Back in Action

Well, I took about a month hiatus for personal reasons. Now I have something truly fun to talk about today. User Driven Content. Within the past few years, user driven content sites, such as Digg have been gaining popularity. However, something about this type of stuff smells fishy to me. Not the "OMGWTFBBQ that shit stinks" fishy, but the "hmmm, should I belive this shit" fishy. Looking at the "top stories" at any given time will give you a sense of what the internet community, or at least the subset of forum-flammongers think.

If you have ever dealt with the general public at work or for charity, you know that most people are not smarter than a 5th grader. It is is this subset of "crainially deficient" hooligans who always post their 2 cents. Most people who have a real life debate their differences with people in person. It could be about video games, it could be about Politics, what ever it is about, there is always someone trying to stir the pot or even piss people off.

It always seems that these forum whores and flame-tards always show up, even in the most civilized of topics. A story I read on CNN about Britney Spears' parenting problems should have been just that. A fluff story that fills space on the page. Someone one of the forum posters ended up some how blaming the Bush administration for all the woes of modern people in general. I as many conspiracy theories as the next wacko, but I mean come on people. Brit Brit's bullshit and theatrics is all put on by George Bush? I like Bush as much as the next pinko-commie, but in all seriousness, lay off the crack. The only Bush involved with Brit is below the waist line. That type of shit has no business in a fluff story if you ask me.

The internet seems to harbor the LCD. I don't mean monitors or TV screens. I'm talking lowest common denominator. The most basic and stupidest of people are the nosiest. Its really easy to criticize other, make them look stupid, or even make them feel bad, but it a hell of a lot harder to actually come up with solutions.

My point being about politicians, gamers, activists, whomever. Stop pointing the damn finger and actually do something about the problem. Our political process has legislated away the very fiber of what made this country great.People are so quick to judge that they would rather gripe and whine, instead of taking action to fix the problem. This is seen very well in the video game debate. States passing game laws prohibiting minors from purchasing "M" rated video games or banning games because they are too violent or too sexual in nature. What happened to parents? What happened to "knowing what your kids are doing?" This country is too great to be toppled by a bunch of Soccer-moms and dads who are too busy to police their own children. It't doesn't take a village to raise a family, it takes strong parents and families. Instead of crying when your demented child takes a school hostage, you should be blaming yourself. "Why didn't I ask questions, why didn't I know what he was doing. Why was I not involved in his life."

As a solution to this problem, lets all try something. Look at yourself in the mirror, look deep into your own eyes. Tell yourself that you need to start picking up your slack, and take responsibility for your actions. I'm tired of my rights being taken away because you don't want to admit your guilty.

The Bigger they are The Harder they Fall

Short Fight Fat Kid Knockout - Watch more free videos
Here is a nice video for everyone. What happens when you talk shit and can't move as fast as your mouth. Hopefully this is what is happening to Jack Thompson at his disbarment trial in Florida.

Back Again

Video Game Violence

This is a great subject for discussion today. So many neat things to get mad about...so I guess I'll take it from the top. Does violence effect children? Yes most likely. Growing "Tweens" and Teens can be influenced very easily. Either by peer pressure, what they see on TV, or most importantly their environment at home. Kids are a product of their reality, and their reality reflects how they have grown up, their demeanor, attitude. When one or all of these things are unstable, kids can become really messed up and kill people, I.E Columbine High School. Anyways, what ever happened to "responsible parenting?" What happened to "responsibility?" The Answer: The Pussification of our society. I know thats not a word, but it works. The dumbing down and removal of all things tough in a persons life. Example: Ms. Crapinsworth, the local engish teacher, transpanted from Berkley, decides to have a pop quiz. After the grades are in, Ms. Crapinsworth thinks that giving a person an F on a paper will hurt their feelings and cause them to dispair.

