impulse
tech
hole
game
suck
massive tech
yuge tech
hintelligence
splurge
gangly
the tapped keggles
boon taste
the wifey
chub factory
knife and fork
fork and knife
slick pickle
split
riptide
aqua
99bottles of blog
dynamite shit
explosionbeer
fire and beer
poostini alfredo
poonstain
taint hole
post world
YO technology shit fire.com
shit fo free
bloggish
theishish.com
massivehintelligence.com
boontaste.com
brainlog.com
titty butt crunch
Friday, September 7, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
StrangleShock!
Alex is getting back in to the gaming world. I'm now working at gamestop so woo hoo for the ability to check out any game i want for 3 days for absolutly no price! huzzah!
So Games that i'm definately buying??
Stranglehold
and Bioshock
two completely different games but both are bad ass. Played the demo, and they are both really fun and really epic. Stranglehold will be a fun 3rd person shooter that is somewhat linear but that isn't a problem i need a new max payne. Bioshock is a more epic first person story that is amazing in presentation. It takes place in an underwater world called rapture and everything is fucked down there because of all the genetic code manipulation that they did on the people who lived there. I'm excited for both games and when i get working at gamestop i'm going to check out some older titles that i've been wanting but refusing the price.
StAy TuNeD!
-alex
So Games that i'm definately buying??
Stranglehold
and Bioshock
two completely different games but both are bad ass. Played the demo, and they are both really fun and really epic. Stranglehold will be a fun 3rd person shooter that is somewhat linear but that isn't a problem i need a new max payne. Bioshock is a more epic first person story that is amazing in presentation. It takes place in an underwater world called rapture and everything is fucked down there because of all the genetic code manipulation that they did on the people who lived there. I'm excited for both games and when i get working at gamestop i'm going to check out some older titles that i've been wanting but refusing the price.StAy TuNeD!
-alex
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Hijack this an uh...
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial42.html
Check out this great tutorial on using Trend Micro's Hijackthis, a program for deep-rooted spyware removal. I reccomend this for people comfortable fixing their own problems, which should be everybody. Seriously, just back up your shit and dig in! Remember, you can always just clean install.
Check out this great tutorial on using Trend Micro's Hijackthis, a program for deep-rooted spyware removal. I reccomend this for people comfortable fixing their own problems, which should be everybody. Seriously, just back up your shit and dig in! Remember, you can always just clean install.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Tragedy - The Death Of Boon?
Have we another Chernobyl on our hands? What divine ending have we fallen on ?
Or is it that we're all to busy to boon...
Death becomes us in the summer.
Revitalize us for the fall.
Reviews will come.
Boon will live again.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Dilution of what?!
Lately I've been reqaing and hearing some scary talk amongst gamers. Gamers have always been some of the more reclusive people you will ever come across. Hell, at one prospective college last summer I was informed of a reward system for the Computer Tech. students when they actually left their rooms to socialize. Still, when I began reading post after post, dissing the Nintendo Wii for its supposed "dilution of the gamer way" by "marketing to the soccer moms and elderly" I wasn't easy to calm down. Like....Brig. Gen. Jack D. Ripper talk? I thought people were beyond this.
Starting from the beginning, I'm 19 years old and attend an art school. I make no claims to be a future programmer or the biggest gamer on the planet. I can, however, assure you I have played a LOT of games. Not only have I played a lot of games, but I have reviewed them, written basic mods for PC games, and owned a majority of the consoles since NES. In this way I feel I represent somewhere between an experienced gamer, to perhaps even an excessive one.
That being said, to tear into Nintendo for trying to develop games that appeal to the masses is to insult the very premise of gaming: having fun. If you've ever tried to convince your non-gamer friend, parent, girlfriend, or grandparent to play with you, it should be obvious why gamers shouldn't feel threatened by these new releases. Its fun to play with everyone, not just your usual gamer friends. The truth is Nintendo was straightforward about it intentions from the beginning: gaming is for everyone. No one was lied to, betrayed, or mislead. Unlike 360 and PS3, the Wii has never focussed on graphical superiority, processing power, or a first-person based "system champion". Instead the Wii relies on a much older and more tried theory: having fun is for everyone.
For those who felt betrayed right from the beginning I say, quite frankly,lighten up. There is no such thing as "dilution" of gaming culture due to the Wii. This is exactly what the Wii is all about, allowing multiple types of person to have their own personal experiences with the system and with games in general. Worry not, little extremists, you are safe from the evil normies. You will not change your gaming lifestyle just because theres a hundred soccer moms out there playing Wii sports, and trust me they will probably never buy a 360 no matter how much they enjoy playing Wii. For now my advice to all those who feel Nintendo left them at the altar: instead of shooting down games designed to appeal to everyone, go buy one and play. My prediction is you'll have fun, and might even get a chance to convince someone other than your usual friends to hop on board and play a round with you.
Starting from the beginning, I'm 19 years old and attend an art school. I make no claims to be a future programmer or the biggest gamer on the planet. I can, however, assure you I have played a LOT of games. Not only have I played a lot of games, but I have reviewed them, written basic mods for PC games, and owned a majority of the consoles since NES. In this way I feel I represent somewhere between an experienced gamer, to perhaps even an excessive one.
That being said, to tear into Nintendo for trying to develop games that appeal to the masses is to insult the very premise of gaming: having fun. If you've ever tried to convince your non-gamer friend, parent, girlfriend, or grandparent to play with you, it should be obvious why gamers shouldn't feel threatened by these new releases. Its fun to play with everyone, not just your usual gamer friends. The truth is Nintendo was straightforward about it intentions from the beginning: gaming is for everyone. No one was lied to, betrayed, or mislead. Unlike 360 and PS3, the Wii has never focussed on graphical superiority, processing power, or a first-person based "system champion". Instead the Wii relies on a much older and more tried theory: having fun is for everyone.
For those who felt betrayed right from the beginning I say, quite frankly,lighten up. There is no such thing as "dilution" of gaming culture due to the Wii. This is exactly what the Wii is all about, allowing multiple types of person to have their own personal experiences with the system and with games in general. Worry not, little extremists, you are safe from the evil normies. You will not change your gaming lifestyle just because theres a hundred soccer moms out there playing Wii sports, and trust me they will probably never buy a 360 no matter how much they enjoy playing Wii. For now my advice to all those who feel Nintendo left them at the altar: instead of shooting down games designed to appeal to everyone, go buy one and play. My prediction is you'll have fun, and might even get a chance to convince someone other than your usual friends to hop on board and play a round with you.
Friday, June 15, 2007
DS Browser
Finally, the Opera powered browser for DS Lite and DS are in. THats good news folks, finally facebook, email, etc all on our favorite portable system. More to come when I finally buy it.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Just started this game yesterday, and I've got some first impressions.
The storytelling aspects of this game are huge. The cutscenes, voice acting, and character development are so far very well done. The character code named "Snake" has the only noticeably cheesy voice but fans of previous games know this is more or less a staple of the series.
In this incarnation of the Metal Gear series, the focus is on outdoor jungle stealthing as opposed to primarily indoor scenarios. This new setting shifts focus of the game away from simply completing mission, to taking care of snake as a human being. This means finding food sources for health and energy.
I haven't dug in too deep yet, and I'll tell you why: the camera system.
The simplistic camera system hurts this game, for me, far beyond my ability to hunker down and "deal" with it. The truth is the camera system has essentially remained unchanged from the first two games, and it shows. While playing it, I felt like I was back on the first playstation. When you're constantly put in situations requring stealth and awareness, it seems like the first thing for an upgrade would be the camera system. Still, as we've seen over and over again, a lot of japanese developers tend to cling to game mechanics far past their prime. Instead of redeveloping a games camera system, the often attempt to cram mini-games, added features, and increasingly intricate stories into an old package and sometimes it shows.
Granted the system is not the death of the series, I began to get used to it and found little tricks for a better experience. Still, I don't think a stealth game like this truly simulates espionage. Rather, this game creates a puzzle game that is presented as espionage. A lot of you out there are saying "Duh." Maybe this is why I always loved Splinter Cell.
Other than that I can tell I'm going to have a blast playing the game. Its a gorgeous PS2 title, and as usual I'm playing primarily for the story. More details to come when I'm deeper in.
S\
The storytelling aspects of this game are huge. The cutscenes, voice acting, and character development are so far very well done. The character code named "Snake" has the only noticeably cheesy voice but fans of previous games know this is more or less a staple of the series.
In this incarnation of the Metal Gear series, the focus is on outdoor jungle stealthing as opposed to primarily indoor scenarios. This new setting shifts focus of the game away from simply completing mission, to taking care of snake as a human being. This means finding food sources for health and energy.
I haven't dug in too deep yet, and I'll tell you why: the camera system.
The simplistic camera system hurts this game, for me, far beyond my ability to hunker down and "deal" with it. The truth is the camera system has essentially remained unchanged from the first two games, and it shows. While playing it, I felt like I was back on the first playstation. When you're constantly put in situations requring stealth and awareness, it seems like the first thing for an upgrade would be the camera system. Still, as we've seen over and over again, a lot of japanese developers tend to cling to game mechanics far past their prime. Instead of redeveloping a games camera system, the often attempt to cram mini-games, added features, and increasingly intricate stories into an old package and sometimes it shows.
Granted the system is not the death of the series, I began to get used to it and found little tricks for a better experience. Still, I don't think a stealth game like this truly simulates espionage. Rather, this game creates a puzzle game that is presented as espionage. A lot of you out there are saying "Duh." Maybe this is why I always loved Splinter Cell.
Other than that I can tell I'm going to have a blast playing the game. Its a gorgeous PS2 title, and as usual I'm playing primarily for the story. More details to come when I'm deeper in.
S\
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Rainbow Six Vegas - Holy Shite
I have just recently graced my shelves with a copy of Rainbow Six Vegas for a wopping 54.95 used at gamestop with my good ol' pal Ian. I've played the demo probably a good 10-15 times before buying this game and i was very impressed with just the demo alone. I had just gotten my pay check for the first week of work so i decided to treat myself to a gift.
