Free time is an opportunity for me to have fun. In short, play games. I’ve already outgrown most games, and I seldom play anymore. I’ve un-installed, packed, and stored most of my game CDs. But still, on my free time, I manage to play a game or two.
Audition Online
The only ‘big’ game (1.4 GB) installed in my PC, until now, is Audition Online. Take note that it is a casual game, and no long hours of playing or quests is needed. It is an online dance battle, wherein you just dance to win. The game is very simple, you only have to follow the arrows with a key press, then make your move. It’s simple to play, but it’s not that easy.
Here is a sample screenshot of the game. This is choreography mode with 4 keys, meaning 4 directional arrows. Also this is not my main character, since I use a female avatar.
I took the screenie while on replay mode.
I usually spend an hour playing this game, and a max of up to 6-8 hours during weekend when I don’t do anything. And yes, after that long straight hours, my hands are shaking from exhaustion.
PMOG
If I calculate the most hours I spend in a day, or even a week, my top activity would be browsing the Internet. And while using my favorite browser, Firefox, I’m actively online on PMOG. Yep, the online game that uses your browser and the websites you visit as a game. If you don’t know what is PMOG, you can read my post at Tambayan.ph.
Ok, so my current status on the game:
After playing PMOG for 22 days, ryman, who is keeping his or her particulars a secret, is a level 2 Pathmaker with 2508 datapoints and 2308 datapoints earnt.
Right now, I only need 692 datapoints to reach level 3. That means I have to visit nearly 700 websites, or about half of that if the website I go to is a top level domain.
I’ve already have 6 badges, and by tomorrow I should get another 3 because this is my fourth week in visiting the required websites to get it. I’ve also made 1 mission, since it’s required to level up. I’m still trying to become a seer, since I want that affiliation. I don’t know why my association keeps changing.
If you want an invitation to PMOG, I can give you one, just post a comment here and leave your email.
Tongits
Another new game in my PC is Tongits. Read my post regarding Tongits at Tambayan.ph and how to get it.
If you like playing card games in your PC then try Tongits. The opponent’s AI is well-balanced. You won’t know if the cards you get will make you win, lose, or worse get burned (sunog). I have to warn you though, the game is addictive, and I can’t stress this enough. I mean, when I’m writing a blog post or just reading my RSS feeds, I keep alt-tabbing to the game. The longest time I’ve played it straight is almost 4 hours, without saving or quiting.
The game is fun and the outcome is sometimes surprising. Even if you have a good set of cards you can still lose, and vice-versa. The only draw-back about the game is, it uses a lot of memory. Although it’s not really a problem because I don’t notice any slow downs, the memory jumps from 1mb up to 70mb. I’m thinking maybe because it uses Adobe AIR.
I also gave my friend a copy of the free trial game. I know he too will get addicted. Haha.
Rubik’s cube, Quartet, puzzles
Besides computer games, I’m also into puzzle games. Two of my puzzles have already been solved. I’ve already mastered the 3×3 cube, no more notes and my hand is a little faster. But not as fast as those speedcubers. I have yet to beat my 3 minutes (that is using a hard to rotate cube).
I recently saw a 2×2 and a 5×5 version of the cube, and was thinking if I should get one. Another challenge eh?
That’s the games I spend most of my free time. Not to mention the 1,000+ Java games I have here waiting to be installed on my mobile phone.
I’m also waiting for (my most favorite game) Grand Theft Auto 4 to arrive. My trigger fingers are itching to kill, maim, and run over the peds.
Tags: Audition Online, free time, games, gaming, PMOG, puzzle, Tongits
The Factory Balls game is simple, just create a ball with the same shape and color that looks like the box shown. You can drag and drop the balls into various tools above the box. The game is easy and can be completed by a 5-year old. It only has a few levels, but it’s fun nevertheless.
(this screen shot is the last level of the game)
Click here to play the game (opens in a new window)
Tags: bonte games, factory balls, flash games, games, puzzle
Yes!!! Finally after almost a month in storage, I finally solved one of the hardest puzzle in the Cast series.
Today was our yearly year-end family reunion. It was a tradition in our family and relatives to gather every year, and was observed since I was still a kid and my grandparents are still alive. Before I left the house, I thought to bring my cast puzzle, Quartet, so I have something to do at the reunion. I never really socialize with my other relatives and mush prefer to watch at the TV or do something.
