God-Modding

God-Modding: A Dishonorable Conspiracy

RPGs. Role-Playing Games. Simple. The player controls a character through fantastic worlds of global conspiracy. But in order to have a chance against the mastermind behind the cover-up, you need experience points. Experience points contribute to a total sum: once the desired number is reached, the character gains a level, permanently raising stats like Strength and Agility. Grinding is a term referring gameplay solely played for mass accumulation of levels. Experience and stat upgrade are the tenets of RPGs. Every game out in the market in the RPG genre (past, present and future) has this system.

But what if there was another way? What if a player could gain the ultimate level without the hassle of devoting hours upon hours of gameplay? What if you had the best weapons, the best armor, and the best way right away instead of sloughing through wave after wave of enemies? There is. It’s called God-modding.

God-modding is exclusive to MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game)s; essentially, games played on computers. To understand the process, one must recognize the concept of data. Think of data as a packet that contains information. It activates in real-time, assembling the information in a pre-set configuration. For example, when the character walks into the space corresponding to a city, the game activates the appropriate data and “builds” the city according to the default configuration and bam! The city is born.

Computers see data in strings of binary code: a series of 0s and 1s. Each individual item contained within the data has a unique binary code: the brown-haired merchant is 00000001, while the stocky wharfman is 00000010. The position of those 0s and 1s determines the kind of data. Everything – items, weapons, graphics, records of experience points – is the visual record of a binary code. Monsters at the beginning of a game remain at level one because the binary code of that region says the monsters remain at level one. Binary codes are the foundations of every computer game.

God-modding is the illegal tampering of the code. People with sufficient skill can access the binary code and add or delete one of their own. A character is created at level 99 because there’s a code that tells the game that a level 99 character is all right. The game can’t tell the difference, because binary code is Gospel to computers: its truth is absolute.

RPGs are about hard work. The perfect warrior doesn’t pop out of nowhere: they involve careful hours of planning. The enjoyment of RPGs is that final moment of preparation, when the labor of stat-building and item hunting comes together into the player’s perfect avatar. That moment is the reason why RPGs are played. God-modders are the conspiracy of MMORPGs. There are defenses against it, but as long as the opportunity is in the code, there will always be those who seek to manipulate it. Thank you for your time.

 

Citan Uzuki

Citan Uzuki

The idea of humanity being secretly ruled by an invisible, almost-omnipresent empire sounds ridiculous. Certainly the playable characters of the Xenogears videogame must have thought so. But it’s not a joke. The Solarian Empire exists. Their influence stretches across a global theater. They have fingers in the pies of nearly every government on the face of the planet. And the governments they don’t control, there’s a Solarian plan to make sure they will.

This idea sounds even more laughable the second time around. But in a sea of uncertainty, Citan Uzuki is an island of balance. When the party reacts to the lengths Solaris will go to for the sake of their master plan, it’s Citan who provides the raw truth. Solaris exists. The rumors are all true. Humanity is nothing to them. Little more than domesticated animals. Citan knows this. Because he’s been there. But more on that in a bit.

Citan’s essentially the shadow of main protagonist Fei Fong Wong. Where Fei goes, Citan is already at his side, ready to lend a helping hand or emotional support in the face of naked cruelty. He’s not only Fei’s mentor, but perhaps his best friend.

Unfortunately, Citan’s true agenda is far more complex than anyone realizes.

Given Solaris’ reach, it’s not unsurprising for the older generation of characters to have spent time in Solaris. But while others broke ties and descended to the surface, Citan is in the direct employ of Emperor Cain, Solaris’ ancient ruler. His task: keeping tabs on Fei.

Fei’s more than a simple painter. He is the reincarnation of the Contact (he who inherits God’s strength). Cain and the Gazel Ministry – the computerized, disembodied spirits of the planet’s first humans – have much to fear from Fei’s power. Though under orders to eliminate Fei if the worst happened, Citan’s supervision allows Fei to mature beyond the need for simple slaughter. Citan has a large influence on who Fei is and what he becomes.

Outside of this, Citan lends a great deal of insight to his comrades. His detailed knowledge of the Solarian society allows him to create both short-term and long-term strategies. Helping Crown Prince Bart Fatima regain the Aveh throne is important, not only for the people but to ensure a unified front to better assault Solaris. Nor does Citan twiddle his thumbs on the sidelines. He’s out there with the others, fighting Solarian cruelty face-to-face. There is no better ally to have.

