Like a lot of you.. I'm a big MMORPG fan.. and unfortunately for us.. the last few years have been.. I don't want to say bad.. but stale. While we do have established titles posting slow and steady growth year after year.. https://rocablanca.net/
The way they update through their expansions and content patches typically is in that safe.. more of the same kind of way.. which doesn't always appeal to people wanting to see new worlds and ideas. Last year the only 2 notable titles we had was the barely localized dumpster fire that was Revelation Online.. And the eventual release of Albion - a game that was delayed for so long it's release came after it was playable for over a year beforehand. Looking to 2018 I spent some time and dug through the big MMORPG and gaming websites, I read listicle after listicle, I looked through press releases and watched quite a few of those.. top 10 MMORPGs of 2018 videos.. and in almost a commentary to the state of new MMORPGs - 80% of the games on these lists have no chance of coming out this year - 2018 is going to be just as dry as last year.. with only 2 notable games coming out this year.. of which they both have red flags. Those games are Bless Online and Crowfall. I don't want to spend a ton of time on each.. but in the near future as they get closer to launch I will cover them more, in depth and better informed. Bless Online represents a formulaic theme park game. Much of it's feature list - of dungeons and raids, small and large scale PvP, dual faction, holy trinity.. fantasy setting.. its familiar. I've played the game myself and there is no real draw or thing Bless seems to do really well or better than other games.. besides just showing up this year and not looking like some weird indie throwback to the 90s - combine this with an MMORPG audience that just wants something new as the last real new themepark game released above some arbitrary threshold of quality was probably Elder Scrolls Online or Wildstar in 2014. However.. red flag.. this game has done poorly, bordering on failure.. in 3 other regions, Korea- Japan and Russia. In the process of localizing it for our region - they are performing a revamp to performance and combat as they are largely understood to be garbage in both the original release of Bless and the Bless Rebuild, Japanese revamped version. So maybe the 3rd rebuild of the game or the 4th region is the charm.. Bless is a game that success for them will be an uphill battle even if they make combat feel not terrible- that will gets a shot because there really is nothing else.. if they don't muck up monetization I could see this game being quite interesting for a few months until content hunger dictates a lot.. and then it's up to post content release cycles.. but a lot of details are in the air.. but it's soft release- which because there are no wipes and they are charging.. is basically it's release - is coming next month.. I guess we'll see soon. The second game.. is Crowfall. It's tough to do this game justice in a quick summary. Suffice to say - Crowfall plays with the idea of what an MMORPG can be.. it's a conflict driven, player vs player first game.. you join campaigns that are almost like matches.. if I had to compare it to other games.. it's like a longer, more fleshed out version of a battleground or a WvW type experience- where you are fighting other players over territory and forts and keeps- and with your group, guild and faction you - set out to win the campaign which can have drastically different rule sets and victory conditions from other campaigns. These campaigns exist as temporary things that you choose between.. that work to complement a permanent world, or permanent worlds.. as each player has their own, Eternal Kingdom, that they can build up, alter rules, prepare for campaigns in... and end up being almost like player run servers as you can invite others, make them public, the UI lets you have a favorite list... and in the process of building homes and castles and expanding and altering them through gameplay means - fueled by what you win or bring back with your from campaigns .. you create places that draw people in for different reasons. Do you create a trading hub.. or the equivalent to a lumberyard.. is it set up for player run PvP tournaments.. or do you just like decorating. Like I said.. it's hard to give it justice in a summary as there are a lot of really cool ideas related to Crowfall that I didn't even touch on.. but red flag, less than 8 months before they want to soft release.. a lot of it is still ideas.. and unless their testing phases have just been for testing the engine and interface and they are sitting on the actual things that make it a compelling game to play.. they need more time - even if it was just for the engine and interface.. they need more time. I've been in it's playable alphas and betas for a while- and countless other games.. and this is not a unique or contrarian opinion.
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There are lots of other cool attractions though other than West Edmonton Mall and one of them is the Space and Science Centre. Here we got to participate in all sorts of interactive exhibits, tell a robot all about our trip across Canada, and see a temporary exhibit featuring Pixar and how they make their animated movies. If you're looking for a fun and educational experience, this is the place to go.