Initially i knew this game was going to be great but actually owning makes it that much better. There are alot of improvements that this game has made that will hopefully be building blocks for future first person shooters. First thing is the remarkable cover system. Unlike Gears Of War this game uses the left trigger as its engage and disengage cover system. At first this had felt awkward because of the transition from Gears to this, Gears of course assumes third person action shooter while Rainbow Six is a firstperson shooter. What rocks about the cover system is that when you hit a wall or a car or any random debris you hop out of first person and into third. This gives you a layout of the area behind you and around you. A reticle comes up that looks like a squished plus sign.
The reticle is key for dead on shooting. With your character safely in cover you can line up the shots by moving the cursor over the target and when you pop out you will have the perfect shot. Also in third person if you inclick the right analog stick you can prepare a scoped shot. Say for instance you have a terrorist up on a bridge about 100 yards away and you have a really nice 12x scoped sniper rifle. Well if you inclick that analog stick and pop out of cover you'll have him directly in yer sights then its just a matter of getting it nice and pretty over his head and pop.
Now back to the cover system because thats probably the best feature of the entire game. Aside from a couple of little treats that ubi put in the game for some kick ass action sequences. The cover system is a really fluid and smooth coversystem. Unlike Gears, and i'm not bashing Gears because i will not deny that games awesomeness how ever Gears was not without fault. Now here is a basic overview/comparison of the two games cover systems. For Gears the player can engage covering manuevers by holding down the A button which either sticks the character to a piece of cover or begins a action handheld chase camera sequence where when the character makes contact with any structure he will stick to it. Now the sticking is key to this definition of cover. Since the character his now stuck on the wall it leaves him open to use his weapons and pop in and out of cover by using the left trigger. This can at some times be a pain when you have a person coming at you from the front, because you are stuck to cover it sometimes gets a bit chaotic trying to move out of it. There is also a bit of a delay of action that the character experiences when getting off the cover.
The way Rainbow Six succeeds in this sense is the use of a very fluid and seamless cover system by the use of the left trigger. The characters stays in cover as long as his/her finger holds down the trigger button, this allows a real time response where the character is given a seemless transition between cover and movement. Also Rainbow Six has a very simple but yet very impressive team tactic to it. The player is able to command 2 fellow soldiers while in battle by using the A button they can call out locations that they want the 2 to go. This can prove helpful when slowly crawling up a terrorist infested street or building.
And FINALLY the AI in this game is actually good. It's not as amazing as some of the games i've played but it definitely stands out. Over all i think this game deserves a high 9 like it got. Definately a must own if you are a 360 gamer and a first person shooter lover.
With games like this coming out i find it almost impossible for halo to compete if it doesnt offer a cover system. And bullocks to that stupid shield bullshite.
Cheers!
-alex
Initially i knew this game was going to be great but actually owning makes it that much better. There are alot of improvements that this game has made that will hopefully be building blocks for future first person shooters. First thing is the remarkable cover system. Unlike Gears Of War this game uses the left trigger as its engage and disengage cover system. At first this had felt awkward because of the transition from Gears to this, Gears of course assumes third person action shooter while Rainbow Six is a firstperson shooter. What rocks about the cover system is that when you hit a wall or a car or any random debris you hop out of first person and into third. This gives you a layout of the area behind you and around you. A reticle comes up that looks like a squished plus sign.
The reticle is key for dead on shooting. With your character safely in cover you can line up the shots by moving the cursor over the target and when you pop out you will have the perfect shot. Also in third person if you inclick the right analog stick you can prepare a scoped shot. Say for instance you have a terrorist up on a bridge about 100 yards away and you have a really nice 12x scoped sniper rifle. Well if you inclick that analog stick and pop out of cover you'll have him directly in yer sights then its just a matter of getting it nice and pretty over his head and pop.
Now back to the cover system because thats probably the best feature of the entire game. Aside from a couple of little treats that ubi put in the game for some kick ass action sequences. The cover system is a really fluid and smooth coversystem. Unlike Gears, and i'm not bashing Gears because i will not deny that games awesomeness how ever Gears was not without fault. Now here is a basic overview/comparison of the two games cover systems. For Gears the player can engage covering manuevers by holding down the A button which either sticks the character to a piece of cover or begins a action handheld chase camera sequence where when the character makes contact with any structure he will stick to it. Now the sticking is key to this definition of cover. Since the character his now stuck on the wall it leaves him open to use his weapons and pop in and out of cover by using the left trigger. This can at some times be a pain when you have a person coming at you from the front, because you are stuck to cover it sometimes gets a bit chaotic trying to move out of it. There is also a bit of a delay of action that the character experiences when getting off the cover.
The way Rainbow Six succeeds in this sense is the use of a very fluid and seamless cover system by the use of the left trigger. The characters stays in cover as long as his/her finger holds down the trigger button, this allows a real time response where the character is given a seemless transition between cover and movement. Also Rainbow Six has a very simple but yet very impressive team tactic to it. The player is able to command 2 fellow soldiers while in battle by using the A button they can call out locations that they want the 2 to go. This can prove helpful when slowly crawling up a terrorist infested street or building.
And FINALLY the AI in this game is actually good. It's not as amazing as some of the games i've played but it definitely stands out. Over all i think this game deserves a high 9 like it got. Definately a must own if you are a 360 gamer and a first person shooter lover.
With games like this coming out i find it almost impossible for halo to compete if it doesnt offer a cover system. And bullocks to that stupid shield bullshite.
Cheers!
-alex
Monday, May 28, 2007
Dragon Ball Z on the Wii
IGN gave Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi an 8.3. They called it "the best Anime fighter ever". I call it a solid fighting game period.
I got a chance to play the game at my friends house and was skeptical at first. Like many others, I'm sure, my basic opinion of franchise games derived from TV shows (or movies for that matter) was pretty low. I also thought to myself, how could a video game and my feeble human reaction time actually do a Dragon Ball Z style duel ANY justice. The truth is, this game delivers on multiple fronts to create a unique, and overall faithful DBZ experience.
First things first, this game is a fighter but not in the traditional sense. Like old 2 joystick mecha fighters developers have attempted to recreate the feeling of epic 3D battles that take place over a huge amount of ground. To do this they allow characters to remain locked on or not. This means you can run from an enemy just as easily as you can attack. In this version of the game the ability to dash close has been improved but also developers have added the ability to "phase", that is disappear and reappear to deliver amazing combos just like the series. Punch a guy, send him flying and appear behind him to hammer him down to the earth: badass.
Further more, the game was smartly designed using the actual buttons on the WiiMote for attacks. This might seem obvious to some, but more than a few games have fallen prey to lame motion detection. This way the motion sensitive aspect of the game can be reserved for "power moves". Thus, the regular punchs, blocks, etc are very easy to pick up and learn in the beginning. The power ups moves, however, use the motion sensitivity that adds difficulty to producing attacks such as "kamehameha". Add to that the need to "power up" before doing moves and you have combos that are hard to execute, but oh so rewarding when you finally pull them off. This might seem lame to the "fighter game" elite, but it makes pulling off combos more strategic and less about quickest button mashing. This basic truth creates some interesting tactics. For example, I held off near death for a long time but engaging my enemy constantly rather than running from him!
The character models are nice, and cel shaded. This means you feel as if your playing in the tv series. On the downside, the levels are pretty lame. Graphically they're weak (practically sub gamecube) and the terrain is more or less useless. I've had combos pulled on me THROUGH a wall, tree and rock. This would be okay for energy attacks, but some of these issues should be worked out in a game where the terrain should be crucial (for those that saw the show, they know this is true). The next game, slated for a 2007 release will at least deal with the graphical issues (probably? hopefully.)
Overall, the game is really fun and actually offered some more in depth game play once you got deeper in. With over 70 playable characters, their will be a lot of opportunities for those "what if" style showdowns, and a lot of the same ole same ole Goku Vs Vegeta. If the levels graphics are revamped, and minor glitches are reworked 3 will be badder than ever, but 2 still holds up very very strong on its own and probably deserved much closer to an 8.5. If you're not a fan of the DBZ series, hwoever, you might not get a huge kick out of the game.
I got a chance to play the game at my friends house and was skeptical at first. Like many others, I'm sure, my basic opinion of franchise games derived from TV shows (or movies for that matter) was pretty low. I also thought to myself, how could a video game and my feeble human reaction time actually do a Dragon Ball Z style duel ANY justice. The truth is, this game delivers on multiple fronts to create a unique, and overall faithful DBZ experience.
First things first, this game is a fighter but not in the traditional sense. Like old 2 joystick mecha fighters developers have attempted to recreate the feeling of epic 3D battles that take place over a huge amount of ground. To do this they allow characters to remain locked on or not. This means you can run from an enemy just as easily as you can attack. In this version of the game the ability to dash close has been improved but also developers have added the ability to "phase", that is disappear and reappear to deliver amazing combos just like the series. Punch a guy, send him flying and appear behind him to hammer him down to the earth: badass.
Further more, the game was smartly designed using the actual buttons on the WiiMote for attacks. This might seem obvious to some, but more than a few games have fallen prey to lame motion detection. This way the motion sensitive aspect of the game can be reserved for "power moves". Thus, the regular punchs, blocks, etc are very easy to pick up and learn in the beginning. The power ups moves, however, use the motion sensitivity that adds difficulty to producing attacks such as "kamehameha". Add to that the need to "power up" before doing moves and you have combos that are hard to execute, but oh so rewarding when you finally pull them off. This might seem lame to the "fighter game" elite, but it makes pulling off combos more strategic and less about quickest button mashing. This basic truth creates some interesting tactics. For example, I held off near death for a long time but engaging my enemy constantly rather than running from him!
The character models are nice, and cel shaded. This means you feel as if your playing in the tv series. On the downside, the levels are pretty lame. Graphically they're weak (practically sub gamecube) and the terrain is more or less useless. I've had combos pulled on me THROUGH a wall, tree and rock. This would be okay for energy attacks, but some of these issues should be worked out in a game where the terrain should be crucial (for those that saw the show, they know this is true). The next game, slated for a 2007 release will at least deal with the graphical issues (probably? hopefully.)
