Fans of the New Jedi Order series are now tearfully traversing the pages of the final volume - weighing in at nineteen linked novels by a handful of different authors, it's easily the most elaborate undertaking in what is called The Expanded Universe. It's not really my thing. Maybe Gabe can come by later and tell us about the graceful Chungo blade-dance. I'm riveted.

It's a little late, but I've been playing Gladius and I wanted to detail that experience. I think they did a pretty good job.

You're only supposed to make tactical strategy games if you're from Asia, I don't know if they just didn't get the memo or what. Similar to Mario and Luigi for the GBA (as well as earlier Mario RPGs), there is a timing element to each attack - these elements can also become fairly elaborate, as increasingly dangerous combos begin to require a series of inputs with near-origami levels of complexity. Gladius is satisfying in the way that other games of this type are, i.e., you arrange your forces harmoniously and reap great rewards. Who doesn't like harmony. In terms of complexity, well... It's not. I'm used to playing games like Dynasty Tactics where I'll take an hour to plan a single devastating move that will cleave enemy forces in twain. A game like Final Fantasy Tactics: Advance derives its complexity purely from character management. Gladius has a hefty selection of classes, to be sure, but you certainly aren't switching between them - you choose how they progress, but you can see the menu of that progression right up front. In a way, I find this sort of transparency refreshing. I sometimes feel like Japan is punishing me for something when I play their games. On the other hand, there's a level of mystery and ambiguity that simply doesn't exist in Gladius. I'm of the opinion that the gameplay itself - with your franchise-esque gladiator management, your local and global challenges, diverse regions, and arcade elements - holds up very well. If I change my mind, I'll tell you - but I'm sixteen hours in and I still feel pretty good.

Shit, while we're being late, Republic: The Revolution is a brilliant game with a deeply flawed execution. If you have the patience to endure some of their interface decisions, and let me tell you that I did not, you will find yourself in front of an extremely elaborate board game - a sort of political Risk - that really has no analogue anywhere in the world of gaming.

To make a long story short, don't go to Fry's unless you want to spend like five hundred dollars you don't actually have.

My new friend Ian Johnston had an anecdote for me the moment I announced my sojourn to that mystic land, claiming that, yes, they have a lot of different shit there - in fact, they have everything but the thing you would most like. Man, I wish. I wish that's how it worked out. I was in the car with a gig of RAM and the fixings for a Serial ATA RAID, it was like some new holiday where you buy yourself presents. I wish I could say it was the strength of my will that kept me from buying an Athlon FX-51, but I think I actually blacked out.

(CW)TB out.

we still dance on whirling stages

I just about have The Unifying Force wrapped up. Already I can say it’s my favorite book of the series. I won’t go into any detail here because I don’t want to spoil any of the awesome surprises this book will spring on you. I’m honestly sad to this series come to an end but there is apparently life after NJO. This story from Star Wars.com says that Troy Denning who authored one of the other great books in the NJO series Star by Star is already signed up to pen a new novel that takes place some time after NJO.

I get lots of mail every week from people asking about the interview I conducted with my Grandpa regarding his experiences in WW II and his thoughts on war related games. I promise it’s still coming. My schedule recently heated up a bit but I’m still trying to crack out this article for you guys. I’ll be taking a short vacation to Spokane for Thanksgiving and I’m hoping I’ll have some time to sneak off and get some of my thoughts typed out.

Generally we do the comic strip the day before it has to go up. That’s how we keep brand Penny Arcade “fresh” and “dialed in” while at the same time maintaining our relevancy with today’s fickle 18-24 yo demographic. However since I’ll be gone this week we had to do a comic in advance. I’d like to take this opportunity to please ask my nieces not to read the comic on Friday. Also, if you do happen to read the comic strip please don’t tell your mom about it.

-Gabe out

The way we see it is this: if we're going to be blocked as obscene by so many filters, we ought to at least earn it.

(CW)TB

I just got an interesting email from PA reader Wes who had the opportunity to attend a book signing by James Luceno author of The Unifying Force. He had this to say:

“I was lucky enough to attend James Luceno's book signing tour when Unifying Force was released, and before the actual signing session, there was a short period of Q&A with the author. Someone asked him about comic book tie-ins with the NJO which reminded me of a much more important question! So I asked him if during any of the planning meetings, had there had been any discussion over the possibility of NJO based video games? His response was that there had been a small amount of discussion concerning video games, but that the overall opinion of LucasArts was that the percentage of Star Wars fans who read the Expanded Universe novels AND played the video games was too small, so they didn't want to release a game solely taking place in the EU and risk driving the more casual fans away. So... sad news for us who have been hoping for the opportunity to pilot Chiss Clawcraft against Coralskippers.”