Spare the children any trauma. Lets shelter them from the consequences of real life. If you don't study, you're going to fuck up on the test. If you hit someone, you're going to get hit back. If you shoot someone, what happens now? How are these kids supposed to learn life lessons. I just does not make sense to me. In today's society, where parents are busy running kids to play dates and other garbage that they don't actually take the time to talk to their kids. Taking your kids to a soccer game or to after school whatever is not the same as talking to them. Again, lets use Columbine as an example. These 2 shooters, Clebold and Harris. Had plotted to kill classmates and teachers. They were making pipe bombs in their room at home. Had assault rifles and other illegal shit. Ok, this is what the fuck I want to know. HOW DID YOU MAKE A PIPE BOMB IN YOUR ROOM AND MOM AND DAD DON'T KNOW? Shit, when I was that age, I couldn't get a freakin' Playboy or 40 oz beer without someone getting light. But then again, I wasn't at odds with my parents, not that I told them I was being mischievous, but I didn't hate anyone. If your child sits in his room with the doors closed for hours at a time, doesn't come out or say a peep, wouldn't you ask whats going on? Not to say that you don't trust your child, but just to know what the hell is so interesting? I guess not.

This is what I don't get. How are these politicians single-handedly blaming video games as the sole corrupter of today's youth? I guess it could be the Blame-Game dijour. Movies this week, video games next week, then back to movies? Lets pause here to take a look. R-rated movies require an ID or someone over 21 to purchase. Wal-Mart, K-mart, Target, as well as most retailers require ID's to purchase these movies. The same goes for video games. However, and that is a big HOWEVER, that does not stop retard parents from buying the games for little Douche Jr. Video Games have a rating system. There has been a standing rating system for video games since the mid-1990's. This battle still rages on. Politicians like Leeland Yee from California and Hillary Clinton are on a rampage to save us from our selves. An example of this is the game Grand Theft Auto. It is a very popular game, but it has mature themes. I would consider it along the lines of Scarface or the Godfather. If it was a movie, it would be rated R. But, its a video game so its Rated M, for MATURE. That means 17 years+. So then, tell me how does little Douche Jr. get his hands on the game. He begs his inattentive irresponsible parents to get the game for Christmas or whatever. So, when Douche Jr. is in the living room punching a whore in the face or car-jacking a Porche, Mr and Mrs Douche are totally flabberghasted at what they see.

This boils down to choice. People who do this shit are idiots. You get no sympathy from me. I grew up with violent games. I am a well adjusted individual who can tell reality from fantasy. I know that my actions have consequences. After I played Mortal Combat, i didn't go out and stab someone in the throat. I some how managed to graduate from college, get married. What else can you ask for.

Its like driving around in the car without a seat belt, or getting cancer because you smoked cigarettes all your life. You CHOSE to do what you did, if it be buying a video game, puffing on that cig, or rolling your SUV and dying cause you didn't wear your safety belt. This shit can be prevented. Parents look at the game ratings, talk to your children, don't be afraid, you were once in their shoes, if you can remember. You are not here to be a friend, you are here to parent.

ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES!

It's shit like this that rolls right into the clutches of activist litigators like Jack Thompson. A Florida lawyer who is on a rampage to destroy the video game industry. If you do a Google search, you can find tons of info on his stupid ass. Violent games should not be banned. Stupid idiots should be banned. Legislating to the lowest common denominator also pussifies our society. Lets make everything safe for everyone. I thought we had rights. I thought you couldn't pass laws that infringe on our rights?

Well, I guess I'm wrong.

It's Friday

Well, its Friday everyone. The week is just about over. You can commence party sequence now. There are a few tidbits I thought everyone might want to know.

First off, there is a BF: Bad Company petition going around. Only sign it if you want to bring abouts the end of the World. The dudes at the Battlefield podcast are starting this to get BF:BC ported to the PC. After my last post, I hope none of you will be signing it, except to get your digs on BF and DICE in the comments section.

Secondly...I added a Terror Alert button. Just in case...Hey, I didn't make it up, I'm just trying to do my part.

