League of Legends Team Builder

I miss team builder already. When I got to try it during the live two-day beta earlier this week I had a blast. I can't wait for Team Builder to be a permanent feature for League of Legends.

When you have to play League of Legends without your friends it can be one of the worst experiences ever. So many times when a teammate does not get a role he or she does not want it will lead to a horrible game. This does a great job of making sure it that does not happen.

I main support so I rarely ever find a problem of getting my role as support, but too many times in solo queue games will I experience someone that is unhappy and make the rest of my game experience absolutely horrible. So much immaturity happens about just getting the role that you want that people forget that this is suppose to be a team game.

Why team builder is important is because when it comes to matching strangers with other strangers you want to reduce as much friction between teammates as possible. When it comes to strangers you can not expect people to go long with a completely new strategy when all the teammates don't even voice chat.

This feature does a great job of making sure a team of strangers are following the basic meta of the game. If you want to try out a new strategy or meta by all means try it just don't do it in a group of people you don't know. If you don't have friends to try a new strategy then use a regular strategy and help your team win and make friends.

Though there still will be many problems with playing with strangers that team builder does not solve. Players with low skill will still be matched with players of high skill creating friction. Myself included have let down my teammates and caused much anger to them even though I was telling them I was trying my best and just having a bad game.

The root of the problem lies with the internet itself and it's emotional gut reaction. Still to reduce as many misunderstandings as possible makes for a better online game experience. You won't be able to be able to get rid of all the anger, but with good matchmaking and changes to how pick-up teams are built you can make sure it is kept to a minimal.

Personally I don't mind low skill players that cost us the team the game since many times that will be myself.  I play to have fun, but I still have a pet peeve in League of Legends and that is people who don't work as a team.  With Team Builder I can at least be rest assured that we are all on the same page when the game starts. I now just have to worry about that skilled player that always try to take on the enemy team alone.

Twitch Supporting Mobile Broadcasting

I remember when I went to GamesBeat last year, I attended a panel hosted Twitch, The Revolution Will Be Streamed: How Video Is Transforming Video Gaming. This was a great insight on how developers on all levels of industry were responding to the successes of streaming. When the panel went to questions the person next to me asked Twitch what their plan was for mobile. (37:25)

Sean Day[9] response to the question was “Mobile market is largely about consumption...I highly doubt there will be professional puzzlejuice player." They all recognized mobile as  extremely important to the success of Twitch, but really only saw it an avenue for viewers to watch their content through.

Day[9] said “so much of the really successful content is around hardcore games with lots of depth.” I totally agree, but hardcore games can be played on mobile devices and aren’t just exclusive to consoles and PC. Many video companies are releasing more content built for mobile devices that have tons of depth.

Since I live in Silicon Valley all I hear about is mobile games, but we are already seeing AAA companies taking advantage of what mobile devices have to offer to their hardcore games. Battlefield 4 had Commander Mode built with tablets in mind. Games like Watchdogs and The Division also plan to take advantage of mobile devices.

So it came to me no surprise that just a little over 4 months since this Gamesbeat panel about streaming that Twitch announced support for mobile broadcasting. More game developers are creating great content that aren't necessarily technology advanced, but still rich in gameplay. To many viewers this content is just as engaging to watch.

Hearthstone will soon be released on mobile devices. Hearthstone is already one of the most successful games on Twitch, so allowing broadcasters to stream on the go is a win for everybody. Though broadcasters might not stream on the go I think recent events proved how surprising Twitch can be.

Twitch plays Pokemon has taken the streaming community by surprise. This channel provides the same interactive experience enjoyable on the PC and mobile devices. Who knows what else might spring out of the streaming community, but mobile should be ready to be a part of it. This is just a glimpse of what an interactive community can accomplish.

Granted broadcasting on mobile devices will have challenges that must be addressed. Broadcasters will still find it easier to stream on computers and many might not even want to broadcast that often. Still giving them many more options might spawn new ways to interact with the streaming community.

