Jake Thompson's Random Geek Blog

PSP <3

2009-04-12T13:19:00.001-07:00

Games, games, everywhere are games. These days, those who enjoy playing video games have quite a plethora of gaming platforms available to them. Whether it’s console, computer or handheld games, they truly are everywhere. This post is particularly about the handheld platform the PSP, or Playstation Portable by Sony.

A very good friend of mine, Jess (pictured below), is a very happy owner of a PSP. He’s had one for quite some time now. Unfortunately, he’s only been able to afford to use it mostly for the internet. Fortunately, this has lead him to learn and discover a whole new world of PSP possibilities.

This upcoming weekend, Thursday the 16th to be exact, Jess and myself will be getting together to try our hand at some PSP “hackery” if you will. Not so much hacking, as changing around and adding a few things like custom firmware and homebrews to let us download and play full games.

I’ll try to remember to keep the blog posted on our progress.

Damn teasers....

2009-03-21T02:40:00.001-07:00

So as I do just about every day, I was checking the news section of the Green Day website, when I saw a post simply titled "GET READY..." which only had this video. I am still freaking out about 21st Century Breakdown and teaser videos like this just makes my heart rate go through the roof. You know you've made it as a band when you can do that to people. Green Day, I can't fucking wait!!!!!

New Tools

2009-03-18T17:44:00.001-07:00

So I just recently downloaded and installed a few new Windows Live tools. Right now, I’m testing out Windows Live Writer. It’s a tool used to create and edit blogs. I’ve never liked the Blogger set up for posting blogs. Especially when I want to post something with pictures. It’s always hard to get the pictures and text to line up so it looks normal, like a regular website. However, now with Live Writer, I am about to test out the picture thing.

Alright, so that’s pretty cool. I love the various effects like the little reflection at the bottom there. I think I’ll be using Windows Live Writer from now on. Good job Windows!

Tweet this!

2009-01-31T16:57:00.000-08:00

I've now created a new personal twitter account. I've also added the widget to this blog. But if you want to go directly to my twitter page click here. I'll try to keep it updated, and I'll also try to post more in this blog soon.

Conductors to Conductors

2008-11-26T03:57:00.000-08:00

Everybody likes music. If you don't, then you are lying, and quite possibly involved with some shady people. A lot of the people who like music try to make it themselves. I am one of those people. I use a program called Fruity Loops Studio to create music on my computer. I also create music in a more traditional way with my guitar, but I have no way of recording it. Another benefit of making music on the computer, is the exact measurement of time. Sure, most decent musicians can keep rhythm in their heads, but when you have a shit load of instruments all playing different things and in different signatures all at the same time.... it's confusing. So with the aid of computer power, most of the confusing difficulties with music is taken care of. However, there is no computer powerful enough to help with writer's block. Anyway, I recently made a MySpace Music account to share the songs I make in Fruity Loops. I'm embedding the playlist in this post. I'll be adding a music section to the site which will also have the playlist there. Enjoy.

And so it begins....

2008-11-19T17:28:00.000-08:00

So this is the first post of my random geek blog. I love computers, Internet, technology, and video games. So that's what this blog will focus on. Right now, I'm playing Grand Theft Auto IV for my Xbox 360. I'm only 20% into the game, but it's really fun. The best GTA so far, in my opinion. In this one, you play a Russian, Niko Bellic. Your cousin, Roman, has been in America for a while yet, so he helps you out with a place to stay as well as employment driving a cab for him. One of the coolest additions to the franchise with this game is the GPS feature. No more do you have to keep pausing the game and opening up the map to see where your navpoint is. Instead, all vehicles are equipped with GPS, which creates a route on the mini-map in the lower left corner of the screen.

Another awesome feature is the physics of the game. Running people over has never been so realistic as it is in this GTA. So realistic in fact, that you may actually feel a little guilty about doing it. However, you too can be hit by cars, and you most likely will. In the other Grand Theft Auto games, when you stepped out in front of an oncoming vehicle, they would slow down, honk the horn, and swear at you like a sailor. In GTA IV, if you step in front of a car, you will be hit and your body reacts just like you'd expect it to in real life. Depending on how fast the car is going, and the angle of impact, you can just lose balance and fall over, or you can go flying through the air, tumbling and rolling along the ground before sliding to a halt.

The graphics are also improved, as expected with the game being on the "next gen" consoles and all. But it really is noteworthy. Again, playing with your emotions and adding a guilt factor like no other GTA has before, the blood in this game looks very real. Whether it's being hit by a car, bullet, fist, falling from a building... anything, the blood and blood spray/splatter is eerily lifelike. Dexter himself would be amazed. Like I said, I really only just started this epic game, and I've got a long way to go. These are just some of my thoughts on it so far. I highly suggest picking this up for any GTA fan. Amazing stocking stuffer for sure!