All posts by Noob of All Trades

Shawn Lucas is the self identified "Noob of All Trades". He is married and the father of three boys, two of whom help with their own podcast every couple of months. Raised on Atari, Nintendo, and Sega, he enjoys all games and will play all of them to the best of his ability, which is often average at best. Currently, he is most interested in Magic, Heroclix, and other games that he can play with Chris and his sons.
Digital Playground

We Are Builders of (Lego) Worlds

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(Editor’s Note: This was supposed to be posted yesterday, but it was VSL night and I crashed after that. Sorry.)

We recorded Episode 5 of the podcast this past weekend. I’m in the process of editing it and it should be live by next weekend. Hopefully, because it is a busy one with a Cub Scouts camping trip followed by a drive to Providence for the Star City Games event. Look for my article about that next week.

We discussed Heroclix and Lego Games in this episode. I already covered several of my favorite super hero themed games last week, so what better way to follow that and the podcast than with more Marvel Madness. Both the Lego games and Heroclix have DC counterparts, but I am an unapologetic Marvel zombie. Also, that alliteration at the end of the last sentence was so worth it, amirite?

I never used to be interested in the Lego video games. I shared the sentiment of a friend who said, “why play Lego games when you can just play Legos? ” (sic. I have since learned that there is no plural to Lego.) I owned Lego Indiana Jones as one of the XBox promotional combos and didn’t play it for the longest time. It wasn’t until they released the Lego Star Wars game that I gave them a chance. Almost immediately, I realized my earlier mistake of equating the games to actual Lego. I would say that Minecraft is more comparable, but even that isn’t the exact same thing. All three fit a niche nicely and can peacefully coexist.

The initial games were fun enough to keep me playing. Eventually, the boys caught wind of the game. It started with them joining me to play. I found this very frustrating because you were limited in how much you could move by the other person playing the game. When playing with young children, this often meant not being able to advance in the level because they didn’t understand this limitation. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I tried to explain to them, nothing changed. I’m not proud of this, but these gaming sessions often ended with me dropping out in frustration and coming back after they went to bed. How funny is that visual? Instead of playing Dead Rising or GTA as I had been, I got relegated to playing Lego Star Wars while they slept so that they didn’t mess up my progress. Alas, karmic retribution will find a way.

The boys figured out how to work the XBox 360 by themselves. As a consequence, they loaded up their new favorite game, Lego Star Wars, and promptly deleted my saved game. There was only one save game slot in the game. Luckily, the designers tackled that and now games have multiple files for saves. I was almost 70% completed, too. All things considered, I think that I handled the situation well. I did what any well-adjusted adult would have done, I complained about it on Facebook and disowned them. I wish them well, as always, with their new families.

Jokes aside, I got over the transgression and have visual proof that I beat the game 100%. It is one of only two games that I do so without help, so I’m proud of the achievement. (For the record, Jak and Daxter, not Ratchet and Clank, is the other.) Adding more slots for saved games is a component of one of the major selling points of the Lego series. Take Two could easily simply churn out decent game after decent game, slap the Lego brand on them, and people would buy them. They don’t.

Not only did they add the save games, but they make other quality of live improvements, too. Remember when I mentioned that playing with young children was frustrating because of movement limitations? No more. It started with a smart split screen that offered more range of motion, became a gameplay mechanic by adding a new puzzle type, and now offers both players complete freedom to move via complete split screen. On the topic of puzzles, the puzzles have been improved and made more challenging. Granted, the games are still mostly geared to kids, but there was at least one part in Marvel Super Heroes that had us all stumped for several days and maybe even as long as a week. The puzzles are varied, too, and often able to be solved in more than one way depending on the characters available. This is important because each successive generation of the game offers more and more characters. In addition (and this is one of the favorite things forLiam and Aiden to do) you can create your own characters. They made their own super hero team and created an entire story while playing through the open world map in Marvel Super Heroes.

I can admit when I’m wrong. It happens often enough that I’m used to it. I never thought that I’d willingly play a Lego video game. It seemed like a silly idea given that Legos (I know, not a word) are a thing and we have so many of them in the house. While we still enjoy playing Legos (there’s that non word again!) and other family toys (Lincoln Logs, Thomas the Tank Engine, board games, etc), the Lego games have become an integral part of at least our father-son game playing time. Christine even noticed the recent announcement of Lego Dimensions, so it is spreading to the whole family.

The Lego games are not only fun to play. They are also constantly improved in nearly every way imaginable. Like actual Lego, they can inspire creativity in players beyond the main game. They are kid friendly, sometimes challenging to adults, and encourage families to play together as a result. Even if you don’t have kids, there is plenty to enjoy about the games. I compared them to Grand Theft Auto in the podcast and there are many similarities, right down to the senseless violence of little Lego men exploding. There is no blood, drinking, drugs, or other elicit activity. If that’s your thing, then stick to GTA. Otherwise, pick up your favorite Lego franchise, convince someone to join you, and have an absolute blast. You won’t regret it.

On the Tabletop

Abzan Cards I Own (Standard, Take 2)

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(Editor’s Note: As with many of my decks, you will notice an underlying theme.)

This deck is inspired by Gerrard Fabiano and his “Sultai Cards I Own Deck” from the first SCG.com Modern open that I watched. ‘Not being on his level as a player, I don’t have nearly the cards, so it is considerably more on the pauper end, but still strong. I went 1-1 in games against two different decks with it last night against Chris.

Main Deck ‘(60 Cards)

Creatures (23)

Abzan Battle Priest (2): Outlast and gives all other creatures with +1 counters lifelink. A bit of overkill depending on the board, but still helpful.
Abzan Falconer (2): Outlast and gives all other creatures with +1 counters flight. Good for all of the potential dragons if you don’t get the Longshot Squad.
Abzan Guide (3): Expensive, but the lifelink is nice and it can be a cool morph trick.
Abzan Skycaptain (2): I only have purchased one fat pack of Fate so far and got 2 of these guys. Bolster is stronger than Outlast and plays well with the other guys who buff +1 counters.
Ainok Bond Kin (3): First strike to dudes with +1 counters. If you can combo with one of the other guys, you can really trade well.
Disowned ancestor (3): Nice, cheap chump blocker that can become more with Outlast and combo players.
Longshot Squad (2): These guys might be the first to go because of the Falconers, but good right now just in case.
Voyaging Satyr (4): Underrated mana dorks, in my opinion.
Wardscale Dragon (2): Dragons finally made it into one of my decks. They are pretty powerful. Who knew?