An omnipresent empire ruling over humanity in secret? An empire whose influence can be found in governments around the globe? All while being invisible to the naked eye? Preposterous. Except it’s all true. Solaris exists. You want to free the people? Start listening to Citan Uzuki. With his council, victory is more than the light at the end of the tunnel. With him on your side, freedom just might have a chance.

Maria Balthasar – A Girl And Her Giant Robot

Maria Balthasar – A Girl And Her Giant Robot

One of the several things that videogame Xenogears excels at is taking the time to develop the stories of its playable characters. Each character has his or her own multi-faceted story, and told with such grace that it doesn’t just merge with the overlying plot, it enriches and adds meaning to it. Of those characters, Maria Balthasar’s story has the most emotional payoff.

Maria’s story starts – as does many of the other characters – with the antagonistic empire of Solaris. Owning the world through manipulation of faith, politics and eugenics, Solaris sought to develop its Gear (the game’s giant robots) technology. They took Maria and her family hostage to force her father Nikolai into building a superior breed of Gears.

But taking Maria hostage wasn’t enough incentive for Solaris. In order to ensure Nikolai’s sincerest efforts, Solarian authorities brainwashed him into their slave. Nikolai’s last act as a free man was to send Maria and prototype Gear Seibzehn to safety.

Such emotional trauma would be too much for a normal child to handle. But instead of bowing down to the tragedy, Maria and Seibzhen become the unofficial guardians of Shevat, Solaris’ rival superpower.

Maria obviously holds a grudge against Solaris. But it’s not until main protagonist Fei Fong Wong and his group enters her life that her past comes full circle. Solarian authority long dreamt of merging a pilot with its Gear. Nikolai achieved such a breakthrough. By using the neural tissue of Wels – humans devolved by genetic experiments – as the new Gears’ circuitry, Nikolai bridged that divide. Not only did he make thought and action instantaneous, but removed a pilot’s conscience from the equation. The name of this ultimate Gear: Achtzehn.

Debuting as the head of a major Solarian assault force, Achtzehn easily renders the Gears of Fei’s group useless with its advanced jamming technology. Only Seibzehn stands a chance against Achtzehn, but Maria cannot pilot it. Not against the one person she loves the most.

Achtzehn’s host mind is Nikolai Balthasar. The creator became his creation.

Maria grew up on the dreams of seeing her father one last time. He’s been the source of her strength, her inspiration in times of trouble. She couldn’t hurt him. It takes the intervention of Chu-Chu – one of the last of the planet’s native species – for Maria to realize her father died a long time ago. Wielding Seibzhen, Maria confronts Achtzehn.

But Nikolai has one more trick up his sleeve. Seibzehn’s presence unlocks Nikolai’s last message. Father and daughter exchange one last goodbye. Then Nikolai uses Seibzehn’s hidden weaponry to destroy Achtzehn once and for all.

Maria’s trauma could have made her a bitter person. Instead she uses her father’s memory to grow stronger and to be there for others. Though she had to watch her father die a second time, she at least has the condolence of granting her father the peace he so richly deserves.

Margie Fatima

Margie Fatima

The saying goes, “Behind every great man, there’s a great woman.” In the case of Xenogears videogame character Bart Fatima, that woman is a girl. Her name is Marguerite Fatima. She’s his cousin.

Margie isn’t any ordinary little girl. She’s the Nisan Mother, leader of the Nisan religion. Like Bart she’s the last living members of the Aveh monarchy (of which Bart is the deposed Crown Prince). She ascended to the position when her mother and grandmother were murdered during current despot Shakhan’s coup of the Aveh monarchy. Yet even at the tender age of ten, Margie handles her responsibility with astounding grace.

Margie’s one tough little girl. It is clear upon her return to Nisan (after being kidnapped by Shakhan’s forces) that she wants to break down and cry. Instead puts on a cheery front and teases Bart in front of main protagonist Fei Fong Wong. From that moment on, Margie becomes a member of the Xenogears team. She doesn’t fight in battle; instead she is the designated “party-changer.” The player has to talk to her to switch playable characters into the current battle party. This means the player will constantly interact with her, solidifying her position as a true ally.

