There's a classic rock station I listen to every morning going to work. Its a great station with good DJ's and plenty of great tunes. But please WNNJ, no more commercials for Coors Light. I hate light beer. It tastes like water and I find it to be not at all refreshing. Your constant spots with the "sexy" woman getting hot over a case of Coors is an insult to my intelligence and is just plain tacky.
G4 had their little award show, and it goes without saying that Halo 2 won most of the awards. I didn't expect any less, but some of its awards were a bit of a stretch. Best male voice for David Cross doing the voices for the grunts? I didn't even find them very funny. How can that beat the voicework of actors like Sammy Jackson in San Andreas, Vin Diesel in Butcher Bay, or even Snoop in Def Jam? Silly mass market.
Larry Brown is coach of the Knicks. Is this the reason I've been looking for to watch B-ball again? I certainly hope so.
Looks like the vocalist for the Kingdom Hearts theme is back on for the sequel. J-pop fans unite!
Microsoft apparently sees the Xbxo 360 "in the drivers seat" for the next generation. And the crowd is... not surprised. I mean, what else would they say about their new baby?
Friday, July 29, 2005
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Slap on the Wrist
So Sony BMG music is in trouble for bribing radio stations to play their songs more than others. Its apparently something that happens a lot in radio, but enough so by Sony that the NY attorney general decided to take a look. Total cost? 10 million bucks and an order to stop bribing. Now I know two things for sure:
-Radio IS repetitive for a reason
-Sony will not stop shelling out for their bully tactics anytime soon
Hilary Clinton is in the news a lot about the whole GTA thing. There's only one reason I can think of for it; its the signs of someone running for 2008 election. I'm seriously thinking of looking for work overseas, since I'm afraid to see what the US would be like under her leadership. Of all the people to become the first female president, it could be her?
Today we finally started doign set-up stuff at work, moving the entire backroom into the new area. A lot of labor, but a nice change of pace, and a chance to work with a lot of guys I don't often get to see. And yet again a person scraped themselves on a shelf because they weren't paying attention, and threatened to sue the store. Not the first time I've seen it.
Apparently my job for the fall, the same I had from last spring, is considered to be work-study for me in the eyes of the financial aid dept. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
-Radio IS repetitive for a reason
-Sony will not stop shelling out for their bully tactics anytime soon
Hilary Clinton is in the news a lot about the whole GTA thing. There's only one reason I can think of for it; its the signs of someone running for 2008 election. I'm seriously thinking of looking for work overseas, since I'm afraid to see what the US would be like under her leadership. Of all the people to become the first female president, it could be her?
Today we finally started doign set-up stuff at work, moving the entire backroom into the new area. A lot of labor, but a nice change of pace, and a chance to work with a lot of guys I don't often get to see. And yet again a person scraped themselves on a shelf because they weren't paying attention, and threatened to sue the store. Not the first time I've seen it.
Apparently my job for the fall, the same I had from last spring, is considered to be work-study for me in the eyes of the financial aid dept. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Soul Calibur 3
Lately there's been a huge media blitz for Soul Calibur 3. I've seen it all, heard it all, and yet I still feel worried about the quality of this sequel.
For one, look at the image that is found on every frontpage link to the game; the new female fighter who's nipples are poking through her half a shirt. Ever since Dead or Alive got big, it seems that fighting games insist on making the T and A their biggest selling point. There's nothing wrong with good looking characters of both genders in the game, but I play a fighter for the sheer fun they can be compared to other genres. I can only hope that he actual fighting gets the same attention.
That brings me to my next worry; balance. The reason I can't get into SC2 very much is not because of some crumudgeonly hatred of anything new. I simply gave up when I tried to choose any of my favorite characters not named Mitsurugi, only to find them crippled next to the new fighters. Xianghua, Kilik, Astaroth... they all pale in comparison to Raphael, Talim and Cassandra. Then there's Nightmare and Ivy, fan favorites since forever, who are even stronger than before. this just isn't necessary, especially in the case of Nightmare; the guy can juggle you in the air for five to six hits now before you can even recover. There's no reason for this kind of unbalancing. The King of Fighters series adds new, poweful faces almost every year, but Kyo Kusanagi is still Kyo Kusanagi in every game. You never see the former power houses become empty shells of their former greatness. I know Namco wants to highlight their new creations, but at the expense of the old ones? This doesn't have to be.
My only hope is the fact that it is being made as a PS2 exclusive. The original SC on Dreamcast was a huge revamping of the arcade version, and it was specifically designed for the DC hardware. If working with just one system again can bring the same magic, we just may have another classic. I suppose we'll find out eventually.
