Video : BebexGaming Quickscope 101 Tips & Tricks

Check out Bebe's next video where she goes over the basics on quick scope, sensitivity, and how to get good.

REVIEW - Kingdom Hearts : Dream Drop Distance

In my hands was the case of Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance where I was excited and eager to play the next piece of the Kingdom Hearts story. The past Kingdom Hearts games were motivating and stimulating. There is no other game that has such a passionate story along with characters from Disney. I expected this game to be just as good and interesting with answers to my questions regarding how the story is connected to the previous games. I have been a big fan of Kingdom Hearts since the first game came out in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 and have been following the story since. Kingdom Hearts was developed and published by Square Enix along with Disney Interactive Studios and created by Tetsuya Nomura and Shinji Hashimoto. As you, the reader, read along this review, you will be shown through the eyes of a devoted girl gamer just how fascinating and well created Dream Drop Distance is. 

Image by Pixelenemy

In Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, Sora and Riku are given The Mark of Mastery Exam to become Keyblade Masters by Master Yen Sid (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: 1940). The exam requires Sora and Riku to unlock seven keyholes of the worlds that are trapped in slumber and need to be awakened. Sora and Riku are sent into the dream world in order to unlock those seven keyholes; however they were not aware of Master Xehanort’s plans. Once they enter the dream realm, Sora and Riku are in alternate worlds yet they are the same. In each world, Sora and Riku meet a variety of Disney characters as well as characters from another Square Enix game, The World Ends with You. The story continues after Kingdom Hearts II and takes bits of other games’ stories, Birth by Sleep and 358/2 Days.

Throughout the game the player must travel to different worlds as Sora or Riku, defeat creatures called Dream Eaters, and unlock the keyholes. At the world map, the player can choose which world to go to next. If it is a new world, the player enters dive mode, where, depending on the character, the player can either fight a boss or complete the assigned goal. As one character, the player has a certain time limit as they play. Once the time is up, there is a bonus time where the game gives the player 30 seconds before dropping. The “drop” refers to the transition from one character to another. Fortunately the player has the option to ‘drop’ back to the previous character. Unfortunately, you can be dropped in the midst of a boss meaning you’ll have to fight the boss all over again. As the player plays both characters, they’ll find that both stories are connected to the other character’s story despite the fact that Sora and Riku are in parallel worlds. In addition to the travel, the player fights Dream Eaters with creatures similar to Dream Eaters but tamed, known as spirits. The player can create new spirits by collecting dream pieces and following a recipe as well as putting them in a team of three. However, the player can only use two spirits during battle but is free to switch spirits between the three they had placed in the party. With the spirits, the player can also link with their spirits, either to team up with them and attack enemies (Sora only) or absorbing the spirits to power up combos for a certain amount of time (Riku only).

Bonding with the spirits would probably be the only cutest thing to do in the game. You can actually pet or nudge the spirit to bond with it, which can change a spirit’s disposition, increase affinity, or earn it some EXP. The player can also use training toys to help them grow. Fighting alongside the spirits or bonding with them will earn them Link Points (LP). The player can use Link Points to spend on the Ability Link board to unlock new commands and abilities for the Sora or Riku. While in battle, the spirits can run out of HP and if they do, a countdown will appear and give you time to rescue them before it hits zero which will return back into dream pieces.

There are many new things introduced in the game such as flow motion, reality Shifts, link portals, and dive mode, giving the game a wide variety of things to do. In addition, Dream Drop Distance allows the player to read chronicles of past games, look at flashbacks of other characters, and provides a glossary.

Square Enix doesn’t fail at graphics, as usual. The graphics of Kingdom Hearts is amazing, considering the fact that it is a 3DS game. The images are sharp and very colorful. The cut scenes are also sharp and colorful, and expose bright and appealing lights after a keyhole/world is opened or after a command move.