Thirdly...looks like there was a signifigant update to TF2 last night. Check out the official change log here.


Here is a partial listing.
---------------------------------------

Source Engine

• Fixed a bug in networking that would cause long stalls (up to 10 seconds) when a split packet would not be reassembled properly, which forced a full update to all clients
  
• General optimization to tracelines
  
• Fix for broken .dem file playback
  
• Added backward compatibility code to allow demos recorded with protocol 12 to continue to be playable under protocol version 13
  
• When showing "WARNING: Connection Problem", now indicate the number of seconds remaining before an auto-disconnect will occur
  
• Fixed a bug that would cause NULLNAME to be shown as the player's name in the scoreboard for a short time
  

Team Fortress 2

• Fixed exploit where spectators could spawn into the world without actually joining a team
  

Hydro map changes

• Fixed an exploit that would allow players to jump out of the map
  

Granary map changes

Cover changes to the first capture points of both teams. Reduces some of the sight lines for defenders, and should make the area easier to capture

Best Half Time Show Ever

Battlefield: Remembered

Wow, has it really been over three years since Battlefield 2 was first released? Shit, I still vividly remember playing the demo. It's been a long standing fact that the Battlefield franchise is doomed. After the first installment of BF1942, things just started to go down-hill. I can talk until my heart explodes, or I'm blue in the face, but that still won't change the fact that our favorite game was abandoned in the middle , no, the PEAK of it's life cycle for another game exactly the same based in a future that is totally "stupid" for a lack of a better word.
Every time I think about this subject, It makes me mad. How a very popular game could have the rug pulled out from underneath. But when it boils down, one can only see the true reason why such an atrocity could occur. Money. We as consumers should know this by now. A company's main objective is to turn a buck, make money, collect mullah and please stock holders. Small developers can enjoy working on their own schedule, producing quality products, never having to sacrifice their vision.

As of March 2006, EA (Electronic Arts, of Redwood City, CA) acquired Digital Illusions CE (DICE) the makers of the Battlefield franchise. EA is known around the industry to strong-arm developers into their corner (I.E NBA Live series' exclusivity contract with the NBA, now more recently gobbling up Bioware and Pandemic Studios). Superficially, this isn't a bad idea for the independent guys. "Hey, lets get bought out by EA, they have resources, top notch development studios, and best of all we don't have to worry about money." However, I think Benjamin Franklin put it best: "He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither." Let us think about this. Independent developers create their OWN games. They live by their own rules, and are free to make whatever game they wish to make. Sacrificing their freedom by choosing to hide under the security blanket called EA only weakens what sovereignty they had. I know that sounds a little redundant, but here is the fall out after March 2006. DICE releases the "rumored" final patch to BF2 because EA is forcing them to produce another game to make a quick buck. So, now we have a game that is barely 2 years old, still riddled with bugs, that is now abandoned for another game, basically exactly the same with 1 or 2 minor changes to the game play mechanics.

Because EA so hastily released BF2142, the same bugs plaguing BF2 show up. Not to mention poor quality control with patches. Releasing half-baked patches, only to make gamers uninstall the entire game to re-patch with their new Beta patch. They are too lazy to hire professional beta testers that they must release Official Beta patches to the public to test, then come out with a Official Official patch. What a load of crap.

Now, with 2142 maturing at an unusually slow pace, most of the Battlefield community has moved on to other games. This quick-shifting business model totally destroyed the Mod community. It took almost 3 years for the first full figured mod to even be released. The mod scene for BF2 looked so bright, then 2142 came out and took away the player base, and by the time the next crap-tastic installment, Bad Company, is released gamers will be so jaded that only the console nubs will buy that garbage.

Maybe DICE and EA should stick the the console development cycle. Release a half baked game and you never have to worry about patching it. Plus, they can rip gamers off even more with the $60 dollar price tag attached to the next-gen games.