Overall, the game is really fun and actually offered some more in depth game play once you got deeper in. With over 70 playable characters, their will be a lot of opportunities for those "what if" style showdowns, and a lot of the same ole same ole Goku Vs Vegeta. If the levels graphics are revamped, and minor glitches are reworked 3 will be badder than ever, but 2 still holds up very very strong on its own and probably deserved much closer to an 8.5. If you're not a fan of the DBZ series, hwoever, you might not get a huge kick out of the game.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Ait
Oh man about to go for the 1,2 punch here. Two posts in one night...
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6065052062032555422
Blogger: Boon Taste - Create Post
DS Games I want, in order from most wanted to least wanted (but last on the list still means I want it...so get it for me.)
1. Final Fantasy 3
2. New Super Mario Brothers
3. Mario Kart DS
4. Nintendogs: Chihuahahahahaha edition
5. Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time
6. FIFA Soccer 08
7. Mario 64 DS
8. Advance Wars: DUAL STRIKE
9. Cooking Mama
10. Wario Ware: Touched
I need to finish up and beat Hotel Dusk because its actually very good...I've just been taken over by Pokemon.
Next...
Games I want...in general.
1. Super Papar Mario (Wii)
2. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
3. Final Fantasy 12 (PS2)
4. Madden 08' (Wii)
5. A decent fishing game for Wii...I mean COME ON THEY MADE COOKING MAMA!
4.
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6065052062032555422
Blogger: Boon Taste - Create Post
DS Games I want, in order from most wanted to least wanted (but last on the list still means I want it...so get it for me.)
1. Final Fantasy 3
2. New Super Mario Brothers
3. Mario Kart DS
4. Nintendogs: Chihuahahahahaha edition
5. Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time
6. FIFA Soccer 08
7. Mario 64 DS
8. Advance Wars: DUAL STRIKE
9. Cooking Mama
10. Wario Ware: Touched
I need to finish up and beat Hotel Dusk because its actually very good...I've just been taken over by Pokemon.
Next...
Games I want...in general.
1. Super Papar Mario (Wii)
2. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
3. Final Fantasy 12 (PS2)
4. Madden 08' (Wii)
5. A decent fishing game for Wii...I mean COME ON THEY MADE COOKING MAMA!
4.
Console Fevah'
Today I stopped by Best Bizzle while my parents shopped for appliances for the new house. I figured I could use a few items for the PS2. I got a couple controllers, and a memory stick (which was WAY OVER PRICED)plus some other little bastards that weren't too bad. Overall, I enjoy having a PS2, though I must say it's been a really weird experience getting one. After all, PS2 is a totally last gen console so I have memories from early highschool playing ps2 with buddies, particularly socom and whatever sports game was the soup de jour. Not to mention, the thing sits right next to my Wii which is the yin to its yang.
So today I played a really sad amount of Gran Turismo 4 which is a really tight game and makes me desperately want to play Forza 2 again. While forza is sexy as hell and has a tight physics system, so far I think GT4 is every bit as good. I do miss that nice feeling 360 controller, but as far as everything else is concerned I'm more or less happy with it. Still, wouldn't it be tight to have that Logitech 900 degree's of pure race sexiness game wheel? Yeah well, not worth the 130 bucks it'll set you back unless your planning on missing out on the next-gen revolution.
All in all I'm excited to know that by the end of the summer I'll have an HD tv which I've come to find a couple newer PS2 games actually supports (of course, not without paying for those component cables...goddamnit.) But in general everything looks better on HD, and it might encourage me to invest in either a 360 or a PS3. Worst comes to worst theres a few TV's that support a direct hookup to your computer so you 'd have essentially the sickest computer monitor ever.
As for Wii, I'm trading in call of duty 3 (wii), and a few PS2 titles before they become worthless and maybe eventually I'll get a new game for Wii. In all the boredom of not having a dedicated computer the last thing i want is to get caught up in all this "console gaming" hullaballoo and miss out on a chance to get something really good. Too bad Alex isn't around to lend me games, but I am trying to avoid buying anything he might already have and lend to me.
So today I played a really sad amount of Gran Turismo 4 which is a really tight game and makes me desperately want to play Forza 2 again. While forza is sexy as hell and has a tight physics system, so far I think GT4 is every bit as good. I do miss that nice feeling 360 controller, but as far as everything else is concerned I'm more or less happy with it. Still, wouldn't it be tight to have that Logitech 900 degree's of pure race sexiness game wheel? Yeah well, not worth the 130 bucks it'll set you back unless your planning on missing out on the next-gen revolution.
All in all I'm excited to know that by the end of the summer I'll have an HD tv which I've come to find a couple newer PS2 games actually supports (of course, not without paying for those component cables...goddamnit.) But in general everything looks better on HD, and it might encourage me to invest in either a 360 or a PS3. Worst comes to worst theres a few TV's that support a direct hookup to your computer so you 'd have essentially the sickest computer monitor ever.
As for Wii, I'm trading in call of duty 3 (wii), and a few PS2 titles before they become worthless and maybe eventually I'll get a new game for Wii. In all the boredom of not having a dedicated computer the last thing i want is to get caught up in all this "console gaming" hullaballoo and miss out on a chance to get something really good. Too bad Alex isn't around to lend me games, but I am trying to avoid buying anything he might already have and lend to me.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Nintendo Wii
Alex has a few qualms with the Wii, primarily that he never plays it. This is, more or less, a similar situation for most of the people I know that have a Wii. The number of "good" games for Wii has stayed in the single digits with Wii Sports, a free included mini-game cd, leading the pack for more than a few Wii owners. Wii Sports, after all, manages to make what some argue is the best use of Wii's motion sensitive controllers. Still, other games definately come to mind. I managed to take a gander at a few of IGN's videos for Super Paper Mario, and I'm going to try and rent/buy the game ASAP. Still, my budget is tight and buying games is at the bottom of my list considering I have a computer to repair and an HDTV to buy. Still, with Wii being the first console I've owned since XBox, I think its only fair for me to get some use out of it. That means I'll probably end up buying Super Paper Mario, and Super Smash Brothers when they finally come out. According to an interview with President of NOA Reggie Mils, SSB3 is not the only big title on the list of promised 2007 releases. Mils has promised a new Mario title, a new Zelda title, and of course Metroid Prime 3 for the shooter in all of us. Granted, Metroid Prime 3 is the only one with a date (and a date thats hard to take seriously), but this is all very good news for Wii owners...especially Alex.
Playing through Twilight Princess I've been itching for a Wii game that delivers on some old promises. Nintendo has insisted that the Wii isn't just a dolled up Gamecube with a fancy new controller. No matter how sexy the control scheme is, ultimately even the most silly nintendo game could use some high-res textures and pretty lighting. Twilight princess has some nice last of the last-gen features, and great implementation of the Wii controller, but I'd love to see some limits pushed. Maybe that way next time I show my 360 touting friends they can at least get over that lame-ass "but the graphics suck" argument. The new Zelda game seems a perfect opportunity to get on with the eye candy already!
As for SSB, I'm personally quite pumped but I loved the previous incarnations and I doubt Nintendo going to be tampering with that formula. Rumors are even circulating that the new one might use the old Gamecube controllers! Hmmm, thats really a crazy idea for Nintendo to be playing with. I know a lot of press will be negative, almost like Nintendo doesn't believe in what they've been saying about the "future" of gaming. Still, I would stick by any decision that ultimately improves game play, even it means re-issuing gamecube controllers with bluetooth and dipped in white powder-paint....come to think of it....that'd actually be really tight. XBOX1 admitted defeat, after all, releasing the so-called "Japanese controllers" and if Nintendo does the same...for the good of the gaming community, then I think we owe it to them to go out and grab 4 ASAP.
Well that all for now...just a closing comment...I'm in Denison, Texas right now and they have more DS (every color) and Wii Controllers than they know what to do with. Anyone else sitting on the proverbial goldmine of rare Electronics? I feel like i should be buying these and selling them on Ebay. Guess I must still be in Holiday shopping mode. Later
Playing through Twilight Princess I've been itching for a Wii game that delivers on some old promises. Nintendo has insisted that the Wii isn't just a dolled up Gamecube with a fancy new controller. No matter how sexy the control scheme is, ultimately even the most silly nintendo game could use some high-res textures and pretty lighting. Twilight princess has some nice last of the last-gen features, and great implementation of the Wii controller, but I'd love to see some limits pushed. Maybe that way next time I show my 360 touting friends they can at least get over that lame-ass "but the graphics suck" argument. The new Zelda game seems a perfect opportunity to get on with the eye candy already!
As for SSB, I'm personally quite pumped but I loved the previous incarnations and I doubt Nintendo going to be tampering with that formula. Rumors are even circulating that the new one might use the old Gamecube controllers! Hmmm, thats really a crazy idea for Nintendo to be playing with. I know a lot of press will be negative, almost like Nintendo doesn't believe in what they've been saying about the "future" of gaming. Still, I would stick by any decision that ultimately improves game play, even it means re-issuing gamecube controllers with bluetooth and dipped in white powder-paint....come to think of it....that'd actually be really tight. XBOX1 admitted defeat, after all, releasing the so-called "Japanese controllers" and if Nintendo does the same...for the good of the gaming community, then I think we owe it to them to go out and grab 4 ASAP.
Well that all for now...just a closing comment...I'm in Denison, Texas right now and they have more DS (every color) and Wii Controllers than they know what to do with. Anyone else sitting on the proverbial goldmine of rare Electronics? I feel like i should be buying these and selling them on Ebay. Guess I must still be in Holiday shopping mode. Later
Monday, May 7, 2007
WELL shes dead.
