Glance This

This is My Turning Point

2011-10-10T23:19:00.000-07:00

To be honest, I feel that is a pretty hokey title up there. It does accomplish the "declaration of action" angle that I wanted for this post, but I would have preferred to come up with something more original. Regardless it will do, so without further adieu let me add context to this speil. I'm going to loose 100 pounds. I'm going to take control of my health and body and loose the weight. This post will serve as the catalyzer for this goal. What pivotal event has caused me to log in to my old tech blog through my cellphone to make this post? I guess I can tell you, so here goes.

I was out with my friends late one Monday night. This Monday night actually. We had just gotten some food and gathered at the local Sonic. By this point I've been fairly vigilant to drink several glasses of vegetable juice over the last week as well as document what I've been eating, evidence of some effort to get healthy, but not the final commitment to turn my life around. That commitment came by way of a lovely young lady entering this scene. To put it plainly, she caught my eye. To elaborate on that, she seized my gaze like lightning to a wayward kite, an while on the outside I was a calm, collected, perhaps slightly bored looking young man, inside my mind was taking in all the amazing qualities of this woman. The color and subtle curls of her hair and the way her bang drooped in front of her right eye. How her pink and white shirt accented her hair. The perfect, straight tooth smile, and playful giggle that was so often provoked by her silly, fun-loving nature.

To add clarity, this woman had caught my eye before, but it was at that moment that I knew with certainty that I had more than a casual interest in her. It was that moment that I realized I wanted to get to know this girl. It was at that moment that I realized I was partial to red heads, and, to my dismay, this moment had come at 289 pounds, whilst I was stuffing my face with a Taco Bell burrito.

I realized then that this was the defining moment. There I sat in new found admiration of this gorgeous girl at a time in my life when my self-esteem was at its most lowest and insecure, and it was an epiphany that had come whilst still holding a stub of left-over burrito in my hand. Why was I eating this cheap food? I really had not needed this burrito. Even if I did I could of still bought it but left out the second burrito, and the companion double-decker taco. But the past is past, and at that moment a new choice came became apparent. I could finish the job of excess and stuff this stubby remainder of a burrito down my privileged gullet, taking what fleeting seconds there were to savor it's manufactured ingredients, or I could make that moment the turning point of my life and throw the burrito stub to the trash. To think that a pivotal moment could come in a form like this is sad, to be sure, but it is the necessary reality, and with that moment now come and gone I'm glad to say that the weaker me would have eaten the burrito, as well as the pizza slice, or the third helping, or any thing else of it's kind. Tonight I instead tasted a fleeting moment of accomplishment. I had sampled restraint, and had a second's witness of the joy that was self control, and that burrito lies cold and worthless in Sonic's garbage bin.

There is a blog called 344pounds.com. 344 pounds was the starting weight of the man who runs that blog. That man is now one hundred and fifty pounds lighter. His method is simple. Exercise and self restraint. He still enjoys the savory things, but only in moderation. It worked for him, so it can definitely work for me.

In previous moments, during which I amused the thought of this blog, an idea came to mind about how I would eventually share it. Simply put, the first person who compliments my progress, who takes a moment to say, "Hey Kyle, are you losing weight?" will be the first to hear me say, "Actually, yeah, and since your the first person to mention it, you get to be the first to know about my blog which has chronicled my progress to this point!" I will be ready at that point to share my journey to anyone who wishes to hear about it.

First things first though, I must begin that journey. Good-bye idle, fat, ache Kyle. Hello new life. With that I can cut the corny theatrics and end by saying, "Wish me luck!"

Red Steel 2 Video Review is Live

2010-04-11T06:43:00.000-07:00

I went ahead and pulled an all nighter to finish and post the video review for Red Steel 2. Here is the linkage.

This video is my fourth video and third to be posted at Brave New Gamer. Most of my activities take place there. This time around I'm giving the videos a more official title: BNG Video Reviews - [enter game name here]. The new title format is meant to convey that video reviews are now a common part of the site. So long as there are games to play and I have the time and energy to do them, they certainly will be.

The most noteworthy game coming out this week is Splinter Cell Conviction on April 13th. If all goes to plan, I'll be able to ask Ubisoft a few questions before then. At any rate I believe this will be the next game I'll review. The next challenge is to have the game played and the review finished within two weeks of release. Red Steel 2 clocked in at around nine-teen days after release. I just need to cut it down a few more days.

You may have noticed the bald faced lie that is the post below this. I would explain it in more detail but I'm quite exhausted at the moment. Think of FIB and other posts like this (correct, I plan to make more posts of this nature in the future) as industry satire inspired in part by the Onion, America's finest news network. At its root its a creative alley to express my opinions in an entertaining fashion that will hopefully make a few people laugh. Some of the contributors on n4g may not have understood its true intent, but I can hardly blame them. At any rate expect more in the future.

In other notes, now that I am assuming almost complete site management at BNG, I can now say that Google Analytics is unusually addicting.

Breaking News at BNG: SE Talks About FFXV and How It Will Feature No Actual Gameplay and 60+ Hour of Cinematics

2010-04-10T17:58:00.001-07:00

Check it out here!

*I'll let you all in on a secret this being my personal blog and all. It's a joke.

Red Steel 2 Reviewed at Brave New Gamer

2010-04-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

Thats right. I'm still creating content for BNG. The video review will follow shortly after but you can see the written review here.

I played the Splinter Cell Conviction demo and came away intrigued. It definitely feels like a departure from the series conventions the other five games merely tweaked in subsequent releases. The mark and execute feature can really help with crowd control which, if anything, only makes the game funner as you pacify room after room with deadly precision. I hope to speak with Ubisoft's Jaime Borasi to get some more info about the game as I plan to make it my next review.

Stay tuned for the Red Steel 2 video review.

Mega Man 10 Video Review Live at BNG

2010-03-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

My third video review has just been posted at Brave New Gamer. I created a brand new script so the review is different from the written review I posted earlier. Check it out and leave any feedback you want to offer.

I purchased Final Fantasy XIII with intent to review it but was beat to the punch by another contributor on the site. After reading his review, I'm not dissapointed. Mr. Robert Hastings provides an excellent review of the game that pretty well reflects my own opinion. If I can find the time, I'll see about getting another Glance This review up for Final Fantasy XIII. In the meantime, I'm working on Red Steel 2. Look for a video review on that in the next week.

MLB 2k10 and Bioshock 2 Reviewed at BNG

2010-03-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

I'm still rolling out content on Brave New Gamer. The latest additions to the site include a review of 2k Sport's baseball game MLB 2k10, and a video review of Bioshock 2, my second video review. The quality of the video review is reduced from the version I provided due to the sites type of video player, but it is functional none the less. If a better means is presented to us I will see if its worth pursuing.

I'm currently playing Final Fantasy XIII and so far I can attest that the game has a great battle system. The only problem is that the battle system is pretty much the only gameplay you really do, up to point I'm at at least. I find that as I play I grow more fatigued as I perform the games routine exercise of run through corridor, fight a bunch of enemies, cutscene, run through corridor, fight a bunch of enemies, cutscene, run through corridor, okay, now boss fight GO! It is fun but the lack of pacing and varied gameplay will call for more breaks. I just wish there was more to do. None the less, I look forward to playing more tonight as I type this. Expect a review after I complete the game of course.

Mega Man 10 Reviewed at BNG

2010-03-04T15:15:00.000-08:00

I just posted my review of Mega Man 10 at Brave New Gamer. You can read all about the blue bomber's second return to his 8-bit roots here.

In the up and coming department of news, I'll have another video review done in the coming days. Word will drop here when that happens so keep a look out.

A Valid Claim on Behalf of Piracy

2010-02-22T06:17:00.000-08:00

I was going through my daily internet rounds when I crossed an interesting depiction of what you get when you pirate a movie versus what you get when you honestly purchase a movie. Observe the picture below:

[Image Source: Lifehacker]

On Brave New Gamer I actually wrote an article regarding Ubisoft's utilization of a new type of DRM which requires an internet connection at all times to even play a game, a "feature" that will probably do little to protect the game from being pirated and do plenty to disparage the honest consumer who buys the game.

It is not my intention to support piracy in any way. Talented people who create these video games or movies deserve to be paid for their work, but the industries implementing these anti-piracy measures seem to be trying to fight piracy in all the wrong ways. The bottom line is this: Punish the pirates, not the honest consumer.

Glance This Video Review: Batman Arkham Asylum

2010-02-17T14:04:00.000-08:00

Glance This's first video review is live. Arkham Asylum is not only an excellent third person action game but a top notch Batman game that really gets it right in all the important areas. You can view the written review here.

Linkage.

Apple Unveils the iPad. Here's Your Comprehensive Guide

2010-01-27T12:58:00.000-08:00

After almost a decade of rumors and speculation Steve Jobs has lifted the black satin handkerchief to unveil the iPad, Apple's idea of tablet computing. Lets get to the nitty gritty:

- The iPad sports a 9.7 inch multi-touch LCD screen that uses LED back-lighting and IPS technology. The screen sports a resolution of 1024x768 so its more of a 4:3 full screen form factor than a 16:9 widescreen form factor.

- Hardware wise the iPad uses an in-house designed Apple processor dubbed Apple A4 and clocks in at 1 Ghz. The iPad uses the same 30 pin connector port the iPhone and iPod currently use, has a built in microphone, speaker, and a single 3.5mm audio jack. The whole package is half an inch thick, weighs around 1.5 pounds, and sports a 10 hour battery life while in use and one month battery life while in stand-by.

- The iPad has built in 802.11n Wi-Fi capability, Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, an accelerometer for motion controls, and optional 3G connectivity.

- 3G connectivity comes contract free with AT&T at $15 a month for 250 MB data usage or unlimited data for $30 a month. The service can be activated and canceled from the iPad itself. Apparently, the iPad comes unlocked and can be used with any other GSM carrier. Apple will have more information on international carrier partnerships "this summer".

- The iPad uses iPhone OS 3.2 and thus, functionally, operates very similarly to an iPhone or iPod Touch. The background can be changed to one's own personal preference however. Essentially, handling an iPad is very similar to using an iPhone.

- Being very similar to an iPhone the iPad has equal access to almost all applications currently available in the App. Store. When using these applications users can let the apps display at native iPhone resolutions or zoom to fill the screen of the iPad. This will likely degrade image quality but the iPad SDK is currently available for app developers to get crackin' on iPad versions of their applications. Apps in the App store will be marked to differentiate between iPad and iPhone intended applications.

- The iPad is designed for web surfing, movies, music, and games. Apple also announced iWorks for the iPad, an optimized version of the iWorks productive software suite designed with the iPad's features in mind.

- For those who were curious, the iPad uses a large on screen keyboard for text entry.

- Just as with the iPhone, currently it appears the iPad has no multi-tasking support available at this time.

- The iPad's gaming capabilities fall somewhere between an iPhone and a laptop. Since the SDK is already available developers are sure to start developing games that utilize the iPad's capabilities.

- Apple also announced iBooks, Apple's answer to Amazon's Kindle book store. The application allows iPad users to purchase and download electronic books to read just on the iPad just like a Kindle.

- Priced to be "affordable" the iPad will start at $499 for the 16GB size, $599 for the 32GB size, and $699 for the 64GB size. Each variation can be equipped with 3G capability for an additional $130 across the board.

- Accessories for the iPad include a leather case that can be used as a stand as well as a keyboard dock.

- The device is slated (hah, get it?) for release in about 60 days with 3G enabled iPads shipping around 30 days after that.

