Okay. So let me start off first by saying that this is not a troll blog aimed at the Xbox or it's games. This is just a collection of my thoughts on these specific games, and my worries about them. Computers are limited in the amount of power they can put out. This is a given. A computer cannot run anything that requires more power/hardware than it has available. The Xbox, Playstation, and Wii are all just computers specialized for the purpose of gaming. This leads to the question of what are the developers going to do with these games to make them run on the Xbox360?
Gears of War 3
When Gears of War 2 came out any one who did research, and was able to suffer past the innumerable Rick-rolls, probably found the article where Cliff B. talked about how Gears 2 was going to be the best looking game on the Xbox360,. He said that the pushed the Xbox to it's limits and that visually Gears 2 was going to be the best the Xbox would ever get. Bold words. And while Gears 2 did look exceptionally good this leads to the question of; are they going to be able to improve the graphics for Gears 3? Or is Gears 3 going to run the same Graphics engine and are they just going to try and improve the story? With the statement that Gears 2 pushed the xbox to the limit how are they going to improve Gears 3?
Mass Effect 3
When Mass Effect 2 was first showcased at E3 it pushed the Xbox further than it could handle causing a majority of the Demo Xboxs to overheat and power down. Mass Effect 2 was downgraded to make it operate without melting the Xbox, and even then it still suffered terrible load times and frame rate drops. Now Bioware has developed a new, more powerful engine, the Mass Effect 3 engine. If Mass Effect 2 caused problems with the Xbox running the ME2 engine what are they going to do with the ME3? Are they going to run ME3 using the ME2 engine?
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Going back once a gain to the previous game, Oblivion, we realize that Oblivion suffered terrible frame rate drops, texture pop-ins, lag, screen tearing, and distance issues on the xbox360 (I'm not sure if this was prevalent only to Xbox, I didn't have the PS3 version for long enough to do a full battery of tests, but I know it's not a problem on a high end computer). Oblivion pushed Xbox relentlessly and the overall performance of the game suffered for it. The screen shots (Gameinformer magazine) for Skyrim look amazing, but this leads to the question of what are they going to do with the Xbox version. Maybe the new engine they made will help the issues, but I'm curious to see how they combat the problems that hurt oblivion.
These three games all pushed the Xbox to it's limit and a little further, and all of them suffered for it. With direct squeals coming out and no new Xbox on the horizon it leads me to wonder how they are going to try and improve upon their previous efforts. Everyone wants new better graphics and the "professional" reviewing sites are quick to jump on established games that don't show improvements in graphics and performance. With these games coming out and their prequels reaching the limit of the Xbox's power it may be time for Microsoft to release an new console to compete. There may not be another Zynga game in which Energy is more important than in Adventure World. Every switch thrown, every puzzle solved and beastie whacked costs you the Facebook game juice. Players often find themselves without Energy minutes into an Expedition. But this isn't the time for whining--it's time to show you the value of upgrading your Tools and how to do it.
Tools: The Game Changer
If you noticed, each piece of debris and monster has a life bar, and normally take multiple hits with your Whip or Machete to whittle down. This, of course, quickly becomes a waste in later Expeditions purely due to the amount of obstacles in your path. But increasing the amount of damage your various Tools inflict against said baddies could considerably reduce the Energy spend in-game.
For instance, say a Snake has three hit points and is Level 5. Since monsters can hit back in this game, it could take three to five Energy before an enemy goes down. Now, imagine if you had upgraded your Whip to Level 2. Offing that Snake would take just two to four Energy with a beefier Whip. The same situation applies to Tools like the Machete.
Adventure World Tool Shop inside
And Now For Your How-To
Adventure World Tool Shop outsideUpgrading your Tools in Adventure World is simple. All you need to do is head back to Base Camp from an Expedition, and look for a makeshift hut that should already be in place in your headquarters. When you click on the Tool Shop, a window will appear featuring all the Tools you've found thus far on your journeys. Click on the Tool you wish to upgrade.
Once you click on a Tool to upgrade, you'll notice that each Tool costs Coins to upgrade. That's it--no asking friends to help you out with materials or farming certain crops for special items. Just the goods you find during your travels in search of El Dorado. However, Coins are actually quite rare in this game, so you'll need to save and spend wisely.
When you have enough Coins for an upgrade, just click on the appropriate icon to pay up. Tool upgrades are also level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain level for most Tools before being able to upgrade them using Coins. If you're feeling impatient, you could always unlock access to those higher level Tools early using Adventure Cash.
Just One Small Catch...
However, some Tool upgrades do require an extra boost: your Tool Shop. Yes, the building itself can be upgraded, too. And this time, you will need items from your friends. (Just think of how things work in CityVille.) Luckily, you only have to do this about twice to unlock access to all of the game's Tools. Then, it's back onto leveling up to access new upgrades for Coins.
Adventure World Tool Shop Upgrade
Upgraded Tools are hands-down the way to go, if you want to save precious Energy for the good stuff, that is. You know, exploring ... uncovering the secrets of El Dorado? That kind of stuff. Your wallet might thank us later.
Click here to find all of our Adventure World Tips in one spot >
[Source: Zynga]
Have you upgraded your Tools in Adventure World yet? What other Energy-saving tips might you have for your fellow adventurers? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
No comments:
Post a Comment