Streaming has changed the video game industry for the better. More gamers have access to enjoy gaming content without having to actually play the games themselves. As much as many of us enjoy playing games we do not always have the time and energy, but still want to interact with a live community. Streaming video games is still very young in the gaming industry and I am excited to see how it adapts to the future with all that is happening in this rapidly changing environment.

Lessons From An Interview

I had opportunity to conduct an interview with NIS President Souhei Niikawa and Producer Toshinori Terasawa. I couldn't have asked for a better first interview because they were some of the nicest people I ever met in the industry, and I've met quite a lot of amazing people in the gaming industry.

I made a lot of rookie mistakes, but I am glad they were with the kind Mr.Niikawa and Mr.Terasawa. One thing I learned is in the end of the day even the presidents of gaming companies are still gamers at heart. Having been to events such as Gamebeats, I met many head of companies that seemed much more interested in talking about business. No surprise given that in those positions you find yourself not having time to play games anymore.

That mind set of asking business related questions is how I went about to conduct this interview. I had shaped my interview to ask about the growth of mobile games and what steps they were planning to do to capitalize on it. NIS America is a Japanese a company, the country that started revolutionizing mobile gaming. Mr. Niikawa graciously answered my questions about mobile, but he didn't have too much to say about the mobile industry.

I was trying to steer the interview to create a conversation about mobile when I should have been reacting to what the conversation was naturally going towards. When I started asking more about what got him into the gaming industry, Mr.Niikawa started giving much more passionate responses. His favorite game last year was Pokemon X/Y ,and he joked about how he playing it with his son turning him into a gamer. This is what I should have focused much more of interview on.

I should have been much more flexible with the questions I was asking. Since this was just a casual interview where I could ask anything of interest,  I should have asked questions regardless of his company or the markets. Granted I should talk about what his fans would want to hear, but talking to a Japanese developer about games like Final Fantasy and Pokemon is relevant and interesting to their fans.

When I was writing my article I could tell that I needed to shift focus away from the more industry based questions and talk more about just games in general. Nippon Ichi Software is a small company that focuses on its core fans, so of course they wouldn't have too much to say about the PS4 or mobile games. Their fans are core gamers, and they can't just reveal all their plans for their PS4 game this early.

Though I made mistakes, I am glad they were mistakes I could learn from. I studied business so finding myself doing journalism was not what I expected, but I am thrilled to have this opportunity to improve my communication and writing. This was a great learning experience, especially since Mr.Niikawa and Mr.Terasawa were extremely kind and actually gave me time to ask extra questions since I was the last interview of the day.

My Backlogged List of Games

The PS4 has just released in Japan and now most major markets have access to next generations consoles. This was the longest console generation for video games ever, but it also meant the biggest library of games. This is the list of backlogged games that I told myself I must finish.

The list itself is pretty big because of my time at University of California, Santa Cruz. In college it was almost impossible for me to find the time since I was so busy either studying or hanging out with friends. When I graduated the problem didn't go away since I focused on my career or hanging with friends to forget about work.

I love videogames and definitely played games to relax, but I could never really find time to play a game that required me to focus for an extended period of time. It was always only a quick round of Call of Duty or League of Legends. Now that I have a new computer built, I am coming back to the hobby that defined me growing up.

Mass Effect 2

I have always been a fan of RPG games so I know I will enjoy this game. I actually played much of the first Mass Effect and loved it. I love Science Fiction stories and Mass Effect got me hooked once I could take control of the Normandy. The trilogy is already sitting my shelf so I will make sure I at least finish the 2nd game though once I get addicted I will probably complete the whole series.

BioShock Infinite

I am not a big fan of first-person shooter single players game ever since I played Modern Warfare 2. This generation was uninspiring for me, but BioShock is different. Half-life is one of my favorite games of all time because of the setting, gameplay, and storyline. BioShock definitely delivered in that fashion so i am excited to play BioShock Infinite.