Right now is the period of summer that's not quite the end, but certainly not the beginning, yet it is also not the middle. Basically, the time where I should stop procrastinating and get certain things taken care of before it is really the last minute. I always take a week off before leaving for school, and I'm hoping to make it as peaceful as possible.
Got some reviews to write. Well, one in particular that I've been afraid to attempt, but I have to do it eventually. No its not Half Life 2; that's even tougher. But its a worthy game, believe me.
For one, look at the image that is found on every frontpage link to the game; the new female fighter who's nipples are poking through her half a shirt. Ever since Dead or Alive got big, it seems that fighting games insist on making the T and A their biggest selling point. There's nothing wrong with good looking characters of both genders in the game, but I play a fighter for the sheer fun they can be compared to other genres. I can only hope that he actual fighting gets the same attention.
That brings me to my next worry; balance. The reason I can't get into SC2 very much is not because of some crumudgeonly hatred of anything new. I simply gave up when I tried to choose any of my favorite characters not named Mitsurugi, only to find them crippled next to the new fighters. Xianghua, Kilik, Astaroth... they all pale in comparison to Raphael, Talim and Cassandra. Then there's Nightmare and Ivy, fan favorites since forever, who are even stronger than before. this just isn't necessary, especially in the case of Nightmare; the guy can juggle you in the air for five to six hits now before you can even recover. There's no reason for this kind of unbalancing. The King of Fighters series adds new, poweful faces almost every year, but Kyo Kusanagi is still Kyo Kusanagi in every game. You never see the former power houses become empty shells of their former greatness. I know Namco wants to highlight their new creations, but at the expense of the old ones? This doesn't have to be.
My only hope is the fact that it is being made as a PS2 exclusive. The original SC on Dreamcast was a huge revamping of the arcade version, and it was specifically designed for the DC hardware. If working with just one system again can bring the same magic, we just may have another classic. I suppose we'll find out eventually.
Right now is the period of summer that's not quite the end, but certainly not the beginning, yet it is also not the middle. Basically, the time where I should stop procrastinating and get certain things taken care of before it is really the last minute. I always take a week off before leaving for school, and I'm hoping to make it as peaceful as possible.
Got some reviews to write. Well, one in particular that I've been afraid to attempt, but I have to do it eventually. No its not Half Life 2; that's even tougher. But its a worthy game, believe me.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Bad News, Good news
I saw the Bad News Bears last night. All I can say is .... what?
Here's the deal: This remake of the classic baseball film has been advertised in family friendly Wal-Mart. The coming attractions were for Nickelodeon films. The opening credits looked like they were drawn in crayon. All signs of a movie perfect for kids. Except for the fact that it was rated PG-13. And quite frankly, the only things stopping it from an R-Rating was the F-bomb and some nudity. All the jokes, humor and language was decidedly adult, and while that made it funny as hell for myself, the parents who had brought their elementary school kids probably weren't too happy, though I didn't see anyone walk out.
So the jokes were hilarious in a "Bad Santa" way: Bily Bob Thornton has a matter of fact way of deliviring comedic lines that just makes them funnier than they should be. The rest of the movie, however, was sometimes awkward. There was little music, and when there was any it was usually one of only three tracks I can remember. There were many characters that looked like they would lead to some interesting development, but instead went nowhere. Lines were spouted and conflicts ensued and you never really know as to why. Overall, the film felt like watching a bunch of kids playing a Little League game; a few flashes of excitement, then long periods of boredom. Not a horrid film, but some more jokes would have made it that much better. In fact, it would have been better if it was just made R and the writers could let loose.
The good news is that I also stopped by EB Games and exchanged my busted copy of Devil May Cry. I had to shell out two bucks for the disc warranty they offer for used games, but I'm lucky they even took my copy back, so I didn't mind (with that included, it still cost me a bit less than 20 bucks overall). I don't know how I went so long without a PS2, but at least the games are cheap now.
Resident Evil 5 will not be on a Nintendo console, and Shinji Mikami (series creator who is furious at Cacpcom for breaking RE4's Gamecube exclusivity) will not be involved with the project. Coincidence? I think not.
Here's the deal: This remake of the classic baseball film has been advertised in family friendly Wal-Mart. The coming attractions were for Nickelodeon films. The opening credits looked like they were drawn in crayon. All signs of a movie perfect for kids. Except for the fact that it was rated PG-13. And quite frankly, the only things stopping it from an R-Rating was the F-bomb and some nudity. All the jokes, humor and language was decidedly adult, and while that made it funny as hell for myself, the parents who had brought their elementary school kids probably weren't too happy, though I didn't see anyone walk out.
