Category Archives: Misc.

Sound the Hunting Horn! It’s (finally) time to hunt.

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Nobody said it was easy to slay titans.

Through multiple console and handheld generations, through many installments, the Monster Hunter series has been a franchise that we Western gamers have had a hard time wrapping our heads around. After so long, it seems the series will just never truly take off as a mainstream hit.

And yet it seems like it should be! The basic concept of Monster Hunter (a very attractive one, by the way) is explained in its title; you play as a hunter of monsters, taking bounties on beasts and hunting said beasts through multi-staged levels. Upon victory, you’ll harvest the monsters’ parts and use them to create better weapons and armor for your hunter so you can take down even bigger monsters.

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That’s it. Lather, rinse, repeat. No big sweeping story. No hearty motivation. There is only the hunt.

But much like an eager novice hunter going after their first Rathian with a 5.7×28 ammo, most players seem to be enthusiastic enough to take a crack at the series. However, after underestimating the task ahead of them and taking their first flailing swings at the monstrosity (resulting in disaster), most abandon the Monster Hunter life.

In fact, even I previously tried to break into this Capcom stalwart. Back when I still had a PSP, I picked up Monster Hunter Freedom Unite when it was released. After only a few hours of fumbling with concepts like gathering and combining materials to make the most basic items and getting my ass handed to me by rampaging wyverns, I threw in the towel.

Monster Hunter broke me, and it was another four years before I ventured back into the wilds.

That was before Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. That was then and this is now.

Now, there is no need for me, or you, to hunt alone. The path to victory has been paved with the blood and sweat of the hunters before us. Their noble sacrifice is our gain, and Monster Hunter is no longer the insurmountable leviathan it once was. The time for all to join the hunt is nigh.

That doesn’t mean you should go in empty-handed, though and while I won’t make this a traditional review, I’ll say you should definitely play Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate if you’re willing to swallow some pride and do the following.

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Here’s what you’ll need:

  • A guide- most people will probably balk at this first requirement, but having someone (or something) guide you through the preliminary awkward  phase of learning Monster Hunter. Ultimate does a better job than most past installments of teaching you core concepts and putting you in a good position to learn the game, but you’re going to need a lot more help than the game’s willing to give up to actually start off on the right foot. Get a strategy book, find a credible YouTuber or find a friend to get you through your first big hunts and you’ll be a happier hunter for it.

  • Patience- another forgotten piece of gaming behavior, this is tied to the first requirement. Monster Hunter’s mechanics often seek to put you in the role of the titular profession, and this includes all the somewhat menial things as well. Yes you will shove your Great Sword into the faces of 50-foot goliaths, but you’ll also need to empty out that pack after every hunt so you can have room to carry more loot. Yes you will track flying battleships across rivers and mountains while staving off hunger, but you’ll also need to make sure those steaks you packed for the journey are perfectly cooked or watch your stamina plummet. It certainly helps the role-playing elements of the game and the challenge, but dang it if it isn’t infuriating the first time you improperly manage you forge a set of armor you can’t use because of false information or fail to create an item on random chance, it’s a bit infuriating.

  • A sense of wonder- this one’s a bit more abstract than the others, but Monster Hunter really thrives on a childish thirst for adventure. Like other games centered around big boss fights, half the fun is just seeing what you’re going to be fighting next. Here, that giddiness is exponentially increased because you won’t just be FIGHTING these bosses, you’ll be wearing them! That sounds… kinda bad, but trust me that the more you’re willing to give into the ridiculous, the absurd and often just plain silly themes of Monster Hunter, the more you’ll enjoy it.

Through this, I’ve come to the conclusion that Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is a fantastically underappreciated game and one that seems to be opening many’s eyes (including my own) to what a fun and rewarding series this can be.

I think you will too. Hence, let this be a call to action and a word of warning at the same time. This franchise deserves attention and is finally getting it, but I can’t recommend it with just a number. Those looking to undertake the challenge of Monster Hunter need to realize it is going to be just that; a challenge.