Bastion

When I first played Bastion I was completely blown away by that narrator. I fell off the side of the map and their he was explaining it. I bought it during a Steam Summer Sale on impulse but glad I did. Since it was summer I couldn’t play too much of it but without a doubt I know this is one of the games I will finish just to hear that narrator some more.

The Walking Dead

As you can tell stories are some of my favorite reasons to play video games. TV Shows are able to do things movies can’t because they are able to develop a much longer connection with the audience. The Walking Dead TV Show did that, and I hear the game was also able to make an intense story with an interactive developed connection.

Heavy Rain

I played Beyond: Two Souls and was not very impressed. That is why I need to play Heavy Rain. I love experimental story driven games and I hear nothing but amazement with Heavy Rain. I am keeping my mind open about this game, but I know I have to atleast give it a try.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

I love Batman. This game has you tactically sneaking around to defeat your enemies, solving mysteries, and fighting famous villains from the series. This game is my chance to relive my childhood, when I went home from school to endlessly watch cartoons.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Metal Gear Solid 4 was one of my favorite games on the PS3. It was one of the reasons why I bought a PS3 in the first place. The story was a great finale to the story of Solid Snake, but I also loved the story of Big Boss in Metal Gear Solid 3. Thankfully it was ported to the PS3 so I can eventually get my hands on it.

Minecraft

Minecraft is one of those games that changed the industry through design. Something about it has made it insanely popular and it was a great example of indie games at its finest. Sandbox games aren’t really my thing, but I have to try this game to truly call myself a gamer. This is a game helped shape what indie games were capable of and I must understand the magic behind it.

Why I Hate Politics

House of Cards Season 2 came out and dang was  I satisfied.  I won’t discuss storylines, so don't worry I won't spoil anything.  If you liked House of Cards Season 1 you should definitely watch the new season.  Francis Underwood is entertaining and mischievous as ever.

Though Francis Underwood is fundamental deception is why I hate politics. The tactics he uses to manipulate people are corrupt and disgusting. Granted they get things done, but at a cost that in many ways don't seem worth it.

The tactics being used by politicians right now will always be defended with it is just the political reality. This frustration I thought was portrayed in one line very well, “You ever wonder why so many people hate Washington, it is because of people like you using phrases like that.”

The deceptions used are almost never beneficial to the very people or nation that elected these powerful figures.  Some of acts are just shy of treason but as someone will say “Just shy. which is politics.”

It is one thing to witness mischievous calculations through the eyes of Francis Underwood.  It is another when it is used in real life at the cost of the people.  House of Cards is a powerful show that makes you loathe and be charmed by politics.

As an American, when I look at Washington I get so upset since the games politicians play comes at the cost of regular people trying to just provide for their families. I understand the complexity of many different ideas conflicting and causing strife , but much of the noise seem to be more about politics than differences.

My hate for politics does not transfer to the government. While I may disagree with a lot of what it does, I have seen many times the actions of many government organizations helping to make society better, such as Phoenix recently solving chronic veteran homelessness..

People have the ability to accomplish so much when they work together to solve problems. Across the America right now organizations, governments, private companies, and everyday people are working together to make this country a much better place. Its just unfortunate that politics tend to impeded that growth.

How to do a Video Game Awards Event

I will never watch another Video Game Awards show hosted by Spike because Academy of Interactive & Science just showed me how Video Game Awards Events should be done. The opening speeches by hosts Freddie Wong and Felicia Day made you feel like this show was for video gamers.

Freddie Wong and Felicia Day were both great hosts because they actually liked gaming and understood gamers.  Freddie Wong created an online TV series based on a videogame school and Felicia Day has both acted in video games and well just watch her streaming with Day[9] and you will understand why she was chosen.

All the comments and all the jokes were done in a way that made sense to the audience that was watching.  It wasn’t just the gaming community but the online community in general.  The hosts understood the visceral online community and used that to their advantage when pointings jokes at the Twitch steamers watching the event live. I can take jokes pointed at me especially when it is witty and true.

