What if SOPA was used to handle a Zombie threat?
03
Jan
12
Digital Hindsight launched!
Ok guys, here it is, the first installment of my new series aimed at helping resolve common woes to gamers: Digital Hindsight. I’m aiming to make it a regular release show, with the goal being weekly or at least bi-weekly, but no promises yet. At the very least I don’t have a lack of material to write on (us gamers do have a lot to cry about). So, as usual, feedback on the video is great. Ironically, trolling would be useless as the topic of today’s maiden voyage is Trolls, a field guide on identifying and getting rid of trolls. I’m sure we’re sick of their crap in our games as much as we are sick of them online in general or in real life, so leave comments on your thoughts as well!
Next week’s episode: Inspirations vs Ripoffs vs Tributes
21
Dec
11
Holiday season backlog update
So, like some of you, I too have been hit hard with budgeting time to catch up with all of the fall releases of November. Here are my thoughts in brief on the ones I played so far. Keep in mind I am playing through campaign setting, and NO MULTIPLAYER, so if you are more multiplayer centric, then keep in mind I am not touching that part, so don’t e fast to object.
-Skyrim: Nowhere near done with this, but put in many hours (so far, level 31) but loving it so far WITH LIMITS. I am playing on the the PC (mods) and on the xbox (because on the PC it crashes a LOT, and no, its not that my PC can’t run it). Like all Bethesda games ever released, they are glitch-ridden to a degree that would spell disaster for other games, except for with the elder scrolls/neo-fallout games, we forgive those crippling glitches, or at least stomach. I personally have had gameplay crippling glitches, funny glitches (one time I was walking and a mammoth fell from the sky to its death before me. Talk about dangerous weather), to game-breaking ones (I put the Oghnum Infinitium-whatever skill book into a chest, an the chest duplicated it forever. I also had a gold pouch that never disappeared when I collected it, so infinite money). One last note, Fallout 3 was a retooled, rebalanced, reskinned Oblivion… but Skyrim is just a reskinned Fallout 3 (New vegas in parts, too). Not a bad thing, but don’t tell me they had lots of innovation, because they didn’t. Great game.
-Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: I think at this time, we can take the Modern Warfare games out of the Battlefield/Red Orchestra camp of military themed shooters, and put it in the camp of Halo and Bioshock, as a game whose campaign is trying to be more drama and story driven. Gotta say, CoD has one of the best loading screens of any modern game, but all the infeasible story lines they put in the fake alternate world they made, and its solid military fantasy at this point. If you want a military simulator, play ArmA or Operation Flashpoint. If you want to play with a gamified military, play Battlefield or Red Orchestra. If you want a blockbuster movie ride, play Homefront or Modern Warfare. On another note, I did feel the campaign was a waste of my time, despite its strong points … here is why. It was the ODST to Halo 3, it was the Fable 3 to Fable 2, it was the Left for Dead 2 to Left for Dead … it was a shallow excuse to package another full-retail game with ‘new content’ that could have passed for a DLC expansion.
-Saint’s Row the Third: I can see why people love/hate this game, but I wonder if they know why. First off, this game is very perverted, fun, silly , and over the top. They changed the open world model from a GTA-style mission marker of multiple arcs style, to a more narrative-driven, single mission progression like Mafia or Assassin’s Creed. Nothing wrong with that, as it allows different elements to be used creatively, its just that SR2 was a bigger, better SR1 in all ways, and I think people expected and wanted SR3 to be a bigger better SR2 and it wasn’t. Its still a good game, but its a different horse from SR2 entirely.
-Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary: On the plus side, other franchises need to look at this game and see THIS is how you do an HD re-release (*cough*Capcom). It i the same game as 10 years ago …. which is where I go into the bad side. Personally speaking, I have never been impressed with Bungie’s engine and less impressed how they refuse to put in rational driving mechanics in a game that has you using vehicles a lot. I am reminded how much I despise the warthog and how it drives with balloon tires on butter. Though, one new thing they added, the log terminals, added a lot of useful exposition, and all but spelled out what Halo 4 will likely be about, down to the factions, main antagonist, and driving motivations (which I liked the add on).
-Super Mario 3D Land: This one surprised me. The first run through, the game is a joke .. its easy, holds you by the hand, and is barely a challenge, even getting all the star coins. However, once you beat the game, a new Secret world open up and not only can you play as Luigi, but also the game becomes brutal. The challenge is refreshingly so, and reminds us that Mario still has it past these 25 years.
-Zelda: Skyward Sword: No rushing me on this … still in the middle of it and I am not giving a reflection until I am done.
Games still working on: Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. Goldeneye 007 re-release, Oregon Trail, Sonic Generations, King of Fighters 13, Dark Souls, Jurassic Park.
Good Gaming, and Happy Holidays!
So, gifting season is upon us, no matter your background, and many people still don’t know what to give someone either causally, or at the office, or to that don’t-particularly-like-yet-obligated-to-gift person. Or, maybe you want to give something they will actually use and appreciate beyond a gift card, but can’t pin it down? Try these on for size.
-A calender: Seriously, the new year is around the corner, so this simple yet practical gift is great for the person who is either busy or organized. Odds are they already have one of their own, and will always used another. A day by day or wall calender depends on the person, but bundle this anything and its a done deal.
-Digital currency: If you know they spend a lot of real money on fake money either on their game system or portable device, or online store, then cut out the middle man and give them some of that stuff. This is instant love to any gamers you know as well.
- A digital picture frame: Pricier, but this gift NEVER ceases to be a fail-safe. No one ever objects to getting one, and most people don’t have one. It’s novel yet thoughtful (without being either). Protip: I use this also as a parting gift for ‘memories’ and it never fails.
-Decorative knife: Go the nearest hunting store, buy a cheap knife that looks cool/elegant, go somewhere that etches, and put in their name or holiday greeting. Done. Simple, personal, and sometimes funny. Most people will put it up on the mantle/wall as a decoration piece and it’s a cool accent piece. Warning: Don’t give this to anyone with kids.
-A gas card: A good measure is 50 bucks if the person is on your nice list, more if you really like them. No one with a car these days will say no to you filling up their gas tank even one time a year. Guaranteed to be used and appreciated, as they are not obligated to redeem it for something they might not normally use. Get gas from a GOOD place, not cheapo gas, alright?
-Certificate programs: There are many catalogs where you can buy a certificate from in which you simply gift them a voucher, and they can redeem it for anything in the catalog. You guarantee they will get something they want, without being psychic. My recommendation is this: http://myribbongift.com/
-External Hard Drive: The priciest (potentially) gift suggestion that never fails. In this digital age, storage is getting cheap and stuff gets larger, so anyone who spends a lot of time on the computer, or downloads stuff frequently, they likely use memory like drinking water. Give them a good name brand (I’m an IT professional with brand loyalty to Seagate and Western Digital, for my 2 cents) and they will be pleased, no doubt. Also great for birthdays.
These suggestions are ones that I have never seen fail for myself or anyone I recommended them too. I share them now with everyone, and hope everyone has a merry season of gifting (and my birthday on Xmas), and get something awesome.
01
Dec
11
Arkham City Done!
Finally … per fan request I completed the 19-part Batman video showing you how to collect all 440 riddles in the game. Phew … I hope at least a handful of you out there appreciate the time and effort I put in this for all of you. I see even now people still use my Arkham Asylum walkthrough, so maybe I did something right.
Anyway, enjoy, Digital Hindsight is in production now, so I would humbly appreciate support for it, with the same clamor I received for Batman, I hope.
Anyway, good gaming … I ‘m going get some rest.