It's down to us. We are the ultimate decision makers. We have to tell these big publishers that we will not stand for this shit. Use your dollars, don't buy DICE or EA products. Support independent devs. like Valve or Blizzard. Don't fall for the sequalitis. Let them know that half-baked games are not ok, and that pulling support for games in mid-life doesn't do anything but hurt the end users.

Exercise a little more caution when mommy takes you to Wal-Mart to buy your M-rated games. Bah-Humbug!

Is the weight of the world on my shoulders?

Here is the situation in football terms: 2 minutes left on the play clock in overtime. It's down the final drive. Your team has the ball, and the score is tied. Your team lines up to snap the football, the center's sweaty hands reach for the ball. The quarterback anxiously eyes the field for the defensive formation. The QB yells hike, the play starts, and the players run forward. They keep running and then at midfield, turn a hard right and b-line it to the locker room to hide.

In layman's terms thats what happens on a regular basis in many online matches of TF2. Noobies, wankers, and douche bags. I'm not talking about the usual pussy-ass snipers, but the real idiots who hide out in the base only to wait for their chance to join the rest of the gibblets.

This is a shout-out to all of you PIECE OF SHIT-ASSWIPING-DOUCHBAGGING-SMACKTALKING-DILL WEEDS who need to start acting like men. The next one I see turtling up in your base, I'm going to smack yo' momma in the face...

So there. I said it. It's what we have all been thinking. If you don't like it, go to hell.

More on Rockstar

I think Penny-Arcade says it best. There comes a point when we have to ask, do we even really care about this game? Who plays this crap anyways?

Rockstar Games = Brintey Spears of Game Devs

Alright, you have probably heard already, hackers have discovered the uncut content from Rockstar's controversial new game Manhunt 2. Game Politics has the full story. What seems the be the problem you say? Second time hackers have been able to get at cut content. Last year it was the Hot Coffee Debockle. It may seem that Rockstar just doesnt care. It seems that Jack Thompson will probably jump at the opportunity to spearhead an attack on the gaming industry using this as an example of how video game companies and the products they sell are the work of the devil and are an abomination to man-kind.

Fuck Rockstar. They are going to either put the ESRB in a state of Government regulation, or go bankrupt from the incessant lawsuits being filed against their company. I'm sure politicians are going to jump on this ship like little termites in fresh pine. Somethin's gotta give, and it sure as shit ain't gonna be Congress or Jack Thompson.

Side Note Here:

This is a big F-U to Faux (Fox) News. I can't believe you let Jack-ass Thompson show his face on TV. The overzealous pundit only spews propaganda, but I guess I should expect too much from a network that hires, fires, and re-hires Heraldo. Too bad there isn't enough news for the 24-hour news channels to cover. I guess the world doesn't spin quite fast enough for some of us.

And It's Already Off To A Weird Start

"Does Flannel Ever Die?"
I don't think it does. It's very comfortable on cold October mornings when you have to blog about ridiculous shit. It's like a bullshit shield of sorts. Maybe not so much... anyways, this is the real reason why you are here. Happy Halloween.

--------------------------------------------------------

File-no. 7243-089F
Status: Closed
Clearance: Tango Zulu

FBI Confidential - 10/31/07
Incident Report 651: Freeway Free-Bird

When you wake up and hear a rustling in the back yard, you usually prepare for the worst case scenario. Serial Killers, Rapists, Rabid Dogs, and Cobras are among the potential obstacles awaiting your gaze as you peek through the blinds. However that was not the case the morning of 10-30-07. A small disturbance was reported by a Mrs. Glinkman who was out back watering her flower-pots. A rustling in the bushes frightened Mrs. Glinkman, when she saw a large "white and grey" shape vanish into the thick ivy hanging on the fig tree.