I know that gamers are reading the NJO series. I’ll agree that there probably isn’t enough of a fan base to make any game set in the EU an instant hit. What I don’t understand though is why LucasArts thinks casual fans of Star Wars would be driven off by a game set in the NJO time period.

You want to know the reason I never talked about Rebel Strike? Because I only played the first couple of levels before I was sick of it. I love Star Wars but Jesus Christopher Christ, there are other stories to tell. I have shot down all the tie fighters I want to shoot down. I don’t want to shoot down another one. I don’t care if it’s a tie interceptor, I’m done. Why not take this opportunity to introduce the casual Star Wars fans as you call them to the wonders of the EU? Maybe ease them into it with a few games set in during the X-Wing series of books. The final battles with the empire and the liberation of Coruscant would make for an awesome game. Tactical/stealth is all the rage now so how about a game dealing with the top secret missions of Wraith Squadron?

Then once you have them up to date regarding the current state of affairs in the SW universe you spring the Vong on them. Some FPS games with characters pulled from the New Jedi knights like the Solo twins or Corran Horn. Hell you can even keep them in the Rogue Squadron series only now the squad is under Gavin Darklighters command and they’re shooting down Skips instead of ties. Did you ever think that exposing more Star Wars fans to these characters might in turn help sales of the books and comics? I mean once a game comes out with X-Wings fighting giant organic ships made of living coral people are gonna want to know the fucking back story.

Just Look at KOTOR for God’s sake. That’s the best fucking Star Wars game you ever published and there isn’t a single X-Wing in it. If you were worried about driving away causal fans that’s the game that would have done it. But instead it turned out to be a huge seller and one of the best games on the Xbox. People want something new! The EU is there, just fucking give it to them.

I’m so fucking mad right now I can’t even see.

-Gabe out

If you are like me, every time you see an article like this one, where the author claims that video games are training our nations youth to kill you get angry. The media seems intent on perpetuating the myth that gamers are ticking time bombs just waiting to go off. I know for a fact that gamers are good people. I have had the opportunity on multiple occasions to meet hundreds of you at conventions all over the country. We are just regular people who happen to love video games.

With that in mind we have put together a little something we like to call “Child’s Play”. Penny Arcade is working with the Seattle Children’s Hospital and Amazon.com to make this Christmas really special for a lot of very sick kids. With the help of the Children’s Hospital we have created an Amazon Wish List for the kids. It’s full of video games, movies and toys. Some of these kids are in pretty bad shape and just having a Game Boy would really raise their spirits.

Please take some time to browse the Wish List. Maybe all you can afford is a package of batteries or maybe you want to go in with your entire office and get the kids a GameCube. Every single contribution will help out the Children’s Hospital and the 190,000 kids they treat each year.

All the toys and games will be delivered to us and we will in turn deliver them to the Children’s Hospital. As soon as the toys start arriving I’ll set up a web site and post as many pictures as I can. We will be making a trip over to one of the hospitals next week and we’ll bring you back stories from some of the kids along with more pictures.

Penny Arcade has a readership of something like 150,000 gamers across the world. We are arguably the largest community of gamers on the internet. The important word there being community. This isn’t IGN, this isn’t Gamespy, we are not a faceless corporation, you are not just a number tracked by a database and then relayed to hungry advertisers. You guys have proven yourselves to be a powerful force when stirred into action. Here is your opportunity to use that power to do some real good.

Let’s give these kids the Christmas that they deserve and let’s give the news papers a different kind of story to write about gamers.

-Gabe out

***UPDATE***

A few of you have asked some good questions so I wanted to make an update.

-The hospital has asked that the items not be wrapped. It just generates a lot of waste that costs money to get rid of.

-Don’t worry about this news post slipping off the front page tomorrow. This is probably the most important thing we’ve ever done and we plan on keeping it on the front page through Christmas.

-We will be adjusting the numbers on many of the items and as things get purchased we will be adding more.

-Some of you have asked if you can simply donate money towards the purchase of toys for the kids. Since we no longer have a Club PA Tycho and I have decided to use that PayPal account for Child’s Play. If you would like to make a donation you can now do so right here.

-If you would rather purchase the games or toys someplace else you are welcome to do so. Simply send them to the address listed below.

ATTN: Brad Walker
18303 Bothell Everett Hwy
Suite 140
Mill Creek, Wa 98012

-We cannot actually accept used games or toys for this particular event. However, we appreciate so many of you offering your used systems and whatnot. We’d ask that you please hang onto those for right now. This is just the first tiny baby step for Child’s Play. We may very well be calling on you again in the future and at that point used games might be just what we need.

-Please be mindful of the shipping dates when you’re purchasing items from the wishlist in order to make sure that they get to the kids on time. We’d like to receive everything by December 20th.

-Some people have mentioned that when trying to purchase an item from the wish list, Amazon occasionally loses the shipping address and defaults to your own address. If this happens, please just use the address posted above.

-Gabe out