Free Video Game Week: Combat Arms

I should put a warning up here... Combat Arms is not really child friendly. It is a first person shooter game and does show blood when you shoot someone. But we really enjoyed it.

Combat Arms: The Basics
Combat Arms (by Nexon) is an online game that you download to your computer to play. It runs on windows but not on macs. Sorry guys :( I will try to find mac games to post. Sign up is very easy. I signed up and got the email verification from Nexon within a minute. Then I downloaded the game and opened it. I got to choose my soldier and pick a name. Then I went in for some basic training that helps teach the controls of the game. Once you pass training, you are ready to go get killed... er, I mean, battle some enemies!

Combat Arms: Game Play Controls
During training I learned the controls. You use your mouse to aim and fire. Pressing the a, s, w and d keys makes you walk. That's the basic movements. Then ctrl lets you crouch down, shift lets you run really fast, E is the action button (like opening doors), C let's go slow, R is reload, 1-6 is your weapon selection and space bar lets you jump. As you can see, you use a lot of keys on the keyboard which takes some getting used to.

Combat Arms: Getting Ready For a Game
You start out as a trainee and as you gain experience, you level up in rank through 50 (or so) different levels. Once you are ready to play, it has you pick a server then a channel. You can join a room to start blowing your enemies to smithereens or you can create your own room to fight in. Creating your own room is rather cool because you have a lot of settings to choose from (maps, friendly fire on/off, abilities on/off, kill cam, amount of players, # of rounds/minutes/kills and more). Then you get ready to blow people to bits by going to "my character" and picking your weapons.

Combat Arms: Blowing People to Bits... the fun part
Luckily I had experienced gamers to show me what to do (Thanks HeavyBoozer, BakerM_STE__ and AE-Dusk). My first round was kind of sad LOL. I just followed HeavyBoozer or BakerM_STE__ around and tried to figure what we were doing. I did manage to kill 3 of the enemy though. That was pretty cool on my end but looked rather pathetic to HeavyBoozers kills of 718. But I still had fun. The second round I made it further (only because I hid for most of it). But I was getting the idea. (Then my Benadryl kicked in and I had to log off.)

Combat Arms: Respawn Tokens
In Combat Arms, if you are killed during a fire team mission (which is what we were doing), you don't just respawn and keep blowing things up. You have to have respawn tokens. Respawn tokens cost real money. In 90% of the other missions, you respawn. So for the rest of the game I got to watch my team mates who didn't die, all 3 of them (we were a team of 4), run around and shoot people. I did take notes though, so it wasn't wasted time.

Combat Arms: Clans and so much you can do!
There is so much you can do on Combat Arms that it would take forever to list everything. One thing I do want to mention is the Clans because they are such a big part of the game. A clan is a group of people that work together to level up their clan so they can get access to special weapons. Being in a clan gives you a special logo on your characters arm. Clans can war against each other to gain experience points so your clan can level up. If you don't have a clan, you can start your own and have your friends join you. You can only be part of one clan so pick your clan wisely!

As far as the other things you can do, here is a small list of things you can do:

• Buy and sell from a selection of hundreds of gear and weapons
• Send gifts to your friends
• Take jobs. Daily jobs give you items when completed and Gun emporium jobs can help you forge or upgrade your weapon.
• Modify your weapons.
• Choose from a wide selection of mercenaries and specialists that come with special vests.

Combat Arms: Nx and GP
On Combat Arms there is Nx and then there is GP. GP is game points that acts as currency. You can buy items with GP, gifts friends stuff, increases your chance at the gun emporium for upgrading a weapon and other things like that.

Nx is another form of currency that you get when you add real money to your account. There are a lot weapons and items that can only be bought with Nx. You can play Combat Arms without ever buying Nx (my plan), but you can also add Nx at any time to get the special items you want (Miles' plan! Allowance is so cool)

Combat Arms: Our Review
Miles and I decided to rate this game together.

