Lore-master pets are) it looks and feels right for this particular class. However, as ever with anything to do with Middle-earth, there has been a debate among the purists and lore aficionados as to whether a Wolf is an appropriate choice of pet. There has been talk as to whether Wolves are inherently evil or whether they are simply subject to corruption by the dark powers. Personally, I am happy to let this issue slide as expecting total lore accuracy from LOTRO is somewhat unrealistic. Overall this is a welcome addition and I look forward to the possibility of further pets coming with Helm’s Deep in the fall.

Having passed at the chance to see A Good Day to Die Hard during its theatrical release (due to the UK distributors electing to cut the movie for a lower rating) I finally caught up with the movie last night. The version I saw was the US “R” rated theatrical version and not the extended edition that includes three and a half minutes of additional material.

It’s a curious thing that in an age when blockbuster movies become ever longer and more bloated, frequently running over two and a half hours, that the latest instalment of Die hard is a brief 99 minutes. That’s about an hour and a half once you remove ten minutes or so of CGI credits. Is such brevity to the benefit of the movie? In a nutshell, no. A Good Day to Die Hard is light on plot, character development and viewer engagement. Frankly it s a caricature of it’s former self. The notion of the likeable every-man, out of his depth and fighting against incredible odds has given way to a loud-mouth, bullet proof xenophobic who effortlessly moves from one  improbable CGI action sequence to another.

The movies first major action spectacle is an lengthy car chase through Moscow, involving an armoured car that destroys pretty much every vehicle that it encounters. The sequence quickly becomes tedious due to its excess and is further tainted by some rather unpleasant moral ambiguity. John McClane dodges an RPG which then by missing him destroys an innocent civilians vehicles. But of course in Hollywood terms this doesn’t matter at all, as it wasn’t an US citizen. Once again we see a sovereign nation treated with contempt as our hero simply swans around doing whatever he see fit, irrespective of local law and authority. Well it’s their own fault, they don’t speak English.

For a movie that hinges on a father and son dynamic, there is no tangible chemistry between Jai Courtney and Bruce Willis. It’s all rather perfunctory. I initially assumed that the theatrical version of the movie had been edited down to be low on dialogue  high on action. When I heard that the Blu-ray release would would include an extended edition I hoped that this would fill some of the narrative gaps. Unfortunately, the extra material is simply a longer version of the tiresome car chase. No  further plot, or expositionary scenes. But I guess that’s my fault for expecting anything more from director John Moore, who previously brought us the pointless remake of The Omen and the inextricable film adaptation of the video game Max Payne.

A good Day to Die Hard has flashes of interest with villain Alik (Rasha Bukvic) who has a few curious quirk. Unfortunately he is then effectively sidelined and removed from the narrative far too quickly. The denouement is both excessive and totally implausible, even by the standards of this particular genre . When will film makers learn that once you step over the line and the audience cease to suspend their sense of disbelief, then the battle to hold their attention is lost. We also happen to know by now that the most vulnerable part of a helicopter are both its rotors and that they are not the equivalent of industrial blenders. How dumb do you think we are? On mature reflection perhaps its best not to answer that, as I was the one watching this movie through choice. Oh the misplaced good will brand loyalty can buy!

There is little good to say about A Good Day to Die Hard. The only thing that made me sit up and take notice was the inclusion of some faux BBC new reports featuring real life news presenter Sophie Raworth. Remember in the nineties how it was always CNN or Sky News that were used in this way? However, overall the movie had nothing new to offer and even it’s “R” rating was disappointing. A few profanities and some minor bullet hits cannot recreate the hard edge and elegance of the original movie. Even Bruce Willis’ signature kiss off line “Yippee-ki-yay, Motherfucker” is laboured. In all honesty last Month’s Olympus Has Fallen is closer to the 1988 Die Hard than this shallow cinematic outing. I think it’s time for this particular Cowboy to hang up his spurs and retire. Until the inevitable reboot. May be with Armie Hammer, whoever the fuck he is.

However, among all these communications are a percentage from businesses that always seem to have a “great business opportunity” or “proposal that I can’t afford to miss”. Effectively they’re trying to sell me something I don’t need or worse still, they want to buy a link back to their site. It is the latter galls me the most.

Now I am not averse to the notion of my blogging endeavours making some money, but funnily enough I do have some principles regarding the exact means of doing this. Firstly, I don’t carry any advertising at present because the delivery software totally dictates what material gets shown. I don’t like that notion. There are some businesses that I don’t want to be associated with and including them on my site in my opinions cheapens it. Plus the increase in the use of adblockers seems to be making this means of generating revenue obsolete anyway.  I would apply exactly the same stipulations to anyone trying to buy a link. Do I want to be associated with you?

Secondly, although link sharing has its uses, it is fundamentally based on a parasitical concept. Think about it for a moment. After years of doing all the hard work, giving up my time to write and build up an audience, some third party thinks they can just waltz in, toss me a few dollars and leech off my blood sweat and tears? I think not. Such a decision would have to be subject to a lot of scrutiny which leads me on to my next point. Something I have noticed is that those  requesting shared links or any other sort of business arrangement, seldom seem to be disposed towards making any real effort. Business etiquette, common sense and good manners seem to allude them.

Take for example the above email. Who in their right mind thinks that this is a good way to conduct business? Let’s address some of its points of failure in bullet point format, because it will curb my tendency to rant excessively about the overall stupidity of this communication.

1. For starters what kind of business do you wish to conduct? If you are making a pitch then it may be beneficial to you to actually include the relevant details.
2. So my site fits your needs? Really? As you haven’t at this point given me any inkling of what it is that you want, please remind me again why I should give a fuck about what fits your needs?
3. As for the best way to contact me, let’s ponder that one for a moment? Hey why not drop me an email like the one you just fucking sent?

What we have learned from the above is that this joker wants to do some sort of business with me, more than likely leech off my traffic and they want me to waste my precious time contacting them to ascertain what brilliant scheme they have up their sleeve. They must be dumb, ill mannered or utterly clueless about how to conduct business. May be they are all three? Perhaps I should draw a Venn diagram and clarify the matter through a visual medium.

So now that I’ve got this off my chest (because I get many of these sort of requests throughout the week) let me clearly clarify my position regarding anyone who wants to do business with Contains Moderate Peril. If you have a business proposal that you would like to make to me, then a concise email providing an overview of what you are offering is required. I will then on the basis of that communication decide whether I wish to contact you to discuss the matter further. Do not make a pitch where I have to do all the leg work. If you want something from me then make some effort yourself. My time is precious and I have better things to do than accommodating your ineptitude. Also take time out to consider what you are selling. I’m not interested in gambling sites, miracle cures, dating websites, stilts for Dachshunds or Osmonds tribute acts. Make sure it is relevant to Contains Moderate Peril.

By reading and following the above and there’s a chance for a mutually beneficial relationship. Ignore these rules and you’ll be spitting in the wind.

Yesterday’s problematic launch of Update 11: The Treachery of the White Hand came as no surprise. As usual Turbine did their best to manage the problem but effective communication was not immediately forthcoming. The sad reality is that many players were expecting something like this to happen. It has become common place, not just with LOTRO but across the gaming industry. Buggy products, missed deadlines and poor customer service happen all the time and are blithely accepted. The relationship between customer and vendor has become exceedingly dysfunctional, yet neither party seems inclined to do anything major about it.

Now before we proceed, if you think that Turbine are doing everything that they can do and you are happy with the current status quo then I would suggest that this post is not for you. If you are the sort of person that arbitrarily labels all criticism as “whining” then I would humbly say “these aren’t the Droids you’re looking for. Move along”. If your default argument is some ill-conceived sound-bite about “entitlement” then please close the door behind you on your way out. I have no problem with brand loyalty but it should never be at the expense of your consumer rights. Yes, once again we return to the contract that exists between ourselves and Turbine. Such as it is. Go check out the TOS for LOTRO if you want to see exactly where you stand.

Returning to my initial point, the only tangible means of leverage that a consumer has with a vendor is via their personal spending. However, the counter argument to that is that withholding revenue could potentially harm the developer. But who said that bargaining wasn’t without risk? And it is fear of that risk which prevents and progress. Because if you boycott LOTRO then you don’t get to play the game that you theoretically enjoy. But by not protesting you have to endure the status quo and the inherent failings that accompany it. Simply put Turbine have you over a barrel, because there are no alternative products. If you want to play a  Tolkien based MMO then its LOTRO or nothing.

So my question to you is how long will you endure this situation? Will you simply just continue rolling with bad customer service, broken promises and poor value for money because you can’t go elsewhere? The reason I ask is the LOTRO community has always prided itself on its maturity and dare I say it, intelligence. Read some of the blogs and forum posts. They’re not all crazy talk. There are some levelled headed, clear thinkers out there. So why is this situation being treated like an unhappy relationship, where neither party wants to do anything about it. You know the type I mean. You put up with things the way they are because the alternatives are either continuous arguments or splitting up and dividing the CD collection.

So what are you going to do? Do you feel over a barrel? Are you going to vote with your feet, or is “settling” the only practical option?

In this weeks Contains Moderate Peril Podcast Brian and I are somewhat surprised by how quickly Update 11 for LOTRO has gone from beta to final release. We also consider the ongoing issue of players not receiving their monthly Turbine Point grant. We also look two recent exploits that have affected both Diablo III and Neverwinter and the associated fallout. I attempt to answer a listeners question regarding whether it is economical for a casual solo player to subscribe to SWTOR. Finally, after seeing Star Trek: Into Darkness I discuss the movie with Brian in a relatively spoiler free manner.

Show notes for this weeks podcast:

MMO Round-up:

• LOTRO: [Starts 01:40]
• Update 11 to go live on Monday 13th May after only being in beta for four weeks.
• Turbine Points monthly grant is still subject to problems.

• SWTOR: To sub or or not to sub? [Starts 09:59]
• Muz, one of our listeners wants to know whether it is better to subscribe to SWTOR, or whether a solo casual player can get by with F2P?

•  Gaming exploits: [Starts 22:14]
• Diablo III latest patch included a major exploit allowing players to amass large amounts of in-game gold.
• The exploit allowed some players to make a great deal of real money via the auction house service.
• Given the potential for abuse, is RMT in games worth it?
• Neverwinter suffers from Foundry based exploit. Players quickly found ways to gain substantial XP.
• Cryptic’s solution? Nerf all foundry XP rewards.
• AFK farming in PvP. Players finding it easier to gear up by not participating in the PvP matches.
• there is no penalty for doing so and plenty of incentive as PvP gear is excellent compared to gear that requires effort to obtain.

Movies & TV:

• Star Trek: Into Darkness. [Starts 40:00]
• Thoughts on the movie and the secrecy surrounding the production.
• Warning this discussion contains mild spoilers but does not give too much away.

There are Klingons off the starboard bow!

The podcasts are intended to be broad in content and casual in their nature. They are fun to record and are intended to inform and amuse. All opinions offered are our own and do not reflect any official view held by the game developers or film studios whose products we discuss. There is some strong language used occasionally. To listen to the show you can use the embedded media player below, watch the You Tube video or directly download the MP3  file or alternatively use the iTunes store.

Music Credits:

Operation Smash by Morton Stevens

OP40 by Sean Murray

Roaming Free by Chance Thomas

SWTOR Main Theme by Mark Griskey

Neverwinter Theme by  Kevin Manthei

Star Trek Main Theme By Michael Giacchino

Voiceover by DJ Ric Santos

For this month competition, Contains Moderate Peril is giving away a Blu-ray boxset of both seasons one and two of Game of Thrones. The collection includes all episodes from both seasons in full HD.  There is also a wealth of extras and behind the scenes featurettes.

The boxset includes the following episodes: ‘Winter Is Coming’, ‘The Kingsroad’, ‘Lord Snow’, ‘Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things’, ‘The Wolf and the Lion’, ‘A Golden Crown’, ‘You Win Or You Die’, ‘The Pointy End’, ‘Baelor’, ‘Fire and Blood’, ‘The North Remembers’, ‘The Night Lands’, ‘What Is Dead May Never Die’, ‘Garden of Bones’, ‘The Ghost of Harrenhal’, ‘The Old Gods and the New’, ‘A Man Without Honor’, ‘The Prince of Winterfell’, ‘Blackwater’ and ‘Valar Morghulis’.

The competition is open to both US and EU entrants as the boxset is region free. However, please read the following technical notes relating to regional compatibility issues, before entering.

Important note regarding regional compatibility: The Blu-ray boxset of Game of Thrones is Region Free. Please ensure that the your player is fully compatible before entering. Check with your player vendor for details.

To enter follow the instructions below:

There are three ways to enter the drawing. You may use one, two or all three ways for additional chances to win!

Method 1: Simply leave a comment on this post using a legitimate email address that you can be reached on.

Method 2: Like CMP on Facebook, then leave a post on our wall telling us how much you want to win. (You must both Like CMP and leave a comment to be eligible)

Method 3: Follow @ModeratePeril on Twitter, then use your Twitter account to tweet this exact phrase:

Win Game of Thrones Season 1 & 2 on Blu-ray from @ModeratePeril http://bit.ly/12mZQDF #WinGameOfThronesBoxsetCMP #GameOfThrones #Giveaway

On Friday 31st May at 18:00 GMT, the competition will close. Each accepted entry will be assigned a number in descending order. I will then randomly pick a winner using the facilities at True Random Numbers.

Terms & Conditions:

1. One entry per person, per method (comment, Facebook and Twitter) please. Total of 3 possible entries per person. To comply with UK ratings regulations all entrants must be 18 or over.
2. Any entry using an IP that’s already logged will be deleted.
3. The actual text of your comment has no bearing on the competition, although it is sensible to be polite.
4. It is irrelevant whether you post a unique comment or a reply to another person.
5. CMP’s decision is final. There will not be a debate, stewards enquiry or inquest into who won.
6. The winner will be contacted by email, Facebook Message or Twitter Direct Message. If they do not reply within 2 days, the prize will be re-allocated.
7. The prize will be sent by courier direct to the winner from Amazon.
8. CMP contributors cannot enter.
9. By entering you accept responsibility that the prize is compatible with your hardware. If you win and it’s not, that is your problem and you have no recourse to CMP.
10. The winner may not request that the prize be transferred to any other person.
11. No cash alternative or alternative prize is available on entrant’s request, but in the event of the advertised competition prize being unavailable we reserve the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater value.
12. Entry in the competition implies acceptance of these rules

Good luck.

There is often a controversy whenever a well known literary figure is brought to the big screen. Physical descriptions previously established by the authors are often ignored in favour of casting a known star. However, books and film are very different mediums and there is always scope for positive changes, if they are done with intelligence and integrity. The casting of Tom Cruise is a bold step because of the obvious difference between the actor’s and fictional character’s stature, yet it works extremely well. Tom Cruise simply excels in the role of  Jack Reacher. Furthermore, author Lee Child has endorsed his casting, stating that  ”Reacher’s size in the books is a metaphor for an unstoppable force, which Cruise portrays in his own way.”