So the jokes were hilarious in a "Bad Santa" way: Bily Bob Thornton has a matter of fact way of deliviring comedic lines that just makes them funnier than they should be. The rest of the movie, however, was sometimes awkward. There was little music, and when there was any it was usually one of only three tracks I can remember. There were many characters that looked like they would lead to some interesting development, but instead went nowhere. Lines were spouted and conflicts ensued and you never really know as to why. Overall, the film felt like watching a bunch of kids playing a Little League game; a few flashes of excitement, then long periods of boredom. Not a horrid film, but some more jokes would have made it that much better. In fact, it would have been better if it was just made R and the writers could let loose.
The good news is that I also stopped by EB Games and exchanged my busted copy of Devil May Cry. I had to shell out two bucks for the disc warranty they offer for used games, but I'm lucky they even took my copy back, so I didn't mind (with that included, it still cost me a bit less than 20 bucks overall). I don't know how I went so long without a PS2, but at least the games are cheap now.
Resident Evil 5 will not be on a Nintendo console, and Shinji Mikami (series creator who is furious at Cacpcom for breaking RE4's Gamecube exclusivity) will not be involved with the project. Coincidence? I think not.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Blu Ray
So, its time to explain the end of my last post; Why am I scared of the Bluy Ray and HD-DVD foramts that will eventually be released?
The question came up to me when I started thinking about Telivision series that are released on DVD. There is only one I am interested in colecting: The Simpsons. That also happens to be the longest running sitcom ever, and is going to take a long time to finish its full release. So I asked myself; what happens when the new format comes out? Will DVD continue to be produced like VHS? Or is there room for only one disc based media? And even it if survives, will shows like the Simpsons that are still being released switch over to the new format, or will DVD versions still come out? I don't want to be forced into buying an entirely new media device because corporations decided we all "need" HD quality footage for everything. Nor do I want to have several players working in order to watch my favorite show.
It just seems to me that no one really cares about these new formats, because no one really needs HD quality movies and shows all the time. DVD is versatile, cheap and popular, and I'd like to see it stay that way for a little longer. However, I can also see big companies like Sony use their marketign muscle to make those same people believe that Blu - Ray is something they need, no matter what the cost. Companies like Sony are also the ones that would benefit the most from sales of new players, TV's and movies. Hopefullt consumers (especially those with massive DVD colletions) will use the power of their wallets and keep DVD alive for a little longer. At least for the first ten seasons of Simpsons; everything after that is hit or miss :p
The question came up to me when I started thinking about Telivision series that are released on DVD. There is only one I am interested in colecting: The Simpsons. That also happens to be the longest running sitcom ever, and is going to take a long time to finish its full release. So I asked myself; what happens when the new format comes out? Will DVD continue to be produced like VHS? Or is there room for only one disc based media? And even it if survives, will shows like the Simpsons that are still being released switch over to the new format, or will DVD versions still come out? I don't want to be forced into buying an entirely new media device because corporations decided we all "need" HD quality footage for everything. Nor do I want to have several players working in order to watch my favorite show.
It just seems to me that no one really cares about these new formats, because no one really needs HD quality movies and shows all the time. DVD is versatile, cheap and popular, and I'd like to see it stay that way for a little longer. However, I can also see big companies like Sony use their marketign muscle to make those same people believe that Blu - Ray is something they need, no matter what the cost. Companies like Sony are also the ones that would benefit the most from sales of new players, TV's and movies. Hopefullt consumers (especially those with massive DVD colletions) will use the power of their wallets and keep DVD alive for a little longer. At least for the first ten seasons of Simpsons; everything after that is hit or miss :p
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
So the news is official: GTA San Andreas is now an Adults only rated videogame, after the ESRB evaluated the contents of the Hot Coffee minigame. I'm too lazy to find a link, but the news is everywhere. If you don't know about it here is the short of it:
It was found in the pc version of San Andreas that a minigame involving graphic sex scenes could be unlocked by modifying some code. Politicians got angry, and Rockstar claimed that they didn't write it, blaming the hackers (and I use that word in its proper form, since they were just playing around with the game code) for placing it in there. Then it was found that the minigame is also in the PS2 version of the game, and can be accessed through the use of Action Replay cheat devices. Because of this, the rating has to be changed to AO since it contains a sex scene, and future versions of the game will have it disabled.