Mrs. Glinkman alerted authorities at HRS:1342 on 10-30-07. When tactical units arrived on scene, investigators found no evidence of a prowler, but suspect that a light footed thief could have been canvasing the property. Moments later as the final tests were being packed up, one of the crime scene techs reported seeing reflections of light, similar to dogs eyes, emanating from the ivy. When briefed that her stalker was in the back yard, Mrs. Glinkman got angry and fled out side to meet her would-be attacker.

Her yelling startled the beast as she stepped through the threshold. In a sudden explosion of chaos, a chicken FLEW from the ivy, claws drawn in attack formation. Aiming only for the eyes, police shot and detained the monster before it could wreak havoc upon the Interstate5 freeway that was neighboring Mrs. Glinkman's house. Animal Control agents collected the animal and placed it into quarantine where it awaits trial.

A Wonder What A Little CPU Can Do!

Alright. It's been a few days since I installed the new skynet protocols. Holy shiz is it doing the trick. TF2, perfect. Thank goodness for Chef Boyardee. Smooth as a button. I have now successfully tested 1280x1024 2xaa high shaders, low shadows, high textures, Looks pretty sweet...Multi core!

Release Round-Up

Here are a list of some Highly Anticipated Games...coming to a Wal-Mart near you.

Crysis Nov 16, 2007
Call of Duty 4 Nov 9, 2007
Hellgate:London November 2, 2007
Gears of War November 9, 2007
Spore (PC and Wii) TBA 2008

From the Most Popular Titles on Gamespot UK.

I was excited to see Gears of War for the PC. Lets hope it isnt another vista bullshit

Sony should stick to TVs and DVD players

Well first it was Gabe Newell dissing the PS3. Then Will Wright, creator of the SimCity franchise came down against it. Now an ex-developer for Harmonix is speaking out against the console. Jason Booth points out some pretty good stuff about the PS3. I think the PS3's problem is more along the lines of complexity. Let's face it, the Xbox and the 360 are basically PCs. They use ATI/AMD/Intel shit, running x86 architecture. Something developers have been using for the past decade. That makes PC - 360 ports easier and more cost effective. As far as the PS3 exclusives continuing to suck? I don't think so. I think we will see that the PS3 will get better support as time progresses. The Catch 22 is that by the time developers are good at coding for the PS3, the 360/PC/Wii will have outsold, surpassed and doubled their game library, while the PS3ers are still playing Metal Gear Solid that came out 2 years prior.

All I can say is that if I was to play a console FPS and was to get chop, I would be pissed. There is no way to turn your graphics down or squeeze more frames out of your rig. So I whole-heartedly agree that developers should do anything in their power to make sure that the games run at a perfect frame rate all the time, not just at the loading screen.

Even with all this said, the Orange Box will still be coming out for the PS3, maybe not till the end of 2007 (2 months after PC/360 release), but it will be out.

Morning Madness/Demo Round-up

Just some minor briefs. Wanted to keep everyone on top of some cool new releases in the next few months. Jack Black has a project on its way called "Brutal Legend." Taking place in an alternate universe where daemons have enslaved humanity, now the King of Norse Rock must bring his axe down on the deadites to save the Earth. If you saw Pick of Destiny, or anything at all of Tenacious D, you know that this is right up their alley. "Finally a game with Dio in it!" 360 and PS3 only I'm guessing from their official website.

Take it away Holy Diver!

Hellgate: London demo is now available for download. From the ex-Blizzard/Diablo dudes, comes this action-rpg-fps blend based on the Knights Templar and all that jazz. End of the world is coming, only the protectors of the Holy Grail can save the Earth!

The Unreal Tournament 3 beta demo is out. You can get it here.

If you haven't already, get your hands on a copy of the Orange Box. Its getting rave reviews from everywhere. Pretty much the best game out for more than platform. I haven't had a chance to test drive Halo3 yet, but I can imagine that the OB is going to kick its ass.

I've been in a funk ever since I traded my PC Gamer subscription for Maxim.