So now that we have that matter out of the way, what exactly does Jack Reacher have to offer as a mainstream Hollywood thriller? Well for starters it has a tightly written, intelligent script filled with interesting, plausible characters and a credible story-line that doesn’t strain ones sense of incredulity. Secondly, it is well paced, beautifully shot, showcases strong performances from all involved and keeps the audience emotionally invested and engaged. Finally, unlike many movies that cynically exploit the confines of the PG-13 rating, trying to peddle adult themes to a younger audience without dirtying their hands; Jack Reacher successfully depicts acts of violence with restraint and skill, portraying dark and quite shocking events in a dramatic yet unexploitative manner. Simple put this is very good cinema.

After an ex-military sniper appears to shoot five innocent people in cold blood, the Police and D.A. think they have an open and shut case. They only request that the suspects makes is “get Jack Reacher”.  Within a matter of hours the aforementioned Mr. Reacher arrives, but to the defence councils surprise, not to exonerate the accused but to “bury him”. Surprised by the accused’s request, Reacher then embarks upon his own investigation and it becomes very quickly apparent that all it not what it seems and someone powerful wants Reacher out of harms way. However, Jack has no intention of being sidelined and uses his experience as a former Military Policeman to penetrate the ongoing mystery.

At the centre of the movie is Tom Cruise, who brings Jack Reacher to life in a very natural performance. Reacher is not a traditional hero, nor is he as binary as many other alpha male stereotypes. His appeal lies in his keen mind, which stems from his military training. His strong moral code and direct manner also make his character both credible and likeable. Writer/Director Christopher McQuarrie does not add any unnecessary Hollywood tropes to the screenplay. There is no superfluous romance between Reacher and defence lawyer Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike). Rodin is also a credible female character and bereft of the usual stereotypical baggage. The dialogue is also candid and direct, with Reacher especially speaking his mind. The hand to hand combat and the use of firearms are depicted realistically. The movie makes no concessions to a lazy audience and expects the viewer to concentrate and think.

If this wasn’t enough, we are also treated to an extended cameo by Robert Duvall, who as usual makes great acting look so easy and natural. Frankly I was shocked at how good this movie was and how I responded to it. It reminded me of the great thrillers that used to be produced during the seventies. These were lean, streamlined and driven by strong scripts and performances. Jack Reacher most definitely has that vibe to it as well as the sumptuous visual sophistication that modern film making can have. And once again I have to return to the dialogue, which is littered with dry quips and asides. They’re relatively profanity free which is a rare thing these days, yet still very effective.

I was born in October; when I get to my birthday I’m going to pull the trigger.

For the record I have never read any of Lee Child’s novels so watched the movie adaptation without any major pre-conceptions. From my perspective Jack Reacher is a breath of fresh air and a welcome improvement to standard mainstream studio thrillers. I certainly would be interested to see a second. For those who have a strong connection to the source text, I would urge them to temporarily put aside their preconceptions and give Jack Reacher an objective viewing, bearing in mind the key word adaptation. I think people may well be pleasantly surprised, especially in light of the authors own personal endorsement.

Spoiler Warning.

I have included some plot details and pictures in this review that may spoil Star Trek: Into Darkness for those who have not yet seen it. Please be aware of this before reading and scrolling down the page.

After a prodigious marketing campaign, Star Trek: Into Darkness has finally arrived. At last all the questions that have kept fans and website pundits endlessly theorising, are answered. Once again a major studio has managed to produce an action-filled blockbuster which also has a strong plot, with well rounded characters who get to explore complex and adult themes. Since Batman Begins we have seen a trend towards material from a traditional pulp background being with a broader intellectual scope. Star Trek: Into Darkness excels at this while also managing to cleverly re-imagine iconic material from its own lore.

After breaking the prime directive whilst rescuing Spock (Zachary Quinto), Captain Kirk finds himself demoted to first officer and the command of the Enterprise is returned to Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood). A Terrorist attack by a former section 31 agent, John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), sees him promptly reinstated. Yet Kirk’s propensity for headstrong decisions and his obstinate refusal to accept “no win” scenarios quickly puts his crew at risk. He soon finds out that there is more to John Harrison than meets the eye. And is the new science officer, Carol Marcus (Alice Eve) the daughter of Starfleet Admiral Marcus, to be trusted?

There are strong moral themes  explored in Star Trek: Into Darkness. Seeing the emotional growth of Jim Kirk is very intriguing as he learns first hand that there are direct consequences to his devil may care attitude. Spock also struggles with his human and emotional heritage but this handled in a subtly different fashion to how it has been in the past. All other major characters are given roles to explore and broadly they work. Checkov seems to come off worst in this instalment but Simon Pegg’s Scotty has improved no end. The friendship that exists between the classic trilogy is strengthened and Spock is coming along very well. His brief interaction with his older self is intelligently explored and as ever a highlight of the movie, and the love interest works surprisingly well with Uhura (Zoe Saldana). McCoy has as ever a monopoly on dry quips and Karl Urban delivers them with aplomb. His casting is truly sublime.

One thing that did seem quite apparent is that there is a requirement to be familiar with the existing canon to get the most from Star Trek: Into Darkness. Where The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey diluted it’s source material to make it accessible to a wider audience, the lastest Star Trek outing does the opposite and is aimed squarely at fans first. Although Benedict Cumberbatch excels as Khan (yes it is him after all) there should have been a further exposition of the importance of character and his place in History. As it is, the situation does lead to some gaps in motivation. Also references to Section 31 and its significance are glossed over. Perhaps, like so many movies these days, the narrative was pruned to accommodate a focus on action. There are certainly lines in all three trailers that are not in the final cut of the movie.

I believe the movies greatest asset is its ability to turn existing lore completely on it’s head, yet does so in a manner that isn’t disrespectful or undermines it. Towards the end of Star Trek: Into Darkness the plot parallels some very iconic scenes from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Yet because we know what happened in that context, it cannot be replicated in this new time stream. Writers Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof manage to come up with an innovative new spin on proceedings. They succeed in raising a wry smile and touching an emotional nerve simultaneously. It is this approach along with the traditional focus on character and story that elevates this second movie above standard multiplex fare.

For those looking forward to a major Klingon subplot, there may be some disappointment. Their involvement with the proceedings is brief but action packed. They have naturally been subject to a  makeover of their iconic appearance, however I get the impression that the back story of the ongoing tensions between the Klingon Empire and The Federation will definitely feature more in the next instalment. It may be that such changes may well bother some – consider the alterations to the Enterprise’s design and the fact that phasers no longer seem to be beam weapons in the traditional sense. The fact that JJ Abrams did not come to this franchise as an existing consummate fan has both positive and negative aspects to it. Ultimately this is all window dressing which fans can debate (like the USS Vengeance). Overall I do not think any harm has been done to the central themes we expect from Star Trek.

It would be wrong of me not to mention Michael Giacchino’s score, which is exceptionally good. The main theme that was introduced in the 2009 movie is back and works well with multiple arrangements. It stands on its own two feet and is the equal of Jerry Goldsmith’s classic motif. It is also beautifully interwoven with Alexander Courage’s original Star Trek theme over the end credits. The piano piece London Calling, played during the introduction of Thomas Harewood (Noel Clarke) and his sick child, is beautiful and underpins the silent montage perfectly. This is how cinematic scoring should be done and demonstrates its clear contribution to the movie.

As I mentioned initially, Parmount Studios have taken enormous steps to keep specific plot lines secret – for obvious box office reasons. After all we all like a good plot twist. Unfortunately, IMDB recently updated the cast details for the movie and have clearly “blown the gaff” with regard to whom Benedict Cumberbatch plays. A lot of information can also be gleaned from the various toy ranges that have just been launched (yes, I’m looking at you Lego). This is why I have flagged this post as containing spoilers. Irrespective of this, and some of the minor criticisms I have highlighted, Star Trek: Into Darkness is a very entertaining populist movie with loftier aspirations than usual. Although the current taste for very loud, overwhelmingly fast edited action is met, there is still a underlying current of old school Star Trek present. As a result I look forward to viewing the movie a second time soon and my expectations for the next instalment have been raised.

NB Apart from the opening sequence where Kirk and McCoy are being chased, the 3D process does little to enhance this movie.

Parker is somewhat of a departure from Jason Statham’s usual style of action movie. Based upon the character created by author Richard Stark (AKA Donald E. Westlake), Parker has an emphasis on plot and old school hard-boiled dialogue, over fights and mayhem. Although those elements are present in the film, they do sit rather awkwardly with the traditional approach to the narrative. Director Taylor Hackford seems to struggle in finding the right style for Parker and the indecision results in a very uneven movie. However, it should be noted that bringing this particular character to the screen has proven difficult in the past, although John Boorman successfully achieved this with Point Blank, starring Lee Marvin.

Like the recent adaptation of Jack Reacher, Parker has a simple story that seems decidedly low-key in this day and age of Hollywood excess. Rather than being subjected to an over reaching plot filed with implausible deeds, we simply get a tale of a heist gone bad, a betrayal and the subsequent quest for of revenge. Michael Chiklis has little to do as the double-crossing gang leader Melander and his crew are simply bad by default. The movie is also punctuated with some quite jolting scenes of violence, which for some reason just seem to be out-of-place with the rest of the narrative. It as if screenwriter John J. McLaughlin felt obliged to cater for regular Statham fans.

The only real character that shows promise is Jennifer Lopez as an aspiring Real Estate Agent Leslie Rodgers, who throws her lot in with Parker in a last-ditch attempt to better her ailing career. Playing against type she gives a solid performance, doing her best with a role that could have been a lot better if developed further. As for Mr. Statham, he fills the role of Parker, the crook with a moral code, adequately. Yet despite the positive vibe between the two leads the movie struggles to find the right tone. The pacing is somewhat slow and despite the focus on story, there is still a great deal of plot points that are simply glossed over. Providing a greater insight as to why Parker is the way he is would have certainly been worth exploring.

Parker is a curious movie and not without good points but it ultimately falls between two stools. It neither satisfies the hardcore action fan, nor does it truly embrace the role of a traditional thriller. It also squander’s a good cast (including a brief cameo by Nick Nolte) by giving them little to do. However it is nice to see Jason Statham expand his repertoire, as he is quite a charismatic actor in his own unique way. It will be interesting to see if there will be any further outings for this character. Several studios have tried to launch this franchise before and have failed. Perhaps the boat has sailed for Parker and he remains a relic of the decade that spawned him and simply isn’t suited to today’s cinematic tastes. If we do get to see Parker again, perhaps it would be best to see the one from Thunderbirds.

In 2010 I had the pleasure of attending Ray Harryhausens’s 90th Birthday celebrations held at the BFI. Hosted by John Landis, all manner of celebrities, character actors,  film makers both old and new and anyone who is anyone in the effects industry, queued to heap praise on this quiet and retiring gentleman. It was a wonderful evening and a fitting way to honour a man who’s work not only shaped contemporary cinema, but inspired several generations to go into film making. For six decades Ray Harryhausen made unique movies where he breathed life into monsters and mythical creatures. Through the medium of stop motion animated he endowed all of his creations with a unique character. He quite simply made dreams real.

As a child growing up in the seventies, audiences had a subtly different relationship with blockbuster movies and special effects. They were not ubiquitous or cynical and so had an immense impact upon a young and impressive mind. Jason and the Argonauts, The First men in the Moon and One Million Years B.C.had a profound influence upon me and help shaped my future tastes, not only in film but also TV and literature. Ray Harryhausen’s work not only enthralled me but sparked an interest in the technicalities of film making. My love of his work is one of the reasons I blog today and through writing I often encounter others who were equally inspired by his genius. Sadly we lost Ray Harryhausen today.

I  have eschewed writing obituaries in the past, often feeling that others can better express the appropriate sentiment. Yet this seems more personal to me, because of Ray Harryhausen’s place in my youth.  So I’d like to say thank you Ray for the hours of wonder and joy you gave us. Not only for the spectacle that entranced us all but for the honest storytelling with its gentle morality. By giving us Medusa, Talos, Ymir and even Bubo you also gave us Rick Baker, Peter Jackson, Tim Burton, Peter Lord, Phil Tippett and so many others.  You were an innovator and a true artist. Your profound influence will continue to inspire future generations and your work will continue to find news fans. You will be missed. Rest in peace.

In this weeks Contains Moderate Peril podcast, Brian and I tackle the difficult issue of  whether real world issues should impinge upon MMOs. Exactly what should be let in or kept out of the in-game world? This discussion is a direct result of Turbines recent endeavour to highlight The One Fund charity via their games. We also revisit Neverwinter, now that it has entered open Beta. Is the game improving? Will it be this years wild card MMO? Finally after talking extensively about the changes in MMOs over recent podcasts, we thought it would be interesting to look at how we as gamers have changed in our attitudes towards them. Do we still feel as passionate about this genre of games?

Show notes for this weeks podcast:

LOTRO: [Starts 02:12]

• The One Fund Cloak (The One Fund Memorial Ribbon for DDO players) causes controversy.
• The main objection seem to be not with supporting charity but bringing it into the game.
• This is another example of Turbine handling things badly and making a “rod for their own back”.
• Should, politics, religion and real world events remain outside of MMOs?

Neverwinter Open Beta: [Starts 22:47]

• As ever the “soft launch” had capacity and log on issues.
• Some content has changed since last beta test but not the charcter animations of visuals.
• Cryptic have been very good at communicating with playerbase via the forums
• Neverwinter Gateway. You can do crafting  and use the auction house out of game!
• Economy favors Astral diamonds instead of in-game gold.
• Foundry content is very good (so far).

Our changing relationship with MMOs. (It’s Only a Game): [Starts 42:50]

• When I first started playing MMOs in 2008 I was very passionate about them and they became my main hobby for about 2 years.
• Participating and being an active community member was important.
• Like, religion and politics, I am no longer as passionate or dedicated to MMOs.
• I have come to realise that they are just “games” and nothing more.
• All the arguments about “the social benefits of gaming” are incidental and not specifically because of the games themselves.

The podcasts are intended to be broad in content and casual in their nature. They are fun to record and are intended to inform and amuse. All opinions offered are our own and do not reflect any official view held by the game developers or film studios whose products we discuss. There is some strong language used occasionally. To listen to the show you can use the embedded media player below, watch the You Tube video or directly download the MP3  file or alternatively use the iTunes store.

Operation Smash by Morton Stevens

OP40 by Sean Murray

Sindon We Bald by Chance Thomas

Neverwinter Theme by Kevin Manthei

Aunt Flo By Derek Griffiths

Voiceover by DJ Ric Santos

I stated a while ago that I would catch up with both season one and two of Game of Thrones before the third began in April. Well I successfully managed to do this and watched all twenty episodes over a period of three-weeks or so. It is not a show that you can casually watch due to the densely plotted narrative and sheer volume of characters. I therefore diligently applied myself, going so far as to make notes as the story progressed. Another aspect that makes Game of Thrones far from easy viewing is the level of violence (both physical and sexual) and it’s depiction of women. Although this can be justified to a degree, let us not be so naive as to not recognise that this is a major selling point for HBO. For every GoT fan who is a mature adult , there is a pubescent youth who is drawn to the show because of its more salacious aspects.