• Overall Game Rating: 10 stars! We really like the game. I liked it much better once I learned the controls.
• Game Play Rating: Me (the non-experienced) 8 stars. It's a little discouraging at times when you are playing against high ranking players. Miles (the experienced, high ranking player) 9 stars. It sometimes lags pretty bad.
• Control Rating: 9.5 stars. Only because they take a little getting used to. Miles says the controls have excellent layout and I have to agree on that.
• Fun Factor: 10 stars! All the way! I really had a lot fun even as the newbie target... I mean, player.
• Kid Friendly? Uh, not really. This is more for teens to adults. I wouldn't let my kids play this when they were younger.

If you are old enough and like bloody war games, you have to try this out! It really is a lot of fun. Just practice your controls first. You will thank me later.

-Edit 11/2/2012

This game has taken a nose dive since the review was written and is over run with hackers and server issues

Free Video Game Week: ourWorld

Miles next pick for Free Video Game Week was ourWorld. We started out playing it yesterday. The first thing that I noticed is that it's really addictive and fun. The second thing I noticed is that it's like you go through a time warp on there. One minute it's 4 p.m. and your playing games, the next minute it's 2 a.m (when your blog post should have been already posted). Oops.

So, today I logged in with a brand new account for BlogWriter to see what it's like to be a brand new ourWorld player. Thank goodness we got the homeschooling done first or we'd have nothing done for the day. We logged in at noon as a newbie and I signed off at 8 p.m. at level 15.

Getting started on ourWorld
Getting started on ourWorld is very easy. You go to ourWorld and click the huge pink circle to start playing. Pick your gender and it starts you off with three challenges to help you get started and learn the game.

Challenges on ourWorld
I started out by trying out some of the challenges that get you started. You can find them by finding any person with ! over their head and click on them. One thing I did notice is that the challenges are set up to show you how to play, show you around ourWorld and let you explore all that there is to do. By doing the challenges you can gain flow (which is how you level up), coins and gems. Sometimes you are awarded with clothes or other cool items for your inventory.

What are gems, coins and flow?
Gems are like real money. Actually, you can buy gems for real money but I am cheap and broke. You can also earn gems by watching ads and once it had me try a game to earn gems. You don't HAVE to... but it helps you earn gems if you do.

Coins are the ourWorld money. You can earn coins by completing challenges, selling you items in inventory, using flow, doing dance off's against other players and more. I used my coins to buy cool new clothes, shoes, a dorky elf/jester hat and a stocking. Yes, I am a dork!

Flow... there is a circle at the bottom left corner of the screen that shows how much flow you have. You can click the circle to play games at Prize central at anytime but when you have enough flow it will tell you that you can level up. When you go to Prize central, there are three games you can play to earn prizes. I, personally, absolutely LOVE The Bubbler. The bigger the bubble, the bigger the prize!

Your ourWorld condo
I forgot about the condo that you get for playing ourWorld. I found it in one of my challenges. You can be like my son, bakermiles, and decorate it with all your super rare and rare items to tease people with when they come to visit. Or you can be like me... go play everything else and forget you have a condo. LOL

Places you can go in ourWorld
You can go to different places in ourWorld. The higher your level, the more places you can go. Let's start with the main place...

• The Boardwalk is the main landing pad for the game and where you will find Zoe. It has
• Buzz: coffeehouse
• Starlight Skate: an ice rink
• Slideshow: where you can movies
• Starlight Store: where you can buy items
• Volla: buy threads and furniture
• Dance Planet: where you can bust a move... is that an outdated saying?
• The Beach (for residents only... I'll get into that in a bit)
• Otto: Furniture, clothing... vehicles? SWEET! I didn't know they had vehicles!
• The Pier is more fun and games-ish. It has:
• Skyscope, where you can view downerworld (earth). 
• Snaps: where you can take pictures of yourself.
• Splatterbox: where you can create a huge mess and call it art
• Poker Cabana: where you play... well, poker.
• Critter Derby: where you select a critter and hope like hell it runs faster than the rest.
• Soho is, uh... Soho. It has:
• Elevated Design: formal wear and fancy stuffs
• Bejeweled: where you buy jewelry and power ups (they increase your flow boost)
• Lady King: furniture and clothes shop
• Soho Salon: buy... hair?
• Catwalk: Where you vote on photo and fashion show contests
• Electric Avenue is the party place!
• Flo's Diner: where you can waitress or just enjoy virtually eating virtual food.
• Garage: where you can pretend to be in a band.
• Blue Cow: furniture and clothing shop
• Skin Deep: it says "get your ink on". Tattoo and all that cool stuff.
• Rock n Roll: you go shoot pool
• Crews Control is where you set up your "crew" (AKA gang lol, just kidding)
• Wonderland is a mystical land
• Cake Mania: you can make and eat cakes.
• Encahntments: buy fury friends to fly around you all day
• Sugar Star: buy furniture and clothing
• Nevermore is dark and scary, kind of like my basement.
• Midnight Cafe where you can buy spooky treats!
• Skeleton Key is a shop for clothes and furniture
• Skeleton Key Dungeon (for residents only... I have no idea what's in there)
• Beat Street is basketball themed and there is only one shop.
• Ani where you can buy clothes and furniture.

