Technically, they have been since the OG Guitar Hero, but now even more so. E3 kicked off today, and they made some official announcements. I'm going to run through them and post my comments interspersed in italics.
- Local and global online modes to connect the entire Rock Band community
Nothing new here.
- World Tour mode, now online, simplifies the best of gameplay from the original Rock Band by fusing Solo Tour and Band World Tour modes and cranks it up a notch with an all new collection of opportunity gigs, challenges, cities, venues and hirable staff
Oh hell yes. In person rocking is still the way to go, but having the option of playing the world tour with people across town or across the world kicks serious ass.
- Tour Challenges that offer rockers a chance to play through mini-campaigns focused on the best songs by instrument, decade, genre, artist, album and more
Awesome.
- Battle of the Bands mode challenges players to go head to head against other bands in constantly refreshed contests created by Harmonix
I'm personally not into the competition aspect of the game, but that sounds very cool.
- Quickplay makes it easier than ever to get in and jam without hassle while allowing for new prefab characters or customized characters that can play on any instrument plus lets you make your own set lists and organize your song lists in a variety of categories (genre, era, etc.)
Nothing new here except for set lists.
- Customizable Set Lists keep the music rolling and your band rocking in Quickplay mode
Yay! Set lists!
- Drum Trainer mode gives players the fundamentals of different beats and fills, translating gameplay into real drumming skills
Wow. I can't wait to see how far they take this, but the mind boggles at the possibilities.
- Character Creator completes your look with all new choices in clothing, accessories, tattoos, hairstyles, instruments and more to keep your unique rock avatar playing the full rock part
Nothing new here.
- Backwards compatibility with all Rock Band downloadable music content released to date
Very, very cool.
- Disc Export Feature gives owners of the original Rock Band the ability to export most of the Rock Band disc tracks and upgrade them into Rock Band 2 gameplay--the first time ever in videogame history!
Fuck yes. The only thing that gives me the slightest pause is the word "most." It would suck most extremely if we could import stuff like "Ballroom Blitz" and "Electric Version" but couldn't bring over "Tom Sawyer" and "Foreplay/Long Time." Then again, who am I kidding? I'm buying RB2 if I can't import any songs from RB1, so this is just a really, really big bonus.
- The Rock Band 2 soundtrack will feature over 100 songs - with over 80 songs on disc plus an additional 20 bonus tracks which will be made available for free download this fall.
Nice. This is even nicer given that the soundtrack has also been officially announced. More on that in a bit.
- Unrivaled Blend of Classic, Developing and Emerging rock acts including Pearl Jam, Metallica, Allman Brothers, Motorhead, Devo, Jane's Addiction, Megadeth, Paramore, Modest Mouse and more.
Yes, yes, yes, ok, ok, yes, yes, and ok.
- Rock Band 2 is the first and only video game to feature the music of AC/DC. It includes their epic rock anthem, "Let There Be Rock”
Moar AcDc plz!!!11one
- After 14 years since Guns N’ Roses last official music release, Axl Rose selects Rock Band 2 to debut official new track, “Shackler’s Revenge” from the highly-anticipated album Chinese Democracy
Moar GnR plz!!!111eleven.
- For the first time ever, music from American music icon, Bob Dylan, is featured in a video game with “Tangled Up In Blue”
Moar Dob Bylan kthxbai!!!!11onehundredeleven
- With ongoing weekly DLC releases including individual tracks, track packs and full albums, the Rock Band music library will feature more than 500 songs by year’s end!
That's a lot of music.
- Fender Stratocaster Controller takes on a new authentic look plus adds a reinforced strum bar, quieter buttons, wireless functionality and a built in calibration tool that automatically sets your AV setup to an ideal setting for maximum rock.
Nothing groundbreaking here, seeing as how the PS3 guitar is already wireless, I've never needed to calibrate it, and the buttons are fine. I suppose the strum bar could use a little work, so ok.
- Drum set goes wireless while also featuring quieter, velocity sensitive drum pads and a metal reinforced pedal.
Yes, yes, and yes. I might end up having to get a new drum set, especially if my pedal cracks in half (it's currently hanging on by a thread).
- Microphone showcases authentic styling and weight.
Uh huh. Ok. Sure.
- Fender Telecaster Controller from Mad Catz features soft buttons with lower action to help you shred faster than ever.
O...K. Lower action? Seriously? You realize it's not an actual guitar, right?
- Fender Bass Controller from Mad Catz, the first bass guitar controller ever, takes the shape of the Fender P-Bass with extended length, tuning pegs and a split strum bar to replicate finger-bass style picking.
Ok, now this is awesome. Given that that's exactly how I play the bass (IRL and in the game), I may very well have to pick that up.
- Full-sized Squire Stratocaster Guitar Controller from Mad Catz multiplies the authentic guitar experience by featuring a controller built into an actual Squire Stratocaster body.
Yeah...no. Seriously, just buy a guitar.
- Cymbal Expansion Pack from Mad Catz is a straightforward but amazing upgrade to the Rock Band 2 drum set featuring add-on cymbals.
Interesting. Not sure that it adds anything (the cymbals would just be different inputs, but would still be mapped to 2 or 3 of the same buttons that the drum pads are mapped to), but ok.
- ION Drum Rocker, a real electronic drum kit that functions as a game controller, brings the Rock Band fantasy to life featuring a simple substitution that takes the drum kit from a controller to a real instrument.
Very, very cool.
And now, the official on-disc tracklist:
1. AC/DC “Let There Be Rock” 1970s
2. AFI “Girl’s Gone Grey” 2000’s
3. Alanis Morissette “You Oughta Know” 1990’s
4. Alice in Chains “Man in the Box” 1990’s
5. Allman Brothers “Ramblin’ Man” 1970’s
6. Avenged Sevenfold “Almost Easy” 2000’s
7. Bad Company “Shooting Star” 1970’s
8. Beastie Boys “So Whatcha Want” 1990’s
9. Beck “E-Pro” 2000’s
10. Bikini Kill “Rebel Girl” 1990’s
11. Billy Idol “White Wedding Pt. I” 1980’s
12. Blondie “One Way or Another” 1970’s
13. Bob Dylan “Tangled Up in Blue” 1970’s
14. Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” 1980’s
15. Cheap Trick “Hello There” 1970’s
16. Devo “Uncontrollable Urge” 1980’s
17. Dinosaur Jr. “Feel the Pain” 1990’s
18. Disturbed “Down with the Sickness” 2000’s
19. Dream Theater “Panic Attack” 2000’s
20. Duran Duran “Hungry Like the Wolf” 1980’s
21. Elvis Costello “Pump It Up” 1970’s
22. Fleetwood Mac “Go Your Own Way” 1970’s
23. Foo Fighters “Everlong” 1990’s
24. Guns N’ Roses “Shackler’s Revenge” 2000’s
25. Interpol “PDA” 2000’s
26. Jane’s Addiction “Mountain Song” 1980’s
27. Jethro Tull “Aqualung” 1970’s
28. Jimmy Eat World “The Middle” 2000’s
29. Joan Jett “Bad Reputation” 1980’s
30. Journey “Anyway You Want It” 1970’s
31. Judas Priest “Painkiller” 1990’s
32. Kansas “Carry On Wayward Son” 1970’s
33. L7 “Pretend We’re Dead” 1990’s
34. Lacuna Coil “Our Truth” 2000’s
35. Linkin Park “One Step Closer” 2000’s
36. Lit “My Own Worst Enemy” 1990’s
37. Lush “De-Luxe” 1990’s
38. Mastodon “Colony of Birchmen” 2000’s
39. Megadeth “Peace Sells” 1980’s
40. Metallica “Battery” 1980’s
41. Mighty Mighty Bosstones “Where’d You Go” 1990’s
42. Modest Mouse “Float On” 2000’s
43. Motorhead “Ace of Spades” 1980’s
44. Nirvana “Drain You” 1990’s
45. Norman Greenbaum “Spirit in the Sky” 1960’s
46. Panic at the Disco “Nine in the Afternoon” 2000’s
47. Paramore “That’s What You Get” 2000’s
48. Pearl Jam “Alive” 1990’s
49. Presidents of the USA “Lump” 1990’s
50. Rage Against the Machine “Testify” 1990’s
51. Ratt “Round & Round” 1980’s
52. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Give it Away” 1990’s
53. Rise Against “Give it All” 2000’s
54. Rush “The Trees” 1970’s
55. Silversun Pickups “Lazy Eye” 2000’s
56. Smashing Pumpkins “Today” 1990’s
57. Social Distortion “I Was Wrong” 1990’s
58. Sonic Youth “Teenage Riot” 1980’s
59. Soundgarden “Spoonman” 1990’s
60. Squeeze “Cool for Cats” 1970’s
61. Steely Dan “Bodhitsattva” 1970’s
62. Steve Miller Band “Rock’n Me” 1970’s
63. Survivor “Eye of the Tiger” 1980’s
64. System of a Down “Chop Suey” 2000’s
65. Talking Heads “Psycho Killer” 1970’s
66. Tenacious D “Master Exploder” 2000’s
67. Testament “Souls of Black” 1990’s
68. The Donnas “New Kid in School” 2000’s
69. The Go-Go’s “We Got the Beat” 1980’s
70. The Grateful Dead “Alabama Getaway” 1980’s
71. The Guess Who “American Woman” 1970’s
72. The Muffs “Kids in America” 1990’s
73. The Offspring “Come Out & Play (Keep ‘em Separated)” 1990’s
74. The Replacements “Alex Chilton” 1980’s
75. The Who “Pinball Wizard” 1960’s
76. Abnormality “Visions” 2000’s
77. Anarchy Club “Get Clean” 2000’s
78. Bang Camaro “Night Lies” 2000’s
79. Breaking Wheel “Shoulder to the Plow” 2000’s
80. The Libyans “Neighborhood” 2000’s
81. The Main Drag “A Jagged Gorgeous Winter” 2000’s
82. Speck “Conventional Lover” 2000’s
83. The Sterns “Supreme Girl” 2000’s
84. That Handsome Devil “Rob the Prez-O-Dent” 2000’s
Too...much...awesome...brain...overloading...forcing...to speak...in short...bursts...
Seriously, though, wow. Of the 50 something songs there that I've heard, completely awesome. I'm sure most, if not all, of the other 30 something will grow on me once I hear and play them.
That's it for the official announcements today, and damn, what announcements they are. One more note on the tracklist. Supposedly, Harmonix couldn't get all the tracks they wanted together in time for the Xbox's exclusive launch in September, so that's why they're releasing another 20 tracks to RB2 owners for free download later this year. That's just incredible. At this point, since GH1 was a 10, GH2 was an 11, and Rock Band was a 12, Rock Band 2 is going to be a 13.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Two Handheld Reviews
I recently finished a couple of games on my handheld systems.
First up, Jeanne D'Arc, a turn-based tactical RPG for the PSP. I've been a sucker for these ever since Final Fantasy Tactics on the Playstation, and Jeanne D'Arc doesn't disappoint. It gets bonus points for not forcing me to level grind just so I can advance the storyline (like so many traditional RPGs do, and one of the reasons I don't play them anymore). An enjoyable game with an interesting plot and relatable characters equals a thumbs up from me. Now I can finally pick up and dive into Final Fantasy Tactics for the PSP. I hear it's a faithful update to the original.
The other game I just finished is Hotel Dusk: Room 215, a point-and-click adventure game for the DS. I've been a sucker for these ever since the LucasArts classic adventure games on PC (Monkey Island, Full Throttle, Sam and Max, etc). The only downside is occasionally getting lost and having no idea what to do next because it's unclear how items in your inventory fit into whatever you're trying to do. Other than that, Hotel Dusk was a fairly riveting mystery story that read very much like a hard-boiled detective novel (it even has you hold the DS like a paperback book). Thumbs up. Next up is Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. After all, I've only had it for 8 months...
First up, Jeanne D'Arc, a turn-based tactical RPG for the PSP. I've been a sucker for these ever since Final Fantasy Tactics on the Playstation, and Jeanne D'Arc doesn't disappoint. It gets bonus points for not forcing me to level grind just so I can advance the storyline (like so many traditional RPGs do, and one of the reasons I don't play them anymore). An enjoyable game with an interesting plot and relatable characters equals a thumbs up from me. Now I can finally pick up and dive into Final Fantasy Tactics for the PSP. I hear it's a faithful update to the original.
The other game I just finished is Hotel Dusk: Room 215, a point-and-click adventure game for the DS. I've been a sucker for these ever since the LucasArts classic adventure games on PC (Monkey Island, Full Throttle, Sam and Max, etc). The only downside is occasionally getting lost and having no idea what to do next because it's unclear how items in your inventory fit into whatever you're trying to do. Other than that, Hotel Dusk was a fairly riveting mystery story that read very much like a hard-boiled detective novel (it even has you hold the DS like a paperback book). Thumbs up. Next up is Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. After all, I've only had it for 8 months...
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 has been officially announced.
In short, DLC from Rock Band 1 is fully compatible with Rock Band 2 and vice versa, there will be new and improved instruments although the old ones will still work just fine, there are new modes and tweaks to existing modes (like Band World Tour, which will most likely jump to online, and possibly a "create-a-song" feature like Guitar Hero World Tour will have, although the PR-speak seems to imply that Rock Band won't be doing that until the third iteration or later), the ability to sing and play an instrument at the same time (with one character, rather than having to play multiplayer with yourself), an all-new on disc tracklist, which is the "strongest playlist [they've] ever assembled," as well as "new ways for you to transition from Expert to real instruments." What that last statement could mean is anyone's guess, but Bill Harris over at Dubious Quality thinks it could mean things like electronic drumkits that are compatible with Rock Band. It's going to be interesting, whatever it means.
Also, the folks at Harmonix are continuing to put out quality tracks as DLC, as well as a wide range of music that is certainly broadening my horizons. Since that was one of their mission statements with Rock Band, I'd say they're succeeding. Recent releases have included songs from Boston, Blondie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Motley Crue, Judas Priest, The Cars, Fallout Boy, Jimmy Buffett, Disturbed, Maximo Park, Avenged Sevenfold, The Offspring, Pixies, Weezer, and Papa Roach. Currently announced and coming soon are songs by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rush, and a 12 track "Greatest Hits" pack from The Who.
Speaking of great tracks, some of the songs rumored to be on Rock Band 2's disc include "Chop Suey" by System of a Down, "Give It Away" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Everlong" by Foo Fighters, "Ace of Spades" by Motörhead, "Hello There" by Cheap Trick, "Anyway You Want It" by Journey, "Pinball Wizard" by The Who, "Peace Sells" by Megadeth, "Testify" by Rage Against The Machine, "American Woman" by The Guess Who, "White Wedding" by Billy Idol, "Aqua Lung" by Jethro Tull, "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett, "Drain You" by Nirvana, "Man in the Box" by Alice In Chains, and "Spoonman" by Soundgarden.
Guitar Hero Who?
In short, DLC from Rock Band 1 is fully compatible with Rock Band 2 and vice versa, there will be new and improved instruments although the old ones will still work just fine, there are new modes and tweaks to existing modes (like Band World Tour, which will most likely jump to online, and possibly a "create-a-song" feature like Guitar Hero World Tour will have, although the PR-speak seems to imply that Rock Band won't be doing that until the third iteration or later), the ability to sing and play an instrument at the same time (with one character, rather than having to play multiplayer with yourself), an all-new on disc tracklist, which is the "strongest playlist [they've] ever assembled," as well as "new ways for you to transition from Expert to real instruments." What that last statement could mean is anyone's guess, but Bill Harris over at Dubious Quality thinks it could mean things like electronic drumkits that are compatible with Rock Band. It's going to be interesting, whatever it means.
Also, the folks at Harmonix are continuing to put out quality tracks as DLC, as well as a wide range of music that is certainly broadening my horizons. Since that was one of their mission statements with Rock Band, I'd say they're succeeding. Recent releases have included songs from Boston, Blondie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Motley Crue, Judas Priest, The Cars, Fallout Boy, Jimmy Buffett, Disturbed, Maximo Park, Avenged Sevenfold, The Offspring, Pixies, Weezer, and Papa Roach. Currently announced and coming soon are songs by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rush, and a 12 track "Greatest Hits" pack from The Who.