The game gives the player many tutorials that are accessible anytime on the main menu, therefore if you are confused about the controls, just visit the main menu and look for the tutorials. As for controls, they are not difficult at all. I found the controls to be similar to the PS2 and PSP controls, however, due to the fact that the 3DS has a touch-screen, there is only one difference in controls; when the player’s spirits’ link gauge is full, all you have to do is tap on the spirit’s icon and you will be able to link with the spirit. Of course tapping on the screen during battle is part of the easy stuff. As for the difficulties… well, as I played the game, changing commands on the command list was annoying. During my fight with young Xehanort, I had to escape many times and while switching my left thumb from the analog to the D-pad. It was a bit difficult since the boss would constantly charge at me and do so much damage while I desperately try to look for the right command. However, that is just a small defect that can be easily conquered with memory or quick reflexes. Having a great camera view in a game is extremely significant. In order to look up or down, the player must hold down the L and R buttons and move the analog. In order to lock onto enemies click L and R at the same time and click one of the buttons to switch to a different enemy you want to lock into.

Overall 4.8/5 If you’re looking for a role-playing game with beautiful and colorful images, a well put-in voice cast, and a ‘heart-warming’ adventurous story, Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance provides these traits and many more. I don’t see any major flaws in this game when dealing with controls, graphics, and game play, however the rating cannot be a ‘5’ due to how easy and short this game is. After defeating the game, players can try to unlock secret messages, new weapons, or boss fights but that is basically it. Despite being short, Dream Drop Distance will not fail to be a great role-playing game.

                                             Happy 10^th Anniversary to Kingdom Hearts!!

             “The past will be reawakened as a new number in never-before-seen detail. Prepare yourself for the awakening of the next number” (Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance).

             If you are interested in the Kingdom Hearts series and want to try it out, here is a list of all the games in order from oldest to youngest:

1.       Kingdom Hearts, released in 2002 for the Playstation 2

2.       Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, released in 2004 for the GameBoy Advance

3.       Kingdom Hearts II, released in 2006 for the Playstation 2

4.       Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories, released in 2007 for the Playstation (similar plot as the original)

5.       Kingdom Hearts Coded, released in 2008 (Japan), for mobile phone

6.       Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days, released in 2009 for the Nintendo DS

7.       Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, released in 2010 for the Playstation Portable

8.       Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded, released in 2011 for the Nintendo DS (features updated gameplay in which combines 358/2 Days and Birth By Sleep)

9.       Kingdom Hearts Dream  Drop Distance, released in 2012 for the Nintendo 3DS

OrpheusGear is a freelance writer and Otaku. Check out her stuff on Girl Gamer Vogue.

INTERVIEW With DrNikki From Elite Girl Gamers

I had the wonderful privilege to interview Elite Girl Gamers founder Nikki M. Leduc aka DrNikki. The facebook fan page started more than a month ago and has skyrocketed with a great number in page likes and interactivity. I sat down with DrNikki to talk about her EGG and her history playing video games.

Hello DrNikki! Thank you so much for taking the time interview with us. Now, tell me a little about yourself and how you got into video games.

I’ve been gaming my whole life. When I was 5 years old, I had an NES, then the original gray and green screen Gameboy for Christmas,  and then a Sega Genesis the following Christmas. However, throughout my teens, I was more into hanging out with friends and games got put in the back burner. In my early twenties I got married and became pregnant and while I was sitting at home, my husband and friend were playing Modern Warfare 2 and I remembered asking them what is so great about it? I wondered how could someone sit there and play for so long. My husband was at work one day when I decided that I was going to show him that I can play well too. I played and I was awful but sitting there engulfed in this virtual world, I realized how much I missed this and was totally back into gaming. I wondered why I ever stopped playing video games, like what happened in that 5-7 year period time that I lost touch with it? And that was how I found and held on to this part of me that crawled out of my brief hiatus and I haven’t stopped gaming since. 

I really like the aspect of video games like Skyrim, where you can just play a game and be completely immersed and I am not thinking about money or making a car payment. I can just relax and go into this complete fantasy world that allows me to do whatever I want. I put my son to nap one time and started to play and what felt like only moments later he started crying. Looking at the time, three hours passed by and I’m like what the hell just happened? So, I believe Skyrim is the best game ever made. I mean people could beg to differ but any game that can make you lose track of all reality because of how complex and in-depth they are, is a great game in my book. You can go anywhere or do anything. You can pick up wild flowers all day! I can’t even fathom how much time and thought is devoted into these fantastic games like Skyrim. 