After this, I have a feeling that the industry is going to be hounded by the gov't even more so than before, and maybe some of their hairbrained bills will actually pass. What annoys me most is the fact that this is happening because of the Hot Coffee incident. A lot of game bloggers have screamed "Those politicians are hypocritical. Its okay to have violence, but sex is a cause to go up in arms?", but that's not entirey true; pols. have been attacking violent games since Mortal Kombat. The hypocrisy lies in the fact that a lot more of them are probably going to come out of the woodwork and chime in with their worthless opinion because of this little minigame. It wasn't important to hound on the game industry before, when the old GTA's and games like Manhunt were coming out and let you murder people for absolutely no reason other than "because I can", but once there's some smut in a game its time to raise the red flags?
That is ridiculous; sex is something that pretty much everyone is going to experience at one point, gay or straight. So why is it so taboo in America, while hardcore shooting and beatings are accepted in pretty much every form of entertainment? Are our Puritan values of old still coming out in society? In the rest of the world censorship is the exact opposite; violence is not allowed, but sexual themes, to a certain extent, aren't a problem. I still can't figure out why we're completely backwards about it.
I'm also upset with Rockstar. Not because they put the sex thing in their game; I have no problem with any of GTA's content, and I hope the gov't doesn't try to censor them. But I'd venture to guess that 85% of game controversy from the last four years is because of their games. And rather than come out and explain their side of things, or even have the guts to admit their fault, they decide to lie. They act all badass by constantly releasing uber violent games, but when the heat is on they can't seem to take it. They weren't even gutsy enough to include Hot Coffee from the beginning; they had to sneak it in there and wait for someone to find it, which in turn stirred up more controversy and makes them look even "cooler" in people's eyes. And yes, I do believe they put it in there intentionally; it wouldn't be hard to delete code for something this crucial if they wanted to. All I know is that Rockstar's antics are jsut drawing more fire towards my favorite hobby, and I don't want to see it become censored or regulated because of they couldn't stop acting like teenagers.
Here's an idea Rockstar; instead of finding new ways to offend people, how about you try and make a game that is actually open ended? Just a thought.
Wow, that was a long rant. Tomorrow I'll write about what I planned on saying today: Blu-Ray discs and why they scare me.
It was found in the pc version of San Andreas that a minigame involving graphic sex scenes could be unlocked by modifying some code. Politicians got angry, and Rockstar claimed that they didn't write it, blaming the hackers (and I use that word in its proper form, since they were just playing around with the game code) for placing it in there. Then it was found that the minigame is also in the PS2 version of the game, and can be accessed through the use of Action Replay cheat devices. Because of this, the rating has to be changed to AO since it contains a sex scene, and future versions of the game will have it disabled.
After this, I have a feeling that the industry is going to be hounded by the gov't even more so than before, and maybe some of their hairbrained bills will actually pass. What annoys me most is the fact that this is happening because of the Hot Coffee incident. A lot of game bloggers have screamed "Those politicians are hypocritical. Its okay to have violence, but sex is a cause to go up in arms?", but that's not entirey true; pols. have been attacking violent games since Mortal Kombat. The hypocrisy lies in the fact that a lot more of them are probably going to come out of the woodwork and chime in with their worthless opinion because of this little minigame. It wasn't important to hound on the game industry before, when the old GTA's and games like Manhunt were coming out and let you murder people for absolutely no reason other than "because I can", but once there's some smut in a game its time to raise the red flags?
That is ridiculous; sex is something that pretty much everyone is going to experience at one point, gay or straight. So why is it so taboo in America, while hardcore shooting and beatings are accepted in pretty much every form of entertainment? Are our Puritan values of old still coming out in society? In the rest of the world censorship is the exact opposite; violence is not allowed, but sexual themes, to a certain extent, aren't a problem. I still can't figure out why we're completely backwards about it.
I'm also upset with Rockstar. Not because they put the sex thing in their game; I have no problem with any of GTA's content, and I hope the gov't doesn't try to censor them. But I'd venture to guess that 85% of game controversy from the last four years is because of their games. And rather than come out and explain their side of things, or even have the guts to admit their fault, they decide to lie. They act all badass by constantly releasing uber violent games, but when the heat is on they can't seem to take it. They weren't even gutsy enough to include Hot Coffee from the beginning; they had to sneak it in there and wait for someone to find it, which in turn stirred up more controversy and makes them look even "cooler" in people's eyes. And yes, I do believe they put it in there intentionally; it wouldn't be hard to delete code for something this crucial if they wanted to. All I know is that Rockstar's antics are jsut drawing more fire towards my favorite hobby, and I don't want to see it become censored or regulated because of they couldn't stop acting like teenagers.
