Online Games

[Guest Evalyn]

Anyone here got any fun (preferably free) online games to pass the time with? Currently I pass the time with Call of Duty 4...but I've got Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike, and Dystopia all installed and ready. Been mostly avoiding the latter two 'til I can "pass" when I use my mic...but if anyone's got a need to log on and shoot the silliness out of stuff, I'm game.

Which, I guess, actually leads me to another tangent that (for the most part) is still game-related; for you MtF's out there, do you think it's easier to "pass" in real-life or over a microphone (in terms of voice, at least)? I'd love to be able to talk-and-shoot, but don't want players to, ahem, subtly point out the rift between voice and screen-name.

[Guest Zack L]

From what I've seen playing WoW and watching my little brother play CoD, the gaming community is, for the most part, full of complete jerkfaces who would LOVE to rip each other apart.

However I've also noticed that girls are treated much nicer. =P And if you don't suck. XD

For passing from the ftm point of view I find that I can't pass if I use my voice programs when I play. These people only hear my voice, don't see me. When I'm spazzing trying to tell everyone that an add has broken loose and is cheerfulling ripping off my head, I'm not focused on how I sound, only on the fact that unless someone saved me we will ALL die. XD

So basically, if you can pass without thinking about it, you'll be fine. If you have to think more about it, then I'm not so sure.

Hope that was helpful in some way. XD

[Guest Sashel Trace]

Astonia is free with an option to play, unless you plan on Hel server rather than Urd. Tibia is also free with option to pay, but its mostly just grinding.

As for passing...

It seems that my voice sounds good in real life, but I sound like a demon over a mic XD

[Guest Evalyn]

Well, just finished an essay and I'm ready to go pass out now. Quick posts first!

@Zack L:

Well, I can't argue with the jerkfaces thing-- but I also can't help but admit to taking advantage of the whole “girls treated much nicer.” I'll be the first to come out and say; it's nice to be talked to like a (semi) normal human being, rather than the less-than-feces attitudes I see demonstrated towards (who is assumed to be) males. I never entirely understood the need to be superior, pejorative, and an incompetent typer to complete strangers-- but maybe I'm not quite of the WORA mindset.

That being said! I'd still like to avoid the voice thing 'til I'm sure I fit the role; while TheWrathOfKate may garnish applause for that headshot, I can't help but expect nasty comments to start flying when Christian Bale's voice comes over the Mic.

@Sashel Trace:

While I'm glad for the suggestions, I think I'll likely be avoiding Tibia and Astonia. I'm a horrible evil illegitimate child for saying so-- but I'm something of a graphics sleeper. Stylized looks in the vein of Ragnarok or WoW are one thing...but I'm reminded far too much of something like Runescape or Fallout with the both of those. Not necessarily a bad thing, but just not quite my cup of tea, yaknow?

On the other note, that kinda sucks...but it's just another goal for me to work on, I guess! 'sides, I should probably have my priorities straightened out; interactions with those silly Arell people are likely healthier than the cyber variety.

[Guest Alison Mendez]

If free and fun is your criteria, then I highly recommend FreeRealms. It's still fairly new, but growing faster than any other online game ever has (and that includes WoW). It seems every other week or so SOE announces another million players have joined. Currently they're at four million but by the time you read this they could be already at five.

The game itself is genuinely fun. It's filled with tons and tons of mini games.

There are fourteen classes to choose from. Nine are free to non paying members and five are members only. You can alternate between classes with a simple click of the button and each class levels up independently of each other. The classes are: Ninja, Chef, Kart Driver, Postman, Demolition Derby Driver, Brawler, Pet Trainer, Card Duelist, Miner, Archer, Wizard, Medic, Blacksmith, and Warrior.

I could go on and on about this game, but to summarize, SOE took the best aspects of all other MMOs out there and rolled them up into FreeRealms in a coherent and intelligent way.

The only thing that sucks is that being a paying member isn't that much greater than being a free player. The extra classes aren't all that special plus the micro transaction store is filled with worthless unappealing junk. It may change, but there's little incentive to becoming a paying member.

[Guest Zabrak]

Destiny online is ok. I don't play it anymore but it was pretty fun. It 'pays you to play'. Meaning you earn mall points every two hours you're online.

[Guest 71christy09]

There is a free FPS shooter out called Combat Arms. I play it from time to time, but there are a bunch of hacks, glitchers and jerks on it. If you have a soft skin I wouldnt recommend it, but if you want to run around and beat the tar out of someone have fun