And thats pretty much all there is to know. It remains to be seen if the iPad can live up to the sheer amount of hype thats surrounded it for so long. Only time will tell.

Apple Tablet Likely to be Announced Today at Apple's "Come See Our Latest Creation" Press Event

2010-01-27T05:28:00.000-08:00

Todays the day that Apple will unveil its iPad, iSlate, or what have you. Rumors and "leaks" regarding Apple's latest device have led to wild dreams and speculations of what such a device will look like and how it will work. Will it have 3G connectivity? Will it have a unique operating system? Will it bring you cookies and milk? The most common idea is that the tablet device will be a larger more feature rich iPhone, but it could also be something completely different as Apple has a knack for both exceeding expectations and, well, whats the opposite word for 'exceed'? Looks like there is none. How about deceed? Apple has a knack for both exceeding and deceeding expectations. That should do.

We'll know for sure around 10:00 AM at Apple's Press Event today, and we'll give you the skinny once all the details come to light.

N.O.V.A.: Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance Reviewed

2010-01-26T18:33:00.000-08:00

Theres no doubt about it. Apple's iPhone is just as viable a portable handheld game platform as any system Nintendo or Sony have ever made. With the release of the 2G iPhone and the App. store the games have exploded onto the scene. Currently roughly 20% of the iPhone App. Store are comprised of video games, and just like anywhere else you're sure to run into a myriad of crappy ones. I can speak for a certain game called N.O.V.A: Near Orbit Vanguard...yada, yada- its one of the decent ones. I had a chance to play the game and explore everything it had to offer, just the way I like it.

Head on over to Brave New Gamer to check it out. Look for my name on the BNG crew list to see my review of N.O.V.A and other titles I've reviewed.

I'm Contributing Content for Brave New Gamer

2010-01-23T22:05:00.000-08:00

I will be submitting web content to Brave New Gamer. The site is young but you wouldn't know it from the content already available. The editor-in-chief, Tyler Treat, is a hard working fellow who can post up a storm of useful gaming related news on the site. Take a look if you want to read up on the latest video game related news.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Review

2010-01-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

Its now been over three years since Zelda has had an outing on the Wii. Thankfully Nintendo's Phantom Hourglass did well to hold us over till the next big game release, but with recent words indicating late 2010 release at best it may as well be another year before Zelda adventures on the Wii again. So here is The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Links second outing on the DS. At first glance Spirit Tracks appears to be a mostly recycled version of its predescessor, Phantom Hourglass, but this time around Nintendo is introducing an interesting twist by letting the Princess of Hyrule herself take part in Link's epic adventures. Is this enough to set Spirit Tracks apart, or is this game set on a one way track through the 'been there, done that' territory?

Presentation
Around a hundred years after the events of Phantom Hourglass the world of Hyrule sits under the shadow of the Spirit Tower, an ancient structure centrally linked to the numerous Spirit Tracks that are sprawled across the fields of Hyrule. While visiting Hyrule castle to become certified as a train engineer, Link is requested by Princess Zelda to take her to the Spirit Tower so she can investigate the cause behind the dissapearance of Spirit Tracks sweeping over Hyrule. Soon after Zelda is betrayed by her advisor who steals her body in order to use it to resurrect an ancient evil kept at bay by the, now vanished, Spirit Tracks. Hence Link begins his adventure along with the spiritual ghost of Zelda on their quest to restore the Spirit tracks to Hyrule and get Zelda's body back.

The story here is as regular as Zelda games go and doesn't stray too far from the established mold, which isn't necessarily a bad thing because the source material is pretty good on its own. Nevertheless the whole thing can at times feel like a re-tread through familiar territory and leave little for guess work. Its a shame Nintendo hasn't taken the opportunity to do something new with the series, but if the formula isn't broken why fix it? Thankfully Spirit Track's story is far from broken and still provides a satisfying and engaging enough adventure to keep you playing.

Equal praise can be given to the games visual presentation. Spirit Tracks retains the cel-shaded art style which was successfully translated from Zelda's Windwaker on the Gamecube. Characters and animations are fluid and varied and the bright colors are well suited for the game. The graphics don't appear to push the visual capabilities of the DS all too much and when more than the usual amount of action is on the screen some slow downs can occur. While traveling the overworld on Link's train there can be a somewhat jarring use of 2D sprites that can cause the visuals to appear inconsistent, but its not bad enough to detract from the experience in any meaningful way. Much of the same can be said for the games audio. Save for a few occasions of recycled music from Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Track's soundtrack is very good. In its entirety the game pulls off an excellent technical presentation, albeit a familiar one.

Gameplay
Spirit Track's gameplay is as good as any other Zelda game before it. Mostly because its largely the same tried and true gameplay since Ocarina of Time. The games actual structure isn't too different from Phantom Hourglass and can illicit a bit of deja'vu. The reason for this is because, at its core, Spirit Track's overall adventure unfolds in a near identical way that Phantom Hourglass did. The Spirit Temple of Spirit Tracks is the Temple of the Ocean King of Phantom Hourglass. Players are given access to a particular part of the Spirit Temple and navigate each dungeon-esque section in order to get a map of each of the four regions of Hyrule. Doing so reinstates the Spirit Tracks for that region that Link can then access using his train. Once there Link finds a dungeon, defeats the end boss, and another section of the Spirit Tower is restored. Rinse and repeat.

The Stylus controls for the game are every bit as intuitive as before. All actions from movement to combat are done on the touch screen leaving every other physical button on the DS to be used as quick keys for items and the map. Just as before you will often jot down notes on your map for future reference and perform other unique actions that utilize the DS's unique hardware. The dungeons can get pretty hard at times, but a sense of satisfaction is your reward everytime you solve a particularly tricky puzzle. You will still go through the usual process of collecting a boomerang and bow and arrow all over again but Nintendo has still found a way to use these items to solve puzzles in interesting ways. Newer items like a whip that lets you swing ala Indiana Jones style over chasms are fun to use, and as much as the elements in the gameplay are blatantly recycled, the fun is still fresh somehow in how their utilized. The same can be said for boss fights. More recent Zelda games have tended to have an issue with overly easy boss encounters but this is not the case with Spirit Tracks. Boss encounters are more challenging and fun to figure out this time around. You may actually die a couple times.

Since Zelda is traveling with Link this time you do get the opportunity to use her during the main quest, mostly while navigating the particularly tricky dungeons within the Spirit Tower itself. Roaming armored Phantoms make a return from Phantom Hourglass and Zelda has the ability to possess these Phantoms, making her an asset in puzzle solving and combat. To do this players draw paths for Zelda to follow to help solve puzzles and overcome obstacles. In combat Zelda also comes in handy to help clear a large number of enemies or double team more difficult opponents. The system works great with little frustration save for the occasional issue with drawing an accurate path for Zelda while dodging enemy attacks yourself, but this does add a level of intensity that can make the game more enjoyable.

Less can be said for traveling by train in Spirit Tracks. Traversing the overworld differs little from Phantom Hourglass, mainly because the train isn't all that different functionally from the boat. Because of this traveling with the train in Spirit Tracks is almost identical to traversing the sea with Phantom Hourglass. You will draw a route to your destination along the spirit tracks on the map then fight enemies or remove obstacles encountered along the way. Your train takes damage if attacked so, just as before, you have to pay attention to whats going on around you. This is by no means a bad thing and theres something to be said on how Nintendo can make something as simple as blowing a train whistle or coming to a stop at a train station, well, fun, but traveling with the train can be time consuming and get a little dull later on. Thankfully the games pacing helps this by introducing events during rail way travel that require you to travel differently, like transporting particularly stickly passengers who have a say about your driving habits.

Value
For being a portable game, Spirit Tracks doesn't skimp on the overall quality of the adventure. Advanced players can expect to get around fifteen to twenty hours of gameplay when focusing on just the main story. Aside from the main adventure there are numerous side activites you can embark on. These can range from collecting rare treasure items scoured throughout the game which can later be used to buy train upgrades to running errands for the local townsfolk. These side activities could easily push your playtime past the twenty hour mark and are varied enough in nature that they can be fun to do. The main adventure is mostly linear in how events unfold, but the experience is certainly worth another playthrough.

Outside of the main quest multiplayer returns sans Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The game can be played with up to three other friends with download play meainging only one game cart is needed for everyone to play. Much like before, multiplayer has players competeing to collect force gems while overcoming obstacles, traps, and roaming Phantoms. The experience is fun, but its a wonder why Nintendo didn't let this work over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Aside from the main multiplayer mode players can also trade treasure items with each other which is sure to egg on compulsive collectors.

To Conclude
Despite much of Spirit Tracks borrowing from its predecesor, Nintendo has still crafted a memorable experience. While some may groan at the repetitive formula, the overall experience of embarking on an adventure with Zelda is a refreshing approach. As a key character in the Zelda series its great to see some real character development that goes past the typical princess in need of a hero to save the world. The games story is presented with excellent dialouge sequences and cutscenes that grab both the emotion and humor of having these pivotal characters together the entire game. In short, Spirit Tracks makes players care more for the princess's plight and for the princess herself. Something we hope to see further expanded upon in future games.

Presentation = 8.7
Gameplay = 9
Value = 8.4
Game Score: 8.7

Inklet Turns Your Macbook's Multitouch Trackpad into a Writing/Drawing Tablet

2010-01-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

For you artsy people who can draw anything better than a stick man, have a look at Inklet, a for-pay Snow Leopard application that turns your Macbook's dandy multitouch trackpad into a writing tablet. When combined with Photoshop or other image editing software the capabilities of the software are more than appealing.

The software sits in the background on your computer and can be activated with a quick combo key on your keyboard. Once activated a virtual workspace appears on the screen which can be adjusted in size, shape, and positioned with multitouch gestures on the track pad. The application can also be switched off with a key press to allow you to quickly choose between drawing tools in applications like Photoshop and the like.

Cost of entry is $24.99. The website offers a trial version burdened with a thirty second time limit that interrupts the application to encourage you to fork over the dough. Considering that high end drawing tablets can reach a couple hundred bucks, $24.99 ain't bad. Keep in mind that the software is only compatible with the aluminum unibody Macbooks and white rubber bottomed Macbooks running Snow Leopard. Hit the link to see some demo videos for your investigative pleasure.

Spider-Man 4 Gets the Axe When Raimi Walks Off the Project

2010-01-12T04:59:00.000-08:00

Spider-Man 4, originally set for a May 2011 release date, has officially been scrapped as of yesterday. Looks like Sam Raimi, the seasoned director for the last three, put his foot down and walked from the project, saying that Sony studio's demands for the next movie would not allow him to continue forward creatively with the movie.

Raimi's interpretation of Spider-Man has been a solid box office record breaker and a genre setter for super hero movies to follow. Spider-Man 3 set a shaky tone for the future of the series which left many, myself included, uneasy about whether or not the series would continue its excellence. From what we can gather here, it appears Raimi couldn't take the suit's demands anymore. Rather than replace Raimi, Sony studios has decided to scrap the movie all together and reboot the series.

Applause are in order for Raimi's decision. I believe if you can't make a good movie don't make a movie at all. As for this reboot business? Looks like we're moving from the age of sequels to the age of reboots every decade or so.

Nintendo's Prez Rumors HD...for the Wrong System

2010-01-07T09:02:00.000-08:00

Nintendo's Satoru Iwata dropped some news regarding HD gaming. Ironically the topic was centered around the recently discussed next-gen Nintendo DS, not a certain other cripplingly non-HD game console.

