Table Top Comics: New Friend

Nope, no more. I'm done. That's the end with the **** related jokes... at least for now. It's getting over used.

Sorry it took so long. I was busy doing other things.. like procrastinating. More comics upcoming, some time in the future... thankfully not related to feces. Yes people, I'm mature now, kinda.

Anyway, check out the previous comics if you haven't. Already have? Read it again for the lulz. kei bai.

First impressions: Super Smash Bros 3DS

I was lucky enough to get my hands on Super Smash Bros for 3DS's early access demo because of my Platinum status on Club Nintendo. I woke up this morning, getting ready to prepare breakfast, and I check my email and BAM! I got 4 demo codes. Needless to say, I was really surprised by this turn of events, so I immediately went to download the game, on my DS while waiting for some bread to spread itself (it didn't).

So, over breakfast, I was trying to find out how to play the total of 5 characters available to me: Mario, Link, Pikachu, Megaman and Villager, but the controls are just so god awful. I don't know whether it's just be being used to the wiimote/GC controller, or my system being a 2DS, but after around 10 games, I got really fed up with the controls and just stopped playing all together.

The graphics are impressive for this game. The way they rendered each character was cleaner than I expected. The screen is small, but I would expect that I just need to get used to the screen size of this game. But everything is pretty clear and clean.

The controls are really really bad. I mean, there was no tutorial on how to play (well, it is just a demo) so it was really had to do directional tilts, smashes, and sometimes grapples didn't toggle correctly. Bunny hopping was REALLY HARD, and I tried to do back air edge hogging with Mario, and I failed pretty hard. People on Youtube make this game look easy, but I really think that the controls are awkward.

Some notable changes to characters:

• Pikachu feels like he has a little more knockback than in Brawl, His Thunder is cleaner, but it feels smaller than before, and his alternate costumes are nothing like cosplay Pikachu's in ORAS.
•  Mario's FLUDD actually works this time! His down grab has virtually no knockback before 20%, so it feels like it's easier to combo him. However, his magic yellow cape doesn't move anymore, so his recovery is that much harder.
• Link plays the same, at least, I think. I didn't really pick him up in Brawl enough to notice much of a difference.
• Megaman and Villager are both... iffy. I gave up on both of these guys before I could really learn the controls from this game. But the Tree is OP!
• Villager's tree is insane though, but it takes a while to kick in. And his victory screen is him SHOWING OFF A FOSSIL. I MEAN YOU WIN THEN YOU SHOW OFF A FOSSIL!? HOW RUDE CAN YOU GET?

Another thing to note is that in this game, there are coins being given at the end of each match. So there will be some sort of currency included. I'm gonna go give the game another try, because everyone's so impressed with it. I just need to get used to the controls I guess, but the replay value seems like it'd be fun. But Boy am I going to miss gaming in the living room with friends over some casual Smash.

Anyways, if you want to see some gameplay, tune into this channel that's giving me some insight: http://www.twitch.tv/thejustinflynn

*I'm not the best person to talk to about technical smash haha. Sorry about that.

Uber being unfair to existing transporation companies?

If you aren't aware what Uber is, it's a ride sharing app that helps people find cheaper ways of transport, rather than relying on taxi companies. You can ride share, volunteer your car and work part time, and things like that, but is it unfair to currently existing companies due to its competitive price?

Uber has been taking the world by storm ever since it started its company back in 2009, and its growth has been huge because instead of spending maybe $35 to go to LAX from somewhere in Los Angeles via taxi, an UberX car can take the same person for around $10-$15. It's a huge price cut, and corporations are suffering because of it. And how are they trying to combat this? By enforcing regulation.

Around the world, different countries are trying to prevent the spread of Uber primarily due to not having the correct permits to operate as a business.

Here's the general gist of what's happened so far:

• Germany: Banned due to not possessing the proper permits
• Spain: Being contested by drivers, because the service is unregulated and private.
• India: Uber is apparently violating foreign-exchange laws.
• Brazil: Local government of Sao Paulo is pushing for the suspension of the service.
• Vancouver: Claims that the service is illegal due to the unregulated taxi meter.
• United States: Numerous cease and desist orders are being given out.

However, Linkedin featured an excellent article on this topic, making a point that laws are usually ruled in favor of stabilization. However, in the long run, technologies that leverage the 6 D's will win. And it so happens that Uber fulfills all of the 6D's.

Model:

• Digitized Uber digitized the user experience by making its service via a smartphone app. Everything is automatic, the taxi calling, the payments, the fare split, etc.
• Deceptive to Disruptive: The company is at that stage where it's impossible to predict the future, but once we move into the automated vehicle stage, it's sure to take over the competition easily.
• Dematerialized It's easier to get a car now because it's so available. Instead of driving to places, people could use Uber instead
• Demonetized The annoying fees are gone, and tipping is eliminated (kind of)
• Democratized It's cheap, and available. A lot of people like cheap and available transportation.