So you started playing First Person Shooters within the past couple of years and in the beginning you were completely inexperienced but now you’re always with the highest score. How did you go from noob to pro?

I just played. I played for hours and hours and hours, looked up tips online and went to WebPages, got the elite so I could get the DLC for everybody else. I put in the time. I really spent a good two years. It was a good year or two before I got to the point I wasn’t in the negative all the time. I started out on my first day I played on multiple then I went offline. All I could do was look at the ground and throw grenades. The last time I played it was only D-pads on the NES or Sega Genesis. We didn’t have six axis or two joysticks back then so it took me forever to get the hang of it; even controlling the guy coming from Nintendo days. So it def took me a while to get the controllers down and to know which button on the D-pad, grenade launcher, and how to go throw everything quick. It takes a lot of practice; it took me a lot of practice. I put in a lot of time into those games (Laughs).

You’re pretty good at Call of Duty, so when you get really high scores what are some reactions you get from fellow gamers?

Most of the time nothing; other times, if I’m in the lobby and I’m talking and going with the team, people ask “oh wow, DrNikki are you a girl?” and I’ll say no I am a man. Sometimes I say yes I am and they say wow your actually really good. I retort “what you expected me not to be because I’m a girl?” It’s like they are surprise in awe, and then if I’m the top and I’m a chic no one says anything everyone stays quiet. It shouldn’t be so shocking. And I get people who send hate mail on my page like “u are a sexist bigot because you call yourself a girl gamer. Why can’t we all just be gamers? You don’t see guys saying oh I have a penis I am a guy gamer.” And I say they don’t have to because the community is already run by guys. It’s not that I’m being sexist the page is for everybody. I am just proud to be a chic regardless if I’m a gamer or not: I am a mom, gamer, student and I am proud to be a girl. Why bash me because I am proud of my sex, Ya know? I get feedback both ways a lot of people that hate it and a lot of people that are looking for something like that because they lack the female camaraderie in video game community. Like, let’s just play together.

So in light of that community, tell me how you started Elite Girl Gamers? What compelled you to create the page?

I felt bad spamming all the people on my friend’s list. So, I said I am going to start a page. I’ll put up anything I want and if any of my friends want to see all the things I post can join my page. I’ll post my personal things. So then a week later I saw there was going to be a lot more people than just my friends. Out of the 1500 people only 35 are friends. So it was supposed to be for that and I really just wanted to find more chics to play with. I rarely came across another girl online or at least one with a mic I can interact with. I got my husband but none of my girlfriends in real life play video games. I mean we get drunk and play Tekken but that’s the extent of it. So, I was like alright I’ll start this page and see what happens and I got messages from girls like oh kewl you play COD add me on PSN. Now I have 25 girls and we can party up and play anytime. And it’s not for chics either it’s for anybody who wants to meet anybody to play games. If you are on Playstation 3 and none of your friends have it, then you can come to my page and find others to play the same games as you and just have a good time.

When I started the page, I got tons of messages from girls looking for other girls to play with in other genres. I got a bunch of messages from PC girls saying the online PC community is a lot more tolerant than COD or Battlefield. Yet, I had a lady tell me the other day she’s in her 40s and she plays Diablo III and she never seen another chic play and she asked me to help her. So, the goal of the page is to encourage men and women to play together nicely and to help create a female camaraderie. You can have fun trash talk but leave the personal out of it. Leave the immaturity out. It’s a space where anybody can find anybody to game and I really want to have a fun spirited battle. If you’re a jerk on my page you won’t get an invite. If you make mean spirited comments, you’re not a part of the community we are trying to create. This is a place for people to meet other people and to play.

How did you start doing weekly matches for the fan page?

 I was actually contacting by chick who play video games are sexy facebook page. When I first started the page I had 60 likes on it and a guy from that page asked me if I wanted to host a guys VS girls match on PS3. I thought it was a great idea and I did it once with them, but I keep doing it every week now on EGG. And someone said shouldn’t you try to unite guys and girls instead of having them play against each other, and if you ever played in these matches it’s so much fun. No matter whether we kick their asses or they kick ours, we not asking for anything special we just want to play together on a team full of girls or two teams of girls beating each other or battle of the sexes. It’s just so that girls can find more girls to play with and guys can find girls to play with.