Don't get me wrong, a 720P screen on a next gen DS can really open up the realm of possibilities. But so can a 720P Wii. Nintendo's logic, for now at least, remains a mystery.

[Originally Posted at Gizmodo]

Nintendo News: Next DS to Have Motion Control, New Zelda at End of 2010

2010-01-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

The big N's president Satoru Iwata got a little loose with the press and described in short detail some of the upcoming features we can expect from the next Nintendo DS. Aside from the promises for graphical improvements (obviously) Mr. Iwata also mentioned the addition of motion capability:

[It will have] highly detailed graphics, and it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing.

Makes sense. The DS alreay has a touch screen, cameras, and a microphone. Throw motion sensing or tracking in there for good measure and you have a fairly unique platform to make some interesting games, hopefully not another puppy simulator.

Iwata also dropped news of a late 2010 release time for the next Legend of Zelda game. This pretty much guarantees an E3 showing this year.

[Originally posted at Kotaku]

Improve the Magic Mouse's Capabilities with Better Touch Tools

2009-12-31T05:46:00.000-08:00

Just yesterday the Magic Mouse recieved a decent gadget score of 7.5 here at Glance This. One of the most notable complaints about the device however was the somewhat limited implimentation of the multi-touch gestures. Earlier this month Glance This also posted about a free application called Better Touch Tools for Mac OS X that enabled multi-touch trackpad and Magic Mouse users to configure their own custom gestures. Figured out where this is going yet?

Personally, if it wasn't for Better Touch Tools the Magic Mouse would not have warranted a purchase in my book. The loss of functionality over the logitech mouse I was using at the time was the deal breaker for me. Once I discovered what could be done with Better Touch Tools to add more gesture commands the value of the mouse increased enough for me to drop some plasitc.

Better Touch Tools is a great program thats updated almost daily so the tool is constantly improving. It really makes the difference for the Magic Mouse. Taking the tool into consideration with the Magic Mouse review you can expect the gadget score to increase from 7.5 to 8.3 with an increase in utility and value.

Magic Mouse Review

2009-12-07T10:33:00.000-08:00

Why does Apple have it so hard with mice? For a company that prides its design process on aesthetic and function one would think it would be reasonable for Apple to excell with the mouse as they do with their laptops, music devices, and mobile phones yet Apple's history with the mouse is filled with sordid memories of disfunctional scroll nubs and ergonimically aweful hockey pucks. With the Magic Mouse, Apple really seems to be trying to revolutionize the mouse to break free of its less than stellar design history. Did they finally get it right this time?

Its Got That Magic Touch
The Magic Mouse is beautiful, falling right to standard of Apple's aesthetics. Part of this is due to the fact that the mouse is simple. There are no physical buttons or scroll wheels making it unlike any mouse we've seen. There is only a curved plastic surface atop an aluminum base. The mouse is extremely thin, being only slightly thicker than an iPhone 3G S. Its true that there will be people that take issue with the low profile design, especially people accustomed to a mouse that fits the arched profile of their palm. For this reviewer the Magic Mouse's low profile has not been an issue, but take note if you are particular about the shape of your mice.

On the bottom of the mouse are two parallel plastic slats upon which the mouse glides across the tracking surface. Between these slats is an easily accessible battery compartment where two AA batteries power the mouse. Above this compartment is a LED activity light and an on off switch. In the end the Magic Mouse represents simplicity at its best. It certainly is a looker.

Oh-o, Its Magic You- Wait...
Once you get past the luster and actually use the Magic Mouse, it will soon become apparent that the mouse doesn't offer as much functionality as it does eye candy.

Basic tracking works fine. The actual left and right click are distinct to their respective side of the mouse and works great. The Magic Mouse's hallmark feature of multi-touch support works very well. One finger scrolling is easy and fluid, especially with the momentum feature enabled in the System Preferences and due to the nature of the mouse you get full 360 degree scroll control as you did with the original Mighty Mouse's scroll nub, when it worked anyway.

The two finger swiping gesture is used go back and forward through pages while web browsing or going through Finder. This feature works great but can be a little awkward since your fingers aren't adjusted to moving in the swiping fashion without the whole hand getting involved. In the end its not a deal breaker to the convenience the two finger swiping functionality offers.

The real problems lie in the fact that everything discussed up to this point is all Apple will let you do with the Magic Mouse. Additional multi-touch gestures like three finger swipes or pinch to zoom are nowhere to be found. People coming from any other mouse with more than two buttons may find themselves sorely missing the extra buttons. Once you actually realize the loss of this functionality it is very dissapointing, especially on a mouse that has all the potential to provide that functionality in a unique way.

Brother Could You Spare A Dime?
Premium products is Apple's game so Apple's price points tend to be cringe inducing. The same applies to the Magic Mouse. The mouse retails a chunky $69.99 MSRP. While the mouse looks the part for its price point, the step backwards in functionality with the loss of a middle click and proper alternatives to activate expose drop the value a few notches. Its always possible that Apple may later unlock additional gesture commands for the mouse in the future but out the gate the Magic Mouse does less than its predecessor and less than, well, most other desktop level mice out there.

Conclusion:
The Magic Mouse is good, not great. Apple has taken several steps forward and a few steps back between the Magic Mouse's functional multi-touch design and the lack of things your actually allowed to do with it. Apple fans who aren't afraid to loose a few buttons and drop some cash will find themselves with the prettiest mouse at the ball. Power users who favor a large, supportive mouse for their hand and a plethora of buttons may shake a cramping fist in disdain. At the end of the day its a good, functional mouse that will appeal to a little bit of column A while shrugging at column B.

Design = 9
Utility = 7
Value = 6.5

Gadget Score: 7.5

Of Multi-Touch Gestures and Better Touch Tools

2009-12-06T17:20:00.000-08:00

If there is any one thing to like about the Aluminum Macbooks (and now white Macbooks) its the multitouch trackpads and their gesture support. Once you get used to activating expose, clearing your desktop, or going back and forth through pages in a web browser its hard to go back to a regular trackpad. If there could be one fault with the multi-touch track pads it is the limit that Apple allows you to configure the trackpad's multi-touch gestures. Before Snow Leopard you could download a neat little App called MultiClutch and have at it with your own custom gestures and functions but the original programmer eventually landed a gig with Apple and stopped developing for the App, essentially leaving it dead in the water (though later someone devised a hack to be able to use the program in 64-bit Snow Leopard) along with most hopes for a free way to configure your own gestures...until now.

Introducing BetterTouchTools the spiritual successor of sorts of MultiClutch. With this fine and dandy App you can configure your own flavor of multi-touch gestures to your hearts content. The App is in beta and free to download, but on the performance side of things there is nary an issue. Along with the ability to configure additional gesture controls for multitouch trackpads there is support for Apple's new Magic Mouse, which can greatly improve upon the mouse's default gesture commands.

In addition to BetterTouchTools, another free download is available (again in beta) called SecondBar which is designed to show a second menu bar on multiple displays. I went ahead and tested this out and found no major issues with the App. The website these downloads are located at are updated almost daily with newer iterations of the software so things are always improving.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Review

2009-11-30T13:56:00.000-08:00

It's no stretch of truth that Batman ranks high among the throngs of caped crusaders dedicated to the fight for justice. The 2005 Batman game, Batman Begins, fell straight into the movie tie-in status quo, while the better but still unspectacular Batman Vengeance hit the night all the way back in 2001. Now, in 2009, relative newcomer game developer Rocksteady Studios has brought us Batman: Arkham Asylum, bringing an experience they claim is faithful to the hero of Gotham city. Does the game really deliver or is it another dark day for this dark knight?

Presentation
The setup is typical. The Joker, in his usual form, causes a little mayhem, cracks a few jokes, and kidnaps a mayor. Batman swoops in and hauls the Joker off to jail—in this case the high-security mental institution, Arkham Asylum. But Batman is bothered. The Joker was too easy to catch this time. Keen deductive thinking is definitely one of Batman's fortes as his suspicions are validated when the Joker escapes and takes over the asylum.

In terms of story, Arkham Asylum's plot does exactly what it needs too--place Batman in a dark and twisted mad house, full to the brim with all the lore of the Batman universe. Throughout the game, players can collect character bios and audio records of the many good guys and bad guys of both Arkham Asylum and the series in general, even the history of Dr. Armadeus Arkham, the Asylum's founder. This extra content is the reason that the Asylum feels so tangible and alive. It allows the game world to be more engrossing, which helps characters and events encountered throughout the story to make a memorable impact. The game is an absolute fan service to those devoted to the Dark Knight's legacy, but at the same time provides all the necessary asides to engage players who may not be as familiar with the series. While the story doesn't break any molds, it is great nonetheless, and made better by the attention to detail throughout the entire game.

Much of the same can be said regarding the game's visuals. There is a lot of detail throughout all of Arkham Asylum fleshed out by the game's superb artistic style and graphics. While the game looks great on both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, PC users with an nVidia graphics card get the added bonus of an extra effect called PhysX, which contributes to small details like the fluid motions of Batman's cloak as he fights, breakable tiles, fog filled rooms, and flying debris during heavy combat. This doesn't directly impact the gameplay, but it does manage to contribute a finer touch to the game's atmosphere, rounding out what is already a great looking game. The game's audio deserves mention for making Batman's blows sound like they really hurt. A lot. The music doesn't manage to rise to anything spectacular but it fits the game, providing a moody atmosphere and appropriate crescendos to correspond with the action on screen. All these elements come together to make a game that looks and sounds genuinely like Batman.

Gameplay
From the first moment you push the analog stick forward it will become instantly clear how much effort and detail was invested into Arkham Asylum. The way Batman walks, runs, fights, flies, or simply does anything on screen is carefully executed with great care. If there ever was a game to make a player actually feel like Batman, Arkham Asylum sets a new bar all of its own.

The gameplay elements, when broken down, consists mainly of third person brawling, stealth action, with small parts of platforming sprinkled throughout. In all of these elements the game succeeds. The more dominant element of hand-to-hand combat is executed simply using two actions in the form of an attack and counter. Mashing the attack button sends batman into an impressive flurry of tight and satisfying combat which is visually satisfying and, amazingly, manages to stay both dynamic and interesting even toward the latter parts of the game. When enemies attack a warning symbol will flash above the oncoming assailant, at which point players can use a counter button to parry and repost. While seemingly simple in thought the reality will keep players attentive to the action on screen as the windows of opportunity to counter incoming attacks is vital to avoid damage, and mindlessly chaining attack after attack will simply not cut it when facing larger groups of enemies later on.

As players progress they will acquire Experience Points which can be used to unlock and upgrade certain abilities such as stronger armor for more health, multiple batarangs to take down up to three enemies at once or new combat moves and specials including the immensely satisfying Inverted Takedown, quite possibly the most iconic instance in the entire game.

Thankfully, when the game changes focus from fisticuffs to stealth things stay just as fun. While Batman may have all the formidable presence of a human tank, when bullets start flying its best to keep out of sight. This is aided by the numerous gargoyles perched throughout the game upon which players can survey the area and prepare for attack. Using an array of gadgets players have the ability to take on enemies from the shadows by luring stragglers toward explosive gel, using a well placed batarang to thin the crowd, or silently gliding across a room to deliver a crushing boot to the face. The game gives you the tools needed to get the job done, making combat never feel limited, especially when using detective vision. With the tap of a button Batman can see through walls to help prepare attacks, set traps, and know the location of every enemy in a room. While this ability is cool it has the tendency to become a bit of a crutch and distract from some of the game's set piece moments. Throughout the main campaign the game's difficulty never detracts from the experience, providing a working blend of challenge that never crosses into frustration and always provides numerous side activities to keep things fresh. The level of quality in Arkham Asylum's gameplay is especially prevalent in the game's excellent pacing which expertly keeps the game moving along.