WHELP kids, the ole blue beauty is dead. God knows how its exactly went down, but its looking like a dead northbridge fan. THATS RIGHT I SAID NORTHBRIDGE! Somehow what killed the northbridge killed the processor. That leaves me wondering....do I rebuild her? Or starting selling her off to the highest bidder? Perhaps give her away at a discount price to someone or maybe to a family member. Who knows, lets see how much money I make this summer. If i can make 3 g's, I'll think about rebuilding her. If not, looks like I'm going to be in the library a whole lot more and my gaming days are definately numbered. Could this be Ian's chance to finally give in to the wild world of console gaming? god, I hope not. Do you know how hard it would be to transition to a "gamepad" (pfffff)?! It would be tough, I assure you. Still if Alex's madman rantings ever come true, and the pc gaming market finally calls it caput, at least I'd be one step ahead of my old gaming server: Johnny's Squared. Oh well, this is all stuff to consider later, when School isn't breathing down my back. The good thing is Ill still be able to use....my.....psu and my.....uhm....CPU cooling fan? Wow. Nice. Two componants that AREN'T obsolete....and that cooling fan is hit or miss. Wish I had some pictures, but that would require a computer to upload them with. Anyways until then let me just end by saying:
IF YOU EVER ENJOYED POKEMON AT ANY TIME IN YOUR LIFE, ITS TIME TO COME HOME MAMA!
Because the new one is every bit as addicting and fun as all of the ones previous (minus the new pokemon getting lamer and lamer) Give it a shot, seriously. In fact, give DS a shot in general. If you don't have one, its seriously about time. I could name 10 games right here that are literally every bit as good or better than 90% of PS3s currents game line up. In fact, Im going to do that RIGHT FREAKIN NOW
P.s. these are in no particular order.
1. Animal Crossing: Wild World
2. Final Fantasy ( any of them on DS,including the new FF12 spin off thats been announced. even Chocobo Tales is C-Clamp)
3. Pokemon
4. Advance Wars
5. Castlvania (both)
6. Mario (any of them)
7. TETRIS I MEAN THAT GAME IS RIDICULOUSLY C-CLAMP
8. Nintendogs
9. Cooking Mama
10. Trauma Center
Okay! and look at that list, half of those titles have like 3 or 4 spinoffs. later
IF YOU EVER ENJOYED POKEMON AT ANY TIME IN YOUR LIFE, ITS TIME TO COME HOME MAMA!
Because the new one is every bit as addicting and fun as all of the ones previous (minus the new pokemon getting lamer and lamer) Give it a shot, seriously. In fact, give DS a shot in general. If you don't have one, its seriously about time. I could name 10 games right here that are literally every bit as good or better than 90% of PS3s currents game line up. In fact, Im going to do that RIGHT FREAKIN NOW
P.s. these are in no particular order.
1. Animal Crossing: Wild World
2. Final Fantasy ( any of them on DS,including the new FF12 spin off thats been announced. even Chocobo Tales is C-Clamp)
3. Pokemon
4. Advance Wars
5. Castlvania (both)
6. Mario (any of them)
7. TETRIS I MEAN THAT GAME IS RIDICULOUSLY C-CLAMP
8. Nintendogs
9. Cooking Mama
10. Trauma Center
Okay! and look at that list, half of those titles have like 3 or 4 spinoffs. later
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
My GamerCard
ADD ME TO YOUR FRIENDS!! haha
hey it's a site devoted to games and stuff... why not whore myself out. huzzah
Thursday, April 19, 2007
A big list
Touch of the Dead (ds)
Mass Effect
Alan Wake
Bioshock
Kane and Lynch
The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Assassins Creed
Too Human
Devil May Cry 4
Army Of Two
Stranglehold
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Pokemon Pearl
Portal (aka half life orange box)
Grand Theft Auto IV
Metal Gear Solid 4
Crysis
Spore
Animal Crossing (wii)
Resident Evil 5
Resident Wiivle
Manhunt 2
Alone in the Dark 360
Heavenly Sword
These are all games in development or extremely close to launch that look impressive. Add more if you can think of any others or know of any others.
Mass Effect
Alan Wake
Bioshock
Kane and Lynch
The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Assassins Creed
Too Human
Devil May Cry 4
Army Of Two
Stranglehold
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Pokemon Pearl
Portal (aka half life orange box)
Grand Theft Auto IV
Metal Gear Solid 4
Crysis
Spore
Animal Crossing (wii)
Resident Evil 5
Resident Wiivle
Manhunt 2
Alone in the Dark 360
Heavenly Sword
These are all games in development or extremely close to launch that look impressive. Add more if you can think of any others or know of any others.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
The days we hate, the days spent doing nothing
Today I'm posting all the dumbass shit i see. all the time.
http://belairianhummingbird.ytmnd.com/
http://shockingcats.ytmnd.com/ (jordan I believe this is what you wants)
http://www.lifetimetv.com/movies/originals/cyberseduction.php
http://belairianhummingbird.ytmnd.com/
http://shockingcats.ytmnd.com/ (jordan I believe this is what you wants)
http://www.lifetimetv.com/movies/originals/cyberseduction.php
Our old friend: The vacuum tube
Ipod Dock using vacuum tubes? Yes, they're here. Check out how badass these things look. I have to say I'd love to have one, but due to the fragility of the tubes I'll probably pass for something a little more...durable. I mean, hey, I go to art school. Still, the sound is supposed to be pretty impressive (according to the article)
The iPod and the Vacuum Tube Sing a Warm Duet
By ANNE EISENBERG
Thursday, April 12, 2007
sony's exclusives are dropping
With rivaling platforms come exclusive games. Xbox360 holds tightly to it's Gears of War and Sony has it's Metal Gear Solid 4. But recently more "exclusive" games have been opening up, for instance, Devil May Cry 4 originally was planned for PS3 and so was Assassins Creed, now just recently Devil May Cry 4 has be listed as being available on the 360 and a while back so did Assassins Creed.
Companies are opening up their games to all consoles because of the expensiveness of games why should they be exclusive? Well even Hideo Kojima said that Metal Gear Solid 4 is technically possible on Xbox 360. Also grand theft auto lost exclusivity and the only two left to follow the trend is MGS4 and Final Fantasy. Everyone wants to make cross platform games. So this means, NO PS3!! haha. Plenty of games have been falling to the sweet power of Xbox's sales. MGS4 hopefully will follow the trend and don't assume that it wont because it has been rumored and even Hideo has said himself that he would like to open it up. Capcom made RE4 exclusive for gamecube, but Capcom wants money so they open up everything screwing over all their non profiting platforms. Hence the Devil May Cry 4.
So When yer face to face with a ps3 and a 360 just remember as of now all they have going for them is MGS4 and Final Fantasy.... AS OF NOW.
360 will have - GTA, Devil May Cry 4, Virtua Fighter 5, and Ace Combat.
Just wait... MGS is coming i swear it will.
oh and to add there have been games leakin to ps3 from 360 like oblivion! and i'm sure others will cross.
Just WAIT
Monday, April 9, 2007
Epic Slut
I woke up early for class this morning, 7:55am to be exact. Class started at 8am so I had a few mintues to get my shit together. Anyway, after class I was dead tired. With initial plans to go back to sleep, I found myself sitting at my computer-- a strange phenomenon which has happened to me each time I enter my room for many many years. Anyway, after doing the daily routine, which includes checking my myspace, checking my facebook, checking indietorrents, checking OiNKS, and my new recent addition, checking Gearslutz, I found myself shifting through pages of Digg articles...one came up that I thought was particularly funny and that some of you might enjoy. Hailing from the deep dark depths of craigslist, here it is for your viewing pleasure!
"Hello I need 5000 world of gold for my epic flying mount. In return you can mount me."
Major credit goes to YTMD or whoever originally found this post. I guess this means I will be searching craigslist for other various humorous articles in the future. But for now, I think YTMD said it best... This girl is an epic slut.
"Hello I need 5000 world of gold for my epic flying mount. In return you can mount me."
Major credit goes to YTMD or whoever originally found this post. I guess this means I will be searching craigslist for other various humorous articles in the future. But for now, I think YTMD said it best... This girl is an epic slut.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Dear Boontaste...
I'm sorry.
Sorry for neglecting you,
Failing
to give you the attention
you deserve,
Better than me.
I promise.
A promise made
to be kept,
I will touch you
with the ink,
with my soft silky pen,
my yearning keyboard.
I will post on your luscious board for all to see, and I don't care if they know...
I love you,
Boon Taste.
Sorry for neglecting you,
Failing
to give you the attention
you deserve,
Better than me.
I promise.
A promise made
to be kept,
I will touch you
with the ink,
with my soft silky pen,
my yearning keyboard.
I will post on your luscious board for all to see, and I don't care if they know...
I love you,
Boon Taste.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Is YOUR son a hacker?
The real way to tell if your son is a hacker.
http://www.adequacy.org/stories/2001.12.2.42056.2147.html
Some gems from the article below:
Ha, this guy is very good. Read the whole thing though, its funny. All of it.
http://www.mala.bc.ca/~soules/media112/hacker.htm.
http://www.adequacy.org/stories/2001.12.2.42056.2147.html
Some gems from the article below:
The kids had a lot of fun using the handful of application programs we'd bought, such as Adobe's Photoshop and Microsoft's Word, and my wife and I were pleased that our gift was received so well.
I began to monitor my son's habits, to make certain that Cindy wasn't just telling stories, as she is prone to doing at times.
Your son will probably try to install some hacker software. He may attempt to conceal the presence of the software in some way, but you can usually find any new programs by reading through the programs listed under "Install/Remove Programs" in your control panel. Popular hacker software includes "Comet Cursor", "Bonzi Buddy" and "Flash".
Ha, this guy is very good. Read the whole thing though, its funny. All of it.
http://www.mala.bc.ca/~soules/media112/hacker.htm.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Google TiSP: Next step to world domination
Google just launched a free ISP called TiSP. Hopefully this onoe won't make it past (BETA) ;)
"MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 1, 2007 - Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced the launch of Google TiSP (BETA)™, a free in-home wireless broadband service that delivers online connectivity via users' plumbing systems. The Toilet Internet Service Provider (TiSP) project is a self-installed, ad-supported online service that will be offered entirely free to any consumer with a WiFi-capable PC and a toilet connected to a local municipal sewage system."