What does the future of EGG look like? What do you hope to create pass the fanpage?

I want to build a website for EGG because all I have now is the wall and I can post things and ask people to respond and only a certain number of people at a certain time will see my post. I want different sections for PS3, XBOX360, steam, where people can go in and specifically meet other people they want to meet.  I hope to eventually have an actual website for it where there are categories for each game. So if you are on steam and you want to find a girl playing Diablo III you can see other girls who are online who have posted their information. It’s hard for communities like EGG to become prominent. The sheer numbers of gaming websites are huge and if you Google it would be close to a billion. It’s difficult for the little guy to get any recognition or take notice. It’s just hard because there are just so many gaming magazines, but I take it as a big demand. If there are that many websites, they are that many people interested in it.

What other obstacles you find yourself confronting when playing COD online?

I can’t stand when people blame other people for their own lack of performances (laughs). If I get into a lobby, and even if it has nothing to do with me being a girl, if everybody on the team is bashing everybody it’s whatever but then why name call? I understand it is competitive and you really want to win and that’s what keeps people from coming back but I mean it just seems so immature to verbally bash someone you don’t know anything about. Like, why are you insulting their mother? That’s something about online game that I really don’t like. Like why are you such a whiner? And then they attack you if you are a girl, like if I don’t have my mic on and if I change my gamer tag to something ya know genderless, I don’t get bothered at all. Soon as I go as DrNikki and my mic is on, I either get bashed or 8 million friend requests. Like have you ever seen a chic before?

Haha, right! It’s not like we’re aliens. However, do you get hate from people who don’t play the COD?

When people hate on COD, I understand its a little water down. All the complaints people have with COD; the bottom line is it’s still a good game if people took the time to get to know the game and how they were playing. Like, you really can change to specialist class and do so much. If you see people running around shooting, you sit back and relax. There is a lot of tactics that go into it. Games like Battlefield are more in-depth, COD is a best seller. Even when you talk about COD there are so many people that hate it and can’t stand it. It makes me wonder, why? I never played a game in my life that I hated. I played games that sucked or were good but why have hate for anything? For the little tiniest things, I wish people were more tolerant in general. 

So compared to videos games of the 80s until now what are some changes and how do you hope it will improve for female gamers?

Games themselves have come eons of miles down the road from graphics and plot wise. Zelda was a great game for its time. It had an awesome story, but games have come so far and now it’s not just a little kid’s toy. Now adults can enjoy it. My dad played video games. I remember him being like 45 years old playing Doom and dragging his lazy boy writing down passwords on paper plates. It’s come so far and it caters to everybody. Now, you can do anything with a video game, it appeals to such a wide range of people. While I was playing Skyrim, I was surprised to play a female character. Mostly there is not an option and if there is it is mostly dressed in a bathing suit with huge tits. I hope that changes.

Well, DrNikki I can’t thank you enough for this interview and the community you’re hoping to create where anybody can be themselves and just game. Are there any last words you like to say?

I know there are people who say don’t call yourself a girl gamer but I hope there are people who embraced their differences and still be fair and kind to one another regardless of it. If I want to call myself a Girl Gamer then there is no harm in that, I’m not hurting anyone. I’m proud to be a girl and also gamer. I do other things too. I wish people in general in the gaming industry were more tolerant.

But I’d say Stay Calm and Game Hard (Laughs). Most of the people on my page have been really nice. Not that I need anybody’s approval but I want to appeal to everyone, but that’s impossible. You can be Mother Teresa and still have haters. When I started the page I was so naïve and the way people conduct themselves online, I wish more people would stay positive instead going around trolling things and saying what you hate. Why not go around saying whose doing well or good? If you have nothing good to say about how someone plays a game or a person, than move along, don’t be a douche. You want a community; Stay Calm, Keep Gaming.

Many thanks to DrNikki and Elite Girl gamers for their contributions to creating a community that prides itself in bringing together gamers of all walks of life for the sole purpose of  enjoyable camaraderie. You can check out their facebook page here and check out their weekly Call of Duty matches posted on their facebook page and on Girl Gamer Vogue.

