The Thoughtful Gamers

COD Black Ops: LEGO Edition

2012-02-11T19:30:00.000-05:00

I hate COD and I am sick to death of FPS games but this is fucking brilliant:

The Witcher 2 (Xbox 360): Real In-Game Footage

2012-02-06T13:44:00.001-05:00

Socialism in the US; Is America (At Least Partly) Socialist? And Is Socialism '"Bad?"

2012-02-02T04:39:00.000-05:00

NOTE: This is an unpublished blog from last year.

So many Americans seem to be up in arms about that ever present enemy, "socialism." Woooooo, "socialism." Scary word down there in the US these days, a word made ever increasingly more hateful by the day courtesy of our friends over at Fox News Channel (and Fox affiliate radio programs, of course. Don't worry Rush Limbaugh, I didn't forget your hateful, lying ass). And yet, this ever increasingly hated enemy is nothing but smoke and mirrors. In fact, the U.S, along with every other developed nation, thrives on semi socialist policies.

Here is a short list of Socialist policies and programs in the US (taken from a forum post over at IMDB.com by a user named TheGuyWithTheThing. TGWTT, if you ever happen to read this, thank you for putting so many of the services down in one place, it was very useful, as I am not American and would not have thought of the less obvious ones (to a Canadian, at least) such as OSHA standards):

-Army - A taxpayer-funded government volunteer service that receives government health care

-Navy - A taxpayer-funded government volunteer service that receives government health care

-National Guard - A taxpayer-funded government volunteer service that receives government health care

-Air Force - A taxpayer-funded government volunteer service that receives government health care

-Firefighters - Even people who adhere to fire safety standards are forced to pay for careless peoples' protection.

-Departments of Transportation - The government owns the streets, and takes money from people to pay for maintenance on roads they don't even use.

-Departments of Sanitation - The government filters water, eliminates trash, recycles, and disposes of sewage. They use everybody's tax money to do this, regardless of how sanitary your own home may be.

-Child Labor Laws - Government interfering into the free market.

-Disability Insurance - Government ensuring the survival of those who are physically unable to work.

-Police - Even if you intentionally live in a low-crime area, your money pays for police to work in other neighborhoods.

-Prisons - Even if you weren't a victim of any crime, or disagree with imprisonment, the government controls this industry.

-Electrical grid - Government taking money from the wealthy and making sure the poor have electricity, even in remote areas.

-FEMA - Government-funded disaster relief. My house wasn't flooded, why do I pay those taxes?

-OSHA standards - Again, government telling businesses what they can and cannot do.

-Anti-discrimination laws - Again, government telling businesses what they can and cannot do.

All of these are paid for with taxpayer money, regardless of whether you use it or not. And, you'll recall that one form of socialism encompasses public ownership and administration of the means of production and allocation of resources.

Means of production and allocation of resources.....public ownership......okay, let's see if I can figure out if any of these services or policies fit one of the two criteria for a socialist policy/system. Of course, these could get a bit tricky, not even being American and all. Some may not fit, while some may actually fit both but I'll give it the ol' College try!

Means of Production

-Electrical grid - Government taking money from the wealthy and making sure the poor have electricity, even in remote areas.

-Departments of Transportation - The government owns the streets, and takes money from people to pay for maintenance on roads they don't even use.

-Departments of Sanitation - The government filters water, eliminates trash, recycles, and disposes of sewage. They use everybody's tax money to do this, regardless of how sanitary your own home may be.

-Child Labor Laws - Government interfering into the free market.

-Prisons - Even if you weren't a victim of any crime, or disagree with imprisonment, the government controls this industry.

-OSHA standards - Again, government telling businesses what they can and cannot do.

-Anti-discrimination laws - Again, government telling businesses what they can and cannot do.

Allocation of Resources

-Army - A taxpayer-funded government volunteer service that receives government health care

-Navy - A taxpayer-funded government volunteer service that receives government health care

-National Guard - A taxpayer-funded government volunteer service that receives government health care

-Air Force - A taxpayer-funded government volunteer service that receives government health care

-Firefighters - Even people who adhere to fire safety standards are forced to pay for careless peoples' protection.

