Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Final Demo Report
A few days ago I realized I had almost as many game demos installed as I did actual games. The many impressions I've written in the blog are a testament to that. But now I'm kinda getting tired of them, so in one day of hardcore play I burned through them all. Here, then, is the final Demo Report:
Tribes Vengeance Single Player: As is expected with a Tribes game, everyone has been talking about this title's multiplayer, which has made me curious as to the quality of hte Single Player portion, which hasn't had much talk since the game was announced. The production values are top notch, with great voice acting and the same solid game engine. The gameplay though felt like nothing more than an ego booster for the multiplay. Its basically MP with AI teammates and enemies, and on smaller maps. In a way this is a bad thing; Tribes weapons are powerful as hell, but are hard to hit with when your opponent is jumping and jetting like a madman while firing back at you. This makes combat challenging, but the computer controlled enemies do nothing more than hop a few feet back and forth, making it anything but hard. I managed to nail three enemies in a row with my spinfusor, from the air..... not something you see often in a Tribes game
The only challenge to the game is brought by the fact that there is no save ability (at least not in this level). The action was fierce enough that it was still enjoyable, but if every level is like this I can see many a person becoming very frustrated.
Still, combined with the MP, Tribes Vengeance has rised high on my anticipated games list. As easy as the SP is, the story behind it seems very promising, and would easily be worth blasting through the entire thing to watch. Combined with the rock solid multiplay, this may be a purchase.
Doom 3: I, uh, got it running. And that's about it. Seriously though, I only got about 10 minutes into the game before I decided to have some fun with the config file. Apparently ID doesn't want people screwing with it in the demo, so it became corrupted. All I can say is that yes, it looks damn good. Damn fucking good. Maybe not as good as I wanted it to be on my machine; my settings were 800x600 high quality (hence my attempt at tweaking), but certainly playable. I have gone at some of the actual gameplay with my friends copy of the game, however, and from that I can deduce far more. For one, its scary even with the lights on. Its not as much the environment that does it as it is the fact that enemies will jump out of the least likely places, and when they're as grotesque as these fellas you can get a little bit jumpy. I was most impressed however with the enemies. I don't know why people are complaining so much about the simplistic gameplay. Yes they mostly stagger at you, but some of those bastards stagger pretty damn fast. And some of them carry riot shields, which they know how to use. Conclusion: this game is harder than you'd think. And I want to play some more.
Full Spectrum Warrior: The popular Xbox game is now on PC! And unlike some other Xbox to PC ports *cough Halo cough*, the engine is stable and runs incredibly well. As for the gameplay, it certainly isn't as advanced as people claimed it'd be (at least in the retail version), there is more than enough tactical goodness to be found. What impressed me most however is how much it simulates the tension of a real battle, and the confidence and ability of the US military. The banter between the troops, and the efficiency in which they carry out orders gives these troops a lot more life than your usual squad of AI cronies. If they got shot, it was because of a choice I made, not because of their stupidity. The aforementioned tension comes from the incredible level design. What looked to be a small area of the city became a death trap, with plenty of places for enemies to hide, and plenty of objectives to complete. The dirty, broken buildings and junk skewed everywhere provided plenty of cover, and also gave the sense of a real battlefield. The army always pushes the idea of "no man left behind" and goddamn if I didn't do everything I could to bring those boys back in one piece. Games can't create emotion? My ass.
Rome: Total War: Creative Assembly's fans revere the Total War franchise above all (my brother happens to be one of them). gamers that play these games play nothing else for stretches at a time. For me, they've been a little too complex, more akin to reading a history textbook than gaming. So I was a little nervous when starting this up.
A while ago Creative said they'd make the game easier for new fans, and while I don't know how they did, it sure feels that way. I had no trouble understanding the tutorial, and even learned enough to win the demo's only skirmish, the Battle of Trebia without much hassle. There's still that whole diplomacy part of the game I didn't get to see, but the battles alone (which look incredible thanks to the excellent new 3d engine) were enticing.
Overall, a great batch of demos. Anyone who says PC gaming is in trouble this holiday is crazy (or is a raving fanboy that lives here). Now all we need is Half Life 2, if it ever comes out....