Then we continued with fun and educational experience, driving to Drumheller, home of the world-famous Royal Tyrrell Museum, which houses more than 130,000 fossils online casino for usa players. This is an absolute must-do for anyone interested in dinosaurs. It was such a cool experience to walk around huge mounted dinosaur skeletons, learn about 3.9 billion years of history on Earth, and watch technicians prepare fossils for research and exhibitions. Whether we were admiring fossils or looking up at the world's largest dinosaur, it's easy to see why this area is known as the dinosaur capital of the world. Next we drove to Horsethief Canyon to look out over the spectacular badlands. It was so impressive to look into the canyon and see all the colourful layers of rock while imagining all of the history that this place has seen. We even hiked down, up, and over the various coolee's, and right to the bottom to admire the canyon from below. We also walked around the nearby hoodoo's, an array of sand and clay formations that have become internationally recognized icons of the Alberta Badlands. Last but not least, we drove to Calgary, Alberta's biggest city. Nestled along the Bow River, we jumped on bikes and peddled through some of Calgary's beautiful parks and iconic images, such as the stunning bright red Peace Bridge and the Wonderland sculpture, a 12-meter human head made of wire. Then we went to the National Music Center, a one-of-a-kind musical experience where we found music-related artifacts and memorabilia, a performance centre, and various interactive exhibits where we got to listen to some music, play instruments, and learn about the incredible talent that has come from Canada. Next, we wanted to learn about Alberta's history, so we stopped by the Glenbow Museum, which houses stories and artifacts from some of Alberta's most influential people, how oil & gas shaped the province, the world-famous Calgary Stampede, and a really cool exhibit on the First Nations who have lived here on the Northwestern prairies for thousands of years. After the museum, we crossed the street and went up into Calgary's iconic tower to look out over the city and the beautiful surrounding area before continuing to Heritage Park Historical Village, Canada's largest living history museum. This is such a fun way to learn about Western Canada's iconic past. We visited an old candy shop, browsed through vintage gas pumps and vehicles, walked around historical buildings, and took a ride on a ferris wheel. We also toured the Glenmore Reservoir on an old-fashioned paddle steamer and jumped on a steam powered train that took us on a scenic ride throughout the park. It felt like we had traveled back in time to see the conductor's blow the whistle and the hot steam propel the train down the tracks. This was such a cool experience and a great way to learn about some of Canada's history. Whether you're standing on top of the world in the Rocky Mountains, splashing around an indoor water park in Edmonton, looking for dinosaur fossils in the Badlands, or learning about Canada from a variety of different museums and educational centres across the province, Alberta is a great place to visit and explore. Thank you so much for watching this episode. To learn more about what we did in Alberta, as well as other provinces and territories from coast to coast to coast, visit MustDoCanada.com. We're in Alberta, our 12th and final stop on our 150 day road trip across Canada. We entered Alberta by driving through the Canadian Rockies, starting with Banff National Park, Canada's first and most visited national park. From the moment we entered the park, it's easy to see why this area is so popular.
We started with beautiful Lake Louise, a bright turquoise coloured glacier-fed Lake that attracts people from around the world. After admiring the lake from shore, we rented a canoe and paddled across the lake to get different perspectives of this beautiful place. Then we hiked through Johnston Canyon, following a scenic river to multiple waterfalls, including one that was accessible through a narrow cave. Combined with fall colours, this was a spectacular place to explore. The next day we took the Banff Gondola to the top of sulphur mountain to get jaw-dropping views of the surrounding area. whether you hike to the top of a mountain or ride a gondola, you really shouldn't miss the chance to feel like you're on top of the world. Looking down at the town, valleys, and lakes all surrounded by the Rocky Mountains Next we drove the Icefields Parkway to Jasper, Known as one of the most scenic drives in the world. Not only did we drive by mountains, glaciers, and turquoise coloured lakes but we also got to see the beautiful fall colours, adding a whole nother dimension to this spectacular highway. We also stopped at the Columbia Icefield to jump on a massive all-terrain Ice Explorer, which drove us right onto the glacier, allowing us to walk on and admire this beautiful natural wonder. Our next stop was the small scenic town of Jasper, the perfect place for exploring the area and trying delicious gourmet food. We loved admiring the Athabasca River and touring Lake Maligne, another beautiful lake surrounded by multiple mountain ranges and glaciers. Our favourite activity though was taking the Jasper Sky Tram to the top of Whistlers Mountain and hiking right to the summit, taking time to enjoy the various landscapes along the way. Thanks to clear blue skies and a recent snowfall, we were treated to some