-Disability Insurance - Government ensuring the survival of those who are physically unable to work.

-Police - Even if you intentionally live in a low-crime area, your money pays for police to work in other neighborhoods.

-FEMA - Government-funded disaster relief. My house wasn't flooded, why do I pay those taxes?

Well, how'd I do? I think I did okay, bu I am sure that someone could easily contest some (hopefully not all, that would certainly be embarrassing!) of my choices. The main issue here though, is whether or not the United States of America employs socialist programs, and whether or not the nation employs these socialist programs, policies, and principles, to its betterment.

I'd have to say yes. America is partly socialist, and that's a good thing, if you ask me. There are certain services that you do NOT want in the hands of a private entity. Imagine calling 9-11 in the case of a fore and being told that you failed to pay your bill the month prior, so you're on your own (aka, tough shit)?

Or, much less extreme an example, imagine a truly free market. A market in which the private entities are in full control. Now imagine what happens to things like, oh, I don't know, labor laws and consumer protections when the government, which is (at least in theory) run by, and for, the people, is taken out of the picture, and control is given to the private entities, which I like to call the money interests.

With their only motivating factor being the bottom line, they, the money interests, will try to get away with paying as little as possible for as much work as that little amount of money will buy. Without regulation, they will take risks. You thought the recent financial crisis was bad? Ha! That took place in a system that includes regulation (however minuscule in reality, despite more lofty outward appear aces to appease us, the peasants, it was still some) , now imagine a system without regulation.

It's a very crude analogy, but imagine what happens when Billy and Jimmy, both 16, upon returning home from school on a lovely Friday afternoon, find a letter which informs them that their parents are gone out for the night and will not be returning home until the early morning. Now, let's say that on a normal night, with their parents somewhere in the house up above them, Billy and Jimmy usually have 2 or 3 friends over, and, sitting in the basemet, listening for any sound that approximates a set of footsteps approaching the staircase that leads down to the basement, they quietly crack open the beers that one of their friends' invariably brings, and drink 2 or 3 each.

So, on this particular Friday, our fun loving, adventurous brothers, Billy, 16, and Jimmy, also 16, rather than invite the usual 2 or 3 friends, which is the maxiumum they are allowed under a regulated system, decide to invite over 10 friends. They invite Renny, Carl and Mike, like they usually do, but then they decide to also invite Susie, Angelica, LeeAnne, Amanda, Stacey, Sabrina, and Lisa. The boys tell each of the women to bring hard liquor, and the three boys are instucted to bring beer, as usual, bit this time more of it.

And so, on this unregulated Friday evening, Billy and Jimmy Inc. consume 8 beers each, as well as 5 shots of hard liquor, and they both end up in bed with a few of the girls that were there that evening, as well as one or two of the guys. The normally reserved, quiet, get away with what we can under the noses of the regulators evening at home turns into a wild party filled with drunken sex and vomiting. And even sex with vomiting, because, hey, what the hell, when the regulators are away, Billy and Jimmy Inc. will play.

And so, in one unregulated evening, Billy and Jimmy Inc. mange to contract 7 STD's between the two of them, impregnate 5 women, completely destroy an expensive carpet by puking all over it and then smushing it in by walking, running, and shagging all over it (yes, they were so inebriated that they shagged in their own puke).

And to whom did Billy and Jimmy Inc. turn when they woke up the next morning with very bad hangovers and the realization of what had transpired the evening before dawning in their heads? The regulators, of course!

"Help us!" they cried in unison, heads bowed in shame (real or contrived, it was hard to tell over the glare of their $3000 suits and $45 hair gel).

"Sure, no problem, how much do you need?" came the response.

And that, my friends, is the story of Billy and Jimmy Inc.'s one and only night playing in an unregulated environment.

Resident Evil: Revelations 3DS Demo Door Puzzle in Seconds (2 Moves) Walkthrough

2012-01-26T03:10:00.001-05:00

This video shows you how to complete that initial puzzle (door lock puzzle) found in the RE:R demo in a matter of seconds (once the screws are removed) by making just 2 moves:

If you have played this demo, what do you think of it?

