For the second time in less than a month, NCsoft has shown wanton disregard for my already-prepared comments for the week, derailing the scheduled Wings Over Atreia with some out-of-the-blue announcement. And not just any announcement, but one that can have a profound effect on Aion in the coming months. What is this announcement, you say? Shall I help you out from that rock you've been slumbering under? Why, last Wednesday's bold free-to-play announcement, of course!
Now, before hyperventilation sets in -- either from glee or disgust -- note that there are set parameters to this specific conversion, including first and foremost that it is for the European market only. And while details aren't exactly pouring forth, there are a few tidbits to pass along, just enough to whet the appetite of future F2P Daevas or enrage current ones.
Breathe into the paper bag and join me past the break for a look at the details that have been revealed and some thoughts on those that have not!
Given such a major announcement but few details, I am sure readers have some questions. Never fear, MJ is here! I shall guide you through what information is currently out there and offer some basic translation/personal commentary/wild speculation. Using my elite powers of information-gathering (no, I really don't have a captured developer locked down in my basement, but that's a good idea...), I bring you The Word.
So here's the scoop: Come February 2012, Aion will convert to a free-to-play subscription model in the European market. What does this mean for folks on that side of the pond? According to the PR machine, it means little will change except opening the market up to a wider audience. In fact, NCsoft expects that there will soon be plenty more Deavas flocking to Atreia for grouping and PvP goodness. Well, ignoring the likelihood of a launch-day fiasco, who can argue against more compatriots and more enemies filling out the server? Other than that, NCsoft's devs were quick to say that little would change for current players.
Surely there is more to it than that, you say. But of course, I reply! Though stop calling me Shirley. Of the details revealed, the outline of the payment models captured my interest most. There will be three distinct levels: Starters (the free group), Veteran, and Gold Pack. The free group is -- drum roll -- free! There will be no cost to sign up, install, or start playing. Starters will have access to every class, level, quest, region, and all equipment in the game. Sounds like a far cry from what many other free-to-play models offer, right? The Veteran group will be comprised of all those who have ever bought and subscribed to Aion in the past, whether the subscription is active or not. This group will enjoy privileges similar to the Gold Pack. The Gold Pack will be a temporary purchase that gives Daevas "full functionality" as well as bonuses like higher AP payouts and (see below) shorter instance cooldown timers.
2011年12月19日星期一
2011年12月1日星期四
Mind tricks are the lazy way of doing things edition
Recently, I've become enamored of the Bavarian Fire Drill. For those who don't want to click on that link (it's work-safe in the sense that it contains no cursing and not work-safe in the sense that you'll be clicking for hours), it's the art of infiltrating a building by carrying a clipboard and acting like you're supposed to be there. Sure, you could just wave your hand and tell people that these aren't the droids they're looking for, but wouldn't you rather have the chutzpah to just walk around like it wasn't a thing?
That leads very naturally to this week's installment of Ask Massively, in which we discuss whether or not leveling mechanics have worn our their collective welcomes in MMOs.
Kaahn Stewart asked: Do you think it's time to do away with leveling? It seems like the leveling process is becoming more and more trivialized, which makes me wonder why it's even there in the first place. Why not have a game start at endgame and provide players new abilities or skills for running content, rather than grinding needless levels?
Because that's still leveling -- it's just leveling through a different set of criteria.
Some games are certainly trying to do away with the idea of gating things to level whatever -- The Secret World, for instance, has a rather different way of having characters grow and improve over time. But even if you switch new abilities and skills to being locked behind content rather than via reaching some high-water mark of experience points, you still have a situation in which you need to do X in order to learn how to do Y.
In some ways, actually, leveling is a better way to handle things than strict content gating. You need to earn a total number of points to level up, but the game doesn't care how you earn them.
Now, a lot of games have also made it easier to level up, which can be seen as making leveling less relevant. This is really a conscious move, I suspect, since slower leveling just makes gaining levels more tedious rather than more difficult. (Your primary enemy should not be boredom.) It makes it easier for players who want to push up to max level to do precisely that, but it doesn't force players to do so -- you can take your time, explore a bit, and head off the beaten path if you so desire.