So after ploughing my way through this complex and dour saga and trying to separate myself from the near mass hysteria surrounding it, what exactly are my thought on the show? Well GoT is an absorbing character driven drama, filled with political intrigue and every human vice that you can conceive. The production values are high, yet the fantasy setting never overwhelms the narrative. This is very much a show where the people and plotlines come first. The series reflects many themes and ideas that are timeless. Power, status, social advantage and of course revenge. The brutalities of the world in which GoT is set are harsh and unpleasant but thoroughly plausible. All in all this is a good example of intelligent, adult drama.

Yet despite having a strong narrative foundation and a wealth of character actors to carry the show forward, I can find little love in my heart for GoT. I find the story unrelentingly bleak and many of the major protagonists singularly unedifying or even likeable. I fully understand that often their behaviour is governed by wider circumstances or may be even factors that have not yet been revealed to us (judging by the scope of the source text) but as a viewer I am a consummate believer in the notion of empathy. The key to a drama’s success is often in the way that the audience connects to the participants. It can be something as tenuous as a single factor or a throwaway line that offers some insight into the character in question and facilitates a connection between the two parties. I simply have not experienced this while watching GoT. Simply put, I don’t like any of the cast. It may seem a trivial complaint but it has major consequences on my enjoyment of the show.

In 1987 I experienced a similar situation when reading Clive Barker’s Weaveworld. I was a  major fan of his work at the time (and still am today) and had an appetite for his writing. However, whilst reading the novel I reached a major crossroads when a character in the book embarked upon a course of action that I felt was inappropriate and not to my liking. Simply put, because the plot took a direction that I did not care for, my pleasure in reading the book came to a stop. To this day I have never revisited the book and have no idea what happened beyond that point in the story. I have a similar disposition towards GoT, not so much in regard to a single plotline or happening but mainly because of the inherent bleakness of the proceedings.

My age may well play a part in this matter. A decade or more ago I would have eaten up the nastiness and cynicism of the show. Again I would like to reiterate that I do not consider these to be bad facets per se. They are simply not to my liking. The younger me would have been more tolerant of the nihilistic quality of the show and I would have revelled in being fully conversant with all characters and subplots. Now I no longer crave such things from my entertainment. GoT has very strong parallels to the real world thematically and I’m not sure if I want to endure those elements week after week.

So I have elected not to continue watching Game of Thrones. To distil my overall position into a single phrase, I am simply not enjoying the show. I am reminded of a similar situation when I first read Frank Herbert’s Dune series of  books. Irrespective of the complexity of the plot and the interesting theological themes, I found myself conspicuously ill disposed towards Paul Atreides. It is hard to invest time in a lengthy story when all you wish to do is slap the lead character senseless. Yet despite my personal indifference to the books I clearly recognise them to be of literary merit. It is the same with GoT. It is good television in many different respects. However it is simply not for me and I don’t feel the need to become part of the consensus regarding the show. Recognising that is quite liberating.

Twenty years ago, Super Mario Bros. was released upon an unsuspecting public and subsequently met with universal critical derision and box office failure. With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight is seems incredible that this project ever got given a green light. Yet at the time, not only was it granted a generous $48 million budget but it boasted a cast and production team of the highest pedigree. Produced by Oscar nominated director Roland Joffé, the cinematography was by Dean Semmler and the editing was by Mark Goldblatt. The central characters of Mario and Luigi where played by Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo and the icing on the cake was Dennis Hopper as King Koopa. You simply couldn’t make it up.

Apparently the script was hawked around most of Hollywood  as the production tried to secure a suitable A list director and some bankable box office names. Harold Ramis was initially linked to the project but opted to make Groundhog Day instead. A move I’m sure he has never regretted. Both Michael Keaton and ArnoldSchwarzenegger passed on the chance to play KingKoopa.  The role of Mario was at first offered to Danny DeVito but he would not commit to the movie until he had seen a complete script. Tom Hanks was then hired and let go, in favour of Bob Hoskins. Mr. Hoskins to this day is still traumatised by his experiences shooting this movie.

The worst thing I ever did? Super Mario Bros. It was a f—in’ nightmare. The whole experience was a nightmare. It had a husband-and-wife team directing, whose arrogance had been mistaken for talent. After so many weeks their own agent told them to get off the set! F—in’ nightmare. F—in’ idiots.

Then there is of course the script. After numerous incarnations ranging from traditional fantasy, to a post apocalyptic futuristic setting, it was decided to opt for a a dystopic cyberpunk alternative reality where evolved dinosaurs ruled the world. Ed Solomon of  Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure fame was brought in to make further, kiddy friendly revisions to the plot. This caused major discrepancies with elements of the production that directors Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton (of Max Headroom fame) had already created, such as costumes, prosthetics and character art.

As the primary shooting ended the original finale involving Mario climbing the Brooklyn Bridge and dropping a bomb on King Koopa and kicking him into the river, was replaced with alternative material where he was shot by a high tech weapon that melted him. Directors Morton and Jankel were subsequently excluded from the editing process, in which a great deal of new material shot by the second unit was integrated into the film. As you would expect with such a production, the final cut was far from most parties original expectations. The critics and fans were harsh and unforgiving. The nicest quote I could find was ”doesn’t have the jaunty hop-and-zap spirit of the Nintendo video game from which it takes – ahem – its inspiration.”

Like so many epic failures, Super Mario Bros. seems to have acquired, some sort of cult following over the years. The twentieth anniversary is being marked by a special performance in Los Angeles. I think that is never does any harm to revisit any movie after a period of time and to attempt to re-evaluate it, although such a process does not guarantee a change of opinion. In the case of Super Mario Bros. the passage of time has not altered the fact that the movie is a mess.

Yet there is a degree of freak show fascination that makes the film compelling. It has an air of car crash cinema to a degree and is most certainly is a text book example of stripping a franchise of all its charm and selling points, while trying to bring it to the big screen. Perhaps one of the interesting aspects about the film, is that the mistakes that were made during its production are still regularly made today. No doubt they will happen again in the future. In the meantime, if you have a strong sense of curiosity and a high tolerance of bad cinema, Super Mario Bros.as some sort of cinematic Kobayashi Maru test.

Contains Moderate Peril is pleased to announce the winners of April’s Cthulhu Plush Puppet and matching pair of slippers giveaway. The lucky winner was Peter Wilson from Penzance, in the UK. The prizes have now been dispatched. Mr Wilson was very pleased  to hear that he had won.

I am a big H.P. Lovecraft fan and also suffer from poor circulation. Now not only can I keep my children entertained with this wonderful Cthulhu puppet, I can now do so with toasty feet. It’s a win, win situation!

We at CMP are very pleased that you are happy with your prize. Congratulations. “Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn”.

Thanks to everyone for their participation. Contains Moderate Peril will continue with a giveaway every month throughout 2013. A new one will be posted shortly.  So keep checking the CMP website, Facebook page, or Twitter feed for details on up and coming prizes.

Remember when Turbine introduced the Apparel Dummies into LOTRO last July and the drama that accompanied it? Well finally Turbine have managed to create a variation of this service and implement it in such a way that will potentially keep all parties happy. Lalia’s Market (Yes, that Hobbit that has caused no end of problems for players on the Barrow Downs) is a one stop shop, showcasing a variety of Turbine Store items. It resides in Bree, behind closed doors, so should not offend the purists. However, the interior offers players an opportunity to peruse numerous cosmetic goodies and featured items. Here’s the official post from the forums.

Lalia’s Market is a new feature in Bree town. Yes, Lalia. Our friend from the Barrow Downs returns, offering up dyes and a market full of cosmetic goodies.

An indoor market featuring cosmetic outfits and other fun items, Lalia’s Market is a one stop shop for those who like to outfit their characters for every occasion.

The entrance is located in the market area around the Boar Fountain in Bree.

At present Lalia’s Market is only available on the Bullroarer server as apart of the ongoing test of Update 11. So far, the response from players has been fairly positive and I see no reason why this should not reach the final live version of the game. This is an example of Turbine getting it right and I hope it marks a more equitable and practical approach to promoting the in-game store. Perhaps Turbine can take a similar common sense approach and possibly revise the implementation of Hobbit Presence. Here are a selection of pictures of Lalia’s Market.

It is totally understandable why Turbine wants to support The One Fund, being a Boston based business. However, the way they have set about doing this and the subsequent manner in which they have handled the “debate” regarding it, has been counter productive and damaging. I’m sure I am not the only one who thought “this will end in tears” after reading the initial post promoting the “cloak for a cause“. The sad thing about this situation is that it could easily have been avoided if a little more common sense had been applied from the beginning.

I have no problem with Turbine wishing to promote a charitable project. It makes perfect sense to use their web resources and online presence to facilitate this. A banner advert on all websites, forum sticky posts and a message on any of their game launchers would have been ideal and appropriate. The message would have reached a great many people and would have also remained healthily outside of the actual games themselves. It is this last point that I and others place a great deal of importance on.

The moment that Turbine placed The One Fund Cloak into the LOTRO store they established a precedence. It is of no importance that Turbine are not directly raising money for The One Fund. It is the fact that they are actively promoting a specific charity, not as a side project but directly through the medium of their game. A game in which is financed and populated by a globally diverse group of individuals.

Image courtesy of Leglo 12

Now consider this. At a future date there may well be a charitable endeavour that a percentage of the playerbase may wish to see promoted in a similar fashion. The LOTRO community may look to Turbine to show support and may even actively petition them to do so. Are Turbine now obliged to always agree to this? What happens if they decline to do so? You do not have to be a genius to ponder on the sort of problems, accusations and general difficulties such a situation would create. It would appear that Turbine have once again potentially fashioned a stick to be beaten with.

Now my thoughts on this issue are far from unique and a good many other LOTRO players have had similar ideas. Naturally they have looked to the official forums to voice their concerns and many have done so it a very measured, mature and diplomatic fashion. Unfortunately, it would appear that Turbine have been draconian in their treatment of any perceived dissent. I have seen details of posts that have been deleted (and the users given an infraction) that are far from bellicose or even close to “Discussion of religious or political topics is prohibited on the Community Sites.(Community Guideline #13 – Minor)”. It seems that Turbine are becoming increasingly poor at handling PR and community relations.

Now some people have argued that they are selective about the charities that they personally support. Does that mean that they are by default against those that they do not subscribe to? Therefore they have stated that Turbine is free to do what it likes. However, the main difference with this analogy is that people are individuals, where as Turbine is a company who has a global customer base. They do not have the same freedoms of choice that a person may have and need to act even handedly, not out of any moral principle but out of pure legal compliance.

This entire affair demonstrates to me clearly why the virtual worlds of MMORPGs need to be kept completely separate from real world events and activities. Many people have expressed surprise that charity could be such a contentious subject but the sad reality is that it most definitely is. Many people look to LOTRO as an escape from the rigours of day to day life and in some respects that is a selling point of many MMOs. It is prudent that Turbine respects that. As I stated initially I am more than happy for Turbine to support this or any other charity that they see fit, as long as it remains outside of the game. The mistake in this case was in directly bringing that support into LOTRO itself. Let us see if any lessons are learned.

Once again the Contains Moderate Peril podcast has been beset with technical problems. This weeks show is unfortunately on thirty minutes long, as the other  forty minutes of recorded material had continuous background interference and could not be used. However, we still manage to pack a lot into the remaining half hour with a discussion regarding the new expansion for LOTRO, Helm’s Deep and a look at the ongoing beta test of Update 11. We also give further thoughts on the Player Council and finally get to see what all the fuss is about with Hobbit Presents.

Show notes for this weeks podcast:

LOTRO: [starts 01:32]

• Helm’s Deep expansion is announced and comes as no surprise. Turbine seem to follow a strict yearly schedule.

• Update 11 is currently available on Bullroarer.

• New launcher seems an improvement but is not yet without problems. It is still in beta.

• First impressions regarding Wildermore.

• Now we see how Hobbit Presents work. It’s just like a slot machine.

• The Player Council members to be formally named today. Two are from the unofficial forums. We look at one application from a Council member.

   

The podcasts are intended to be broad in content and casual in their nature. They are fun to record and are intended to inform and amuse. All opinions offered are our own and do not reflect any official view held by the game developers or film studios whose products we discuss. There is some strong language used occasionally. To listen to the show you can use the embedded media player below, watch the You Tube video or directly download the MP3  file or alternatively use the iTunes store.

Operation Smash by Morton Stevens

OP40 by Sean Murray

Sindon We Bald by Chance Thomas

Voiceover by DJ Ric Santos

Sci-Fi London, now in its twelfth year, will be back at the Stratford PictureHouse for an extended programme of film, TV and all things science fiction from 30th April. Prior to Tuesday’s launch, the annual Costume Parade was held yesterday at Theatre Square. As ever with cosplay events, the turnout was substantial and enthusiastic. To mark the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, the parade was lead by what appears to be a genuine Dalek (or one of the best replicas I’ve seen). Bad guys from the show were also represented in the form of Cybermen, Sontarans and even an Ogron.

Contains Moderate Peril sent its ubiquitous photographer Paul King along to the parade to take some pictures. As well as fans of the Time Lord, there was a rich variety of costumes across multiple genres. Star Wars, Star Trek (well it wouldn’t be a cosplay event without them), Indiana Jones and Judge Dredd. Characters from TV show The Walking Dead and the the video game franchise Half-Life were also present. One of the great things about cosplay is its inclusive nature, which was clearly demonstrated by the number of parents who were there with children, all in costume. There were also some faces that are becoming quite familiar. Nice to see Wolverine and Super Girl once again.

Thanks once again to the events organsisers, all who took part in the parade and Mr. King for the photos. If you see yourself in the gallery and have a cosplay related website or Facebook page, do get in touch and I will happily include a link.

Turbine announced the successful applicants for the LOTRO Player Council on Friday. Unsurprisingly, complaints soon started to appear on the official forums. It was inevitable that the Council would cause controversy and it didn’t take long for criticism to be levelled at some of the members. Allegedly, despite there being clear rules about certain types of bloggers and writers being excluded, it was claimed that several individuals met this criteria. There were then counter claims that these parties had openly declared their activities in their application. Turbine stated that they would look into this matter further.

At first glance the Council members seem to be a diverse group. There are several who post on the unofficial LOTRO forums, some of whom have been quite vocal in their criticism in the past. Yet having a broad range of participants is surely beneficial to the Council’s remit? However, that in itself is a point for debate, because it would appear that a lot of players have a different interpretation of exactly what the Council’s job is. A fact that has been exacerbated by the publication not only of the members forum names but their primary alt names and the server on which they reside. This has lead to the erroneous assumption that the Council members somehow directly represent that server, which has then led to complaints about under representation or the individuals capacity to speak for others.

If you read through Turbines original press release, the term “representative” is not used. I suspect that this is for very specific reasons. A server representative would have to be nominated and secure some sort of majority vote from the player base to have any credible remit to act on behalf of players. Such a process would instantly politicise the proceedings and the nature of the Council itself. It would leave the entire system open to the machinations and problems associated with real world politics. Thus you can understand why Turbine did not wish to go down such a route.