Games on ourWorld

If I tried to list all the games on ourWorld, I'd be here until the middle of January... so let's just say, there are TONS of games to play! Whatever you like to play; puzzle, arcade, matching, strategy or action, I am SURE you will find something you like.

Becoming a resident on ourWorld

I couldn't become a resident because I am broke, but if you want to skip the ads, you can become a resident. As a resident, you get extra gems each month (on the monthly plan), access to the residents only area (like the beach), a mondo condo (and exclusive items for your condo every month) and 2x more flow. If I ever get to be a resident, I'll update what it's like. Also, Miles just told me that the resident jackpot, in Prize Central, will win you gems instead of coins (awesome, since I didn't even know there was a jackpot!) I went and looked in Prize Central, YUP, there is a jackpot!

For rating ourWorld

10 out of 10 all the way across the board! This online game is the best of the best and my personal favorite! It has a little something for everyone and is totally kid friendly too!  It was designed for kids... I'm a kid at heart :) 

Miles agrees with my rating.

There is so much to do and it is so much fun that all I can say is GO PLAY! While you are at it, add me as a friend. I am BlogWriter... Shameless plug there.

Update: Question: Can you buy coins with real money?

Video Game Week: Some games take a little longer...

I am learning a lot this week about video games. One thing I learned yesterday, playing one game can be fast and fun, while playing another game can take all day long and be more time consuming, more involved and pull you into a time warp. WOW!

We are working on the review for OurWorld and I have to say, I am going to need a 12 step program. That game is FUN! and addictive. LOL

The review will be up by 2 a.m. tomorrow morning though. This is exciting to me :) And my avatar is just AWESOME!

FREE Video Game Week: Need for Speed World

For our first game, Miles picked Need for Speed World. You sign up (which is very easy) and download the game. Then log-in and pick your car and driver. You can practice driving first, which I highly suggest, and then join races or do an outlaw race where you run from the police and try not to get busted before the finish line.

Need for Speed World controls
I practiced driving around using the keyboard and then an xbox controller. I have to say, the xbox controller is MUCH easier for me to steer. It took me a couple hours to get comfortable driving around at full speed without crashing into every obstacle in my path (and to my sides).

There are a lot of keys on the keyboard that you use also. H is the safe house, E... uh, I forgot already, one of the keys looks behind you, another gives you a different view. It's pretty easy once you learn all this. There is a How to Play guide. I guess I could have started out by reading that, but where is the fun in that?

Need for Speed World Pros
Of course, being free is a huge bonus.

I also really enjoyed the different maps and routes. Huge blue blinking arrows point the way you need to go on your course rather than just guessing how you are supposed to find the finish line.

When you get busted in the police chase, you can respawn three times before you are out of the game, which is nice. If it weren't for the three respawns, I wouldn't have made it very far.

You can decorate your car, add power-ups, different colored paint and vinyl decals to your car for ultimate coolness.

If you are first to third in a race, you can pick from five different winning cards (gold, silver and bronze depending on your place) which gives you added bonuses for the game.

You can add friends that you meet on the game and teleport to them when they are online. That was a lot easier than spending 20 minutes going "What landmarks are you near? What do you mean the dinosaur? Where is the dinosaur? What building? What blinking lights building with the arch? Are we on the same map?"