Speaking of great tracks, some of the songs rumored to be on Rock Band 2's disc include "Chop Suey" by System of a Down, "Give It Away" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Everlong" by Foo Fighters, "Ace of Spades" by Motörhead, "Hello There" by Cheap Trick, "Anyway You Want It" by Journey, "Pinball Wizard" by The Who, "Peace Sells" by Megadeth, "Testify" by Rage Against The Machine, "American Woman" by The Guess Who, "White Wedding" by Billy Idol, "Aqua Lung" by Jethro Tull, "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett, "Drain You" by Nirvana, "Man in the Box" by Alice In Chains, and "Spoonman" by Soundgarden.
Guitar Hero Who?
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Weekend Movie Reviews
I've seen a bunch more movies, so here we go with another round of quick shot reviews.
You Don't Mess With the Zohan, rated PG-13, starring Adam Sandler and John Turturro. I'm a fan of Adam Sandler (except when he makes absolute garbage like Click), so I had to see this movie. So funny, so wrong, and so great. This movie recalls the earlier days of Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison, before he took a "serious" turn and did films like 50 First Dates (possibly the only chick flick I enjoy, but it's not exactly an "Adam Sandler joint"), Spanglish (again, not a bad movie, but definitely not a screwball comedy), and the aforementioned, terrible Click. If you like Adam Sandler doing crazy shit, you can't miss with the Zohan.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, rated PG-13, starring Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, and John Hurt. What can I say? It's fucking Indy. Is it as good as any of the films in the original trilogy? Hard to say. Is it still Indy? Very much so. Anyone who was disappointed by this film was either expecting too much, had their memories of the original trilogy tinted by rose-colored glasses, or both. It's fucking Indy, what more do you want?
Get Smart, rated PG-13, starring Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, and Terence Stamp. I'll be the first to admit that I've never seen the TV show from the 60's. So I don't have criticism like, "Maxwell Smart would never do that!" I took this movie for what it is: a summer spy action-comedy. It delivered on that front, so I enjoyed it.
The Incredible Hulk, rated PG-13, starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, and William Hurt. As one of the few people who actually dug the first Hulk flick, I was lukewarm towards the idea of a reboot. The trailers didn't really do it for me, but I'm still a fan of Hulk and Edward Norton, so I gave it a shot. In short, I liked it. Edward Norton is a great Bruce Banner. I really liked how they foreshadowed the Leader for the inevitable sequel, and just like with Iron Man, the seeds of the Avengers are planted at the end of the film. It is a very good time to be a comic book fan.
Zodiac, rated R, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. I Netflixed this one. My only real complaint about this movie is it's length. Granted, it covers some 22 years, but it does tend to drag in parts that could have been edited not only to keep suspense, but to shorten the overall running time of 2.5 hours. Overall, not a bad movie.
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, rated R, starring Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer. I was raving about this film to one of my coworkers about how she had to see it, and I got the urge to rewatch it. It's definitely one of those films that you can watch a second time and end up getting even more out of it. Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer are great. The movie is very dark and yet absolutely hilarious, it's fantastic.
That's all for now. Tune in next week (or maybe in two weeks or a month, whatever) for more quickie film reviews.
You Don't Mess With the Zohan, rated PG-13, starring Adam Sandler and John Turturro. I'm a fan of Adam Sandler (except when he makes absolute garbage like Click), so I had to see this movie. So funny, so wrong, and so great. This movie recalls the earlier days of Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison, before he took a "serious" turn and did films like 50 First Dates (possibly the only chick flick I enjoy, but it's not exactly an "Adam Sandler joint"), Spanglish (again, not a bad movie, but definitely not a screwball comedy), and the aforementioned, terrible Click. If you like Adam Sandler doing crazy shit, you can't miss with the Zohan.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, rated PG-13, starring Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, and John Hurt. What can I say? It's fucking Indy. Is it as good as any of the films in the original trilogy? Hard to say. Is it still Indy? Very much so. Anyone who was disappointed by this film was either expecting too much, had their memories of the original trilogy tinted by rose-colored glasses, or both. It's fucking Indy, what more do you want?
Get Smart, rated PG-13, starring Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, and Terence Stamp. I'll be the first to admit that I've never seen the TV show from the 60's. So I don't have criticism like, "Maxwell Smart would never do that!" I took this movie for what it is: a summer spy action-comedy. It delivered on that front, so I enjoyed it.
The Incredible Hulk, rated PG-13, starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, and William Hurt. As one of the few people who actually dug the first Hulk flick, I was lukewarm towards the idea of a reboot. The trailers didn't really do it for me, but I'm still a fan of Hulk and Edward Norton, so I gave it a shot. In short, I liked it. Edward Norton is a great Bruce Banner. I really liked how they foreshadowed the Leader for the inevitable sequel, and just like with Iron Man, the seeds of the Avengers are planted at the end of the film. It is a very good time to be a comic book fan.
Zodiac, rated R, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. I Netflixed this one. My only real complaint about this movie is it's length. Granted, it covers some 22 years, but it does tend to drag in parts that could have been edited not only to keep suspense, but to shorten the overall running time of 2.5 hours. Overall, not a bad movie.
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, rated R, starring Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer. I was raving about this film to one of my coworkers about how she had to see it, and I got the urge to rewatch it. It's definitely one of those films that you can watch a second time and end up getting even more out of it. Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer are great. The movie is very dark and yet absolutely hilarious, it's fantastic.
That's all for now. Tune in next week (or maybe in two weeks or a month, whatever) for more quickie film reviews.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Marriage
Ready for a shocking fact? 26 of the 50 United States of America have constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriages. For the mathematically challenged, that's over half of the states in the union. Would you like a list? Here's a list:
Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
Colorado
Georgia
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Wisconsin
Hawaii has an amendment stating that the legislature "has the power to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples." Voters from the state of Arizona were presented with an amendment banning same-sex marriage and voted it down by a slim margin. The existing amendments were all passed by a solid majority, some by an overwhelming majority (Mississippi, Alabama, Tennesse). The state of California will vote on a constitutional ban of same-sex marriage in 2008, and other states such as Florida, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania may as well.
What I can't wrap my head around is this: how and why is it legal for a state (26 of them, no less) to tell two people that they cannot be married for no other reason than because they are the same sex? Forget about all the rhetoric and politics and other bullshit, what we've got here is a civil rights issue. What we've got here is a group of people being denied a right that another group of people has. Period, full stop.
When the election rolls around in November, I might go out and vote for no other reason than to put my mark on a piece of paper, stating that, "No, I refuse to deny a basic civil right to other human beings."
Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
Colorado
Georgia
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Wisconsin
Hawaii has an amendment stating that the legislature "has the power to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples." Voters from the state of Arizona were presented with an amendment banning same-sex marriage and voted it down by a slim margin. The existing amendments were all passed by a solid majority, some by an overwhelming majority (Mississippi, Alabama, Tennesse). The state of California will vote on a constitutional ban of same-sex marriage in 2008, and other states such as Florida, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania may as well.
What I can't wrap my head around is this: how and why is it legal for a state (26 of them, no less) to tell two people that they cannot be married for no other reason than because they are the same sex? Forget about all the rhetoric and politics and other bullshit, what we've got here is a civil rights issue. What we've got here is a group of people being denied a right that another group of people has. Period, full stop.
When the election rolls around in November, I might go out and vote for no other reason than to put my mark on a piece of paper, stating that, "No, I refuse to deny a basic civil right to other human beings."
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Metal Gear Solid 4 Impressions (PS3)
After about an 8 minute install (during which Snake smoked like 4 cigarettes), I started playing the game. Or rather, I started watching cutscenes.
Here's the thing about the initial cutscenes, though: they don't make any fucking sense. Which is the norm for Metal Gear Solid cutscenes. *rimshot* Seriously, though, there was some sort of documentary footage with some deep sea divers and voiceover talking about octopuses, while a news ticker jumped around the screen. Then it switched to a couple of people (not sure if they were male or female, it was hard to tell) doing slow motion wire fu while shit blew up around them.
I was literally staring at my television slackjawed, not out of awe, but out of sheer confusion. Eventually, the game started, and it was Iraq, with Snake in the back of a truck headed to a combat zone. Once I was able to play, I settled in pretty nicely. Although there is a man and his monkey that also has me scratching my head.
I dunno, this is the game that got a number of 10's, but unlike GTA4, I'm just not seeing it. Not yet, anyway.
Here's the thing about the initial cutscenes, though: they don't make any fucking sense. Which is the norm for Metal Gear Solid cutscenes. *rimshot* Seriously, though, there was some sort of documentary footage with some deep sea divers and voiceover talking about octopuses, while a news ticker jumped around the screen. Then it switched to a couple of people (not sure if they were male or female, it was hard to tell) doing slow motion wire fu while shit blew up around them.
I was literally staring at my television slackjawed, not out of awe, but out of sheer confusion. Eventually, the game started, and it was Iraq, with Snake in the back of a truck headed to a combat zone. Once I was able to play, I settled in pretty nicely. Although there is a man and his monkey that also has me scratching my head.
I dunno, this is the game that got a number of 10's, but unlike GTA4, I'm just not seeing it. Not yet, anyway.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Thursday Night Movie Roundup
I haven't done one of these in quite a while, and since I've seen a number of flicks since the last time I did, another one is certainly due. Let's get started.
Cloverfield, rated PG-13, starring a bunch of actors no one has ever heard of. I caught Cloverfield in the theatre, and I had a good time. Not much else to say other than that.
Dan in Real Life, rated PG-13, starring Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, and Dane Cook. Yes, it's a romantic comedy, and yes, all romantic comedies are the same: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy drives girl away, boy and girl reconcile and end up together. But I'm a huge Steve Carell fan, so it wasn't a bad way to waste 90 minutes.
Alvin and the Chipmunks, rated PG, starring Jason Lee, David Cross, and the voice of Justin Long. You couldn't have paid me to see this movie if Jason Lee wasn't in it. However, since Jason Lee is one of my man-crushes, I suffered through it. Dear god it was terrible.
Bullitt, rated PG, starring Steve McQueen and Robert Vaughn. This was the second time I've seen this movie, and the first time on Blu Ray. It was one (of 5) I chose for free when I bought my PS3. It's surprising how great a 40 year old film can look and sound on Blu Ray, but the movie itself isn't very good. It's memorable pretty much solely for a 14 minute car chase through the streets of San Francisco with a Dodge Charger and a Ford Mustang.
Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, rated R, starring John Cho, Kal Penn, and Neil Patrick Harris. A funny, if entirely forgettable comedy.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall, rated R, starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, and Mila Kunis. Anyone who knows me knows I can't get enough Kristen Bell (I still pine for Veronica Mars). Me seeing this flick was a foregone conclusion, and it was pretty damn good even when Kristen wasn't on screen.
Iron Man, rated PG-13, starring Robert Downey Jr, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Terrence Howard. This is by far my favorite comic book movie since Spider-Man 2. Robert Downey Jr is perfect as Tony Stark. I can't wait for the sequel, and I really hope Rhodey gets to become War Machine. Just bad ass all around.
I'm going to catch You Don't Mess With the Zohan this weekend, Kung Fu Panda next Wednesday, and Indy (finally) next weekend. Then there's The Incredible Hulk, Get Smart, WALL-E, Hancock, Hellboy 2, Dark Knight, Pineapple Express, The Clone Wars...Jesus Christ, this summer is fucking packed with great flicks. Until next time!
Cloverfield, rated PG-13, starring a bunch of actors no one has ever heard of. I caught Cloverfield in the theatre, and I had a good time. Not much else to say other than that.
Dan in Real Life, rated PG-13, starring Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, and Dane Cook. Yes, it's a romantic comedy, and yes, all romantic comedies are the same: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy drives girl away, boy and girl reconcile and end up together. But I'm a huge Steve Carell fan, so it wasn't a bad way to waste 90 minutes.
Alvin and the Chipmunks, rated PG, starring Jason Lee, David Cross, and the voice of Justin Long. You couldn't have paid me to see this movie if Jason Lee wasn't in it. However, since Jason Lee is one of my man-crushes, I suffered through it. Dear god it was terrible.
Bullitt, rated PG, starring Steve McQueen and Robert Vaughn. This was the second time I've seen this movie, and the first time on Blu Ray. It was one (of 5) I chose for free when I bought my PS3. It's surprising how great a 40 year old film can look and sound on Blu Ray, but the movie itself isn't very good. It's memorable pretty much solely for a 14 minute car chase through the streets of San Francisco with a Dodge Charger and a Ford Mustang.
Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, rated R, starring John Cho, Kal Penn, and Neil Patrick Harris. A funny, if entirely forgettable comedy.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall, rated R, starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, and Mila Kunis. Anyone who knows me knows I can't get enough Kristen Bell (I still pine for Veronica Mars). Me seeing this flick was a foregone conclusion, and it was pretty damn good even when Kristen wasn't on screen.
Iron Man, rated PG-13, starring Robert Downey Jr, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Terrence Howard. This is by far my favorite comic book movie since Spider-Man 2. Robert Downey Jr is perfect as Tony Stark. I can't wait for the sequel, and I really hope Rhodey gets to become War Machine. Just bad ass all around.
I'm going to catch You Don't Mess With the Zohan this weekend, Kung Fu Panda next Wednesday, and Indy (finally) next weekend. Then there's The Incredible Hulk, Get Smart, WALL-E, Hancock, Hellboy 2, Dark Knight, Pineapple Express, The Clone Wars...Jesus Christ, this summer is fucking packed with great flicks. Until next time!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
GTA IV Postmortem (PS3)
Wow, that only took a month. After about 53 hours of play and 83% completion, I've finished the storyline of GTA IV.
Bottom line: if you have an Xbox 360 or a PS3, you need to own this game. Hell, it might be worth purchasing one of the systems just for this game (and Rock Band).
Easily the best GTA game, and probably the best game I've played this year. Great story, great voice acting, looks great, plays great, ton of stuff to do, just fantastic all around. And the endings, holy shit, the endings. Neither is what you'd call "good" and I can't really decide which one I like better. If any other game had only two endings, one would be "good" and the other would be "bad." In GTA IV, no matter how it ends, things get fucked up and Niko will never be the same. Again, fantastic is the word that comes to mind.
Next up: Metal Gear Solid 4. Rumors of 90 minute cutscenes have me wary, however.
Bottom line: if you have an Xbox 360 or a PS3, you need to own this game. Hell, it might be worth purchasing one of the systems just for this game (and Rock Band).
Easily the best GTA game, and probably the best game I've played this year. Great story, great voice acting, looks great, plays great, ton of stuff to do, just fantastic all around. And the endings, holy shit, the endings. Neither is what you'd call "good" and I can't really decide which one I like better. If any other game had only two endings, one would be "good" and the other would be "bad." In GTA IV, no matter how it ends, things get fucked up and Niko will never be the same. Again, fantastic is the word that comes to mind.
Next up: Metal Gear Solid 4. Rumors of 90 minute cutscenes have me wary, however.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Earthbound? No way!
Today I make a very rare blog post from work. Usually I don't post at work just because, but today there's some news that demanded I make a post as soon as possible.
Earthbound has been rated by the ESRB, and that usually means only one thing: It will soon release on the Wii Virtual Console.
I've avoided the Wii Virtual Console so far, mainly because there wasn't much worth paying 5 or 10 bucks for, and because I didn't have any Wavebirds (which is the only way to play VC games properly, as I understand it). But now that I have a couple of Wavebirds, the lure of Earthbound is far too strong, and I must have it when it comes out. I remember borrowing the game from a friend and playing it pretty much every day until I finished it. I can't wait to do it again.
I also hear there are some things like Punch Out! and Super Metroid on the VC. I'm thinking I might have plenty of games to keep me busy after GTA IV lets go of me...
Earthbound has been rated by the ESRB, and that usually means only one thing: It will soon release on the Wii Virtual Console.
I've avoided the Wii Virtual Console so far, mainly because there wasn't much worth paying 5 or 10 bucks for, and because I didn't have any Wavebirds (which is the only way to play VC games properly, as I understand it). But now that I have a couple of Wavebirds, the lure of Earthbound is far too strong, and I must have it when it comes out. I remember borrowing the game from a friend and playing it pretty much every day until I finished it. I can't wait to do it again.
I also hear there are some things like Punch Out! and Super Metroid on the VC. I'm thinking I might have plenty of games to keep me busy after GTA IV lets go of me...
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
GTA IV Initial Impressions (PS3)
My first thought after putting GTA IV in my PS3: Man, I hope this install doesn't take too long.