This event was also about appreciating the many great games developed.  Games have become such an artist form of entertainment that even though I personally thought The Last of Us deserved all those nominations I could totally see why someone would think other games deserved it.

Gamers are probably the most passionate fans in the entertainment industry.  We interact with our medium more than any other art form.  While all forms of art are absolutely amazing, the ease of interacting with games creates such strong connections  for so many people.

What makes gaming so amazing is that we shape our experience.  A director , writer, or musician have a path they want to take you on.  For many games that path given is much more a garden to play in.  While the garden may a controlled environment it is still at our discretion on how to interact with.

D.I.C.E. Awards did what a Video Game Awards Event is suppose to do and made me feel like love for video games mattered, by appreciating the developers that worked so hard to perfect the art and the games themselves.  While video games are not bringing world peace, one only needs to look at the Roman Colosseum to understand the importance of games and entertainment in society.

The Romans were able to built the longest Empire known to history, because they knew people needed more than just food and protection.  Though the Colosseum was also built by slavery, corruption, and death, but that is a totally different discussion altogether.

My Predictions for Gaming in 2014

2014 will be an amazing year for gamers. Last year saw amazing growth in the mobile industry, release of two new consoles, and tons of great games. This year will be a continuation of the many trends that has been happening in the years before. Even with the recent new consoles and technology I think this year will not have too many surprises. Though there will be a ton of great new content.

Continued Trends in all Markets

Growth in all the markets will stay relatively the same.  Consoles will see steady growth but hampered from a transition period.  Since many core consumers on old generation consoles will hold out on a lot of purchases until they get that next generation console.  New consoles will have a great year but lack of backwards compatibility will hurt software sales at least for one more year.

Mobile games will see a increase in sales with even more big publishers joining the market.  Blizzard joining the mobile market with Hearthstone will show the gaming industry how important mobile is.  When released on iOS and Android expect it to top the charts for years.  This will cause other studios with large resources to think about releasing more than just small titles for the  mobile market.

Indie, Free-to-play, Console, PC, and Mobile will all continue to see growth across the globe.  All the trends will still be relatively the same.  The markets that saw tremendous growth will still see it for atleast another year and markets that only saw modest will continue to see that as well.

Declining Markets Will Continue to Decline

That also means markets that have seen declines will continue to see declines. Thats right Elder Scrolls Online I am looking at you.  Though, Elder Scrolls Online will probably sell well and have a good amount of subscribers.

Subscription based massively multiplayer role playing games have been in decline.  Free-to-play mmorpg are many times just as fun and have the ability to reach a much wider audience.  BioWare could not make Star Wars: The Old Republic to work with subscription model and they had the experience of BioWare and brand of Star Wars.

That said when Elder Scrolls Online releases, the amount of consumers joining subscription based mmorpgs will not help increase the market.  Subscriptions in the overall market will continue to decline throughout the year though.  The amount of growth Elder Scrolls might bring to the market won’t offset the amount of unsubscriptions from other games that will happen.

Oculus Rift will Not Change the Industry...Yet

I got to try Oculus Rift and I thought it was really cool.  When it is released this year I believe it will do alright. I just don't think it will change the tech world just yet.  It by far has the potential to change gaming as we know it but it is missing one very important piece.

The only major problem I see hurting Oculus Rift with the first year it is released is the lack of content.  There will be a ton of content no doubt, but with the release two new consoles many core consumers will be spending their cash on a gaming machine they know they want.

Content is what drives the success of any device and Oculus Rift will have a hard time acquiring enough studios to provide them with it initially.  The first year it is released don’t except the any more support than what the PS4 and Xbox One got for their launch day releases.

Steam Machines will Not Change the Industry...Yet

Value attempt to change the living room with the Steam Machines will not happen this year.  Value is a great company with the knowledge and experience to pull off such an ambitious task but they are going into this fight an uphill battle.