On a walkabout
Tribes Vengeance Single Player: As is expected with a Tribes game, everyone has been talking about this title's multiplayer, which has made me curious as to the quality of hte Single Player portion, which hasn't had much talk since the game was announced. The production values are top notch, with great voice acting and the same solid game engine. The gameplay though felt like nothing more than an ego booster for the multiplay. Its basically MP with AI teammates and enemies, and on smaller maps. In a way this is a bad thing; Tribes weapons are powerful as hell, but are hard to hit with when your opponent is jumping and jetting like a madman while firing back at you. This makes combat challenging, but the computer controlled enemies do nothing more than hop a few feet back and forth, making it anything but hard. I managed to nail three enemies in a row with my spinfusor, from the air..... not something you see often in a Tribes game
The only challenge to the game is brought by the fact that there is no save ability (at least not in this level). The action was fierce enough that it was still enjoyable, but if every level is like this I can see many a person becoming very frustrated.
Still, combined with the MP, Tribes Vengeance has rised high on my anticipated games list. As easy as the SP is, the story behind it seems very promising, and would easily be worth blasting through the entire thing to watch. Combined with the rock solid multiplay, this may be a purchase.
Doom 3: I, uh, got it running. And that's about it. Seriously though, I only got about 10 minutes into the game before I decided to have some fun with the config file. Apparently ID doesn't want people screwing with it in the demo, so it became corrupted. All I can say is that yes, it looks damn good. Damn fucking good. Maybe not as good as I wanted it to be on my machine; my settings were 800x600 high quality (hence my attempt at tweaking), but certainly playable. I have gone at some of the actual gameplay with my friends copy of the game, however, and from that I can deduce far more. For one, its scary even with the lights on. Its not as much the environment that does it as it is the fact that enemies will jump out of the least likely places, and when they're as grotesque as these fellas you can get a little bit jumpy. I was most impressed however with the enemies. I don't know why people are complaining so much about the simplistic gameplay. Yes they mostly stagger at you, but some of those bastards stagger pretty damn fast. And some of them carry riot shields, which they know how to use. Conclusion: this game is harder than you'd think. And I want to play some more.
Full Spectrum Warrior: The popular Xbox game is now on PC! And unlike some other Xbox to PC ports *cough Halo cough*, the engine is stable and runs incredibly well. As for the gameplay, it certainly isn't as advanced as people claimed it'd be (at least in the retail version), there is more than enough tactical goodness to be found. What impressed me most however is how much it simulates the tension of a real battle, and the confidence and ability of the US military. The banter between the troops, and the efficiency in which they carry out orders gives these troops a lot more life than your usual squad of AI cronies. If they got shot, it was because of a choice I made, not because of their stupidity. The aforementioned tension comes from the incredible level design. What looked to be a small area of the city became a death trap, with plenty of places for enemies to hide, and plenty of objectives to complete. The dirty, broken buildings and junk skewed everywhere provided plenty of cover, and also gave the sense of a real battlefield. The army always pushes the idea of "no man left behind" and goddamn if I didn't do everything I could to bring those boys back in one piece. Games can't create emotion? My ass.
Rome: Total War: Creative Assembly's fans revere the Total War franchise above all (my brother happens to be one of them). gamers that play these games play nothing else for stretches at a time. For me, they've been a little too complex, more akin to reading a history textbook than gaming. So I was a little nervous when starting this up.
A while ago Creative said they'd make the game easier for new fans, and while I don't know how they did, it sure feels that way. I had no trouble understanding the tutorial, and even learned enough to win the demo's only skirmish, the Battle of Trebia without much hassle. There's still that whole diplomacy part of the game I didn't get to see, but the battles alone (which look incredible thanks to the excellent new 3d engine) were enticing.
Overall, a great batch of demos. Anyone who says PC gaming is in trouble this holiday is crazy (or is a raving fanboy that lives here). Now all we need is Half Life 2, if it ever comes out....
On a walkabout
Friday, September 17, 2004
What Soul Calibur character am I?
Considering he's my best Soul Calibur character, I think this is pretty fitting
This is how we do it
Its Friday night and I'm here typing on the blog. Yes I realize this is rather sad, but then I realize that the only thing everyone else is doing is getting shitfaced enough to lose all ability to create conscious thought for the 100th or so weekend in a row. Not exactly an impressive alternative.
I've been on a demo high lately, and I've got some more to report on. The Tribes single player was short, but enjoyable. Not exactly what I expected from it (actually, I don't know what I'd expect, considering neither of the Tribes games had single player components), but interesting nontheless.
The big one was the Call of Duty: United Offensive demo. It was only one mission, taking place in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, but it was damn good. Some reviewers have claimed that the expansion looses some of the magic that the orginal game had. I can't really agree or not considering I only played one level, but there were many aspects that I found to be, well, curious. For one, most of the mission was nothing more than a shooting gallery. It starts off with you manning the gun on a jeep as it drives past droves of Germans, while the rest of the mission has you jumping from different foxholes and taking out various enemy units. It was still hectic, and like the original, taking cover and moving with teamates helps keep you alive. However, the excellent gunfights alongside your squad were practically absent, and there were a few objectives that seemed to be mroe about trial and error than genuine player skill. In short, it played a little bit too much like Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. That kind of gameplay worked when AA was the only thing around, but COD and other WWII themed shooters removed the need for such cheap tactics. I'd still buy the pack once it dips into the sub $30 range however; I doubt the rest of the game is exactly like Bastogne, and even if it was, the level was still more fun than all of MOH: Breakthrough. That's gotta be worth something.