As it turns out, it took around 10 minutes, just long enough for me to wolf down my burger that I had gotten on my way home from work after picking up the game at GameCrazy (I no longer patronize EBGameStopWare Etc.). After reading some bad stuff on the net about freezing issues, I hoped that the intro cinematic wouldn't break. Luckily, it didn't, and Niko Bellic was in Liberty City soon enough, driving his cousin to his "mansion."
Without going into too much detail (I'd rather save that for a full review), the game is amazing. It looks fantastic, it plays pretty much like you'd expect it to, and the voice acting and sound effects are top notch.
In about 7 hours of play, I haven't done much of the storyline. I've done enough to meet some people, get a list of contacts in my cell phone (which is pretty much the hub for everything: missions, jobs, meet-ups, dates, etc), and see most of the sights on the starting two islands. The storyline is interesting, don't get me wrong, but I'm having just as much fun taking in the city. I haven't stolen many cars (except when I really needed to), because it's just as easy to grab a cab. That's right, you can hail a cab from any street corner (Liberty City is modeled after New York, after all), hop in the back, and be driven wherever you'd like to go.
That's assuming you'd rather go somewhere in an automobile instead of on foot. For the first time in any GTA game, I'm finding myself avoiding cars as much as possible. There is so much detail in the city that driving past it at 90 mph seems wasteful. Pedestrians all look different and they speak a multitude of languages. You can buy hot dogs from street vendors. You can get special missions from random people on the street. You can go out to eat, play darts, shoot pool, roll a few frames at the bowling alley, catch a cabaret show, patronize the local strip club, or get plastered at the bar down the street, and you can do any of these activities alone, with friends, or with a date. Niko is currently dating a lovely woman named Michelle. I suspect Michelle might be in some sort of witness protection, as all the things in her apartment are brand new, and she always changes the subject when her past is brought up.
Let me turn to what the media focuses on: the violence and criminal activity. Yes, you can steal cars, but I really don't feel the need to, as I already mentioned with the cabs and the walking around the city seeing the sights. Yes, you can solicit prostitutes, receive service, and then waste them to get a "refund." I don't know that anyone would make a habit of that, however, as the GTA games have always handed out money like candy, and if you're that hard up for digital porn, you would get much better results surfing the net. Yes, you can shoot anyone and everyone. But I've only shot bad people so far. Once, I pulled out a shotgun as I was standing on the curb, whipped around, and blew some poor bastard away. I don't why I did it, it's just something that I've done in past GTA games for kicks. The deafening boom of the shotgun was like a slap in the face, and as I watched the man fly backwards and smack sickeningly into the wall before crumpling to the ground, I was shocked. Shocked at the brutality of it, and shocked at myself for engaging in such wanton violence. I went to the pause menu and loaded my game since I had just saved 30 seconds prior, and I haven't shot anyone "just 'cause" since.
This has already gotten way too long, so I'll end it here. To summarize, after 7 hours of play, GTA IV is everything I thought it would be and much, much more.
As it turns out, it took around 10 minutes, just long enough for me to wolf down my burger that I had gotten on my way home from work after picking up the game at GameCrazy (I no longer patronize EBGameStopWare Etc.). After reading some bad stuff on the net about freezing issues, I hoped that the intro cinematic wouldn't break. Luckily, it didn't, and Niko Bellic was in Liberty City soon enough, driving his cousin to his "mansion."
Without going into too much detail (I'd rather save that for a full review), the game is amazing. It looks fantastic, it plays pretty much like you'd expect it to, and the voice acting and sound effects are top notch.
In about 7 hours of play, I haven't done much of the storyline. I've done enough to meet some people, get a list of contacts in my cell phone (which is pretty much the hub for everything: missions, jobs, meet-ups, dates, etc), and see most of the sights on the starting two islands. The storyline is interesting, don't get me wrong, but I'm having just as much fun taking in the city. I haven't stolen many cars (except when I really needed to), because it's just as easy to grab a cab. That's right, you can hail a cab from any street corner (Liberty City is modeled after New York, after all), hop in the back, and be driven wherever you'd like to go.
That's assuming you'd rather go somewhere in an automobile instead of on foot. For the first time in any GTA game, I'm finding myself avoiding cars as much as possible. There is so much detail in the city that driving past it at 90 mph seems wasteful. Pedestrians all look different and they speak a multitude of languages. You can buy hot dogs from street vendors. You can get special missions from random people on the street. You can go out to eat, play darts, shoot pool, roll a few frames at the bowling alley, catch a cabaret show, patronize the local strip club, or get plastered at the bar down the street, and you can do any of these activities alone, with friends, or with a date. Niko is currently dating a lovely woman named Michelle. I suspect Michelle might be in some sort of witness protection, as all the things in her apartment are brand new, and she always changes the subject when her past is brought up.
Let me turn to what the media focuses on: the violence and criminal activity. Yes, you can steal cars, but I really don't feel the need to, as I already mentioned with the cabs and the walking around the city seeing the sights. Yes, you can solicit prostitutes, receive service, and then waste them to get a "refund." I don't know that anyone would make a habit of that, however, as the GTA games have always handed out money like candy, and if you're that hard up for digital porn, you would get much better results surfing the net. Yes, you can shoot anyone and everyone. But I've only shot bad people so far. Once, I pulled out a shotgun as I was standing on the curb, whipped around, and blew some poor bastard away. I don't why I did it, it's just something that I've done in past GTA games for kicks. The deafening boom of the shotgun was like a slap in the face, and as I watched the man fly backwards and smack sickeningly into the wall before crumpling to the ground, I was shocked. Shocked at the brutality of it, and shocked at myself for engaging in such wanton violence. I went to the pause menu and loaded my game since I had just saved 30 seconds prior, and I haven't shot anyone "just 'cause" since.
This has already gotten way too long, so I'll end it here. To summarize, after 7 hours of play, GTA IV is everything I thought it would be and much, much more.
Monday, April 28, 2008
GTA IV Tomorrow
GTA IV hits tomorrow. Actually, it hits at midnight tonight, but since I have to work in the morning, I can't get it until after 5 tomorrow. I say can't, not because I'm somehow unable to get it tonight, it's just that I know if I do, I'll stay up until like 4 in the morning playing it, and then not want to go to work, and that's just all bad. I have no self control when it comes to GTA.
So, the work day tomorrow is officially going to be the longest 8 and a half hours of my life. Wish me luck. I'll try and get impressions up tomorrow night (if I can tear myself away from playing after oh, about 6 hours straight, I'm guessing) but probably not until Wednesday or later. GTA IV, bitches!
So, the work day tomorrow is officially going to be the longest 8 and a half hours of my life. Wish me luck. I'll try and get impressions up tomorrow night (if I can tear myself away from playing after oh, about 6 hours straight, I'm guessing) but probably not until Wednesday or later. GTA IV, bitches!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
I'm...Excited?
I don't talk about work, except when I do. Shit, I think I've used that line before. Oh well, fuck it, I'm too tired right now to care.
So I'm a Health Plan Service Specialist. When I first got the job, it meant I helped out the reps who had questions about whatever. That was awesome, because I didn't have to talk to the public (except for rare occasions), and I got to put my knowledge to good use (explaining things to the general public is not a good use of knowledge. It's wasted on them). But then, that changed, and I didn't get to take those calls anymore. Those calls went to the seasoned reps, and I got escalated calls.
You know what escalated calls are? It's the kind of call that starts with "I want to talk to your supervisor." The kind of calls that really shouldn't exist, because they only occur when a rep isn't doing their job properly or a customer is being unreasonable. Either way, they suck, because I was right back talking to the public again. And this time, every single call was a nightmare.
I contemplated quitting. I thought about stepping down and being a rep again. I thought about doing anything but having to take those damn calls ever again. Recently, I switched to a different specialty escalated queue, and it's better, but it still has the potential to be nightmarish.
However, now there's going to be some changes. Now, escalated calls are only going to take up half my day. The other half will be spent working with reps again, to help them get better. It will be spent working with managers to get things done. It will be spent actually doing management duties for the first time ever, even though I became "management" over a year ago. Plus, we're going to be negotiating for more money, which is always good.
Is it going to be perfect? No. Of course not. But I have the sneaking suspicion that I'm going to like my job again. I'm excited.
So I'm a Health Plan Service Specialist. When I first got the job, it meant I helped out the reps who had questions about whatever. That was awesome, because I didn't have to talk to the public (except for rare occasions), and I got to put my knowledge to good use (explaining things to the general public is not a good use of knowledge. It's wasted on them). But then, that changed, and I didn't get to take those calls anymore. Those calls went to the seasoned reps, and I got escalated calls.
You know what escalated calls are? It's the kind of call that starts with "I want to talk to your supervisor." The kind of calls that really shouldn't exist, because they only occur when a rep isn't doing their job properly or a customer is being unreasonable. Either way, they suck, because I was right back talking to the public again. And this time, every single call was a nightmare.
I contemplated quitting. I thought about stepping down and being a rep again. I thought about doing anything but having to take those damn calls ever again. Recently, I switched to a different specialty escalated queue, and it's better, but it still has the potential to be nightmarish.
However, now there's going to be some changes. Now, escalated calls are only going to take up half my day. The other half will be spent working with reps again, to help them get better. It will be spent working with managers to get things done. It will be spent actually doing management duties for the first time ever, even though I became "management" over a year ago. Plus, we're going to be negotiating for more money, which is always good.
Is it going to be perfect? No. Of course not. But I have the sneaking suspicion that I'm going to like my job again. I'm excited.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Weekend's Over
My weekend is, anyway. I've had the last four days off work, which was fan-fucking-tastic. I got to sleep in, play a shitload of video games (specifically, I finished off GTA: Vice City Stories on the PS2, and got absolutely hooked on Locoroco and Patapon for the PSP), hang out with my friends, and watch TV (Weeds is a great show. I Netflixed the first season on Blu-Ray, and after watching it bumped the second season to the top of my queue).
It was also my birthday on Saturday, and I got some great wishes from my friends, so I'd like to thank you all again for those. In celebration, we're going to go see Forgetting Sarah Marshall next weekend (mmm, Kristen Bell), so that should be awesome.
Finally, the Playstation Store should be updated by this time tomorrow. It would be a perfect opportunity to unveil the public beta for Home, I think. Because dammit, I want to see Sony's SecondLife/virtual MySpace. I'm not sure exactly why, but it intrigues me.
It was also my birthday on Saturday, and I got some great wishes from my friends, so I'd like to thank you all again for those. In celebration, we're going to go see Forgetting Sarah Marshall next weekend (mmm, Kristen Bell), so that should be awesome.
Finally, the Playstation Store should be updated by this time tomorrow. It would be a perfect opportunity to unveil the public beta for Home, I think. Because dammit, I want to see Sony's SecondLife/virtual MySpace. I'm not sure exactly why, but it intrigues me.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Updates
I got my refund for my printer, which wasn't really a surprise since I was dealing with Newegg and they kick ass. I also got my refund for those fucked up controllers, which was a bit of a surprise. I think it was my threat of filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau for false advertising that got them to break.
I ended up getting two Wavebirds off eBay for about a hundred bucks combined. That's more than I wanted to pay, but they're Wavebirds and they're great, so it's all good. The DVD binders arrived in perfect condition, so no problems there. And the new printer/scanner/copier I chose is fantastic. It's a Canon (the other one was a Lexmark), which I should have gone with in the first place because Canon makes rock-solid printers.
I finished Kane and Lynch, by actually completing the story line. Turns out all that was required to complete the "stealth" mission was to pop the sentry in the head with a silenced pistol so he couldn't run and fire a warning flare, and then proceed to open fire on full auto on the rest of the guys. Apparently only the sentry was smart enough to work the flare gun. :rolleyes: Other than that, though, the game was entertaining. Not worth playing through again (except the last mission to get the second of two endings, which was actually pretty good), but a solid game.
Finally, Still Alive will be downloadable for Rock Band once Sony finishes updating their store. For free. FTW.
I ended up getting two Wavebirds off eBay for about a hundred bucks combined. That's more than I wanted to pay, but they're Wavebirds and they're great, so it's all good. The DVD binders arrived in perfect condition, so no problems there. And the new printer/scanner/copier I chose is fantastic. It's a Canon (the other one was a Lexmark), which I should have gone with in the first place because Canon makes rock-solid printers.
I finished Kane and Lynch, by actually completing the story line. Turns out all that was required to complete the "stealth" mission was to pop the sentry in the head with a silenced pistol so he couldn't run and fire a warning flare, and then proceed to open fire on full auto on the rest of the guys. Apparently only the sentry was smart enough to work the flare gun. :rolleyes: Other than that, though, the game was entertaining. Not worth playing through again (except the last mission to get the second of two endings, which was actually pretty good), but a solid game.
Finally, Still Alive will be downloadable for Rock Band once Sony finishes updating their store. For free. FTW.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Various
Some things.
I watched No Country For Old Men on Saturday. Good flick. Great performances and lots of things to think about.
I'm alternating between playing Smash Bros Brawl, Rock Band, and Jeanne D'Arc. All great games. I picked Kane and Lynch back up, too, since it's been sitting for like a month, but I think I might be done with it. There's a "stealth" mission that's pissing me off, so we'll see how many times I replay it before I want to snap the disc in half. I'm betting it's 3.
At the urging of a coworker, I slapped a layout on my MySpace page. I like it, but I had to spend way too much time trying to get it to look the way I wanted it to look. MySpace's built in editor is useless shit. It tries to be user-friendly, but it isn't. If they had just allowed me to look at and edit the code, I could have done it in no time. Instead, I had to find someone else's code and modify it to my tastes. I still think MySpace sucks, but what are you gonna do?
Finally, March is already over. That doesn't seem possible. Where have the last 3 months gone?
I watched No Country For Old Men on Saturday. Good flick. Great performances and lots of things to think about.
I'm alternating between playing Smash Bros Brawl, Rock Band, and Jeanne D'Arc. All great games. I picked Kane and Lynch back up, too, since it's been sitting for like a month, but I think I might be done with it. There's a "stealth" mission that's pissing me off, so we'll see how many times I replay it before I want to snap the disc in half. I'm betting it's 3.
At the urging of a coworker, I slapped a layout on my MySpace page. I like it, but I had to spend way too much time trying to get it to look the way I wanted it to look. MySpace's built in editor is useless shit. It tries to be user-friendly, but it isn't. If they had just allowed me to look at and edit the code, I could have done it in no time. Instead, I had to find someone else's code and modify it to my tastes. I still think MySpace sucks, but what are you gonna do?
Finally, March is already over. That doesn't seem possible. Where have the last 3 months gone?
Friday, March 21, 2008
Rest In Peace, My Friend
I lost another of my best friends today. He was tough, and protective, and fiercely loyal. He didn't back down from anything, and he fought to the end. He'd often bring back spoils from his conquests, even if it was only just the feet or a beak. As I sit here thinking of him, tears running down my cheeks, I can almost hear him meow at me, asking if he could jump on my lap for a good scratching under the chin.
I hear you, buddy. I love you, and I miss you.
Goodbye, Cosmo. You were a hell of a cat.
I hear you, buddy. I love you, and I miss you.
Goodbye, Cosmo. You were a hell of a cat.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Arrrrgggggghhhhh
Sent those shitty controllers back today. Only cost me 8 bucks to ship em, too, huzzah!
Emailed the folks at the online video game retailer (http://www.wherehouse.com, I urge you to check them out for your music, movie, and gaming needs), and they basically said, "It's cool, we'll give you your dollars back, yo." So that problem's been solved.
Then we come to the printer. Guess what? It didn't fucking work.
That's not entirely true, it worked for like 5 minutes, and then stopped working. So I sent that shit back today, too. Only 13 bucks shipped, fuckin a.
So after all that trouble with online purchases, what do I do? I order some DVD binders online, because I have far too many DVDs and not nearly enough space for them all. I expect to receive a box filled with smoking ash that is the remnants of the DVD binders, due to a horrible fire in the warehouse in which they were stored. That would be wonderful.
Emailed the folks at the online video game retailer (http://www.wherehouse.com, I urge you to check them out for your music, movie, and gaming needs), and they basically said, "It's cool, we'll give you your dollars back, yo." So that problem's been solved.
Then we come to the printer. Guess what? It didn't fucking work.
That's not entirely true, it worked for like 5 minutes, and then stopped working. So I sent that shit back today, too. Only 13 bucks shipped, fuckin a.