Spells (10)

Dragonscale Boon (3): +1 counters and untap for unexpected up trade on your opponents turn.
Feat of Resistance (3): I can see why this card is so popular on the open and pro circuits. It also fits well with the theme.
Pacifism (2): My favorite Magic Card.
Murderous Cut (2): Strong Removal fed by the other spells and Evolving Wilds with Delve.

Artifacts (2)

Abzan Banner (2): Mana plus potential card draw. Sounds good to me.

Legendary Enchantment Artifact (1)

Bow of Nylea (1): I had one of these lying around and it seemed to fit pretty well.

Land (24)

Blossoming Sands (2)
Evolving Wilds (4)
Forest (4)
Jungle Hollow (2)
Plains (8)
Scoured Barrens (2)
Swamp (2)

Sideboard (8)

Drown in Sorrow – 3
Bile Blight – 3
Grim Contest – 2

I’m still working on the deck and the side board. ‘I might work in some End Hostilities, but I don’t know what else right now. ‘Picking up my Dragons of Tarkir cards next week, so the deck will most likely look very different. ‘Isn’t that what Standard is all about, though? ‘Finding the cards that work for you and your deck playing them. ‘Stay tuned as this one evolves. ‘Click the Outlast tag below to see former iterations and that evolution.

On the Tabletop

I Wanna Be Your (Spider)Man

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(Editor’s ‘Note: ‘Do you have a module based on the comic where Peter Parker and Mary Jane get married?)

Once upon a time, a gamer was a gamer. ‘You played video, board, card, roleplaying, and sometimes miniature games. ‘You bonded with other gamers over your mutual status as outsiders from polite society. ‘Really, we were complete outcasts, but it is infinitely more satisfying to tell those tea drinking weenies to suck eggs. ‘To be fair, this might have only been true about me and my friends. ‘Not only is that presumptuous, but I have actual evidence to the contrary. ‘Growing up, I saw the same people in the arcades as in the comic book store and in the RPG section of Waldenbooks (remember that place?), so there was definitely a fraternity of gamers that I’m not sure exists anymore.

I don’t know how or when it happened, but like much of our society, the gaming community became segmented. ‘(I’m about to get real for a paragraph. ‘Relax, though, it isn’t going to get to the level of those Dove commercials, but I have some things to get off my chest.) As a result, certain segments of the population that consider only their peers to be “true” gamers. ‘Honestly, these “true” gamers are really only a segment of a segment. ‘Yet, they have held tremendous influence over the hobby for at least a decade. ‘They used this influence to push for only one type of game at the exclusion of all others. ‘The tide appears to be turning back thanks to efforts by other gamers and even game designers. ‘The designers have created games to appeal to a wider audience. ‘This “new blood” has understandably caused some friction and resentment on the part of the “true gamers”. ‘2 Guys Gaming is both inspired by this movement and hopes to serve as inspiration to others to keep it going.

So, what does all of that have to do with the old Marvel RPG? ‘As one of the games that I used to play with friends, I thought of it recently because of 2 Guys Gaming. ‘We try to approach games from a fresh perspective and strive to make games fun again. ‘I doubt that we will ever do a podcast segment because it is defunct and Chris never heard of it, but it works perfectly as an article topic.

I enjoyed the Marvel RPG more than Dungeons and Dragons. ‘Not only did the game allow me to play as some of my favorite super heroes, it also scratched my creative itch by allowing me to create new ones. ‘That was the most fun, in my opinion. ‘I liked reading about the dragon slaying adventures of wizards and warriors, but my fevered teenage dreams always revolved around fighting side by side with Spider-Man and the Hulk. ‘Marvel RPG gave me the opportunity to do that at a time when most video games were centered around the X-Men or TMNT.

Kevin (of missing Episode 2 of the podcast fame) and I created a team of mutants to cause havoc (no pun intended) in the Marvel Universe. ‘Those games were some of the most fun that I had as a gamer before getting back into Magic a couple of years ago ‘That led to introducing my kids to the many worlds of gaming, getting together with Chris, rediscovering my love of the hobby, and starting the podcast and website. ‘Naturally, this all led to renewed interest in the games that I used to play.

If you have been following, you know that some friends and I are trying to find time to play some Dungeons and Dragons. ‘Liam and Aiden have both contributed to my interest in Magic, Pokemon, and many of the other games that I’m currently playing. ‘I picked up a Star Wars introduction RPG because I thought they might like it. ‘We haven’t played yet, but I might start them on Marvel instead. ‘It is a universe that they are more familiar with and it is easier to integrate those familiar characters into a story. ‘I’ve recently discovered a page that offers all of the old books and modules as PDF downloads. ‘Time to do some reading to familiarize myself again with the game rules.

I always knew that there would be benefits to having children. ‘I never suspected that one of those benefits might be the beginnings of a playgroup for video, RPG, and card games, but I’m definitely happy that it worked out that way. ‘Whether your curious about the game or looking to recapture former glory, you can find a massive trove of resources here. ‘In closing, until the cease and desist letter arrives (not my first one, but my first one from Stan lee, so I’d get it framed), Excelsior!

Snap *censored* Pop Culture

Unlimited Marvel?

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(Editor ‘s Note: TLDR, Shut up Marvel and take more of my money!)

