Path of Exile - Beta Weekend Thoughts

Path of Exile is an online action RPG for Windows, being developed by Grinding Gear Games. They recently held an open beta weekend, and since my friends have been playing, I decided to check it out. I didn't have a huge amount of time to play, so this is really a quick look, not a detailed review.

Minecraft - The Arch

A quick screenshot of the next phase of construction. I really need to stop taking night pictures, but usually I snap these after completing a day's work. This is the arch framework and part of a tower build out that's going to be the structure surrounding the giant tower in the center of this build.

Click to embiggen

Ground Rules - Live

Ground Rules is a web-based implementation of the hex map generation tables I've been writing about here. After running the beta version for a while, it's now live on the PBE Games site. Using Ground Rules is straight-forward, and there's a full set of directions on the page. You'll need to provide your own mapping medium, be it hex paper or something like Hexographer.

Minecraft - New Construction

Been a quiet stretch here, but I'm not dead yet. Here's a new screenshot of my mega-tower Minecraft. I had to clip the top off to get everything in view, but that's OK, the top hasn't changed much. I've been focused on clearing around the base and starting the new, smaller towers that are going up around the main spire. Here you go!

I still have quite a bit of clearing to do -- there's also a cave to explore and clear that's been exposed by this excavation. One of the problems with clearing ground like this is... it just isn't all that interesting to post about. This progress has taken a few days of off and on play to accomplish, and I've filled about 4 chests with stacks of dirt from the destroyed hills. Yawn.

Ah well, so goes the mining.

Ground Rules - Hex Map Generator Beta

If you read this blog, you've probably seen the articles I've been posting about hex maps. I've just finished off the beta release of Ground Rules, a web-based hex map generator based on the tables I've been talking about. It's a bit rough around the edges, and not fully tested yet (thus the beta designation), but if you're interested, it's available here:

• Ground Rules

There's a fairly complete set of instructions on the page. The system isn't particularly complex, but it probably won't make sense without at least a quick read of these.

I'd greatly appreciate hearing from anyone who tries out the system. Feedback here as comments, or via the web comment form on the PBE Games site.

Hexmap Speed Test I

I decided to run a test using the hexmap tables I've been working on to create a terrain-only map from scratch. Starting with a blank map, I dropped a few predetermined hexes into the grid, then started working. This is the starting map.

 After 20 minutes of random generation, this is what I ended up with.

Not too bad.

Minecraft - Towering Tower

I've been putting work into my mega tower off and on over the last week or so. I now have the bottom level of the top of the spire complete. It's a glass bowl-shaped room, sort of an observation level.

Homicide - Pursuit of Justice

After a bit of clean up last session, it's time to move forward. When we left, we had pretty strong suspicions that Gabe Babbett is our murderer. His prints are on the gun, he knew both victims, and he's apparently on the run. We've issued a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of murder, and alerted the State Police in Delaware and surrounding jurisdictions. Since we can't just run off to Delaware, let's chase some leads here.

Diablo 3 - Dye! Dye!

Another concise list of Diablo 3 information. This time it's all about fabulous color! The post covers the dye-based achievements, dye types, and dye vendors. Updated for Reaper of Souls. You can find more Diablo 3 pages here.

Hexmapped Again

This is another demo map created using the Fudge-dice table system I'm working on. I did this one a bit differently, using an alternate 'rule' for the map processing. If you've read the previous articles in this collection, you know there are several terrain tables that are sorted in numeric order. Each hex you generate is marked up with terrain and a table number. When generating a new hex, you use the lowest numbered table marked in the already generated surrounding hexes. Table I is a random table.

Hexmap in Progress III - Complete!

Here's the final result for my latest randomly generated hexmap. Terrain-wise, I'm pretty happy with how this looks for a five-mile per hex map. The ocean terrain is still a bit fjord-like, but as I said before, I'm OK with an emphasis on land as opposed to water.

Homicide - Loose Ends

I'm starting to feel like this game has gotten a bit sloppy, so I'm going to do some bookkeeping and clean up and organize things a bit. There are a bunch of open threads, some of which may be irrelevant or easily closed off, and I want to be sure the main summary page is up to date.

Hexmap in Progress - Part II

I've done some additional map generation on this map, after tweaking the tables a bit more. I really need to sit down and rebuild the special sites tables to cover civilized vs. uncivilized lands. I also need to remember to follow my own rules, as I sometimes forget to check for special features in a hex, leaving me with too much blank space.

Island Forge Goes Live

Nyhm, the developer of Island Forge, dropped me a note to announce the game's full launch today. I wrote a couple of articles about the game a while back, and really do need to finish off that island I've been working on!

Anyhow, you can read the full announcement from the developer right here.

Diablo 3 - Worst. Armor. Ever.

Seriously. I get the whole, different looks for different people, but tell me please, who the heck wants to look like this? Unless demons have nightmares about clowns in the closet, this is about the worst design I've seen.