I consider members of the LOTRO Player Council to be more akin to SPADS (Special Advisers). Private consultants who are engaged by Turbine for their benefit. Although they bring to bear their collective experiences and advise on community needs, they do not directly lobby on behalf of specific groups. It should also be remembered that there was no deliberate attempt to ensure a balance Council members from each server. So this focus on representation by certain parties, needs to be reconsidered. This is not a case of quibbling over semantics but a clear case of being  factually correct. The Council is not a democratically elected body and has not been sanctioned by the player base as a server specific advocates.

For those who are curious about the application process, here are two that were written by successful candidates. It provides a very interesting insight in to what governed Turbine’s decision making and gives some indication as to what they were looking for.  The first is from Boraxxe (forum name) AKA Wink from Vilya, who is from the US.

Why do I want to participate in the Player Council?

An introduction:
I am a very active player. I play almost everyday for a couple of hours and on the weekends, usually at least 6 hrs each day. I participate on the Official forums, mostly in the JRR Tolkien sub-forum engaging in riddle threads.

I am very interested in communicating about what a mainly solo player enjoys and/or dislikes about LOTRO. I have been playing since the open beta and have a lot invested in the game and hope to be able to help keep it engaging for folks that like to play solo and duo.
I have some concerns that the latest changes/development in the game have been leaving the more experienced of us feeling like it is just getting “too easy”. I snagged one of those XP disablers as soon as it was available and it has helped to get some challenge back into bringing up a new character, but I have some ideas about it could be much better. I understand that some of the problem has to do with how much experience I have with the game and that new players would not see it the same way I do. I hope I can help come up with ways for us “old-timers” the keep interested in coming back every day and have that feeling of adventure that keeps us playing.

Hoping to hear back from you,

Boraxxe

This next one is from Lord Vorontur (forum name) AKA Vorontur from Snowborn. Vorontur is from the UK.

What is your primary play style/focus?:

• • PvMP
• • PvE
• • Solo
• • Raid
• • Role Play
• • Other. Please explain.:  I mostly solo, doing PvE, exploration of new landmasses, doing new Epic Storyline quests. I have been known to group up, and also to enjoy PvMP on occasion. Really, I do what I feel the urge to do at the time        I log in, with no preset plan.
• • Other continued: I am a heavy alt-a-holic, having several accounts, but 2 main ones. 2 Lifetime accounts, and my main account has 17 character slots taken up on Snowbourn with characters.
• • Other continued: I enjoy diversity, I enjoy playing completely different play styles at times.  I also have a few Creeps, so I have enjoyed that side too in the past.
• What issues are you most interested in discussing?: I am interested in a large array of issues. I am not a subscriber of one play style vs another play style, for me, the game is at it’s most happy when all styles of play are catered for and when there is development done for all. I’m also interested in discussion on performance and security issues. I also enjoy listening/reading other people’s views on a lot of different issues. For me, personally, being a member of the Player Council means that you should have an open-minded approach during discussions. And that is something I feel I have where LOTRO is regarded. I have followed this game since mid 2003, and started my journey in Middle-Earth during the first phase of Closed Beta for LOTRO: Shadows of Angmar. For me, the game, even though it’s coming up to 6 years old, has that which no other MMO has. It has Middle-earth. So, I feel I have to offer my services to the Player Council.

I look forward to hearing from Turbine.
Best wishes.

This picture serves no other purpose than to annoy Nigel Farage.

As I mentioned when the Council was first announced by Turbine, although I think participation could we bring benefits to all parties, it is also a double edged sword. Some players are already searching through Council members previous posts on both official and unofficial forums and scrutinising the content. The fact that Council members can now be clearly identified in-game could prove problematic. Let us hope that their right to play LOTRO without undue harassment is respected. If at a future date Turbine implement something that is not well received by the wider community, there will be those who will blame the Council in some capacity. Thick skins are required.

The NDA that is part of the terms and conditions of the Council means that a great deal of their activities will remain unknown. Turbine has stated that there will be occasional summaries of  Council activities. I endeavour to remain optimistic about this project and hope that is does have positive results for all concerned. However, it should not be forgotten that the Council was created by Turbine primarily for their own benefit. It has a top down power structure and not the reverse. It is neither a trade union, or any other body of elected representatives. Ultimately it is simply a means of providing market research at the lowest cost.

Update 29.04.13

Here is a list of the players who are on the Council. It is not fully comprehensive and may possibly be subject to change. The first name is the players alt which is associated with their secondary forum name.

Arkenstone
Nyn – whybird
Dobraine – stockboy

Brandywine
Gaelwing – Alcaniel
Anabellwen – Anabellwen
Crazymufindir – CraZYMuffin-IPC
Darlond – Darlond
Elebuil – FundinStrongarm

Crickhollow
Emyr – EmyrSelyf
Cainwen Ciaphas – furtim
Galahriel – Galahadur

Dwarrowdelf
Mithall – MitchTheReap
Threndinir – spiritintelligencia

Eldar
Saelberaen – Raven-EU
Rampagingdeath – Rampagingdeath

Elendilmir
Yicky – Delmore
Maxal Wayfairer – maxal

Estel
Cronoum – Crono_Poingdefeu

Evernight
Gwairin – Dawnsinger
Tatharon – WhitewolfUK
Fireaxe – Gilean-EU

Firefoot
Shezgotnyctips – NobodySpcl

Gilrain
Sauve – Lilywarrior
Xenonn – Xenonn

Gladden
Ilinsor – CenterFire
Valamar – Valamar

Gwaihir
Alcaniel – Andtalien

Imladris
Lindethiel Tindomerel – akiira_aleeann
Ellonur – Esteiel

Landroval
Frebrand – DarkCntry
Floradine – Glenwin
WarriorErick – HahnsPCs
Elenrandir – ManticoreFalco
Kiralynn – XinaLotRO
Harperella – Harperelle
Stavro – StavroMuellerBeta

Laurelin
Belegwe – MrWarg
Hakiryu – Hakiryu

Maiar
Ulf Uther – Moralqua

Meneldor
Kickman – kickman77
Eleyan – bondgirl51
Morgriane – Bandithuman

Morthond
Belech – BelechTheWild

Nimrodel
Eluriod – Jimeih
Sabriel – SabrielofLorien

Riddermark
Devrodon – Devro
Glaam – Palentian
Blackhawk – TheStormKing

Sirannon
Faenordil – FaeForSin

Snowbourn
Runesi – Runesi_EU
Vorontur – VoronturEU

Vanyar
Brokkoli – Brokkoli

Vilya
ArcticAurora – ArcticAurora
Wink – Boraxxe
Gwenfareer – UNKNOWN CHARACTER
Doppelganger – Zanishi

Windfola
Cithryth – Cithryth
Angelstar – Angelastar
Luinmiriel-Magellin – CharlesRollinsware
Wyllough – RavnDottir

Withywindle
Toffeecake – Toffeecake

I think it is time to finally admit that we will never know the real Alfred Hitchcock. In fact, letting  go of the notion that a film entitled Hitchcock is going to deliver The Truth about the legendary director is a key to enjoying it.  This is not a movie that overly caters to Hitchcock buffs or students of the horror genre. Director Sacha Gervasi’s focus is more on creating a feel good drama targeting a mainstream audience and, while Hitchcock is more fanciful concoction than revealing character study, it does achieve its modest goals.

The factual parts of the movie are based on Stephen Rebello’s excellent book, Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho. It details the often bumpy road from concept to completion of a project that alienated studio execs, unnerved censors, and mystified his closest associates.

“What if someone really good made a horror picture?” pretend Hitch (Anthony Hopkins) asks his wife and close collaborator Alma Reville (Helen Mirren). Well, for starters my answer would include F.W. Murnau (Nosferatu), James Whale (Frankenstein), and Jacques Tourneur (Curse of the Demon). But to take the question seriously misses the point. Gervasi just needs a device to get the action of the movie going. And as long as his inventions stay in the realm of the plausible the film works, at least as entertainment. It is fun to be a fly on the wall when actress Vera Miles (Jessica Biel) gives sisterly advice to Janet Leigh (Scarlett Johansson) on how to avoid the Hitchcock “star treatment”, or Hitch intimately explains to a nervous Ms. Leigh and a mortified Alma how her modesty will stay intact during the creation of the soon to be famous shower scene. For me, Rebello’s nuanced research provides plenty of raw material for a compelling film, made up or not. Unfortunately, Gervasi and company do not agree.

I don’t know if the film makers thought that relying on the “making of” concept would narrow the film’s appeal or that interweaving a relationship angle about Alfred and Alma would broaden it. But the second back story, depicting an alleged rough patch in their marriage, becomes more prominent as the movie goes on. It becomes clear that this is the movie Gervasi really wants to make.

The characterization of Hitchcock is informed by this decision. Gervasi alternates between the self-created, media savvy “fun” Hitchcock dispensing dry jabs at his sponsors on his weekly 1950’s TV show and the barely on the tracks cracker-doodle whose insecurities and anger are never far from the surface.  We rarely glimpse the auteur who invented the language of the suspense film because it does not sync up with the presentation of Alma’s story. It is one thing to look with 21^st century eyes at a talented woman like Alma and assume that, even in 1959, she must have felt frustrated and unappreciated living in the shadow of The Master of Suspense. This justifies her decision to undertake a screenplay project with colleague Whitfield Cook (Danny Huston) and to the brink of an affair, leaving a floundering Hitchcock to his own demons. It is entirely another thing to have a brokenhearted Hitch confess to Alma that Psycho “is stillborn”, allowing her to spring into action as an editor to save his pathetic wreck of a movie. Then, when the premiere is a smash hit Hitch has an epiphany, telling Alma, “I’ve realized I’ll never be able to find a Hitchcock blonde as beautiful as you.” Good night, folks. Drive safely.

Don’t get me wrong, this is all very well executed. Helen Mirren is terrific. Her Alma believably balances affection and loyalty to her husband with the pent up demand for appreciation both professionally and in her marriage. Anthony Hopkins, working beneath a tub of goo, expertly vacillates between the wily self-promoter and the unbalanced artist that Gervasi has designed.  However, the implication that Psycho was NOTHING until Alma dug in is just too hard to take. Forget the horror tag. Psycho is one of the all-time great films, regardless of genre. Mr. Gervasi creates this back story solely because it makes a “better” movie. Alma was likely a valuable contributor but Psycho’s savior? I think not. It’s also a bit disingenuous to see Sir Alfred’s transformation re Alma when a couple of years later he would, according to some accounts, be spitefully pitching ravens and crows at that nice Tippi Hedren while filming The Birds. This is all the more frustrating when late in the film Gervasi diverges from the game plan with a revelatory sequence that points to what Hitchcock might have been.

Interviewer: “What is the deepest logic of your films?”

Hitchcock: “To put the audience through it.”

During what is depicted as Psycho’s make or break world premiere Hitch excuses himself and goes to the lobby. It is just before the shower scene. He quietly paces, needing only Bernard Herrmann’s musical cues to know what is occurring onscreen. As the attack begins and the audience erupts he loses himself in a conductor’s dance, punctuating each succeeding wave of screams with an invisible knife as his baton. It is almost shocking to get a glimpse of Hitchcock that seems so nakedly personal, so essential. It is the film’s one grand, joyous moment.

Despite all my complaints, Gervasi’s Hitchcock, is a diverting entertainment. I can’t be too hard on a movie that accomplishes what it sets out to do. But I think there is a great movie about Alfred Hitchcock yet to be made. Sacha Gervasi’s willingness, with one shining exception, to sacrifice the feel real for the feel good gives us a view of Alfred Hitchcock that in the words of Norman Bates is “a fals-fals-falsity”.

It struck me the other day after seeing Iron Man 3, that the reason the recent swathe of Marvel adaptations have been so successful, is because they cunningly rendered into soap operas , rather than pure action movies. It was this factor that was the key to the popularity of Sam Raimi’s Spiderman trilogy. By focusing on the lead characters vulnerabilities and problematic love lives, the narrative becomes appealing to a far broader audience. The Iron Man series takes this a stage further by exploring our cultural obsession with “troubled” billionaires. Robert Downey Jr’s performance as Tony Stark captures the spirit of the role entirely, confirming the movies as melodrama’s rather than just FX driven juvenile escapades.

Iron Man 3, directed by Shane Black is possibly the best of the three moves. Instead of being restricted by its final chapter status, the narrative is bold, shrewd and clever. Black who crafted the definitive buddy cop drama Lethal Weapon, bring his clever use of character interplay to bear here. The movie excels when exploring Stark’s ongoing relationship with Col. James Rhodes (Don Cheadle). There is also some clever Anglophile humour with nods to the current popularity of Downton Abbey and a swipe at infamous South London town Croydon. Again we see how a movie of this nature benefits from being directed by someone who fully understands the genre and more importantly, the people who love it.

Iron Man 3 success comes from its blockbuster set pieces and it ability to wrong foot the audience. There are plot twists and revelations above and beyond what you may usually expect in such studio pictures. The notion of a post Avengers Tony Stark who is traumatized is a bold one, but works well. Guy Pearce is used appropriately as Aldrich Killian , unlike his underwhelming role in Prometheus. Even the decorative  Gwyneth Paltrow finally gets in on the action. Ben Kingsley’s sinister performance as The Mandarin is an eye opener and proves what a diverse actor he is, although it is fair to say that his approach to the role may well divide purists. Iron Man 3 may not be the most cerebral movie you will see this year but unlike recent blockbusters such as Battleship or John Carter, it has a sense of genuine integrity and belief in what it is.

Iron Man 3 is a lot more engaging and imaginative than its two predecessors and at least comparable with The Avengers for sheer quality, demonstrating that such genre movies can be more than just noise and destruction.  Certainly this is the ideal point to draw a line under this particular franchise, at least for the meantime. Robert Downey Jnr. has expressed that it is time to move on and personally I agree with him. However, the Spiderman franchise got rebooted within five years. Furthermore, the Marvel cinematic franchise is controlled by Disney and they have already stated that they will be releasing a new Star Wars movie, every year from 2015. I therefore cannot seem them letting this particular cash cow go.

Upate 11: Treachery of the White Hand will be available on Bullroarer public test server presently (NB It was not at the time of posting this article). The patch notes have been published on the official forums and they make for some quite interesting reading. Not only does the update have a new landmass and continuation of the epic story but it also addresses several wider issues. There’s a new game launcher as well as some UI changes. It also looks as if the abandoned housing debacle is finally being addressed. There will be a six month cut off point leading to foreclosure. As usual there is the standard caveat about all current content on Bullroarer being subject to change.

The map of the new area Wildermore looks suitably intriguing. It has been a while since we’ve had an icebound region in the game. It would appear that there are three points of entry in to the area. I have made a cursory check of the names of the settlements shown above, but have not found any major lore based information regarding them. It is difficult to get an exact handle on how large the new region is. However, last years Great River area managed to pack a lot in to a modest size. Considering the size and the video that’s been kicking about for a while, I wonder how much mounted combat will feature in this update?