Nobody said it was easy to slay titans, but if you take the necessary precautions, it can be done. More than that, it can be a whole lot of fun.

How I made real American money in Diablo 3

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In-game economy has always made me interested in MMOs. From the very first time I booted up Everquest and realized I could set up a shop to hawk my loot, I was sold on the concept of massively multiplayer games. During the end of my stay in World of Warcraft I played strictly the auction house. I figured out what the demand was and how I could capitalize on it and cornered the market. If you want a chance to win extra cash by playing casino games, you may try joker388 slots. Casino players who would like to continue betting at the convenience of their home may explore various slot gacor machines online. Explore the exciting betting games offered at luxury333al.com.

By the time I quit, I had bought every single item money could buy and had tons of gold on reserve. So when I heard that Diablo 3 would have an auction house where players could buy items with real money, I was intrigued. Here is a log about how I attempted to make enough money in Diablo 3 to buy the next StarCraft II expansion, whenever it comes out.

While I was into playing the game I pretty much ignored the real money auction house. I hadn’t found anything good enough to sell on the RMAH even while playing on the highest level of difficulty, Infernal. So I ignored it and happily played the game while using just the plain old gold auction house. This all changed when I was running through Act 1 Infernal with a friend (post 1.0.3 patch, which made rarer drops more common) and that glorious weapon dropped.

To be realistic it wasn’t that glorious, a level 63 one handed sword with around 850 dps and 200 strength, but finding it was definitely a highlight of that run. I threw the item up on the RMAH for ten bucks, not expecting to get anything from it, but the next morning I woke up to an email saying my item sold for ten dollars in real American currency. With the prospect that I could earn actual money from this game, my priorities of the game changed. No longer was I playing just for fun, I was also gambling, mostly BTV168. Every time I killed an elite pack, champion or boss I had a small chance to earn actual money. This aspect added an exciting new layer to the game.

Who doesn’t like a large screenshot of a blogger’s Diablo III dude with all of his sweet gear on?

My problem with Blizzard’s RMAH is that I can’t sign up for real money to be transferred to my PayPal account because I don’t have a mobile phone number. Well I do, but apparently they needs a mobile phone number that isn’t a prepaid phone number. Everyone living in my house only has prepaid phones, because they work so well for what we need. It kind of sucks, but the ability to buy stuff off of the Blizzard store is still nice. Plus they don’t take a %15 cut when you buy from them. Maybe I will get into the World of Warcraft trading card game with all the money I earn on the RMAH. For right now, I would rather aim for the goal to earn enough money off the RMAH to buy the Heart of the Swarm expansion for StarCraft II. Another great option for making money is through Bitcoin.UK Bitcoin Buying Tips offers advice on navigating the crypto world and getting started with Bitcoin investments safely and effectively. You can also learn about the New Crypto Opportunities offer that can help you with your investment. Those who are interested in more traditional investment assets like precious metals may get in touch with scrap gold buyers in Adelaide.

Day 1:

Yup this little digital item with numbers on it might make me some real cash.

So here I am now trying to recreate that glory again and working towards my goal, but so far no luck. I have been farming Act 1 over and over with my Witch Doctor trying to get another useful level 63 item to drop, but to no avail. After about 4 hours of farming and watching TV, the best I got was an item level 63 two-handed crossbow with 819 dps called the Striking Avenger.

I threw it up on the auction house just for grins and giggles for $13, but I am not expecting anything to come out of it. Although that is the same attitude I had about my old one-handed sword, which magically turned into $10. I’ll come back tomorrow morning and see if anything has happened to that item. I might have gotten a little greedy by asking $13 for an item not nearly as good as the last one. Only time will tell.

Current money in account: $10

Day 2:

After grinding in Act 1 for a few hours, I was getting discourage. I felt like I had been churning my wheels and wasn’t ever going to make any more cash out Diablo 3 and my sword was a onetime fluke. When I was making my way through Act 2 for progression purposes and stumbled upon a pair of gloves that sold for $5.