We are not just about games here at 2 Guys Gaming. I used to be a comic book collector. Wait. That isn ‘t the right verb tense. I still have boxes of comics in my closet. My name is Shawn and I am a comic book collector ( ?Hi, Shawn. ?) currently on hiatus. I started collecting as a teenager, but got rid of that collection when I no longer wanted to move those boxes. I picked up the hobby again a few years ago after moving into our house because I knew that we wouldn ‘t be moving again for a long time. Also, several of the story lines at the time intrigued me. This was during the Infinite Crisis at DC and Civil War at Marvel, so they didn ‘t disappoint. The books became more and more expensive but the profit margins stayed more or less the same for local stores. After moving once for cheaper rent, our town store finally went under and I had no easy access to that particular paper drug.

I kept collecting The Walking Dead, Y: The Last Man, and some of the Ultimate Marvel titles for a couple of months. The Ultimates were the first to go, then inexplicably Y, and finally I gave up on The Walking Dead last year just when it is reaching its most popular. I know I sound like a hipster, and I just might be, but I like the original stuff better. The story is getting too depressing for me in my old age. With the habit finally kicked, like any addict, I was ripe for another. As our oldest son grew up, I noticed that he shared my affinity for video games so I told him about Pokemon. He started playing and immediately became a Pokekid. When I then told him that there was a card game, we started visiting that section of Wal*Mart and Target more often. During one of these trips, I saw that Magic cards were still a thing. Enter a new cardboard crack ( ?Hi, Shawn! ?) after I picked up a Deckbuilder ‘s toolkit. Most of my hobby budget has gone to Magic since giving up comic books.

The reasons for this are threefold. First, a new set of Magic cards are released only every few months instead of every week. Instead of spending 25-50 dollars per week, I ‘m only spending 100-150 about three times a year. Second, the cards are much smaller and easier to store. I have thousands of cards stored in boxes that take up the same room as only a couple hundred comics. They were much easier to sort into those boxes, too. While the comics remain in disarray, the cards are separated by color and card type. Third, I rarely read comic books more than once. All of those comics sitting in my closet are most likely fated to remain there until the estate sale. I am constantly changing decks and adding new cards, so even the ones in storage probably won ‘t stay there very long. If they do, they still have a chance to be played eventually. Fourth (1, 2, 3, 4? Bear with me, I ‘m only a mathematician), the cards have a more immediate and larger resale value than the comics as long as you play the market right. This article isn ‘t about Magic. This article isn ‘t about Magic. Sorry, many of my recent articles have been about Magic. There is a point to all of this. What is the point? Oh, right. Magic clearly became my hobby addiction of choice.

However, as an adult child, I never truly outgrow any of these frivolous endeavors. Therefore, when I received an email for a free (or discounted, I can ‘t remember) month of Marvel Unlimited, I took notice. I promptly forgot all about it and missed the promotion. Luckily, there are many free comics available on the app to get me hooked and spend my money. Let ‘s see what this app is all about.

The first thing I do is scroll to the free books to see what is available. I recognize most of them from when I last collected, but a few catch my eye like the first issue of Red Hulk. That was about the time that I stopped reading. There are also two versions of Guardians of the Galaxy, one from 2008 and one from 2013. Finally, I recognize and file away 1602. I saw the title when I collected, but never checked it out at the time. Nothing else interested me in the free bin this month. They have other titles like Deadpool, but I feel like Deadpool by himself might get old. I really liked his team up title with Cable, but that one isn ‘t free if they offer it at all. Still, those 4 books might be enough to get me to sign up for a membership for a month at least.

I picked Red Hulk as my first book to read. I ‘m not sure why I didn ‘t read it when it was released. Jeph Loeb is one of my favorite writers and a must read. I think that I was so enamored with the World War and Planet Hulk storylines that I didn ‘t think anything could top them at the time. Reading issue #1 of Red Hulk now, I was right. I never would have gotten past this issue back then. That ‘s not to say that it is bad. It isn ‘t. The story got me interested and left off with a cliff hanger that had me immediately wanting to read the next part. It just wasn ‘t on the same level as the other two stories and would have gotten an unfair comparison at the time. Now, though, I definitely want to read the next issue. Point #1 to Marvel Unlimited.

I went with the 2008 version of Guardians of the Galaxy for my second pick. Guardians used to be my favorite title when I was younger and I ‘m glad to see that it is getting love again. Marvel made what some would consider to be a niche story into one of the most fun movies that I ‘ve watched recently. Okay, let ‘s read some Guardians. Well, that ‘s disappointing. Not altogether surprising, but still disappointing. When I opened the app, it immediately informed me that it stopped working. This happens only about 20% of the time and the app always starts back up with no problem. It is a minor inconvenience, but it is real. I wouldn ‘t call this a full point deduction. I already don ‘t like paying for digital content, though, especially buggy digital content from a publisher as large as Marvel. One half point from Marvel.

(As an aside, what is this score that I ‘m keeping? What scale am I using? How do I know when enough points have accumulated to purchase the app? This whole enterprise feels very arbitrary. Oh well, what are we around here if not arbitrary. Onward and upward!)

As far as the content of the two Guardians titles goes, they both more or less follow the standard for Starlord and the gang. Similar to the movie, Marvel uses both first issues to introduce the team of mostly lesser known heroes. Yes, I just made another thinly veiled reference that I liked Guardians before they were cool. It ‘s already been established that I am a wannabe comic book hipster.

I enjoyed the 2008 version better than the 2013 version. Both books were good in their own ways. It ‘s just that the 2013 book was written by Brian Michael Bendis. I usually like his stuff. His writing style didn ‘t seem to fit the personality of the Guardians of the Galaxy very well. I didn ‘t recognize the 2008 writers name, but he wrote the comic in a much more fun style. Guardians of the Galaxy is ultimately about the absurd and the writers (I just checked and there were two. That ‘s usually bad news for comic books or movies) captured that spirit much better than Bendis.