Her relationship with Bart is more complex. In the days after Shakhan’s coup, Bart withstood torture to protect her. Thus, Margie constantly feels like she owes Bart for his protection, and bemoans the fact that she doesn’t have the strength to stand by his side and help him. Thus she often puts herself in danger in order to even the score. Her second kidnapping by Shakhan resulted from such a venture.

On the other hand, Margie is one of Bart’s true friends. Thanks to their responsibilities and social obligations, they’re uniquely suited to understand the other’s burdens. Their playful, almost bickering banter is an example of how relaxed they are in the other’s company. Margie’s always quick to point out Bart’s mistakes, and regularly admonishes him for his immaturity. Save for Bart’s minders Sigurd and Maison, Margie’s the only one to gets away with such chiding.

Margie also acts as Bart’s emotional mediator. Bart has a notable problem with expressing his emotions. Of particular note is his difficulty to apologize (something he does regularly due to his impulsive nature). Oftimes Margie explains Bart’s feelings to those he’s indirectly wronged.

For every great man, there is a great woman standing at his side. Margie Fatima is that woman. She shoulders the responsibility of being her religion’s leader with a maturity beyond her years. She has the incredible ability of being the Nisan Mother, yet is able to find friendship in her followers. To the nuns of Nisan, she is Margie first and the Nisan Mother second. Her responsibilities makes her the perfect person to understand Bart’s predicament as the Crown Prince, which is why the two are best friends. You can’t ask for a better friend than Margie Fatima. You just can’t.

MMORPG – The Basics Part III

MMORPG – The Basics Part III

In previous articles we talked about character customization and combat in MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games). This article will focus on the degrees of social interaction that occur between players, as well as the darker sides inherent to such competition.

As I said before, MMORPGs are all about competition: who can get the rarest item, who can defeat the toughest boss. With the advent of the online achievement title, players grow hungry from recognition from their fellow adventurers, allowing communities of like-minded people to establish footholds all over the Internet. Unfortunately, where there is good, so must there be the bad.

Finding dependable allies is the key to MMORPGs. Battles – especially ultra-difficult, nigh-impossible ones – require team support (healing allies, breaking down enemy shields, shielding weaker allies by intentionally absorbing attacks, etc). Battles are about winning, but they’re more about survival. Only a close-knit team, whose strengths compliment inherent weaknesses, can survive long enough to whittle the monsters down. However, a procedure called foddering has emerged in the MMORPG experience.

Foddering is the practice of high-level players inviting low-level players (often named “noobs” for their inexperience) into hunts for rare treasure. However, instead of getting support, the noobs are basically sacrificed to weaken the beast, leaving the higher leveled players to step in and claim the kill with minimum effort. It’s the worst betrayal in online gaming: the noobs believe they’re a valuable member of the team, but in truth they’re just pawns while their so-called “comrades” scavenge the dead enemy for everything it’s got. In the end the noobs have nothing to show for their efforts. Disillusioned and bitter, most noobs give up on MMORPGs before giving them an honest chance.

While foddering is the worst extreme of online social interaction, there is a silver lining. Successful battles against ultra-powerful enemies require an innate knowledge of allies’ rhythms and paces: when to attack, when to heal, etc. This naturally paves the way for friendship between players (a main selling point of MMORPGs). That, in turn, paves the way for love.

Yes, you read that right. Love exists, even in the world of computer code. In fact, the number of online avatar marriage has been steadily increasing in the last decade. People who never met each other in the real world, people that possibly live on different continents or different hemisphere, can commit to each other across the boundless distances of the Internet. It’s love in the digital age.

Now before you dismiss this as silly, I ask you to remember the MMORPG’s target demographic. MMORPGs has something to appeal for everyone, but the fantasy and science fiction backgrounds naturally cater to those whose social skills are absolute zero. Whatever their status in the real world, online gaming allows the aforementioned people a realm where they can be themselves, a place where they can interact with like-minded people without fear of social stigma. In a world of Facebook friends and mouse-clicks, online marriages stands out as one of the most natural and progressive things in the history of MMORPGs.