Also, if you answer this, could you add whether or not you consider yourself a fan of the Resident Evil games, and if so, which ones do you prefer? The old school survival horror ones with tank controls, puzzles a-plenty, static camera angles and limited ammo, or the new school ones (Resident Evil 4 and 5).

Personally, RE6 will most likely turn out to be a far better game, technically, than Revelations, but I think Revelations will succeed where RE6 will likely fail: At being a damn RE game! I hope I am wrong, but I think 6 is going to stray even farther from the series' roots than 5 did, and while 5 was a great game in its own right, it was an abomination of an RE game :(

Gaming News I Did NOT Expect: New Neo Geo Portable!

2012-01-25T18:07:00.000-05:00

http://andriasang.com/comzr4/neo_geo_pocket_2/

Yes, it's obviously designed by totally unimaginative Apple copycats, but who cares?

There are 20 games pre-loaded onto the 2GB of internal storage (an SD slot allows for expansion if desired):

1.WORLD HEROES
2.ULTIMETE 11
3.TOP PLAYER'S GOLF
4.SENGOKU
5.NAM-1975
6.MUTATION NATION
7.LAST RESORT
8.KING OF MONSTERS
9.FRENZY
10.CYBER LIP
11.FATAL FURY SPECIAL
12.ART OF FIGHTING
13.SUPER SIDEKICKS
14.LEAGUE BOWLING
15.METAL SLUG
16.MAGICAL LORD
17.BASEBALL STARS PROFESSIONAL
18.SAMURAI SHODOWN
19.KING OF FIGHTERS '94
20.FATAL FURY

It comes out ______ and is priced at _______

(Yes, that means no one yet knows)

No word yet as to whether or not other games will be available for purchase, if applications can be run, etc.

Did YOU expect this news? I sure as hell didn't!

My Favourite Franchises are being Destroyed

2012-01-21T17:53:00.000-05:00

Hear the latest news coming from the people behind the upcoming Resident Evil 6? They're after the Call of Duty market....Seriously:

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/332888/resident-evil-attracting-cod-fans-the-dream-says-capcom-action-route-makes-sense/

First I see that abomination of a trailer and I figure there is no hope left, but then Capcom decided to at least be nice and remove any possibility of me maintaining even the slimmest glimmer of hope by announcing that, nope, you're out of luck, and yes, Resident Evil is not what it once was, aka what you fans MADE it to begin with.

And btw, Capcom, RE5 was the biggest selling RE game and the most action oriented, but that correlation is just that: a correlation. To infer a causal relationship between the two is fallacious, and when you FAIL to grab a significant portion of the COD fanbase's attention, hopefully you will re-examine your conclusion. Protip: Was it the only RE game simultaneously released on multiple platforms, both with huge install bases in the middle of a gaming explosion in the mainstream? Was it a game that followed a tremendous entry into the series? Don't many franchises grow with time?

Can I be sure that it [i]wasn't[/i] the action orientated nature of the game that drove sales? Nope. They can't be sure it was, though, and when you factor in things like it following RE4, being multiplatform on 2 very successful consoles, etc., one has to wonder if perhaps they are being a bit narrow in their thinking.

And as if this shit wasn't enough, this comes after the bastardization of Ninja fucking Gaiden of all things, PLUS the shooter-ification of Mass Effect, the whatever the fuck you call it they did to Devil May Cry (although I hold out some hope that one may still be good), the abomination that was Dragon Age 2, the rape of Rainbow Six (although the games are still great, for the most part), the pillaging of the spirit of Fable, and on and on.

Not to mention other people's favourites that have been ASSFUCKINGRAPEFUCKED like Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, Hitman, Metroid, Silent Hill, etc.

This is a pretty fucking sad time to be an 'old school' gamer. Everything classic is being bastardized in favour of being "cinematic," and "accessible," and anything that was stealthy, strategic or required any fucking thought, effort, patience, time or conquering of difficulty has become a fucking joke, with hour long turorials, incredibly obvious exposition, HUD's made for toddlers (breadcrumb trails, really Molyneux?), and someone in your ear at ll fucking times, telling you what to do and where to go (even goddamn motherfucking RYU HAYABUSA has someone chirping in his ear in Ninja Gaiden 3....WHAT THE FUCK?).