truly stunning views of Jasper National Park. After a week in one of Canada's most scenic places, we drove to Edmonton, Alberta's capital city. Edmonton is home to a number of incredible attractions, with the most famous one being West Edmonton Mall. As one of the biggest malls in the world, West Edmonton Mall feels like a city in itself, comprising a number of impressive attractions including one of the world's largest indoor water parks and one of the world's largest indoor amusement parks. We had such a fun day here, starting off with the World Waterpark. We tried each and every waterslide, including one that shoots you out into a bowl before dropping you into a pool of water and another one where you wait inside a tube for the floor to drop open beneath you. Between the slides, the wave pool, and the tubing this is such a fun place to spend the day. Next we went to Galaxy Land, where we rode the exciting Mindbender roller coaster, the world's largest indoor triple loop roller coaster. Then we got launched into the air with the spaceshot, rode the swing of the century, and bumped into each other with the bumper cars. We even played a game of mini golf. It's truly incredible how many things you can do and experience, all under one roof. An amazing way to finish up our time here in this beautiful place! After Tofino, we drove to Nanaimo, continuing our adventures on the water by fishing for salmon and crab for the first time. Not only did we catch some crab but we got to bring it home and cook it for dinner. What a fresh and delicious meal. The next day we jumped back in the water to go snorkelling with playful seals and after having them nibble on our fins, we strapped on our scuba diving gear and dove down to 60 feet to get a whole new perspective of ocean life. We saw so much interesting sea-life including wolf eels and a swimming scallop, which swims through the water when you touch it.
This was our first time diving in Canada and we loved every minute of it. Finally, to cap off our time on Vancouver Island, we signed up for a bungy jump and a primal swing experience. First we got strapped into the primal swing and swung 140 km/h through a canyon. Then we had the ultimate adrenaline rush, a 150 foot bungy jump! Strapped by the ankles, we courageously took the leap, falling towards the ground with nothing but a few thousand elastic bands keeping us safe. Words cannot describe the feeling of freedom that we felt falling through the air and the sense of accomplishment when it's all said and done. We then made our way back to Vancouver and drove to Kelowna, the largest city of the Okanagan Valley. This is one of Canada's best wine regions and a winery tour is something that you shouldn't miss. We had the opportunity to visit an organic biodynamic winery, which not only produces great tasting wines but does so in a way that's harmonious with Earth. We were so impressed with the facility and everything we learned about the various crops that can be grown in conjunction with grapes. Another thing the area is known for is Okanagan Lake, a massive 135-km long lake that dominates the valley of Kelowna and other nearby towns. To really enjoy the lake, we jumped on a boat to tour the city by water before strapping on a flyboard, utilizing the water to launch ourselves into the air. It was such a cool experience to hover over the water and even though we crashed a few times, once we got the hang of it, it was such a blast. One of our favourite activities was getting into a helicopter and getting a birds eye view of the lake, the mountains, the various wineries, and the beautiful canyons that can be found just outside the city. We loved exploring Kelowna and experiencing some of the wine culture, as well as other cool activities such as axe throwing, something we've never considered trying before. We were so surprised by how much fun it was. With our time running out in BC, we made our way East to the mountains, stopping in Revelstoke to ride the Pipe Mountain Coaster, an exciting and scenic ride that brought us down the mountain and through the forest while having fun and allowing us to take in the breathtaking views. Last but not least, we entered the Canadian Rockies, stopping at Yoho National Park to see beautiful Emerald Lake. As you can see, British Columbia has no shortage of incredible and varied scenery, attractions, nature, and adventure. We did so much and barely scratched the surface. From lush rainforests to rugged coastline, to deserts, lakes, and mountains, British Columbia is one of the most beautiful places in Canada, if not the entire world. Thank you so much for watching our British Columbia episode. To learn more about what we did in BC as well as other provinces during our 150-day road trip across Canada, visit MustDoCanada.com. 2. Chiquita Chiquita haven’t always been about a happy Latina lady balancing a bowl of fruit on her head; before 1984 they were the rather more stately-sounding United Fruit Company, and you’re about to find out why they may have wanted a re-brand. For a start, in 1928 the so-called ‘Banana Massacre’ saw striking United Fruit Company workers being slaughtered by the Colombian Army, allegedly operating under orders from United Fruit. Up to 3,000 people may have been killed. Then, over a dispute about land in Guatemala, the UFC asked the CIA to intervene, which they handled with flying colors. By staging a coup, they installed a dictator, which led to a bloody civil war that began in 1960 and lasted 36 years.