I also just learned that Neil Gaiman wrote the last free comic that I want to read. Yes, I am way behind the times, but we already knew that. Almost everyone is a fan of Neil Gaiman, even if they don ‘t know, and I am no different. Well, I am different because I do know that I ‘m a fan. You get what I ‘m trying to say. Hopefully you do because I ‘m not entirely sure and I don ‘t think that either of us is ready to suffer yet another of my lengthy explanations. So, we understand one another? Yes? Good. Let ‘s move on. Arbitrary 3/4 of a point to Marvel. Current arbitrary score: 1 and 1/4

1602 takes several familiar tales, some based in fact and some based in fiction, and fuses them into a whole new and highly entertaining story. Marvel Knights has always been famous for those types of comics and this one is a good introduction into the MK style, especially for non comic book fans. Even if you are a comic fan, there is enough to keep you interested and entertained. I don ‘t know how the comics rotate into the free app, but this one is free right now. If you ‘re somehow like me and never read it, I recommend that you give it a chance. Arbitrary 7/8 of a point to Marvel. Current arbitrary score: 2 and 1/8

Well, more or less, four for four (That was awkward to type and I ‘m sure just as awkward to read. Please don ‘t try to read it out loud. I ‘m afraid of the potential consequences.) on the free comics. For the low, low price of 9.95 (or is it 9.99?), I can have access to the rest of the issues and thousands more. I know that the content is digital. I also know that I sound much older than I am by making that statement. Hey, kids, get off my lawn with your internets and iPods! At least it is good digital content and much cheaper than the alternative. Takes up a lot less room, too. That is not a small consideration for a pack rat like me. I ‘m going to do it. I ‘m going to sign up for the paid version of the app for a month and reassess at the end of my subscription. I didn’t get sued yesterday, so let’s try again today. Give me an excelsior!

Digital Playground

Revisiting 2 “Marvel”ous Games

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(Editor’s Note: I know that I promised a video for Fallout 1 and 2 and haven’t delivered. Marvel Puzzle Quest is running a video contest, though, so I am planning a video for that game soon.)

We are recording episode 5 this weekend. The show is about Heroclix and Lego video games. We are going to concentrate on Marvel Super Heroes and Batman. I mentioned both Marvel Heroes and Marvel Puzzle Quest on last month’s show. They are both games that I play daily. I’ve planned to write about them several times, but haven’t featured them on the page yet. I thought this would be a perfect time to finally focus on comic book themed games on the website. All of these forces have conspired to come together as this article.

Let’s start with Marvel Puzzle Quest. In case you don’t know, the Puzzle Quest games are of the match three variety like Bejeweled or Candy Crush. Unlike either of those games, Puzzle Quest has a storyline that accompanies the sometimes tedious gameplay. Sure, Candy Crush has a story, but it is mostly an afterthought. The stories of Puzzle Quest are actually good and worth playing through the games to advance. I would say complete, but the Marvel version constantly adds new chapters.

The first Puzzle Quest story involved a typical fantasy setting with all of the usual cast of characters and plotlines. I’m a sucker for most fantasy, even the cheesy kind, so it was enough junk food for the brain to keep me entertained for about a year of playing a half an hour per day. It helped that the game is kid friendly at a time when we had two young children in the house. Liam enjoyed watching the game as I played and even asked me to make him a Steam account to play Marvel Puzzle Quest after he saw me playing it. He has done pretty well in the game. Aiden has an account, too, and we have made a clan in the game with a friend. It is an excellent family game.

In addition, as one of the match three games, it has been ported to mobile devices. I have only tried it a few times on mobile because I don’t know of a way to move my account data and I don’t want to start over again. I already lost my account once and it sucked to go back to the beginning. Luckily, they were able to retrieve my data, but I haven’t been able to find a way to transfer from PC to mobile. Just be warned if you decide to get started that you need to choose one or the other.

I’ve talked about Marvel Heroes on the podcast before and I have mentioned it on the web site, too. In case you missed it, Marvel Heroes is an ARPG like the Diablo or Torchlight games. The game stumbled out of the gate and people hated it with good reason. You could only choose from two free characters and there was no end game. The story was decent, but not enough to encourage replay. I stopped playing after defeating Dr. Doom (the end boss at the time) and I suspect that many others did, too, if they even made it that far.

Luckily, the designers of the game listened to player feedback and worked to improve the game. As I mentioned in my previous article on Diablo III, it was voted as most improved MMO in 2014 or 2015. They have added many new heroes, opened all heroes as free to play to level 10, implemented several end game options, buffed loot drops via weekly events, and many other improvements. The game is much more fun to play now. I play it on a daily basis and have even spent money on the game even though it is free to play. I want to encourage them to continue to develop and improve the game.

Liam and Aiden both started an account for this game, too. Liam and I even got a few chances to play the game together. The game isn’t quite as kid friendly and they’ve been more interested in Pokemon recently, so they haven’t played much of either this or Marvel Puzzle Quest. It is nice to know that we will have two more games to enjoy as a family that aren’t just Dance or Mario. Sure, those games are fun, but variety is the spice of life and such.

Both games are free to play, as mentioned. Marvel Heroes is constantly being improved. Marvel Puzzle Quest also updates regularly, but it is often unclear whether those changes are for the better. Most recently, they altered one of my favorite powers and made it decidedly weaker. I’m not going to be one of those guys that threatens to quit the game over such a minor adjustment. Still, I don’t quite understand what they’re trying to accomplish and it is frustrating to have to deal with something like that. (Side Note: I looked at the patch notes and I now understand, but it still makes little sense from a player point of view. Oh well, might be time to find another combo to abuse.)

If my children are any indication, then the games are relatively kid friendly. There is some questionable material in Marvel Heroes (mostly from Deadpool, of course) but it is easily avoidable. You should be aware. Puzzle Quest is simply a match 3 game, so it is much tamer and better for kids if you don’t want to take the chance. You could do worse than trying out both games. If you played Marvel Heroes and didn’t enjoy it, then give it another chance. It is a much better game and you won’t be disappointed. If you do try either game, let me know. I would be glad to play a round or two or let you get started in our clan on Marvel Puzzle Quest. At the risk of being sued, Excelsior!

On the Tabletop

Do You Want to Build Some Standard?

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(Editor’s Note: Chris asked this question a couple of weeks ago. Before you ask, yes he sang it just like the girl from Frozen. He has a beautiful singing voice.)