Well, that’s it for me. I’ve tried my best to introduce readers to the online world, but I’ve only opened the door. It’s up to you to step through it, to take a chance upon a realm that connects people across impossible distances with lines of computer code. While MMORPGs have its ups and downs, it’s an engaging experience that none should ever be hesitant to try. Thank you for your time.

MMORPG – The Basics II

MMORPG – The Basics Part II

In the last article we talked about the tenets of the MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game); specifically about character customization. This article will focus on the varying principles of combat.

Combat in MMORPGs is presented as a third-person view where attacks are directed via button presses from the controller. More presses equals into more attacks, so combat easily becomes a contest on who can mash the button fastest. However, the games do have rules to keep combat interesting: specifically with the reinvention of special attacks.

A hallmark of RPGs, the special attack is a technique unique to the character being controlled. It’s an extension of a normal attack, given depth and flair according to the personality of the player character: physically strong character may focus on slower but more powerful blows, while an agile character can execute attacks that strike the enemy multiple times for effect.

So special attacks don’t fall into repetitive button-mashing fests, the concept of the “cooldown” is introduced. Once a special attack is used, the player has to wait five to ten seconds before the attack becomes available again. This is especially essential in healing allies: players are forced to attack and defend in waves so that damage can be mitigated in accordance with cooldown periods. The cooldown factor adds a layer of strategy to keep combat from descending into a frenzied, mindless bout of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Of course, all the combat in the world means nothing if there isn’t a prize at the end. Hence, MMORPG players compete for the prestige of getting rare items. But that’s not always easy, as said items are often guarded by ultra-powerful monsters capable of destroying you in their sleep. So first the character has to increase stats – strength, speed, etc – by leveling up (gaining a pre-determined amount of “experience points” that grants the players permanent stat boosts). Difficult monsters give more experience points at the expense of overwhelming a single player, so to grind (shorthand for intentional leveling up), it’s wise for the player to join forces with other online players in order to bulk up the necessary stats, get stronger weapons and armor, and stand against the ultra-powerful monsters.

Furthermore, acting with a party allows the player to adjust to others’ battle rhythms – who heals faster or attacks longer – which is more essential than it appears. The ultra-powerful monsters require coordination between players to accurately defend themselves, heal from the enemy attacks while dealing damage of their own. Ally support is the name of the game.

This is only the merest fraction of the MMORPG world. Join me next time as we go deeper into the rabbit hole. Until then, have fun.

MMORPG – The Basics

RPGs are – and by design, most stories as a whole – a series of escalating events. Final Fantasy VII started off as the eco-terrorist group blowing up a nuclear reactor as a means to preserve the planet’s rapidly-dwindling lifeblood. Then the character Sephiroth comes in, and suddenly the player is navigating the world trying to find this ultra-badass warrior and exact revenge. And when you do find him, the game becomes a race against the clock to keep Sephiroth from destroying the planet in his rite to become a god. Millions of players around the world engage such grand schemes on a regular basis.

Now imagine if all those players could talk to each other. Imagine if these players could join forces and grow stronger from the experience. That is the power of the Internet. That is the basis for a Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (otherwise known as a MMORPG).

MMORPGs set themselves apart from other games by the innovative concepts they embody: firstly, the character creation process. Players design their “avatars” – the physical representation of their game characters – from a slew of options. You could be male, female, human, alien, warrior, thief, wizard, dwarf, or some strange combination of them all: the possibilities are endless. You can literally be anything you want to be in a MMORPG.

But the customization doesn’t stop there. Each avatar has an occupation or “class” that governs the way the character stats (strength, speed, etc) grows and how they function in combat. But since MMORPGs are all about character evolution, most MMORPGs have the option of class advancement: once a certain number of stats are reached, the player has the option to “upgrade” their character by choosing one of many “advanced” classes, each one focusing on a particular ability the main class possesses but on a higher scale.

Take for example the Thief from the Seiken Densetsu 3 RPG: an agile character whose specialty is dual-wielding (one weapon in each hand). The Thief emphasizes spells that temporarily weaken the enemy, allowing other players to come in and finish them off. Once the Thief reaches a certain level of stat progression, the player has the option of upgrading the Thief into the Ranger and Ninja classes, each with their own unique techniques and battle skills.

Rangers’ specialty is enemy “traps.” Traps usually involve hitting the enemy with a negative status (poisoning continually drains enemy health during combat). Another trap changes the enemy into a weaker form of itself, allowing for easier extermination.