Here's an idea Rockstar; instead of finding new ways to offend people, how about you try and make a game that is actually open ended? Just a thought.
Wow, that was a long rant. Tomorrow I'll write about what I planned on saying today: Blu-Ray discs and why they scare me.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Wha?
Today I once again tried to give Z100, New York City's no. 1 pop radio station a chance. Well, I gave its morning show a chance, which plays on a local station when I go to work. When I heard a caller describe the new Wonka film as being "more scarier than the original" I immediately turned the dial. I can tolerate phrases like "alls you gotta do" to an extent, but when callers talk like they're still cracking open the phonics book when they get home at three 'o clock, it doesn't say much about the show or the audience.
Work was beyond boring today. Absolutely nothing to do after ten in the morning. I walked back and forth between the back room and the pets aisles about fifty times.
I've only gotten four hours into Metal Gear Solid 3, and of those four hours, most of it was lingering in the same few areas exploring every nook and cranny. And yet it already surpasses MGS 2 by putting it into an arm lock and slitting its throat. I'm already brewing ideas in my mind for the review, and I'm not even close to finishing the game! As for Devil May Cry... its broken. Completley. You suck EB games. A lot.
The Yankees are in first place after all of that losing. Where the hell does all of this Yankee Magic (tm) come from? Its aggravating beyond belief; they're the only team that can go to the basement and then go onto an unholy win streak that just doesn't seem to end. If the Red Sox really did win last year thanks to Johnny Damon (who my brother and I have determined is in fact Jesus), the Yanks must be backed by Satan. Evil Empire indeed.
I'm very close to getting myself to read the Harry Potter books. All of them. I'm not sure why though; I read through one and a half of them and wasn't terribly thrilled. I guess that I'm intrigued by their massive popularity, and must continue to investigate whether the immeasurable attention they receive is a result of a quality story like everyone seems to say, or just because a couple of people thought it was cool and the trend caught like wildfire.
Gamefaqs is having a summer character battle. If I were a betting man I'd put fifty bucks on a character from Final Fantasy 7 winning it all. But I don't like to gamble, and besides, I'm voting for Link and Gordon Freeman. 'Dem monies is mine.
Work was beyond boring today. Absolutely nothing to do after ten in the morning. I walked back and forth between the back room and the pets aisles about fifty times.
I've only gotten four hours into Metal Gear Solid 3, and of those four hours, most of it was lingering in the same few areas exploring every nook and cranny. And yet it already surpasses MGS 2 by putting it into an arm lock and slitting its throat. I'm already brewing ideas in my mind for the review, and I'm not even close to finishing the game! As for Devil May Cry... its broken. Completley. You suck EB games. A lot.
The Yankees are in first place after all of that losing. Where the hell does all of this Yankee Magic (tm) come from? Its aggravating beyond belief; they're the only team that can go to the basement and then go onto an unholy win streak that just doesn't seem to end. If the Red Sox really did win last year thanks to Johnny Damon (who my brother and I have determined is in fact Jesus), the Yanks must be backed by Satan. Evil Empire indeed.
I'm very close to getting myself to read the Harry Potter books. All of them. I'm not sure why though; I read through one and a half of them and wasn't terribly thrilled. I guess that I'm intrigued by their massive popularity, and must continue to investigate whether the immeasurable attention they receive is a result of a quality story like everyone seems to say, or just because a couple of people thought it was cool and the trend caught like wildfire.
Gamefaqs is having a summer character battle. If I were a betting man I'd put fifty bucks on a character from Final Fantasy 7 winning it all. But I don't like to gamble, and besides, I'm voting for Link and Gordon Freeman. 'Dem monies is mine.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Phew!
So I got back home yesterday evening. My trip to Balitmore was great for charging the batteries, and I got to see my old roomate. I also picked up two new games, one of which doesn't work. Damn you EB, you and your "we'll take all sorts of games for trade, but god forbid we do any quality control." At least the other one, Metal Gear Solid 3, is incredibly.... um.... solid, so far. Yes, bad pun I know. And yes, I know I didn't like MGS 2 so much. Different game this time, believe me.