Value
Rocksteady Studio's goal with Arkham Asylum was to craft an experience at home with the Batman universe and in this regard Rocksteady has triumphed. Playing through the game is amazing the first time through, throwing out many surprises that will hook and reel you in. The game is dark and gritty, the villains are genuinely twisted, and the twists and turns in the game's plot will keep you from stopping. The way Batman fights, moves, talks, and glides through the air all contributes to the game's stunning quality leaving no doubt this game was crafted with care. Its a shame other developers don't seem to rise to this level of dedication the way Rocksteady has with Arkham Asylum.

While the single player campaign alone could justify the price tag there is still a plethora of additional content to explore. Throughout the main campaign there are tons of hidden riddler trophies to collect and riddles to solve which unlock new content. After finishing the main campaign players can take their skills to up to sixteen different challenge modes which range from clearing rooms of enemies with high combo counts or using stealth to clear a room of baddies as quickly as possible. Scores from these challenges are then posted to online leader boards to compare with other players. All in all Arkham Asylum provides a wealth of content to help insure the disc stays inside your console. It knows its a sixty dollar game.

To Conclude
Arkham Asylum is the quintessential Dark Knight of video games delivering a fantastic experience that, like it or not, will keep you hooked from sun up to sun down. All elements of the game are refined to a gleaming polish leaving no artifact that fails to impress. Put simply, few other games reach this level of quality, leaving an impression of the heart and soul that went into its creation.

Presentation - 8.7
Gameplay - 9.5
Value - 8.7

Game Score: 9

Of Being Freaking Awesome!

2009-11-12T10:41:00.000-08:00

Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles is Capcom's soon to be released on-rails Wii game. Enough about that though, look at this trailer!

I can't remember the last time I've been this impressed with a trailer, and I will admit I'm far more inclined to play this game. Congrats all around to everyone involved in this innovative teaser.

Of Googlle, wait isn't that Google?

2009-09-27T19:44:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd throw up a funny little thing I noticed while perusing the interwebs. Looks like google mis-spelled their own name.

Apparently this kind of thing has happened before. I don't mind little things like this. It makes a big company like google feel more human.

Of Getting Windows 7 on the Cheap

2009-09-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

What would you buy with $19? How about 8 legal licenses to Windows 7 Professional?

The Association for Computing Machinery has a way for Student Subscribers to get access to free software, Windows 7 Professional being a popular one. People willing to throw down a mere $19 can then get access to some Student Academic Intiative Programs, one among them being the Developer Academic Alliance, or MSDNAA. After providing some credentials that prove your either a High School or College Student interested in math, science, or technology. Once approved subsribers get access to a bevy of useful software including 32 and 64-bit versions on Windows 7 Professional in several languages which translates to 8 legal keys considering the licenses are interchangeable regardless of language or architecture.

This was actually how I got my copy of Windows 7 so I can verify this actually works.

Update: Word on the street says it may have been pulled. If any new info surfaces expect an update.

Of Valve Software's Outreach to the Left 4 Dead 2 Boycotters

2009-09-14T09:34:00.000-07:00

Left 4 Dead is all matter of good fun, so it's no surprise that fans of Valve's co-op zombie romp didn't take the news lightly when a sequel was announced not even a year after the original's release. Soon after Valve announced Left 4 Dead 2 a steadily growing group of gamers declared their intent to boycott the sequel, claiming that Valve did not deliver on their promise to provide new content support for the first game. The boycotters demand that Valve release the sequel as an expansion to the first game, free of cost, and have backwards compatibility with the first game, all of which Valve has made clear will not be the case.

So what do you do when a rather large group of gamers threaten not to buy your game? Let some of the boycotter's play the game at Valve HQ.

A couple of ring leaders of the boycotters took a few days off work, flight and hotel expenses paid, to go chill with Gabe Newell and play the game for themselves. So far it seems the boycotters worries have been placated, and are now in good spirits about the sequel and Valve's continued support for the original. The response from the other 40,000 or so boycotters are mixed however, with some claiming Valve is doing this as a publicity stunt while other believe Valve really has the concerns of their fan base at heart.

In my opinion, I wish I had boycotted the game just to have gotten the marginal chance to get flown to Valve for some TLC.

Of iStats Menu, a Tale of Compatibility

2009-09-11T16:22:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it (and I did) iStats, a Mac OS application that didn't mesh well with Snow Leopard, has now reached version 2.0 and is now 100% compatible with Snow Leopard. You can get it here.

For the uninitiated iStats is a system status utility that sits in the menu bar of OS X. It can be configured to show status information in the likes of CPU usage, memory usage, internet traffic, and all sorts of other fun information regarding your computer's operation and resources. Snow Leopard didn't take to kindly to the older version at first but the charitable minds (the application is entirely free unless you wish to donate) have rectified this issue. Now bask in the visibility of raw data without the need to launch the Activity Monitor.

Of Ghosts and the DSi

2009-09-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

I don't own a DSi nor due I immediately see the need to own one. Bigger screens are cool and all and the camera might be a neat trick but I have plenty of Gameboy Advanced games I need to play and money to save. Then I learned about Ghostwire.

Ghostwire is a Nintendo DSi which involves looking for ghosts in your environment using the DSi's built in camera. Essentially its an augmented reality based game. Using the DSi it appears you can communicate with these specters to... do something. Most details regarding the game can be find at the corresponding blog.

New and innovative ways to utilize a platform's hardware capabilities are appealing. The fact that there could be a game that implements augmented reality style gameplay certainly has my attention. Let us hope the final product delivers fully on the potential.

Of Steve Jobs and His BS

2009-09-10T06:56:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs returned to form at Apple's media summit yesterday, filling his usual role as event show host and company icon.

During an interview after the event a very sensible question was asked. Why did the touch not recieve a camera? Jobs answer? "Its a great game machine." Apparently the goal was to push down cost and make it more affordable. Right. Very affordable. Especially compared to competitive hand held systems like Nintendo's DSi or Sony's Playstation Portable. Oh wait...

I can appreciate the angle Apple is going with this but that doesn't change the fact that it was a dumb move not to have a camera on the Touch. There's already a great software base to take advantage of it and it would improve the Touch's capabilities as a gaming platform, especially with games that focus entirely on the camera.

Endgadget hit it on the nose though. We'll see a camera eventually, and when it comes Apple will upsell it as the greatest revolution of the iPod yet.

Of Palm's New Phone the Pixie

2009-09-09T16:54:00.000-07:00

I do loves me some Palm. Don't take that the wrong way.

Palm announced the Palm Pixie, the second phone by Palm that will utilize Web OS. Not much more is known about the new phone but endgadget caught wind of some specifications back when it was still code named the Eos.

I'd love to get my hands on a Pre but Sprint wouldn't allow it without forcing me to change plans. Perhaps a Pixie will replace my Centro? Let us hope.

Of iPods, iTunes, and Disappointments

2009-09-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

Apple went ahead and had their big "It's only rock and roll to me, but we like it" (long name eh?) media summit today and the Apple store went offline for about an hour around the same time. Thus was ushered in the inevitable release of the next generation of iPods. Drop on by the Apple store to see the new offerings first hand. Frankly, I think the whole thing could aptly be summed up as "Meh".

To get started we have iTunes 9. Apple claims to have a cleaner user interface with this iTunes, an introduction of an Applications oriented Genius Playlist feature which will recommend other applications that suit your fancy, an overall improved syncing experience that will let you copy your songs between all five computers authorized for your iTunes account, a new 'feature' called iTunes LP which is basically like the music version of DVD movie Special features, and the ability to customize the application layout as it appears on your iPod Touch or iPhone. Oh yea! Many of these new features are usable on all iPod Touches and iPhones with the new iPhone OS 3.1 software update. That's all the software gibberish, but what about the hardware?

Slim pickings actually, and this was quite a let down for me. The iPod Touch was talked up to be a great personal computer/ portable game device/ music player/ media player and so on and so forth. The way they talked up the Touch leaves the impression that Apple didn't fully realize the potential of the device when they introduced it, especially with gaming. In essence the 3rd Generation 8GB iPod Touch now sees a price point of $199 which is cheaper than what the 2nd gen went for at its release ($229). The problem I have is that there appears to be pretty much no difference between the 3rd and 2nd gen Touch so your almost better off picking up the cheaper 2nd gen model to save a few bucks. Apple also eliminated the 16GB model of the Touch so your stuck with a hundred dollar price gap between each of the subsequent sizes (32GB and 64GB). At least there's a 64GB model if you ever wanted one.

Other things iPod related the Classic model will, in fact, not be phased out but slim down a bit, the tiny little Shuffle now comes in more colors, and the iPod Nano got a camera and slightly bigger screen. Lets look at that last item.

Leading up the the media summit I was considering my options in regards to getting the next variation of iPod. My 2nd generation Touch has been a champ despite my somewhat lackluster care. With many a rumor in regards to the next iteration of iPods floating about rampant at the time I found myself considering the notion. The decisive factor to move my credit card, I later decided, would be the ability to take pictures with my iPod which, considering the numerous applications I took interest in, would certainly be a welcome feature. Alas, iPod did gain a camera today, just on the wrong iPod.

Don't get me wrong! I whole heartedly support the idea of an oh-so-tiny music player doubling as an adorable little video recorder (though to be fair we don't know if video quality is up to muster yet), but I would have been far more interested in this feature hitting the Touches because, unlike the Nano, there are already numerous applications available to utilize it! That's a lot of money, no?

Of iPod Price Cuts and Signs of New iPods

2009-09-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

For those uninformed in things related to Apple (and yes, I am well aware of how many of my recent post seem highly Apple centric) today is the "It's just rock and roll" media summit in which the next generation of iPods will surely be revealed. In lou of this inevitable outcome massive price cuts have hit the apple store for all Second Generation iPod touches, iPod Classics, and the oh-so-tiny iPod Nanos.

The price cuts are pretty substantial through and through. The 8GB Touch starts at $189 compared to $229, 16GB at $249 ($299), and the 32GB at $279 (compared to a whopping $399). The Classic drops to $229 compared to $249. On the Nano's the 8GB goes to $129 from $149 and the 16GB drops to $149 from $199.

Keep in mind that these are all models of iPod that are likely to be replaced by the new ones due to be announced today.

Of Workspaces and Getting Creative

2009-09-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

I posted several times yesterday and it has come to a discovery that I do in fact like to write on the internet. Though I suffer anxious thoughts, just as any unskilled writer may suffer, that my content may not provoke interest in a general readership, I also know that one can only improve any skill with, as my old music teacher called it, 'practice, practice, practice'. It goes without saying that to be productive in anything one must have the necessary tools and workspace with which they may work diligently in whatever field of interest. Thanks to my 'Writer's high' yesterday, I was motivated to action and have produced for myself a suitable work environment.

I'm quite proud of this so I believe pictures are in order.

Here is the overall setup; Macbook Pro on make shift laptop stand, cut precisely from an old shipping box, with external keyboard and mouse, speakers, and iPod dock. The notebook in the upper right is the previous Macbook which, I've decided, is better to sell than hold on to. Due to the nature of the table I'm on I found a need for a suitable mouse pad and, wouldn't you know it, I had absolutely no pad on hand. To get around this I taped down a similar pad like material to the table with some packing tape.

