http://www.pioneerproject.net/ en-us Copyright 2009, pioneerproject.net Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:33:15 +0000 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:33:15 +0000 any Frog CMS Gaming thoughts, memories and experiences - including a weblog of gaming themes and studies. http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification The premise of Borderlands is simple. Set in a relatively open game world, you and up to three other players can join up to explore the wastelands of Pandora, completing numerous quests to try and establish the location of the mysterious alien vault. While the story of the game is a little tentative, the really interesting part of Borderlands is the decision to mix two very different genres to create an exciting new hybrid. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:10:34 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/11/09/borderlands.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/11/09/borderlands.php I can't help but notice features in a game that could have been thought through a lot better. I wasn't completely suprised when I heard that both Bungie and Blizzard have hired interaction designers for recent games to help improve the experience of playing games using user testing and research. That said, if I had the a say in the way games were designed, here's some what I'd improve, and what I'd like to see more of. Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:01:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/10/31/helping-the-player-advice-from-a-gamer.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/10/31/helping-the-player-advice-from-a-gamer.php As a gamer my hobby poses a conundrum. I describe myself as green but I also partake in one of the most ungreen and consumer-focused hobbies I can imagine. So I started to try and think up some small practical steps myself and others could take to start to improve this aspect of our hobby. Gaming is my last big luxury - the one thing up to now I've not compromised on. But that needs to change, and here are some of the first steps you can take. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:01:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/10/16/how-to-be-a-greener-gamer.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/10/16/how-to-be-a-greener-gamer.php I have never been a huge fan of the Beatles, but I had a feeling that Harmonix's latest title would be the perfect opportunity to experience the discography of the biggest band ever to pass me by. And for the first time this may be the music game for the quiet bystanders - Beatles Rock Band is a open invite to anyone that knows a Beatle song. Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:28:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/09/09/beatles-rock-band.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/09/09/beatles-rock-band.php It turns out that any violent video games sold to underage kids in the UK has not been technically illegal due a loophole in the 1984 Video Recordings Act. So for just over twenty-five years a lot of the negativity that gaming has courted in this country since the "video nasty" era of the 1980s has been upstaged by an even bigger blunder over legislation. Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:08:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/08/25/violent-video-games-for-all-ages.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/08/25/violent-video-games-for-all-ages.php Time for an update on on the progress I've made with learning to drum from Rock Band. As fate would have it in the time since my first post on this subject I have been without the internet for nearly two months - so despite being unable to write about my progress I've certainly been able to give it more time and focus. So now it's time to get serious. Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:01:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/08/14/drumming-with-rock-band-2.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/08/14/drumming-with-rock-band-2.php A few years back there was a distinct lack of offline co-operative games for home consoles, and lo and behold, with the release of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite PSP owners have access to the definitive version of the handheld sensation from Japan. As a game premise it sounds quite dangerous in both senses - the life of a hunter killing ferocious beasts against the backdrop of an MMO-like grind and repeat scenario, but to summize it as such does the game a great disservice. Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:22:26 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/07/18/monster-hunter-freedom-unite.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/07/18/monster-hunter-freedom-unite.php This portable version of Rock Band for the PSP tries something a little different, challenging you to play all four tracks of the Rock Band soundtrack in a four lane track system Harmonix already explored in Amplitude and Frequency. So rather than using a series of incresingly more complex perhipherials Rock Band Unplugged is a nod to the rhythm action games of old and a faithful descendant of Harmonix's two earlier games. Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:20:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/07/04/rock-band-unplugged.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/07/04/rock-band-unplugged.php After complaining about the state of most video game shops on the high street, I thought I'd show some examples of places that manage to get video game shopping done right. I think the most important thing about games shopping is the experience of it, a lot of shops have lost this now, but one particular shop still feels magical every single time. So I thought I'd start with my favourite games shop ever: R-Games in Westgate Street, Gloucester. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:41:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/06/24/great-game-shop-r-games.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/06/24/great-game-shop-r-games.php I'd like to ask a simple question. Can music games improve your ability to play a real instrument? After drumming in Rock Band for almost a year I've decided to learn the drums properly again. While there is no definitive answer for you just yet, this is a subject I'd like to return to as as my real drumming improves. But before we get to the lessons themselves; a little information on my musical history. Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:28:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/06/17/drumming-with-rock-band.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/articles/2009/06/17/drumming-with-rock-band.php What the story of Rez could really mean. Understanding the themes of area 1-4, the multiple endings and just what Eden's going through in Area 5 and beyond. Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:37:42 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/rez.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/rez.php The Discworld series of video games are a hilarious accompanyment to the books and are now fully playable on ScummVM! Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:59:31 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/discworld.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/discworld.php Understanding the influence Phantasy Star Online, the pioneering console multiplayer RPG for the Dreamcast, Gamecube Xbox and PC. Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:53:38 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/phantasy-star-online.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/phantasy-star-online.php Known as Intelligent Qube in the States; the simplicity of Kurushi's design ethic hides a deceptively tricky puzzle game for the Playstation. Wed, 20 May 2009 18:16:12 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/kurushi.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/kurushi.php All about Tombi; the addictive puzzle/platformer game developed for the Playstation by Whoopee Camp. Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:42:44 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/tombi.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/tombi.php The background to Aperture Science and their wonderful inventions; Portals and all. Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:22:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/portal.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/portal.php Enjoying the design style of Vib Ribbon - the stylish musical rhythm game for the Sony Playstation. Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:43:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/vib-ribbon.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/vib-ribbon.php Discussing the artistic direction Another World - programmed, created and designed by one man. Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:27:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/another-world.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/another-world.php Mind over matter. Impressions of the themes at play within Silicon Knight's Eternal Darkness. Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:40:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/eternal-darkness-sanitys-requiem.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/eternal-darkness-sanitys-requiem.php An overview of Crystal Warriors. SEGA's tactical RPG for the Game Gear, and why it's worth digging out. Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:16:00 +0000 http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/crystal-warriors.php http://www.pioneerproject.net/games/crystal-warriors.php