There is already so much competition in the living space from competitors in the gaming market, to even the televisions themselves wanting to be the only device in the living room.  What will make the Steam Machine succeed is the features it can provide that other devices won’t be able to.

Value is entering this fight with many advantages, such as support from the PC gaming community, ability to upgrade, and AAA list content from their own studios.  We will see though if this device resonates with the casual family living room market because they will need them.  The core market already has a built PC or console.

PlayStation Now will Not Change the Industry...Yet

PlayStation Now will not change streaming yet.  Yes this is a common theme but hey I think it is true. Until technology of mobile devices have internet reliable internet speeds that our home broadband does, streaming video games will.

If Sony wants to make PlayStation Now succeed they will make this work in Japan first.  Japan has the infrasture for mobile devices to stream PS3 quality games.  It is a great place to test out out what features needs to be added.  If Japan excels at one thing better than any other country it is mobile.

Sony will also have to make sure they get enough content at an affordable price.  Depending on the pricing system and what content they can acquire PlayStation Now could disrupt how people use their mobile devices.  Though with current rate of technology, one can assume they won’t change mobile gaming just yet.

An Amazing Year for Music

Last year was an amazing time for music and it was shown at the Grammys.  This years Grammy saw so many amazing acts, tributes, and most importantly appreciation of the wonderful art of music.

From performances from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to Daft Punk, music and the emotion it can bring to people.  Daft Punk’s performance with Stevie Wonder was a powerful display of where music has come from and where it is now.  Music can evolve over the years but can still meld together.

Queen Latifah was an fantastic host and the wedding ceremony was absolutely amazing.  Music has the power to change society, just look at what rock ‘n’ roll, blues, jazz, gospel, and hip hop has done to the world. Through society darkest moments, music has always been one of the great art forms to help guide us.

People can talk about who should have won what, but personally I don’t think any of that matters.  What matters was the music industry got together to celebrate another amazing year of music. Music is art and art has no better, just tons of amazing for different tastes.

Here is hoping to another year of amazing music.

League of Legends Season 4 is here!

League of Legends Season 4 is now here in America and Europe. What an exciting year it has been for League after a very successful Season 3. Riot saw League grow to such amazing heights that it sold out Staples Center in just hours. I know I always bring up that fact but it is important to understand this is the place where the Lakers play. What more to show the growth of eSports than having the finals in the largest Los Angeles indoor sports arena.

As someone who has played League of Legends before they even had seasons I am amazed and proud at its success. In fact I have been playing MOBAs since the days of Warcraft III with Dota. Spirit Breaker and Bounty Hunter were my types of hero back then when it was all about the carries. As a community and as a game Riot has created a product that continues to evolve for the fans.

Season 4 for saw changes in the meta of the game with much attention to junglers and supports. Personally I have always preferred to play characters that helped the team such as tanks, crowd controller, or healers. Sona was one of favorite champions I ever got good with so the changes to support is really appreciated. Many support champions saw changes in their abilities and stats to balance the changes to the over game.

Changes to support are now items that are designed specifically for those a role that normally don't have access to much gold. Since their role is to support their partner in lane and giving them all the creep gold. Now there are items and masteries that efficiently helps with gold deficiencies to help supports get more items so they can contribute to their team even more. This will give supports a buff and hopefully open the door to more variety.

What also changed is now that warding is a team effort.  Each champion is only allowed to place three sight wards and one vision ward on the map. That way it is not all up to the support to provide vision of the map. This makes having vision of the map much more team focused and strategical. Each time will only be allowed at most 15 wards and many champions won’t have the gold or room.

What hasn't changed is how the game is still really inaccessible for anyone that doesn't have four friends to play with. The online world can be a harsh community that is amplified when teamwork and skill is required for winning.  This problem is not limited to just League but any community where you are paired with strangers and anonymity is allowed. All Riot can do is reduce reasons the most common reasons teammates would be angry at each other.