ENOUGH OF THIS SHIT!!! FUCK!!!!

/get off my lawn

Trying Out the New Drums

2012-01-19T23:47:00.003-05:00

Geometry Wars 2 Review

2012-01-17T01:58:00.000-05:00

Geometry is Fun Again.....Again

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 is the sequel to the smash hit, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, which itself was an expanded version of a mini game found in the game Project Gotham Racing 2 on the original xbox.

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2, just like its predecessor, is a 2D top down shooter, that is essentially a modernized version of Asteroids, without the warping and with dual stick controls added in. You move the ship with the left analog stick, and fire in the direction you point the right one in. Instead of flying saucers and asteroids, your ship shoots at enemies that take several different geometric shapes, are coloured differently, and behave in different ways. There are simple enemies like the blue diamonds that move towards your position in a non aggressive manner, or the purple pinwheels that spin about randomly, not attacking you but causing your demise if you inadvertently make contact with them. There are green squares that hone in on you, and cowardly move away once you turn to fire in their direction.

There are also more complicated enemies, like intensely aggressive seekers, ones that split up into smaller pieces when hit, long snakes that slither about and present a challenge due to their movement patterns and near invulnerability, or tiny blue particles that fill up the screen almost faster than you can shoot them.

There are also black holes (well, red holes with the properties of black holes) that appear on the grid once you start to earn enough points. These suck in the nearby enemies and even the grid that forms the background (for a cool visual effect) before exploding into a swarm of enemy shapes. These are supposed to present a challenge to the player, but can also actually be used to your advantage, as it's possible to lure enemies nearby, and shoot them as they are being sucked into the gravitational vortex.

Some new enemies have joined in on the fun this time around. There's a slow moving pair of red squares that always move in tandem, as well as an orange arrow shape that moves either horizontally or vertically across the grid in a very rigid straight line. These arrow shaped enemies travel alone and in packs, and in fact, packs of these orange arrows are the basis for one of the new gameplay modes, which will be explained momentarily.

In addition to the red squares and the orange arrows, there are also blue barbell shaped gates that reflect your bullets, and explode when you drive your ship through the center of them, taking out surrounding enemies. They are not entirely benign, however, as touching either end will result in your death. These blue barbells can be used strategically, as any enemies killed by reflected fire are worth more points, and the ensuing explosion upon your ship being driven into one kill surrounding enemies, leading to a drastic increase in the score multiplier.

Speaking of multipliers, the score multiplier is no longer simply increased one by one upon killing the requisite number of enemies for each level. Instead, when you destroy an enemy, it leaves behind tiny green orbs called geoms. Collecting these geoms increases your score multiplier. Another change to the multiplier system is that it doesn't reset if you die, like it did in the first game. Lastly, you'll notice that the multiplier is no longer capped at 9; rather, it can extend into the several hundreds, and increases quite quickly this time around.

Another change to the formula this time around is that there are no longer weapon upgrades to acquire. The guns default efficacy was increased, and the upgrades removed. The biggest change, however, is the addition of several new gameplay modes, which really serve to change up the gameplay and force the player to think differently than they would when playing the standard evolved mode. The goal of deadline mode is to score as many points as possible in three minutes with unlimited lives. Think of deadline mode as a streamlined, timed version of the evolved mode from the first game.

King mode starts you off with one life and no bombs. Circular safety zones appear randomly in the playing field. Enemies and geoms cannot enter these zones, and the player can only fire while inside one. The zone shrinks and disappears a short time after it is entered, causing a new one to appear elsewhere in the playing field and forcing the player to keep moving from zone to zone. Think of it as hot potato, with the player controlled ship as the potato.

One of, if not the, neatest new modes is called Pacifism. In pacifism, you are unable to shoot, and have only one life. The grid fills up with blue squares, and the only way to eliminate them is by flying through the aforementioned barbell shaped gates. You can earn bonus points by flying through gates in rapid succession. More enemies are eliminated if they are located at the ends of the barbell when the player drives through it. Of course, touching either end results in death for the player. The score multiplier, and, consequently, the scores, are super inflated in this mode. If you can survive long enough to get into the tens of millions, suddenly the score just seems to skyrocket every gate you fly through. Not being able to shoot really ratchets up the tension, and changes the dynamic significantly.