Another shot of the whole setup. Notice the cables connecting to the Macbook on the left. An observant person may notice that there are too many cables for the number of items on the desk. More on that in a second.

With the Macbook out of the picture we can get a better look at the makeshift stand. I basically took a tape measure, measured out where I was going to cut, and removed the top sections of the box. I left the back lid attached which I simply tucked into the open box to act as sort of a ramp. There really isn't much point to it except...

Ta da! I've utilized the empty space within my makeshift stand to store my external hard drive and the receiver for my wireless keyboard and mouse. I then cut a small hole in the back to run the cables through. Very convenient indeed!

So there's my short little tour. I still need to get myself a better chair (birthday present anyone?) because the table is currently a little high while sitting in the lazy boy but other than that I couldn't be happier with the setup. This may well warrant a submission to Lifehacker.

That is all.

Of Impressive Feats of Thievery

2009-09-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

I seem to be rolling on the Apple news today. During my daily perusal of the interwebs I've come across footage of a pretty thorough and, dare I say, well done 'smash-and-grab' of a New Jersey Apple Store.

You can view the video here.

The video shows clear footage of a gang of hooligans smashing through the glass doors of the Apple store and subsequently raiding the store of nearly every display item on the floor. This happened after store hours and with the presence of a security guard within the store. The thieves kept the guard at bay by pretending to brandish a gun and clear the store in around 31 seconds time. Store security cameras caught all the footage but couldn't get a clear look at the thieves faces thanks to the bandanas the thieves were wearing.

I would never condone thievery of any sort but damn! These guys certainly put other 'thieves' to shame.

Of Snow Leopard and Boot Camp

2009-09-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to some close connections and a marginal fee I've obtained for myself a working retail license of Windows 7 Professional. I have since turned around with said license and installed Windows 7 via boot camp onto my Macbook Pro. I'm happy to report that I have not hit a single snag throughout the entire process and Windows 7's desktop looks mighty fine on my computer's pretty screen.

The reason I'm sharing this is because I haven't seen very many people reporting that Snow Leopard's Boot Camp 3.0 now officially supports Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system. There are many reports of people successfully installing Windows 7 via Boot Camp 2.0 (Leopard variant) utilizing the drivers meant for Windows Vista. There are, however, various forums throughout the internet of people having no such luck getting Windows 7 up and running via Boot Camp, including my own experience were most everything worked except my keyboard functions. Now it seems Apple officially supports Windows 7 with Boot Camp 3.0.

I'm actually surprised by how little news I've found concerning this. At least for anyone who may not of yet known I can confirm 100% support for Windows 7 with Snow Leopard's Boot Camp.

Of Macbooks and Provident Living

2009-09-04T11:35:00.000-07:00

As previously posted I am currently in possession of precisely one 13-inch Unibody Macbook (Late 2008) and one 15-inch Unibody Macbook Pro (Late 2008). The larger laptop was purchased with intent to replace the smaller laptop as I had, at the time, come to the conclusion that bigger was better and I wanted the bigger bad enough. Alas, I now come to the sudden realization of a terrible truth. Bigger may be better, but that don't mean I wants me a bigger laptop!

I've owned the Macbook Pro for a grand two days now and aside from some minor hick ups I've yet to sort out, I find myself in a somewhat undecided state. On the one hand, it is true, I do appreciate the Macbook Pro's larger screen, and yes, the illuminated keyboard and dedicated graphics card is nice, but other than these fine attributes I find myself wary of the thought of posting my dear 13-incher up on Craigslist as I had originally planned. This, I'm quickly learning, is a fatal flaw that I have when it comes to technology. Especially EXPENSIVE technology.

One big achievement I prided myself with was the moment that I cleared all debt on my credit card. Soon to follow that auspicious day was the joy in frugal saving so that I could obtain the new Macbook Pro. Now I find my heart fails me to follow through with what was supposed to be a financially sound plan. One could rationalize the benefits of having two computers, one small for travel but beefy enough to take on all demanding tasks, the second, larger, meant to be the work horse of my potential future operations, but still retain its portable nature. I could seesaw this way or that way for a long time to come. Would it be best to follow the plan and keep the larger, bulkier, but to some extent beefier computer? What if I just used my somewhat developed sense of fiscal responsibility and just paid off the remaining debt to my card? One could obtain sound credit if they can prove time and time again that they can pay their dues, but alas, the more responsible part of me screams out its scolding and advises me against such foolish musings.

In short, I am dead locked. In seeking out advise from close peers I've decided that I would stay my planning hands and sit on the matter for a few weeks. If the prospect of paying down a second computer prooves too straining to my budget than I will proceed forward as originally planned. Nothing new is sure to depreciate the value of my 13-inch Macbook anytime soon save for the most unfortunate of speculations, mostly involving thieves and house fires. Perhaps I can indeed afford myself additional time for meditation.

In other news now...

I've thrown a couple ideas out and about concerning my birthday. Largely I am a blank slate but I suspect I will gain items of assistance towards my endeavors to establish a productive work space in my room. Only time will tell.

I am officially announcing the Triple Play. To quickly spell it out I plan to review three major video game releases before the end of this year. It is by all means an obtainable goal that can surely be met so long as I follow through with my own commitments. Posting here regarding these things presents a level of accountability that motivates me. To further get myself out in the open I've formatted the Triple Play as such:

1. An in-depth video review to be posted on Youtube through my handle Reliablesand which will also provide a link to...
2. My in-depth written review that will be posted here at this blog.

It is my belief that If I invest enough time and effort into the Triple Play plan that I will gain invaluable experience as a game journalist and critic.

I do not plan to reveal the games I choose to review save for the first one. I will be reviewing Batman: Arkham Asylum for the PC. The game will be released on September 15th. I will have my review ready by the following week. Of course since it is my utmost desire to be criticized for the betterment of my writing and reporting I look forward to all feedback regarding my efforts.

The gears are in motion and, at least in my minds eye, I feel the anticipation of my readership. I strive not to fail.

Of Macbooks and Snow Leopard

2009-09-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

I've owned the 2008 13-inch unibody Macbook for around four months now, and frankly, I love this little machine. When Snow Leopard came out, I was happy to purchase it and make the upgrade. Now my little machine is as zippy as the day I got it, and set up with all of my customizations. However, I couldn't get over the fact that bigger and "better" Macbooks could be had at a reduced cost to those willing to buy refurbished. To get to the point, I ordered and recently received my new 15 inch unibody Macbook Pro. I ordered it the day after Snow Leopard's release, and I was happy to see how quickly the store had updated to allow laptops with Snow Leopard to be shipped. That said, now that I have my new Macbook Pro, guess what it’s doing right now? Having its Leopard install upgraded to Snow Leopard.

This is nowhere near a big hindrance to me because at the end of the day I have all the software I need, and I have the computer. But when I take a step back I realize that I don't really have a retail copy of Snow Leopard, but instead an upgrade disk. According to Apple, I must first have Leopard installed on a machine before I can properly upgrade to Snow Leopard. Keep in mind that with my Macbook Pro I also have a retail copy of Leopard. Long story short, I guess Apple didn't have the time to both package and install a retail copy of Leopard on my new computer. It’s no skin off my teeth, but I know there are people out there crabby enough to make a big deal out of this.

Considering that even when being bought refurbished a Macbook Pro of my kind retails a whopping $1398.91, is it really so unreasonable to believe that one would receive a fully up-to-date and functional computer right out of the box? It seemed reasonable enough to me.

News, News, and More News

2009-06-25T13:41:00.000-07:00

I'm tired. Tired because I stayed up late working on a sort-of-big project. I guess I can talk a little about it but before I do let us talk about George Lucas.

George Lucas, like it or not, is a visionary. He has been a successful creator of great works of entertainment. Unfortunately he's also been involved in works that should never exist in the first place. Everything else in the middle is mediocrity. This is where the prequel Star Wars films fall into.

We are fortunate however to have talented people who are willing to put forth their talents and time to improve these movies into something that can almost be considered great. As a result I have had the chance to see more ideal versions of Lucas's first two prequel works, which of the three Star Wars prequels truly needed the most work. This isn't to say that Lucas isn't guilty of messing up Revenge of the Sith as bad as the others. One can argue the movie is better in some ways. To me, Episode III is only slightly better than the other movies with the only saving grace that manages to hoist it up to a higher plane being the steady insertion of A New Hope'ss visual themes and appearance. Once one gets past the initial nostalgic connection however and you see the movie without rose colored eyes Revenge of the Sith unfortunately shows that its hardly any better than the movies before it. This isn't to say that it can't be improved however. Unfortunately, our previous editing talent seems to have all but disappeared.

There's your exposition so now I'll go ahead and tie it to my bit of news to form the purpose of this post together. I've been working on my own attempt at improving Episode III using iMovie '09. This is why I'm weary.

Last night I exported EIII Edit Beta 2 to a .3gp file format, plugged in my stereo to better hear the audio, and meticulously documented notes for new changes and clean up work to do. I've been off and on editing the movie for about three weeks now and I must say that its been quite a satisfying experience. In terms of progress I anticipate at least two more beta edits, a release candidate screening with friends and family, and then the final premier which I intend to host at my friend Daniel's house. So far I have nit picked nearly fifteen minutes of footage out of the movie, mostly pointless scenes with pointless dialogue and overlong shots of ships landing. There are however a couple points where I've raddically changed the order of scenes in order to change the overall feel of the movie. Again, very satisfying. I look forward to hearing what people think and to any criticisms there might be.

In other news I've been looking at the financial viability of going to PAX '09. As of now the notion seems feasible but other big questions must first be answered like, "Will this really help me become a published journalist?" or "Will I get time off my day job so that I can do this?" Nothing can be done now. Mean while I'll consider to consult my father who has already done this crap before.

Concering other things to look forward to, I will be purchasing and reviewing The Conduit in the coming days. I've been watching this game for awhile now and look forward to it, less for its gameplay, but more for the actual statement it makes to third party developers for the Wii. Any potential message that can get more third party developers to take the Wii more seriously deserves support, especially when a company that is known for little else than generic, bland, licensed riff-raff gets behind the cause. Why? Its kind of an underdog story where a company goes above and beyond to do something for the people who need it most. Take the gravity inferred in that statement and reduce it by a factor of two and you get the idea of whats really at stake here, but non-the-less, I'm all about supporting a game that was meant to do what so many people originally dreamed of doing on their Wii's. Playing first-person shooters in a whole new way. So far it appears the game gets the job done alright. I'll see for myself and tell you all about it.

Microsoft went ahead and gave us a look at the new packaging Windows 7 will ship with. It looks far better than the Vista case with a more traditional method of getting to the DVD inside that IS NOT a sort of ridiculous puzzle. We've also learned the cost of entry into the Real Vista. It's cheaper, especially if you pre-order it. Overall Windows 7 seems to be on the right track to win back the people who abandoned ship when Vista arrived to shake the boat.

Heres a new thing for everybody, your Daily Link. I used to work for this company. Coincidentally I pulled a wrinkled old work shirt out of a box to wear to my current job today. What a coincidence. I can also say that what the sales agent did is actually pretty common practice for sales reps from Pinnacle as well as any alarm company. Want some advice? Don't buy things at your door. Shop for what you want then go buy it yourself.

Transformers 2: More than Barely Meets the Eye

2009-06-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

*Note: This review contains massive spoilers.