It seems that after many successful rounds of playing the "buy your textbooks online" game, I've finally lost a hand. One of my books has yet to arrive after a week of waiting, and judging by the seller ratings (which I stupidly didn't read), I may have found a shitty seller. I've emailed him, but I have a feeling I may not get a response. Whatever happens, I'll be sure to post the results.
New review for LC1201 in the works, this time for the game Mafia. Keep you eyes peeled.
When it comes to politics, I'm not a fan of Bush or Kerry, but I found this to be one of the stupidest things I've seen. I like how they claim that we shouldn't worry about terrorism becasue they only spend "less than one cookie" on military resources. I guess that's how they blew up some of our buildings. I agree that our nations money could be better spent, but there's more to world politics than how many cookies you have. Its all about how you use them.
Finally, congrats to Gabe for his firstborn. His account of the goings on was incredibly moving, and I wish him and his wife the best of luck. I can't believe that, even on his own friggin website, Gabe was practically apologizing for talking about it, when in fact the entire PA community was waiting to hear from him. Tycho and Gabe rarely get personal, since they'd rather talk games and make fun of people, so when they do its always worth reading. I believe it is that level of sincerity, modesty, and selectivity that makes their relationship with the fans that strong, and why I love reading PA every week.
On the other hand, we have a bitch complaining about how she hates ribs. How people worship any of the MT crew as such godlike figures is far beyond me. Put a sock in it and read some angsty poetry you moaning fucks.
You gotta boil it, till the glue gets soft
I've been on a demo high lately, and I've got some more to report on. The Tribes single player was short, but enjoyable. Not exactly what I expected from it (actually, I don't know what I'd expect, considering neither of the Tribes games had single player components), but interesting nontheless.
The big one was the Call of Duty: United Offensive demo. It was only one mission, taking place in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, but it was damn good. Some reviewers have claimed that the expansion looses some of the magic that the orginal game had. I can't really agree or not considering I only played one level, but there were many aspects that I found to be, well, curious. For one, most of the mission was nothing more than a shooting gallery. It starts off with you manning the gun on a jeep as it drives past droves of Germans, while the rest of the mission has you jumping from different foxholes and taking out various enemy units. It was still hectic, and like the original, taking cover and moving with teamates helps keep you alive. However, the excellent gunfights alongside your squad were practically absent, and there were a few objectives that seemed to be mroe about trial and error than genuine player skill. In short, it played a little bit too much like Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. That kind of gameplay worked when AA was the only thing around, but COD and other WWII themed shooters removed the need for such cheap tactics. I'd still buy the pack once it dips into the sub $30 range however; I doubt the rest of the game is exactly like Bastogne, and even if it was, the level was still more fun than all of MOH: Breakthrough. That's gotta be worth something.
It seems that after many successful rounds of playing the "buy your textbooks online" game, I've finally lost a hand. One of my books has yet to arrive after a week of waiting, and judging by the seller ratings (which I stupidly didn't read), I may have found a shitty seller. I've emailed him, but I have a feeling I may not get a response. Whatever happens, I'll be sure to post the results.
New review for LC1201 in the works, this time for the game Mafia. Keep you eyes peeled.
When it comes to politics, I'm not a fan of Bush or Kerry, but I found this to be one of the stupidest things I've seen. I like how they claim that we shouldn't worry about terrorism becasue they only spend "less than one cookie" on military resources. I guess that's how they blew up some of our buildings. I agree that our nations money could be better spent, but there's more to world politics than how many cookies you have. Its all about how you use them.
Finally, congrats to Gabe for his firstborn. His account of the goings on was incredibly moving, and I wish him and his wife the best of luck. I can't believe that, even on his own friggin website, Gabe was practically apologizing for talking about it, when in fact the entire PA community was waiting to hear from him. Tycho and Gabe rarely get personal, since they'd rather talk games and make fun of people, so when they do its always worth reading. I believe it is that level of sincerity, modesty, and selectivity that makes their relationship with the fans that strong, and why I love reading PA every week.
On the other hand, we have a bitch complaining about how she hates ribs. How people worship any of the MT crew as such godlike figures is far beyond me. Put a sock in it and read some angsty poetry you moaning fucks.