The Ninja, on the other hand, possess elemental spells that strike all enemies at once. This makes the Ninja ideal for enemies who possess an elemental weakness (an ice giant is vulnerable to flame, etc). While that kind of battle mechanic is often found in Wizards, the Ninja boasts a higher physical defense and a set of stronger armor, giving the player to switch between physical and magical combat.

But the fun doesn’t stop there. Later on the aforementioned classes can be further upgraded into the Wanderer, Rogue, Ninja Master and Nightblade. These classes take their predecessors’ skills and augment them further, making them a powerhouse in combat (if their skills are used correctly).

This is only the merest fraction of the MMORPG world. Join me next time as we go deeper into the rabbit hole. Until then, have fun.

Tales of Phantasia

Tales Of Phantasia

In 1995, a RPG (Role Playing Game) was created for the Super Famicon (the original Japanese version of the Super Nintendo video game console). Not surprising; RPGs are one of the bread and butter products in the Japanese videogame industry. But this RPG was different. It changed the battle mechanics. It gave their characters voices, hearts and souls. Its popularity spawned thirty stand-alone games, each one more daring than the last. The name of the game? Tales of Phantasia.

The RPG world would never be the same.

The battle mechanics is where Phantasia truly shines. Instead of stationary characters whose actions are selected via a menu (the characters take turns executing said commands depending on their Speed stat) Phantasia characters move back and forth on a two-dimensional plane. Commands are mapped to pushes of the directional pad (resembling a cross on the controllers) combined with button presses. The characters respond in real time. The player presses buttons, and the character executes the command automatically.

This battle system adds the schematics of the fighting game genre. Like most RPGs, playable characters gain unique attacks as they acquire experience points from battle and level up (permanent upgrading of character attributes like Strength and Defense). In fighting games, characters also have special techniques; executed by a combination of fluid presses on the directional pad and the attack button. A common projectile attack requires the following series of presses (down, down-right, attack button).

Phantasia combines the two systems. The game’s special techniques (hereon called Artes) can be activated in two ways. The first involves the motion of the directional pad and the attack button: main protagonist Cless’ Dual Kick is activated by a counter-clockwise motion from Down to Left, for example. Alternatively (in modernized re-releases of the game), the Art can be mapped to directional pushes and button presses. Pressing Right + the attack button activates one Arte, while pressing Left + the attack button executes another Arte, and so on.

Cless is the game’s sole physical attacker – the other characters are mages and thus have low Defense – so his move-set is more robust. Cless has three groups of Artes: Deadly Skills, Secret Skills, and the Hidden Secret Skill. The Deadly Skills are gained through level-gaining via collection of Experience Points; these Artes are simple blows that don’t inflict much damage. The Secret Skills combine two Deadly Skills into one attack; available once the two techniques are “mastered”; i.e. used a certain number of times. The Hidden Secret Skill – the Dark Blade – is Cless’ ultimate attack, activated only in dire circumstances (low health, etc.). This skill system forms the backbone of every succeeding Tales game.

Tales Of Phantasia turned the RPG world on its head. Like everything else in the series, Phantasia was born through the fusion of two completely different genres, creating something new and exciting. Unfortunately this article only scratches the surface of what makes this game great. In order to fully appreciate the game, you’ll just have to play it yourself. Have fun.

Wild Arms 4 – The Times Are A’Changing

Wild Arms 4 – The Times Are A’Changing

I’ve often spoke of the necessary evolution of franchises. Superman cannot fight Nazis in the 1980s. Spider-Man’s marriage to Mary-Jane was dissolved in an effort to modernize the character. Everything needs to be refreshed and evolved in order to keep up with an ever-changing audience. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. For the Wild Arms games, that major makeover begins in Wild Arms 4.

The first three Wild Arms featured a Tools system: personal items that aided in puzzles. Jack Van Burace’s Lighter lit lamps in darkened rooms, allowing the player to navigate safely. Jet Enduro’s Boomerang could curve around obstructions to strike and activate out-of-the-way switches.

Wild Arms 4 abandons this concept. Running, jumping and sliding are done with various tilts of the controller. Character Tools weren’t just items to navigate puzzles. They were an intricate part of the characters themselves, owning up to their personalities just as much as their backstories or plot arcs. Wild Arms 4’s characters are a little less interesting without Tools.