Update:

I’ve added a gallery of screenshots taken from Wildermore. It would appear that there are some areas favourable to mounted combat . Others, such as the densely wooded area to the North West, are not. The new region can be accessed via roads from The Wold and Norcrofts. All other tracks shown on the map lead to dead ends and invariably something nasty. The mobs are quite dense in places and the wooded regions can be quire disorientating, due to the trees and blizzard conditions. The main settlement of Forlaw is built on a hill and has a rope bridge that leads to the Mead Hall.

The area is quite well represented and of a reasonable size. It does look quite good, especially at night. However, most of the mobs and environment have been recycled from elsewhere in the game. I cannot comment on the quality of quests as I have purposely avoided them. I do not want to spoil the final release of Update 11. The next stage of the Epic story starts at the Entwade where you talk to the  guard that bars the entrance to Westemnet.

Today’s announcement by Turbine that the next LOTRO expansion will be Helm’s Deep, really didn’t come as any surprise. The game seems to have a clear scheduling pattern with regard to free updates and paid expansions. Plus there was the small clue that the last expansion only gave us half a region and left the storyline on a cliffhanger. So we now just have to await for the pricing details and pre-order date to be disclosed. I’m sure that this expansion will be met with great excitement from some quarters. For a long-term LOTRO player such as myself, I take a more cautious outlook.

After all, this expansion will be more than likely bringing in the class revisions we’ve been promised (or threatened with, depending on your outlook). Plus it means once again, those who have managed to grind and acquire all the über gear, will have to ditch it. Frankly the yearly raising of the level cap does seem to be undermining the concept of the gear grind, especially as the instances and the raids that require the best equipment arrive after the expansions release. Effectively gear seems to have a six to nine month window of viability these days.

Still, new content is better than no new content and expansions are always good for creating a buzz around an existing MMO. Naturally I like so many other players am interested in how Turbine will implement Helm’s Deep. I’m also curious as to whether this expansion will have another raiding alternative like Hytbold. Plus there is the question of competition from other MMOs. Will The Elder Scrolls Online and WildStar be launched around the same time? If so will that have an impact? As for me, regardless of my personal likes and dislikes regarding LOTRO, I will be purchasing Helm’s Deep as soon as it becomes available, simply out of pure obligation to CMP’s readership. (+5 Bullshit)

For those who missed the official press release, here it is.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment unveiled today The Lord of the Rings Online™: Helm’s Deep™, the next expansion to the award-winning free-to-play massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) developed by Turbine. Helm’s Deep will continue the Epic Story into the western plains of Rohan, allow players to take a direct role in the battle for Helm’s Deep and advance the level cap to 95.

“With Helm’s Deep, we’re bringing the War of the Ring to players on a monumental scale,” said Kate Paiz, Executive Producer of The Lord of the Rings Online, Turbine. “Our team is thrilled to create another iconic moment in Middle-earth, and put players in the center of the action.”

THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE: HELM’S DEEP FEATURES:

• Experience the Battle for Helm’s Deep – Fight to defend Helm’s Deep starting at level 10, as your character enlists as a soldier in the Battle of the Hornburg, the most massive conflict yet in The Lord of the Rings Online.  Earn rewards for your contribution to the war effort – win or lose, your aid makes a difference!
• Explore new landscapes across Western Rohan – Explore the Westemnet of Rohan and rally each of the five Ridings as Rohan returns to glory. Traverse the capital of Edoras, mysterious Dunharrow, and the fortress of the Hornburg, deep within Helm’s Deep.
• Advance from levels 85 to 95 – Experience 10 new levels, from 85 to 95, with new skills and completely updated class specializations. Both mounted and un-mounted combat will challenge you as you war against the evil of Saruman.
• Continue the Epic Story – Encounter beloved characters such as Aragorn, Éowyn, and Éomer. Restore King Théoden to his rightful lordship and defend the peoples of Rohan at Helm’s Deep.

The Lord of the Rings Online™ is the ultimate adventure! This award-winning free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places, and monsters from the most famous fantasy of all time.  For more information, visit www.lotro.com.

Contains Moderate Peril has reached its one hundredth episode. However, as we don’t believe in making too much of a fuss, its just business as normal in this weeks show. So Brian and I take a look at the controversy that sprang up regarding Hobbit Presents. Why is it that Turbine seem to have such a tough time trying to come up with appropriate items for the LOTRO store? We also look at Cryptics new pre-order packs for Legacy of Romulus. It’s amazing how two developers can have such a radically different approach to the free to play business model. We pose the question will smaller, web based and mobile games eventually kill off old school, big MMO development, in light of the success of  The Hobbit: Armies of the Third Age. Finally, on Brian’s recommendation we checkout Syfy’s new TV show Defiance. Is it any good and do you need to play the game to appreciate it?

Show notes for this weeks podcast:

MMO Round-up:

LOTRO: [starts 06:33]
Update 11 to go live on Bullroarer on 19th April? (Now delayed)
Hobbit Presents. A variation on lockboxes and the forum lotteries?
Why do Turbine persist in creating complex systems to sell store items?

STO: [starts 25:26]
Legacy of Romulus Pre-order packs. Effectively this is just a chance to buy the items associated with the expansion in advance?
As per usual Cryptic provide partial information that generates further questions.
However the the player-base seem willing to pruchase these packs, even lifetime account holders.

Big versus Small: [starts 38:08]
The Hobbit: The Armies of the Third Age, Kabam’s browser based game now have a million user accounts.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment chose to invest in a simple, quick to develop product to capitalise on the IP and the success of Peter Jackson’s movie.
What does this mean for the future of big, triple A, cross platform products and MMOs?
Finnish developer’s Supercell generating $2.5 million per day via 2 iOS games.
Will publishers allow MMOs to “wither on the vine”?
What would MMO players do if the industry effectively turned it’s back on MMOs?

Movies & TV: [starts 55:17]

Defiance: Syfy launches its new series that ties-in with the new Trion game of the same name.

Rusty Sheriff’s Badge?

The podcasts are intended to be broad in content and casual in their nature. They are fun to record and are intended to inform and amuse. All opinions offered are our own and do not reflect any official view held by the game developers or film studios whose products we discuss. There is some strong language used occasionally. To listen to the show you can use the embedded media player below, watch the You Tube video or directly download the MP3 file or alternatively use the iTunes store.

Music Credits:

Operation Smash by Morton Stevens

OP40 by Sean Murray

Bawitdaba by Kid Rock

Sindon We Bald by Chance Thomas

Star Trek Online misc by Kevin Manthei

Phones4Less by Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement

Aunt Flo By Derek Griffiths

Voiceover by DJ Ric Santos

Urugyan writer and director Fede Alvarez  obviously has a great deal of passion for the horror genre and certainly understands it a lot better than may other mainstream film makers. Make no mistake, Evil Dead is an extremely hard “R” and is certainly not like the usual tame studio output we see so often these days. There is an emphasis on physical effects rather than CGI. The film also endeavours to re-invent the movies iconic plot to avoid a scene-by-scene retread of Sam Raimi’s original. The idea of a groups of friends electing to stay somewhere isolated to help one of the group go “cold turkey”, is a clever one. Perhaps the smartest thing the production does is the removal of  the character Ash. Replacing someone such as Bruce Campbell is virtually impossible.

They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, because despite all its positive points, Evil Dead still manges to fall short of the mark. Don’t get me wrong, this is far from a poor film, will prove entertaining to many and will certainly provide that gore fix that so many fans having been Jonesing for. It’s just that once again we see a that there is a fine line between fandom and fanboy and unfortunately, the movie leans towards the latter to it’s detriment. There is an unnecessary prologue, Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues screenplay falls very flat, the performances seem strained and there is too much focus on production values, rather than the strong character interaction.

Violence and profanity are just two of the many tools a film maker has at their disposal. The key to using them effectively is to do so in a pertinent fashion that validates their presence. Watching something unpleasant happening to a character that you have some sort of emotional connection to has a great deal of impact. Viewing clinically accurate effects work, just for the sake of it, without the benefit of a wider context is less effective and possibly the biggest school boy mistake you can make in the horror genre. When you consider the lengths that cinematographer Aaron Morton has gone to to makes the woods in which Evil Dead  is set in, seem genuinely malevolent, it is a shame that the atmosphere was not more directly linked to the  physical on-screen horror.

Overall this reboot of Evil Dead has far more in common with the works of Eli Roth rather than Sam Raimi. Glimpses of invention and originality are ultimately lost in the frenetic third act when the focus shifts from suspense and horror to mayhem and mutilation. The joy of being scared is replaced with the challenge of enduring the repulsive. Perhaps the inevitable sequel will allow the franchise to fully meet its potential. In the meantime, some degree of praise should be given to all concerned for at least trying to buck the current trend. Evil Dead has at least had the courage to try and please the traditional horror market rather than simply court the most commercial viable demographic. Financially it seems to have paid off.

The forthcoming Star Trek Online expansion, Legacy of Romulus, went into closed beta on Thursday. During this first round, access has been restricted to invitation only and grants those lucky players the chance to create a Romulan character on the Tribble test server. It has also been clearly stated that this is an initial build that lacks all the “bells and whistles” of the final release which is scheduled for the 21st of May. The beta test, although gated, is not subject to an NDA. Subsequently, screen captures have emerged and I’m sure more will continue to be posted in the days to come. Cryptic has openly solicited feedback.

Here are some screenshots that I have managed to find so far. They show details of the new GUI and the improvements to the character customisation screens. There are also some pictures taken from the opening cutscenes, which establish the back story for the new expansion. From the limited material that has been made available so far, along with these pictures, I have yet to see anything that is controversial or poorly realised. After three years and an uphill struggle, STO is finally shape up into the game it should be. I look forward to seeing more from the Legacy of Romulus.

Yesterdays announcement regarding Hobbit Presents was very ambiguous and has proven controversial. The initial post seems to be conspicuously missing a great deal of detail and has raised many questions. A thread on the official forums has provided some additional details since then, courtesy of Sapience. Yet that has not laid the matter to rest.

At first glance, this new game mechanic looks like a pleasant diversion and a chance to win something of use. An immediate comparison would be to that of the forum lotteries. However it the fact that you can bypass the cooldown timer on present opening by use of Mithril Coins, that concerns many players. I believe that this quote possibly nails what seems to be niggling so many people.

In essence, it’s just a random chance button in the guise of a present. Get your 1 free spin of the roulette wheel and then pay for more afterwards.

Doro

The fact that Gold Presents will have a chance of containing “ equipment” is a very interesting development. Turbine qualified their definition of equipment with the following caveat.

“When equipment is generated, it will take into account your character’s class and level, and the rarest drops include legendary-tier equipment”.

This provides a great deal of food for thought and already certain common questions have become apparent. Here are just a few. Feel free to leave a comment and add any others you feel are important.

• Will these Hobbit Presents replace the lotteries when the LOTRO community site get’s revised and relaunched?
• What steps does a player need to take to ensure that any possible reward goes to the right alt? How does logging in between multiple alts effect this outcome?
• What will be the status of any rewards obtained through Hobbit Presents? IE BoE, BoA etc.
• When will this feature appear? (Update. In the next update, which will be live on Bullroarer shortly)
• Shouldn’t Hobbit Presents, in lore terms, be Mathoms and therefore of little use
• Is there a similar precedence in DDO for such a game mechanic? (Update:The Daily Dice?)

Mind you, it has been a regular complaint of late that VIP players never seem to benefit greatly from their status. The introduction of the Gold Present seems to address that, although it is debatable that this is what VIPs wanted. For me this is just another example of Turbine failing to address the Oliphaunt in the room. Why do they always try and devise complex means of selling store items to the player-base  in such a way where they attempt and disassociate themselves from what it is they are trying to do? Is Hobbit Presents really Hobbit gambling?

Turbine, we understand you need to generate revenue from the store. Most of us have comes to terms with that now and our even happy to use it. If you are not sure what to sell, why don’t you just ask us? Remember the Hobby Horse debacle? You got some useful feedback then regarding what we would expect for a $50.

Finally, there will inevitably be those who will berate anyone who voices concerns over this matter. “Free stuff is free” is but one variation on a standard theme. Well unfortunately, its not as simple as that, as the sheer volume of questions concerning this matter demonstrates. Then of course we have that other old favourite, “if you don’t like it, just ignore it”. Since when has ignoring something that could potentially prove detrimental ever been a good policy? I don’t hold especially strong views on gambling but I understand that others do. I certainly don’t like to see the rather low rent trappings of online betting associated with the works of professor Tolkien. I believe his heirs share similar views.

Mind you, unlike the late Baroness Thatcher, Turbine have demonstrated that they will U-turn in the face of public criticism. Let us see what happens in the Update 11 beta.

I was reading recently that The Hobbit: Armies of the Third Age, the web-based strategy game has racked up one million players after just a few weeks of being available. It’s a free to play, browser based strategy game developed by Kabam for Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It was one of two official games developed to tie-in with The Hobbit franchise, the other being The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle-earth for the iOS platform. Many gamers and Tolkien fan’s were disappointed that there no products developed for other platforms or genres of game.

Considering the popularity of the IP, the choice of pursuing such modest options seemed odd. Some gamers were openly dismissive of Kabam’s involvement. Yet the personal likes and dislikes of a percentage of players does not alter the fact that the market for browser based games is substantial. Like so many F2P games, THAOTTA is financed by micro-transactions and it is proving to be very lucrative. I never fully realised until recently exactly how lucrative this is. The following statement taken from a recent Kabam press release  provides perspective on the matter.

Kabam has seven titles that gross more than $1 million per month and had three of the Top 25 grossing games on iOS and Android by the end of 2012. The average revenue per paying Kabam player is $80 per month

Is it any wonder that the rights holders of any big IP are naturally going to be reticent to invest inordinate time and money into high risk projects such as MMOs, when smaller, low cost products such as this can be implemented quickly? Of course MMO stalwarts will not necessarily flock to play games such as THAOTTA but that’s not really the point. Game publishers are primarily about generating revenue and will logically favour the specific subset of gamers that prove most financially viable. Although game developers may have visions and aspirations of quality, their employers are not burdened by such artistic considerations.

I’m sure Turbine would love to achieve a customer base such as that which THAOTTA currently enjoys. Admittedly, MMOs have a long-term game plan where mobile games enjoy a shorter shelf life, but ultimately business comes down to your monthly cash balance. As a result of this business trend and the strictures of the current licensing terms, will we ever see the development of any new substantive titles based on the works of Tolkien? Or will we simply just see a series of games like The Hobbit: Armies of the Third Age as Peter Jackson’s sequels are released?

My first visit to the Scala cinema in Kings Cross was in 1991. I’m not entirely sure quite how this sleazily salacious and gloriously gory fleapit had escaped my radar for quite so long. But somehow it had – and it may have done so for longer still had it not been for an unrated screening of ‘The Borrower’ (John McNaughton’s follow-up to his ferociously stunning debut Henry: Portrait of a serial killer.) I’m pretty sure it was the “unrated” prefix which drew me like a moth to the flame; the allure of an uncensored non-MPAA/BBFC butchered piece of celluloid. If memory serves me well The Borrower wasn’t all that great – but it introduced me to the Scala – and for that alone its importance in my cinematic voyages cannot be underestimated.