So we all know by now that the new Potter book sold more than God, Jesus and the Archangel having a bake sale. And I still haven't gotten bast halfway through the second one. I can't wait for the reports to roll in about children having massive headaches from reading the whole thing in one night. Little advice for you people; slow down! I don't see how so many people can buy these massive tomes of books and read them in what, under ten hours? My brother told me he finihsed Goblet of Fire in two weeks of hardcore reading, and he's a pretty bright guy! I've always known that I personally am a slow reader, but now I'm beginning to wonder if I'm just retarded.
I saw some G4 in Maryland this weekend, and while overall I wasn't impressed with their content, I did enjoy the Icons episode about Miyamoto. I was floored to learn that the man only makes a manager's salary; I can't remember the exact figures, but let's just say the father of Mario isn't a millionaire, and won't be anytime soon. How can one of the most creative, brilliant and humble men in the industry make this kind of money while Hollywood showers even the smallest of names with millions. Just crazy it is.
Its sad; EA began to publish the Burnout games for Critierion games just in time for their third entry. Now there is already a fourth one in the works as well as a PSP game. EA wanting to whore a popular franchise? That would never happen...
So we all know by now that the new Potter book sold more than God, Jesus and the Archangel having a bake sale. And I still haven't gotten bast halfway through the second one. I can't wait for the reports to roll in about children having massive headaches from reading the whole thing in one night. Little advice for you people; slow down! I don't see how so many people can buy these massive tomes of books and read them in what, under ten hours? My brother told me he finihsed Goblet of Fire in two weeks of hardcore reading, and he's a pretty bright guy! I've always known that I personally am a slow reader, but now I'm beginning to wonder if I'm just retarded.
I saw some G4 in Maryland this weekend, and while overall I wasn't impressed with their content, I did enjoy the Icons episode about Miyamoto. I was floored to learn that the man only makes a manager's salary; I can't remember the exact figures, but let's just say the father of Mario isn't a millionaire, and won't be anytime soon. How can one of the most creative, brilliant and humble men in the industry make this kind of money while Hollywood showers even the smallest of names with millions. Just crazy it is.
Its sad; EA began to publish the Burnout games for Critierion games just in time for their third entry. Now there is already a fourth one in the works as well as a PSP game. EA wanting to whore a popular franchise? That would never happen...
Friday, July 15, 2005
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Okay, now for some actual content.
Contracts review is up. I promise this is the last Hitman review for a while. What can I say? Its a good series.
A few days ago I stumbled upon an interesting new games site called Next Generation. It focuses primarily on the news and people in the industry rather than on blitzing the reader with screens and useless previews of games. The writing quality here is great, and the outlook is often cyncial. Sounds a lot like the old Next Generation magazine that was published (and canceled) by Imagine media and is my personal pick for greatest game magazine ever written. The interesting thing about this new site is that their logo is almost identical to the one used in the old magazine, and it is owned by the Future Network, which is what Imagine formed into a few years back. Has someone decided to rekindle the spirit of the magazine with this new website? Further investigation is needed, but for now its still a damn good read.
American League won the All Star game again, and from what I heard it was an absolute snooze fest. Why must a game that no one cares about count for so much? The National League will never get homefield until I'm dead at this rate.
And now for one of the coolest stories of the year, no pun intended. Two men who recently climbed to the top of Mount Everest brought Nintendo DS systems with them for entertainment. What's even crazier than that is the fact that the ten DS's the team brought with them were some of the only electronic devices that didn't break. That's right; the worst injury any DS system took was a few nasty scratches. I've always known that Nintendo systems were built like trucks, but this just proves it beyond a doubt. My only question now is how well would the PSP have fared on the same trip?
Contracts review is up. I promise this is the last Hitman review for a while. What can I say? Its a good series.
A few days ago I stumbled upon an interesting new games site called Next Generation. It focuses primarily on the news and people in the industry rather than on blitzing the reader with screens and useless previews of games. The writing quality here is great, and the outlook is often cyncial. Sounds a lot like the old Next Generation magazine that was published (and canceled) by Imagine media and is my personal pick for greatest game magazine ever written. The interesting thing about this new site is that their logo is almost identical to the one used in the old magazine, and it is owned by the Future Network, which is what Imagine formed into a few years back. Has someone decided to rekindle the spirit of the magazine with this new website? Further investigation is needed, but for now its still a damn good read.
American League won the All Star game again, and from what I heard it was an absolute snooze fest. Why must a game that no one cares about count for so much? The National League will never get homefield until I'm dead at this rate.
And now for one of the coolest stories of the year, no pun intended. Two men who recently climbed to the top of Mount Everest brought Nintendo DS systems with them for entertainment. What's even crazier than that is the fact that the ten DS's the team brought with them were some of the only electronic devices that didn't break. That's right; the worst injury any DS system took was a few nasty scratches. I've always known that Nintendo systems were built like trucks, but this just proves it beyond a doubt. My only question now is how well would the PSP have fared on the same trip?