A particularly challenging mode called Waves again has the player limited to one life. This time, the goal is to avoid and destroy waves of the orange arrow enemies that fly, in large packs, horizontally and vertically from the edges of the grid. The packs take the form of large, thick lines that run from end of the grid to end. The player must shoot their way through the approaching waves, and, as the numbers and rate of enemy spawns increases, it gets to the point where you must essentially shoot a hole into each oncoming wave just large enough for you to fit through, as time becomes limited with waves constantly approaching. In addition to the waves of orange arrow shapes, additional enemies start to spawn in, really ratcheting up the difficulty.

Yea, it's tough.

The final of the new modes is called Sequence mode. This mode is definitely the most elaborate of the new ones, as it consists of twenty separate levels, each with a predetermined pattern of enemies, that need to be completed, well, in sequence. Think of it as a sort of level based survival mode. Each level is timed (thirty seconds) and you are taxed with destroying all of the enemies in each level. If you die, you are taken directly to the next level. While losing a life does not result in an automatic game over, it of course means that you lose out on scoring potential. Die too many times, and your score really suffers. Lose all of your lives, and the game ends. Additional lives and bombs can be earned by surpassing certain score thresholds.

The Retro mode from the previous game was cut, likely due to the fact that it was not terribly popular. The Evolved mode is of course still in, and in fact, it has.....evolved....somewhat. It plays identical to the original, save for two exceptions. You start with 4 lives and 3 bombs, as opposed to 3 lives and 3 bombs, and the new additions to the formula this time around, namely, the new enemies, the barbell gates, and the geoms, are included. Beyond that, you know what to expect if you played Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved.

You navigate through the game space, avoiding and shooting enemies, as you earn an ever increasing score. The difficulty increases as time passes, the screen begins to get more and more cluttered, the urge to blink starts to be ignored, the world focuses to a point....it's just you and the game. Evolved mode may have been outdone in terms of complexity and ingenuity this time around, but it's still the single best iteration of the geometry wars gameplay. It's refined to the basics, and it's that simplicity of design, as well as the pumping music and the flashy visuals, that add up to what is probably still the best way to experience the game.

Speaking of the visuals, Geometry Wars was a sharp looking game, and the sequel improves upon that in every conceivable way. The graphics are often referred to as 'psychedelic' and that seems to be an apt description. The colours pop off the screen, shapes explode into smaller shapes, and the screen literally fills with enemies as the game progresses. The particle effects are absolutely breathtaking, and need to be seen to be believed. The screen is bursting with even more colours, and the enemies are much more distinct, thanks to their brighter colours and sharper designs. With lights flashing, sparks flying, enemies exploding, and the music pumping, as the screen gets filled more and more with each passing second, shrinking your travel route inch by inch, you'll find yourself intoxicated by the intensity of the experience. This is definitely a twitch game, heavily relying on reflexes and quick decision making. And it all looks beautiful.

The sound is also much improved from the original. Every gameplay mode comes with its own music track, and each track serves to set an appropriate tone for each mode. For example, the music track in waves mode is chaotic and frantic, whereas the music backing the pacifist mode is much more relaxed and subdued in nature, which is fitting, given the (relative) calm, due to the lack of both player controlled and enemy fire. The explosions sound great, very punchy, and the enemy spawn noises, while seemingly something that normally would not merit mention, are actually quite memorable, and so distinct that, once you have built up enough familiarity with the game, you need not actually look to know just what types of enemies spawned at any given moment.

And finally, we come to what many will consider to be the biggest addition to the Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved formula: multiplayer. The multiplayer mode amplifies the fun to be had, although with a few caveats. You can multiply your firepower with cooperative mode, even quadrupling it with 4 player simultaneous play, although this doesn't necessarily make the game any easier, because it introduces a new dynamic, and that is trying to keep track of what's going on onscreen with 4 ships navigating the space and firing bullets everywhere.