The Scala’s grand ornate exterior seemed in some way a kind of white mirage shimmering amongst the flotsam and jetsam of sleaze and run-down decay of King’s Cross. But that was the outside. The exterior gave was to a narrow speak easy-like entrance and cubby hole ticket booth that always made the experience of purchasing a ticket a somewhat furtive and taboo act. The steeply ascending marble stairs lead up into darkness and I often imagined Leatherface, resplendent in bloodied apron, bounding down those stairs toward me with a hammer to pulverise me unconscious and render my limp carcass on a meat hook.

Having survived another ascent without ending up in the ‘best chilli in Texas’ I would arrive at the high ceiling cavernous foyer, plastered wall to roof with graffiti and lurid artistic renderings from insane cavemen clearly driven to madness by what they’d witnessed on the screen within.

And from there into the auditorium with its sharply rising ranks of dilapidated seats offering sparse comfort and blood-clot inducing leg-room (particularly during all-nighters). I tended to park myself in the lower rows, close to the screen as opposed to the rear of the auditorium which, due to the steep gradient meant you were practically looking down at the screen from on high in judgement. I detested this enforced detachment. Whatever that day or night’s programme had in store for me, I wanted to face it head on. Of course this meant I could clearly make out the permanent stain on the right side of the screen. I would often speculate as to the origin of the aforementioned stain and came up with several theories. Of these, perhaps the only printable one was from some over exuberant audience participation during The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

But it was a decent size screen, particularly when expanded to accommodate wide screen presentations, so I came to overlook the dubious smear. Besides, there were numerous other distractions to contend with at the Scala…

The cinema had a resident feline presence. I would often feel the brush of a moggy against my leg during performances (either that or the rats of the nearby underground were bolder than I’d anticipated). Universal and Disney invest millions in so-called ‘4D’ technology to give the audience an enhanced sensory experience. Well, whilst their efforts are technically impressive, they pale into insignificance when compared with watching Pet Sematary at the Scala. With an uncanny sense of timing, at the exact moment when the Creed’s family cat ‘Church’ came back from the dead on the screen I was presented with a real-life fur ball in my lap.

In the mid-70’s there was an experimental sound system called Sensurround utilised during screenings of movies like Earthquake and Rollercoaster in select cinemas. Sensurround was essentially a low-frequency sub-woofer system designed to enhance deep bass effects and help the audience ‘feel’ the thrills. Once again, whilst this must’ve been a mighty fine experience it couldn’t possibly have matched the constant ominous vibrations and rumblings that permeated throughout the very fabric of the Scala courtesy of another unique sound system entitled London Underground-a-rumble-rama.

The Scala also offered its own version of odorama with many a screening being supplemented by olfactory ‘enhancements’, mostly (and thankfully) of unknown origin.

So I think it’s fair to say the Scala was a little rough round the edges. But I loved it. Those 2 ½ precious years where I spent countless hours (and nights) within those glorious confines were some of the most rewarding, most mind boggling, most delightfully degenerate times that I can remember. But my love affair with the place ended cruelly and suddenly in June 1993. Following an illegal screening of Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange’ the Scala went into receivership after losing a court case with Warner Brothers. I was in the US on holiday at the time, and was blissfully unaware of these calamitous events unfolding. To do this day I still feel guilty for having (unknowingly) forsaken my beloved fleapit during her hours of most need.

The Scala introduced me to Hong Kong action classics like John Woo’s ‘The Killer’ and ‘Bullet in the Head’. It also brought the legendary action hero Chow Yun Fat into my world. My first viewing of Mr Fat in hero action was accompanied by a lady with a shopping trolley who would rise to her feet in front of me and give a hearty blast on a whistle at every appearance of her idol. It was mildly amusing the first couple of times.

I was clonked on the head by an under-ripened banana during a screening of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Although this act bore no relation to the events unfolding on the screen I did wonder whether maybe it was an attempt by an overly enthusiastic patron to encourage audience participation ala Rocky Horror. If it was it didn’t catch on as I didn’t encounter any projectile fruit (under ripened or fully matured) at a subsequent screening of the film.

I recall several times stumbling out of the Scala onto the Pentonville Road around 6am on a Sunday morning having spent the night watching four or five horror films back to back. Shuffling across the concourse of King’s Cross Station, watery eyes blinking to reacquaint themselves with the misty early morning light of N1, I must surely have given a passable impression of a Romero zombie.

During a Dario Argento all-nighter my crafty 40-winks between film three and four were rudely interrupted by an irate patron running full pelt from the auditorium repeatedly screaming: “It’s the eighty-two minute version, it’s the eighty-two minute version!” (That horrible moment of realisation when he’d worked out we were about to be shown the shortened Creepers rather than the full-length Phenomena).

Not that he would’ve felt short-changed very often at the Scala. Memories of a double-bill of Jörg Buttgereit’s jaw-dropping homage’s to necrophilia: Nekromantik + Nekromantik 2 on 30th May 1992 will live with me forever. As will the look on Monika M. (the delightful star of Nekromantik 2) when I approached her after the screenings and asked whether we’d seen the full ‘uncut’ versions? In hindsight I now fail to see what could possibly have been cut from the films given the explicit offerings within and I dread to think what impression Monika M. must’ve formed of me as a result…

Putting this in some kind of context, the emotional scars of the Video Recordings Act of 1984 were still running deep back in the early nineties, and I became somewhat obsessed with what had been snipped, chopped and banned by the BBFC. In this preoccupation I was clearly not alone when, one afternoon whilst queuing outside the Scala, a chap opened up a suitcase on the pavement in front of me which contained a treasure trove of 2nd (at least) generation copies of the most notorious of the video ‘nasties’. What followed could only be described as a piranha feeding frenzy. In the ensuing mêlée I grabbed Suspiria and New York Ripper (in full-size VHS cases with reasonably photocopied colour covers). The quality wasn’t bad (£10 per title mind you) considering the method of transfer. The Dutch subtitles were a tad distracting but back then beggars couldn’t be choosers.

Other highlights from the Scala programming included a fantastic 3D print of ‘The Creature from the Black Lagoon’ (the best screening of the film I’ve ever seen). ‘Fritz the Cat’ lined up alongside the genuinely disturbing ‘Dougal and the Blue Cat’ during one very odd all-nighter. Frank Henenlotter’s wondrously warped ‘Basket Case’ trilogy and an absolute powder keg double bill of ‘Straw Dogs’ and ‘The Wicker Man’. And the list could go on and on…

Today the Scala is a swanky music and multi-bar venue. I went back once – but it didn’t feel like I was in the same building. Instead I will keep close to me my fond memories of the old place – like postcards from an unmade David Lynch film.

First published on Fleapits & Picture Palaces.

For April’s Contains Moderate Peril giveaway, we’ve decided on something quite different from previous prizes. We thought it was time for a change from Blu-rays, DVDs and games.  So this month we are offering one lucky person the chance to win a Cthulhu Plush Puppet and a matching pair of slippers! Yes we have combined a love of classic horror fiction, with quality children’s (or adult) entertainment and sartorial elegance.  Be the envy of H.P. Lovecraft fans everywhere with this superb combination of Cthulhu based prizes. Here are the product details.

Entertain the children around your neighborhood or summon a Shoggoth! With this 17-inch plush hand puppet, you”re guaranteed to have a good time.

Nothing keeps your feet more covered in plush monster than Toy Vault’s Cthulhu Plush Slippers! This pair of green fuzzy footwear comes in one size that fits men sizes 9 – 12 . Your feet will never be warmer than when they’re tucked cozily inside a cuddly pair of demons.

To enter follow the instructions below:

There are three ways to enter the draw. You may use anyone of them or all for additional chances to win!

Method 1: Simply leave a comment on this post using a legitimate email address that you can be reached on.

Method 2: Like CMP on Facebook, then leave a post on our wall telling us how much you want to win. (You must both Like CMP and leave a comment to be eligible)

Method 3: Follow @ModeratePeril on Twitter, then use your Twitter account to tweet this exact phrase:

Win a Cthulhu Plush Puppet & Matching Slippers @ModeratePeril. Details: http://bit.ly/17outIY #CthulhuCMP #Giveaway #Competition

The competition will close on Tuesday 30th April 2013 at 18:00 GMT. Each accepted entry will be assigned a number. A winner will then be randomly picked using the facilities at True Random Numbers.

Terms & Conditions:

1. One entry per person, per method (comment, Facebook and Twitter) please. Total of 3 possible entries per person.
2. Any entry using an IP that’s already logged will be deleted.
3. The actual text of your comment has no bearing on the competition, although it is sensible to be polite.
4. It is irrelevant whether you post a unique comment or a reply to another person.
5. CMP’s decision is final. There will not be a debate, stewards enquiry or inquest into who won.
6. The winner will be contacted by email, Facebook Message or Twitter Direct Message. If they do not reply within 2 days, the prize will be re-allocated.
7. The prize will be sent by courier direct to the winner from Amazon.
8. CMP contributors cannot enter.
9. By entering you accept responsibility that the prize is suitable to your requirements. If you win and it’s not, that is your problem and you have no recourse to CMP.
10. The winner may not request that the prize be transferred to any other person.
11. No cash alternative or alternative prize is available on entrant’s request, but in the event of the advertised competition prize being unavailable we reserve the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater value.
12. Entry in the competition implies acceptance of these rules

Good luck.

Contains Moderate Peril podcast is back after a two week break. In the ninety ninth episode, Brian and I consider this week’s 6th Anniversary Festival for LOTRO as well as the forthcoming open beta for Neverwinter. When we say open beta we of course mean soft launch, because that’s what it appears to be. We recommend the informative documentary Star Wars Begins, as it has rekindled are interest with the classic trilogy and we ponder the question “Where have all the podcasts gone”? Finally, after yesterday’s leaked gameplay footage from The Elder Scrolls Online beta, we reflect upon what we have and have not seen from the game.

Show notes for this weeks podcast:

• LOTRO 6th Anniversary:
• Six years in the gaming industry is quite an achievement.
• A rather disappointing selection of rewards with a focus yet again on cosmetic items.
• Other games seem to put more effort into their anniversaries.

• Neverwinter “soft launch” 30th April:
• Crptic announce an open beta with no characters wipes or major restrictions.
• Is the game “good to go” in it’s current state?
• We cannot remember a triple A title launching in this fashion.

• Star Wars Begins:
• One of three documentaries made by Jamie Benning.
• These unofficial products are superior to the official documentaries on Blu-ray.
• These documentaries provide a fresh perspective on the trilogy.

• Where have all the podcast gone:
• There does seem to be less gaming podcasts out there (as mentioned in a  recent article by Joseph over at pthppt.com)
• The reasons why we took a short break from recording a weekly show
• As games become more casual are podcasts really required?

• The Elder Scrolls Online Beta Gameplay Leak:
• What can we determine from the twenty minutes of game footage that was leaked?
• Will this game meet expectations?

The podcasts are intended to be broad in content and casual in their nature. They are fun to record and are intended to inform and amuse. All opinions offered are our own and do not reflect any official view held by the game developers or film studios whose products we discuss. There is some strong language used occasionally. To listen to the show you can use the embedded media player below, watch the You Tube video or directly download the MP3 file or alternatively use the iTunes store.

Music Credits:

Operation Smash by Morton Stevens

OP40 by Sean Murray

Sindon We Bald by Chance Thomas

Neverwinter Theme by Kevin Manthei

Burning Homestead by John Williams

Bawitdaba by Kid Rock

Aunt Flo By Derek Griffiths

Voiceover by DJ Ric Santos

Someone decided to break the NDA and post some gameplay footage from the current beta for The Elder Scrolls Online. The nineteen minute video shows the initial stages of the game, including  the character creation screens and starter area. The video has prompted some very mixed reactions from The Elder Scrolls fans and broader MMO players.  The story starts with the central character being rescued from the sea and going ashore into a coastal city. A plot device we have seen before  in Neverwinter and Age of Conan. The footage then proceeds to show what appears to be very traditional fetch quest driven game and a somewhat arbitrary narrative.

The interface and gameplay mechanics do superficially appear to be similar to that of Skyrim. You can toggle between first and third-person mode, although the latter lacks any specific animations. The combat focuses around a central reticle on screen. The UI has a similar stylistic theme to Skyrim but beyond that, the wider MMO aspects of the game do seem to be standard. All the NPCs appear to have full voice acting and offer traditional quests. The more complex skills tree of Skyrim has been simplified into something you would expect to see in an MMO. Each class has three different specializations. Overall there is nothing within this video that implies that The Elder Scrolls Online is going to do anything bold or new. If that is the case is what is on offer sufficient?

In the past I would be the first to say, “don’t judge a game by it’s beta material”. However, I have participated in sufficient tests in recent years to realise that nowadays, what is in the beta often makes it into the final version. Beta’s seem more about pre-sales and marketing these days than dealing with bugs and customer feedback. From my perspective, what I have seen so far is just more of the same in MMORPG terms. The only real selling point is the IP  which I know has a massive fan base. It should also be noted that the beta footage looks graphically weaker than a lot of the promo video footage that has been officially released.

I am keen to read player feedback of this game in the weeks to come and to see exactly what ZeniMax Online Studios reaction will be. I have a suspicion that this may not be the sure thing that some parties may think it is. The MMO market is very difficult at present and there have been several high profile casualties recently. Will The Elder Scrolls Online be the next?

Update:

Some further footage of the game. Added 21.04.13

The UK Office of Fair Trading has launched an investigation into whether children are being unfairly pressured or encouraged to pay for additional content in ‘free’ web and app-based games, including upgraded membership or virtual currency such as coins, gems or fruit. Typically, players can access only portions of these games for free, with new levels or features, such as faster game play, costing money.

The OFT investigation is exploring whether these games are misleading, commercially aggressive or otherwise unfair. In particular, the OFT is looking into whether these games include ‘direct exhortations’ to children – a strong encouragement to make a purchase, or to do something that will necessitate making a purchase, or to persuade their parents or other adults to make a purchase for them

As part of the investigation, the OFT will also consider whether the full cost of some of these games is made clear when they are downloaded or accessed, potentially leading to children and parents to make decisions they may not have made if prices were more transparently advertised at the start of the purchasing process.

OFT Press Release 11th April 2013

While I applaud such a study, the importance of a well-regulated industry and clear advertising , I do think there is another important aspect to this matter. That being the role of the parent. Is it not a parents job to police all activities of the children they are legally and morally responsible for? Let us take for example the recent case of Mr. George Holmer and how his eleven year old son Edwin managed to spend over £3,000  while playing The Simpsons: Tapped Out. You can find a BBC news report on this story here. Should Mr. Holmer not ensured that he was fully aware of what his son was doing when using a tablet with internet connectivity?

I have a great deal of sympathy for parents as they face the demands of modern day life. However, parents should never allow a child access to any technology that they do not fully understand themselves. The responsibility is upon the adult to know what games, apps and social media their child is using and to either set rules for its use or oversee access to it. It doesn’t have to be a chore or a “dictatorial” situation. Sometimes the best way to learn about something a child enjoys is to simply ask them about it. The tablet or smartphone should not be relied upon to be the babysitter of the current generation.