More Sony Woes

It's pretty widely know around the gameing community that Sony's Next Gen console is not doing so hot. The NDP numbers are continuing to show the PS3 on the bottom of the sales charts, coming in a dismal third. Price cuts have been announced to try and move units this holiday season. Rumors are circulating around the net of Sony Execs begging developers to make games. As Gabe Newell of Valve consistently rags about, the Playstation is hard to make games for. It has way more complicated architecture, thus multiplying the complexity of game design.

Now, evidence has surfaced on how a Sony Europe employee leaked a copy of Take-Two Interactive's controversial game, "Manhunt2". The leak sprang in the middle of a heated lawsuit between an activist Lawyer and the game developer.

GamePolitics.com has the full story.

Just what Sony needs now, Eh? I'm excited to see the outcome of what' taking place. Maybe developers will stop trusting Sony, and stop making game's for their overpriced game machine. Who knows. Only time will tell. Are the rats already starting to jump ship? Yikes!

A list if people ruining Halo...er TF2

I saw this on 1P start. Another blog-master from the land of the internet. He has a list of "people" or should I say stereotypes that are ruining Halo3. I hate to tell this dude, but these "people" ruin every online multiplayer game. My favorite? Look to your right. Yes child-wankers. Remember than obnoxious Commander from Battlefield 2? Remember that punk ass glitcher who kept hiding in the walls? What about the douche bag who tries to defend a flag as a sniper?

The fun starts here.

Hot ticket Items

I have some juicy tidbits from around the net today. Nothing really exciting happening on the weekends or even this week for that matter. The demo for Unreal Tournament 3 is out now, and available for download.

Some other big news from around the industry. EA foresees gaming's future as an open platform with one console or set top box. Hmm..that sounds an awful lot like the PC platform. And man, the backwards compatibility is amazing on the PC.

Anyways, just thought I might let you know what's been happening around the net. Expect a full digestion of EA's latest acquisitions and moves next week. I'm working on something special for you.

News Flash

Just in case you didn't know, E for All, the new and improved E3 is this weekend at the LA convention center. You can check out the website here. I would tell you how much it costs, but I would have had to sign up for the damn registration. What a bunch of shit.

We will see what happens this year. E3 has lost its edge, no more booth babes, glitz, or booze. I don't think you could call it a "hardcore gamer" event. It is now a family friendly, so friendly in fact, 2 big developers won't even show up. Most of the regulars are going to be there, however, it seems Microsoft and Sony are absent from the list of Vendors. Nintendo will be there peddling the Wii, but not the "Console War-riors." Very interesting indeed.

AEIOU

You know what that is. TF2 is freakin amazing. Its even better when you can play with friends. I must say that every time I use steam, I like it more. Its so cool. I almost don't need another IM. But that's beside the point.

I added a list of the games that I am currently playing. I will try to update that once a week. The top 2 games will probably be static for some time. I like to make sure that my investment has paid itself off. Amortize my video game as quick as possible to absorb the cost. Thank goodness I don't have to pay for Xbox live to play my games on the internet.

Flash Portal

Here is a cool game if you can't get enough of portal. Same rules apply, but its in 2D. Have Fun
Check It Out!

Beer Sports Beef Jerky, Miss November

Home Sweet Home

Well, I'm back in my office at home, doing officely stuff. It's nice to have my LCD back. Anyways, 3meg service is awesome. I'm enjoying my preload of Portal, and I'm planning on playing at midnight. The Orange Box Officially launches tonight at midnight, Steam Rocks! So many things going on today that I'm just super excited. Im very glad I'm back home. The city really spoils people. Conveniences are very...well...convenient.

Adventures in Babysitting

Well, I found out the hard way, never underestimate the power of a 2-year old. I got smashed in the face by my little nephew Mikie. Slammed the pantry door right on the bridge of my nose as I was bent down looking for some grubbage. It hurt like a bitch, no blood, but some minor swelling. No worse for the wear, though.

