A Little Bit Jaded About Jade Empire

© 2005 – 2008 Associated Content
572 Words

Jade, such a pretty color. Empire, so much power behind that word. Put them both together and what do you have? A very short game. Jade Empire to be exact made by BioWare. They are the same makers of Baulders Gate, Never Winter Nights, and many more games including Jade Empire.

This game has all the bells and whistles that any RPG game should have, but on the other hand so much game play is missing. This game was beat within fourteen hours. See what I mean.  I don’t want to be totally down on this game though so I will share with you the unjaded part of Jade Empire. This got great ratings from places like Gamespy.com, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, Playboy.com, Game Zone, and the Daily Cardinal.

Game Spy quoted, “BioWare combines excellent storytelling, exciting combat, and gorgeous visuals to create the best RPG ever to hit the Xbox.” It also received awards by IGN as game of the month, April 2005. Game Critics nominated it as the best role playing game of 2004.

So why are you wondering, is this a bad game? It’s not that it’s a bad game. It has outstanding graphics, great imagination, and is one of those games where you lose track of time while you’re playing. Hours or even days go by without your knowledge because you’re so engrossed in its awesome play. The graphics make it look so real. The grass flows in the wind as if you were really there in the field running through it. You can choose a character of your choice. They each have their own special abilities. There are many hidden things in Jade Empire as well.

Easter Eggs for example are everywhere. Easter Eggs aren’t exactly what they sound like. They are special secrets that are unlocked if you do particular things within the game. The controls are very to master once you’ve played the game for at least ten minutes or so. Your Chi, the blue bar is what keeps you being able to replenish your health; that’s the red bar. The yellow bar is your focus. That is what helps you to slow down the fighting per say and it is also what your melee weapons use such as your long sword or any other special weapon you may pick up along the way.

Another great part of this game is you don’t have to spend all your time reading what they are saying. They characters speak every word which is something fairly new in the gaming world. There are a few that you may have to read because the characters aren’t speaking in English, but it’s all worth it when you get sucked into the game. 

There are even puzzles to complete so it’s not just straight fighting the Lotus Assassins all the way through. You will have puzzles and side missions as well. Leveling up is quite easy within this game. As you level up you will get to add points to particular fighting moves and weapons that you have acquired. You also get to choose your own path whether it is a good path or a bad path; sort of like you do in Knights of the Old Republic. This is a great game if only it were longer. But it is a game worth playing over again and again with different characters. It’s not the same game twice.

Learn a Bit About Rock Gardens

© 2005
Published on Gardening Know How Written under my other Pen Name.
393 Words

Do you want to beautify your front or back yard? Possibly raise your property value or just relax and escape the pressures of daily life? Rock gardening is a great way of accomplishing any or all of these goals. Rock gardens are an easy way to make any yard more welcoming, and it doesn’t require all that much work. You can design your rock garden to be any size and shape or as simple or elaborate as you’d like. You can create a beautiful rock garden with flowers, foliage, ponds, waterfalls, and of course, let’s not forget about the rocks.

Rock gardens, also known as Alpine Gardens, began in the British Islands. Travelers who visited the Swiss Alps spread these gardens in the beginning of the twentieth century. They were so impressed by the exquisite qualities of the flowers and the foliage that they started to grow them in their homelands.

In the 1890s the rock garden designs found in the Royal Botanic Gardens in England had finally made their way to North America. The first one was found on the grounds of Smith College. It was a small reproduction of those found in European countries. Since then, they’ve been found in residential front and back yards as well as businesses throughout America.

When designing your rock garden, it is good to choose rocks that are native to the area that you are creating your garden in. It will give your rock garden a more naturally beautiful look. Try to find rocks that have a settled look to them and not ones that look like they were placed there on purpose.

The flowers and foliage for your rock garden should always be varieties that grow exceptionally well in your area. Plants that thrive in very warm climates shouldn’t be planted in colder climates. Also check the zone charts to find out when the appropriate time to plant your flowers.

A rock garden can also raise the value of your property. Potential homebuyers may think of your rock garden as great place to sit and relax with a book or a loved one after a hard day’s work. Rock gardening is not only good for your property but also for your soul. It is a rewarding and enjoyable pastime for a lot of people who want to escape from the pressures of daily life.