So after all that trouble with online purchases, what do I do? I order some DVD binders online, because I have far too many DVDs and not nearly enough space for them all. I expect to receive a box filled with smoking ash that is the remnants of the DVD binders, due to a horrible fire in the warehouse in which they were stored. That would be wonderful.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
If It Wasn't For Bad Luck
I tell ya, I wouldn't have no luck at all!
I do a lot of shopping on the internet. I'd say about 90% of things I buy that can be purchased online, I do. And 99% of the time, those transactions are flawless.
This last week has been the 1%. First, do me a favor. It'll take 30 seconds. Google "dolabpl". See the first hit? It's a Nintendo WaveBird Wireless Controller Platinum. Check out the next hit. Same thing. Next hit? It's a Nintendo WaveBird Control Inalámbrico Platino, but that's just the same thing en espanol.
The fourth hit is the problem. It lists the correct part number (which is DOLABPL, or DOL A BPL to be exact, that's the manufacturer's part number for the Wavebird) but the picture is that of a cheap knockoff. Doesn't matter, because that happens all the time on the internet, the merchandise is often "not exactly as pictured" but the part number ensures you get exactly what you want, right?
Yes, that's right, and that's the way it is and always should be. Except, apparently, that "Etronicspal" seems to think that they don't have to play by the same rules everyone else does. You see, they marked a shitty knockoff (it's not even a third party, it's like a fifth party. There's literally no brand) with the same part number as a Wavebird, thereby misrepresenting the product for sale. Not only that, but they think that they can get away with only providing "store credit" for the return of their misrepresented product. Sorry, assholes, doesn't work that way.
I'll let you know how it all turns out, but here's what I expect to happen: I return their bullshit controller, and I get the charge reversed on my credit card (minus shipping and handling, of course, they won't refund that, even though I never would have had the product shipped if they hadn't misrepresented it, but whatever).
Second, I ordered some used games from a different retailer. They guaranteed all their used games to come with the original cases and manuals. Cool. Just one problem. I opened one of the shrink-wrapped boxes, removed the "Used" sticker slapped across the top, and opened the case to find: no disc inside. There was a manual, but no disc. Sweet! So now I have to try and convince them that their lovingly shrink-wrapped and stickered case was stickered and shrink-wrapped without the disc inside, and not removed after I opened it and claimed it was missing. *sigh*
Other than that, this week's been great. I've got a new printer/copier/flatbed scanner arriving tomorrow. Receiving it in multiple pieces would be the vomit-flavored icing on the cake made of shit.
I do a lot of shopping on the internet. I'd say about 90% of things I buy that can be purchased online, I do. And 99% of the time, those transactions are flawless.
This last week has been the 1%. First, do me a favor. It'll take 30 seconds. Google "dolabpl". See the first hit? It's a Nintendo WaveBird Wireless Controller Platinum. Check out the next hit. Same thing. Next hit? It's a Nintendo WaveBird Control Inalámbrico Platino, but that's just the same thing en espanol.
The fourth hit is the problem. It lists the correct part number (which is DOLABPL, or DOL A BPL to be exact, that's the manufacturer's part number for the Wavebird) but the picture is that of a cheap knockoff. Doesn't matter, because that happens all the time on the internet, the merchandise is often "not exactly as pictured" but the part number ensures you get exactly what you want, right?
Yes, that's right, and that's the way it is and always should be. Except, apparently, that "Etronicspal" seems to think that they don't have to play by the same rules everyone else does. You see, they marked a shitty knockoff (it's not even a third party, it's like a fifth party. There's literally no brand) with the same part number as a Wavebird, thereby misrepresenting the product for sale. Not only that, but they think that they can get away with only providing "store credit" for the return of their misrepresented product. Sorry, assholes, doesn't work that way.
I'll let you know how it all turns out, but here's what I expect to happen: I return their bullshit controller, and I get the charge reversed on my credit card (minus shipping and handling, of course, they won't refund that, even though I never would have had the product shipped if they hadn't misrepresented it, but whatever).
Second, I ordered some used games from a different retailer. They guaranteed all their used games to come with the original cases and manuals. Cool. Just one problem. I opened one of the shrink-wrapped boxes, removed the "Used" sticker slapped across the top, and opened the case to find: no disc inside. There was a manual, but no disc. Sweet! So now I have to try and convince them that their lovingly shrink-wrapped and stickered case was stickered and shrink-wrapped without the disc inside, and not removed after I opened it and claimed it was missing. *sigh*
Other than that, this week's been great. I've got a new printer/copier/flatbed scanner arriving tomorrow. Receiving it in multiple pieces would be the vomit-flavored icing on the cake made of shit.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Games
Played a bit more Kane and Lynch, and it continues to be kickass. It's like a video game version of Heat, which is an awesome flick.
Borrowed No More Heroes for Wii from a friend. It's unlike anything I've ever played. It's got a slight GTA feel to it, in that you drive around the city doing missions, but that's about where the similarity stops. It's incredibly violent (cartoonishly so, really, if cartoons had gallons and gallons of spurting blood. It's like Quentin Tarantino made a video game), extremely funny and irreverent, at times frustrating, but ultimately a whole lot of fun. If killing massive amounts of people with a laser sword is wrong, I don't want to be right. Favorite line so far: "It's open mic night in hell, old man. Sing all you like down there."
Finally, I picked up a PSP: the Daxter pack, to be specific. So I now have a silver PSP Slim, Daxter, The Family Guy Freakin' Sweet Collection on UMD, and a 1 gig memory stick. It's pretty sweet. Daxter is highly entertaining. I'm looking forward to adding some other must have titles to my collection (like Final Fantasy Tactics, which, unlike the DS version, is an updated version of the original PSOne game, which was the best turn-based strategy game ever).
Borrowed No More Heroes for Wii from a friend. It's unlike anything I've ever played. It's got a slight GTA feel to it, in that you drive around the city doing missions, but that's about where the similarity stops. It's incredibly violent (cartoonishly so, really, if cartoons had gallons and gallons of spurting blood. It's like Quentin Tarantino made a video game), extremely funny and irreverent, at times frustrating, but ultimately a whole lot of fun. If killing massive amounts of people with a laser sword is wrong, I don't want to be right. Favorite line so far: "It's open mic night in hell, old man. Sing all you like down there."
Finally, I picked up a PSP: the Daxter pack, to be specific. So I now have a silver PSP Slim, Daxter, The Family Guy Freakin' Sweet Collection on UMD, and a 1 gig memory stick. It's pretty sweet. Daxter is highly entertaining. I'm looking forward to adding some other must have titles to my collection (like Final Fantasy Tactics, which, unlike the DS version, is an updated version of the original PSOne game, which was the best turn-based strategy game ever).
Saturday, March 01, 2008
This is why I'm not a sysadmin
Because I fucking hate networks. Remember how my router decided to stop functioning, so I got a new modem/router all-in-one from AT&T? Well, it sucks balls. I mean, having the all-in-one is a great idea, if it fucking worked. Wired connections work great. Wireless ones, however, don't work so great. In fact, they don't work at all. Well, that's not true. They work if there's no encryption on the network. Fantastic! My wireless network is akin to the ladies down on Wilson Way: all comers welcome! Fuckin A.
In other news, I rented Kane and Lynch for PS3 today. I've put in about 2 hours, and so far, I can't complain. I'm guessing there's some sort of gamekilling bug at some point down the road, because from what I've seen, I have no idea why it warranted only a 64 (of 100) from reviewers over at metacritic, and an abysmal 2.5 (of 10) from users.
Finally, I can't believe it's March 1 already. Smash Bros Brawl hits in 8 days. That means our weekly Rock Band parties will become weekly Smash Bros ass-kicking festivals. On the one hand, sad panda. But on the other hand, joy!
In other news, I rented Kane and Lynch for PS3 today. I've put in about 2 hours, and so far, I can't complain. I'm guessing there's some sort of gamekilling bug at some point down the road, because from what I've seen, I have no idea why it warranted only a 64 (of 100) from reviewers over at metacritic, and an abysmal 2.5 (of 10) from users.
Finally, I can't believe it's March 1 already. Smash Bros Brawl hits in 8 days. That means our weekly Rock Band parties will become weekly Smash Bros ass-kicking festivals. On the one hand, sad panda. But on the other hand, joy!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Leap Day
Yes, Leap Day, the one day that only happens once every four years. It all started back in 46 BC, the aptly named Year of Confusion, after which Rome adopted the Gregorian calendar that we all know and love. Hope you enjoyed the extra day, there'll be another one in 2012!
I used the opportunity to watch some Quantum Leap, which I've said before is an awesome show.
You may or may not have seen Sarah Silverman's "I'm Fucking Matt Damon" skit, and Jimmy Kimmel's follow-up "I'm Fucking Ben Affleck" skit. Here's a parody called "I'm Fucking Seth Rogen." As if I had to say it, it's totally not safe for work, but completely hilarious.
I used the opportunity to watch some Quantum Leap, which I've said before is an awesome show.
You may or may not have seen Sarah Silverman's "I'm Fucking Matt Damon" skit, and Jimmy Kimmel's follow-up "I'm Fucking Ben Affleck" skit. Here's a parody called "I'm Fucking Seth Rogen." As if I had to say it, it's totally not safe for work, but completely hilarious.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Been A While
Since I've updated the blog. Had some shit going on, what with some family stuff, and catching the monkey flu that's been going around (still trying to shake that), and various other things that prevented the updating of the blog. Time for some news updates, rapid fire.
I recently rediscovered my Myspace page, and added a bunch of folks to my gallery o' friends. If you're one of those friends and is hitting up this site, add it to your bookmarks. I update this blog much, much more frequently than Myspace.
Rock Band kicks ass. I cannot say this enough.
Quantum Leap is an interesting show. Damn Netflix for not having every episode on Watch Now.
While I think Stardust was a bit overhyped, it was an enjoyable flick.
Hot Rod is at times completely hilarious, other times completely insipid, and always completely random.
Do not go see Jumper, whatever you do. I would demand a refund if I thought they'd give it to me.
My router stopped functioning last night. It just up and went, "I don't like that no more, I do this now!" and stopped working. Balls. Luckily, AT&T offers a router/modem all in one! Woot!
I got a book at work called "Leading Out Loud." It's awesome because now I have the cure if I ever get insomnia.
Finally, Maxim is a terrible magazine. They gave me a three year subscription for 10 bucks, and I still feel ripped off.
I recently rediscovered my Myspace page, and added a bunch of folks to my gallery o' friends. If you're one of those friends and is hitting up this site, add it to your bookmarks. I update this blog much, much more frequently than Myspace.
Rock Band kicks ass. I cannot say this enough.
Quantum Leap is an interesting show. Damn Netflix for not having every episode on Watch Now.
While I think Stardust was a bit overhyped, it was an enjoyable flick.
Hot Rod is at times completely hilarious, other times completely insipid, and always completely random.
Do not go see Jumper, whatever you do. I would demand a refund if I thought they'd give it to me.
My router stopped functioning last night. It just up and went, "I don't like that no more, I do this now!" and stopped working. Balls. Luckily, AT&T offers a router/modem all in one! Woot!
I got a book at work called "Leading Out Loud." It's awesome because now I have the cure if I ever get insomnia.
Finally, Maxim is a terrible magazine. They gave me a three year subscription for 10 bucks, and I still feel ripped off.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Sunday, February 03, 2008
2007 NFL Playoffs: Super Bowl Result
Giants 17, Patriots 14
I don't want to hear any excuses. I don't want to hear anything about Tom Brady's ankle giving him trouble, or any missed calls by the refs, or whatever bullshit the Patriots and their fans are going to come up with. I don't want to hear it, because I've been hearing about nothing but how the Patriots went undefeated all season, and were going to finish it with a Super Bowl win, and how Tom Brady would be considered the best quarterback of all time. I don't want to hear any of that shit. You know what I want to hear? I want to hear that Eli Manning and the New York Giants played a hell of a game on both sides of the ball and won the Super Bowl, because that's exactly what they did.
Oh yeah, one more thing. Hey, New England: Fuck you.
2007 Playoff Prediction Record: 5-6
Just for shits and giggles, I'll make my Super Bowl XLIII prediction right now: Colts 28, Giants 17
I don't want to hear any excuses. I don't want to hear anything about Tom Brady's ankle giving him trouble, or any missed calls by the refs, or whatever bullshit the Patriots and their fans are going to come up with. I don't want to hear it, because I've been hearing about nothing but how the Patriots went undefeated all season, and were going to finish it with a Super Bowl win, and how Tom Brady would be considered the best quarterback of all time. I don't want to hear any of that shit. You know what I want to hear? I want to hear that Eli Manning and the New York Giants played a hell of a game on both sides of the ball and won the Super Bowl, because that's exactly what they did.
Oh yeah, one more thing. Hey, New England: Fuck you.
2007 Playoff Prediction Record: 5-6
Just for shits and giggles, I'll make my Super Bowl XLIII prediction right now: Colts 28, Giants 17
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Rock Band? More Like Crack Band
Question: Does the awesomeness of Rock Band ever stop?
Answer: Hell no!
The Official Xbox Magazine just leaked a "tentative" DLC release schedule for the month of March. Check this out.
No clue what's coming out in February yet (perhaps a little Who's Next or Nevermind), but if Harmonix keeps releasing great tracks like these, they're guaranteed to get 10-20 bucks of my money every month.
On a completely unrelated note, Lost comes back tonight. Woot!
Answer: Hell no!
The Official Xbox Magazine just leaked a "tentative" DLC release schedule for the month of March. Check this out.
3/04 Thrash PackA more appropriate name is "Death Metal Pack," but I'm splitting hairs. Given the niche market of a pack like this, I'm guessing it's going to be on the order of $2.50 or 3 bucks, and since a few of the people I regularly play with are actually in a death metal band, they'll be all over these songs.
Blinded By Fear by At the Gates
Thrasher by Evile
Shadow World by The Haunted
3/11Holy shit those are all made of win. Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with anything from Bad Company or Skynyrd, and Message in a Bottle is one of the classic Police tracks.
Shooting Star as made famous by Bad Company
Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Message in a Bottle by The Police
3/18 Nine Inch Nails PackI've never been a huge NIN fan, but Perfect Drug is definitely getting bought, at the very least.
March of the Pigs
The Collector
The Perfect Drug
3/25 Metal PackHoly shit those are all made of win. You can't go wrong with anything from Maiden, Sabbath, or Metallica.
Wrathchild as made famous by Iron Maiden
Supernaut as made famous by Black Sabbath
Fuel by Metallica
No clue what's coming out in February yet (perhaps a little Who's Next or Nevermind), but if Harmonix keeps releasing great tracks like these, they're guaranteed to get 10-20 bucks of my money every month.
On a completely unrelated note, Lost comes back tonight. Woot!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Weekend Movie Reviews (and a TV show)
I know, the weekend ended yesterday, but I had Monday off, so nyeh. I watched a couple of movies that I had never seen, and coworkers advised me I just had to see.
The Breakfast Club, rated R, starring Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy. This is one of those movies from the 80's that passed me right by. I was too young when it came out, and by the time I was old enough to appreciate it, there were other movies to watch and things to do. I really liked this flick, although the seemingly happy ending pretty much came out of nowhere, and didn't fit the tone of the film at all. My favorite line is one of Bender's: "A naked blonde walks into a bar carrying a poodle under one arm, and a two foot long salami under the other. The bartender says to her, 'I guess you won't be needing a drink,' and the naked lady says...oh shit!"
Little Miss Sunshine, rated R, starring Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin, and Steve Carell. This is one of those movies where you either like it or you don't, and I liked it. It's not really a comedy (or at least, not in the sense that you're given punchlines to laugh at), and it's not really a drama (although there are plenty of dramatic moments). I think what I liked most about it is that every single one of the characters felt real, and I completely bought their actions throughout the movie, and I never had that moment that's all too common in other films where I say to myself, "Oh bullshit, that just happened because it's a movie."
I recommend you check out both The Breakfast Club and Little Miss Sunshine if you've never seen them.
Finally, I started watching Sports Night, otherwise known as the show Aaron Sorkin did before he hit the jackpot with The West Wing. I've never actually seen The West Wing, but I did see Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (Fantastic fucking show, by the way, NBC is filled with dickheads for giving it the ax), and much like that show was not about a late night sketch show but about the people behind said late night sketch show, Sports Night is not about a cable sports news show but about the people behind said cable sports news show. It's also fantastic, but only got two seasons on the air. I highly recommend it, especially if you're a fan of Mr. Sorkin's work.