In 1974 the UFC chairman Eli Black dealt with the company’s moral shortcomings by smashing a window on his 44th floor office with his briefcase and jumping to his death. By the way, they may have changed their name, but as recently as 2004 they were fined $25 million for funding terrorist organizations in Colombia casino games my. 1. Monsanto Monsanto have been voted Most Evil Corporation and are often decried because of their use of GMO crops. But to be honest, GMO is just a technology, and one that could be used for good. Monsanto has done much worse things that supposedly playing god. The first strike? The manufacture of Agent Orange for use by the US military in the Vietnam War. The chemical was dropped from planes and designed to ‘defoliate’, or burn, all crops and vegetation that worked to the benefit of the opposition. But it burned a lot more than just that, with millions of Vietnamese people suffering from exposure to the chemical. Strike two? Since then they’ve managed to make seeds that produce their own pesticides and don’t reproduce, forcing farmers to rebuy crops year after year from them. The farmers can’t even buy from elsewhere because Monsanto artificially controls all prices in the seed market. The third and final strike? They managed to get the US government to pass the ‘Monsanto Protection Act’, which absolves them of any liability for environment or human damage. Oh by the way, remember Bayer? Well in 2016, they bought Monsanto. Got any dark secrets of your own? Share them in the comments below and maybe you can start an evil corporation together. Also check out this video here. Over 100 people were infected in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the drug was also sold in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and Argentina. In 1997 Bayer paid out $660 million in order to settle cases with over 6,000 people. 6. ExxonMobil People like oil companies even less than Big Pharma, so it’s no surprise they’re on this list. But just how bad can they get?
Well, how about detention, torture and killings? By running a natural gas extraction facility in Aceh [ah-cheh], Indonesia, ExxonMobil put themselves in the middle of a conflict between the local Acehnese’ wish for independence and the militaristic government. But of course, ExxonMobil were on the government’s side. In 1998 they were accused of supplying bulldozers and machinery to dig mass graves. In order to ‘protect’ themselves from the local campaigners, ExxonMobil started paying soldiers to work as their private security. What was known as “Exxon’s Army” resulted in a lawsuit filed by 11 civilians who claim Exxon were paying the Indonesian military $6 million a year to conduct torture and extrajudicial killings. The case is still in progress. 5. Walmart Did you know that 111 Walmart employees were killed in a fire in unsafe conditions in 2012? Maybe you knew that Walmart employs underage people? Or that Walmart pays off officials to keep all of this secret? Well, it’s all true, with the caveat that these ‘employees’ actually work in overseas factories where over 50% of Walmart stock comes from. The factory that burned down was in Bangladesh and children that provide labor actually make up the majority of international workers. In Thailand it was reported by the Guardian in 2014 that slaves were forced to work for years under threat of extreme violence. The production of Walmart’s shrimp was at the center of the debacle, with the investigation describing “large numbers of men bought and sold like animals and held against their will on fishing boats”. Those who managed to escape the boats told of 20-hour shifts and execution style killings. Bear that in mind next time you’re making some gumbo. 4. Coca-Cola It’s no secret that sugary drinks are bad for you, but what Coca-Cola does keep quiet are the shady practices behind the production of the world’s favorite soft drink. Investigative journalist Michael Blanding uncovered the “water wars” raging in India between local communities and Coca-Cola bottling plants, as well as a contamination of Indian Coke by pesticides. Blanding talks of at least three towns where water reserves have dried up shortly after Coca-Cola plants have opened - water that is not only used for drinking, but also for raising food crops. Successful campaigning managed to get a plant in Kerala closed down in an unprecedented event. Today, Coca-Cola claims to be harvesting rainwater instead of depleting reserves, but Blanding says droughts make this impractical, so it amounts to lip service. Coca-Cola’s position in India is strong and doesn’t look to be changing any time soon. 3. Nestlé A report authored in 1974 by Mike Muller was called ‘The Baby Killer’ and spoke of the horrors infants were experiencing in the less economically developed countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Babies were dying of malnutrition and diseases that were entirely avoidable. Why? Their mothers were using infant formula rather than breast milk, and Nestlé was behind this. The report talked of sales reps who were dressed up as nurses and sent into maternity wards to give out free baby formula. The International Baby Food Action Network claimed that the formula interfered with lactating, so when mothers left hospital they could no longer breastfeed. Nestlé then started charging for the formula, but mothers couldn’t afford it and so their children went hungry. Furthermore, the formula had to be mixed with water and served in a feeding bottle, both of which could be easily contaminated and cause deadly infections. As a result of these deaths, a global movement boycotting Nestlé took hold and the company’s image has never really recovered. 10 Dark Secrets Brands Don’t Want You to Know 10. DuPont In 1951 DuPont, an industrial chemical company, purchased a little known compound called Perfluorooctanoic [per-floro-okta-no-wick] Acid, or PFOA for short. At this point, DuPont was producing around 900 tons of Teflon, the non-stick coating, every year. Their new acquisition of PFOA helped improve the manufacturing process, which meant more Teflon and more money. The only problem is that PFOA is a horribly toxic chemical that causes cancer in animals and does not break down in the environment.