You gotta boil it, till the glue gets soft
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Rise From Your Grave
I knew this would be a busy semester, and damn was I right. Its been tough just to play my traditional-game-a-day (screw apples), let alone blog.
Speaking of games, I've been playing a lot of demos lately. The first being for Dawn of War. I've always been a fan of Relic's games, and this one seems to continue their tradition of excellence. In theory its a strategy game in the ilk of Warcraft III, but there are quite a few twists to the formula. For instance, units are built in squads, and the cap on them is much more restrictive than even WCIII was. These squads can have more units added on the fly, as well as commanders and special weapons. Rather than sending wave after wave of cannon fodder, the key to victory is to use a few fully upgraded squads and sound tactics to take out larger groups of enemies. Its often difficult to keep track of even three squads in larger conflicts, but the results pay off when you're not rebuilding your attack force every half hour. Its very nice to see an RTS that doesn't rely on the swarm and rush tactics that have been par since Starcraft. The game also sports some very nice animations - characters are shredded booted and bloodied in a variety of ways, and is certainly deserving of its M rating. (After all, it is Warhammer here). Seems like a small addition, but RTS games are some of the most repetitive out there. The more variety the better.
I've also tried my hand at the Tribes: Vengeance beta. Let's just say its Tribes on speed. For the most part, the game feels authentic, with plenty of jetpacking and all the classic weapons. With the addition of land skiing, and faster movements, however, the game is much more frentic, especially on the smaller maps. This is a good thing, as many of the old Tribes maps were far too spaced out, and were useless for small groups of players. I remember when Vengeance was first announced, and all the focus was on the Single Player portion. Fans everywhere were worried that they'd get a half assed multiplayer portion that would be a complete bastardization of Tribes. Fear no longer my friends, your game is back, bigger than ever before.
This Sunday was a disgrace for all Giants fans. I knew they'd loose to the much improved Eagles, but they hardly put up a fight. Its one thing to go down by a touchdown or something, but letting T.O. and pals gloat their way through the whole game is ridiculous. I have a feeling this will be an interesting season, and not in a good way. I'm just glad Im' out of Pennsylvania where the nastiest, rowdiest Eagles fans roam. On the other hand, it will be funny to listen to them when their team folds in half in the playoffs and misses the Super Bowl yet again. The Eagles are the Atlanta Braves of the NFL, and will continue to be so as long as McNabb is their QB. Maybe I should just follow the Packers this season. Who knew old guys could kick so much ass?
Its like a Koala crapped a rainbow in my brain
Speaking of games, I've been playing a lot of demos lately. The first being for Dawn of War. I've always been a fan of Relic's games, and this one seems to continue their tradition of excellence. In theory its a strategy game in the ilk of Warcraft III, but there are quite a few twists to the formula. For instance, units are built in squads, and the cap on them is much more restrictive than even WCIII was. These squads can have more units added on the fly, as well as commanders and special weapons. Rather than sending wave after wave of cannon fodder, the key to victory is to use a few fully upgraded squads and sound tactics to take out larger groups of enemies. Its often difficult to keep track of even three squads in larger conflicts, but the results pay off when you're not rebuilding your attack force every half hour. Its very nice to see an RTS that doesn't rely on the swarm and rush tactics that have been par since Starcraft. The game also sports some very nice animations - characters are shredded booted and bloodied in a variety of ways, and is certainly deserving of its M rating. (After all, it is Warhammer here). Seems like a small addition, but RTS games are some of the most repetitive out there. The more variety the better.
I've also tried my hand at the Tribes: Vengeance beta. Let's just say its Tribes on speed. For the most part, the game feels authentic, with plenty of jetpacking and all the classic weapons. With the addition of land skiing, and faster movements, however, the game is much more frentic, especially on the smaller maps. This is a good thing, as many of the old Tribes maps were far too spaced out, and were useless for small groups of players. I remember when Vengeance was first announced, and all the focus was on the Single Player portion. Fans everywhere were worried that they'd get a half assed multiplayer portion that would be a complete bastardization of Tribes. Fear no longer my friends, your game is back, bigger than ever before.
This Sunday was a disgrace for all Giants fans. I knew they'd loose to the much improved Eagles, but they hardly put up a fight. Its one thing to go down by a touchdown or something, but letting T.O. and pals gloat their way through the whole game is ridiculous. I have a feeling this will be an interesting season, and not in a good way. I'm just glad Im' out of Pennsylvania where the nastiest, rowdiest Eagles fans roam. On the other hand, it will be funny to listen to them when their team folds in half in the playoffs and misses the Super Bowl yet again. The Eagles are the Atlanta Braves of the NFL, and will continue to be so as long as McNabb is their QB. Maybe I should just follow the Packers this season. Who knew old guys could kick so much ass?