Is it time to play around with different ways to gate abilities and progression? Certainly. But leveling itself is still serving its purpose. Sometimes it needs a bit more fine-tuning than it receives, but there's no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
That leads very naturally to this week's installment of Ask Massively, in which we discuss whether or not leveling mechanics have worn our their collective welcomes in MMOs.
Kaahn Stewart asked: Do you think it's time to do away with leveling? It seems like the leveling process is becoming more and more trivialized, which makes me wonder why it's even there in the first place. Why not have a game start at endgame and provide players new abilities or skills for running content, rather than grinding needless levels?
Because that's still leveling -- it's just leveling through a different set of criteria.
Some games are certainly trying to do away with the idea of gating things to level whatever -- The Secret World, for instance, has a rather different way of having characters grow and improve over time. But even if you switch new abilities and skills to being locked behind content rather than via reaching some high-water mark of experience points, you still have a situation in which you need to do X in order to learn how to do Y.
In some ways, actually, leveling is a better way to handle things than strict content gating. You need to earn a total number of points to level up, but the game doesn't care how you earn them.
Now, a lot of games have also made it easier to level up, which can be seen as making leveling less relevant. This is really a conscious move, I suspect, since slower leveling just makes gaining levels more tedious rather than more difficult. (Your primary enemy should not be boredom.) It makes it easier for players who want to push up to max level to do precisely that, but it doesn't force players to do so -- you can take your time, explore a bit, and head off the beaten path if you so desire.
Is it time to play around with different ways to gate abilities and progression? Certainly. But leveling itself is still serving its purpose. Sometimes it needs a bit more fine-tuning than it receives, but there's no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
2011年9月19日星期一
DIY Botox Kits Are A “Catastrophe Waiting To Happen”
Today, from the Common Sense News Desk: ordering do-it-yourself Botox and similar treatments online and using them on yourself is a terrible, terrible idea. Color us shocked.
NBC has the special report, which exposes not only numerous risks of amateurs injecting less-expensive off-brand fillers into their own faces–but also how many companies are willing to put these products into the hands of novices.
In the report, dermatologist Dr. Tracey Favreau (who, not to judge, but from her expressionless visage during the interview looks like she knows her way around a Botox needle) explains that not only do the “bootleg Botox” kits available online pose many, many health risks from potential contaminants (because, you know, they’re not regulated and could basically contain anything), they’re also difficult to maneuver for those with no medical training. Not only could you get a staph infection, some gnarly blisters or lesions, or even a blood infection that could kill you–Dr. Favreau warns that you could also get a droopy mug from injecting too much of the stuff on one side of your face and not the other. So you won’t even look pretty and wrinkle-free when you slip into a coma.
Is this at all surprising? No. Not even remotely. What is surprising is that this is something that people need to be told, because, apparently, they keep trying it.
No forms of the toxin in Botox, which is designed to soften wrinkles by filling them in and paralyzing the muscles underneath, are approved for sale to non-medical professionals, which is probably a good indication that it’s not smart for you to try it. And while DIY Botox kits may be a step up from injecting hot beef fat into one’s face (at least the kit comes with instructions), taking the hypodermic needle filled with anything to yourself to get rid of wrinkles is pretty absurd.
And besides, cosmetic procedures and plastic surgery are on their way out, anyway. Listen to the wisdom of Kirstie Alley on this matter, who recently told reporters at Fashion Week, “I don’t think it makes you look younger. I like it can make you look weirder.”
NBC has the special report, which exposes not only numerous risks of amateurs injecting less-expensive off-brand fillers into their own faces–but also how many companies are willing to put these products into the hands of novices.
In the report, dermatologist Dr. Tracey Favreau (who, not to judge, but from her expressionless visage during the interview looks like she knows her way around a Botox needle) explains that not only do the “bootleg Botox” kits available online pose many, many health risks from potential contaminants (because, you know, they’re not regulated and could basically contain anything), they’re also difficult to maneuver for those with no medical training. Not only could you get a staph infection, some gnarly blisters or lesions, or even a blood infection that could kill you–Dr. Favreau warns that you could also get a droopy mug from injecting too much of the stuff on one side of your face and not the other. So you won’t even look pretty and wrinkle-free when you slip into a coma.
Is this at all surprising? No. Not even remotely. What is surprising is that this is something that people need to be told, because, apparently, they keep trying it.