DuPont agreed to phase it out by 2015, when asked by the Environmental Protection Agency. This came on the back of the EPA fining DuPont $16.5 million for concealing information about health effects. One citation came in 1981 when DuPont found that pregnant members of staff were having babies with birth defects, such as facial deformities. DuPont also realized in 1991 that it had contaminated the water supply of 12,000 people. In 2015 DuPont lost a case to woman who claimed they had caused her kidney cancer. PFOA is now detectable in 98% of the US population and has been found everywhere, from household dust to popcorn. There are currently 3,400 cases awaiting court. 9. IBM IBM’s role in the Holocaust and its 12 year collaboration with Hitler’s Third Reich remained unknown until a 2001 book published by historian Edwin Black. While we know that everything from Fanta to Volkswagen was invented in Nazi Germany, IBM - an American company - sank to even darker depths. The IBM Hollerith machine, which tabulated punch cards, turned out to be central to the systematic killing of Jews in Europe. The machines tracked census information to identify the locations of populations across Europe, then - when captured - they were used to track movements on trains to and from ghettos and concentration camps. The number tattooed onto Auschwitz prisoners was their IBM punch card identification. The CEO of IBM at the time met with Hitler and the vast process could not have been maintained without support from the American offices. Two class-action lawsuits were brought against IBM by Holocaust survivors in the early noughties, but both were dropped due to legal technicalities. 8. Kids Wish Network Labeled America’s Worst Charity by the ‘Center for Investigative Reporting’, the Kids Wish Network seems to be less about helping and more about hoarding. Out of the $141 million dollars they had raised, just $3.5 million went to making children’s dreams come true - less than 2 and a half percent. So where did this money go? Well $116 million was spent on ‘fundraising solicitors’, which are run as for-profit corporations. Money also went to the founder and president - a salary of $130,000 a year and $4.8 million to companies he controlled. They also avoiding telling the IRS about financial transactions made to associates of the charity. The Kids Wish Network was founded in Florida in 1997 and originally called the “Fulfill a Wish Foundation”, which sounds an awful lot like the “Make a Wish Foundation”. They thought so too and didn’t want to be associated with this venture so sued Fulfill a Wish to make them change their name. 7. Bayer Bayer, the German pharmaceutical giant, has been behind a number of world changing drugs: aspirin, heroin, antibiotics and birth control. But, as we’ll see, it hasn’t just been curing diseases; it’s also knowingly caused them. In the 1980s they had developed drugs to help blood clotting in haemophiliacs. The medicine involved an injection with concentrate made from donated pools of blood plasma. The catch was that the blood had been taken prior to HIV testing. Over 8,000 haemophiliacs developed AIDS in the USA as a result. In response, Bayer developed a safer medicine in 1984, but continued to knowingly sell the old medicine overseas - making millions - in order to get rid of their large stock. We're going to talk about a system called wipeout wipeout, because it's got the name from wiping out all the numbers well about us, just over nearly half the numbers as we play so with this system we're betting on Streets and there's a variety of different variations we can do but to start with the first one, what we're doing we're betting on the first line, then the second line, third, fourth and fifth line, and then we well, we almost double up and if we're not successful, We stop and restart the system. Now you need to have a quite a decent bankroll. You need about at least 100 units or probably 200 units to allow for a loss, but let's go and we're going to start this variation with just betting. The first line we're actually successful there.
