This is a Test of Windows Live Writer

Well, I’m being brash and bold this morning. I’m trying something new for putting this blog together. If it works well, I will probably be blogging a bit more. As of late, I have caught the face book bug and can’t take myself away from that.

Resident Evil 5: Is this even a zombie game?

After watching a "viral" ad for the new Resident Evil 5 video game I had a few questions buzzing around my head. Mind you that I am not a Resident Evil aficionado:

1. Is this even a zombie game? There are "zombies" shooting crossbows etc., performing complex tasks. This series seems to be leaving its roots behind for the more run of the mill shooter.

2. I'm guessing this Chris person is the character from the game? Where is Mila Jovovoaovovovitch?

3. Why live action again?

4. How many games does it take to sink a franchise?

5. Where is Dennis Hopper?

Dear Lord, please give the police and media a brain! (Parents too!)

Dear God, Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and The Wizard of Oz:

Today I am writing you because of a very important issue. Here in America, there has been an increase in the amount of people shooting other people up in public places. There was the crazy Virgina Tech shootings, the Halo 3 Killer, the Mortal Combat killer, Columbine Shooting, and now this...you get my point. Have mercy on the killers and all, but that's not why I'm writing today.

Today I am asking that you give a brain to the media, police investigators, and some half-wit parents who can't seem to understand that children can be mentally unstable. (By Children I mean anyone under the age of 18.) Being a teenager can be hard. They think that their life is the center of the universe, and that no problem in their life will be more important than anything they have to deal with now. Some times, kids can't cope with their drama trauma and they steal a gun and shoot a person.

But how come the cops, the government, the parents, and the media all want to find a scape-goat and not blame the fucked up children? We are so quick to judge these days that we don't really look deeper than the surface. Sure, that dude shot up Virginia Tech, but he was a basket case. It was't because he played Counter-Strike for 30 hours a day. He played counter-strike because he was fucked up in the head(everyone knows Counter-Strike players are weird fuckers). Joking aside, before we jerk our knees into our faces, lets actually look at the facts. There are millions of well adjusted teens playing video games all over the nation. These kids aren't shooting anyone but their friends' digital avatars. Most kids know when fantasy ends and reality begins.

If you read the news articles, you will see that the 24-year old killed him self at the end of the shooting spree.(I'm speculating he had some issues.) It also said that he was quiet and stuck to himself. Referencing back to the movie anger management, (paraphrase) "there are 2 types of people, explosive and implosive. Explosive is the person yelling at the casheir because their coupon expired, and implosive people keep their emotions bottled up until they burst, shooting up every thing in the store."

For me, video games are a release. It allows me to blow stuff up in a controlled environment, so I don't act out my aggressions on my wife, my coworkers, or random people at a night club.

So, whom ever may be listening, please let the authorites, news media, and lame ass parents, find a brain, wether it be used, new, or somewhere in between. Let them see that Video Games are not fucking up our children. The answer lies deeper than you think.

The Rage; It's Filling Me Up

OK, we got some interesting things to discuss today. The Rage Quitters. Do you know what that is? Apparently it is someone who gets mad when they get their ass whopped at an online video game (specifically Left4Dead) and leaves in the middle of a game. While playing earlier last week, we encountered this to a frightening degree. People dropping left and right just after getting slaughtered 5 feet out of the apartment door.

I think it's time for you kiddies to learn to take a whoopin'n. Maybe its because when I was a kid I got a belt to the ass when I was bad. Maybe its because I'm playing against the instant gratification generation. If they can't win, they storm off and pout.

I think I'm ready to see the Xbox Kiddies grow up. Maybe not. That could possible be bad.

Example:
Employer to interviewee: "Mr. Smith, I see you have quite the impressive resume, but I really don't think that you would be a good fit for our firm."

Interviewee: "WHAT?!? YOU FUCKING JERKS! MY SKILLS ARE 1337! NOONE CAN DO THE JOB LIKE ME. I FUCKED YOUR MOM LAST NIGHT JERKASS. KISS MY NUTS DOUCHE. I FUCKIN' PWNED YOU AND YOUR RETARDED COMPANY!!!!"

I'm not sure what it is, but when there is a power vaccuume on a team, I will try to fill it. If you can give a team direction, it usually helps alot. Most of the time you have 4 wondering idiots trying to shoot their way through a pile of zombies. At the first sign of trouble, some one will sneak away and run to the safe house. If i was one of the last 4 people on planet Earth, I don't think I would be running away from my pals, even if it meant certain doom.

What would Jesus do?

Free Radical Closes and out Pops Battlefront 3

The Star Wars Battlefront series has always been kind of a bone of contention with me. Its a cross between Star Wars and Battlefield. The PC version has been limited in scope and feels like you are fighting a battle in a snow globe. Since the demise of the developer, Free Radical, footage of the the ill-fated Battlefront 3 leaked to the web via Kotaku.

The footage looks neat. I looks like Free Radical tried to bring a new, unteathered expirience to the game. Check it out for yourself.

Left 4 Dead Update

Looks like Valve went ahead and put out the patch for L4D. Getting rid of some of the annoying shit that was plaguing the PC verision for a while now. Here is a partial list, hit the jump for the full scoop.

Hunter

• Easier to pounce a Survivor who is meleeing
  
• Increased Minimum damage a Hunter pounce does
  

Smoker

• Fixed Smoker tongue tolerance
  
• Smoker now has to be killed or the tongue destroyed for the tongue to break
  
• Survivors cannot bash someone off the tongue until the Survivor being pulled is paralyzed or hanging
  
• Tongue attacks that fail to paralyze or hang a Survivor will use the shorter ability delay timer
  
• Fixed cases where the ability timer was not using the correct time
  
• Fixed case where you could point at a Survivor but not register a tongue hit
  
• Fixed Smoker tongue not targeting and landing properly through PZ ghosts
  
• Smoker tongue does damage every second while dragging paralyzed Survivors
  

Tank

• Bashable objects now appear with a red glow
  
• Tanks hitting a car with an alarm disables the alarm permanently
  
• Tank frustration timer is only reset by hitting Survivors with rocks or fists
  
• Reduced autoshotgun damage against Tanks
  

Witch

• Witch spawns at the same % through the map for both teams
  
• Avoids spawning within a certain % of the tank
  
• Fixed an exploit where the Witch could be woken up and tricked into attacking Survivors

January Goodness

Well, word on the street is that we are going to be getting a L4D game update this week to removes some bugs/exploits from the PC version of the game. We are also awaiting a content update for L4D for both PC and 360 that will be released at the same time. Although due to Live Marketplace rules, Valve is going to have to charge for content via the 360. The DLC will be free as always on the PC.

Not sure if any of you are 1up.com readers, but it looks like the UGO.com network has gobbled up 1up.com from ZiffDavis. Aparrently about 30 employees were booted that day, including Ryan Scott from the "LAN Party/PC podcast" that I really enjoyed listening to.

Crayon Physics is finally a full game. The tech demo that was released a few months back was able to finish the game, and now look for Crayon physics deluxe for purchase. Here is a link to the download via RockPaperShotgun.com

Remeber, we have a ton of good games on the horizon for the upcoming months including StarCraft 2, Dawn of War 2, and Mirror's Edge.

Sabatical

Well, as we all know, I've been gone for a month. Just getting rid of the Holiday cheer. There are alot of developing news stories over the past few weeks, I'll have a new years round up comming shortly.