Anyways, I got around to making a header for the site now. Now it is starting to look like a real blog. Hope you like. I have 3 days left on my stint here in LM. Gotta find something fun to do while the wife is at work. The monster truck rally is a no-go. Every beer-swilling hillbilly and his brother are there. Tickets are sold out, and parking is a bitch. Who would have guessed?

Catch ya on the flipside.

Master Chief's Wild Ride

The year is 2000. PC gamers everywhere rejoice in the fact that the minds behind the Myth franchise are now bringing a totally new I.P to the he PC. Halo, slated as the game above all games. Everyone was very excited, that is until Bill Gates and his fleet of gray-suits marched on the independent developer. What could have been the single most influential game on the PC was now gobbled up and spit back out as an Xbox title, possibly never to see light on the PC....EVER.

We all know what happened after that. Seven years later, we have seen numerous books, magazines, and other licensed products. Now, the final chapter in the Halo trilogy is out, selling over $170 million in the first 24 hours of release. Let's face it, Halo 3 is a BEAST! A beast that could have been on the PC. However, now it seems after these long years that Bungie Studio's is now free. They are no longer part of Microsoft Game Studios. Bungie now goes back to being an independent game developer but MS Game Studios are still going to publish their future games.
What started as rumor last week, has now become a reality. I'm glad to see that Bungie wants to spread their wings a bit after being locked in a kennel for the better part of a decade. What is evident to me after all of this is the fact that Microsoft cannot sustain 2 gaming platforms simultaneously.

Microsoft has two business models, one for the Xbox, and one for everything else. By dissecting the target markets of both models we can see who MS is trying to sell games to and how they do it. Earlier this year, we heard lots of mumblings about the Games for Windows initiative, and Games for Windows Live!, the PC version of Xbox live. Six months later where is the "continued support" where is the cross compatibility, the cohesive branding? Its doesn't exist! Thats the point. All of it was a ploy to push Vista to the hard-core early adopters of the tech world. Mostly hardcore gamers like myself. Unfortunately for Microsoft, the push backfired in their faces. Vista's harsh requirements allow for only the heaviest of duty rigs to run it correctly. For most people including gamers, we don't need an OS that has tons of pretty frilly bullshit floating around the desktop. We want something that does what it should without requiring a $10,000 hardware upgrade to play a game at decent frame rate. This is where my conspiracy theorist comes out. All this is leading me to one conclusion. Microsoft doesn't want you to play games on the computer anymore. They want you locked into their Xbox 360 or whatever next gen shit that comes out. Here is a list of why MS might try this.

1. Hardware - Locking you into playing games on the 360 will only move more units, padding their pocket book. They own the platform, they make the hardware, so you can't build your own or buy it more cheaply from other suppliers. You buy it at their price, or you don't play. Period. Pretty much a text book vertical monopoly.
   
2. Software - As most companies learned from the demise of the Atari 2600, that product licensing means big bucks. Not just anyone can make an Xbox game. You have to go to Microsoft and ask their permission, usually meaning pay a sum of money to get their blessing and a set of development tools. This being in contrast to the PC, a truly open platform, where anyone can design a game. This limits the ability mod makers, indie developers, and other small time game designers to get their games out to the public.
3. Piracy and Profitability - The single factor that pushes PC developers to port games to every console is the fact that piracy is rampant on the PC. Illegal copies are floating around the net just waiting for you to leech the torrent. So if a developer plans to make a game for the PC, they are expecting a certain percent of their profits to be destroyed by game pirates. The fact that Xbox requires heavy copy protection on their software gives game developers a false sense of security. Developers are lured away from the PC because of their fears of pirates stealing their money. As big business devours the gaming industry, the bottom line will become more of a tipping point. "If you can't make money selling it, why sell it at all?"

Lets face it. It all boils down to money, and lets face it, Microsoft is good at making it. They have the majority of the market share for operating systems, what makes you think they can't do the same thing with gaming. I see the warning signs everywhere, but is there really anything we can do?