The traditional RPG battle system has been replaced by the HEX System. The combat field is made up of seven hexagons. While movement across these HEXs are limited (characters can only move a few spaces at a time), the HEXs revolute battle. Ordinary RPGs have healing spells can affect all targets. Not so in Wild Arms 4. Spells are locked onto the HEX. In order to heal everyone at once, all characters must occupy the same HEX. The drawback is that allies in the same HEX all suffer damage by enemy attacks. So characters’ positions on the HEX grid adds a unique element of strategy not found in other RPGs.

Another change is the protagonist Jude Maverick. He is 13 years old and lives in Ciel, an artificial shelter separate from the real world. Like all teenagers he has a shaky grasp of morals and ideals. His naïve perspective clashes with more seasoned enemies who know the world isn’t so black-and-white. Watching Jude defend an idealistic world that doesn’t really exist can be frustrating at times. Watching his ideals change his friends into heroes (albeit reluctant ones) is heart-warming.

The other characters are RPG archetypes: Yulie Ahtreide is the warm, friendly girl who would rather nurture people than fight them. Rachel Applegate is the tough warrior who’s been alone so long that she doesn’t know anything else (making it hard to befriend people). Arnaud Vasquez is the typical womanizing wizard who cracks jokes to hide his insecurity. The enemies are also cookie-cutter stereotypes.

Franchises must evolve in order to stay alive. This is true across all mediums. Sometimes changes works. Sometimes it changes things so much that the new product has no trace of the old. Which direction does Wild Arms 4 go? I’ll leave that decision to you.

Wild Arms V

Wild ARMs 5 – The Tribute/Homage

In 1997, the RPG videogame Wild ARMs was released. It wasn’t the prettiest game on the market. But the battle system, the puzzles, and most of all its charming characters secured it a place in the heart of many a RPG gamer. In 2007, Wild ARMs 5 debuted on the series’ ten-year anniversary. The bar, as one might expect, is quite high. Does it succeed? Read on.

One of the franchise’s strengths is its characters, and 5’s cast numbers some of its most eccentric: the wide-eyed youth seeking adventure, the serious and down-to-earth love interest, the womanizing loner who lands in hot water wherever he goes, etc. While unique in their own right, they definitely fill the lofty shoes of its forebears.

Unlike most RPGs, however, is the manner of character growth. RPGs are usually broken down into segments: character plot arc, dungeons, towns, plot advancement, more character plot, so on and so forth. Wild ARMs 5 cuts out the middleman by having the bulk of character progression inside the dungeons. A novel idea, except the characters’ history are constantly interrupting the puzzles and battles, leaving the game experience somewhat disjointed and tedious. Being tedious, as any gamer knows, is a surefire way to drop the game entirely.

The HEX system from Wild ARMs 4 returns: the combat field is divided into a series of hexagons, in which the combatants are randomly placed. Wild ARMs 4’s characters could either move or take action, not both. Wild ARMs 5’ characters can move and act in a single turn, giving a real-time feel to battles.

However, there is a flipside. The game automatically heals all characters at battle’s end. While this provides a kind of safety net, it simultaneously instills a lack of incentive for strategic thinking. Combined with special “Sol Niger” devices (can “turn off” enemy encounters), the game’s difficulty can potentially be virtually non-existent.

The world map is another problem. Locating towns, dungeons and hidden items requires a special radar. The protagonist’s recurring comment of “Let’s have a little look-see,” every time the radar button is pressed, quickly got on my nerves.

Wild ARMs 5 has the privilege of debuting at the series’ tenth anniversary, and as such serves as a homage of the series itself. This homage is done with its cameos. The world is literally bursting with characters from previous games. Finding said characters is enough to constitute its own game. Many characters request chores to be done in exchange for powerful items, bringing the nostalgia factor to an even greater high.

Standing as a series’ hallmark is no easy job. While the game has its ups and downs, Wild ARMs 5 manages to stand apart from its predecessors while at the same time paying awesome tribute to it’s past. If you’re tired of the typical RPG, then you should give Wild ARMs 5 a try. Patience is required, but isn’t that said about all games? Have fun.