I was never interested in the various formats of Magic or what they meant until about a month ago. One of my favorite Magic streamers pointed me to the Vintage Super League on the Magic Twitch page as his stream ended. Left without any options, I followed the link. Boy, am I glad that I did. I have watched every episode, learned Magic from some of the best players, and even developed a rooting interest. I’m bummed that one of my new favorite players and commentators got bumped for being in last place. This is not about Vintage, though. My article on VSL is here and I might revisit it at the end of the season.

My voyage through the history of Magic continued with the StarCityGames.com Modern event (I know Chris said that we shouldn’t advertise them until they pay us, but click the link and tell ’em 2 Guys Gaming sent ya. Maybe that will lead to something.) in Baltimore. By this time, I knew more bout the archetypes and strategies of Vintage, but knew nothing about Modern. Once again, that was about to change. One player in the event captured my attention, admiration, and imagination with his deck. That story is told here.

Of these two formats, I liked Modern the most. While it can be fun to watch the turn one and two kills in Vintage and watch how some of the most powerful cards in the history of the game interact in the hands of the best players, at times it can be anticlimactic. Because those enablers aren’t available in Modern, the games are generally more interactive. Unfortunately, there aren’t many Modern events shown, so I just watched the Vintage Super League every week and hoped to find a random streamer playing Modern.

I avoided Standard for one main reason. I heard that Standard consisted of mainly the same decks with little to no variation. Having only watched Hearthstone in a competitive setting, this worried me. Because Hearthstone has such a limited pool of cards, the competitive scene is literally the same few decks played all the time. Because Hearthstone is free to play and online, I then see those decks from many of the players that I meet in game. It’s boring and tedious. Competitive Magic doesn’t suffer that problem. Since there are so many more cards, the same archetype will look diverse from player to player. Larger decks also increase variance and the same deck plays differently in each game.

I finally tuned in for Standard one weekend during a Star City Games broadcast. They advertised the event during the Modern one. I noticed that it was in Miami, winter still raged here in Massachusetts, and I wanted to live vicariously through all the lucky warm people in Florida. I never expected that I would experience the insanity depicted in the picture below.

GWGW3

I absolutely loved it. Sometimes it is fun to try to break this game that we love. It’s what I’m attempting to do with every deck that I build. I’m never this successful but that is why I’m where I am and they were all in Miami on that cold weekend.

Clearly, Standard is more than just a gimmicky life gain deck. It’s about the skill and the intrigue, the perceived heroes and villains, the wonder and promise of a new set. Dan Lebatard is fond of saying that sports are soap operas for men. I no longer care about sports the way that I once did, but video and card games have taken their place. Hell, watching streams are much more fun than watching sports because even if the game or match isn’t interesting, you can bet that chat will be.

From pointing out incorrect missed lethal to upholding the virtues of proper land placement and pace of play, Twitch chat rarely fails to entertain. The only thing that I don’t like and can’t understand is the persistent spam for no reason. I know that I sound like an old man. In this instance, I’m proud of my old man-ness and defend it against the unwashed spamming masses. I go to Twitch to learn (no kap) and the spam makes learning and conversation impossible. Wow, that digression…but watch me bring it all back. That’s one of the reason I only watch Magic streams now. The spam does not exist, questions can be answered, and intelligent discussions are the rule rather than the exception. The chat for Star City Games hovers just on the edge between spam and productive, but their coverage is top notch. Their announcers know a lot about Magic, are passionate about the game, and are entertaining. Since discovering their stream, I have not missed and event and I am even planning to go to Rhode Island to see one live.

So, when Chris suggested that we build a couple of decks that will conform to the standard rules, I agreed to the idea without hesitation. We normally play Legacy (a format that I mistakenly thought was just a different name for Vintage) and have all of the cards from the history of Magic at our disposal. We are obviously limited by cost and availability, but not much else. We have built some fun, and even powerful, decks that you can find by following the “decks lists” link in the menu on the left.

My most recent entry into that category is my first attempt at a standard deck. I am also working on a 4-color deck as my other deck. I doubt that I will be able to afford all the cards, but I have been playtesting it and it is fun, so I might proxy the cards to see how it plays in live competition. As we all know, that can often turn out counter to expectations.

Since I can’t build that deck now (or maybe ever) unless I use proxies, I tweaked my Abzan list to make it standard legal. In keeping with my love of sometimes overlooked mechanics and +1/+1 counters, I tried to make a deck with Outlast and a little bit of Bolster strategy. Chris went Jeskai Heroic, so I answered with Abzan Outlast. I can’t wait to see the match with all the counters flying around. Stay tuned to the page for the aftermath.

Well, that’s the story of how I’ve gone from resurrected Magic neophyte to building and practicing in all formats, even if only virtually in the case of modern and vintage…so far. I bet that many of you have a similar story to tell. Maybe you have the money to actually play in Modern. Who knows? Maybe if I get another summer class, then I will look into getting some cards to put together a starter Modern deck and join an event or two. Hope to see you. If not, tell me about your favorite format or deck in the comments.

On the Tabletop

Red Deck Wins?

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(Editors Note: This is my first attempt at both a standard deck and making a deck that is at least some level of competitive. I netdecked a few decks to see what strategies and tried to use the ones that I thought would work best for my play style. Feedback and suggestions on how to make it better are appreciated and will be considered.)

One of the first decks I ever built was a goblins token deck built around Krenko. It made Chris sweat on more than one occasion and remains one of my favorite decks to play. I’m not usually an aggro player, but it is nice to mix it up now and then. When Chris recommended that we try to keep up with the Standard meta with a couple of our decks (more on my thoughts on that tomorrow), I knew I was going aggro and control. The aggro quickly became an RDW (a deck archetype that many choose as their first foray into any format) and I’m still struggling with the control deck. I tried a Blue/White, but it just felt way too slow and the Sultai deck that I like to play is very expensive. I’m not ready to pay for it just yet. I might proxy up some of the cards to practice with the deck and fill in with the actual cards as I can.