No forms of the toxin in Botox, which is designed to soften wrinkles by filling them in and paralyzing the muscles underneath, are approved for sale to non-medical professionals, which is probably a good indication that it’s not smart for you to try it. And while DIY Botox kits may be a step up from injecting hot beef fat into one’s face (at least the kit comes with instructions), taking the hypodermic needle filled with anything to yourself to get rid of wrinkles is pretty absurd.
And besides, cosmetic procedures and plastic surgery are on their way out, anyway. Listen to the wisdom of Kirstie Alley on this matter, who recently told reporters at Fashion Week, “I don’t think it makes you look younger. I like it can make you look weirder.”
2011年9月8日星期四
Montville Man Tries to Free Dog From Pound
Trouble kept adding up last weekend for a Montville man who was suspected of cutting power to the Brixton Street dog pound and scaling a barbed wire fence Sept. 5 in an effort to liberate a small hound with “special needs,” police said.
The man was first arrested Sept. 3 by West Hartford police and locked up overnight on drug charges. He was taken into custody Sept. 4 in Hartford on suspicion of larceny. Early Labor Day he was found in the woods near the pound after officers responded to an alarm at 5:55 a.m., police said.
Total charges: six felonies, 11 misdemeanors.
Walter Scovish, 55, of 484 Old Colchester Road in Montville, demanded to check on the welfare of his dog before he was taken back to the West Hartford lockup, police said.
Besides three drug-related charges, Scovish faced three felony counts of third-degree burglary, first-degree criminal mischief and eight misdemeanors, police said. He was held on bail set at $75,000 for the dog pound break-in, $100 on the drug charges, according to court records.
On July 3, Scovish’s 2003 Taurus was impounded and his dog, Missy, was handed over to Animal Control after police said he was found with a bag of heroin and a hypodermic needle in an Albany Avenue parking lot in Bishop’s Corner. Police said he was continually concerned for Missy while in jail.
After getting out Sept. 4 on $2,500 bail, Hartford police said Scovish was charged about 5:15 p.m. with sixth-degree larceny for an incident at 150 Trumbull St. He was released around 7 p.m. on a promise to appear in Hartford Community Court.
West Hartford police said Scovish was warned repeatedly not to visit the pound before it reopened after Labor Day.
“Scovish [said] his dog had special needs and that he was planning on sleeping at the dog pound until the Animal Control Officer arrived,” police said in an arrest report.
Scovish apparently asked for directions to the pound from an AMR medic on Shield Street. Police said he broke into the fire department training grounds behind the pound and into a nearby landscaping business, allegedly stealing items.
When police arrived at the pound the power was off. Wires and an electrical meter were missing from the building, police said. A pair of blue boxer shorts was slung on a roof to the kennel. Police speculated that Scovish placed the underpants on the barbed wire to protect his hands.
There was no indication Scovish was able to reach Missy inside the kennel.
“[The dog] was scared,” West Hartford animal control supervisor Karen Jones said Wednesday. “[On Tuesday] a relative came by to pick her up. She was very happy to go.”
The man was first arrested Sept. 3 by West Hartford police and locked up overnight on drug charges. He was taken into custody Sept. 4 in Hartford on suspicion of larceny. Early Labor Day he was found in the woods near the pound after officers responded to an alarm at 5:55 a.m., police said.
Total charges: six felonies, 11 misdemeanors.
Walter Scovish, 55, of 484 Old Colchester Road in Montville, demanded to check on the welfare of his dog before he was taken back to the West Hartford lockup, police said.
Besides three drug-related charges, Scovish faced three felony counts of third-degree burglary, first-degree criminal mischief and eight misdemeanors, police said. He was held on bail set at $75,000 for the dog pound break-in, $100 on the drug charges, according to court records.
On July 3, Scovish’s 2003 Taurus was impounded and his dog, Missy, was handed over to Animal Control after police said he was found with a bag of heroin and a hypodermic needle in an Albany Avenue parking lot in Bishop’s Corner. Police said he was continually concerned for Missy while in jail.
After getting out Sept. 4 on $2,500 bail, Hartford police said Scovish was charged about 5:15 p.m. with sixth-degree larceny for an incident at 150 Trumbull St. He was released around 7 p.m. on a promise to appear in Hartford Community Court.
West Hartford police said Scovish was warned repeatedly not to visit the pound before it reopened after Labor Day.