The Breakfast Club, rated R, starring Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy. This is one of those movies from the 80's that passed me right by. I was too young when it came out, and by the time I was old enough to appreciate it, there were other movies to watch and things to do. I really liked this flick, although the seemingly happy ending pretty much came out of nowhere, and didn't fit the tone of the film at all. My favorite line is one of Bender's: "A naked blonde walks into a bar carrying a poodle under one arm, and a two foot long salami under the other. The bartender says to her, 'I guess you won't be needing a drink,' and the naked lady says...oh shit!"
Little Miss Sunshine, rated R, starring Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin, and Steve Carell. This is one of those movies where you either like it or you don't, and I liked it. It's not really a comedy (or at least, not in the sense that you're given punchlines to laugh at), and it's not really a drama (although there are plenty of dramatic moments). I think what I liked most about it is that every single one of the characters felt real, and I completely bought their actions throughout the movie, and I never had that moment that's all too common in other films where I say to myself, "Oh bullshit, that just happened because it's a movie."
I recommend you check out both The Breakfast Club and Little Miss Sunshine if you've never seen them.
Finally, I started watching Sports Night, otherwise known as the show Aaron Sorkin did before he hit the jackpot with The West Wing. I've never actually seen The West Wing, but I did see Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (Fantastic fucking show, by the way, NBC is filled with dickheads for giving it the ax), and much like that show was not about a late night sketch show but about the people behind said late night sketch show, Sports Night is not about a cable sports news show but about the people behind said cable sports news show. It's also fantastic, but only got two seasons on the air. I highly recommend it, especially if you're a fan of Mr. Sorkin's work.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Burnout Paradise (PS3) Impressions
I've been playing Burnout Paradise for the past 4 hours or so, and it's awesome. It's the same kind of arcade racing goodness that was in the previous Burnout games, but this time you're given a fairly large city to freely roam around in. There are a shit-ton of cars to get (75 in all, although half of those are upgraded versions of each car), over 100 events (races, time trials, survival tests, takedown competitions, and stunt runs) to participate in, and a "best crash" and "best time" mode. I haven't even touched the last two modes, I've been having too much fun unlocking cars and breaking shit all over the city.
Did I mention the game looks amazing? It's the best looking racing game I've ever seen. Fuck Gran Turismo, Burnout Paradise is beautiful. The sense of speed is incredible, and the crashes are filled with nifty touches like super slo-mo and quick cuts to a camera "finding" the crash. Watching cars crumple and deform into so much twisted metal is fantastic, even after the 100th time.
Paradise has a huge and varied soundtrack, which is pretty standard for any EA game. There are a few misses here and there, but all it takes is a flick of the R1 button to switch to a new track. The DJ is annoying too, but thankfully he doesn't talk a whole lot once he's taught you the basics.
The only bad thing I have to say about it is that there's no option to quickly retry a race if you fail (you have to drive all the way back to the starting point, in fact, if you want to go anywhere, you have to drive there. No magic teleporting in Paradise), but failure doesn't happen too often (cause I'm pimp like that), and when it does, there are a multitude of other events in whatever area you end up in to just carry on like nothing happened.
Paradise seems like the kind of game that I can get a large amount of enjoyment out of in a week or two, and then be done with it. Not a purchase, but definitely worthy of a rental.
Did I mention the game looks amazing? It's the best looking racing game I've ever seen. Fuck Gran Turismo, Burnout Paradise is beautiful. The sense of speed is incredible, and the crashes are filled with nifty touches like super slo-mo and quick cuts to a camera "finding" the crash. Watching cars crumple and deform into so much twisted metal is fantastic, even after the 100th time.
Paradise has a huge and varied soundtrack, which is pretty standard for any EA game. There are a few misses here and there, but all it takes is a flick of the R1 button to switch to a new track. The DJ is annoying too, but thankfully he doesn't talk a whole lot once he's taught you the basics.
The only bad thing I have to say about it is that there's no option to quickly retry a race if you fail (you have to drive all the way back to the starting point, in fact, if you want to go anywhere, you have to drive there. No magic teleporting in Paradise), but failure doesn't happen too often (cause I'm pimp like that), and when it does, there are a multitude of other events in whatever area you end up in to just carry on like nothing happened.
Paradise seems like the kind of game that I can get a large amount of enjoyment out of in a week or two, and then be done with it. Not a purchase, but definitely worthy of a rental.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Rumors Of My Death
Have been greatly exaggerated. Allow me to explain.
You may have heard that Heath Ledger was found dead in his apartment earlier today. While I didn't particularly care for him as an actor, he was only 28 and had a young daughter, so his passing is a real shame.
Today at work, I was walking around the third floor speaking with some of my former coworkers (when I got promoted, I moved to the second floor, so I rarely get to see the folks on the third floor anymore). Apparently, when the news broke, someone on my old team had said, "Did you hear who died? Heath Ledger!" and people's ears stopped working after they heard, "Heath." Before the tears started flowing and fund-raising for a flower arrangement began, however, it was clarified that I had not died, but an actor with the same first name as me had died.
Rest in peace, Heath.
You may have heard that Heath Ledger was found dead in his apartment earlier today. While I didn't particularly care for him as an actor, he was only 28 and had a young daughter, so his passing is a real shame.
Today at work, I was walking around the third floor speaking with some of my former coworkers (when I got promoted, I moved to the second floor, so I rarely get to see the folks on the third floor anymore). Apparently, when the news broke, someone on my old team had said, "Did you hear who died? Heath Ledger!" and people's ears stopped working after they heard, "Heath." Before the tears started flowing and fund-raising for a flower arrangement began, however, it was clarified that I had not died, but an actor with the same first name as me had died.
Rest in peace, Heath.
Monday, January 21, 2008
2007 NFL Playoffs: Conference Championship Results and Super Bowl Prediction
And so the field of 4 becomes 2. Look at that, both teams I picked won this weekend, and...what's that? Both teams I picked lost? Son of a bitch!
Patriots 21, Chargers 12
Let this be a lesson to any team in the NFL: field goals don't win football games. Not when your opponents are scoring TDs, anyway.Giants 23, Packers 20
Field goals win football games in OT, though. Especially when you pick off the opposing QB on your side of the field. The official "will he or won't he retire" conversations may begin....now.2007 Playoff Prediction Record: 4-6
Super Bowl XLII: New England Patriots vs New York Giants
The undefeated versus the road warriors. The pretty boys versus the roughnecks. Brady versus Manning. While a smart man would pick the Patriots to finish only the second unbeaten season in NFL history, I make no claim to be a smart man. Peyton got his last year, so now it's Eli's turn.Giants win.
Check back in two weeks for the Super Bowl result.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Rock Band DLC
So far, Rock Band has been out for a total of 9 weeks. Every single week, Harmonix has released at least 3 songs worth of downloadable content (or DLC). The range of bands has been pretty incredible:
30 Seconds to Mars
All-American Rejects
Black Crowes
Black Sabbath
Blink 182
Buzzcocks
Creedence Clearwater Revival
David Bowie
Foreigner
Iron Maiden
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Metallica
Queens of the Stone Age
Radiohead
Rush
Stone Temple Pilots
Sweet
The Clash
The Hives
The Knack
The Monkees
The Police
The Pretenders
The Ramones
The Runaways
The Sounds
T-Rex
Weezer
Wolfmother
And yet, there are still people complaining that the DLC "sucks," or doesn't have enough rock/metal/punk/classic/pop/emo/nu-rock/grunge/flavor-of-the-week. Either that, or they like the bands but wish other songs had been chosen, so therefore the DLC "sucks." In tandem with that, they take issue with paying, at most, $1.99 per track, even though a single song on iTunes costs a buck, and all you can do is passively listen to it.
Personally, I think 2 bucks is a steal for some of these songs, and I've discovered quite a bit of music I otherwise never would have been exposed to. But then again, if you're a pimple-faced 16 year-old who only listens to growling death metal, those bands don't interest you, and you can't afford 2 bucks a song on your McDonald's paycheck after buying all that Clearasil.
30 Seconds to Mars
All-American Rejects
Black Crowes
Black Sabbath
Blink 182
Buzzcocks
Creedence Clearwater Revival
David Bowie
Foreigner
Iron Maiden
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Metallica
Queens of the Stone Age
Radiohead
Rush
Stone Temple Pilots
Sweet
The Clash
The Hives
The Knack
The Monkees
The Police
The Pretenders
The Ramones
The Runaways
The Sounds
T-Rex
Weezer
Wolfmother
And yet, there are still people complaining that the DLC "sucks," or doesn't have enough rock/metal/punk/classic/pop/emo/nu-rock/grunge/flavor-of-the-week. Either that, or they like the bands but wish other songs had been chosen, so therefore the DLC "sucks." In tandem with that, they take issue with paying, at most, $1.99 per track, even though a single song on iTunes costs a buck, and all you can do is passively listen to it.
Personally, I think 2 bucks is a steal for some of these songs, and I've discovered quite a bit of music I otherwise never would have been exposed to. But then again, if you're a pimple-faced 16 year-old who only listens to growling death metal, those bands don't interest you, and you can't afford 2 bucks a song on your McDonald's paycheck after buying all that Clearasil.
Monday, January 14, 2008
2007 NFL Playoffs: Divisional Results and Conference Championship Predictions
And so the field of 8 becomes 4. Here's the rundown for this weekend's Divisional games, and my predictions for next weekend's Conference Championship games.
Packers 42, Seahawks 20
This game was Brett Favre being Brett Favre. In the snow and cold on the frozen tundra, Number 4 was just having fun.
Patriots 31, Jaguars 20
Tom Brady set another record, and the Patriots got another win. Is it just me, or are the Patriots like a self-fulfilling prophecy or something? Everyone expects them to win, so they do, regardless of how they play or who they play. Here's the thing: just because they haven't been beaten this year doesn't mean they're unbeatable. Someone just needs to do it.
Chargers 28, Colts 24
What the hell happened here? Suddenly, the Chargers don't choke in the postseason? Peyton Manning has a healthy squad and loses? Black is white, night is day, and Norv Turner is yelling at people. The whole world's gone crazy.
Giants 21, Cowboys 17
With another win, the prospect of a Manning vs Manning Super Bowl...wait, fuck, that's not right. Take that, "America's Team." Are you gonna cry about it, T.O.? Do we need to call the waah-mbulance?
2007 Playoff Prediction Record: 4-4
Now on to next week's games.
AFC
3 San Diego Chargers at 1 New England Patriots
Fuck the goddamn Patriots. I don't care if conventional wisdom says they're going to win, I'm not picking them.
Chargers win.
NFC
5 New York Giants at 2 Green Bay Packers
Sorry, Eli, your road to the Super Bowl ends in the snow. Favre's been here before, and there's no way he's going home yet.
Packers win.
Check back next week for results and my Super Bowl prediction.
Packers 42, Seahawks 20
This game was Brett Favre being Brett Favre. In the snow and cold on the frozen tundra, Number 4 was just having fun.
Patriots 31, Jaguars 20
Tom Brady set another record, and the Patriots got another win. Is it just me, or are the Patriots like a self-fulfilling prophecy or something? Everyone expects them to win, so they do, regardless of how they play or who they play. Here's the thing: just because they haven't been beaten this year doesn't mean they're unbeatable. Someone just needs to do it.
Chargers 28, Colts 24
What the hell happened here? Suddenly, the Chargers don't choke in the postseason? Peyton Manning has a healthy squad and loses? Black is white, night is day, and Norv Turner is yelling at people. The whole world's gone crazy.
Giants 21, Cowboys 17
With another win, the prospect of a Manning vs Manning Super Bowl...wait, fuck, that's not right. Take that, "America's Team." Are you gonna cry about it, T.O.? Do we need to call the waah-mbulance?
2007 Playoff Prediction Record: 4-4
Now on to next week's games.
AFC
3 San Diego Chargers at 1 New England Patriots
Fuck the goddamn Patriots. I don't care if conventional wisdom says they're going to win, I'm not picking them.
Chargers win.
NFC
5 New York Giants at 2 Green Bay Packers
Sorry, Eli, your road to the Super Bowl ends in the snow. Favre's been here before, and there's no way he's going home yet.
Packers win.
Check back next week for results and my Super Bowl prediction.
Friday, January 11, 2008
TeeVee
It's entirely possible that I watch too much television right now, but I just discovered a great show: 30 Rock. It's not exactly new, since it's been on for a whole season and a half, but for some reason, I never watched it. I think it's because the promo spots always made it look like shit, like some kind of wacky, screwball comedy, and that's not the case at all. There's wacky screwball comedy at times, yes, but it's mostly smart, biting humor (like The Office). I'm halfway through the first season on Netflix's Watch Now deal. Good stuff.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Quick Hit: Sam & Max Season 1
Sam & Max Season 1 may only be 6 episodes worth of gameplay that lasts, at most, 12 hours, but damn if it isn't some of the best 12 hours I've spent on my PC. It's consistently laugh out loud hilarious, and provides the classic experience of point and click adventure games without all the pointless wandering around wondering about how best to utilize a fire extinguisher ("That's not on fire.") or what possible use a rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle would have.
It's also currently the best example of how to do episodic content. The first episode hit in October of 2006, with episode 6 releasing in April of 2007. The first episode of Season 2 just hit last November, and the second season should finish up in April.
In short, Sam and Max are awesome, and Telltale Games have done and continue to do a great job with them.
It's also currently the best example of how to do episodic content. The first episode hit in October of 2006, with episode 6 releasing in April of 2007. The first episode of Season 2 just hit last November, and the second season should finish up in April.
In short, Sam and Max are awesome, and Telltale Games have done and continue to do a great job with them.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Rock Band Meme?
I don't think this is a Rock Band meme, but I'm going to say it is anyway. Thanks to Bill Harris over at Dubious Quality for this.
Basically, what you do is get a band name, album, and album cover from the following sources:
1. The first article title on the Wikipedia Random Articles page is the name of your band.
2. The last four words of the very last quotation on the Random Quotations page is the title of your album.
3. The third picture in Flickr's Interesting Photos From The Last 7 Days is your album cover.
Here's my entry:
And yes, I broke the second rule, because I can.
Basically, what you do is get a band name, album, and album cover from the following sources:
1. The first article title on the Wikipedia Random Articles page is the name of your band.
2. The last four words of the very last quotation on the Random Quotations page is the title of your album.
3. The third picture in Flickr's Interesting Photos From The Last 7 Days is your album cover.
Here's my entry:
And yes, I broke the second rule, because I can.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Red Vs Blue
Hey, look, politics! And how my views on the hot-button issues match up with the 2008 Presidential candidates!
82% Mike Gravel
79% Bill Richardson
77% Barack Obama
76% John Edwards
75% Dennis Kucinich
74% Chris Dodd
72% Hillary Clinton
70% Joe Biden
46% Rudy Giuliani
43% John McCain
40% Ron Paul
39% Mike Huckabee
36% Mitt Romney
31% Tom Tancredo
28% Fred Thompson
2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz
According to this, I'm most similar to Mike Gravel, and should cast my vote for him. Now, if only I knew who the hell Mike Gravel is....
Also, I take issue with the fact that I'm 46% similar to Rudolph the Red Nosed Gooliani. Fuck that guy. And fuck Mike Huckabee with his 39%. I didn't see any questions on that quiz about Chuck Norris. And who the shit is Tom Tancredo? Or Chris Dodd? Who are these people, and why are they running for President of the United States when they don't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning?
EDIT: I love the internet. I found out who Mike Gravel is, and what he stands for. This guy makes a shitload of sense.
82% Mike Gravel
79% Bill Richardson
77% Barack Obama
76% John Edwards
75% Dennis Kucinich
74% Chris Dodd
72% Hillary Clinton
70% Joe Biden
46% Rudy Giuliani
43% John McCain
40% Ron Paul
39% Mike Huckabee
36% Mitt Romney
31% Tom Tancredo
28% Fred Thompson
2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz
According to this, I'm most similar to Mike Gravel, and should cast my vote for him. Now, if only I knew who the hell Mike Gravel is....
Also, I take issue with the fact that I'm 46% similar to Rudolph the Red Nosed Gooliani. Fuck that guy. And fuck Mike Huckabee with his 39%. I didn't see any questions on that quiz about Chuck Norris. And who the shit is Tom Tancredo? Or Chris Dodd? Who are these people, and why are they running for President of the United States when they don't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning?
EDIT: I love the internet. I found out who Mike Gravel is, and what he stands for. This guy makes a shitload of sense.