There's a mode called copilot, and in this mode, as you might expect, based upon the name, two players control one ship. One player steers while another shoots. In addition to the co-op mode is the adversarial mode. You basically do what you do in single player, but compete for those geoms and that high score. Exclusive to this mode are power-ups. These, among other things freeze your opponents, upgrade your weapon, or turn you into a geom magnet, enabling you to earn a much higher multiplier, and, consequently, a much higher score.

The major flaws with the previous game were the lack of variety in terms of gameplay modes, and the absence of multiplayer. Both of these issues were addressed with the sequel. The new gameplay modes are varied, engaging, and fun, and both co-op and adversarial modes were added to the game. However, for whatever reason (perhaps to leave something to entice gamers into buying the inevitable sequel?) as was discussed, the multiplayer modes are not online enabled.

Clearly there was an enhanced focus on competitiveness this time around, as friend leaderboards are displayed automatically in the menus and during gameplay. This results in the player constantly being cognizant of how they stack up to their friends, and keeps the pressure to best them on you at all times. Of course, you always have the option to not succumb to such pressures, but watching your friends scores' inch up higher and higher.......it's difficult to not focus on this, and that works to the benefit of the game and the gamers, as it keeps everybody engaged and focused. This makes the absence of online play even more confusing, as this game was clearly built with more of a competitive focus in mind, as opposed to the previous games' solitary structure and focus.

Gorgeous to look at, beautiful to hear, and intense, challenging, and thrilling to play, this game is excellent. With some online play, this could have been nearly perfect. As it is, it nearly approaches perfection anyways.

Overall Score: 9.5/10

Rant on PR Speak (Sparked by comments by EA CEO RE: "Online Pass")

2012-01-08T02:21:00.000-05:00

NOTE: Major expletive filled rant here, so consider yourself forewarned. Also, please note that this was written quite some time ago, as you would have ascertained yourself. Just thought I'd fill you in. It's still relevant, but a couple of the things mentioned are now in the past. D'oh!

Still here? Great, let us begin.

So, EA recently unveiled their so called "Online Pass" venture. It's basically a measure taken against the used games market, and it applies to all of their sports titles, starting with the 2011 lineup (usually released in the fall of the year before, so a few months from now). People who buy new copies will find a code in the box that they have to enter online. This will allow them access to online multiplayer. If you buy a used version of an EA sports title going forward (soon to include all EA titles, guaranteed) you will be locked out of the multiplayer, unless you purchase one of these "online passes." A pass can be purchased for $10. Seven day free trials are available.

Now, I have my thoughts on this venture, but a) they're not fully realized yet, and b) that's not the point of this particular blog post. What I want to do is simply point out how fucking STUPID and INSIPID the PR speak employed by EA's CEO, John Riccitiello, in defence of this new venture, is. Here's what he said:

"We think it's a great idea, we think it's going to build our business, and we think it's a positive consumer experience." "Invariably, the consumer is getting a boat load more content to experience than they otherwise would." "By giving people this access code, we got them into the online world."

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! PR speak always kills me. I don't get how companies can employ programs and initiatives that clearly serve no purpose other than padding the bottom line, yet manage to come up with ridiculous justifications that are so EASILY seen for what they are. I mean, they are easily seen through, right? It's not just me, is it? I mean, here, let's briefly break this one down:

"We think it's a great idea, we think it's going to build our business."

-Build our business (aka make more money)...yep. Obvious and true. Off to a good start, even though they of course employed cutesie language to say increase the bottom line. Gotta love PR euphemisms, but whatever, I can let that slide.

"...and we think it's a positive consumer experience."

-Uh, how, exactly? Now we're getting into bullshit territory. The new game buyers always had access to the multiplayer. In fact, it was easier before. Now, they have to go through this code entry process, which we gamers all know have a tendency to fuck up. And then you've also screwed anyone who starts a new account, or wants to play at their friends' house on their friends' account. As for the people buying used, you're making them spend more $$.

I don't, at ALL, see a positive consumer experience here, and this is the type of LYING BULLSHIT that I am always AMAZED to see come unchallenged from these guys. I mean, really, they're OBVIOUSLY talking bullshit, which, and I am wondering if I am the only one here, shows me that they are wiling to lie, and do it in an obvious, stupid, and insipid manner, to their customer base. So what exactly do they think of their customers, then, if they can make one group of them have to do more work and be inconvenienced, and make the other spend more money, yet flat out say that you're giving them a "positive experience?"