Its like a Koala crapped a rainbow in my brain
Monday, September 06, 2004
needs food badly
I'd comment about my return to college, but it all went so fast and smooth that nothing monumental came of it. It felt like I was back to the old routine in no time, and campus hasn't changed at all.
At least, in everything but food. My first year's experience with Loyola's food services could be described as good (for a college at least) but expensive. It was possible to get a decent meal without breaking the bank, but careful plannign was required.
This year, I have a feeling budgeting will be impossible. The prices on nearly everything have been raised, with no indication of an improvement in quality. They've also taken to making each order individually, meaning a long friggin wait added onto the wait to even order food. All of these are inconveniences and annoyances, but I could have lived with them.
But they took Taco Bell away, and that I can't forgive.
Not only was Taco Bell some of the best junk food on campus by far, it was also the cheapest. A few TB lunches through the week was essential to keeping the cash reserves solid. Without it, there's nothing beside hamburgers that doesn't cost below four dollars. Throw in a drink and maybe some chips (or appropriate side), and a meal could cost as much as an entree at a casual restaurant, at about half the quality.
"How could they get away with this Christian?"
Easy; The majority of Loyola students have rich famillies and care nothing of how much anything costs. They may notice a price increase but it means nothing to them. But to the average guy, from an average income, its a big deal. I average about $800 a semester out of a possible $1000. That limit isn't just a number, it is real to me. If I were to eat anything I wanted, I'd burn through a grand before finals. Its ridiculous , and I have no idea as to why there is such a drastic increase. All I know is that I'll be learning to cook better very soon....
In other news, I finally got around to trying out the demo for Medal Of Honor: Pacific Assault. AFter the excellent performance of Call of Duty, I was hoping EA would step up and match them with another excellent MOH entry on the PC. Oh how wrong I was. The demo took forever to load, sometimes skipping over huge parts of the intro scene and sometimes simply freezing up. If the game actually loaded (which wasn't a guarantee), it ran horribly slow. This machine runs Far Cry at 1024 with only a few memory related hiccups. It looks incredible. Pacific Assault ran 15 fps at most, and looked nothing better than COD save for some more complex lighting. From what I coudl decipher from the gameplay, there's nothing new here. Lots of scripted sequences and stupid enemies. They actually charge at you. While I understand that the Japanese troops really did this in battle, it is the easiest shot you'll ever have. The only new feature was the ability to order troops around, but there was no indication of it actually making a difference.
I was really hoping for another grat MOH experience, but once again EA has proven their inability to make a quality game. At one point they still made a few really good games, but now they are worthless to me. Considering how many copies the Madden franchise alone sells they won't exactly miss my business, but it only makes me more hopefull that one day gamers will realize their incompetence and stop buying their products.
Challenge everything? The only thing EA challenges is my patience.
Back later if anything interesting pops up.
At least, in everything but food. My first year's experience with Loyola's food services could be described as good (for a college at least) but expensive. It was possible to get a decent meal without breaking the bank, but careful plannign was required.
This year, I have a feeling budgeting will be impossible. The prices on nearly everything have been raised, with no indication of an improvement in quality. They've also taken to making each order individually, meaning a long friggin wait added onto the wait to even order food. All of these are inconveniences and annoyances, but I could have lived with them.
But they took Taco Bell away, and that I can't forgive.
Not only was Taco Bell some of the best junk food on campus by far, it was also the cheapest. A few TB lunches through the week was essential to keeping the cash reserves solid. Without it, there's nothing beside hamburgers that doesn't cost below four dollars. Throw in a drink and maybe some chips (or appropriate side), and a meal could cost as much as an entree at a casual restaurant, at about half the quality.
"How could they get away with this Christian?"
Easy; The majority of Loyola students have rich famillies and care nothing of how much anything costs. They may notice a price increase but it means nothing to them. But to the average guy, from an average income, its a big deal. I average about $800 a semester out of a possible $1000. That limit isn't just a number, it is real to me. If I were to eat anything I wanted, I'd burn through a grand before finals. Its ridiculous , and I have no idea as to why there is such a drastic increase. All I know is that I'll be learning to cook better very soon....