“Scovish [said] his dog had special needs and that he was planning on sleeping at the dog pound until the Animal Control Officer arrived,” police said in an arrest report.
Scovish apparently asked for directions to the pound from an AMR medic on Shield Street. Police said he broke into the fire department training grounds behind the pound and into a nearby landscaping business, allegedly stealing items.
When police arrived at the pound the power was off. Wires and an electrical meter were missing from the building, police said. A pair of blue boxer shorts was slung on a roof to the kennel. Police speculated that Scovish placed the underpants on the barbed wire to protect his hands.
There was no indication Scovish was able to reach Missy inside the kennel.
“[The dog] was scared,” West Hartford animal control supervisor Karen Jones said Wednesday. “[On Tuesday] a relative came by to pick her up. She was very happy to go.”
2011年8月22日星期一
Open Season: Local bears better left alone
With fall fishing on the horizon and bear and goose hunting seasons coming up in early September, more outdoorsmen will be taking to the woods and fields, many of which are infested with disease carrying ticks. Lyme disease is one of the most prevalent diseases carried by ticks, along with babesiosis.
It's widely known that Lyme disease is carried by deer ticks, but it's also carried by black legged ticks and western black-legged ticks. The ticks transmit the bacteria through the bite when feeding on warm-blooded hosts like deer, mice, dogs and humans. In most cases, but not all, the first symptom is a rash that occurs at or near the site of a tick bite and has a round, "bulls-eye" appearance. It can be 2-6 inches in diameter and lasts up to five weeks. Other symptoms occur from several days to weeks, months, and even years after a bite. They include "flu-like" symptoms, such as aches and pains in muscles and joints, chills and fever, headache, sore throat, stiff neck, swollen glands, dizziness, and fatigue. Even if these symptoms fade away, untreated Lyme disease may lead to arthritis, nervous system abnormalities, and an irregular heart rhythm.
Babesiosis is another infection transmitted by ticks and is caused by a parasite that destroys red blood cells and results in a malaria-like illness. Symptoms begin anywhere from five days after a bite or longer, and may include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, nausea, tiredness, and a rash. Babesiosis has been known to be fatal. Therefore diagnosis and treatment should begin as soon as possible after it is contracted.
A single tick bite can transmit more than one tick-borne illness — besides Lyme and Babesiosis — such as anaplasmosis, bartonella and tularemia. These co-infections further complicate diagnosis and treatment. Avoiding contact with ticks and disease prevention are the first and best lines of defense against tickborne infections. Here are some tips to help keep you and your family safe from these tiny threats.
There is a number of plants you can cultivate around your yard that repel ticks, including lavender, garlic, pennyroyal, pyrethrum (a type of chrysanthemum), sage, American beautyberry, and eucalyptus. If your lifestyle permits, raising chickens, ducks and guinea hens will help keep the tick population down as these feathered friends have a voracious appetite for them. Keep in mind that ticks attach easily to bare flesh. When outdoors, protect yourself and your children by wearing long sleeves and long pants, preferably in light colors so you can spot a tick more easily. Wear shoes and socks that you tuck pant legs into or a pair of tall boots.
Pets may pick up ticks so be sure to inspect them after they've been outside as they may deliver a tick to you, and they can also become sick with Lyme disease. After being outdoors, remove clothing and wash and dry at a high temperature as ticks may be lurking inside the folds and creases. Washing alone will not kill ticks — even with bleach — it's the heat of the dryer that does the trick.
Take a shower or bath within two hours of coming back inside, then perform a total body tick check (woo hoo!). In the case of Lyme disease, infection from a tick to a human typically takes 30-40 hours, so spotting and removing them quickly is an important first defense. (It is uncertain how long it takes for Babesiosis to spread).
If you discover a tick attached to you, carefully remove it. Using fine tweezers, grasp it close to the skin and pull straight back without twisting or yanking. There are also devices on the market today, such as the ProTick Remedy that are made for effectively and efficiently removing ticks. Avoid pressing or squeezing the tick's belly as it can push bacteria into your body like a hypodermic needle. Similarly, do not use the heat of a match that you light and blow out, or petroleum jelly. After you've removed the tick, disinfect the bite area. Save the tick for possible identification by a doctor or the local health department if symptoms appear.