Anybody who checks critic review sites to help develop their opinions about works of entertainment can see that Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen is considered to be an over long, under plotted, and overly loud affair. I agree with them on this, however that didn't stop me from enjoying Transformers 2.

I'll be blunt. Transformers 2 as a cohesive movie is a mess. A bad mess. In essence the story goes that massive robotic aliens have been a common phenomena to Earth since the fledling years of man, that struggles between man and robot continue to be an issue, and that the Earth's very sun is now threatened to be extinguished by said robots. The story is pretty weak on its own merits and serves only as a vehicle to lead audiences from point A to point B throughout. There are many scenes in Transformers 2 that will annoy and be borderline aweful (Since when can or should decepticons take the form of lustful college temptresses?) Fortunately the movie rebounds from many just plain bad scenes with surprisingly well done comedic relief that serve to remind the audience that their watching a movie about giant, transforming, fighting robots.

I'm sure the likes of major movie critics will find plenty to lampoon this movie over and honestly they deserve to. This movie isn't so much good as its just satisfying. The important thing to remember when seeing Transformers 2 is what the movie's source material really is: an eighties cartoon show about robots who transform into cars and battle it out. It was a concept built entirely around entertaining children and selling toys. However, even with this paper thin source material to work with Michael Bay was (again) able to create something that doesn't take itself too seriously but at the same time maximizes the potential that the original cartoon could ever offer.

Transformers 2 has two big things going for it. A sense of humor with its characters and impressive displays of massive robots beating the nuts and bolts out of each other. There is a generous serving of each of these throughout and it helps prevent the audience from noticing that they haven't been in a theater this long since The Dark Knight, something that I believe would be self-destructive for any other movie about alien robots fighting on Earth. This isn't to say that every movie goer is going to like this movie, while its sure to be a shoe in with anyone who liked the first movie.

To summarise Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen the movie both exceeds and does nothing over the first movie depending on how you look at it. For me I appreciated the fact that Optimus Prime was a far better fighter than he was in the first movie and that I was actually able to SEE the big robot fights taking place much more clearly this time. Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox succeed at going above what their characters really needed, and the movie managed to keep things moving pretty well considering the running time. If you didn't like Michael Bays first run with Transformers then you will most likely feel the same about this one, but if you remotely enjoyed the first movie then you shouldn't have any problem enjoying this one.

Verdict: 3/5

Of Making Committments...

2009-06-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

To anybody who has stayed with me so far in my blogging efforts I want to express my full appreciationg to you for caring about anything I would have to say. It's really no lie that I've been very spotty with keeping consistent entries to my measly slice of internet pie. In all honesty the most I've really used my blog for was as an internet based writing tablet for works of fiction. However there is still a part of me that really thinks I have what it takes to break through the slow mire of blogging into some internet journalism that really matters. To do this however I must be prepared to actively make commitments.

This update is merely just that. A commitment. I remember at one point where my father directed me to a youtube video that he had made which basically outlined the basic tool set he would use to work on his personal goals, the primary tool being the use of forcing upon himself some accountability. In essence, he directed all his friends that would listen over to this youtube video (I would link it now but I'm currently behind a firewall at work) so that they now KNEW about his efforts, his goals, and what he wanted to do. This can in turn become quite the motivation to follow personal goals through because you are no longer only letting yourself down by commiting yourself to failure, but your letting people you know down as well. Again, it is simply motivation through accountability, but it can be quite effective. Now I would embark on the same principle.

Since I saw X-Men Origins: Wolverine I always wanted to write a review to get across my own viewpoints about a movie. Unfortunately my efforts never came to fruition because, well, I didn't put enough effort in. The only motivation I had was my own personal desire but at times even my own sort of tunnel vision tendancies, despite what my mom would attest to at times, can't carry me through to the completion of things such as this. This is a shame because with many things, like X-Men Origins, I feel I have valid view points that can both be interesting to potential readers and also be a hands on excercise to help me develop my skills to one day get a story position on CNET or Endgadget. It may be too far past for me to share my opinions about X-men, but there are always new opportunities to look forward to. And that includes tonight.

I just got Early Release from work so I'll make this short and sweet. I will be attending the midnight showing of Transformers 2. My review will be posted tomorrow. To give a bit of back story regarding me and transformers I considered the first movie to be a passable effort that contained marvelous CGI graphics, humorous dialogue and all the charm of a Saturday morning cartoon seen through the filter of reality...for the first half. The second half got a little hokey to me. Granted seeing huge well animated robots battle it out in a city scape is entertaining but its hard to really get emotionally involved with a movie whose story just gets hockey. Again if you go in expecting to see your favorite Saturday cartoon from more nostalgic years then one can come away from the first Transformers satisfied. I have since not minded seeing the movie mutliple times, but only with friends.

I anticipate Transformers 2 will be more of the same. From what I've heard its quite a bit longer which may become a detriment. We shall see at any rate. Look for my review tomorrow.

There it is. Official commitments to do what the big boys do. I'll see you all on the other side.

*Note: This post has not been edited so there may be spelling/grammar errors.*

E3: Nintendo? Eh.

2009-06-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

E3 officially started today and the last two console juggernauts have had their share of the spotlight today. Words were exchanged, games were shown, now its off to the show floor for our dear attendees to see if all the fuss with these games is worth a darn. Lets take a look at what we saw today.

Nintendo
There's really no two ways about Nintendo's "showing" at E3 last year. It sucked. It sucked because there were no new games to get excited about, Cammie Dunaway made the blood boil, and Nintendo shocked the crowd into mocking laughter with their on stage jig to their ill concieved Wii music debut. Again, it sucked to own a Wii last year. Now that Nintendo has had its press conference has Nintendo learned the error of its ways and made a comeback? Marginally.

Here's the cold hard facts. Nintendo's failed E3 last year didn't stop Wii from flying off the shelves. This is because Nintendo has successfully appealed to the non-gamer, not to be confused with the casual. They've captivated our girlfriends, our parents, and our grandparents. With that kind of market penetration Nintendo has raked it in, and Reggie had no problem spending time talking about that during this years press conference. Frankly, Nintendo doesn't need hard core gamers anymore. You want a real indication of this? Check out the newly announced Wii Vitality Sensor. What does it do? It takes your pulse. Can we think of a real game that can actually use this? Unless you count another iteration of Wii Fit as a game then your guess is as good as mine.

Nintendo's showings this year weren't all a let down however as there are some genuinely interesting titles on the way. New Super Mario Bros. Wii looks interesting with its return to form gameplay and coop play. The DS has something going for it with a new Golden Sun game. I guess thats a big deal for some people but I myself have never played a Golden Sun game so I guess I'll add that to the list of games I need to play. San's the stealth segments and ridiculous back tracking I really liked Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and look forward to Spirit Tracks. There was also some talk of games that would take in some user generated content which in all honesty to me is just a gimmick with a three week life span because when you get down to it professional developers have a job for a reason. Regardless its pretty neat.

Lets take a break now in the article. Were you getting interested? Sorry but now I want to talk about books. Interactive books. Bit of an awkward transition? Sorry, I guess I should have warned you. At least Dunaway verbally said, "Let's change gears for a moment..." before she started meandering off into a completely unnecessary presentation of an interactive book by James Patterson which is coming to the DS. I slapped my head at this point. Who the frick cares about this crap Nintendo? I'm sure some people do but I'm equally sure that those people aren't watching your press conference in baited anticipation like we are. And why the heck do we want to know about your new fashion game? Isn't that the kind of title that you see at the bargain bin at your local Wal-Mart?

Back to what we care about now, Nintendo did have some news that can certainly be considered "big news". One such surprise was the announcement of Super Mario Galaxy 2. Its a little bittersweet because I'm not sure if this is just a quick release that could be easily put together with the already existing source material or a full blown effort to further take the awesome concepts of the first Mario Galaxy to the next level. The announcement trailer doesn't dissapoint so I'm leaning toward the latter. It was a pleasant surprise however since word leaked that a new mario game would come out and I thought that game was New Super Mario Bros Wii.

I think its kind of funny how Reggie took the stage here and basically told gamers that he knows that we're pretty pissed about how Nintendo has shafted them. It was around this point that I turned up the volume on my computer knowing that Reggie was about to drop the big announcement we've been waiting for. "Could it be?" I thought to myself anxiously, "Has it finally come?" As Reggie kept droning on about third party games to look forward to I patiently waited, hoping that the next few words to come out of that smug mouth would be, " next Zelda game." When the trailer started however it became apparent that gamers would be left in the dark concerning all things Wii Zelda for another unknown amount of time. The big reveal was for Metroid. A Team Ninja developed Metroid. Wait, wha?

Turns out Nintendo has partnered up with the same studio behind Ninja Gaiden to bring forth a creation known as Metroid: Other M. Forget the obscure title, look at the freaking gameplay! It looks like a cross of Ninja Gaiden, God of War, with a small hint of the original FPS format. I honestly don't know what the expect with this though. In all honesty it was hard for me to keep playing the Metroid games primarily because the shooting, to me at least, was unsatisfying and tedious. Sure when Prime 3 came around it was pretty neat to have a shooter with reliable shooting mechanics on the Wii but having to pump about thirty glowing balls of lights into a spright alien critter every time I entered that room was a bit of a pain. I also got lost a lot but I'm not going to blame any game for being complex.

So there you have it. Nintendo's E3 offerings. Its much better than last years to be sure but this was a great opportunity to have a glorious second coming and...they sort of did it. Honestly I'm just bummed about no Zelda. Where the heck is the next Zelda? It's been over two years since the last game and we haven't heard anything about the next game except for brief words of acknowledgement. Seriously, not even a little teaser? You guys showed footage of Twilight Princess nearly a year and a half before you actually threw it out the door.

Stay tuned at Glance This for a run through of Sony's press conference.

Thanks Bioware! We Can Finally Care About Star Wars Again

2009-06-01T22:20:00.001-07:00

Head on over to Gametrailers.com to catch some early E3 videos. Of the bunch I highly recommend watching Bioware's Star War's: The Old Republic video. Some side affects may include actually caring about Star Wars again.

I liked Knight of the Old Republic not so much for what it had but for what it lacked, which was George Lucas. After the man systematically disintegrated the universe's appeal with each new badly written prequel release and constant retooling of the original trilogy it became very hard for me to care about this overly glitzy, overly dramatic, and oh-so-freaking-horribly-written universe. But what if you take a talented game company like Bioware and give them free reign over what is otherwise a fantastically interesting universe while also, ironically, removing most of the original creators "artistic"? You get wonderful things like the aforementioned Star Wars vid. See George? Not everything has to be horribly written any overly CG'ed to be good. Ironically I find what's happening in the video to be more interesting than even some of the best CGI in your movies. Lets not even mention Clone Wars.

E3 hasn't even started and there's already plenty things to get excited about. Nintendo's Press Conference is tomorrow morning and we'll soon see what the big money gorilla has to offer the people who gave them their first few bananas.

Stay tuned for Glance This coverage.

Time for Gamer Christmas in June

2009-06-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

Time again for the Electronic Entertainment Expo which is apparently back to its former glory if that really matters to you. The whole "smaller, more focused" E3 form factor change was mainly an issue for the people who attended E3 and, to a lesser extent, the developers who exhibited there. At any rate the ESA seemed to get the hint that something was broke and resurrected E3 back to its "former glory". Now what are gamers to expect from this years festival of games?