God help the millions that probably already signed up for their free "home installation kit". I guess not many people would end up reading the press kit release, but still.
April Fools
"MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 1, 2007 - Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced the launch of Google TiSP (BETA)™, a free in-home wireless broadband service that delivers online connectivity via users' plumbing systems. The Toilet Internet Service Provider (TiSP) project is a self-installed, ad-supported online service that will be offered entirely free to any consumer with a WiFi-capable PC and a toilet connected to a local municipal sewage system."
God help the millions that probably already signed up for their free "home installation kit". I guess not many people would end up reading the press kit release, but still.
April Fools
Friday, March 23, 2007
Bloom AA, or HDR
Just a curious question..
who prefers HDR over Anti-Aliasing?
Reasons for HDR - amazing light effects that are just beautiful if done well.
Reasons for AA - Crisp smoothed edges and sharper detail.
what are your setting? and why one over the other??
*sigh* i know i'll only get like 1 response... prolly from ian... but hopefully mr. corpsebag here will also comment....
who prefers HDR over Anti-Aliasing?
Reasons for HDR - amazing light effects that are just beautiful if done well.
Reasons for AA - Crisp smoothed edges and sharper detail.
what are your setting? and why one over the other??
*sigh* i know i'll only get like 1 response... prolly from ian... but hopefully mr. corpsebag here will also comment....
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Electronic headache
SPRING UPDATE FROM ALEX!!
My xbox troubles have been sent upstream to hopefully be fixed... (metaphorically)
IE, i unfortunately will be replacing it and keeping my hardrive and for a birthday gift giving it to my cousin so he gets a 360 for only 160! which is awesome fer him and in a way me cause then i'll have a friend on live... oh sadness.
PC troubles being fixed.... i am slowly hating norton more and more...
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Review hopefully to come.
Silent Hunter 4 Review (in transit)
Ian Review (partially complete)
Plan to rule the world...
yeah well that is about it...
Venturing to chicago to run 3D Mark on an Alienware computer to see how "sweet" it really is..
oh and i guess to see family... but this is an electronic blog so...
I HAVE ONLY DIGITAL FAMILY!!
and my best selection of gothic industrial music...
My xbox troubles have been sent upstream to hopefully be fixed... (metaphorically)
IE, i unfortunately will be replacing it and keeping my hardrive and for a birthday gift giving it to my cousin so he gets a 360 for only 160! which is awesome fer him and in a way me cause then i'll have a friend on live... oh sadness.
PC troubles being fixed.... i am slowly hating norton more and more...
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Review hopefully to come.
Silent Hunter 4 Review (in transit)
Ian Review (partially complete)
Plan to rule the world...
yeah well that is about it...
Venturing to chicago to run 3D Mark on an Alienware computer to see how "sweet" it really is..
oh and i guess to see family... but this is an electronic blog so...
I HAVE ONLY DIGITAL FAMILY!!
and my best selection of gothic industrial music...
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Monday, March 12, 2007
Dia De Los Muertos... Black Sunday... The Day My 360 gave up on me...
There is definitely a curse upon my head... My consoles don't love me... First my DS bights the dust on the WIFI stuff and i had to get it replaced.. before that my ps2 died on me... and now my sweetest child of all... my 360... i'm going to the coroner tomorrow to see what the process is to get her buried and get a new one in my hands.. i just hope to god that i don't lose all my saves...
Dear God....
Please watch over my baby as she ascends into your land of electronic heaven.
Oh Sadness... Such sad sadness
Sunday, March 11, 2007
CBS Launches "Innertube"
I've been watching a TV show called "Jericho" on CBS's "innertube" system which is essentially a proprietary version of youtube that features commercials. You can read a full article here: CBS Launches Broadband Channel
It's not bad, and the ability to watch any shows entire season (with commercials of course) makes it a bit like On Demand cable. The shows may be lame, cliche, American Cable Teledrama, but it beats watching another Asian poop on herself, or some kid shoot bottle rockets out of his ass...okay well...sorta.
Anyways, I'm pretty sure this is a trend we'll be seeing more and more. TV channels are well on their way to the obvious next step which is on demand services offered free via broadband internet with the usual TV style commercials. Plus, it will make some people feel less guilty as that seems to be a problem with the older generations.
Despite how cool it is to get this ability, the service is nowhere near as nice as youtube, or google videos. You just can't beat those two as far as buffer times, etc. CBS inntertube tends to be slow buffering, and with alot of glitchy video play, but that could be on my end.
It's not bad, and the ability to watch any shows entire season (with commercials of course) makes it a bit like On Demand cable. The shows may be lame, cliche, American Cable Teledrama, but it beats watching another Asian poop on herself, or some kid shoot bottle rockets out of his ass...okay well...sorta.
Anyways, I'm pretty sure this is a trend we'll be seeing more and more. TV channels are well on their way to the obvious next step which is on demand services offered free via broadband internet with the usual TV style commercials. Plus, it will make some people feel less guilty as that seems to be a problem with the older generations.
Despite how cool it is to get this ability, the service is nowhere near as nice as youtube, or google videos. You just can't beat those two as far as buffer times, etc. CBS inntertube tends to be slow buffering, and with alot of glitchy video play, but that could be on my end.
Friday, March 9, 2007
The State of PC Gaming
I couldn't avoid this topic any longer.
Recently a lot of people seem to be asking the question "Is PC gaming dying?". Since at one time I could've simply listed 5-10 good games coming out in the next year, it has always been easy to defend the PC gaming market, until thepast few years. Now it seems that despite all of the sucessful and ground breaking titles that have come out on PC first and changed the way we look at gaming, in the end nothing beats the all powerful buck. Licensing may be pricey, but in the end more than twice as lucrative as creating a PC title. Take the hundreds of lame console titles you see on the shelf at Wal-Mart, for example. A movie inspired game will outsell all but the MOST popular titles on just about any console you've ever seen in stores. The ease of developing shitty games for those easy to afford console systems means that consoles do indeed outsell PC games by a huge margin.
"In 2001, 65.3 million PC games were sold, compared to 110 million console games. While PC game sales increased 3.6% from 2000, console game sales increased 9% in the same period."
-Geek.com
But I digress...the question "is PC gaming dying" is far far different than the question of PC vs Console and it almost 100% comes down to preference and price-tag. There are countless reasons why PC gaming is losing buck for buck to consoles but quite frankly, gamers have never been concerned with sales numbers and licensing bullshit. What makes a game experience great is unrelated to the price tag.
The first way in which I think PCs are superior, is the hardware. I don't mean specifically one persons graphic card versus the Ati Xenos monster that the 360 uses. I'm talking about the basic idea and set up of PC hardware versus Console hardware. Mouse and keyboard, for example, is a much better peripheral for First Person games, Simulation games, Role Playing Games, and Strategy games. Perhaps you can argue First Person games with a game pad as being just about on par, but ask any serious high ranked Counter Strike player, and I can bet you a million bucks hes not using a 360 controller hooked up via USB. Furthermore, the mouse and keyboard are much better for surfing the net and talking online with people using a chat program like AIM or MSN messenger. Even if you plug a mouse and keyboard into a console for those purposes, ultimately your lap and couch aren't the best place to have your keyboard and mouse, nor is reading the screen that could be as far as 15 feet away. Computer hardware is hugely versatile making your gaming rig so much more to the experienced user than simply a gaming machine. Editing movies, photo shop, 3D animation, business applications, anything you want to run, your box can handle in addition to playing some hot titles.
Also monitors, in general, draw the gamer in simply by proximity in contrast to a tv which sits generally much further away from the gamer. The average desktop gamer tends to sit at the most 3 feet away from his monitor, while most console gamers play on a tv stationed further away. That's exactly why people still go to the movies. Nothing like a dark room and a large screen. Unless you can afford the 1500+ pricetag on a huge plasma screen, its most likely your stuck with a 20 inch or so TV. Sparing you the math, a 21 inch monitor viewed 3 feet away will be more immersive than a 21 inch TV viewed from your couch. Even if you're lucky enough (like my buddy Alex) to have a 20 inch HD tv/monitor crossover, anyone whos been following the latest HD developments knows that a computer generally has a much better resolution than even the best HD tv. I, for example, am running games at 1680 x 1050. I only dream of the day I can watch a DVD at such monster resolutions....then again maybe i don't want to see that much detail. Resolution and proximity all mean the same thing...heightened gaming experience.
Last but not least, gaming rigs are always on the cutting edge of performance. With Vista boasting the direct x 10 platform, and with Nvidia and Ati already prepping to release DX10 capable cards we can only imagine what the next-gen pc titles are going to look like. I can garuntee, however, they will give 360 a huge run for its money within only the first year, and within 2 will blow it away by far. The ability to run games in SLI or Crossfire also gives PC hardware a huge one up on Consoles, not only that but faster 64-bit processors, dual core, liquid cooling overclocked rigs, and the general one-upping of PC gamers means that a well built gaming rig will eat consoles for breakfast.
That said, all of the cutting edge sweetness that is PC gaming will run you a couple G's easy. The highest performance rigs just topping 5 grand. Granted, that machine will be a true beast handling even the most demanding tasks with ease, but still...who can afford that much computer? The answer is, not many. A console tears PCs a new one especially in that area. Not to mention the technical know how to build a computer, install software, trouble shoot countless shitty releases by Ubisoft (you fucking assholes), etc etc etc...suddenly you see why so many kids, technically challenged teenagers, and adults choose console gaming.
There it goes again: money. The same thing that makes consoles so great, also makes it nearly impossible for smaller game developers to grow and flourish. Putting a game out for 360 means millions of kids willing to buy your game no matter how good or bad it is. Still, Console games cannot boast a better community of 3rd party development than PCs. How many mods for half life are out? Hundreds, and of that a good 30% are still being played. Every game that comes out on PC has a wide base of technically capable fans willing to take on the role of tech support, or even developing patches to fix problems the game developer has overlooked and will probably never fix. Oblivion, for example, has numerous glitches in both the pc and console releases, all of which were fixed by third party programmers on PC, only about 3 of which ever got fixed on console (often times with the unfortunate side effect of having to start over in order to use the fix).