Need for Speed World Cons
Police chases turn my language to rather colorful and offensive language.

Racing actually makes my blood pressure rise!

But seriously. the biggest down side to Need for Speed World that I found was, depending on your computers performance, the server you are on and the number of players online at a time, you can experience a lot of lag which throws the control of your car. I had a few issues with it when I was trying to turn. By the time the server/computer caught up with my controls, I was plowing through street signs, cars and into walls rather than smoothly sailing through the police barricade. Playing on Miles' computer I did MUCH better!

If you want a cool decal or a pricier paint, you need to level up first. The higher the level, the cooler pricier things you can buy. This isn't a huge con, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

Need for Speed World Rating (out of 10 stars)

1. Overall rating: 9 out of 10 stars (the lag pissed me off)
2. Game play: 9 out of 10 stars (see comment above)
3. Controls: 9 out of 10 Once I knew what I was doing driving was easy. But there are a lot of keys to press for different things. I highly suggest reading "How to Play".
4. Fun factor: 100 out of 10... oh, darn, my rating system doesn't go that high!
5. Kid friendly? Well, I think so. I didn't see anything that would make me gasp in horror. Unless running from the police offends you, I think it could be a fun family game for... oh, maybe 10 and up... unless their sign up has an age (I didn't notice one)

Teenager Review of Need for Speed World


Dotchi: So Miles, what do you like best about Need for Speed World?

Miles: I would say the intense police chases and the wide variety of cars.

Dotchi: Cool. What do you suggest to new players who have never played before?

Miles: First, figure out if you are better at keyboard or xbox controller, that's if they have one, of course. And then, I would start driving around at a slow pace so you can get used to it and learn the map.

Dotchi: So, how did I do learning to play?

Miles: The first six hours? Or the last six hours?

Dotchi: *blush* uh, erm, uh... both...

Miles: In the beginning, you started out like most people, slamming into everything. After a few hours of driving around and getting used to the controls, you weren't bad. In the end, you were right on my tail, along with the cops. And holy cow, I didn't know there were that many cuss words!

Dotchi: ON TO the next topic! How would you rate Need for Speed World?

Miles: Overall rating, I would give it about an 8 out of 10. It's a free game but you can't expect too much from it because you didn't pay for it. If you do pay for it, you pay for it knowing the quality of the game.

Dotchi: How about game play?

Miles: Game play is good. I'd give it about a 7 out of 10 because you can't rotate all the way around your car. They took that out a few months back. It's just like any other Need for Speed if you are using a controller. If you are using the keyboard, it can be a little difficult.

Dotchi: That's an understatement.

Miles: BAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Lando Kitten: Meow

Dotchi: Hush kitty. How about fun factor?

Miles: I'd give it a 10 out of 10. I personally like racing games so I find it to be very fun.

Dotchi: I like that answer. Do you think it's kid friendly?

Miles: Oh yea, very. That's assuming their parents don't mind them running from an automated police officer.

Dotchi: Cool, thanks. Anything else you want to add?

Miles: This game is actually a very demanding game for a computer. It's hard on your video card and CPU so you'll want to check on the gaming specs..

So there you have it. The teenagers point of view.

FREE Video Game Week

My 16 year old son gave me a wonderful idea for this coming up week! Free Video Game Week! No, we aren't giving away video games, I wish I could. We will be playing a free video game a day and reviewing it from mom's point of view and the teen's point of view. Here are the made up rules for the reviews.

1. Miles picks the games. (Oh boy, what did I just sign up for?)
2. The game to be free to play.
3. We both play the games on different computers, using different specs. 
4. We'll play each game for two hours each (or three... or four...)
5. We will both review the game play, the game itself and rate it using a 5 star system.
6. We will put down the novice gamer's view (that would be me) and the experienced gamer's view (that would be Miles).
7. We will put down how long it took us to get used to the controls (this should be entertaining on my end)
8. I will sign up for the new accounts and tell you how hard or easy that is also.

This should be fun! We have our list and we'll start on Monday.

Updates: Here are the reviews!

Need for Speed World

ourWorld

Combat Arms

Battlestar Galatica Online