We started a thousand, we won 11 units, so that was luck of the draw there. Let'S read it and spin just missed that one yeah we add second bit. We add to the second street. We lost that one. Third, that we're gonna add to the third Street unsuccessful after we do the fourth Street and we lose https://www.casinoslots.co.nz/paypal-casino . We were successful with that one. We only won two units there, so obviously, as we had more streets, we're not going to be as I'm not going to win as much. Let'S go so you game start back here again. We won that one up to 19 units. Now, let's do it new game. So what happened we'll try and get deeper into the system. It'S taking too long. I'Ll just explain what we need to do last one before we double up. We actually won that one two units again and here are quite successful so far, but I want to let you know what we do if we get deeper, so that was the first bit second bit third bit fourth bit on the fifth one. We got a unit here and we double the units. So then we put two units on each total of ten units. So if we win that one, we win four units. Now, if we lose this one, okay, it's one of the higher numbers, then we don't double up. We go from two units. Well, sorry, we do we, we, we double up this bit four units, so we're betting, a total of 20 units. If we lose this, one we've actually out laid 40 40 units all up. We increase it to you can increase it by two units, but then he laning with only win two units. So if you decide to go further five six, if we do seven units, will actually win nine units if we win so it's a higher risk. But it's your choice: whether you want to put more units on there so put seven on each so betting, a total of 35 units and if we lose that's a total of 75 units, we've lost. So that's one variation. Another variation we can do is first bit on here. Do an example: we're going to ultimate same system, we're just alternating the actual streets up to five again max five streets. We won that one, let's go again, so what I suggest is you jump around with this system and vary the way you're betting, so consistently. Betting on you know one two, three four five streets, so this zero here you won that one now the third variation we can do is we can go backwards. So, let's start at the lower highest numbers in order, let's see how far we can go, we won that one okay, so going quite well, but obviously, once you lose, you lose quite high, so you have to put a stop loss in whatever you decide out. The other alternative obviously is to alternate from backwards. Okay, then we do this street this street. I'Ve got four streets now, just missed that one, this one and we double just miss, set my again putting four units on each okay last bit so do seven units. Now I can tell about 35 units, as you can see here, we just missed again now this will be the last bit. I do well, seven is actually the last bit. I would do so. You'Ve lost you lost there, but, like I said, that's the risk you take with this system you're covering five out of twelve sweat streets. So that's obviously fifteen numbers out of thirty seven numbers on a one, one: zero board, so 40 % 40 % chance of winning. But as you can see there, it did lose so again, that's not the system, but the alternative way to bet. So that's one. Two. Three four: the fifth variation is what you can do. You can actually bet on the last street. You'Ve got actually put units on, I think, and we can't double up on this roulette wheel. It'S going to show you for the exercise, but I wouldn't actually do that. I'D work out a way to get my my units back so we're betting on this street. Okay. Last bit, if it's zero, you can choose your own street if zero appears. Okay, now we're choosing this street choosing this street 15 appeared and the last trick we bet on and double zero likes to to zeroes. As you can see, and you're gonna lose on a zero. You could put one on to zero, but then you've got to modify your system and work out what you need to put on there. Okay, so that was a loser too, and let's do seven last bit see here. We go 23, so words successful there and because we lost twice it's around 7 70 odd units lost 75. But so we had some wins. That'S why it's not quite 150 but as you can see, there did lose, but it's another another variation you can use, and I don't I don't do videos where I just make it successful. As you can see there, it didn't wasn't successful, but it's another system. You could use and again it's just another system, but it's a variation of how you can bet on the streets. So thanks for watching and we'll bring out another system very soon, As a somewhat inconsistent but ravenous cardshark, I always enjoy a friendly round of Texas Hold'Em. The game of poker fascinates me, and the fact that some people have the guts to compete for thousands of dollars in exotic locales across the world adds to the daydreams that I have at the table when I'm playing against my friends. The glory of victory and the agony of defeat are sure to send a rush of adrenaline through your veins, and the World Poker Tour has made it their goal to bring all the action to you on the TV screen, usually flipped through around 3am on any given weeknight. Developers Backbone Entertainment and 2K Sports decided it would be a good idea to put you in the driver's seat through World Poker Tour for the Game Boy Advance, a game sure to bring out the inner compulsive gambler in anyone. Now to be sure, it doesn't take much to make an effective poker video game Oncasinogames.