If you've been infected there are some new medicines that aid in treatment and relief. "With tick-borne diseases, the body needs to detoxify, especially joint, muscle and nerve tissue," says Lou Paradise, president and chief of research of Topical BioMedics, Inc., in Rhinebeck, N.Y. "Topricin gives the body the support for its basic function of maintaining healthy cells and repairing damaged ones through enhanced healing. Its combination of natural biomedicines in a clean water-based cream base that's free of chemicals and other irritants helps restore vitality to joint, nerve, and muscle tissues while providing safe, effective pain relief."
It's widely known that Lyme disease is carried by deer ticks, but it's also carried by black legged ticks and western black-legged ticks. The ticks transmit the bacteria through the bite when feeding on warm-blooded hosts like deer, mice, dogs and humans. In most cases, but not all, the first symptom is a rash that occurs at or near the site of a tick bite and has a round, "bulls-eye" appearance. It can be 2-6 inches in diameter and lasts up to five weeks. Other symptoms occur from several days to weeks, months, and even years after a bite. They include "flu-like" symptoms, such as aches and pains in muscles and joints, chills and fever, headache, sore throat, stiff neck, swollen glands, dizziness, and fatigue. Even if these symptoms fade away, untreated Lyme disease may lead to arthritis, nervous system abnormalities, and an irregular heart rhythm.
Babesiosis is another infection transmitted by ticks and is caused by a parasite that destroys red blood cells and results in a malaria-like illness. Symptoms begin anywhere from five days after a bite or longer, and may include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, nausea, tiredness, and a rash. Babesiosis has been known to be fatal. Therefore diagnosis and treatment should begin as soon as possible after it is contracted.
A single tick bite can transmit more than one tick-borne illness — besides Lyme and Babesiosis — such as anaplasmosis, bartonella and tularemia. These co-infections further complicate diagnosis and treatment. Avoiding contact with ticks and disease prevention are the first and best lines of defense against tickborne infections. Here are some tips to help keep you and your family safe from these tiny threats.
There is a number of plants you can cultivate around your yard that repel ticks, including lavender, garlic, pennyroyal, pyrethrum (a type of chrysanthemum), sage, American beautyberry, and eucalyptus. If your lifestyle permits, raising chickens, ducks and guinea hens will help keep the tick population down as these feathered friends have a voracious appetite for them. Keep in mind that ticks attach easily to bare flesh. When outdoors, protect yourself and your children by wearing long sleeves and long pants, preferably in light colors so you can spot a tick more easily. Wear shoes and socks that you tuck pant legs into or a pair of tall boots.
Pets may pick up ticks so be sure to inspect them after they've been outside as they may deliver a tick to you, and they can also become sick with Lyme disease. After being outdoors, remove clothing and wash and dry at a high temperature as ticks may be lurking inside the folds and creases. Washing alone will not kill ticks — even with bleach — it's the heat of the dryer that does the trick.
Take a shower or bath within two hours of coming back inside, then perform a total body tick check (woo hoo!). In the case of Lyme disease, infection from a tick to a human typically takes 30-40 hours, so spotting and removing them quickly is an important first defense. (It is uncertain how long it takes for Babesiosis to spread).
If you discover a tick attached to you, carefully remove it. Using fine tweezers, grasp it close to the skin and pull straight back without twisting or yanking. There are also devices on the market today, such as the ProTick Remedy that are made for effectively and efficiently removing ticks. Avoid pressing or squeezing the tick's belly as it can push bacteria into your body like a hypodermic needle. Similarly, do not use the heat of a match that you light and blow out, or petroleum jelly. After you've removed the tick, disinfect the bite area. Save the tick for possible identification by a doctor or the local health department if symptoms appear.
If you've been infected there are some new medicines that aid in treatment and relief. "With tick-borne diseases, the body needs to detoxify, especially joint, muscle and nerve tissue," says Lou Paradise, president and chief of research of Topical BioMedics, Inc., in Rhinebeck, N.Y. "Topricin gives the body the support for its basic function of maintaining healthy cells and repairing damaged ones through enhanced healing. Its combination of natural biomedicines in a clean water-based cream base that's free of chemicals and other irritants helps restore vitality to joint, nerve, and muscle tissues while providing safe, effective pain relief."
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