Down on the Farm

I promised I wouldn't give personal stories, but oh well. Just as my DSL is upgraded to maximum strength, I have been beckoned to watch the family farm while my sibling and sibling-in-law head to Korea for a week. So a new experience for me; feeding chickens, horses, dogs, cats, and goats. But its a well deserved week of vacation. I'm out of the house for a week, which will give me ample time to appreciate how the other half of the world works. By the time I get home, I will have a great appreciation for everything that the internet has to offer. Don't take your 12 megabit cable connection for granted. There are still people who have to use dial-up...

Victory Gals

Surfing the net, found this. Bitchen artwork. It's something that your grandpa would be proud of. Hit the jump for some awesome Victory Gals!

Too Lazy to Leave the Couch

I found this video on YouTube this morning. Thought I might share it. I think Ace and I are going to have try this out...

Team Awesome

Team Fortress 2 is here! Hurrah! A game that I have been waiting for since QuakeWorld went out of style. The game delivers a frenetic power punch of intense action mixed with morbid humor, creating a game atmosphere unlike any before it. The art direction is what most people notice first. The cell-shaded, cartoon feel doesn't let the player become too serious, allowing the game to stay fun, even if you end up on a team who can't navigate their way out of a paper bag.

What makes the game interesting to me is the fact that the game seems so "fresh" even though it is based on a game play model that existed long before the niceties of modern online gaming. It feels very much like the original, where it almost seems they want you to rocket jump and bunny-hop. They have taken away some of the previous features like grenades, but added some like persistent character stats. It seems that Valve has painstakingly crafted a game that is fun to play over and over again. Its very refreshing to see a developer this dedicated to the PC platform, something you don't see a lot of now-a-days. My deal with BF2 and others is that it seems to take an act of God to win a game. You don't have to fight your own team of noobs to win a game. I just feel that in BF2 and 2142 you have to rely on 31 others to actually do something to win a game. I'm not saying that TF2 doesn't require teamwork, but you don't have to fight an uphill battle to be victorious.

Why is this game worth buying? Well let me put it to you simply: It freakin' rocks! Its got a little bit of something for everyone. With 9 varied and unique classes, the player can choose one that fits his/her style of play. If its the fast pace of a the scout class or the slow moving tank called the Heavy Weapons Guy, TF2 allows for a diverse game play style that is sure to suit any gamer.

Here is why I can't stop talking about this game.
1. Replay ability - doesn't get boring or repetitive
2. Fun Factor - Art Direction and silly giblets never lets the game get to serious
3. Graphics - The Source Engine renders nice pictures even on slower machines
4. Game Time - 1 person can make a difference, don't have to wait for your team of
douche-bag snipers to get TKed.

Welcome

Welcome to the first edition of Nor-Cal Game Guy. My name is Glinkman and I am the resident video game junkie north of Sacramento. I've been playing video games for the greater part of the last 2 decades. I started on a humble Comadore 64, playing Burger Time and other games. From there I graduated to the Famicon (NES for the uninitiated) when my parents gave it to my sister and I at Christmas in 1988. From there, the gradual progression of consoles kept my attention for the next few years, until 1995 rolled around. In 1995 we got the most kick ass computer around. A Packard Bell 486DX with Math Co-Processor, 8 Megs of RAM and a few hundred megabytes of hard disk space. From then on, I was a PC Gamer. Doom, Quake, Command and Conquer, were my hordeovers. Now, I'm not such a polarized gamer. I embrace all formats, console or PC, Windows or Mac, Single-player or multi-player. I think as one gets older, the taste buds begin to spread out over a spectrum, creating a digital palette of gaming goodness, allowing one to enjoy a multi-faced approach to gaming.

I hope you will have as much fun reading my blog as I do making it. I'll try not to bore you with trite, personal stories about how my life is so mundane. Rather, I'd like to make you think about the world through the eyes of a video-gamer.

10-4 Good Buddy