Lastly I'll mention internet play, because its such a huge part of gaming. You cannot beat the online community of the PC. A true dedicated community doesn't just help keep the game working well, but also offers dedicated players who are willing to do things like start clans, make new maps, run dedicated server 24 hours a day, and more. Add better voice chatting capability, and extensive clan/guild style communities, and you get a very impressive PC community. In general my experiences on Xbox live where negative, lots of young kids, lots of bad players, and even more talking trash than I ever got playing Counter Strike. In general PC gamers strive to build communities they will enjoy over the long term, while a console gamer may only play a game for a few weeks before moving on entirely and never looking back. Why would a console gamer playing in such a fashion be encouraged to help a newb, write a patch, or start a website? The answer is they wouldn't and typically don't. The one exception I can think of is SOCOM 2 for PS2.
Anyways
The PC, in my oppinion, is highly underrated in the world of gaming which has lately become console dominated. The PC game sales may continue to drop, but to those who are willing to put the time and effort in...PC gaming will always dominate certain areas of the technological world. Don't get me wrong, Consoles are sweet and any experienced gamer knows some great experiences are to be had playing consoles, and for the price tag its a totally sweet deal. Still, I think that pc gaming has a lot reasons to continue to exist, and quite frankly, why PC gaming is in many ways superior to Console gaming. Over time, I believe that this situation will only benefit PC gaming, as shittier titles get moved to console for money reasons, the good shit will filter through and continue to provide us select few PC gamers some really amazing experiences.
Nothing has been more fulfilling than building my own computer, over clocking it, upgrading it, and generally taking care of it the last 4 years I've owned it. It may be getting slightly dated, but it still runs all but the most cutting edge games at full specs and usually runs newer games within a completely respectable realm. Sometimes I look at Alex's 360 with my fair share of lust, but for my own budget, needs, and interests a PC gaming rig will give me hours and hours of enjoyment that is highly personalized. If i had only 600 dollars to spend, and needed a good gaming experience, I would obviously recommend a 360 or similar next gen console. If i could afford everything I wanted, I'd have a console right here next to my PC, but if I needed to pick just one or the other I would almost always pick a gaming PC over a console.
Recently a lot of people seem to be asking the question "Is PC gaming dying?". Since at one time I could've simply listed 5-10 good games coming out in the next year, it has always been easy to defend the PC gaming market, until thepast few years. Now it seems that despite all of the sucessful and ground breaking titles that have come out on PC first and changed the way we look at gaming, in the end nothing beats the all powerful buck. Licensing may be pricey, but in the end more than twice as lucrative as creating a PC title. Take the hundreds of lame console titles you see on the shelf at Wal-Mart, for example. A movie inspired game will outsell all but the MOST popular titles on just about any console you've ever seen in stores. The ease of developing shitty games for those easy to afford console systems means that consoles do indeed outsell PC games by a huge margin.
"In 2001, 65.3 million PC games were sold, compared to 110 million console games. While PC game sales increased 3.6% from 2000, console game sales increased 9% in the same period."
-Geek.com
But I digress...the question "is PC gaming dying" is far far different than the question of PC vs Console and it almost 100% comes down to preference and price-tag. There are countless reasons why PC gaming is losing buck for buck to consoles but quite frankly, gamers have never been concerned with sales numbers and licensing bullshit. What makes a game experience great is unrelated to the price tag.
The first way in which I think PCs are superior, is the hardware. I don't mean specifically one persons graphic card versus the Ati Xenos monster that the 360 uses. I'm talking about the basic idea and set up of PC hardware versus Console hardware. Mouse and keyboard, for example, is a much better peripheral for First Person games, Simulation games, Role Playing Games, and Strategy games. Perhaps you can argue First Person games with a game pad as being just about on par, but ask any serious high ranked Counter Strike player, and I can bet you a million bucks hes not using a 360 controller hooked up via USB. Furthermore, the mouse and keyboard are much better for surfing the net and talking online with people using a chat program like AIM or MSN messenger. Even if you plug a mouse and keyboard into a console for those purposes, ultimately your lap and couch aren't the best place to have your keyboard and mouse, nor is reading the screen that could be as far as 15 feet away. Computer hardware is hugely versatile making your gaming rig so much more to the experienced user than simply a gaming machine. Editing movies, photo shop, 3D animation, business applications, anything you want to run, your box can handle in addition to playing some hot titles.
Also monitors, in general, draw the gamer in simply by proximity in contrast to a tv which sits generally much further away from the gamer. The average desktop gamer tends to sit at the most 3 feet away from his monitor, while most console gamers play on a tv stationed further away. That's exactly why people still go to the movies. Nothing like a dark room and a large screen. Unless you can afford the 1500+ pricetag on a huge plasma screen, its most likely your stuck with a 20 inch or so TV. Sparing you the math, a 21 inch monitor viewed 3 feet away will be more immersive than a 21 inch TV viewed from your couch. Even if you're lucky enough (like my buddy Alex) to have a 20 inch HD tv/monitor crossover, anyone whos been following the latest HD developments knows that a computer generally has a much better resolution than even the best HD tv. I, for example, am running games at 1680 x 1050. I only dream of the day I can watch a DVD at such monster resolutions....then again maybe i don't want to see that much detail. Resolution and proximity all mean the same thing...heightened gaming experience.
Last but not least, gaming rigs are always on the cutting edge of performance. With Vista boasting the direct x 10 platform, and with Nvidia and Ati already prepping to release DX10 capable cards we can only imagine what the next-gen pc titles are going to look like. I can garuntee, however, they will give 360 a huge run for its money within only the first year, and within 2 will blow it away by far. The ability to run games in SLI or Crossfire also gives PC hardware a huge one up on Consoles, not only that but faster 64-bit processors, dual core, liquid cooling overclocked rigs, and the general one-upping of PC gamers means that a well built gaming rig will eat consoles for breakfast.
That said, all of the cutting edge sweetness that is PC gaming will run you a couple G's easy. The highest performance rigs just topping 5 grand. Granted, that machine will be a true beast handling even the most demanding tasks with ease, but still...who can afford that much computer? The answer is, not many. A console tears PCs a new one especially in that area. Not to mention the technical know how to build a computer, install software, trouble shoot countless shitty releases by Ubisoft (you fucking assholes), etc etc etc...suddenly you see why so many kids, technically challenged teenagers, and adults choose console gaming.
There it goes again: money. The same thing that makes consoles so great, also makes it nearly impossible for smaller game developers to grow and flourish. Putting a game out for 360 means millions of kids willing to buy your game no matter how good or bad it is. Still, Console games cannot boast a better community of 3rd party development than PCs. How many mods for half life are out? Hundreds, and of that a good 30% are still being played. Every game that comes out on PC has a wide base of technically capable fans willing to take on the role of tech support, or even developing patches to fix problems the game developer has overlooked and will probably never fix. Oblivion, for example, has numerous glitches in both the pc and console releases, all of which were fixed by third party programmers on PC, only about 3 of which ever got fixed on console (often times with the unfortunate side effect of having to start over in order to use the fix).
Lastly I'll mention internet play, because its such a huge part of gaming. You cannot beat the online community of the PC. A true dedicated community doesn't just help keep the game working well, but also offers dedicated players who are willing to do things like start clans, make new maps, run dedicated server 24 hours a day, and more. Add better voice chatting capability, and extensive clan/guild style communities, and you get a very impressive PC community. In general my experiences on Xbox live where negative, lots of young kids, lots of bad players, and even more talking trash than I ever got playing Counter Strike. In general PC gamers strive to build communities they will enjoy over the long term, while a console gamer may only play a game for a few weeks before moving on entirely and never looking back. Why would a console gamer playing in such a fashion be encouraged to help a newb, write a patch, or start a website? The answer is they wouldn't and typically don't. The one exception I can think of is SOCOM 2 for PS2.
Anyways
The PC, in my oppinion, is highly underrated in the world of gaming which has lately become console dominated. The PC game sales may continue to drop, but to those who are willing to put the time and effort in...PC gaming will always dominate certain areas of the technological world. Don't get me wrong, Consoles are sweet and any experienced gamer knows some great experiences are to be had playing consoles, and for the price tag its a totally sweet deal. Still, I think that pc gaming has a lot reasons to continue to exist, and quite frankly, why PC gaming is in many ways superior to Console gaming. Over time, I believe that this situation will only benefit PC gaming, as shittier titles get moved to console for money reasons, the good shit will filter through and continue to provide us select few PC gamers some really amazing experiences.
Nothing has been more fulfilling than building my own computer, over clocking it, upgrading it, and generally taking care of it the last 4 years I've owned it. It may be getting slightly dated, but it still runs all but the most cutting edge games at full specs and usually runs newer games within a completely respectable realm. Sometimes I look at Alex's 360 with my fair share of lust, but for my own budget, needs, and interests a PC gaming rig will give me hours and hours of enjoyment that is highly personalized. If i had only 600 dollars to spend, and needed a good gaming experience, I would obviously recommend a 360 or similar next gen console. If i could afford everything I wanted, I'd have a console right here next to my PC, but if I needed to pick just one or the other I would almost always pick a gaming PC over a console.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
My poor, poor DS
I lent my girlfriend back in Chicago my DS until spring break when she's coming out to California. It was pretty tough letting go of her, and I don't mean my girlfriend (just kidding honey....heh heh...heh). She's more than a little obsessed with Animal Crossing: Wild World, one of the most popular DS titles. Its a good game I must admit and I've clocked my fair share of hours into the living, breathing town me and my beautiful girl named "texas".
If you haven't heard of Animal Crossing: Wild World, its a game that strives to break out of genres. In reality, I would liken it to Neopets (ew), the Sims, and Viva Pinata. In other words, there isn't a specific plot to the game, instead you are rewarded for the amount of time you spend buying, selling, upgrading, and generally being a capitalist bastard. The basic premise is this: you live in a town where there are a variety of tasks to do in order to keep everyone happy, most of which will make you money to spend on cool stuff for your house. In turn, that cool stuff will get you better "HRA" points which probably...eventually...get you something?