One can’t talk about Season 4 without talking about what is happening in the eSports scene. The first matches in America and Europe started this week. The studio where they are hosting the American series is actually in my hometown of Manhattan Beach which is really convenient. I won’t have to worry about finding a place to sleep since my parents place will always be open to me if I ever choose to come down to SoCal.

The matches themselves were very entertaining. The first match between Team SoloMid and Cloud 9 in America saw a lot of rivalry. This season Team SoloMid has a new team member with Bjergsen formerly from Ninjas in Pyjamas a European team and Cloud 9 has recruited Reginald own brother as a coach. I can't even imagine what family dinners must be like.

This season just started and Riot are still working to bring even more features. Teambuilder is a feature that lets you pick a role you want and match you up with a team. Not too much has been revealed as of yet but what is important is people getting to play the role they want. Too often has this been an argument between teammates that lead to bad games.

We all have been in those games where someone doesn't get the role they want and just leaves. It is horrible even when it doesn't happen to my team since I don't get the real practice I need. I am quite horrible too so I need the practice but against real players that give a challenge so I can learn from my mistakes.

I am personally very excited about League of Legends this season. As a support player not only will I enjoy the changes but I will also enjoy watching my favorite support professionals. This season will be about giving even more to fans across the globe. If you are into League of Legends you can expect another great year filled with amazing content, features, and amazing competitions.

"The Square" One of the Best Documentaries I Have Seen in Years

If you want to watch a movie about something astonishing that is happening right now around the world, you must watch “The Square”.  The world first watched as millions of protesters went to the streets of Egypt protesting for change in 2011.  That was only for beginning of change for something that is going to take decades.  This is the up close in the crowd perspective as this story is still being created.

The problems in Egypts are too complicated to fit into any film.  The films real focus is on the many people that are taking to the streets, risking their life, and using their voice.  You will get to see many different perspectives and different views from what happened when people first protested and had a president step down to when they did it yet again and had another president removed from office.

This is great perspective since most of us were not able to see it in person.  Even though film or news media can never truly portray what Egyptians felt during all of this since all Egyptians don’t all feel the same thing.  You will see just a glimpse of what some people went through and are still going through up close.  Still seeing through the eyes of some individuals who were so passionate about change is a fascinating sight.

“The Square” starts off with the protests that brought Hosni Mubarak to step down.  I was actually surprised how they decided not to show much the violence that occurred during the first initial uprising that killed hundreds of Egyptians.  I actually had to go home and check the order of events just to make sure I didn't confuse them.  I understand why they started on such a hopeful note though.

Millions of Egyptians for the first time in generations were able to change of course of their country.  That sight must never be forgotten because that was the first sign of hope many ever got to see for the first time.  Seeing Egyptians with different beliefs and backgrounds together celebrating and chanting for freedom.  The faces of so many people lite up with smiles and eyes filled with hope.

Though just like any human event where people that struggled for decades the aftermath wasn't going suddenly just turn everything to way millions of different people wanted.  Still nothing could prepare me for what I was about to see.  As an outsider watching years ago I knew there was violence and turmoil but it is one thing reading about it in an article or hearing a news anchor talk about it.  It is another to see people dying through the lens of a video camera.

So many astonishing moments were captured in this film that opened my eyes even more.  The film tries to build a connection to some of the revolutionaries as you hear them speak directly to the camera.  It adds a much more human element when you see them crying or hiding a wound when going home to visit their mother to not make them worry.

Tahrir Square is the main setting of this story since it has such a symbolic meaning to the activists of Egypt.  While most of us who watched this unfold from the outside will never completely understand what is going on, "The Square" does a great job of putting faces on those that were there at Tahrir Square.  I highly recommend this film to anyone that loves learning more about our world, because not only will you see an inspirational struggle but you will understand on a human side what is continuing to happen.

It is so saddening to hear that people are dying to try to change their country to be a better place, but also very inspiring that so many people are willing to take that risk for a better future.  From just a regular global citizen, I wish everyone in Egypt the best and hope that you will all be able to create a foundation to build your dreams upon.