In other news, I finally got around to trying out the demo for Medal Of Honor: Pacific Assault. AFter the excellent performance of Call of Duty, I was hoping EA would step up and match them with another excellent MOH entry on the PC. Oh how wrong I was. The demo took forever to load, sometimes skipping over huge parts of the intro scene and sometimes simply freezing up. If the game actually loaded (which wasn't a guarantee), it ran horribly slow. This machine runs Far Cry at 1024 with only a few memory related hiccups. It looks incredible. Pacific Assault ran 15 fps at most, and looked nothing better than COD save for some more complex lighting. From what I coudl decipher from the gameplay, there's nothing new here. Lots of scripted sequences and stupid enemies. They actually charge at you. While I understand that the Japanese troops really did this in battle, it is the easiest shot you'll ever have. The only new feature was the ability to order troops around, but there was no indication of it actually making a difference.
I was really hoping for another grat MOH experience, but once again EA has proven their inability to make a quality game. At one point they still made a few really good games, but now they are worthless to me. Considering how many copies the Madden franchise alone sells they won't exactly miss my business, but it only makes me more hopefull that one day gamers will realize their incompetence and stop buying their products.
Challenge everything? The only thing EA challenges is my patience.
Back later if anything interesting pops up.
Saturday, September 04, 2004
Gameweek?
I got a letter in the mail today asking me to renew my subscription to PC Gamer magazine, and for the first time I actually threw it away. For three years I've been receiving the mag, and have been reading it for even longer. I have always considered it one of the better gaming publications out there. The demo disc has been home to many great trials, and the writing is always serious and balanced. Its not quite on par with the critical and classy pages of Next Generation, but when that magazine tragiclly keeled over, PC Gamer was the next best thing.
I decided, however, not to renew my subscription. PCG's quality is fading, and its not practical while away at college. For someone who has been reading game magazines since 6th grade, I thought the choice would cause some feeling of sadness, the kind you get when breaking a tradition that makes no sense to anyone but you. Instead it made me think about the state of gaming publications in the age of the internet. In their current state they are unecessary. In the age of the internet, gaming news changes every day. Even if most of it is of little importance, something big always comes around, but when a gaming mag reports it its usually old news. It makes sense considering they only come out once a month and are written far in advance (you December issue is probably started in October). It also makes sense to see that this is a broken system. No one wants to pay for old news after all. Not even the "Exclusive" features are worthing reading. Exclusives used to be the highlight of the isssue, something special, original, as if given by the gods to the chosen readers. These days and exclusive is usually a preview of a hot game that offer pages of speculation and basic information that has floated on the 'net for weeks, a few new tidbits that mean nothing in the long run, and no more than ten screenshots, just so the publication can say they were the first with the "Real Scoop". Their other form is in first reviews. It isn't odd to see a game's review a week before release, but it is when it comes from a magazine. How can something written a month in advance would be able to play final code of a game? All the controversy surrounding the early reviews of Driver 3 proved that they can't, and now its hard to trust that anyone with an early review actually sat down with the same game that would ship to retail.
The only redeming quality of magazines over internet documents is that a good publication will hire talented writers that offer a wit and wisdom not found elsewhere, as well as well written articles. Unfortunately, this is never the case in the world of gaming print mags. Do you honestly think the guys from Gamepro are masters of their craft?
So, is there a way to fix what was once the most coveted source for gaming news? Absolutely. If the media conglomorates like Future and Ziff Davis want to remian relevant, they need a weekly gaming news publication. Something along the lines of Time or Newsweek. I read these types of magazines whenever I come across them. By highlighting only the major events of the week, they aren't reporting old news, and are great for catching up on the stories you didn't catch or couldn't find more information about. The are also opinion articles that offer interesting takes on topics that would most likely be left uncovered by the press at large. This is exactly what gamers could use. Imagine grabbing a weekly gaming mag and checking out some new Final Fantasy screens you might have overlooked on a tired night, or reading about some new
announcements and press releases from a few days ago, without having to scour the web or sign up for a subcription service (aftar all, magazine subcriptions are generally the same price or cheaper). Its all there in one neat package, not too long (no reviews) and not crammed with cheats and tips no one reads. Some might think the idea is a little too serious for gaming, but all I have to do is point to how much money the industry makes and how much more it will grow to prove that gaming is even more legitimate than TV music and movies these days. Now it just needs a legitimate voice on paper.
That PC Gamer letter said my game would go to hell in a handbasket without their mag. Sorry, but I think my game will be just fine.
Ever since Kobe Bryant's case was dropped the only thing all the celebrity gossip shows can talk about is whether he'll lose all his sponsorships. I think Kobe would much rather loose some money that is now a drop in the bucket for him than go to jail for twenty years, loose his career and come out as a convicted sex offender. But that's just me.