So then and there, I started tinkering my puzzle toy. After a couple of tries and re-tries, since my cousin(s) kept borrowing my toy and trying it out for themselves, I finally solved it. After about an hour or two, the first of the latches was released and followed by the other three.
Hehe. I was so happy, even my girlfriend (whom I invited to our family reunion) congratulated me for conquering this mind bending little metallic object. So I immediately got my phone to take a photo of this momentous event. Hehehe.
After separating the puzzle pieces, I tried to put them back together, which until now (as I’m typing this) haven’t had any success in putting it back in its original state. But at least I solved the 3rd part of the puzzle. Which is to form all the 4 pieces into a solid square.
YES!
The other day while I was looking for something to do, I stumbled upon my Rubik’s cube. Yup, the one lying in the corner of my room collecting dust. That’s when I remembered that a friend of mine ask me to download some videos at YouTube. It was videos on how to solve Rubik’s cube, so I searched my hard drive to find it. I got at least 8 videos downloaded, but only two (1, 2) were worth watching.
I can already solve 1 and 2 layers of the cube beforehand, but to finish the cube I have to learn the algorithms used by cube solvers so I can finish it up. So I practiced while watching the video, and also taking down notes. I tried scrambling and solving the cube many times, so I can perfect the moves by using the algorithms.
Although I can now solve the cube, the next thing I should do is memorize this algorithms so I wouldn’t look stupid solving the cube with a paper in hand. 
(my handwriting sucks because I stopped using pens and papers when I was already in college. hehe)
Tags: cube, games, puzzle, puzzle cube, Rubik's Cube, rubix
Yesterday at MOA, I bought two puzzle games to play around in my spare time. I wasn’t actually planning to buy one, but one incident led to another and… you get the picture. Anyhow I decided to look around at the National Bookstore branch there to see if they have a stock of TaleCraft. But unfortunately after almost an hour searching, I still couldn’t find that elusive story-telling-game. As I was at the cashier’s line, I noticed this puzzle game at one of the shelves. I took one and bought it then and there.
Dilemma Games (299.75 php @ National Bookstore)
The objective of the puzzle is simple, just remove the rightmost ring attached to the object. Of course, you don’t need to use hammers or pliers to twist and turn it because that would be cheating. The game also includes a solution inside the box, but I didn’t dare to even open or look at it because if I do, I’ll just be wasting the money I bought for that game.
I took a picture of it before and after I unboxed it. After that I started tinkering with the object, as I wasn’t planning to solve it yet. But as luck would have it, after much twisting and turning, the ring came off. Ok so much for the 300 bucks, gone in less than 3 minutes.
After that, I called it a level zero puzzle, that I think even a 5 year old can solve. Moving on…
After my girlfriend and I left National Bookstore, I decided to go to Powerbooks to search for that elusive TaleCraft. I know that these are the only stores that sold that particular game, so I usually search for it in every mall I went. But then we passed by this store with a lot of toys in their display window. I was curious of course, not for the toys, but I wondered if I could find what I was looking for in there.
Inside the shop I came upon another one of these puzzle, this time it was more professional looking. It was packaged properly, it was die-casted and has a metallic coating, and costs more. I remembered seeing it the first time at the Podium when this girl showed it to me, got a sample, and asked me to try and solve it. I never thought I would see this puzzle again.
Cast puzzles (525.00 php @ Hobbes and Landes)
The same objective is required in this puzzle, you just have to separate each of the four ‘latches’ that formed the puzzle itself. Easy enough? Not really. This is a level 6 puzzle and the hardest of all the puzzles. The puzzle name is Quartet, from the Cast series. The series contains puzzles that ranges from level 1 to level 6. Simply put, level 1 puzzles are the most easiest and level 6 are the most hardest. Wonder why I bought the hardest? I’m not really expecting to solve this puzzle easily, but the reason is that, I get more out of the money I spent to buy this thing. So I can say sulit talaga.
You can see at the back of the box that there are three ways of doing the puzzle. It looks small, but I tell you it’s really not that easy. I was fascinated by these kinds of puzzles that I’m planning to buy all the Cast series for the reason of collecting and solving them. They also have a website, but I dare not visit it ‘coz of the fear that I may see a solution there…
Anyway, I started playing around with the puzzle earlier today, and even my friend got hooked at it and was playing it for the last couple of hours. He did eventually gave up after about 4 hours, for fear that he might get insane or something. Hahaha.
With all these puzzles, I still haven’t mastered the cube which is sitting idly in the corner of my room.