Sunday, July 10, 2005
what did I do today?
so what did I do today, or this weekend for that matter?
- Family renunion with people I didnt' really know. Joy
- Saw Fantastic Four. Good summer fun, but not enough action to rank it very high on the list of great super hero movies.
- Beat Hitman Contracts. Full review soon.
- My tv broke. Well, not really, its just that the A/V jacks in the front don't work, meaning all of my game consoles are now plugged in through R/F switches (meaning degradation in picture, or so I hear). This after buying some gear to hook all of the consoles up through those yellow and white wires. People scoff at my little 13 inch TV set, but the picture is good and its really the biggest one I can fit in a college dorm. Perhaps I'll try to open it up and peek inside...
One more weeek of work, and I can enjoy a little three day vacation, that will involve lots of driving and walking, but also involves seeing a certain someone. And that makes it all worthwhile.
- Family renunion with people I didnt' really know. Joy
- Saw Fantastic Four. Good summer fun, but not enough action to rank it very high on the list of great super hero movies.
- Beat Hitman Contracts. Full review soon.
- My tv broke. Well, not really, its just that the A/V jacks in the front don't work, meaning all of my game consoles are now plugged in through R/F switches (meaning degradation in picture, or so I hear). This after buying some gear to hook all of the consoles up through those yellow and white wires. People scoff at my little 13 inch TV set, but the picture is good and its really the biggest one I can fit in a college dorm. Perhaps I'll try to open it up and peek inside...
One more weeek of work, and I can enjoy a little three day vacation, that will involve lots of driving and walking, but also involves seeing a certain someone. And that makes it all worthwhile.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
So Barry Bonds will be back on the baseball field soon, and most likely he will break Hank Aaron's home run record. This got me thinking to something. Even if Barry goes into the books with the record, I still think that more people will think of Hank when the record is brought up. Personally, I always think of Roger Maris for most homers in a season, even if his record has been shattered. And Emmit Smith may be the NFL's leading rusher, but guess what? I always think of Walter Payton when that record is brought up, and I never saw him (or Maris, for that matter) play!
My point I guess, is that athletes aren't made like they used to be. The men I mentioned above, as well as names like Ruth, Gherig, Williams and Unitas are legends in the minds of sports fans. All good men; not perfect, but classy guys who loved the game. They played and won with pure talent, and that was it. Nowadays, we have McGuire taking andro, Barry taking steroids (and denying it more than anyone), and Emmit Smith and his entire Cowboys team were always in the headlines for drugs or arrests. Not only is their ability to fairly break these records contestable, but these guys just aren't people to look up to.
So while the players of old may have lost their records, I have a feeling that they'll all have a spot in the minds of sports fans for a long time.
In other news, Adult Swim will soon be airing Neon Genesis Evangelion, AKA the most overrated anime ever crafted. At least I have something to put me to sleep on those late weekend nights.
I'm not sure how accurate this is, but I read that the now famous Downing Street Memo is not the original version of the document. Supposedly the reporter who released it to the press destroyed the original copy in order to "protect his sources", and rewrote it himself. I can't say if this is true, and if it is, whether he changed things or copied it verbatim, but I thought those interested might want to know.
Final random thought: I was thinking of the case designs for all three next generation consoles. I remember when the PS2 came out people praised its design, since it looked like something that would look right sitting next to home entertainment equipment. Now, Nintendo has done the same thing with the Revolution's design, while Sony has made the PS3 into a convex monstrosity that won't stack at all, and people are slammnig Nintendo for making a console that looks too much "like a stack of DVDs". Do you people even know what you want?
My point I guess, is that athletes aren't made like they used to be. The men I mentioned above, as well as names like Ruth, Gherig, Williams and Unitas are legends in the minds of sports fans. All good men; not perfect, but classy guys who loved the game. They played and won with pure talent, and that was it. Nowadays, we have McGuire taking andro, Barry taking steroids (and denying it more than anyone), and Emmit Smith and his entire Cowboys team were always in the headlines for drugs or arrests. Not only is their ability to fairly break these records contestable, but these guys just aren't people to look up to.
So while the players of old may have lost their records, I have a feeling that they'll all have a spot in the minds of sports fans for a long time.
In other news, Adult Swim will soon be airing Neon Genesis Evangelion, AKA the most overrated anime ever crafted. At least I have something to put me to sleep on those late weekend nights.