I still don't know, but that's part of the beauty of the game. You never really quite know all the in's and out's, which is something that can be good or bad. OCD gamers might find this game frustrating for exactly that reason, but I assure you the money aspect will give you enough to worry about. A quick illustration of my point: The other day I walked into the local Texas furniture shop and saw a rare "Throne" item worth 800,000 bells. That, as many might know, is a lot of bells. I still don't have that much so unfortunately, I wasn't able to purchase it. That sucks balls because THATS A SUPER RARE ITEM AND I REALLY FUCKING NEED IT.
Any who, I don't have the patience this instant for a full review, so instead I'll type up a little something for those who've already played the game...which is basically my few suggestions for any further DS Animal Crossing titles.
- Hot switching equipment. I shouldn't have to go into my inventory every time I need a tool. So what if the DS has a limited number of buttons, the shoulder buttons are both unused at this point and would be perfect for some hot-swapping items like the fishing pole, axe, and shovel.
- Greater control over character appearance. I know about haircuts, so don't start with me. Basically, eye color, hair color. How hard could that be. Everything *about* the features can be changed by the initial starting question that Kapp'n asks you, but colors should be changeable.
- On character storage should be upgradeable, even if at great cost. Two item tabs would be great, especially if you worked hard to earn it.
- Nitpicking, but a better set of true mini games with awards would be nice. It seems to me so far that the mini games included in AC:WW have avoided needing any real skill in order to succeed at. Thats why I'm nitpicking, because I think this game is probably for kids...but fuck them I love collecting as much as those little bastards.
Thats all for now playas.
Viva Pinata - or how i learned to smash the cute but non profitable animal
I don't exactly know how or where to start this review. So i suppose i'll start with a synopsis of what exactly this game is about. Viva Pinata is game for the Xbox360 made by Rare ltd., the company that brought you titles like: Battletoads, Donkey Kong Country 1 2 3, Banjo Kazooie, Narc, GoldenEye, and Kameo. A very well known company that was backed by Microsoft Game studios to launch this game that was partnered with the tv-series. The TV show is on Fox Networks Saturday Morning Lineup and is about little pinata animals who live on an island and do strange things that kids are supposed to think are funny. While the TV series is absolutely ridiculous the game has a different edge to it that makes it almost forgivable that it was spawned from a terrible idea for a tv series.
Now i can't start the actual review without pointing out the main attraction of this game, and that is, it's god damn adorable. Every little creature on this island has a really clever and cute name to match their strange animal combinations in addition to their over the top character designs that make them all the more lovable.
For instance a BuzzleGum,
a weird fat bumble bee that makes amazingly adorable sounds. There are so many cute things in this game that i could go on and on about but i will avoid and recommend just googling Viva Pinata under images to see for yourself. So why dont i talk about the actual game play. The interface is really simple, there are basic controls that a little kid can figure out and it has good flow except for the fact that there is no quick travel options. This game would work amazingly on the PC because they could toss a mini-map in the corner of the screen and you could hop from point A to point B without a hitch. But because it's a console you assume a ghost camera with a circular (auto locking) reticle that allows you to grab specific things in your garden.One extremely annoying thing that i did find about that reticle, is the auto lock feature. The auto lock on is a buggy because it pulls the reticle to the nearest object in sight. This is extremely annoying when working in small places on the map that have lots of objects in them. Once again just a minor part of the interface that was annoying but hey it wouldn't be a review if i didn't nit pick. The game is a discoverable game play style that enables you to have to figure out different ways to attract pinatas by either growing different trees or having x amount of water or x amount of grass. It's a build and tear down system that forces you to constantly change your garden to maximize the total profit you can make from your pinatas. This leads me to the most hellhairyass part of the game.
MATING, that's right you get to breed these cute monsters! once you've found the cutest ones or if your a business tycoon the most profitable ones you can reproduce them and stock up on living profit. Mating the pinatas puts you through a minor labor pain of either feeding them certain produce or feeding them other pinatas. once you have fulfilled their carnal needs you can then further their lust into making them produce baby pinatas by playing a mini game that puts the male pinata (assuming there are sexes, which there aren't) in a mine field of evil bomb creatures, he has to venture through a maze where he collects coins and eventually reaches the warm embrace of his lover. Once the two pinatas have successfully connected on a spiritual level they make their way back to their home where they do a "dance" that brings them a child. Yes yes, what a twisted way of teaching children the wonders of life...
Finally the game in my opinion is extremely fun and doesn't force you to be completely loyal to it, meaning that you can pick it up and play for how ever long you feel without losing touch with it. It has an easy learning curve and can be extremely addicting. There are plenty of other features in this game that if you want to pursue i suggest you do so because it is one of the more notable titles that are out there in the next gen world. Warning there are possibilities of overdosing on cuteness use caution when around girls because of the loud high frequency awws and ohhs that you'll hear. In conclusion a great buy for anyone who enjoys fun cute games for the xbox360.
oh and here is one of the cutest things in the entire game...
called a Galagoogoo..
Monday, February 19, 2007
Hero Of The Year
Fuck Superman, Fuck Batman, Fuck all Marvel/DC/Independent Superheros cause Brock Sampson truly is unarguably the most amazing badass ever created. If you don't know who he is then you really need to watch one of the best "underground late-night" cartoons released in a very very very long time. The Venture Brothers. It's probably the most original take on poking fun at old cartoons and does so in an amazing creative sense that surpasses the others in it's genre (Harvey Birdman and SeaLab 2021). I bet there are some people who would disagree but if anyone grew up watching Johnny Quest or has an unnaturally sick sense of humor when it comes to surprisingly grotesque scenes of violence you would love this show. All of the characters are amazing in it and they all fit such ridiculous stereotypes that even they mock themselves. A lot of the voice actors from Home Movies are constantly popping up in episodes and if you are a Home Movies fan you'd appreciate this show a lot too.
The Characters are by far the most amazing part of this show, from the two sons who are dorky and learned all their education from a box, "it gets hot sometimes... in the box", to the psychotic failure of a super villain who was raised by Monarch Butterflies. This show is by far the best show on Adult Swim and anyone who can appreciate tongue in cheek humor will love it. I recommend buying the first season on dvd soon because the second season is coming out in April. OR if you are intimidated by it's holy power just go to you tube and watch a couple of clips or scenes from the show.... Let me know what you think if you haven't ever seen it!!
Friday, February 16, 2007
Lemur Lemur
For those of you who have been living under a rock for the last 5 years, there has been a very interesting phenomenon in music creation, particularly computer-based music, where not only are musicians artists in the sense that they are composing piece's of music, but now there is a new breed of custom home-brew software programming musicians who are using tools like Cycling 74's Max/MSP/Jitter to create virtually anything the imagination can think of. Being that I have been getting heavily involved in writing my own custom performance software in Max/MSP/Jitter, I am always looking for new ways to control the software I am creating...For example, I have been messing around with manipulating audio using Wii controllers.
I came across an amazing control-surface device a while back that I now need to get my hands on. It is called the Lemur and is sold by a company called JazzMutant. The Lemur is amazing in that it is a completely blank palette. And what it offers over the conventional control surfaces on the market is that its controls and interfaces are completely programmable from scratch to fit YOUR needs and it is multi-touch sensitive...What does this mean to you? You can literally play the thing with ALL the hands and feet you can get on the screen, and control custom interfaces that work seamlessly with YOUR performance and style.
How about that for cool.
I came across an amazing control-surface device a while back that I now need to get my hands on. It is called the Lemur and is sold by a company called JazzMutant. The Lemur is amazing in that it is a completely blank palette. And what it offers over the conventional control surfaces on the market is that its controls and interfaces are completely programmable from scratch to fit YOUR needs and it is multi-touch sensitive...What does this mean to you? You can literally play the thing with ALL the hands and feet you can get on the screen, and control custom interfaces that work seamlessly with YOUR performance and style.
How about that for cool.
Here's a video of a Lemur being used as a "step-sequencer" controlling NI Absynth and a variety of light and visual effects...
Final Fantasy Guilt
Like some movie-goers, a lot of gamers stick to one genre. Whether the genre reflects real-world interests like sports or j-pop line dancing, or whether it allows them to live out a fantasy opposite of their own boring, desk ridden lives, most gamers tend to hone in on one particular type of game and set up camp. I call these gamers "genre gnomes"...well sort of. I mean technically I didn't really have a name for them until right now, but now I do so fuck off. Anyways, genre gnomes are great, and many of us start off as genre gnomes, but what genre gnomes lack is the breadth of experience required to be a gamer-pimp. Gamer pimps do it all, and if you intend on reaching true gamer pimpdom, you have to play EVERYTHING from Rapala Bass Fishing to Hal0 2....on PC....in spanish.
I will openly admit, I'm not a gamer pimp. I play a lot of games, but I'm the first to admit my forte is the FPS and I dabble in Strategy games. Not to mention I play mainly on the PC, which is something worth writing a whole other article about (if I didn't want every jackass fanboy from both camps spitting insults like Michael Richards on a bad day). The point is, there's still a lot of games I haven't played. I missed out on everything on PS2, Gamecube, and 360 as well. That's a lot of awesome gaming I didn't do, which is a fact I don't hide. I do try to keep up on new games coming out on other systems I don't own. I think its a pretty good alternative, all though nothing beats experiencing a game for real. One series in particular has eluded me for a long time, and that's the Final Fantasy series. I played FF Tactics, 7, and 8 all on PS but aside from that have not played another title in the series all the way through. Recently Square Enix has been releasing a few titles, and of course there is still FF9-12 that I haven't even bothered looking at. To be honest, i wish I had been able to play more than 3 FF games, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Anyways, whats horrible about it is some people try and give you shit.