Creatures (19)

Foundry Street Denizen (4): These guys are great in any kind of mono red aggro.
Goblin Heelcutter (4): Once you get all that damage on the board, sometimes you need a way to get it to face. This creature helps with that.
Goblin Rabblemaster (2): Once upon a time, I got a Goblin Rabblemaster from a Fat Pack, learned that people were paying crazy prices for it, searched, and could not find it. When putting together this deck, I found him and his brother, so maybe things were meant to be.
Mardu Scout (4): One of these guys might become Zurgo Bellstriker. For now, though, I love dashing these guys.
Monastery Swiftspear (4): Foundry Street Denizens for the burn spells that we have! Huzzah!
Purphoros, God of the Forge (1): I don’t know how useful this guy is, but I had one of them lying around, so I included it in the deck. Might become a sideboard for particularly annoying control decks.

Instants and Sorceries (14)

Blinding Flare (2): More ways to push damage through the blockers to face.
Hordeling Outburst (4): I love my goblin tokens. Combos with both the Denizen and Swiftspear.
Lightning Strike (4): Fry a pesky blocker or apply to face.
Magma Jet (4): I know that I can play Wild Swipe for 1 mana cheaper and I might end up doing that, but I love the Scry mechanic and want to use it as much as possible before it rotates out.

Artifacts (5)

Hall of Triumph (1): Nice little buff for our teeny tiny creatures to trade up/push them out of easy removal range.
Obelisk of Urd (4): 4 might be overdoing it on this one, but I’ll stick with them for now just to bump up those token.

Enchantment (2)

Outpost Siege (2): Being able to possibly play two cards a turn? Sure, why not.

Land (20)

Mountains (19) and one Urborg because isn’t everyone playing that in this meta?

Sideboard (15)

Anger of the Gods (4): Again, 4 might be overkilling it here, but I found that I was having a really difficult time against certain control matchups. I searched for Red sweepers and this one showed up.
Ashcloud Phoenix (2): Decent flying creature that can return to battlefield and pings every time it gets morphed.
Stoke the Flames (3): More potential burn.
Traitorous Instinct (2): Because I can have a lot of fun with this card.
Wild Slash (4): Some (or all) of these might make it into the main deck. We’ll see.

I don’t think this is bad for a first attempt at standard from a guy who admittedly hates monocolored and hates aggro. In playtesting, it actually performs pretty well against some of the bigger decks. Now that things are changing with dragons, it might need some tweaking. That won’t come until next month when I finally get a chance to pick up my Dragons of Tarkir care package at the Star City Games event. I will update with how the deck performs when Chris and I get together next week. Until then!

Digital Playground

Dismantling the A-Bomb (Take 2)

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(Editor’s Note: Yes, another Fallout article. Yes, another Fallout 3 article about how I’m going to go back and finish the game. This time I have my gamer’s resolution to play new/different games, so I might actually go through with it. Stay tuned for the next Fallout 3 article, coming to 2 Guys Gaming in 6 months.)

As a writer, I learned that you need a hook to get people interested. As a fisherman, I learned that you need to set that hook before you start to reel in your catch. Fallout 1 and 2 both have that same hook of story as the third. So far, they have yet to set that hook to keep me playing beyond the introduction. Fallout 3 does not have that problem. I keep coming back to the game even to the point that I restarted it because I had forgotten some of the story at the beginning. Eventually, I do want to finish the game to move on to the DLC and New Vegas. Eventually starts today!

I grew up with video games. My family owned an Atari 2600 and then a 7800. I received a Commodore 64 for Christmas one year and drooled over the Amiga ads in the magazines. Those same magazines offered programs for video games that I almost never got to work. Still, they inspired me to collaborate with a friend to make a game together. We never made it past the design phase, but a fun experience and I still enjoy programming when I have free time.

Eventually, our parents caved and bought us an NES. After getting my first job, I bought a Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. When I moved out, money became more of a priority, so I took some time off until the infamous full price Playstation purchase. Since then, I have owned an N64, XBox, XBox 360, PS 2, and Wii. I intend to buy a PS4 if the new Orcs Must Die Unchained game works as well on consoles as on the computer. What’s the point of this? Relax, you must be new here. I promise that the point is coming soon.

You could possibly tell the exact same story as I just did. That’s part of the point. We are alike and you probably enjoyed Fallout 1 and 2. As a result, you may have paled a the thought that Fallout 3 was going first person. When first announced, the internet (as it does) went absolutely nuts over the decision. Similar to Diablo III, I should like the first two games. But, I don’t. What, then, about Fallout 3 appeals to me as an aging gamer when compared with its predecessors?

I have already covered my thoughts on graphics in my previous article. In case you missed it, graphics are not a huge consideration for me. I have played and enjoyed games since they were single color blobs moving across a single colored background. Besides, it’s not like the graphics of Fallout 3 are that impressive. Sure, they are more modern. Comparatively, though, the game came early in the life of the XBox 360 and the graphics show their age.

I’ve already established that I love the story behind the games, too. That is universal. Fallout 3 hooked me from the opening cinematic. In fact, all of the games have incredible opening credits and character introductions. The story kept me playing the first two games longer than I might have normally. On the other hand, instead of avoiding Fallout 3, I find myself drawn to the game and want to play it to the end. More than that, I also have Fallout: New Vegas and all of the expansions for the game that I need to experience. Story, alone, shouldn’t be enough to keep me coming back to the game. Especially when you consider that I could just watch the story on Youtube. That’s what I did with Dead Rising rather than play through the frustrating final battle. I regret nothing.

That brings us to the gameplay. As I mentioned earlier, the internets hated that thought of Fallout 3 when it was announced. You know who you are internets. Don’t try to deny it now. Also, face it. You might have been right about Diablo III and the real money auction house, but you were dead wrong about Fallout 3.

Look, I understand the sentiment. Ever since Doom (really Wolfenstein and I’m sure there’s some nerd more well versed in the history of video games that will point to an earlier iteration of the FPS), game designers have tripped over themselves to capitalize on the success of the FPS genre and it looked like that’s what Bethesda was doing with Fallout 3. This goes against the spirit of the games. Stop trying to be something you’re not, blah blah blah. I don’t know why the decision was made to go from third person RPG to a first person shooter with RPG elelements. However I can (and will) wildly conjecture about their motives.