Video: "If Lag was Real..."

What if lag was real? What if every time you tried to get out of your room or into your car you lagged? BebexGaming hilarious video shows us exactly what lagging is like in real life.

Check out Bebe's Youtube channel for more great videos!

Top Qualities That Make A Great MMO

I have played numerous amounts of Massive Multiplayer Online Game (MMO) from social to hack-n-slash and even though there were some that did their best to come close to a perfect MMO, they each there a faults.  Drawing from my experience, I’ve come up with a list of qualities that will make an amazing MMO.

1.       Character Customization

Detailed Character Cutimization

 It can’t be left unsaid that no one wants to look like the character next to them, so having the ability to create a unique avatar that embodies the player in a virtual reality brings out a freedom that players easily embrace and encourage. It is true that games like Skyrim require a huge amount of memory to allow players to have freedom to change even the smallest features like the shape of a nose or face, but this comes with a benefit. Unique customization appeal to players innate inclination for self expression which always gets positive commentary.

2.       No Lame Quests

There is nothing I hate more than quests that make no sense. Following wolves, feeding cows or solo quests is redundant, frustrating, and boring causing a huge distaste. Quests that go with a story or deviate from a story involving fighting, searching, collecting, and exploring are good ideas but pushing beyond the mediocre is even better. Adding twists to a quest and allowing players to make decisions that will change the outcome will make completing quests more exciting. Performing quests that involve killing 10 wolves to clear the farm seems too simple and boring. However, battling monsters to get to the top of a spiral hill to rescue a runaway orphan and safely retuning him/her is tricky, challenging, and levels player s without them knowing.

3.       Unique NPC Mechanism

Sorry Store is closed. Come back when it's open.

 I know Shenmue is not an online game, but the NPC mechanism was awesome. They weren’t just waiting around for you to come to them. Most of them time in Shenmue, if you wanted to talk to a certain NPC, you had to know their schedule and/or find them in the town. Granted, shopkeepers, merchants, and core people should be stationary, but allowing a variety of different sales people every 10 hours would be encouraging. A structure I enjoyed in Tales of Graces f and Morrowind was the reputation you have with the merchant; depending on your selling and buying habits, your reputation with a specific merchant would affect your future spending habits.  Few online games use a unique NPC mechanism that I believe would be an interesting aspect to any MMO.

4.       Awesome Armor/ Clothing Options 

Now that's a hero's outfit.

 I played Final Fantasy XI and Aion a great deal because I was working hard to obtain unique and flamboyant armor and clothing to show off. Having a full body Tier 3 outfit was once a big accomplishment in WOW. That kind of recognition sparks respect and a reputation when you’re the only one walking around with an armor you can only get through a quest that is hard or happens once a year. Also, accomplishing a certain craftsmanship level would yield a unique item based on the level. In Final Fantasy XI, if you’re cooking level was high enough you would receive a non-transferable chief’s hat. Having armor designed to impress players is a big plus. If I’m a level 80 Horde warlock, I want to look like a badass warlock with crazy shoulder blades of fire and a giant cloak that shadows my character’s face but gives it bright red glaring eyes. Let my armor glorify my effort!

5.       Secrets and Easter Eggs

I can’t say this enough; every area should be full of exploring possibilities and new findings. I played the social MMO The World based of the dothack series and even though it only ran for a couple years, there were numerous amounts of secrets that everyone was busy finding them all. There were less than 10 quests available but so many secrets that nobody complained that there weren’t enough quests. I remember finding secret areas with weird landscapes and rare items to put in my house were so exciting, I had to show off to my friends. Easter eggs and secrets build communities, so pump more of them into MMOs!

6.       Breathtaking Landscapes/Great Graphics  

Look Ma! I can see the sunset from inside my game!

When I first started Final Fantasy XI, I was a super noob. I didn’t know anything at all, but I befriended a small paladin Tarutaru who took me through the most exotic and beautiful places in the game. They were hour long travels we had to take to get to these places, but they were all worth the dying, running, and aggravation. The bond that resulted was one that I treasure to this day. The effort that is taken in making games look amazing never goes to waste. There are players that truly appreciate the work developers put into when creating a world that is vast and beautiful.