Like I said before, the biggest thrill you should get out of it is through the game itself, a contest that focuses on making the best combination possible from your hand and the community cards. And with a game that bears the World Poker Tour name, you'll be thrust into the action from the get-go. Start a career mode, and you'll put in your name, select one of many avatars, and be turned loose with the choice of four games, Quick Draw, Casino, Satellite, and Tournament, where you will compete against the best of the best. Not only is the standard No Limit Texas Hold Em available, World Poker Tour offers Limit Texas Hold Em, Limit Crazy Pineapple, and Limit Omaha High, the last two of which I am somewhat familiar with, but nonetheless, it's a good thing that the developers wanted to offer more options to more adventurous players. The layout for each game is reflective of the layout of the TV show, a combination of red, blue, and shades of gray as the color theme, and the card font also sharing that of WPT. The distinctive noise of stacking chips, the sound of the cards flopping, the smattering of commentary from Mike Sexton, and the applause given at the end of a good hand are all that is needed. But the most important question you must ask of any poker video game where you aren't up against human players is the type of AI you'll be up against. It can be either tough or extremely easy to compete when you are a natural bluffer in real life, but when the AI is more prone to calling or raising to make things interesting, you may have to change your style as well. Still, this doesn't take away from the excitement you feel from raking in a pot worth thousands of dollars. It's not like it's a bad thing if you win a lot, right? The only thing that's really missing from WPT for the GBA is probably extra content. There's nothing like busting an opponent and seeing his reaction in real life, but due to the limited design of this game, you'll just see the word BUST written diagonally across the poor schmuck's face. WPT is worth the small amount you'll pony up for it nowadays, great for on-the-go poker action. It doesn't necessarily stand out in terms of polish, but the games move fast with no BS and will satisfy the thirst of your inner cardshark like flopping a straight draw when your opponent goes all in. Carry out an equally thorough assessment of your business idea. Write everything down, even if at this stage it’s just notes. The written word is easier to work with than thoughts, however clear and well ordered they may seem.
Here are the most important topics to consider: What are the skills of the proprietor(s)? What exactly is your product or service? What is your target market and what do they want? What do you offer that others do not? How are you going to tell your market what you offer? Who are your competitors? What are your plans for the next 3 to 5 years? How much money do you need to start and run your business? Draw up a Business Plan It is worth working hard on this even if you are going down the independent consultant route. Time spent now will stand you in good stead for the future. Think of your plan as a business CV writer. It’s not for the Bank (although they will certainly want to see something if you want to borrow money from them) it’s for you. Prepare a realistic cash flow projection Then one for a worst case scenario and one for a best. It is difficult to anticipate sales and income before you start but try. Then carefully record actual figures when they occur to help planning the next year. Tip - Take a weekend off once a year - find some peace and quiet, and carry out a thorough assessment of what you have achieved over the past year, what went right; what could have gone better; and then plan what you are going to do over the coming year. Research and preparation Talk to lots of people who are in self-employment (not necessarily in your field). Talk to banks, accountants, business advisors. Don’t be too proud to talk to people who’ve done it before. Read lots of books on business and self-employment. Research your target market and product/service area. Acquire the skills you may need. Tip It’s not usually a good idea to undercut your competitors prices. Customers will think you’re cheap and offer a poorer service. Price yourself realistically but towards the top end of the market. Support services Just about the biggest difference between working for a company and working for yourself (apart from who gets the money) is that when you’re on your own there is no-one to do all the nitty-gritty things no-one thinks about until they have to do them for themselves. Your PC breaks down, you’ve got to get yourself a screwdriver and anorak and fix it yourself, or pay someone else to do it for you. So, get your support team together: Bank manager. - Often surprisingly helpful and they’re all competing to get your business. Accountant. - find one that deals with your type and size of business. Get them to help you set up your books and finances then you can do much of the work yourself. If you turn up at the accountants once a year with a carrier bag full of receipts, crumpled invoices and a bag of mixed change, your accountant is likely to charge you a small fortune to sift through it all. Secretarial services. - If you cannot type or use a PC or are very busy/lazy. A business buddy. - It gets lonely on your own, so find someone else in business (preferably not yours) with whom you can exchange ideas, moans and celebrations. |
AuthorBen Wilson is author of Edu Blog, where primarily we will discuss famous books and their authors. Ben studied at Stanford University. He is a teacher of History in High School. Ben also writes book review for ThePaperGuide Platform. ArchivesCategories |