Monday, January 07, 2008
2007 NFL Playoffs: Wild Card Results and Divisional Predictions
And so the field of 12 becomes 8. Here's the rundown for this weekend's Wild Card games, and my picks for next weekend's Divisional games.
Seahawks 35, Redskins 14
What a rollercoaster. The Seahawks put up 13 points and held the Redskins scoreless until the start of the 4th quarter, when Washington scored 14 unanswered. Just when it looked like the tide had turned, it was all Seattle after that. I don't think there was anyone following football that wasn't rooting for the Redskins, and it's a shame they got bumped out early by what I think is a very sub-par team.
Jaguars 31, Steelers 29
Wow. After the Jaguars had seemingly buried the Steelers in the first half, they blew the lead and required a last second field goal to come away with a win. However, in the playoffs, a win means you play next week, no matter how you may get that win. Hell, the Patriots built a dynasty on wins like this.
Giants 24, Buccaneers 14
In a result that surprised just about everyone but me, Eli Manning and his G-Men got a win in the postseason, keeping alive the possibility (however unlikely it may be) of a Manning vs. Manning Super Bowl.
Chargers 17, Titans 6
Am I the only one who thinks that after LT got stuffed on his touchdown dive, the ref should have blown the whistle as his forward progress had stopped? It wouldn't have necessarily changed the outcome, but it's just another all-too-often example of the officials significantly changing the game. On a side note, isn't Philip Rivers the biggest crybaby you've ever seen in the NFL? Whenever something doesn't go his way, he whines and bitches and throws a tantrum at his teammates, opponents, coaches, or the fans. What is he, 12?
2007 Playoff Prediction Record: 3-1
Now on to next week's games.
NFC
5 New York Giants at 1 Dallas Cowboys
While I would love to see the Giants knock off the Cowboys, I just don't see it happening. Unless Jessica Simpson runs onto the field and gives Tony Romo a blowjob, of course.
Cowboys win.
3 Seattle Seahawks at 2 Green Bay Packers
The overrated Seahawks vs the underrated (at least at the start of the season) Packers. I honestly believe this is Brett Favre's last season, win, lose, or draw, so I'm rooting for the Pack.
Packers win.
AFC
5 Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 New England Patriots
I don't care that the Patriots went undefeated in the regular season. I don't care that they have Tom Brady and Randy Moss and Laurence Maroney. I don't care that they're playing yet another playoff game in Foxborough after getting a first round bye. All I care about is seeing them get their asses whooped by a better team, and that's what Jacksonville is going to do.
Jaguars win.
3 San Diego Chargers at 2 Indianapolis Colts
The defending Super Bowl champions host a thoroughly mediocre team with designs on the Super Bowl. Even with all the injuries on the Colts roster, Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts have been here plenty of times before, and they're not going down to the goddamn Super Chargers in their powder blue unis.
Colts win.
Check back next week for results and more predictions.
Seahawks 35, Redskins 14
What a rollercoaster. The Seahawks put up 13 points and held the Redskins scoreless until the start of the 4th quarter, when Washington scored 14 unanswered. Just when it looked like the tide had turned, it was all Seattle after that. I don't think there was anyone following football that wasn't rooting for the Redskins, and it's a shame they got bumped out early by what I think is a very sub-par team.
Jaguars 31, Steelers 29
Wow. After the Jaguars had seemingly buried the Steelers in the first half, they blew the lead and required a last second field goal to come away with a win. However, in the playoffs, a win means you play next week, no matter how you may get that win. Hell, the Patriots built a dynasty on wins like this.
Giants 24, Buccaneers 14
In a result that surprised just about everyone but me, Eli Manning and his G-Men got a win in the postseason, keeping alive the possibility (however unlikely it may be) of a Manning vs. Manning Super Bowl.
Chargers 17, Titans 6
Am I the only one who thinks that after LT got stuffed on his touchdown dive, the ref should have blown the whistle as his forward progress had stopped? It wouldn't have necessarily changed the outcome, but it's just another all-too-often example of the officials significantly changing the game. On a side note, isn't Philip Rivers the biggest crybaby you've ever seen in the NFL? Whenever something doesn't go his way, he whines and bitches and throws a tantrum at his teammates, opponents, coaches, or the fans. What is he, 12?
2007 Playoff Prediction Record: 3-1
Now on to next week's games.
NFC
5 New York Giants at 1 Dallas Cowboys
While I would love to see the Giants knock off the Cowboys, I just don't see it happening. Unless Jessica Simpson runs onto the field and gives Tony Romo a blowjob, of course.
Cowboys win.
3 Seattle Seahawks at 2 Green Bay Packers
The overrated Seahawks vs the underrated (at least at the start of the season) Packers. I honestly believe this is Brett Favre's last season, win, lose, or draw, so I'm rooting for the Pack.
Packers win.
AFC
5 Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 New England Patriots
I don't care that the Patriots went undefeated in the regular season. I don't care that they have Tom Brady and Randy Moss and Laurence Maroney. I don't care that they're playing yet another playoff game in Foxborough after getting a first round bye. All I care about is seeing them get their asses whooped by a better team, and that's what Jacksonville is going to do.
Jaguars win.
3 San Diego Chargers at 2 Indianapolis Colts
The defending Super Bowl champions host a thoroughly mediocre team with designs on the Super Bowl. Even with all the injuries on the Colts roster, Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts have been here plenty of times before, and they're not going down to the goddamn Super Chargers in their powder blue unis.
Colts win.
Check back next week for results and more predictions.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Meet the New Year, Same as the Old Year
My New Year's Eve involved Rock Band (as if there was anything else it would involve, except possibly hookers and blow). We got the regular crew together, including Justin, and like 3 new people. By my count, there were 9 of us who actually rocked out, and at least half played more than one instrument. In a word, it was awesome. In two words, it fucking rocked.
Seriously, if you own a PS3 or a 360 (or now, even a PS2) you must get Rock Band. Now. Go ahead, I'll wait.
Ok, cool. Now before you start rocking, one more thing. If you've got like, 20 extra bucks burning a hole in your pocket, grab some of the downloadable content. Sabbath, Metallica, Skynyrd, CCR, Foreigner, and that's just to name a few. Guitar Hero was an 11, Guitar Hero 2 was a 12, but Rock Band is a 20.
Seriously, if you own a PS3 or a 360 (or now, even a PS2) you must get Rock Band. Now. Go ahead, I'll wait.
Ok, cool. Now before you start rocking, one more thing. If you've got like, 20 extra bucks burning a hole in your pocket, grab some of the downloadable content. Sabbath, Metallica, Skynyrd, CCR, Foreigner, and that's just to name a few. Guitar Hero was an 11, Guitar Hero 2 was a 12, but Rock Band is a 20.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
2007 NFL Playoffs: Wild Card Weekend Predictions
The regular season is over, and the playoff picture is set. Time for my predictions for the first four games next weekend, the Wild Card first round.
NFC
6 Washington Redskins at 3 Seattle Seahawks
The Redskins come into Seattle on an emotional high, having won their last four games, and playing for their fallen teammate, Sean Taylor. Seattle dropped two of their last four against a couple of awful teams (Carolina and Atlanta), and has only managed one win all season against a playoff team (Tampa Bay). That is the very definition of an upset waiting to happen.
Redskins win.
5 New York Giants at 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Giants very nearly handed the Patriots their first loss of the season last week in an otherwise meaningless game for the G-Men. Tampa Bay clinched their division early and dropped the last two games of the season. A wise man might think that the Bucs would be rested and the Giants would suffer a let-down, but I think the Bucs will be rusty and Eli Manning will take out his frustrations on the Bucs banged-up D.
Giants win.
Byes: 1 Dallas Cowboys and 2 Green Bay Packers
AFC
5 Jacksonville Jaguars at 4 Pittsburgh Steelers
The Jaguars defeated the Steelers just a few weeks ago in Pittsburgh, when the Steelers still had their running back, Willie Parker. No Willie Parker plus a very good Jaguars team equals trouble for the Pennsylvania boys.
Jaguars win.
6 Tennessee Titans at 3 San Diego Chargers
The Titans fought their way into the playoffs, clinching the last spot with a win over second and third string Colts. After a rocky start, the Chargers finished strong, going into the playoffs on a 6 game winning streak. San Diego has already beaten Tennessee once this season on the road, the situation won't be any different in sunny southern California.
Chargers win.
Byes: 1 New England Patriots and 2 Indianapolis Colts
Check back next week for results and more predictions.
NFC
6 Washington Redskins at 3 Seattle Seahawks
The Redskins come into Seattle on an emotional high, having won their last four games, and playing for their fallen teammate, Sean Taylor. Seattle dropped two of their last four against a couple of awful teams (Carolina and Atlanta), and has only managed one win all season against a playoff team (Tampa Bay). That is the very definition of an upset waiting to happen.
Redskins win.
5 New York Giants at 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Giants very nearly handed the Patriots their first loss of the season last week in an otherwise meaningless game for the G-Men. Tampa Bay clinched their division early and dropped the last two games of the season. A wise man might think that the Bucs would be rested and the Giants would suffer a let-down, but I think the Bucs will be rusty and Eli Manning will take out his frustrations on the Bucs banged-up D.
Giants win.
Byes: 1 Dallas Cowboys and 2 Green Bay Packers
AFC
5 Jacksonville Jaguars at 4 Pittsburgh Steelers
The Jaguars defeated the Steelers just a few weeks ago in Pittsburgh, when the Steelers still had their running back, Willie Parker. No Willie Parker plus a very good Jaguars team equals trouble for the Pennsylvania boys.
Jaguars win.
6 Tennessee Titans at 3 San Diego Chargers
The Titans fought their way into the playoffs, clinching the last spot with a win over second and third string Colts. After a rocky start, the Chargers finished strong, going into the playoffs on a 6 game winning streak. San Diego has already beaten Tennessee once this season on the road, the situation won't be any different in sunny southern California.
Chargers win.
Byes: 1 New England Patriots and 2 Indianapolis Colts
Check back next week for results and more predictions.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Christmas Haul 2007
How was your Christmas? That's good. Mine was awesome. Got to spend time with the family that matters, and got some cool shit to boot. Let's commence with the rundown, in no particular order, shall we?
Rock Band Stratocaster. To facilitate 4 player rocking, which is better than 90% of activities human beings are capable of engaging in.
Sam and Max: Season 1. This is the way episodic content should be done. Plus, it's all about a 6 foot canine shamus and a hyperkinetic rabitty-thing fighting for justice and causing mayhem. What's not to like?
Superman: Doomsday. Bruce Timm kicks ass. So do Adam Baldwin (Supes), James Marsters (Luthor), and Ray Wise (Perry White). While it's not entirely faithful to the Death/Rebirth of Superman comics, it does a hell of a job in 70 minutes. And it has an absolutely laugh out loud moment (if you get the in-joke): "Yeah, like we really needed him to bust up the mechanical spider, right? Lame!"
Darkwing Duck: Volume 2. I am the terror that flaps in the night, I am the fingernail that scrapes the blackboard of your soul. I am Darkwing Duck!
Oakland Raiders 2008 Desk Blotter/Calendar. Shows my support for the Raiders and is functional, too.
Reese's Peanut Butter Trees. Mmmm, chocolate and peanut butter.
Fraggle Rock: Complete Third Season. I am a child of the 80's. Plus, Jim Henson rocks.
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. Zelda + DS = Win.
Motor Trend 2008 American Muscle Wall Calendar. Because sweet cars are (technically) obtainable, and hot naked models are not.
Invader Zim: The Complete Invasion. Not sure how I missed this when it was on television, but it's made of awesome.
The Dark Crystal: 25th Anniversary Edition. I am a child of the 80's. Plus, Jim Henson rocks.
Heroes: Season 1. Best show on television right now. Which reminds me, I need to pick up a copy of Veronica Mars Season 3.
There you have it. Hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and the accompanying time off work. Peace, bitches!
Rock Band Stratocaster. To facilitate 4 player rocking, which is better than 90% of activities human beings are capable of engaging in.
Sam and Max: Season 1. This is the way episodic content should be done. Plus, it's all about a 6 foot canine shamus and a hyperkinetic rabitty-thing fighting for justice and causing mayhem. What's not to like?
Superman: Doomsday. Bruce Timm kicks ass. So do Adam Baldwin (Supes), James Marsters (Luthor), and Ray Wise (Perry White). While it's not entirely faithful to the Death/Rebirth of Superman comics, it does a hell of a job in 70 minutes. And it has an absolutely laugh out loud moment (if you get the in-joke): "Yeah, like we really needed him to bust up the mechanical spider, right? Lame!"
Darkwing Duck: Volume 2. I am the terror that flaps in the night, I am the fingernail that scrapes the blackboard of your soul. I am Darkwing Duck!
Oakland Raiders 2008 Desk Blotter/Calendar. Shows my support for the Raiders and is functional, too.
Reese's Peanut Butter Trees. Mmmm, chocolate and peanut butter.
Fraggle Rock: Complete Third Season. I am a child of the 80's. Plus, Jim Henson rocks.
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. Zelda + DS = Win.
Motor Trend 2008 American Muscle Wall Calendar. Because sweet cars are (technically) obtainable, and hot naked models are not.
Invader Zim: The Complete Invasion. Not sure how I missed this when it was on television, but it's made of awesome.
The Dark Crystal: 25th Anniversary Edition. I am a child of the 80's. Plus, Jim Henson rocks.
Heroes: Season 1. Best show on television right now. Which reminds me, I need to pick up a copy of Veronica Mars Season 3.
There you have it. Hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and the accompanying time off work. Peace, bitches!
Friday, December 21, 2007
Midseason Roundup 2007
It's that time again, halfway through this year's television season when pretty much all of the shows take at least a 2 week break for the holidays and come back in the new year ready to go. Except this year, given the writer's strike, most shows are simply done for the season. Some of them may be back next year for a full season run, and others may just stay gone (there are quite a few that need to, seriously).
I'd also like to talk a bit about the midseason replacements that will be picking up some of the strike slack. There are quite a few shows to talk about, so let's get started.
Monday night:
How I Met Your Mother, 7:00 pm, CBS - This show consistently delivers the comedy. Only 11 episodes were completed before the strike, but it should be back next fall.
Prison Break, 8:00 pm, FOX - The convicts took a very early break (only 8 episodes in), but now that the strike has hit, they actually have a decent number of episodes (5) to run through in the new year. Cliffhangers are always painful, and I have the sneaking suspicion that Prison Break is going to end in just that.
Chuck, 8:00 pm, NBC - One of my favorites out of the new crop of shows, Chuck got picked up after the strike began. I can't wait for new episodes.
Heroes, 9:00 pm, NBC - Now that Kristen Bell is a full-fledged cast member, this show has thoroughly cemented its position as the best on television right now (although I still lament the loss of Veronica Mars. Sweet Veronica, we hardly knew ye). Bring on Volume 3!
Journeyman, 10:00 pm, NBC - As much as I tried not to, I have become attached to Journeyman. It's fucking time travel, man, what's not to like? Still no word on if it's been picked up, which doesn't look good. I've got my fingers crossed.
Tuesday night:
Bones, 8:00 pm, FOX - I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I don't normally go for the police procedural/crime drama/forensics investigation shows, but Bones has something the others don't: Angel, err, David Boreanaz. I love the Whedonverse folks, what can I say?
Reaper, 9:00 pm, CW - Wickedly funny, perfectly cast, and well written. How much do you want to bet it doesn't come back after the strike is over? I wish I could be optimistic, but quality television like this doesn't get rewarded nearly as often as it should.
Wednesday night:
Pushing Daisies, 8:00 pm, ABC - What was that I said about quality television not being rewarded? What the hell do I know, because the tale about a magical life-giving (if only for a minute) pie-maker has been picked up. Woot.
Bionic Woman, 9:00 pm, NBC - Shlock. I stopped watching after four episodes, and I don't regret it. Wait, I take that back. I regret watching those four episodes.
Life, 10:00 pm, NBC - I really like this show. I'm wondering how far they can take the whole "Det. Crews trying to find out who framed him for murder and why" angle, but I'm enjoying it for the time being. Plus, Christina Hendricks has made a couple of cameos. Joss Whedon is indeed my master. Full season pick up for teh win!
Thursday night:
My Name Is Earl, 8:00 pm, NBC - I can't say enough good things about Jason Lee. Why he keeps making crap like Underdog and Alvin and the Chipmunks I'll never know. At least I have Earl.