In other news, my brother has made it a hobby of typing random words and phrases into the address bar and finding if they are actual web sites. I'm not sure what's more surprising, the fact that he has succeeded, or that he's only come across two porno sites. Anyway, here are a fe in case you're curious. I'm haven't explored them that well(all I know is that they aren't porn), so surf at your own risk.
www.whatthefuck.com
www.slammajamma.com
Have fun kiddies.
I only got one slice!!
I decided, however, not to renew my subscription. PCG's quality is fading, and its not practical while away at college. For someone who has been reading game magazines since 6th grade, I thought the choice would cause some feeling of sadness, the kind you get when breaking a tradition that makes no sense to anyone but you. Instead it made me think about the state of gaming publications in the age of the internet. In their current state they are unecessary. In the age of the internet, gaming news changes every day. Even if most of it is of little importance, something big always comes around, but when a gaming mag reports it its usually old news. It makes sense considering they only come out once a month and are written far in advance (you December issue is probably started in October). It also makes sense to see that this is a broken system. No one wants to pay for old news after all. Not even the "Exclusive" features are worthing reading. Exclusives used to be the highlight of the isssue, something special, original, as if given by the gods to the chosen readers. These days and exclusive is usually a preview of a hot game that offer pages of speculation and basic information that has floated on the 'net for weeks, a few new tidbits that mean nothing in the long run, and no more than ten screenshots, just so the publication can say they were the first with the "Real Scoop". Their other form is in first reviews. It isn't odd to see a game's review a week before release, but it is when it comes from a magazine. How can something written a month in advance would be able to play final code of a game? All the controversy surrounding the early reviews of Driver 3 proved that they can't, and now its hard to trust that anyone with an early review actually sat down with the same game that would ship to retail.
The only redeming quality of magazines over internet documents is that a good publication will hire talented writers that offer a wit and wisdom not found elsewhere, as well as well written articles. Unfortunately, this is never the case in the world of gaming print mags. Do you honestly think the guys from Gamepro are masters of their craft?
So, is there a way to fix what was once the most coveted source for gaming news? Absolutely. If the media conglomorates like Future and Ziff Davis want to remian relevant, they need a weekly gaming news publication. Something along the lines of Time or Newsweek. I read these types of magazines whenever I come across them. By highlighting only the major events of the week, they aren't reporting old news, and are great for catching up on the stories you didn't catch or couldn't find more information about. The are also opinion articles that offer interesting takes on topics that would most likely be left uncovered by the press at large. This is exactly what gamers could use. Imagine grabbing a weekly gaming mag and checking out some new Final Fantasy screens you might have overlooked on a tired night, or reading about some new
announcements and press releases from a few days ago, without having to scour the web or sign up for a subcription service (aftar all, magazine subcriptions are generally the same price or cheaper). Its all there in one neat package, not too long (no reviews) and not crammed with cheats and tips no one reads. Some might think the idea is a little too serious for gaming, but all I have to do is point to how much money the industry makes and how much more it will grow to prove that gaming is even more legitimate than TV music and movies these days. Now it just needs a legitimate voice on paper.
That PC Gamer letter said my game would go to hell in a handbasket without their mag. Sorry, but I think my game will be just fine.
Ever since Kobe Bryant's case was dropped the only thing all the celebrity gossip shows can talk about is whether he'll lose all his sponsorships. I think Kobe would much rather loose some money that is now a drop in the bucket for him than go to jail for twenty years, loose his career and come out as a convicted sex offender. But that's just me.
In other news, my brother has made it a hobby of typing random words and phrases into the address bar and finding if they are actual web sites. I'm not sure what's more surprising, the fact that he has succeeded, or that he's only come across two porno sites. Anyway, here are a fe in case you're curious. I'm haven't explored them that well(all I know is that they aren't porn), so surf at your own risk.
www.whatthefuck.com
www.slammajamma.com
Have fun kiddies.
I only got one slice!!
Friday, September 03, 2004
The Dark Side Beckons You...
I haven't posted in a few days, and for good reason. I bought Knights of the Old Republic for PC. Not gonna review the thing till its done, but it hasn't dissapointed yet. I could think of a few improvements, but so can any picky sumabtich who's played too many games for their own good.
As for LC1201, I doubt I'll finish anything of worth before returning to college unless packing goes quicker than planned. If its anything, it'll be the first Dreamcast game I review (but certianly not the last).
I saw American gymnast Paul Hamm on a daily talk show a few days ago, discussing how the Olympic Committee asked for him to give up his medal to the South Korean who was cheated of it due to faulty judging. When I heard this I agreed with Hamm (who refused); he simply performed, and the medal was given to him. Can't blame the kid. What he said next was what made me realize just why every other nation in the world sees the American Olympic team as the new East Germans. This situation has happened before, and most times the gold winners plead and demand that the cheated participant also be given a gold. Hamm insisted that he would not do this, saying that "we can't just give out gold medals to everyone."