Even though E3 doesn't start till June 2nd Microsoft already had a media summit of sorts where some new information and content was revealed. As far as release dates go Final Fantasy XIII looks to hit Spring 2010 as well as Halo ODST. Infinity Wards Vince Zampella and Jason West demonstrated some of what Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will have for gamers when its released this November. Word in is that the graphics are pretty slick and the tried and true COD experience is in full swing. The Beattles: Rock Band was also revealed which will be a Beattles fan's dream come true. Tony Hawk made an appearance. Again. More news concerning Microsoft's work with "motion" controlled gaming with the use of a camera was also revealed. More information should be given when E3 starts tomrrow.

Other notable mentions include Crytek confirming Crysis 2 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. This is the first time Crytek has devoloped anything for consoles. After the first Crysis was released representatives at Crytek said that the current generation of consoles couldn't hack all the graphical bells and whistles Cry Engine 2 had to offer. With Cry Engine 3 now it looks like Crytek got the engine optimized enough to get the job done for Microsoft and Sony's itty-bitty-wittle consoles now. Left 4 Dead 2 has been announed with a supposed release date this November which, by Valve Standard Time, will probably translate to summer of 2010 or something like that. If it happens just remember that I called it!

Other unofficial news has surfaced concerning Nintendo's E3 offerings. Considering the colossal failure of last years E3 Nintendo better play its cards right if they still want a consumer base thats actually gamers. So far word has slipped from Nikkei Newspaper that Nintendo will be showing off the next iteration of Wii fit know as Wii Fit Plus, but more importantly there may be news of a new Mario game. That's a start in the right direction! Let's hope they throw a hint of Zelda into their press conference which is due to start tomorrow at 9:00AM PT. Hopefully Nintendo's version of Sarah Palin won't say more than five words and Reggie won't give too much overblown BS.

On the Sony front the PSP-Go, a new iteration of the Playstation portable with 16GB of built in space for an entirely all digital media oriented experience is confirmed along with the slight hint of a new Metal Gear game for the system. Not all that much else is known but the actual PSP-Go system looks akin to a touch screen cellphone in appearance, except the PSP-Go's screen is NOT a touch screen. The system is said to be a feathery 43% lighter than it 3000 series brethren. Apparently the system is not meant to be a replacement for the current PSP product line. Yet. Just like the DSi right? Right.

There's bound to be a slew of new information in the coming days. You can get a full disclosure of everything that happened at Microsoft's media conference by going to Gamasutra.com. As more news come out Glance This will dig through and pull out the good stuff. Stay Tuned!

Welcome Back!

2009-01-21T12:19:00.000-08:00

So turns out that mediocre article writing makes a blog bland and tasteless. So I've decided to just write out for the sake of writing. There might be a feature here or there but theres going to be much more by way of live journal style postings. I can't wait. Woo.

I'm eleven years late for the Final Fantasy VII party but that didn't stop me from downloading an emulator and some ISO's from a few carefully chosen websites. I was really surprised how well the whole thing worked to be honest. I remember a time when emulating Nintendo 64 was dicey but I guess I'm pretty far from the emulation front. I very much liked the game, though my method of introducing myself to the series was a little retarded. The whole thing started when I was perusing my Netflix instant que for some good movies and crossed Advent Children. I figured what the heck and watched it with very little back story and no game time with the game its based off of. At first I thought the movie was ridiculouse but that opinion has evolved since beating the game. Some close relatives would suggest that I enjoyed the series a little TOO much. I can see that, but not since Ocarina of Time have I been so commited to playing a game, especially with School starting again and a fulltime job. To give you an idea I commited about thirty plus hours to the game and I started playing it the thursday previouse from this post date! Time well spent? Eh. I could find plenty of reasons to be ashamed but considering that I have a job and got myself to school on time with the money to pay for it I think I could be far worse off in the end. All in all I really enjoyed FF VII. I see now why there was so much commotion with a part of the game (For any who haven't played or somehow managed to last eleven years without so much as hearing or playing Final Fantasy VII nows your chance to stop reading and go play the game without spoiling anything). I knew what was going to happen but I was still really sad. Shows how powerful games can really be when put in the hands of talented artists. I can see very little difference between a game like Final Fantasy VII and a book with a good plot. Games are much in a way the complete package of entertainment, allowing players to interact and be part of a fascinating world rather than just read or watch content. Hopefully I'll be able to make some sort of contribution to this medium some day.

I'm musing an idea where in chapter by chapter stories will be posted on the site for entertainment purposes. Maybe see some of that in the coming times.

As mentioned earlier I started the semester with some core classes at Mesa Community College. Most of my selections are geared as generals for a Journalism Major. Math looks like its going to be a breeze because the teacher is pretty much using an online program for all her homework, testing materials. We'll see how that pans out. Economics is promising enough. The most interesting class by far is Philosophy 101. Simply put the teacher is fascinating with a real love for teaching. He has like three PHDs, two masters, a bachelor, and a whole slew of academic flim flam. He's the son of a Diplomat in Africa and might be the most educated person I've come across. Interested to see how that pans out.

In regards to that gaming laptop previously posted I did not pull the trigger and buy that laptop. I instead purchased a bunch of parts and built my own machine. It's pretty beefy but an extra $300 would put it on top heap. I'm satisfied with it now so there really is no need for the extra spending.

Till next time.

-KL

Need Portable Gaming for Less? MSI Delivers with the GX 630

2008-11-26T14:06:00.000-08:00

By and large laptops have steadily been decreasing in price and increasing in power over the last few years offering dual core processing and additional hardware support for more complex needs. This black Friday one should have no problem finding a laptop from any manufacturer that will be able to perform above and beyond most typical consumer needs. This is great for anyone looking to do word processing, photo editing, or any other typical tasks but for anyone looking to have a proper gaming rig in compact form wont find it here. Enter MSI's GX 630 Gaming laptop.

The MSI GX 630 is part of MSI's G series of notebooks. MSI is already known for bang for buck value but this laptop is altogether something else. One look at the specifications show that for $799 you can really get an affordable and capable machine. The laptops laundry list of features include a 2.0 GHZ AMD Dual core X2 processor capable of being instantly overclocked 15% at the push of a button, 4GB of DDR2 memory, a 250GB sata hard drive, Vista home premium, and best of all an Nvidia 9600GT dedicated graphics card with 512MB of dedicated video memory. PC gamers are sure to appreciate this kind of power for so little a price. The notebook is currently on sale at Newegg.com and Amazon is taking pre-orders.

The real gem of this package is the 9600GT Nvidia GPU. This chip also powers Apple's Macbook Pro notebooks and even considering that Mac laptops usually fall in what some would consider the elite catagory of the consumer marker, when you consider the steep price difference between the $799 MSI GX630 and a base priced $1999 Apple Macbook Pro its really all the more impressive how much bang for buck buyers get can get with MSI's little notebook. Even when comparing between other HP or gateway laptops average price for similar specs usually fall around a $1000 price range.

The notebook is still just barely getting out into the wild but the few consumer reviews posted at Newegg indicate its a winner. Of most of the notebooks in the G series line its one of the first ones priced as well. I myself am considering the purchase and should that take place look for my review to come. For more information about the MSI GX630 visit http://global.msi.com.tw or to check out the performance benchmarks of the Nvidia 9600GT and other mobile graphics chips head on over to notebookcheck.com.

Gears of War 2 at a Glance

2008-11-25T14:08:00.000-08:00

I've recently submitted an in depth break down of my first hours of Fable II and after doing this I realized that there are many other A games this holiday season that I haven't mentioned yet. Fable II holds some intrigue but I have played Gears of War 2 recently and can certainly say I recommend it to anyone who liked the first game or likes games in general.

The game is a step up from everything that Gears one ever did and is an exceptionally polished cinematic experience. Horde mode itself is almost worth the cost of admission and can easily become a marathon event with a group of friends at a LAN party. Its games like this that don't really warrant my scrutinizing or detailed attention because if you haven't already bought the game you've probably already read or watched the other twenty plus reviews on the internet. Needless to say this game is another reason the Xbox 360 is one of the most rewarding consoles to own.

Praises aside there are a couple elements of the game that detract from the experience, in particular any set piece that show cases a large amount of enemies coming out of a cave or emergence hole. It looks good to have fifty or so enemies pour out of a hole and drive the sense of hopeless battles of epic proportions but when the player interaction with this amounts to you just shooting a big gun at them and watching them poof in a cloud of blood the effect is lost. It also doesn't help that players can see the enemies spawn out of thin air and run around without purpose because of the obvious limitation of proper AI due to hardware load. It looks impressive when you first see it, but when the initial effect wears off you start to see it more as a cheap thrill.

There are also a very few segments of single player campaign that didn't work perfectly for me. I'm not a big fan of on rail shooting so the few occasions in the game it takes place aren't my favorite, but anything lackluster gets drowned out by the rest of polish and dedication that went into this game.

Often times we see good titles get a sequel that either loses the magic that makes the original so good, or over plays its hand by destroying any immersion or familiarity players are used to from the previous game. A good example of this is Halo 2. The games single player was good in its own right but felt a little disconnected from Halo in terms of story and characters. Not a bad game, but lacking the intrigue of the first title. Gears 2 in this regard manages to stay mainly faithful to the characters, immersion, and story of the original, providing players with a cohesive and satisfying experience.

Fable II: Seven Hours Deep

2008-11-21T23:07:00.000-08:00

The first Fable and I never crossed paths mostly due to lack of interest and the steady claim of disappointment from everyone who had waited eagerly for the promises the game was supposedly going to offer. Three years later and Fable II is among us claiming that it would actually do all that the original Fable said it would. For someone like me this is great because the gaming experience is going to be new without any kind of previous experience to compare or scrutinize the game with. So far I've put in a good seven hours of game play and have quite a bit to discuss so lets dig in.

The game starts out promising enough with a decent opening cinematic and top notch musical score to draw the player into Fable II's world of Albion. You play Sparrow, game protagonist, and start out in childhood which serves less of a purpose for back drop and more as a training level to get the basic game mechanics into the players head. By the end you have a good handle on some of Fable II's core game mechanics as well as a hint of how player actions whether good or evil can affect the game world. Queue childhood tragedy to drive protagonist for rest of game and we’re ready for Sparrow’s adult hood.

Ten years pass by and young Sparrow is now adult Sparrow in whom courses the very essence of chosen Hero's from kingdoms long past and all the typical jazz. The story itself doesn't give a whole lot to the game in all honesty, being suitable enough to carry the game forward but falling well short of anything new or memorable. So if there is so little new so far to the game what keeps it engaging? I'll tell you that while the game play itself works well enough to be fun and the story can carry most players along its the other freedoms that Fable II has that, for me at least, can keep gamers playing for hours.

Here's the basic run down of my first seven hours of game play. First day of play I go through the origin story and go by direction of my gypsy guardian lady to ancient cave to reawaken my hero blood! Day two I return to my home town and start farting and flexing non stop till I was apparently able to marry three of the five woman that mossied on over to see my public display. I think to myself, "What a flimsy social mechanic!" and retaliate by murdering the entire populace and a number of their precious chickens. Day three has me starting prior to murder spree and progressing the story arc till I reach the first town. By this time a lot of the game is still somewhat linear and bland, not to say its not good just nothing terribly memorable or different from what's been done before. This all falls in a space of two and a half hours. Thankfully things start to get interesting from here

Day four of play has me with my first job which does a remarkable job of, well, nothing. It’s a job. I get paid for forging sword blades for the Town Blacksmith. I'm compelled to do it because it pays more and more the better I do it. Considering that so far my money pockets are pretty empty its safe to say that save for the occasional bag of gold your doggy partner will point your shovel to you will earn a lot of money at first working these jobs. The need for the job itself is pressing at times, but never really crosses the line of frustration. The work is easy and it gets somehow enjoyable when successive hits with the hammer multiply the amount of gold I earn per sword and qualify me for promotions. It was strangely satisfying to "work" a good twenty minutes and earn enough money to buy a modest house for the woman I just enamored enough with farts and flexing to let me slip on a ring.