Smallville, 8:00 pm, CW - I'm a glutton for punishment. That's the only reason I can think of why I continue to watch this show. It's got about as much in common with Superman as my left nut. Lex Luthor owns the Daily Planet and cloned his dead brother who was in a relationship with Lois Lane who has a cousin that also works at the Daily Planet and is an object for Clark Kent's misplaced affections, rather than his true love Lana Lang who was married to Lex Luthor? Are you fucking kidding me? This show has hinted at so many potentially great storylines, like the Justice League, Bizarro, Supergirl, Brainiac, and Doomsday, only to piss them all away with nonsense about faked pregnancies, teenage angst, random amnesia, and deus ex machinas. Either give me Superman or give me nothing.
The Office, 9:00 pm, NBC - Comedy gold. Can't wait for it to come back.
Supernatural, 9:00 pm, CW - This show keeps getting better. There are a lot of loose ends that need tying up, it's just a matter of getting the writers back to work.
Friday night:
Moonlight, 8:00 pm, CBS - It's not Angel, but it's not bad. No word yet on a pickup. Fingers crossed.
Next Great American Band, 9:00 pm, FOX - I know, it's the dreaded reality show. To be fair, though, it's one of the least offensive reality shows. There's very little backstage drama, pandering judges, and overall runtime-padding. While I disagree with the final result (Sixwire is a much better band than The Clark Brothers), it was fun to watch. As with all reality shows, I don't doubt it'll be back bigger (and probably much worse) next year.
Other Shows:
Dexter, Showtime - I picked up the first season on DVD, and devoured it. A show where the main character is a serial killer? And we're expected to sympathize with him? I should care about this why? Because it's a incredibly well-crafted show with great acting, terrific writing, and an entirely original premise. Plus, unlike some other shows out there (*cough*The Shield*cough*), it doesn't try and force us to like its monster of a main character. Dexter kills people and is unapologetic, but even he acknowledges that he's a monster. While we do eventually learn more about Dexter's character and why he does what he does, I didn't know any of it going in and that's not why I like the show. It's certainly not for everyone, but if you're not squeamish and enjoy original ideas on television, Dexter is definitely worth your time. Oh yeah, and it's got Julie Benz in it.
Desperate Housewives, ABC - I just can't get into this show. Nathan Fillion is an incredible draw, but even he can't make me like a show about a bunch of whiny, pompous, spoiled bitches in suburbia.
Midseason Replacements:
Lost, ABC - We have to go back. We have to go back to the island. Fuck yeah.
Jericho, CBS - It got canceled, fans said, "Nuts," and now it's back. Woot.
Sarah Connor Chronicles, FOX - Wait, it's Terminator on network television? And it has Summer Glau in it? Sign me up!
New Amsterdam, FOX - New York City homicide detective John Amsterdam was cursed to live forever until he could find his true love. 400 years later and he may have found her.
American Gladiators, NBC - Hulk Hogan, Laila Ali, and a bunch of roided out supermen (and women) laying the smack down on everyday jabronis? Sign me up!
I'd also like to talk a bit about the midseason replacements that will be picking up some of the strike slack. There are quite a few shows to talk about, so let's get started.
Monday night:
How I Met Your Mother, 7:00 pm, CBS - This show consistently delivers the comedy. Only 11 episodes were completed before the strike, but it should be back next fall.
Prison Break, 8:00 pm, FOX - The convicts took a very early break (only 8 episodes in), but now that the strike has hit, they actually have a decent number of episodes (5) to run through in the new year. Cliffhangers are always painful, and I have the sneaking suspicion that Prison Break is going to end in just that.
Chuck, 8:00 pm, NBC - One of my favorites out of the new crop of shows, Chuck got picked up after the strike began. I can't wait for new episodes.
Heroes, 9:00 pm, NBC - Now that Kristen Bell is a full-fledged cast member, this show has thoroughly cemented its position as the best on television right now (although I still lament the loss of Veronica Mars. Sweet Veronica, we hardly knew ye). Bring on Volume 3!
Journeyman, 10:00 pm, NBC - As much as I tried not to, I have become attached to Journeyman. It's fucking time travel, man, what's not to like? Still no word on if it's been picked up, which doesn't look good. I've got my fingers crossed.
Tuesday night:
Bones, 8:00 pm, FOX - I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I don't normally go for the police procedural/crime drama/forensics investigation shows, but Bones has something the others don't: Angel, err, David Boreanaz. I love the Whedonverse folks, what can I say?
Reaper, 9:00 pm, CW - Wickedly funny, perfectly cast, and well written. How much do you want to bet it doesn't come back after the strike is over? I wish I could be optimistic, but quality television like this doesn't get rewarded nearly as often as it should.
Wednesday night:
Pushing Daisies, 8:00 pm, ABC - What was that I said about quality television not being rewarded? What the hell do I know, because the tale about a magical life-giving (if only for a minute) pie-maker has been picked up. Woot.
Bionic Woman, 9:00 pm, NBC - Shlock. I stopped watching after four episodes, and I don't regret it. Wait, I take that back. I regret watching those four episodes.
Life, 10:00 pm, NBC - I really like this show. I'm wondering how far they can take the whole "Det. Crews trying to find out who framed him for murder and why" angle, but I'm enjoying it for the time being. Plus, Christina Hendricks has made a couple of cameos. Joss Whedon is indeed my master. Full season pick up for teh win!
Thursday night:
My Name Is Earl, 8:00 pm, NBC - I can't say enough good things about Jason Lee. Why he keeps making crap like Underdog and Alvin and the Chipmunks I'll never know. At least I have Earl.
Smallville, 8:00 pm, CW - I'm a glutton for punishment. That's the only reason I can think of why I continue to watch this show. It's got about as much in common with Superman as my left nut. Lex Luthor owns the Daily Planet and cloned his dead brother who was in a relationship with Lois Lane who has a cousin that also works at the Daily Planet and is an object for Clark Kent's misplaced affections, rather than his true love Lana Lang who was married to Lex Luthor? Are you fucking kidding me? This show has hinted at so many potentially great storylines, like the Justice League, Bizarro, Supergirl, Brainiac, and Doomsday, only to piss them all away with nonsense about faked pregnancies, teenage angst, random amnesia, and deus ex machinas. Either give me Superman or give me nothing.
The Office, 9:00 pm, NBC - Comedy gold. Can't wait for it to come back.
Supernatural, 9:00 pm, CW - This show keeps getting better. There are a lot of loose ends that need tying up, it's just a matter of getting the writers back to work.
Friday night:
Moonlight, 8:00 pm, CBS - It's not Angel, but it's not bad. No word yet on a pickup. Fingers crossed.
Next Great American Band, 9:00 pm, FOX - I know, it's the dreaded reality show. To be fair, though, it's one of the least offensive reality shows. There's very little backstage drama, pandering judges, and overall runtime-padding. While I disagree with the final result (Sixwire is a much better band than The Clark Brothers), it was fun to watch. As with all reality shows, I don't doubt it'll be back bigger (and probably much worse) next year.
Other Shows:
Dexter, Showtime - I picked up the first season on DVD, and devoured it. A show where the main character is a serial killer? And we're expected to sympathize with him? I should care about this why? Because it's a incredibly well-crafted show with great acting, terrific writing, and an entirely original premise. Plus, unlike some other shows out there (*cough*The Shield*cough*), it doesn't try and force us to like its monster of a main character. Dexter kills people and is unapologetic, but even he acknowledges that he's a monster. While we do eventually learn more about Dexter's character and why he does what he does, I didn't know any of it going in and that's not why I like the show. It's certainly not for everyone, but if you're not squeamish and enjoy original ideas on television, Dexter is definitely worth your time. Oh yeah, and it's got Julie Benz in it.
Desperate Housewives, ABC - I just can't get into this show. Nathan Fillion is an incredible draw, but even he can't make me like a show about a bunch of whiny, pompous, spoiled bitches in suburbia.
Midseason Replacements:
Lost, ABC - We have to go back. We have to go back to the island. Fuck yeah.
Jericho, CBS - It got canceled, fans said, "Nuts," and now it's back. Woot.
Sarah Connor Chronicles, FOX - Wait, it's Terminator on network television? And it has Summer Glau in it? Sign me up!
New Amsterdam, FOX - New York City homicide detective John Amsterdam was cursed to live forever until he could find his true love. 400 years later and he may have found her.
American Gladiators, NBC - Hulk Hogan, Laila Ali, and a bunch of roided out supermen (and women) laying the smack down on everyday jabronis? Sign me up!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
News and Notes
First up, the required Rock Band discussion. Justin came to town on Sunday, and gave me what is perhaps the best Christmas gift ever: a second Rock Band guitar. It was incredibly timely as well, since the down strum on my existing guitar had started to get spotty. Up strum still worked great, which is just perfect for a bassist. After rocking a bit of two player band world tour mode, we hopped online with me on bass and him on lead guitar. Tons of fun, I must say, since there was some guy (or gal, although the avatar was male) playing expert drums. INSANE.
Given the aforementioned trouble I was having with my initial guitar, I RMA'ed it. I opted for the express delivery, which meant EA shipped out a replacement via two day air, and all I had to do was put the borked guitar in that box and ship it back at no charge to me. The new guitar arrived on Wednesday, which was just in time to get the crew together for some four player action. Holy shit that was awesome. Playing online with other people is great, but when you have four people in the same room rocking the entire house, there's nothing else like it. I can't wait to do it again.
Before we rocked out last night, a bunch of us went to see I Am Legend. I've never read the book of the same name that inspired it and the first two film adaptations, The Last Man On Earth and The Omega Man. I did see The Omega Man, and my primary beef with that film was the savior angle it adopted at the end that seemed completely tacked on and unnecessary. A quick check of Wikipedia reveals that the book pitted Robert Neville, the sole survivor of the apocalypse, against a legion of vampire-like creatures. As Neville hunted the vampires during the day and killed them while they slept, he was unaware that some of them were still human. He eventually learned he was killing still living people along with the undead, and after they attacked and executed him, he became legend as the vampires once were.
I think that's a fantastic premise for a film, but apparently today's movie-going audience is either too stupid or too Jesus happy to accept such a deep and haunting ending like that. Like The Omega Man before it, I Am Legend derails into a sappy, shoe-horned savior ending that had me shaking my head in disgust. Here was a film that had so many elements of the book: viral infection that caused worldwide devastation, vampire-like monsters, feelings of isolation and despair, and a canine companion. It also had Will Smith, who is tremendously entertaining to watch, some great music (Neville has an obsession with Bob Marley), an unexpected twist in the middle followed by an emotional gut-punch (honestly, there might have been tears), and a number of very impressive CG shots of a completely deserted New York City. It had a lot of things going for it, and then tossed it all away to give us hope that if a viral infection ever does wipe out humanity, someone like Robert Neville will be guided by God to find a cure and become the legend who restores civilization. Oi.
I've also been watching a lot of TV, and it's just about time for my mid-season rundown. I'll make a new post about that in the next few days.
Finally, this is hilarious. Happy Holidays!
Given the aforementioned trouble I was having with my initial guitar, I RMA'ed it. I opted for the express delivery, which meant EA shipped out a replacement via two day air, and all I had to do was put the borked guitar in that box and ship it back at no charge to me. The new guitar arrived on Wednesday, which was just in time to get the crew together for some four player action. Holy shit that was awesome. Playing online with other people is great, but when you have four people in the same room rocking the entire house, there's nothing else like it. I can't wait to do it again.
Before we rocked out last night, a bunch of us went to see I Am Legend. I've never read the book of the same name that inspired it and the first two film adaptations, The Last Man On Earth and The Omega Man. I did see The Omega Man, and my primary beef with that film was the savior angle it adopted at the end that seemed completely tacked on and unnecessary. A quick check of Wikipedia reveals that the book pitted Robert Neville, the sole survivor of the apocalypse, against a legion of vampire-like creatures. As Neville hunted the vampires during the day and killed them while they slept, he was unaware that some of them were still human. He eventually learned he was killing still living people along with the undead, and after they attacked and executed him, he became legend as the vampires once were.
I think that's a fantastic premise for a film, but apparently today's movie-going audience is either too stupid or too Jesus happy to accept such a deep and haunting ending like that. Like The Omega Man before it, I Am Legend derails into a sappy, shoe-horned savior ending that had me shaking my head in disgust. Here was a film that had so many elements of the book: viral infection that caused worldwide devastation, vampire-like monsters, feelings of isolation and despair, and a canine companion. It also had Will Smith, who is tremendously entertaining to watch, some great music (Neville has an obsession with Bob Marley), an unexpected twist in the middle followed by an emotional gut-punch (honestly, there might have been tears), and a number of very impressive CG shots of a completely deserted New York City. It had a lot of things going for it, and then tossed it all away to give us hope that if a viral infection ever does wipe out humanity, someone like Robert Neville will be guided by God to find a cure and become the legend who restores civilization. Oi.
I've also been watching a lot of TV, and it's just about time for my mid-season rundown. I'll make a new post about that in the next few days.
Finally, this is hilarious. Happy Holidays!
Friday, December 14, 2007
Quick Hit: Manhunt 2 (Wii)
This actually got an AO rating?
Seriously, this game that uses the engine from the PS2 GTA games got the equivalent of an NC-17?
I'm really at a loss as to why. See, I'm one of those (seemingly few) people who bought and played the original Manhunt. Now that was a violent, disturbing fucking game. Voyeuristic, sadistic, twisted, sick, and depraved. It was also fun as hell (until you got to the shooter levels, but I like to pretend those don't exist). But Manhunt 2? Not so good.
I like the Wiimote and nunchuk controls, I really do. They work well, and they represent what's happening on screen. Or at least, I think they do. I can't really tell since I forgot my fucking 3D glasses or whatever the hell this is supposed to be.
You see, that's the "cleaned up" M-rated version of Manhunt 2. Apparently the uncensored version was so graphic, the ESRB had to slap the AO rating on it, effectively banning it from ever being released. Until Rockstar made some edits and the ESRB re-rated it M, of course.
Here's what I don't understand. If something like this got an M rating four years ago, what's the problem now? Is one somehow better (or in this case, worse) than the other? Where is the line drawn? If AO games simply don't get released on consoles, why even bother having the rating? Don't tell me it's for porn or the occasional non-sexual PC game. Movies get released on DVD unrated all the time, couldn't games do the same?
But I'm getting off track. The point is that Manhunt 2 is a pathetic shell of what it could have been. Now, if you'll excuse me, James Earl Cash needs to go crack some skulls.
Seriously, this game that uses the engine from the PS2 GTA games got the equivalent of an NC-17?
I'm really at a loss as to why. See, I'm one of those (seemingly few) people who bought and played the original Manhunt. Now that was a violent, disturbing fucking game. Voyeuristic, sadistic, twisted, sick, and depraved. It was also fun as hell (until you got to the shooter levels, but I like to pretend those don't exist). But Manhunt 2? Not so good.
I like the Wiimote and nunchuk controls, I really do. They work well, and they represent what's happening on screen. Or at least, I think they do. I can't really tell since I forgot my fucking 3D glasses or whatever the hell this is supposed to be.
You see, that's the "cleaned up" M-rated version of Manhunt 2. Apparently the uncensored version was so graphic, the ESRB had to slap the AO rating on it, effectively banning it from ever being released. Until Rockstar made some edits and the ESRB re-rated it M, of course.
Here's what I don't understand. If something like this got an M rating four years ago, what's the problem now? Is one somehow better (or in this case, worse) than the other? Where is the line drawn? If AO games simply don't get released on consoles, why even bother having the rating? Don't tell me it's for porn or the occasional non-sexual PC game. Movies get released on DVD unrated all the time, couldn't games do the same?
But I'm getting off track. The point is that Manhunt 2 is a pathetic shell of what it could have been. Now, if you'll excuse me, James Earl Cash needs to go crack some skulls.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Anyone Wanna Buy a Copy of GH3 for PS3?
Harmonix made a post today on the official Rock Band forums.
That's awesome, I tell ya. Harmonix did the right thing, and Activision is being a bunch of bitches. So you know what? I'm done with Activision and Guitar Hero. Guitar Hero is dead to me. Long live Rock Band.
Two weeks ago, Harmonix created a software patch for the Sony PLAYSTATION 3 version of Rock Band that allowed for guitar compatibility and support for third party peripherals, including enabling use of Activision's Guitar Hero III controller with Rock Band. The compatibility patch was submitted, approved and had been scheduled for release by Sony on Tuesday, December 4. Unfortunately, Activision objected to the compatibility patch's release. The patch remains with Sony, but we have been told that it will unfortunately not be released due to Activision's continued objection.