I mean, is it just me or do some gamers give you a little scoff when you say you only played 7 and 8? The worst is, the truly snobby ones will often times bash 7 as being "overrated" just to fuck with those whose introduction to the series was on PS1 (often simply because of the age of the gamer). Whats with that? Is it because most gamers actually suck at gaming and have to make up for skill at gaming, for the amount of gaming they do?
"Oh, you didn't buy an SNES and play the original Final Fantasy games? Oh, no, I mean...I just thought you were a gamer."
"Oh you haven't beaten Contra? Oh, I mean...thats cool...I mean I can beat it in under a minute but, whatever. Ur ....a gamer....I guess. pWn ownzers teh"
You get the same response when you say you haven't beat Contra yet. Yeah. I'll admit it, I probably won't be playing contra any time soon, not unless it comes out on Wii Virtual Console, and to be honest I might even think twice about spending Wii points on it. It's supposed to be an amazing game, but good games come out all the time and theres only so much time I have to game in the day. I have played about 3 hours total of contra, and someday I'll beat it. That will be a cool day, because contra is a good game. End of story.
The Bottom line is, there should be no guilt associated with gaming. If you buy a bunch of games and you don't beat them you shouldn't feel bad that you didn't beat them, you should feel bad you spent money on something you didn't really use. Even then, if you're really rich or like wasting money (or simply don't care) then you should just do whatever you want and not let whiny jealous bitches get in your way from doing what games were meant for. TO HAVE FUN. That's right people, don't forget that video games are a form of entertainment, just like Die Hard: With a Vengeance (which was fucking sick). There shouldn't be any guilt involved with them, whether you beat them, what games you've played, how many "classics" you've finished? That's all bullshit that people throw in to...what? Yes, that's right: overcompensate. People like that are lame, and are missing the point. I play a game all the way through when, and ONLY when I think the game is fun. If the game isn't fun, then even the awesome storyline and cool characters ARE A WASTE. If the game wasn't worth finishing to you, it doesn't have to be for some grand reason, it can be just because you didn't think it was that fun.
The last thing I'm going to say before I end this little rant is on the subject of walk throughs. I personally think that a game isn't much fun beating if you did it with a guide in your hand. Games take skill, and part of the fun of games is the challenge they bring to you. They work out your mind, your hands, and sometimes your patience but in the end you will always feel more accomplished beating a game without a guide.
Some people, particularly in the RPG crowd, seem to disagree with me. This is because, they argue, RPG's are all about the story. If you put the time in to level up, and then get stuck on some stupid puzzle and can't move on in the story then you're missing out on the most important thing: the plot of the game. This is something I strangely agree with.
Getting stuck for 3 weeks on one puzzle is DUMB. If you can't figure it out on your own, you might be an idiot, but even idiots deserve to finish good games. So go online, and fucking see how to finish the puzzle. Then keep playing, and probably beat the game. If you're lucky enough to unlock EVERYTHING in a game, without a guide, then you are really smart and I applaud you. If not, don't feel any guilt. Chances are you're stuck because you didn't notice something really minute, or the answer was right in front of you and you ignored it. I call this a brain fart, and it's no reason to throw away a game.
So there you have it, throw away your game related guilt, feel comfortable as a genre gnome, a super gamer pimp, or anything in between. Games are for fun, that's the bottom line.
Carlos Mencia is a bitch.
I've seen that show "Mind of Mencia" like, 4 or 5 times. Lemme tell you, i mostly fucking hate it. He tries too hard to be the Mexican Dave Chappelle. The thing is, Dave Chappelle is a comedic genius, while Mencia is a stupid wannabe. He takes on this obnoxious voice and just tears into mexicans without really being that funny. He, somehow, became the voice for hispanic self-critique, but get this: he's widely accused of stealing large portions of his material.
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1742125
It has the comedian Joe Rogan bringing up 3 or 4 comedians all willing to testify that Mencia steals jokes. It's kind of one of those awkward to watch videos, but if you get all the way through its pretty interesting. This guy has stolen from a lot of talented comedians. One of which is George Fucking Lopez! George allegedly punched Mencia in the face at a comedy club after accusing him of stealing 13 minutes of his routine for an HBO special.
Well all that is just sort of funny, but probably the best part of the whole video is seeing how truly fickle the crowd was. At the beginning they were begging Joe Rogan to sit his ass down, and by the end they were booing Mencia off the stage. Too fucking funny!
Dead Rising... an answer to a horror fans dreams...
The game Dead Rising is loosely a survival horror game that takes place in a mall. You are a journalist who is equipped with a camera and a quirky perverted attitude. You are dropped off by hellicopter where you will begin to document what's happening for 3 days. On the third day the helicopter will return and pick you up. When you arrive at the mall you are completely shut out of whats going on and you have to do odd missions at different times in order to piece together whats happening. Conceptually one of the most amazing ideas for a game ever, but is it all it's hyped up to be? Well, when I first heard about Dead Rising I knew that I had to purchase a 360. Not only did I freak out about this game but I never stopped talking about it with my cousin Matt. We'd spend hours a day at the factory basically freaking out about how amazing it would be to go to the hardware store at the mall and pick up a chainsaw and plow through hundreds of zombies.
The game utilizes all the stores in a mall and combines it with endless amounts weird weapons and some novelty things to kill and humilate zombies with. Now it truly is amazing when you run amuck and kill zombies but there are a bunch of little things that they should have spent more time developing. The first major one is the AI in the npc victims that you have to save. When you go out in the mall you are called by the janitor who reports various locations that you should scout out because he saw someone on the monitors there. When you get to these people you have to escort them back to the security room. Sounds easy enough, but is it? NO! Well okay that's exagerating a bit much but. The AI is pretty bad, the characters don't respond well to just following Frank. In fact sometimes they stand dumbfoundedly in front of hundreds of zombies. They get stuck in weird places and etc etc etc. The only easy ones to rescue are the ones that you can carry on your back.
Now I could sit here and bash the AI in the npc's but I want to focus on the entire game. The game itself is really solid, it has a pretty weird storyline and you can tell it's by capcom because of it's strange awkward American stereotypes. There are fun little puzzles like finding a book on speaking Japanese in order to save two tourists and other things like hurrling a gumball machine into a crowd of zombies and watching them slip. You get to take photos which help you level up and get new mele combat moves and also build up strength, stamina, and health. All of these elements are great and honestly if you can get past that annoying AI and some of the really awkward storyline you have a really amazing game. Oh and the kicker is, in the fine print you can clearly see the disclaimer "in no way related to George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead" haha.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Context Revolt - Spring Student Blog Assignment
As part of my 2nd semester class "Alternative Practices", the entire class has posted their own personal view of "What art is". Check them out!
http://contextrevoltspring07.blogspot.com/
http://contextrevoltspring07.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
V-Day
So, where the hell is the "L" in google's valentines day special title??? I saw it and at first I said to myself, "Oh that's clever." but then I noticed the fact that it says "Googe" haha... I wonder if they are aware of this... Anywho, a big Valentines day special to my girlfriend and a happy birthday to Ian Briggs Robertson!! Wooo!Love and joy my brothers, love and joy...?
Happy Valentines From Alex and The Boons!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Fishing Games
What is the deal with new developers making extremely mediocre fishing games for all the new consoles. I was looking through a history of fishing games up to current and the scores just dramatically get worse and worse. In fact the only high ranking ones were on the Dreamcast... SO MY NEW QUESTION IS: why haven't any developers taken advantage of the 2 most optimal systems for fishing games.. The Wii and the DS. Both of them are more than qualified for a really fun fishing game, even fishing in Zelda Twighlight Princess is suposed to be really fun. Now the downfall of my question.. Are fishing games going out of style? I love fishing and when I'm not capable of going fishing all the time it would be awesome to play a good fishing game once and a while and for the Wii it would be amazing fun. So if anyone knows why every fishing game that has come out has gotten spit on and tossed away let me know..
Monday, February 12, 2007
God of War 2... why aren't you in my hands...
Okay, so for those of you who don't have a playstation2 and have been horribly deprived of the amazingness of Sony's video game God Of War, it's time for you to go out and purchase (or "borrow") a ps2 for the sequel to one of the most amazing games to caress the lens of a console disc tray ever. This games predecessor received a 9.8 by IGN.com and now the sequel has received a 9.7 prior to its launch. Not only do you singlehandedly get to take on the Gods them self but you do it in a brutal genuine 3rd person action game style. You assume the character Kratos one of the most bad ass characters in video game history. His swords are bound to his wrists at the cost of his devotion to the God of War Ares and he uses them to lash out against various Greek Mythology creatures from Hydras to Minotaurs. The game combines a very clever mini-game feature in which you complete a series of displayed buttons to act out really kick ass combos against bosses and enemies. On top of the really addicting and fun game play you get to sit back and enjoy some of the most beautiful cut sequences that are all gorgeous I would go as far to say that they are at the same level as Final Fantasy graphics. The environments in game are also expansive and detailed, and for a game that has so few load sequences you get the best graphics for in game that playstation2 has ever had. My girlfriend and I personally rank the first game easily in our top 3 games if not #1 game. If you have any interest in console gaming and you haven't touched this title, do your hands a favor and take control of the best fucking game on ps2. (sorry shadow of colossus but you don't rip monsters in half with your bare hands or stretch Minotaurs mouths open wide enough to jam your sword down their throats.) So in a great conclusion get ready for the best game on March 13th! And if I were still working at gamestop I'd hope you would've reserved it from me! haha.
Hotel Dusk = Sweetness
Well, my birthday is coming up in 2 days and Alex was a total thweetheart and went out and bought me Hotel Dusk: Room 215. Hotel Dusk is a new almost myst-style mystery game developed by Cing Inc., and published by Nintendo. After registering the game on Nintendo.com (so...close... to free magazine....subscription) I popped it in and got to play a few minutes before class. I have to admit, its looking pretty tight. The graphics are a step up for DS, with a very interesting "book style" take on what amounts to an interactive detective mystery novel. Hopefully the game will manage to keep my interest all the way through, although that's usually my biggest enemy when tackling games. I get bored. I haven't gotten too far, but I'll let you know with a full review when I'm done.
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