Personally, I feel like Uber is only attracting so much legal attention because of how much of a threat it poses to currently existing models of transit. If Uber survives this flurry of law suits, transportation options will be forced to comply with competition. It's just like internet service providers, they always say that their service is the fastest they can provide until someone else pops up. Then your internet magically becomes faster. Except in this case, transportation may just magically become cheaper.

Table Top Comics: The Deal

Again with this ****. Hehe... get it? Well that dude certainly did. Get it even more?! No please stahp it, you're hurting my brain.

You guys saw this one coming didn't you? Wait, what's that? You didn't? Then it's probably because you haven't read yesterday's comic... how could you, man? I thought we were friends...

So check out the previous comics if you haven't, if you have, look out for more coming up.

- Kei now... bai

Table Top Comics: Nature's Call

Yeaaah... real mature I know.


So I'm just testing out different styles to see what I feel fits with me and my ideas, and so far this feels comfortable, simple enough. I gotta work out the more detailed or painterly-ish scenes. The last panel didn't do so good for me.

In other news, my term break was too short. It started last week at Wednesday, and now I'm already back in school. Amazing. I hope I can get more stuff out soon.

Haven't read the previous comics? Check them out now! Already have? Stay tuned in for another comic strip from me tomorrow... seriously tuned in? What is this, a radio station?

- Kei now... bai

A 3.5k MMR player's take on the Dota 2 6.82 suspect test

Okay, so before you all go crazy, I know already that Goblin Techies is going to be released next patch, but that isn't what I'm personally waiting for. I'm waiting for the 6.82/6.82b balance patch to help get rid of all of the Tinkers and Faceless Voids in my games. But if you need to know any news about techies, here's what you need to know:

1. He lays down mines that can damage, or cc someone
2. He suicide attacks for an obscene amount of damage
3. He gets a new ability that puts down a sign. It does nothing except for that. Seriously. (Mind games!?)

Anyways, if you don't wanna walk into random mines or whatever, just choose heroes with summon fodder, rush necronomicon, or just pick Zeus. The live patch for them should be in by next week.

Anyways, the patch notes released 4 days ago (sorry, I've been on hiatus lately due to some travel issues) is found on dotadb.gameguyz.com is still being suspect tested, but most of the changes aren't very game breaking.

Link to patch notes

Knowing how Dota generally balances everything, we can expect there to be a power creep forward for all of the heroes that have been under picked. The most notable changes here are Necrophos and Zeus, while Vanguard gains a much needed buff. Ogre Magi also gets a new multi cast x5 chance, and Pudge gets harder to kill at level 1 because they gave him 35% base magic resist. Faceless Void gets a slight nerf to Chronosphere cast range, and Tinker's cooldown on rearm is now 10 seconds.

There aren't that many huge changes, but they seem like they're just enough to turn every game into an instapick Zeus mid. Because really, Zeus was never picked before, and now if you look at his changes, HE LITERALLY BECOMES A GOD.

Zeus

-Lightning Bolt now purges buffs from any enemy hit

-Static Field now affects everyone hit by Thundergod’s Wrath regardless of distance from Zeus

-Thundergod’s Wrath will now hit invisible units

-Thundergod’s Wrath sight duration increased to 5

-When the mighty Zeus is slain, his killer is struck by the Thundergod’s Wrath 5 seconds after killing him.

I am quivering in fear from these changes, because Zeus having a purge (spell that gets rid of buffs) available to him at level 1, Thundergod's Wrath being buffed so much, and a revenge kill mechanic being introduced, it's just crazy to see how much Valve wants him to become competitively viable. Or maybe *Merlini might have requested for these changes to happen.

Necrophos on the other hand, is going to be really annoying to lane against. It's like having half of Enigma's midnight pulse on you while you're in lane. On top of that, they're increasing his sustain in mid. He was never one of those popular heroes, but it seems like he might just make a comeback with these changes.

Vanguard becomes a worthwhile item at last! It's probably worth picking up after 20 minutes now, since it adds so much more HP now.

-Bonus HP increased to 280

-Damage block increased to 50 for melee holders and 25 for ranged holders

-Damage block reworked slightly

Now has a 60% chance to block damage from creeps and a 100% chance to block damage from towers, Roshan and heroes.

The 10 second rearm on Tinker makes the hero easier to punish for failed rearms, and Faceless Void's nerf to his ultimate's range makes initiation that much harder to pull off.

There isn't that much to really comment on, since the notes are incomplete, but the announcement of All Random Deathmatch (ARDM) is a sight for sore eyes. We need a new game mode before the whole giff diretide thing happens again this year, and ARDM is the best mode ever!

Anyways, that's all for now! I'm still busy sorting out travel issues, but I thought I'd drop by and make some sort of post about the suspect tests going on in Dota 2.