Paul, you should keep your medal, even if you didn't deserve it. It is there because someone else screwed up. But at the same time, the South Korean gymnast lost his chance at it because someone else screwed up. The only reason he lost was because no one from South Korea contested the judges decision (and all rulings are final). Its bad enough that the judges can't do their job. But why didn't anyone contest them? Now you can't ask the gymnast to do this; they just gave the performance of their life. What more do you want from them? Its up to his supporters and his team. Instead, the best male gymnast at the Olypmics was cheated of gold because of other's mistakes.
In the spirit of sportsmanship, Hamm should realize this, and realize that his oppenent did better. The fact that Paul fell, and the Korean didn't is enough of an indicator of who did better. Instead he has decided he is the best, and America wouldn't have it any other way. The entire world is looking at him, and he doesn't want to share. People need to look out for themselves, true, but that doesn't mean they can't be respectful. If our own citizens can't behave like this, its no wonder that our government isn't looked to highly upon by so many other nations.
I have no doubt the entire sport of gymnastics will have to go through some serious changes if it wants to retain legitimacy (kinda sad when a Russian knew that Carly Patterson would win gold before even competing), and I'm glad for it. I also think that the IOC should take a serious look at their judged sports. I don't know if there's bias or bribery or anything, but something just didn't seem right with them this year.
I never have been a huge fan of the Olympics; usually I observe them from a distance, picking up on the major news but not really watching them. This year, however, I actually loathed them. That's right; I was glad to see the Olympics end. Every year it becomes more of a three ring circus both in NBC coverage and the conflicts that pop up. Rather than praise themselves for holding an event with a vast amount of empty seats and low ratings, I wish the people in charge would get back to what its all about; the competition, the heart, and the shear athelticism of each person participating. The torch still burns, but for me (and so many others) its at the strength of a Zippo.
Give me the Whistle
As for LC1201, I doubt I'll finish anything of worth before returning to college unless packing goes quicker than planned. If its anything, it'll be the first Dreamcast game I review (but certianly not the last).
I saw American gymnast Paul Hamm on a daily talk show a few days ago, discussing how the Olympic Committee asked for him to give up his medal to the South Korean who was cheated of it due to faulty judging. When I heard this I agreed with Hamm (who refused); he simply performed, and the medal was given to him. Can't blame the kid. What he said next was what made me realize just why every other nation in the world sees the American Olympic team as the new East Germans. This situation has happened before, and most times the gold winners plead and demand that the cheated participant also be given a gold. Hamm insisted that he would not do this, saying that "we can't just give out gold medals to everyone."
Paul, you should keep your medal, even if you didn't deserve it. It is there because someone else screwed up. But at the same time, the South Korean gymnast lost his chance at it because someone else screwed up. The only reason he lost was because no one from South Korea contested the judges decision (and all rulings are final). Its bad enough that the judges can't do their job. But why didn't anyone contest them? Now you can't ask the gymnast to do this; they just gave the performance of their life. What more do you want from them? Its up to his supporters and his team. Instead, the best male gymnast at the Olypmics was cheated of gold because of other's mistakes.
In the spirit of sportsmanship, Hamm should realize this, and realize that his oppenent did better. The fact that Paul fell, and the Korean didn't is enough of an indicator of who did better. Instead he has decided he is the best, and America wouldn't have it any other way. The entire world is looking at him, and he doesn't want to share. People need to look out for themselves, true, but that doesn't mean they can't be respectful. If our own citizens can't behave like this, its no wonder that our government isn't looked to highly upon by so many other nations.
I have no doubt the entire sport of gymnastics will have to go through some serious changes if it wants to retain legitimacy (kinda sad when a Russian knew that Carly Patterson would win gold before even competing), and I'm glad for it. I also think that the IOC should take a serious look at their judged sports. I don't know if there's bias or bribery or anything, but something just didn't seem right with them this year.
I never have been a huge fan of the Olympics; usually I observe them from a distance, picking up on the major news but not really watching them. This year, however, I actually loathed them. That's right; I was glad to see the Olympics end. Every year it becomes more of a three ring circus both in NBC coverage and the conflicts that pop up. Rather than praise themselves for holding an event with a vast amount of empty seats and low ratings, I wish the people in charge would get back to what its all about; the competition, the heart, and the shear athelticism of each person participating. The torch still burns, but for me (and so many others) its at the strength of a Zippo.
Give me the Whistle
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