Finally something happened. Now with a $15 nest egg, I wonder if I could invest that in a cheap item that I could resell for an even bigger profit. After looking for an hour, it seems item flipping on the RMAH wasn’t the most effective strategy. I used to do this all the time in the gold auction house, but it really wasn’t that much fun due to the clunky interface. Maybe I need more money and take bigger risks on the RMAH. My best bet was to do what I had been doing, which was running the route that was shown on this video.  So far it seems pretty effective. On an average run, I make off with about 40 rares in an hour.

Today I beat Belial in Act 2 Infernal as well and hit a brick wall in Act 3. This act will require a bit of grinding and gearing up and with the increase in repair bills in the latest patch, this seems like a good place to quit for the night. Right now I have 3 items up on the RMAH, but only expect one of those to sell, which is why I’ve been checking out Rainbow Trading as a smarter way to boost my in-game gains.

Current money in account: $15

Day 3:

Finally, a patch for Witch Doctor arrived this morning. Zombie Bears are debugged and are now probably the best way for my class to farm Act 1. I logged in and noticed my bow had been taken off the auction house. I guess I had been asking too much. When I put it back up, I asked for $6.99, which is about half of what I asking before. After running about two of my farming runs I went outside to do some shopping. While out, I got an email that said that my bow had sold for $5.99.

Can’t say I am disappointed by the quick turnaround. Even if I made less money than I had hoped to get, money is money and it all adds up. I don’t have as much time to farm today, but I threw another piece of unsold pants up on the auction house at a discounted price of $3.99. All of this writing about sales prices makes me feel like a sales man. Anyway off to bed dreaming about waking up to a nice email.

Current money in account: $20.99

Day 4:

                Busy day today with my mom’s birthday happening and all so not much time to fiddle with Diablo 3 farming, but I did log into to check my auctions. Nothing sold, which is discouraging, but then again I knew the stuff I was putting on the market wasn’t good enough for people to actually want to spend money. So I put back up a not so great Witch Doctor knife for the price of $2.99 and we will see if anyone bites.

Current money in account: $20.99

Day 5-6:

                I didn’t have any time to play games these two days, but over this time I never received any emails, so I knew exactly what that meant.

Current money in account: $20.99

Will I reach my goal of not paying Blizzard a dime (just my time that I will never get back) for StartCraft II: Heart of the Swarm? Find out next week when the second article goes up!

Featured image done by Maxarkes. Original art can be found here.

This article was written about a month ago and from what I have read, a large percent of the player base has stopped playing Diablo III. Since then, the demand for high end items has gone down, so I can imagine that the amount of money I would have made in today’s market would not be as high.

Sticking to the Classics … and a Budget.

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Upon crossing the threshold of gaming’s local safe haven, my gaze is immediately drawn upward.  Above the shelves to my left, I find one of gaming history’s most iconic scenes blown up and cleverly recreated in all of its 8-bit glory.  Scaling the two-dimensional ladders and platforms is a familiar red-clad plumber, taking seasoned gamers back to 1981, Mario’s debut appearance in Donkey Kong.

Turning my attention to the opposite wall, we jump ahead four years. Mario and Luigi traverse their blocky, 8-bit Mushroom Kingdom, just as they did in the first Super Mario Bros. on the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

Current and last-generation video games line the walls of the store, but inventory here is noticeably light.

No, sir, this is no GameStop.

Games 4 ‘U’ does its own thing.  Located in Mission Viejo, California, Games 4 ‘U’ is known as the only local retailer that sells any video games or consoles older than the Nintendo Gamecube (2001), offering local gamers the oppotunity to both shop and reminisce without having to first consult eBay or Craig’s List.