As for OFT investigation, it will interesting to see if it extends into any other genre of games, such as the F2P MMOs. Micro transactions can be regulated through adherence to a clear advertising and disclaimer policy. Lockboxes may well prove to be a more divisive matter. Do they constitute as online gambling? If so how do you enforce the current legislation especially with regard to the age restrictions? Another thing to consider is the regional compliance that each country makes upon these web games and apps. If the UK demands changes that are  financially prohibitive to the publishers, will they simply not withdraw the product from sale in that locale?

This innocuous study by the OFT may well prove very interesting with potential far reaching ramifications.

On 23rd February I was invited along with several other members of the LOTRO Community (AKA the unofficial forums) to listen to an online talk from a former Codemasters employee. It was regarding their involvement with the European service of The Lord of the Rings Online between 2007 and 2011. Sincilbanks (their current forum name) was online customer services manager and during their tenure oversaw the daily administration and support of the game for non-US customers.

The discussion provided a very interesting insight into the running of the MMO and highlighted clear ideological and business differences between Codemasters and Turbine. It also highlighted the significance of EU customers to Turbine and answered some of the questions that have persisted over the years regarding the disparity between the two services.

One of the first things discussed was the size of the EU service, which was comparable to that of the US during this period. Furthermore over half of the EU service were German or German-speaking. LOTRO was a subscription game at the time and therefore this regional market had a sizeable value attached to it. As a result Turbine wanted to buy the Online department of Codemasters in 2009. The deal did not go through as an agreement could not be reached upon that value.

Some interesting details regarding the business setup also emerged. Codemasters Online was a small and autonomous department within the wider company, managing several licensed MMOs such as ArchLord, RF Online and LOTRO. Unlike other divisions of Codemasters, the subscription business model and the focus upon peak concurrent users meant that revenue was regular and more reliable. Traditional games finances are more associated with targeted and specific sales windows.

A point that came up quite quickly was the way the EU service under Codemasters would often hold in-game events, had a more flexible approach to account hacking and seemed to have a more proactive group of GMs. During the course of the discussion it became clear that Turbine had less GMs and that they were less knowledgeable regarding LOTRO. The servers had a great deal of functionality built into them which allowed for ad-hoc activities. Codemasters staff were very aux fait with this but Turbine were constantly reticent to allow these features to be used.

There was a fear of server crashes and a loss of service. The US customer services were very much focused on the cost per ticket ratio and anything that impacted upon that. US businesses are also more culturally risk averse in this area for legal reasons. Hence the North American service of LOTRO was very much bound by procedure. Codemasters Online had to push hard for any activity involving direct player interaction and even securing dedicated role play servers.

The subject of F2P and the infamous EU transition proved to be perhaps the most intriguing. The launch of there new business model for European players was delayed by nearly two months. As most people suspected at the time it came down to legal complications and the practicalities of localisation. Apparently a lot of the better aspects of the free to play business model were suggested by Codemasters because of their experience with other titles. Bind on acquire store items and 30 days support from the last purchase are examples of these.

When Turbine successfully consolidated the EU service into their Global initiative, Codemasters Online naturally did their best to facilitate that process and offer viable support. Concerns were legitimately raised with regard to Turbines ability to meet the needs of European customers. EU players are governed by different consumer laws and have a proactive mindset regarding their consumer rights. Such differences if encountered unexpectedly can be quite disconcerting.

Multi language support was a key factor in the transition and not to be under estimated. EU customers have often been very outspoken regarding the quality of localisation which they feel has now dropped. It should also be noted that there are cultural considerations when dealing with non North American countries. During Codemasters stewardship of LOTRO, the highest player to ticket ratio was generated by German customers. On hindsight Turbine may not have been fully prepared for such regional differences.

Finally some other points of interest that emerged where the respective roles of Warner Bros. who acquired Turbine in 2010 and that of the Tolkien Estate. It was stated that Warner Bros. where not a major presence and that there was no immediate change in relationships between all parties as a result of the acquisition. It will come as know surprise that the Tolkien estate were robust in the defence of their IP and maintained the same stance as they have always done.

The informal chat with Sincilbanks ran for about 100 minutes and was punctuated by relevant and measured questions from those present. This event was not in any way a litany of abuse or recrimination. It did not seek to claim that one service was superior to the other. It was simply a personal perspective upon the european version of LOTRO, from the games launch in 2007 to May 2011. A period of time the speaker considered to be the best of their working life.

A fairly innocuous post on the official Guild Wars 2 forum recently stated that ”As we’ve announced previously, we’ve got a team working on an in-game LFG tool to be released later in 2013″. The comment was made by Game Director, Colin Johanson. The exact parameters of the LFG tool have not been elaborated upon at present, so it’s best not to get overexcited. However, this is still a positive step forward, adding functionality to the game that frankly should have been there at launch. It will certainly enhance my current dungeon based experience within the game, which currently stands at zero percent.

At present players can find groups via third-party applications such as Guild Wars -LFG. It is not an ideal solution to the problem but so far the consensus is that it works. As per usual you can always rely on the player base to step in and fill the gap. It’s a shame that more developers are not as proactive as Blizzard has been in the past with incorporating add-ons created by players, into their evolving products. ArenaNet do seem to have a better relationship with their customer base than some developers, so it will be interesting to see the final release of this tool. Will it be cross server? Will there be a requirement to unlock content before it appears in the LFG? Will the LFG also see the introduction of difficulty scaling to content?

However, convenience and a user-friendly approach to the casual gamer, is not always met with approval. As I have mentioned before, the benefits of auto grouping and instant pugging, is usually a drop in player interaction. You join, do your stuff and leave. Due to the difficulty of some of the group content in Guild Wars 2 there may well be some discourse around experience and gear. But what beyond that? There are also fears that the wider world will become deserted with veteran players just hanging out in Lion’s Arch, awaiting a group. It is not beyond the realm of possibility. Some people have pointed out that Lion’s Arch chat is currently Fractals chat.

After my initial play through and burnout, I have recently returned to Guild Wars 2. It is the MMO  that I hold the most hope for at present, as it is still relatively new and has undergone a great many additions since launch. I would like to broaden my involvement and an LFG tool would definitely be beneficial.  Unlike other developers I have not had my opinion on ArenaNet soured to any degree at the moment. I am happy to wait until later this year to see what the grouping facility ends up like. Hopefully the LFG tool will bring migrant players back and keep existing players in-game. In the current MMO climate what more can you ask?

Next week sees the start of LOTRO’s 6th Anniversary celebrations. In this day an age, any MMO that manages to last out the year has made quite an achievement. So well done Turbine for lasting this long. There are of course mixed opinions about the health of the game, its community and what the future may hold. Ask a dozen players and you’ll get a dozen different answers. That’s the nature of MMOs. In the meantime we have two weeks (starting 16th April) to enjoy the festivities and events associated with the anniversary. These include anniversary rewards, a double XP weekend, the obligatory horse races and Shire and Bree based events.

Unfortunately, none of the content seems new and the only difference I can see to last year is some of the loot, such as mounts and WarSteed cosmetics have changed. Some people won’t mind at all. Others, including myself do. Once again we see the  easy option being taken by Turbine, recycling content and palming players off with purely cosmetic giveways. Why is their fixation on cosmetics? That was a rhetorical question and doesn’t require an answer. Plus have we not been over this ground already. Namely last year or the year before that? It’s like Turbine has no real interest in doing something original or pleasing their customers. The word perfunctory springs to mind.

Star Trek Online celebrated its 3rd anniversary in February and added some unique playable content along with a high-end ship as a reward. There was also the ubiquitous cosmetic items and fluff for those who wanted them. I believe they did the same thing twelve months before that. This shows quite a serious level of commitment to the player base. Nothing was gated either or based around account status. Cyptic simply elected to reward all players. Furthermore there was something for everyone. I’m sure other games have done similar things. So once again we come back to the fact that it’s always Turbine who seem to be selling people short.

The LOTRO anniversary rewards are linked to players account status as of 11:59pm DST on April 14th, 2013. I am currently a VIP and therefore should received the requisite reward for having created an account in November 2008. At present there are known issues with account status details held on Turbines systems and it is this problem that has impacted upon some players not getting their monthly Turbine Points grant on time. Let us hope that this issue does not have any knock on effect upon the anniversary rewards. As for me, I am looking beyond the next week and awaiting any announcements regarding Update 11. Once it goes into beta on Bullroarer, I shall renew my subscription. I am not alone in paying in this intermittent fashion. I still wonder how this is good for Turbine?

Consider the Bourbon biscuit. It comprises of two dark chocolate biscuits sandwiching a chocolate fondant. It is a straight forward recipe made from standard elements. Yet multiple companies manufacture the Bourbon biscuit and they’re all slightly different in texture and taste due to minor variations in the base ingredients. You can make the same point about baked beans. Dark Skies is the cinematic equivalent of these products. It is competently made, offers what you know and expect  in a slightly different fashion. That doesn’t sound such a bad thing, does it? Well let me put it another way. It’s generic and predictable.

Please ignore the movie poster. Dark Skies is certainly not a new horror phenomenon. It simply dovetails a home-invasion plot-line into a wider alien menace story and punctuates the proceedings with some neat but rather obviously telegraphed jolts. Furthermore a lot of the best scenes are very derivative of existing genre classics. I suspect that once again it will come down to the viewers age or genre familiarity as to whether they spot them. The “vegetable” incident in the kitchen for example is not a million miles away from the fridge scene in Close Encounters and the geometric crockery stacking, is very reminiscent of the chairs in Poltergeist. Need I go on? Okay I will. They did the thing with the birds flying into the windows last year in Red Lights.

There are flashes of inspiration from Director Scott Stewart. The central family within the plot seem to be a microcosm of American Middle Class angst, particularly in the current economic climate. Josh Hamilton’s performance as the marginalised head of the household is very plausible. Keri Russell has a more conventional role as his estate agent wife and traditional protective mother figure. But as always with such movies these days, the production seems to be far more concerned about making clever set pieces and smart twists, which despite the effort are not entirely successful. It beggars belief that when dealing with the subject of aliens and the infinite possibilities that such a theme offers, Hollywood is still locked in this arbitrary depiction of  all extraterrestrial life as”greys”.

So we return to the Bourbon biscuit once again. Despite their culinary shortcomings they do serve a purpose and are adequate in default of anything else. That pretty much sums up Dark Skies. If you watch it at home, when you are in an undemanding mood,  accompanied by a cup of [insert beverage of choice here] then it may satisfy. Those who take the time to go and see this in the cinema at current prices may not be so forgiving or reasonable. I often wonder is contemporary audience are content with less these days or don’t realise it they’re being sold short.

If you care to cast your mind back to your childhood, then I’m sure  you’ll recollect a conversation that took place in the schoolyard (playground to none US residents) that went something along these lines. “Star Wars is better than Star Trek because” [insert lengthy, ill-conceived and pointless argument here]. If it wasn’t those particular franchises then it would certainly be some other pop culture reference. Furthermore, despite the passage of time, for some people this predilection for binary comparisons has persisted. The only difference now is that the debate is usually centred around sports or political parties.

Now let us move on to this years MTV Movie Awards, where Joe Public gets to vote for various nominees and is rewarded with a light hearted antidote to the mainstream award season. It’s all supposed to be a bit of fun and winning an award is certainly not considered to be a valedictory accolade. Yet like so many things in life, what seems great in principle often pans out differently in reality. Because one of the categories is best hero and fans of the respective nominees have decided that a casual “lets just enter into the spirit of things” approach to voting isn’t sufficient. Hence we  now have a twitter flame war and timeline spamming campaign between #votesnowwhite and #votebilbo. Confused? Allow me to elaborate.

The full list of nominees are as follows. Iron Man, Batman, Catwoman, Hulk, Snow White and Bilbo. Furthermore it is the recent movie incarnations of these characters that viewers are invited to vote for. Now as you can see by the very nature of the nominees, each are likely to have an ardent fan base. So it will not come as a surprise to you that these groups of people have mobilised to try and swing the vote in their favour. At present it appears to be a race between Snow White and Mr. Baggins. Now Kristen Stewart fans are legion due to her Twilight affiliation. Fans of The Hobbit are also abundant. Furthermore, substantive websites such as The One Ring are wading in to unify and co-ordinate the proceedings. Hence the coverage on twitter and Facebook.

And so we return to the X versus Y debate. What started out as a simple interactive vote has now been usurped by the most stereotypical excesses of fandom. I can cope with the Twitter spamming but some of the mudslinging that comes with it is rather unsavoury. Personal attacks against Kristen Stewart, the rubbishing of one franchise by another and the general lack of perspective, civility and decorum. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly placid fans morph into vitriolic trolls the moment they think whatever it is they hold dear is “attacked”. The fun is simply leached out of events such as this and the only thing that is left is the stench of bile [+ 1 Hyperbole]. It is far from edifying.

The arbitrary comparison of  two dissimilar things, based on purely subjective criteria is an exercise in futility. This is why most of us abandon it once we leave school. It is at this point I expect to be admonished by those who will argue that the voting war is harmless and it is only a minority who behave poorly. Unfortunately that is not what the wider world sees. Fans, be they gamers, Trekkies, Bronies or Whovians always struggle against negative publicity and argue that they are marginalised and maligned. There is an element of truth to this, yet such groups are often their own worst enemy. With this particular situation Joe Public simply sees a group of people validating preconceptions that fans are crazy folk, moving heaven and earth to argue a point of no significance. They’ll also see spite, obsession and a lack of perspective.

An example of some of the “fun”.

If you want to break a stereotype you have to demonstrably prove otherwise. #votebilbo is not really doing that, although I’m sure it was not intended to pan out this way. I fully support the rights of fans to pursue these sort of activities, in the hope that such proceedings are done in an equitable manner. However, I fully reserve my right to criticise such undertakings especially if they are counter-productive and can have a knock-on effect upon the wider community. If you wish to participate in a race to the bottom please don’t complain when you arrive or that people think differently about you.

I recently watched the documentary Star Wars Begins and was struck by the similarity in format with another in-depth movie analysis, Raiding The Lost Ark. Of course the penny then dropped and I realised it was by the same filmmaker Jamie Benning. Star Wars Begins is an unofficial exploration of the creation of the iconic movie and features deleted scenes, alternate takes, behind-the-scenes footage, bloopers, original on set audio recordings and a great deal of commentary by the original cast and crew. It is the most thorough and in-depth analysis of Star Wars I have yet to see and frankly beats the officially sanctioned competition that appears on DVD and Blu-ray.

It is Benning’s  feature-length approach of his documentary that follows the flow of the original movie, that makes it so compelling. Everything is crossed references and annotated at it appears on screen. It is also a very illuminating insight into the US and British movie industry of the times. Despite having  a prodigious wealth of information to convey, the documentary handles the flow of material well and the viewer has time to digest what is shown without getting overwhelmed. This in itself is a considerable achievement. Star Wars Begins is most certainly a painstaking labour of love but the hard work pays off with a fine balance between data and pacing.