First, I think that those third person RPG and RTS games were a time and place phenomenon. There will always be exceptions (most notably Starcraft because of the highly popular competitive scene), but go back to play any of those games; Warcraft, Bard’s Tale, Fallout 1 and 2. They are boring. Now matter how interesting the story, the click to move mechanics and the endless searching for clues make for a dull experience. At least the D&D games were mostly linear. I know that sounds weird because D&D isn’t, but it makes for a much better video game. You might argue World of Warcraft or Skyrim in favor of 3rd person RPGs. I will agree with Skyrim. While designed as a first person, I immediately searched for a way to make the game 3rd person and I was better for it.

On the topic of World of Warcraft, I offer the counter argument that its success is due more to the social aspect. I used to play WoW much more than I do now because I used to have friends who played the game and no longer do. Still, it proves that 3rd person RPGs can work and work well. Even so, I have never tried WoW from a first person point of view, but many tanks do and I suspect that it is because of the main point of this article. Finally, all your hard work and dedication to reading this whole article is about to pay off.

If I know anything about story (and sales of my book indicate that I do not), part of the reason to go first person in Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls series was to enhance the already superb story. I mention Skyrim again because I initially wanted to experience the game third person due to not being as familiar with the story. I quickly changed my mind and point of view upon being faced with my first dragon encounter. I wanted to experience the power and horror in the full glory and magnificence. I was not disappointed.

Similarly, my favorite parts of the first two Fallout games were when you interact with the NPCs via the full screen interface with the occasional voiceover. First person makes a great story more intense, immerses you in the action, everything feels more immediate, and it personalizes the game to make the experience much more entertaining and enjoyable.

Do you prefer the first person intensity of newer RPGs? Or, are you an old school gamer who just wants whippersnappers like me to get off your lawn with my fancy graphics and engrossing point of view gameplay? Who knows? Maybe I can be persuaded to go back to play the first two games.

On the Tabletop

Attempting Abzan on the Cheap

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(Editor’s Note:

Chris came up with the idea a couple of weeks ago to delve (pun fully intended) into Standard with a couple of our decks to explore the strategy of having to update decks periodically as new sets are released and old sets rotate out. This doesn’t mean that we are going away from our traditional Legacy decks, but it is good to be able to experience all of the different aspects of the game. I knew immediately that one of my decks was going to be a RDW deck. That’s one of the first decks that almost everyone creates in any format because it is usually cheap and can be very effective even against more expensive decks.

I still don’t know what my other deck will be. I’m pretty sure that I want to go with some sort of blue/white or blue/black control, but I don’t want to limit myself without trying out as many of the deck archetypes as I can. I should also remind you that I’m not a singles buyer, I’m a bulk collector. I generally buy a box and a fat pack of each set and whatever cards I pull are the cards that I have to build my decks. Therefore, to test some decks, I built pretty cheap decks from pauper shells that I found online. One of those decks was a Temur morph deck because I really keep trying to make Temur work, but I just can’t figure out how. The other was Abzan and that one actually has the makings of a good deck. I don’t know if it will be part of my final list, but it is making me consider it as an option.

Abzan Outlast “Pauper”

Spells/Artifacts – 11

Abzan Banner – 2 (The banners are pretty slow, but any time you can get mana or card draw, go for it.)
Dragonscale Boon – 3 (+1 counters are good in the deck because they can grant reach, plus untapping for a surprise blocker is good)
Feat of Resistance – 4 (More +1 counters plus protection lets you block while avoiding damage.)
Grim Contest – 2 (To be honest, I’m not even sure if this card is good. I just picked it because it has the nickname of “Butt Fight”.)

Creatures – 25

Abzan Guide – 3 (This is expensive, but it is a morph, so can hit the board earlier than if hard cast. Once it is turned up, it has lifelink and is a pretty significant body at 4/4.)
Abzan Skycaptain – 2 (This is a bit overcosted, but it is flying and Chris likes his dragons. Also, bolster is okay for the +1s).
Ainok Bond-Kin – 4 (Not a great 2 drop with Outlast. Mainly because I needed some low cost bodies.)
Disowned Ancestor – 2 (0/4 is a good blocker with Outlast for only one black. Good for “Butt Fight”.)
Longshot Squad – 2 (Outlast, gives all other creatures with +1s reach. Did I mention how much Chris likes dragons?)
Midnight Guard – 4 (Okay, not standard, but a pretty good low cost minion. Will definitely have to replace this if I go Abzan as my other standard deck.)
Unyielding Krumar – 2 (Another okay, but not great minion. The first strike ability is nice and will trade favorably with many other minions.)
Voyaging Satyr – 4 (Having mana is always nice, but I think I might already have enough for this deck. These guys might be moved into my Temur deck if I decide to proceed with that one.)
Wardscale Dragon – 2 (I jokingly said, “History is made this day.” when I played this guy and then Chris promptly removed him. I knew there was a reason that I didn’t play these stupid dragons.)

Lands – 24

Blossoming Sands – 2
Forest – 6
Jungle Hollow – 2
Plains – 7
Scoured Barrens – 2
Swamp – 5

This was a fun deck to play and it is definitely something to consider expanding into an actual standard deck, but I’m still on the blue/white or blue/black, so I don’t think that I will use it as one of my standard spots. Still, it is the start of an interesting deck and something that I might continue to build into a regular deck during our games.

Digital Playground

Days of Future Past

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(Editor’s Note: Look for the companion video coming soon!)

Few game series have captured my imagination in the way that the Fallout games did. Similar to the Diablo series, I had never played the first two games because of my lack of PC gaming experience. I simply heard good things about the third one. When I saw it for twenty dollars in the bargain bin, I did what I always do as a cheap gamer. I bought it.

I know what you’re thinking. Okay, I don’t know exactly what you’re thinking. Though I’ve tried, I have yet to perfect the talent of reading minds. Plus, I don’t know even how many of you are out there, so I couldn’t even hazard a guess. Except for you guys who are thinking, “I really want pizza and wings.” You guys are my people.