I'm not sure how accurate this is, but I read that the now famous Downing Street Memo is not the original version of the document. Supposedly the reporter who released it to the press destroyed the original copy in order to "protect his sources", and rewrote it himself. I can't say if this is true, and if it is, whether he changed things or copied it verbatim, but I thought those interested might want to know.
Final random thought: I was thinking of the case designs for all three next generation consoles. I remember when the PS2 came out people praised its design, since it looked like something that would look right sitting next to home entertainment equipment. Now, Nintendo has done the same thing with the Revolution's design, while Sony has made the PS3 into a convex monstrosity that won't stack at all, and people are slammnig Nintendo for making a console that looks too much "like a stack of DVDs". Do you people even know what you want?
Monday, July 04, 2005
Note to self; when a chinese take-out place tells you that you get chinese vegetables with your meal, it means they'll pile on tons of Bok Choy, and nothing else.
Fourth of July has come and gone, and overall the weekend wasn't filled with any hoopla or fanfare. I pretty much worked and slept today, and the weekend was more quiet time with the family. No fireworks for me this year; they require a long hike that I don't really feel like making after work.
And now its time to get all hypothetical/sentimental/(angsty?)/philisophical on y'all.
In middle/high school, I rarely went out with friends. This was almost completey due to the fact that where I live, a friend could take up to half an hour to drive to, something that just wasn't an option pretty much any day of the week. When I finally got a car, it just meant I could drive myself to work. So most of my secondary school life was doing homework, playing video games and eventually earning a paycheck. I got into a routine, and rarely did I ever think about anything else. Not like I had much of a choice though; good grades are important, as is a paycheck every week.
But sometimes see what the other kids were doing riding their bikes down random roads, bored out of their minds but hey, it was a chance to get out of the house. They'd play basketball, maybe head to the pool whatever. In HS those activities changed to driving around to random places and "just chilling". There were times where I thought to myself, "Are they really having as much fun as I think they are? Are there really places and experiences I'm truly missing out on? Am I wasting my youth by being locked up in a classroom/bedroom/stockroom? Have I grown up too quickly?"
In college the situation didn't completely change; there I was on a bright sunny day locked up in a dark dorm with one window while the business majors frolicked outisde on the lawn, right in front of my nose. This weekend I saw plenty of long haired bums about my age wandering the store looking for snorkels and movies, stuff to pass the days by with. I've always been proud of what I've accomplished in school, and my work ethic on the job, and that's why I really dont' think about what "fun" others might be having, because those two things are very important to me. But sometimes I still wonder if I have let some of the best years of my life slip by with very little care, part out of necessity, and part out of choice.
Well, that's that. Tune in next time for something a little more cheerful.
Fourth of July has come and gone, and overall the weekend wasn't filled with any hoopla or fanfare. I pretty much worked and slept today, and the weekend was more quiet time with the family. No fireworks for me this year; they require a long hike that I don't really feel like making after work.
And now its time to get all hypothetical/sentimental/(angsty?)/philisophical on y'all.
In middle/high school, I rarely went out with friends. This was almost completey due to the fact that where I live, a friend could take up to half an hour to drive to, something that just wasn't an option pretty much any day of the week. When I finally got a car, it just meant I could drive myself to work. So most of my secondary school life was doing homework, playing video games and eventually earning a paycheck. I got into a routine, and rarely did I ever think about anything else. Not like I had much of a choice though; good grades are important, as is a paycheck every week.
But sometimes see what the other kids were doing riding their bikes down random roads, bored out of their minds but hey, it was a chance to get out of the house. They'd play basketball, maybe head to the pool whatever. In HS those activities changed to driving around to random places and "just chilling". There were times where I thought to myself, "Are they really having as much fun as I think they are? Are there really places and experiences I'm truly missing out on? Am I wasting my youth by being locked up in a classroom/bedroom/stockroom? Have I grown up too quickly?"
In college the situation didn't completely change; there I was on a bright sunny day locked up in a dark dorm with one window while the business majors frolicked outisde on the lawn, right in front of my nose. This weekend I saw plenty of long haired bums about my age wandering the store looking for snorkels and movies, stuff to pass the days by with. I've always been proud of what I've accomplished in school, and my work ethic on the job, and that's why I really dont' think about what "fun" others might be having, because those two things are very important to me. But sometimes I still wonder if I have let some of the best years of my life slip by with very little care, part out of necessity, and part out of choice.
Well, that's that. Tune in next time for something a little more cheerful.
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