That's awesome, I tell ya. Harmonix did the right thing, and Activision is being a bunch of bitches. So you know what? I'm done with Activision and Guitar Hero. Guitar Hero is dead to me. Long live Rock Band.
Monday, December 10, 2007
That One Game That I Talk About All The Time
I finished up the Medium Drum solo career last week. Extremely fun stuff. For some inexplicable reason, Green Grass and High Tides is stuck at the end of the sixth (I think, could be seventh) set (there are nine sets in total) for the Drum career. So damn hard. Not to mention that it's fucking 10 minutes long, and the last 4 minutes are an extremely fast beat including the kick pedal. That's fucking work, right there. Buy Rock Band, play the drums, get in shape.
Once I got past GGaHT, the rest of Medium was a piece of cake. Enamored with my success, I got the crew together over the weekend to play some 3 player. The Me Too's (a name which they dislike, I'm not sure why, because I love it) rocked the house so hard that I decided to step it up to Hard on the drums. "How hard can it be?" I asked myself. I even picked a not all that difficult song for my first foray (Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden). Holy shit, I got booed off the stage in about 30 seconds. I'll have to give Hard another shot when there aren't two other people depending on me for a solid rhythm.
Oh, one other thing. There's this guy that tried out the drums the first time we got the band together and scoffed at it. You know the type: "Shit, why not just play the real thing? I could hella tear this song up on an actual kit. Look at this piece of shit, it's so gay." He played a couple of songs, did a respectable job, and then left us "kids" to play our "game." Despite completely missing the point of playing a game, he decided to give the drums another shot yesterday. He stepped up the difficulty level, and rocked out. He commented after a particular song, "That was hella fun to play!" and even rejoiced over hitting 98% of the notes on Medium Drums compared to my 96% of the notes on Hard Guitar on another song. That's right, I lead the Church of Rock Band, and there is no choice but to convert.
Once I got past GGaHT, the rest of Medium was a piece of cake. Enamored with my success, I got the crew together over the weekend to play some 3 player. The Me Too's (a name which they dislike, I'm not sure why, because I love it) rocked the house so hard that I decided to step it up to Hard on the drums. "How hard can it be?" I asked myself. I even picked a not all that difficult song for my first foray (Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden). Holy shit, I got booed off the stage in about 30 seconds. I'll have to give Hard another shot when there aren't two other people depending on me for a solid rhythm.
Oh, one other thing. There's this guy that tried out the drums the first time we got the band together and scoffed at it. You know the type: "Shit, why not just play the real thing? I could hella tear this song up on an actual kit. Look at this piece of shit, it's so gay." He played a couple of songs, did a respectable job, and then left us "kids" to play our "game." Despite completely missing the point of playing a game, he decided to give the drums another shot yesterday. He stepped up the difficulty level, and rocked out. He commented after a particular song, "That was hella fun to play!" and even rejoiced over hitting 98% of the notes on Medium Drums compared to my 96% of the notes on Hard Guitar on another song. That's right, I lead the Church of Rock Band, and there is no choice but to convert.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Rock Band Post #37
From the Rock Band Official Forums:
This posted sometime yesterday (not sure what time, because the timestamping on the forums is completely wrong). There are a number of interesting things about this post, the first of which being the corporate-speak language. So let's address what it actually says.
First, it refers to the patch as a "routine update." Does that mean they plan to regularly update the game? Did they plan to add additional controller functionality all along? Or are they using the word routine in the sense of a code routine? Who knows?
The patch "addresses a number of items related to guitar compatibility." Number of items? Related to guitar compatibility? There's one item "related" to guitar compatibility as far as myself and others are concerned: we want the GH3 Les Paul to work with Rock Band. That's it. If the patch doesn't allow the GH3 Les Paul to work with Rock Band, then it's fucking useless. Period.
You need a broadband internet connection for the PS3 in order to get the patch. I.E. you can't download it on your computer and transfer it on a flash drive. Ok, makes sense. If you have a PS3 and don't have broadband, you need to get your priorities straight.
When the game boots up, you get the patch. There was a day 1 patch, and it worked the same way, so that's fine.
This post went up later that day:
So, there's a patch, but we don't know when it will be released? Maybe today, maybe Thursday, maybe next week? It's passed all sorts of certification, so that's good. I assume the sorts of certification it passed allows it to be released to all PS3 users, and not just specially selected beta testers or some shit.
Wait, sorry, I'm reading into the post. He says it's passed certification and should go live soon. Ok, perhaps it will be Thursday, since that's when new content hits the Playstation store. Get your patch and downloadable content all at the same time!
One last post made late last night/early this morning:
Now we have no idea when the patch will go up, or why it's delayed. Why do I get the feeling that either this patch isn't what we've been waiting for, or that it's just a ploy to keep us waiting until they can release standalone guitars so we forget all about it and shell out another 70 bucks?
I honestly don't see what the problem is here. Are we really expected to believe that no one involved with the game, at any level, ever said, "Hey, maybe folks out there are thinking they can use their GH3 Les Paul's on the PS3 with Rock Band, so we should look into that. If we can't make it work, we should let them know. If we can make it work, we might want to wait to release until it's ready." Maybe someone did say that, and it fell on deaf ears, although I can't imagine why, since that's the only way to have a full band on PS3 at this time. It's not like PS3 users haven't had to wait for other titles before.
Rock Band + GH3 Les Paul. Let's get it done.
Available today is a routine update for the PLAYSTATION 3 version of Rock Band that addresses a number of items related to guitar controller compatibility. Should Rock Band owners choose to obtain the update, they will need broadband internet access connected to their PLAYSTATION 3. The update will be downloaded once the game is started.
This posted sometime yesterday (not sure what time, because the timestamping on the forums is completely wrong). There are a number of interesting things about this post, the first of which being the corporate-speak language. So let's address what it actually says.
First, it refers to the patch as a "routine update." Does that mean they plan to regularly update the game? Did they plan to add additional controller functionality all along? Or are they using the word routine in the sense of a code routine? Who knows?
The patch "addresses a number of items related to guitar compatibility." Number of items? Related to guitar compatibility? There's one item "related" to guitar compatibility as far as myself and others are concerned: we want the GH3 Les Paul to work with Rock Band. That's it. If the patch doesn't allow the GH3 Les Paul to work with Rock Band, then it's fucking useless. Period.
You need a broadband internet connection for the PS3 in order to get the patch. I.E. you can't download it on your computer and transfer it on a flash drive. Ok, makes sense. If you have a PS3 and don't have broadband, you need to get your priorities straight.
When the game boots up, you get the patch. There was a day 1 patch, and it worked the same way, so that's fine.
This post went up later that day:
I was told it would go live today. If it doesn't go live today I imagine it will go live soon as there is a patch and it has passed all sorts of certification. It exists, is what I am trying to say.
So, there's a patch, but we don't know when it will be released? Maybe today, maybe Thursday, maybe next week? It's passed all sorts of certification, so that's good. I assume the sorts of certification it passed allows it to be released to all PS3 users, and not just specially selected beta testers or some shit.
Wait, sorry, I'm reading into the post. He says it's passed certification and should go live soon. Ok, perhaps it will be Thursday, since that's when new content hits the Playstation store. Get your patch and downloadable content all at the same time!
One last post made late last night/early this morning:
So as you may have noticed the patch still isn't up and I apologize. We're trying to find out what the holdup is and I'll get back to you when I know. Or better yet the patch will just go up and everyone will be stoked. Sorry about the delay.
Now we have no idea when the patch will go up, or why it's delayed. Why do I get the feeling that either this patch isn't what we've been waiting for, or that it's just a ploy to keep us waiting until they can release standalone guitars so we forget all about it and shell out another 70 bucks?
I honestly don't see what the problem is here. Are we really expected to believe that no one involved with the game, at any level, ever said, "Hey, maybe folks out there are thinking they can use their GH3 Les Paul's on the PS3 with Rock Band, so we should look into that. If we can't make it work, we should let them know. If we can make it work, we might want to wait to release until it's ready." Maybe someone did say that, and it fell on deaf ears, although I can't imagine why, since that's the only way to have a full band on PS3 at this time. It's not like PS3 users haven't had to wait for other titles before.
Rock Band + GH3 Les Paul. Let's get it done.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Battalion Wars 2 (Wii) Impressions and Yet Another RB Note
I've played Battalion Wars 2 for about an hour, and gone through five missions. It's basically a real-time shooter version or the Advance Wars games on GBA and DS. After a quick check of GameFAQs, I discovered that the game only spans 19 missions, which puts the entire game at about 4 hours. That's just a bit shorter than my dick, if you measured my dick in hours.
There's multiplayer that would theoretically pad that runtime, but it's only online, no local multiplayer option. Since I don't know anyone with the game, that's useless. Still, it's been fun for an hour, so we'll see how the other 3 go.
Also, after being stuck at 56 of 58 songs on the Hard guitar career, I finished that off last night. Green Grass and High Tides, the final song on the list, isn't terribly difficult so much as an endurance test (it's about 10 minutes long). The real bitch (for me, anyway) is Flirtin' With Disaster. A good third of the song is a devastating solo. I eventually got it, but I was flirtin' with getting booed off the stage for the last half of the tune.
Now it's time to go back to the drums (on Medium) for another 25 songs or so. Let's hope those rumors of standalone axes being available on 12/18 are true so I can rock the full band sooner rather than later.
There's multiplayer that would theoretically pad that runtime, but it's only online, no local multiplayer option. Since I don't know anyone with the game, that's useless. Still, it's been fun for an hour, so we'll see how the other 3 go.
Also, after being stuck at 56 of 58 songs on the Hard guitar career, I finished that off last night. Green Grass and High Tides, the final song on the list, isn't terribly difficult so much as an endurance test (it's about 10 minutes long). The real bitch (for me, anyway) is Flirtin' With Disaster. A good third of the song is a devastating solo. I eventually got it, but I was flirtin' with getting booed off the stage for the last half of the tune.
Now it's time to go back to the drums (on Medium) for another 25 songs or so. Let's hope those rumors of standalone axes being available on 12/18 are true so I can rock the full band sooner rather than later.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Oh, I Almost Forgot To Mention
I made a credit card payment today. My last major one, in fact. You know what that means?
That means no more debt, baby! As of right now, I am completely free and clear of debt. The only use my credit card has now is for monthly recurring charges like my cell phone, Netflix subscription, and the like. Any purchases I make from now on will be made either with cash or my check card.
I thought I might feel different now that I'm out of debt, but I don't. Maybe it just hasn't hit me yet. Maybe looking at my checking account balance at the end of the month and instead of seeing "$42.73," staring at a number like "$1,856.97" will drive the point home.
That means no more debt, baby! As of right now, I am completely free and clear of debt. The only use my credit card has now is for monthly recurring charges like my cell phone, Netflix subscription, and the like. Any purchases I make from now on will be made either with cash or my check card.
I thought I might feel different now that I'm out of debt, but I don't. Maybe it just hasn't hit me yet. Maybe looking at my checking account balance at the end of the month and instead of seeing "$42.73," staring at a number like "$1,856.97" will drive the point home.
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3) Review
Uncharted is so short, I didn't even get a chance to toss up some impressions before I finished it. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, considered how well put together it is, how amazing it looks, and how much fun it is to blow people away around corners without even looking. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Uncharted is one of those games that I started looking forward to way back at some E3 when I first saw a video demo. It looked like the evolution of Tomb Raider: running and gunning, platforming, and puzzle solving in some ancient temple/tomb/lost city in glorious 1080p at 60 fps. And that's exactly what it is. Our hero, Nathan Drake, is a bad-ass with his 9mm pistol and shotgun strapped to his back, while leaping around jungle locales like a monkey and finding lost treasure. He's joined by Elena Fisher, a smart and cocky reporter who can hold her own with a gun, and Victor "Sully" Sullivan, a shady treasure hunter out for one last big score. They're all looking for the treasure of El Dorado, aided by the diary of Nate's ancestor, Sir Francis Drake.
The game plays like most other third person shooters/platformers. Drake can run and jump, climb, deal out savage beatings, fire from the hip, or take aim for more accurate shooting. He can also take cover, and pop out to fire or just fire blindly from safety. At certain points, there are context sensitive button presses, such as turning a crank to open a gate or diving away from falling debris.
Sound, music, and voice acting are all excellent. Firing an AK sounds like it should, the score hits all the right points, and the actors really do a wonderful job. It helps that the cutscenes (which are in-engine) are fantastic, and the facial expressions convey the right emotions.
Which brings me to the way the game looks. I could use a number of different adjectives here, but I think amazing pretty well sums it up. After Assassin's Creed, I didn't think a first-gen PS3 game could look any better, but Uncharted does. There are some minor issues with texture-pop, but nothing major.
Besides the occasional replacement textures, there are a few other issues. The difficulty can be uneven, and there are certain spots of trial and error. If you get stuck, the game will often provide a hint on where or what you're supposed to go or do next, but they come only after wandering around lost for five minutes. Even when you know what you're supposed to do, sometimes it feels like the game is mocking you as you try to do it and fail repeatedly (the endgame is a perfect example of that). When you do fail, you usually don't get set back too far, but it's still an annoyance.
Even with the try, try again sections, the game is almost criminally short. At most, the first run-through takes 8 hours. There are 60 treasures to collect, and a new game mode that's unlocked after beating the initial campaign ("Crushing" difficulty. I did Normal, not Hard, and Crushing sounds downright painful), but I don't really go for that. If you do, I imagine finding all the treasures and doing everything there is to do adds another 8-10 hours.
While I'm glad I rented and didn't buy (if only because it took me 3 days of play to finish the campaign), Uncharted is a very good game. Definitely a solid rental, and maybe a purchase once the price comes down, if you're a completist. There's a lot of polish here, and an entertaining story. It might not be Game of the Year, but Uncharted is worth your time.
Uncharted is one of those games that I started looking forward to way back at some E3 when I first saw a video demo. It looked like the evolution of Tomb Raider: running and gunning, platforming, and puzzle solving in some ancient temple/tomb/lost city in glorious 1080p at 60 fps. And that's exactly what it is. Our hero, Nathan Drake, is a bad-ass with his 9mm pistol and shotgun strapped to his back, while leaping around jungle locales like a monkey and finding lost treasure. He's joined by Elena Fisher, a smart and cocky reporter who can hold her own with a gun, and Victor "Sully" Sullivan, a shady treasure hunter out for one last big score. They're all looking for the treasure of El Dorado, aided by the diary of Nate's ancestor, Sir Francis Drake.
The game plays like most other third person shooters/platformers. Drake can run and jump, climb, deal out savage beatings, fire from the hip, or take aim for more accurate shooting. He can also take cover, and pop out to fire or just fire blindly from safety. At certain points, there are context sensitive button presses, such as turning a crank to open a gate or diving away from falling debris.
Sound, music, and voice acting are all excellent. Firing an AK sounds like it should, the score hits all the right points, and the actors really do a wonderful job. It helps that the cutscenes (which are in-engine) are fantastic, and the facial expressions convey the right emotions.
Which brings me to the way the game looks. I could use a number of different adjectives here, but I think amazing pretty well sums it up. After Assassin's Creed, I didn't think a first-gen PS3 game could look any better, but Uncharted does. There are some minor issues with texture-pop, but nothing major.
Besides the occasional replacement textures, there are a few other issues. The difficulty can be uneven, and there are certain spots of trial and error. If you get stuck, the game will often provide a hint on where or what you're supposed to go or do next, but they come only after wandering around lost for five minutes. Even when you know what you're supposed to do, sometimes it feels like the game is mocking you as you try to do it and fail repeatedly (the endgame is a perfect example of that). When you do fail, you usually don't get set back too far, but it's still an annoyance.
Even with the try, try again sections, the game is almost criminally short. At most, the first run-through takes 8 hours. There are 60 treasures to collect, and a new game mode that's unlocked after beating the initial campaign ("Crushing" difficulty. I did Normal, not Hard, and Crushing sounds downright painful), but I don't really go for that. If you do, I imagine finding all the treasures and doing everything there is to do adds another 8-10 hours.
While I'm glad I rented and didn't buy (if only because it took me 3 days of play to finish the campaign), Uncharted is a very good game. Definitely a solid rental, and maybe a purchase once the price comes down, if you're a completist. There's a lot of polish here, and an entertaining story. It might not be Game of the Year, but Uncharted is worth your time.
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