7.       Great Sound

 It should be a no brainer, but I thought to add it anyway. There is nothing that hurts the senses more than appalling background music. If I’m in a town, I don’t want to have to either mute my speaker or get out of that town ASAP. Melodramatic background music isn’t good either, even though at certain times the intensity of this music gets the player going. If you’re a level 75 Warrior in FFXI fighting an ruthless boss with 4 parties of 8 people, that music better be as epic as the moment. I personally am not big on sound effects, but if it serves a purpose to emphasize a story then by all means.

8.       Class System Alterations

It gives me such pleasure when the character’s skills I acquire are predicated on my choice. If I choose to acquire certain passive abilities that will make me a better healer or maybe a tougher healer that choice should be up to me the player. It should not be enforced because I decide to be a healer and therefore am weak and should die easily. Games like Ragnarok Online, allow players to change their stats according to their preferences. So if I want to be a healer that has a higher defense, I should have that liberty to do so. Class systems should also have the freedom to mix classes. In Final Fantasy XI, you could have a primary and secondary job; your primary job could be healer and your secondary job could be a thief. You’d then have the ability to heal and execute dodging skills that would make you a better player.

9.       Guild Houses/ Player Houses 

Now this is a house!

 Having a home for a player or guild creates a welcoming environment for players to become much more social in a game. MMOs aren’t just about battling and leveling up, they are opportunities to build friendships you wouldn’t otherwise be able to do in person. Incorporating a house brings small communities of companionship together in a vast world of isolation.

10.   Stable Economy

 There is nothing I detest more than to go to an auction house with such high inflation that it ruins the experience. How can I pay for an armor that is 1 million gold and I received 32-100 from killing mobs? Economy should always fluctuate with reasonability. Having conquests, raids, and territory control are ways to fluctuate the economy. Like in Aion, if a fraction had control of more territory than another, their economy is good. Taking steps to make getting money easy for everyone speaks volumes about a game’s mechanics.

11.   Massive World No Quick Travel

I use fast travel so often in Skyrim that sometimes I wish to travel to certain areas, because I know I’m missing out on secrets in between.  I enjoy how WOW uses awesome mounts to travel from place to place, because you can see the area your passing through, but games like Aion that teleport you to places make traveling an adverse side to travel.  Forcing a player to travel by foot or use mounts is a great way to instill them to explore. Using alternative means to travel like boat, underground tunnels, and aircrafts to certain places makes an online experience so much more gripping. Allowing players to travel wherever they want to even at level 1 would be superb.

12.   Alternative Activities

Sometimes players want to take a break from working in a game. Sounds weird? It’s not. Collecting rare items, perfecting craftsmanship, exploring, acquiring knowledge about the world we’re playing in are things that should be incorporated in a game. Adding games and contests are some things that enhance a video game experience because it caters to players personal inclinations. 

13.   Special Events 

Christmas lights on trees in-game? Beautiful!

Every year in Final Fantasy XI, RIFT, Aion, and WOW, events would occur in various areas that players could then redeem one of a kind items or armor; you must complete a quest or mission to get the prize. It mostly involves having people party up to get them, but when you do everyone is super excited to repeat it with friends who don’t get it. Taking the time to design amazing events conveys to other gamers that you do care. So show some love!

14.   Player Vs Player (PVP)

There is nothing more awesome than having a close call kicking your friends’ arse in PVP. Sometimes it’s aggravating to die to someone, but for that one win it’s all worth it.

15.   Fabulous Mounts

Simply stunning mount!

 I despise riding a mount that makes me look depressed, so if I can ride around in a skeleton horse, people will think twice before messing with me. Generic horses are out. Dragons, panthers, or robotic horses are much better props.

These are all my personal preferences for a better MMO. Granted using keys like W,A,S,D while targeting with the arrow for the fighting system are expected, but what are some other ideas and insights you have and hope to see in MMOs?

Narz is long standing Sega Fan, gaming equality advocate, founder of Girl Gamer Vogue, and writer for GameTyrant. Check out more of work at Knickledger and Gametyrant.