The documentary also succeeds in catering to both hardcore fans and the more casual viewer. If you have not seen some of the famous  deleted scenes, such as Han’s original meeting with  Jabba the Hutt or Luke’s dialogue with his friend Biggs Darklighter then you are in for a treat. Some of the original on-set audio is extremely amusing such a actor Dave Prowse speaking Darth Vader’s lines in a West Country accent. Overall what the documentary achieves is a means of providing the viewer with a totally fresh perspective on Star Wars and this helps re-invigorate the trilogy. Something I find is much needed after the failure of the new trilogy and the recent news that Disney have “plans” for many more movies.

Another thing I’ve learned from Star Wars Begins is that there were to be some aspects of the movie where originally intended to be more violent. This is something that has always been present in Lucas’s work but certainly it didn’t come too the forefront until the second trilogy. For example stills from the Cantina set show that Ponda Baba’s initial fate was far more unpleasant.than just losing an arm. The entire “Han shot first” debacle shows that the character was initially intended to be perceived in a very different way. Yet movies are by nature very evolutionary things, especially on big productions when all involved are doing something new.

Director Benning has also made similar documentaries for both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.  It should be noted that these ‘filmumentaries’ are unofficial but are completely non-profit making and are made with full acknowledgement to the appropriate copyright holders. As that has changed hands recently it will be interesting to see if these and other fan made documentaries and edits remain in circulation. Therefore I would urge all fans of Star Wars to seek them out and watch them while they still can. Jamie Benning’s Vimeo channel is well worth exploring and Contains Moderate Peril is more than happy to make the highest recommendation. In our view these works encapsulates the true nature of fandom.

Following last year’s restored release of The Curse of Frankenstein, Hammer, Icon Film Distribution and Lionsgate have jointly produced a Blu-ray restoration of another British classic. This time round  it’s 1958 version of Dracula,  directed by Terence Fisher. This is one of Hammer’s finest film’s and not only gets a superb High Definition transfer but also see’s the restoration of two lost scenes. Dracula literally re-invented the horror genre and the depiction of vampires in film. It established the studio as a key player within the industry and made international stars of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. This new restoration finally does justice to the source material, presenting it as it deserves to be seen.

The release contain two versions of the film, both of which can be accessed via seamless branching on the Blu-ray disc. There is the  2007 BFI restoration plus the new 2012 Hammer restoration, which adds additional footage that has been unavailable for decades, as well as the original UK title card. The additional footage comprises two of the scenes that were originally censored by the BBFC in 1958. The material was  restored to the film from the infamous “Japanese reels” validating the long-held notion that more explicit prints existed for the far eastern market. The scenes depict Dracula’s seduction of Mina, which was considered too overtly sexual for the times. Then there is the infamous face clawing scene from Dracula’s final demise.

The film also boasts an outstanding commentary track from Hammer historian Marcus Hearn and author and critic Jonathan Rigby. For those who have an interest in Hammer Studios or cinema in general this is an extremely informative and enjoyable narrative. Both speakers have a wealth of interesting and relevant anecdotes. They offer a keen insight into the British film industry of the time and it’s relationship with the BBFC and the press. There is also an excellent discussion of each actors respective acting techniques. As a result of which I learned of Peter Cushing’s famous finger acting; the repeated gesture of raising his index finger to emphasize an important point. I will always look out for it now.

Dracula is a vibrant, beautifully constructed movie with intelligent performances and a literate screenplay. The production design is outstanding as is the lush cinematography. The proceeding are further embellished by James Bernard’s dramatic score which compliments the tense atmosphere and bouts of horror. It should be noted that what was once considered to be a pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable within the confines of a “X” certificate, now merits a more sedate “12″ rating from the BBFC. Certainly Dracula will strike some people as being somewhat tame by today’s standards. However if viewed with appropriate historical context Dracula is a fine example of British cinema at it best.

I participated in one of the three beta tests that Cryptic held recently for Neverwinter but never quite got round to writing my thoughts on the game. Brian and I talked about it in some depth on the podcast so I guess that’s why I let it slide. However now that Cryptic have announced that they are running an open beta doors from April 30th, I can kill two birds with one stone, by giving my thoughts on both the game itself and the interesting terms of the test period. Reading between the lines this is nothing more than a soft launch as there are to be no character wipes or game restrictions once the open beta period commences.

For those who wish to pony up for Founder status, there’s a fourth closed beta starting from 16th April. This illustrious group will get to partake of the games crafting systems, being respectively leatherworking, platesmithing, mailsmithing, or leadership. Yes, I haven’t a Scooby Doo what the last one is either. Probably means being an asshole as that seems to be the default setting of most so called leaders these days. Don’t forget that becoming a Neverwinter Founder costs $199, although the prices of all the stuff you allegedly get costs $547 if brought separately. Details can be found here for those with deep pockets.

As for the game, well were to start? At the beginning as recommended by Julie Andrews. The launcher, settings options and character creation screens are virtually identical to those of Star Trek Online. Cryptic’s game engine does a good job of rendering some rather pleasant environments. The cities and dungeons look fine and are quite creative. The character animations are somewhat stilted and the skins are basic to say the least. The action combat, focused around a reticle is fluid until you use one of the attack skills. The animation induction renders the avatar immobile. So you can’t fight while on the move like Guild Wars 2. Yet this was a conscious decision by Cryptic. Players simply have to feature this mechanic into their personal combat style.

The questline is very linear and structured in a matter of fact fashion. This will appeal to some but disappoint those looking for a more dynamic approach to events and a greater sense of freedom within the game world. The combat skills are minimalist and not overwhelming. Fighting is primarily done via the mouse and some additional hot keys. Movement via left and right buttons is therefore off the menu. If you don’t like using the traditional WASD configuration you may have to reconsider your controls. I hope that’s something that they work on as well as a means to bind dodging to a specific keys. Ask a dozen gamers how they set up their control options and you’ll get a dozen different answers. Choice is always a good thing.

One of the games selling points is the capacity to integrate player created content via the Foundry system. Cryptic have wasted no time in utilising this and material was seamlessly dovetailed into the game during the last three beta tests. It’s a great solution to the perennial problem of players blazing through a game’s content shortly after launch. However, as Star Trek Online has shown, this is a facility that needs to be policed to ensure that easy content with über rewards does not become common place and a source of exploitation. Obviously another big plus for this title is the IP itself but it’s not something I am familiar with to any great degree. Yet I have spoken to quite a few players who say that Neverwinter has an appropriate Dungeons & Dragons vibe.

Finally as Neverwinter is a totally free to play game with no upfront costs, the in-game store is naturally going to be a big factor. If STO is anything to go buy then some high-end items will be available. Yet Cryptic and more importantly Perfect World have demonstrated a very flexible system with that game and I see no reason why that won’t be replicated with Neverwinter. The Astral Diamond currency can be converted into Zen and vice versa, plus I believe store items can be sold on the auction house for in-game currency. I understand that some gamers are old school purists and object on principle to the whole store concept. Unfortunately it is a fact of life in contemporary gaming and simply is not going to go away.

So, I guess I should now come up with a pithy summing up but frankly I can’t. Neverwinter is a Cryptic gig so it’s never going to be one hundred percent perfect. For what it’s worth I enjoyed playing the beta although I frequently lurched from moments of joy over mechanics I thought were great, to instances of profound eye rolling over things that were just shoddy. However the game has a curious charm about it like a mongrel puppy and also nails it’s colours squarely to the mast. You know what you are getting right up front and that makes a change. I read so much bullshit from PR departments these days about MMOs that are going to be near biblical experiences. Will I play Neverwinter? Yes, in a casual fashion. It will join an ever increasing list of games that I occasionally dip into. It certainly is not destined to be my game of choice but so far, such an product alludes me.

It seems that the Walt Disney Company has no use for LucasArts, the games developer that came as part of their buyout of LucasFilm last October. So ongoing development of products will cease and the organisation will be wound down. A residual body will remain that will deal in the administration of  licensing of the Star Wars IP to other game development companies. LucasArts, who brought you Maniac Mansion, Monkey Island, Grim Fandango and a ton of Star Wars games such X-Wing vs TIE Fighter and the Force Unleashed will cease to be. So ends a piece of gaming history.

Unfortunately this move also means a number of redundancies. Lucasfilm Ltd. Spokesman Miles Perkins clarified the situation regarding several Star Wars projects that were currently under development “Both current Star Wars games projects have been halted.” Which means that the much touted and eagerly awaited  Star Wars 1313, would be shelved. Whether it will be sold off to a competitor or ditched for good remains to be seen. Sadly, the decision to close LucasArts comes as no major surprise. The developer and publisher had built its initial success upon adventure games like Secret of Monkey Island, a genre that has fallen out of mainstream favour in recent years.

Star Wars 1313 was an interesting project. Designed as a third-person action-adventure , it put the player in the role of a bounty hunter. The story was set on Coruscant’s subterranean level 1313 underworld and involved the uncovering of a criminal conspiracy. The project was intended to take the franchise in a more mature and hard edged direction compared to previous Star Wars video games. Rather than focus on the usual Jedi themes there was an emphasizes hi-tech weaponry and gadgets, based around Bounty Hunters. Fans noted that the game title may well be linked to the character Boba Fett, who used the alias CT-1313.

The production art for Star Wars 1313 was very intriguing, hinting at a rather different kind of game. One that may not sit well with purists. However, violence and the realities of war have always been present within the movies and the expanded universe. Personally I like the more adult and morally ambiguous storylines of Star Wars: The Old Republic, so was definitely interested in what Star Wars 1313 was potentially offering. The video below is from Outside Xbox, because Star Wars 1313 was destined to be a cross platform product and obviously primarily aimed at consoles. I think it sums up my thoughts on the game entirely.

Once again the gaming industry has demonstrated that it is a very fast moving and fluid business. Genre gaints often thought to be safe bets can quickly turn into yesterdays news. It seems incredible that one of the biggest and most marketable franchises has ground to a halt within this particular market. However, with Disney looking to re-invigorate the Star Wars universe with a raft of new movies, perhaps we will see LucasArts farm out license to more ambitious developers who can potentially fill the gap and provide more appropriate games. I suspect that mobile platforms and web based games may well play a part.

We were expecting a big response for the March Contains Moderate Peril giveaway, as anything to do with The Hobbit is big news at present. However we were amazed at the sheer number of entries made via comment, Facebook and Twitter. This has been our most successful competition to date. So thanks very much to everyone who participated.

The following  three lucky winners will received a copy of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, shortly. The combo pack contains four different versions of Peter Jackson’s first instalment of the trilogy. There’s a Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and a bonus digital copy.

Congratulations to Sam McKenzie (UK), Katrina Dunn (Australia) and Emmet O’Donnell (US).

Contains Moderate Peril will continue with a giveaway every month throughout 2013. A new one will be posted shortly. So keep checking the CMP website, Facebook page, or Twitter feed for details on up and coming prizes.

April Fools Day is another tradition that has degenerated into another corporate event to blight the calendar. Websites, TV stations and newspaper churn out hackneyed, unfunny and tedious faux stories in an attempt to be amusing and join in the “fun”. It’s another example of the Pavlovian, emotional push button culture that we live in these days. Organised “fun” run by big business, which is soulless, aimed at the lowest common denominator and the complete opposite of what is seeks to achieve. As you may have guessed, I am not a fan of such occasions.

Yet despite the odds, Guild Wars 2 have managed to come up with not only a fine genre based gag but a clever homage to 8-bit gaming and some great free additional content for their game. It may well be bat shit crazy but it works incredibly well. The video that tipped players off is a wonderful ode to cheesy early nineties marketing. It has all the right tropes as well as bogus tracking noise and a 4:3 aspect ratio (I shed no tears for VHS). Whoever created this really new their stuff. I love the way  the character of Rytlock Brimstone, tribune of the Blood Legion is portrayed in that stilted Power Rangers idiom.

The game starts to promote the new content as soon as you login. The character selection screen plays to a delightful 8-bit version of the Guild Wars 2 theme. As for the new content, it’s available in Rata Sum. You can’t miss the appropriately styled gateway which leads to a Mario-esque world, jumping puzzles and boss fights. You can solo the content or play as a group.  You can also select between normal and infantile mode which offers subtle clues as to where to go and what to do. Jumping and puzzles are not everyone’s forte and it is nice that the developers have taken such an inclusive approach. Either way it is a wonderfully faithful recreation of the game mechanics of yesteryear.

Your alts standard skills are replaced with basic attacks and you have a generic weapon (a pointed stick Monty Python fans!) and a limited amount of lives. The game goal is to explore the various stages and collect as many baubles along the way. These can be handed in for power ups and alternative weapons. It’s a very slick mini-game and may well prove to be very addictive for some players. Be warned, it is quite challenging even in infantile mode. I had my fill after an hour but I enjoyed the novelty and certainly appreciate the effort that the developers have put into this event.

There are no major requirements to play Super Adventure Box and it is open to alts of all level. Furthermore it’s available until the end of the month, so why not take the opportunity to give it a try. Feel free to have a WTF moment once you enter the event. I did but then I simply decided to roll with it and enjoy the one decent joke to come out of April Fools Day.

Where film makers of note will often take the bull by the horns and address difficult aspects of US history and culture, Hollywood tends to do the complete opposite. Events are simply re-imagined to have a more popular and box office friendly outcomes. Olympus Has Fallen fits squarely into this category, being a post 9/11 denial movie. In this case, the White House, that national symbol of American power and democracy is ruthlessly attacked by evil North Koreans (are there any other kind?), resulting in another sub Die Hard scenario. This movies holds no surprises and seeks to offer nothing more than what is on the poster. However, that is not a bad thing at all.

Gerard Butler scowls his way through the movies two hour running time as Secret Service Agent Mike Banning. He is bullet proof and blessed with the marksmanship of a minor deity, while everyone else can’t shoot for shit. President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) struggles to maintain the dignity of his office while chained to a radiator. Quality character actors such as  Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett and the great Robert Forster sit around the war room conference table and look as serious as their fees and conscience allow. The only real weak link in the chain is some sub-standard digital effects which diminish the impact of the White House attack.

One aspect of the movie that does leave a somewhat unpleasant taste in the mouth, is the generic nature of the villains. At present due to prevailing economic and political reasons it is the North Koreans. The days of lambasting the Russians and Chinese seem to be long gone, especially as they now constitute lucrative markets for the film studios. Rick Yune’s depiction of  the movies North Korean bad guy Kang, is arbitrary to say the least. Although the movie went into production months ago, the current diplomatic events of the Korean peninsula, now put a different spin on the proceedings. As a result Olympus Has Fallen now appears to have a rather unwholesome warmongering undercurrent.

Unlike so many action movies these days, Olympus Has Fallen is happy to receive a higher rating with is bloody body count and liberal use of profanities. Don’t get me wrong this is a dumb film but an straightforward one to. Shamelessly nationalistic, filled with clichéd tropes and generic action movie conventions, this is standard box office fodder. But it doesn’t make the mistake of pretentious naval gazing or pontificating on geo-political issues it is ill equipped to debate. Director Antoine Fuqua delivers a bombastic movie with all the subtly of a Rhinoceros horn up the backside. Yet considering the premise, could we really expect anymore?