The gems of Games 4 ‘U’ are found in its display cases.  Atari 2600, 5200, and 7800 systems are prominently displayed behind the glass, many with their original boxes intact.  A Virtual Boy is also spotted, as well as every Nintendo console since the NES.

Of course, the old Sega systems are represented too, including the Genesis, Sega CD, Sega Saturn, and the tragically short-lived Sega Dreamcast.

Old-school cartridges are archived behind the glass, while many classic games can also be browsed through in the bargain bin.  The store’s inventory of NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis cartridges appear too numerable to count, and with prices starting as low as 99 cents, distinguished gamers of yesteryear are sure to find an affordable addition to their retro-gaming library.

“We live and breathe and play games,” says Ryan Moore, the 25-year-old owner.  “We know what’s good,” he claims, priding himself on the knowledge and passion of his significantly small staff.

The trials of the economy make themselves known, however, on the multiple empty shelves devoted to current-generation titles.  Furthermore, as a small-business owner, Moore is forced to cut back on payroll, often working 12-hour days on his own.

“It kind of weighs you down,” he says.  With business dropping off a little, despite the store’s recent overhaul, Moore describes the routine as feeling “self-defeating.”  Consumers have been forced to cut back on entertainment as it is, and to make matters worse, popular chain competitor GameStop has just opened up a store across the street.

With GameStop’s exclusive pre-order incentives and superior marketing capability, the future of the indie video game hangout looked grim.  “We have been hit by the opening of that store,” Moore admits, “but not as significantly as I thought it was going to be.”

Fortunately for Games 4 ‘U,’ competitor GameStop has completely abandoned the old games – titles that have retained significant demand, especially for older gamers who enjoy the nostalgia of older, “obsolete” titles such as Goldeneye, Mortal Kombat II, or the original Star Fox.  These nostalgic pieces of video game history account for over 65 percent of the store’s revenue, catering to the interests of children and adults alike.

“It’s the only place in Southern Orange County … where you can find any of the old video games,” Moore says.  “Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Atari even … basically anything related to classic gaming, you can find in this store … and we’re one of the only ones.”

Games 4 ‘U’ has also allowed customers from lower-income families to entertain their children for less.  As opposed to buying a brand new Playstation 3 game for $60, customers without the newest technology are more than content to spend $3 to $20 on a used Playstation 2 or original Xbox title.

“We will always match the price of our competitors,” the owner says, “… but we also do things our competitor doesn’t do.”

In addition to specializing in retro video games, Games 4 ‘U’ offers several interesting services.  For $5, they can re-surface your scratched game disc, a cost-efficient alternate to paying full price for a new disc.  Likewise, customers have the option of bringing in damaged or malfunctioning consoles for repair.  Although the costs of repair vary depending on the system and the diagnosed problem, it helps customers save money they might have spent buying a new console.  Also, as modeled in one of the display cases, the store now offers custom paint jobs for the console of your choice.

Games 4 ‘U’ won’t push you to buy anything you don’t want or need either.  If you find yourself on the fence about a particular title, you can try it out in the store.  A large flat-screen television is found in front of the store with roughly 10 different consoles ready to boot up your prospective purchase.

Games 4 ‘U’ is far from throwing in the towel.  As the gaming industry continues to evolve, however, Games 4 ‘U’ and GameStop alike must be prepared to adapt.  With all current-generation platforms now connected to the Internet, certain games can be downloaded straight to the console’s hard drive without ever having to step foot inside a retail store.

Games 4 ‘U’ employee Robbie Sapunarich remains confident, though.  “In long run,” he predicts, “I don’t see hard copies ever going out of style.”  As a gamer himself, Robbie enjoys the luxury of being able to trade in his used games toward the more costly new releases.  A downloaded game, in addition to taking up extra space on your console’s hard drive, could never be traded in toward a future purchase.

Fortunately for Games 4 ‘U,’ many of the store’s loyal patrons are older collectors – customers who enjoy actually having a physical game on their shelf to show for their purchase.

Long live hard copies.