The Jon Venture

On Saturday, January 9, 2010, SFX-360.com will be hosting yet another All-Nighter gaming event on Xbox Live, this time taking place in the role-playing shooter Borderlands. 2K Games and Gearbox Software has melded together the fast-paced action found in a marquee first person shooter with the progressive growth and addictive looting of an RPG to create one of the best new games in recent memory, and a favorite among the SFX-360.com community and staff members.

In Borderlands, gamers play as one of four mercenaries in search of the legendary Vault, where vast riches supposedly wait for those brave enough to find it. Since the initial release of Borderlands in October 2009, two sets of downloadable content have also been released: The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned and Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot. Zombie Island brings together the humor and style of the core Borderlands experience back from the dead as the questionable practices of a doctor corrupt an entire island full of workers for the Jakobs weapon manufacturing company. Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot introduces more storage spaces and a brand new horde mode to Borderlands, as progressive waves of enemies and constantly changing combat rules beat down on gamers.

Sound like a fun time to you?

If your answer is “Yes, I would love to become a moving scratching post for blood thirsty bandits and monsters!”, then you have serious issues to be resolved. You’re also exactly what we’re looking for in a mercenary- slightly mad and trigger happy. If this will be your first venture into Borderlands, you might be hesitant to jump to the frontlines. No worries, as we’ve compiled some tips for novice Vault hunters:

1. Don’t forget your undies.

Basic rule for every game, but you’d be surprised how many would-be adventurers forget the simplest of things. Make sure you have enough ammunition and recovery items in your inventory each session, as you will become a paperweight if you can’t take down enemies with the rest of your party. Certain class mods in Borderlands provide ammo and health regeneration, so make sure you have one just in case. Shields can also provide health regeneration in addition to their extra defensive bonus. Going commando may help in certain situations, but Borderlands isn’t one of them.

2. That’s not a knife. This is a knife.

Don’t forget your weapons in the first place. In general, carrying one of each weapon type is recommended as different situations favor the use of different weapons. It doesn’t matter if your weapon proficiency in sub-machine guns is at zero; a Combustion Hellfire has saved many a struggling party. In the second dlc for Borderlands, Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot, Moxxi’s Maxims in between waves make certain weapons less effective than others, so I recommend keeping that combat rifle in your backpack even if it is still in the shrink wrap. Also, mistaking someone as a thief when you actually left your favorite corrosive shotgun in your storage bank disrupts the game. Don’t be rude and get yourself shown up, or simply kicked.

3. Paper, Rock, Scissors, Lizard, Spock.

You’ve known the rules since grade school, and the same concepts apply in Borderlands. There are four elemental weapon types aside from standard bullet damage from guns: fire, electric, corrosive, and explosive. Fire is effective against enemies without shields, primarily skags and bandits. Electric weapons are effective in removing enemies’ shields quickly, as with the Eridian alien race. Corrosive weapons work great against baddies with heavy armor, including the Crimson Lance soldiers, Alpha Skags, and a majority of the Spiderants. Explosive weapons are effective against enemies in groups, as the splash damage from an explosion can cause damage to other targets besides the one you aimed at. Also, if you see an enemy charging at you that is already on fire, your fire weapons will actually be ticking him. You don’t put out fire with fire, except for controlled fires.

Wait a sec…

4. Who’s your buddy?

Firefighters have the right idea here: operate as a single unit to maximize effectiveness and safety. If that group of Crimson Lance soldiers taking aim at your left pupil seems like a daunting task, don’t forget that Borderlands features a seamless 4 player co-op drop-in, drop-out system. No matter which of the four classes you’ve chosen to level up, be it a Hunter, Siren, Soldier, or Berserker, there is a complimenting class for your situation that holds the strategic key to success. If you’d rather bypass the whole strategy idea, don’t forget that a bad guy can’t shoot you while he’s shooting your buddy, not directly anyways. If a mercenary comes running your way after receiving an acid shower, just keep your distance until he’s safe to revive. In the meanwhile, take a few extra shots with your favorite boomstick and finish the job. When you win, all members of your party win, which brings us to the most important item on the Borderlands All-Nighter checklist:

5. Have fun.

No quotes, no funny catchphrases. This is a game after all, so remember that the main reason we’re all here is to have fun. Be kind to your fellow gun toting mercenary, as they may be your only saving grace when you’re bleeding out in the sand. You’d think this would be an obvious idea to keep in mind, but the looting system in Borderlands doesn’t favor the slow or kind gamer. If a rather powerful item drops from an enemy or appears in a chest that catches your eye, courtesy is the best way to obtain it. Don’t flip out if you miss your opportunity for a gun with better stats than your own; there will always be a better gun. Relax, have fun, and aim for the critical shot.

The checklist we’ve covered for the Borderlands All-Nighter encompasses some of the basic etiquette any gamer should employ while online, as well as a few game-specific tips while exploring Pandora. When you’re ready to join in the fun, remember to send us a friend request or simply hop in an ongoing game this weekend. SFX-360.com’s Borderlands All-Nighter will be this Saturday, January 9^th, 2010, from 6pm to 6am EST on Xbox Live.

Hope to see you there!