Let’s get back to the subject. If you have been paying attention to the website or podcast, you will be thinking that I often buy games, especially discounted games, and then they sit in the closet and suffer the fate of never being played. You will be pleasantly surprised to learn that did not happen in this case. Not initially, at least. I played through the game, hooked from the opening credits until–well, let’s wait on that. I have an article planned for next week specifically for Fallout . I will tell the rest of this story in that article. How’s that for a tease?

I’m not sure what about the story and world captivated me so much. I’m not usually one for post apocalyptic stories, unless it is zombies and even those are losing some of their appeal, but this one fascinated me. My obsession started as research for a novella that I am writing that takes place in a similar post nuclear America setting. What got me was the thought and creativity that went into creating a well constructed history for the games. The scope of that history added a new dimension to the game world and I developed an appreciation and admiration for the creators of that world.

Eventually, I moved on to other games, most notably Lego games, Just Dance, and other games that we could play as a family. Still, I never forgot about the games and especially the story. I kept going back to website after website to read timelines, alternate histories, fan fictions, and more. When I discovered that Steam offered both Fallout 1 and 2 plus Tactics, I went into full “shut up and take my money” mode. Given a chance to explore that world and history for myself, I bought all three. If you guessed that these games suffered the fate of countless (or 30, but rising, so essentially countless) other games in my Steam library and went unplayed, then give yourself a cookie. I still haven’t played Fallout 1 or 2. However, that is about to change. I want to do a video on whether or not the games are still fun as an entry point or if I should just stick with the third game and my quest to follow a walkthrough to fame and a fortune of bottle caps. This article will serve as a companion piece to that video. However, the video will focus more on whether Fallout 1 and 2 are still “good” games when compared with current games. I can use this article to focus more on the why or why not.

We all know what makes a good game for us. For instance if graphics and special effects are one of your main reasons to enjoy a game, then these games most likely not for you. Luckily for me, graphics are never a consideration when playing a game. Sure, we all like pretty pictures and impressive effects, but there’s a reason that I still play the original Tetris after all these years and it has nothing to do with bits or polygons. So, what makes a good game? As I’ve gotten older, story has become one of my primary reasons for playing a game. We have already established that the larger story of Fallout interests me, but is that story reflected in the earlier games?

Before focusing on that, though, let’s discuss the rest of the game. My main factor of whether to play a game is, not surprisingly, gameplay. How are the controls? This is especially important for PC games that use a keyboard and mouse for literally hundreds of button combinations. Fallout controls aren’t necessarily intuitive, but they are easy to figure out and learn. I imagine that when the game was released that it came with instructions. Games don’t really do that anymore because nobody ever reads them. Instead, then have a tutorial. Without instructions or a tutorial, I had to learn how to move and attack by myself. I used Google for some of the more troublesome of the PipBoy commands.

Closely related to gameplay, the lack of a linear quest line hurts the game by increasing the challenge unnecessarily. Not only did I spend the better part of my time in Vault 13 at the beginning of the game punching rats (not even with brass knuckles) instead of stabbing or shooting them because I didn’t know any of that was in my inventory. Now I have to search around and find a rope without any hints or clues? Ugh, post apocalyptic first world problems, amirite, Twitter?

I understand that discovery and adventure used to be the MO of these adventure type games, but I’m a spoiled old man gamer without much time to spend playing these games. I like that more recent games lead you by the nose with carrot quests and then you can choose to explore via side quests or just because you don’t want to blow up that person’s car right now.

While these traits might detract from the gameplay, they actually perversely add to the story. Undeniably the strength of the series, it is not as strong in Fallout 1 as the other two games, but it is still impressive for its time. Cinematics and voice acting both bring the world to life and kept me playing even though the rest of the game felt a bit lame.

Unfortunately, most of the rest of the game is not as strong as the story. As far as that game itself, it is a bit slow in the beginning. All you do is kill the rats that I talked about earlier and then maybe kill some bigger rats without much indication that you should be doing anything else. I may have just been in WoW quest ignore mode, but once I got to Vault 15, I felt like the game just sort of abandoned me to die in the wasteland and have my corpse eaten by the descendants of the rats that I killed. “Hello, my name is Inigo Ratoya. You killed my father, starved to death while on a quest to save the people in your vault, and rotted to my preferred level of carrion. Prepare to be gnawed slowly over the next few months.” Not nearly as catchy, but still scary.

Maybe that is how the game is supposed to end. I haven’t looked at a walkthrough to confirm, but maybe you are just supposed to end up rat chow. If so, then this is the fastest that I have ever completed a game to 100%. Yay, me! On to the second game. Maybe I can beat that one even faster. Okay, okay, seriously, though, the game is quite confusing at first. Then again, I might just be an idiot. That isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

I want to play a game that will be challenging, but not too challenging. I like being able to pick “Easy” or “New Player” instead of “Insane”, “Inferno”, or “Nightmare” mode because then I don’t have to dedicate too much of my time to the game and the bosses can still present a challenge. Hey, I’m the Noob of All Trades! This game went a bit too far in the figure it out on your own for my tastes.

We come, at last, to graphics. It’s an older game, so I don’t expect great things from the graphics. As mentioned, the cinematics are cool. The actual game, though, is monochrome like Diablo, making it difficult to find any inspiration in pretty pictures while playing. Seriously, though, what is it with game designers and their aversion to using the whole rainbow? Hell, Gauntlet needed only 16 colors or whatever to make a bright and colorful play world and that world was dark, Man. Do you remember “Wizard needs food badly?” Just thinking about it now sends shivers down my spine.

Given everything about Fallout 1 (and to an extent Fallout 2) that I’ve experienced, I would not pick them up as a stand alone game. They look and feel impressive for their times, but times change and sometimes culture does not translate over that time change. While Fallout 2 looks to pick up immensely as far as story goes, I’m not sure how much it improves upon the formula in the first game. Independent of my enjoyment of the story and third game, I probably wouldn’t even bother with the first two games. However, I will stick with them and hope that the story can carry me through the warts. If not, well, we’ll always have Megaton.