So, I've been invited to quite a few beta tests in the recent months but I haven't had the time to participate in most. I was just accepted to the pre-beta test of Playfish's Country Story, however, and this is one game that I can make the time for. Simple social farming game--I play it on Facebook. It's the second farming game I've played, the first being Farmville. The graphics in Playfish Country Story are definitely nice, and there are quite a few factors that go into farming. Stamina of the player (farmer), money to buy seeds, level limits to how many plots you can have, what you can buy, and your stamina. You've got to keep your crops watered and the amount of water your can holds can be leveled up as well. There are also quests to help you up and fertilizer to speed up how quickly your crops grow (but you can only get it through quests or Playfish cash). Turnips are the starter plant. I was granted some corn by a quest, so I have yet to grow anything other than those two crops. I don't like that tasks can't be qeued--I got spoiled with that on Farmville. >___< If I feel like it, screenshots and additional details may come soon. 0___0
So maybe then this blog will stop being so dead. ^^;

Wind Slayer was acquired by Outspark and held a very short closed beta test a few weeks ago, which I was a part of. It closed for a couple of weeks following and has since re-opened in its open beta test, in which I have been training a monk and a priest. One thing that kind of annoys me about this game is the forced pvp--you have to get points from pvp in order to get your job advancements. I've got nothing against pvp as a whole, it's just not what I play MMOs for.

But one thing this system does do is give players a legitimate excuse to strip in-game! A lot of people who don't want to go through the entire process of a match will start up trade win matches, in which each party takes turns winning a round. And the easiest way to speed this process up is to drop one's defense by removing all armor--leaving one to get beat down (and to deliver a beat down) in nothing but undies! Just remember that when someone asks you to take your clothes off, it's only with intent to kill!

-Nion K.

Dang...this page looks awfully blank right now. Anyhow, AeriaGames acquired Turf Battles and the pre-CB test just started, so I've spent a couple hours today getting the hang of the game. A lot of testers seem to be players from the old version of the game, but there are some other ub3r-n00bs like me floundering around. My first character is a male elf (which they insist on calling a Nephilm) who is a Blue Mage. I haven't played very long, and I've gotten him to level 20 pretty effortlessly. Being in pre-CB, the game is riddled with issues, and there are several things that could be improved upon, but I'm warming up to is as I spend more time playing. One thing I'm really not understanding thus far is the stats...what the heck do mages need strength for? Srsly.

But since it's pre-CB, I've got two total wipes to go before I have to get it right! So here's to experimenting my staff off!

-Nion K.