Entertainment

I’ve never played any of the games from The Sims franchise, but I’ll be closely following the adventures chronicled on the Alice and Kev blog from now on…

Welcome to the tale of Alice and Kev.

This is an experiment in playing a homeless family in The Sims 3. I created two Sims, moved them in to a place made to look like an abandoned park, removed all of their remaining money, and then attempted to help them survive without taking any job promotions or easy cash routes.

Kev is a crazy, mean-spirited S.O.B. who’s only goal in life is to get laid, and make life miserable for his daughter. Alice is Kev’s sweet young daughter just trying to survive, and maybe even thrive occasionally, in her hopeless circumstances.

The simple way their story is told is somehow more compelling than most of the over-wrought, over-dramatic, just-as-unreal crap I’ve been watching on TV and movie screens lately. The blog also provides links to real-world charities helping the homeless.

Champions Online is the superhero MMO that Cryptic Studios is doing instead of Marvel Universe Online.

And based on everything I’ve read so far, I couldn’t be happier. Highlights include…

• Hi-Octane Excitement: No more boring auto attacks and lengthy recharge times. Champions Online combat is instantaneous — and electrifying!
• Total customization: Choose from hundreds of different costume pieces, colors and body types to create your character’s one-of-a-kind costume and look.
• Keep your enemies close: Every hero must have an archenemy. Design your character’s supreme adversary, choosing a name, powers and costume for a superpowered foe to bedevil your hero throughout his or her career.
• Endless exploration: The battle against evil rages across the world into outer space and alternate dimensions.
• Make your mark: The story of Champions Online is constantly changing, continually evolving. Villains are defeated. Heroes rise and fall. Cities transform. Your actions may decide the future!

The trailer doesn’t show a whole lot so far, but I am kinda digging the pseudo-cell shading effect…

After months of rumors, Microsoft has finally confirmed the cancellation of the Marvel Universe Online MMO…

“If you really look at the data there’s basically one [MMO] that’s successful and everything else wouldn’t meet our level or definition of commercial success,” he said. “And then you have to look [and say]: ‘Can we change the business model for that? Is that really viable given how far we are in development? And so forth. Does Marvel want to do that?’ There’s a whole bunch of factors [in canceling the game].”

So basically, they were intimidated by World of Warcraft and didn’t feel that they would be able to replicate its success (or profits). And they’re probably right.

I just wish they weren’t so short-sighted. Trying to buy WoW-like success is definitely not a winning strategy, but innovative (and fun, of course) gameplay alongside superhero legends like Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, and the rest of the Marvel line-up would draw a dedicated (possibly rabid) subscriber base and make a decent amount of cash for Marvel and company.

Hopefully, the DC MMO will come to a more satisfying finale.