A few hours and quests later and I’m starting to make a name for myself, becoming some kind local celebrity and being nagged for my autograph by the local little urchins. I make my way to another town; prove my belching and farting abilities enough to become a favored citizen enjoying discounts, flirty woman with the occasional man. I also find a new line of easy, promising work in wood chopping. After a good half hour of work I make enough income to buy a new house in this peaceful little town so I house hunt a little and find a great house atop a hill at the end of a flowery path way. The Mrs. is sure to enjoy! Ten minutes later the wife sees the new house and promptly tells me it’s horrible, that I must be used to sleeping with fleas every night, and that we should never live here. With bruised ego I call her a dim witted whore. That’s when I snapped out of it.

See, up to this point I never fully realized how immersed I was actually getting in the game. It was only when I verbally started berating my "wife" that I fully realized that I was becoming mentally involved with the game world and my actions with in it. Everything from picking out a favorite gift for the wife to grinding away at the wood chop to be able to get a better house and rent out the older one. I've rarely been involved in this way or fashion.

I can see a lot of similarities between Animal Crossing and Fable II. You can simply wander the world visiting new locales and speaking to new people as long as you want without worry of goals or check points. Where Animal Crossing failed to keep that game play interesting for me Fable II succeeds by throwing in serviceable combat and linear pacing for me to retreat to when boredom from wandering about starts to set in. I can't really think of anyway to describe this type of game play, but when it works it works quite well in Fable II. I can definitely say that there will be people who play this game never bothering to own a house, get married, or have any kids and they will get a somewhat decent action adventure semi-RPG game for it. There will also be others who explore everything Fable II has to offer and enjoy a game that’s seemingly endless. This is actually what Fable II is meant to do, provide the world and tools for the player to play the game in anyway the player wants to.

Let me go ahead and insert some perspective here. The game is interesting and entertaining, but it’s not without its lion share of flaws, which keep the game from becoming something truly unique.

Earlier on I talked about mercilessly decimating an entire town, and even though I didn't really continue the game after doing that it has caused me to briefly pause and consider why I went postal here at the drop of a hatch and not in Grand Theft Auto IV. Simply put its the primary methods in which the protagonist character can interact with other NPCs in the game. The system is simply a series of categorized repeated animations that range from dancing a little jig to prolonged public flatulence. The whole thing is less than stellar and really hinders the ability to get immersed in the game. In my case I was simply unimpressed that I could impress any NPC in the game so effortlessly that I decided to make a point of how fast I could just as easily cause fear and terror. Now that I've played the game a bit longer I can say that the whole thing is pretty easy to overlook but it still feels like a cop out, as if the developers couldn't think of a better way for the player to communicate with NPCs and settled for something altogether unsatisfying. Much of the same can be said for the marriage and family part of the game. It just doesn't feel like a lot of thought went into these facets of the game, boiling the value of having it there to barely any thing worthwhile. It all probably sounded a lot more fun than it actually turned out being.

There are some other typical things to get bothered about like the unreliable auto targeting, the over simplified combat and experience system, the fact that death bears no real punishments, and how it seems the same male and female actors voice EVERYBODY in the game world, but these things can be overlooked because there is a lot about Fable II that is new and intriguing. Is it the glorious revolution that Peter Molyneux hyped it would b e since the original Fable? No. I can imagine that it may accomplish a whole lot more than the first game did but I’m sure there are some disappointed gamers out there. For me the game has enough charm that I'll probably see it through to the end. There’s a lot of content here and despite obvious flaws I can see this game lasting as long as anyone wants it too.

Year Three with The Xbox 360

2008-11-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

With killer app games like Halo 3 and Gears of War its easy to see the appeal with Microsoft's Xbox 360. The system is a seller and being the first next generation console to be released back in 2005 its easy to understand why. The Xbox 360 delivers a full package of attractive content as well as Xbox Live which allows gamers all around to compete, communicate, and have fun with ease. The 360 was designed with gamers in mind, but the system isn't without its flaws, particularly one major flaw that it seems Microsoft is still working out.

The Red Ring of Death, or RRoD, has been a plague on the conscious of console owners since it first started popping up mere weeks after the system's original launch. The defect defined is the event in which the front indicator lights consistently display red in three of the four sections of the lighted circle on the front of the system, an indication of hardware failure. When this happens the console owner has to call up Microsoft's tech support to get the unit either replaced or refurbished. At first many thought this issue was typical hit or miss performance that early adopters of new hardware were bound to come across, but unlike the typical niggles most new hardware exhibits on its first release the Red Ring of Death was certainly more frequent, being calculated at times to afflict around twenty percent or one in five systems. The sum of all this trouble led to Microsoft's extending the coverage of the console's manufactures warranty for this issue to three years from the date of purchase. The collateral damage from this however has been frustrated consumers and potential buyers holding off on purchasing the system.

We're coming up on year three since the Xbox 360's original debut and a lot has changed for the system. With the now common addition of an HDMI port, a completely new user interface due for release November 19th, a bevy of A-list games for gamers to chose from, and new attractive price points with larger drive space offerings its easy to see why the 360 is due for another great holiday. But what of the past hardware issues?

Since to original occurrences of Red Ring Microsoft has done some retooling under the hood in order to make the hardware more stable, incorporating more effective heat sinks and shrinking the Graphics Processor Chip form factor for better efficiency. As the newly designed systems originally started to trickle into retail outlets new 360 owners would obsessively check model numbers and shine lights down vents to locate new heat sinks to ensure that they would be at less risk of RRoD. With these new fixes incorporated in most if not all newly released units today there has been a noticable reduction in Red Ring failure. For many this has given a renewed faith in the 360's durability, but there are some who would prefer to wait and see than potentially deal with this sort of trouble I myself have never experienced Red Ring on my Xbox 360. My unit was purchased after some changes were made to the system's GPU heat sink design and I have visually identified the copper heat pipes through the system's side vent. I've never had a hiccup of any sort, but I know some who haven't been so lucky.

My brother in particular had an issue with his older 360's DVD drive. His system had an issue in which the drive would spin a disk unstably, causing the disk to bounce on the tray which caused the drive to grind to a hault before spinning back up causing disk read errors and greatly affecting his gameplay experiences. My brother is a very responsible individual who takes care of his valuables to get the most life out of them, but despite this pampering things just didn't stay pristine with his system. This specific drive issue it turns out is not covered by Microsoft beyond the original one year manufacturers warranty and it was only by the good fortune of Costco's return plan that he was able to get the system replace, specifically with a newly released sixty gigabyte Xbox 360 Pro. It went without saying that my brother was confident that any old issues that plagued the 360 were surely addressed, after all the system was already three years in its life cycle. Unfortunately as soon as he booted up the system to play Gears of War 2 with his wife the dreaded Red Ring showed its ugly face. This was of course a surprise espcially when the Red Ring consistently appeared after multiple boot ups. After some playing around with cables and concentrated will power the system booted up and has continued to work properly ever since. A close call sure, but isn't the 360 supposed to be beyond this?

Its not my wish to bag on the 360. I myself enjoy the system the most out of the current console trinity. I like Xbox Live and think the game offerings are superb, but there is always some part of me that fears seeing anything but green on the front indicator lights every time I power my console on. I'm sure there are many other 360 owners who share this fear. Even though coverage is a guarantee from Microsoft I myself would rather not have to worry about Microsoft needing to replace my system. I'd rather have an unwavering confidence in the hardware, but unfortunately this doesn't seem to be likely for myself any time soon.

Year three of the Xbox 360 is coming to a close, and though things have never been better for Microsoft's capable system old skeletons still seem to be in the closet. Hopefully any rare instances of Red Ring now a days is just that, rare instances were one consumer unfortunately gets a defective system for every couple thousand reliable units. If this is now true then congrats to Microsoft for making things right. The next step will be restoring confidence in would be consumers still on the fence in the years to come.

Wii Would Like to Play Too: Nintendo's Wii Two Years Later at a Glance

2008-11-09T18:04:00.000-08:00

Back in 2006 at the announcement of the Nintendo Revolution there was much speculation concerning what Nintendo had planned for their next generation gaming platform. Whereas Microsoft and Sony were competing with multi-core graphical media juggernauts Nintendo decided instead to compete with a new intriguing way to play games using motion controls. Thus the Wii was created along with a focus on motion controls and less on the number of polygons on screen. Flash forward two years and can it really be said that Nintendo has revolutionized the genre or merely stumbled into a new market?

With the announcement of the Wii Nintendo seemed to be doing what Nintendo does best, make games fun to play in new and exciting ways. Excitement for the consoles release was far and wide though the true reality of the Wii's popularity never really hit home until the days following the console's launch when the system simply disappeared off store shelves. Stores and online sites were hammered with questions of when shipments of the console would be arriving and long lines at stores continued to appear even weeks and months after the consoles original release date. The Wii was a smash hit, handily outselling Sony's Playstation 3 and overtaking Microsoft's Xbox360, taking the lead in the console race mere months after its release.

With all the success the Wii has had where does Nintendo's quaint white console shine in year three? Not with the hard core gamers it would seem. With the honeymoon now over many long time Nintendo devotees are starting to see that the console isn't quite living up to the hype. Some accusations include third party developers failing to utilize the unique motion controls to any end other than waggling or shaking, the lack of graphical power alienating the system from complex or impressive games that its competitors can support, or a lack of truly unique or revolutionary games. While these accusations may be valid the main reason is simple. While the Wii at release was a hit amongst gamers that success rapidly grew beyond the scope of gamers and began encompassing the larger consumer market as a whole.

With a much wider consumer base now playing Wii Sports, Nintendo began shifting the companies focus of content from traditional games geared towards the hard core crowd to family friendly games such as Wii Play, Wii Fit, and more recently Wii Music. Along with this Nintendo's major staples have received a retooling to be more approachable and simple for a broader audience. This can be seen in games like Mario Kart Wii where Nintendo's efforts to make the game appealing resulted in game play compromises which took less focus away from player ability and more on equal opportunity for everyone to win. For the general crowd this sort of thing is new and exciting but for the traditional gamer the appeal is lost. This alienation has led to a level of unrest amongst gamers as the lack of engaging games and disappointed expectations has left many console owners leaving their Wiis untouched.

Many gamers are already feeling some resentment towards Nintendo. These feeling were not improved after E3 08's Nintendo Press Conference. Though the event brought about the announcement of new and exciting devices such as the motion capability enhancing Wii Motion Plus adapter and the online communication peripheral Wii Speak, the games were all aimed towards Nintendo's new consumer demographic, specifically Wii Music, which now released is what most expected it would be, nothing more than a flimsy and goalless game for families and grandmas with little appeal for the gaming crowd. This alienation has simply left gamers feeling shunned and disappointed.

As things are now the Wii has a bright future ahead of it whether its with the casual crowd, the gamers, or both. For many however the console has been a disappointment, failing to deliver the revolution and intrigue it was hyped to bring. With any luck in the years to come Nintendo will find a way to appease both its new and lucrative demographic while also remembering the gamers and fans that brought the company to where it is today.