Answer: They must think you're fucking stupid.

If you ask me, any company that lies like this should get NO MONEY from anyone. It's fucking insulting. Now, I can hear business people and EA fans yelling at their computer screens, "but mag, it's just PR speak, everybody does it. It's not even lying, it's just spin. Creative language. It's just business" and to that I say BULLSHIT! If lying to people, and doing it in the most insipid, obvious manner possible, is "just business," then something is seriously FUCKED UP with business, and I don't understand how we all allowed this to happen. If companies are so willing to employ lies....okay, sorry, "spin," in such an obvious manner, and about such minor shit, then what the FUCK else are they willing to lie about?

"Invariably, the consumer is getting a boat load more content to experience than they otherwise would."

-Do I even have to say anything to this shit? I mean, this is blatantly circular, and fucking STUPID.

"By giving people this access code, we got them into the online world."

-AHAHAHAHA! 2 things: 1) Am I fucking insane, or have people been in this miraculous "online world" for fucking YEARS now? And 2), online world? Give me a break. If by world you mean glitchy, cheater and hacker filled, latency challenged mess that you cancel after a year in order to force people to buy your next "positive experience," then you can take your fucking "online world" and shove it up your bloated asses.

Not that I play in your stupid "online world" as it is. The day you catch me buying an EA sports game (new, I have purchased NHL 08 and NHL 10 this gen for $5 and $8, respectively....no money for EA hahaha) is the day you catch me 12 minutes after sustaining a serious brain injury resulting in lesions to the frontal lobe, which have removed any and all ability to critically assess my impulses and decisions, and employ restraint.

Oh, and you're not GIVING anyone SHIT, assholes.

From myself and any gamer with half a brain, including your poor customers, go fuck yourselves, EA.

You and Activision can kiss my fucking ass. You guys are taking the hobby I, and most of my generation, grew up with, and you're slowly shitting all over it and us, as you suck the fucking life out of it and turn it into just another corporate, commercial, shareholder fueled enterprise.

And if anyone thinks I am being too harsh, don't forget the TRULY bad shit EA has done, like buying up smaller studios and shutting them down (Redwood, anyone?), working their employees like slaves, refusing to pay them overtime, only paying up when they fucking SUED your asses, setting ridiculous deadlines for games and refusing to extend them, not including the ability to dodge cancel out of combos, a fucking staple of the hack n slash genre, and then adding that ability as fucking paid DLC (Dante's Inferno), and much, much more.

Nintendo 3DS Swapnote Slideshow Demo Video "God Slideshow"

2012-01-03T18:00:00.001-05:00

Scatterbrained Self

2011-12-31T00:32:00.003-05:00

So before even started this post, I started running through my head what the hell I could possibly write. In fact, this, that I’m writing now, is quite different from what I was planning on writing.

“That makes no sense” you say

I say “Screw you” with a minty fresh breath, since I left this page open to go brush my teeth to think on what I was going to write.

<!--more—>

20 fucking minutes later(after looking for the break so that this thing doesn’t take up the whole front page and (mag gets mad). I really hope this shit works, fix it doesn’t mag. Anyway, I totally forgot what I was going on about….fucking distractions.

So I left that one site that I don’t care to mention. Only visited a couple of times since then, I must say their Goty awards were shit for the most part(Uncharted 3 best third person shooter? REALLY?!?!). Eh,fuck it; just opinions and such and mine don’t fit with theirs.

So I’ve been going to a therapist/psychiatrist for the past few months now(since October) and I am officially diagnosed as clinically depressive and as having an anxiety disorder. A huge part of me things: “So what, who isn’t now a days, suck it up!” I find I’m my own worst enemy and put myself down so often.

Random interruption:

*watches random video*

*person in video coughs, then I cough*

Me: Clearly coughs are contagious.

Stop right there criminal scum and keep your pity to yourself. At least that’s what I think when I think that people read this and give me “well wishes or other bullcrap.” I immediately think that I’m being pitied and hate it. I know they/you aren’t, but there’s that separation between “knowing something” and ‘feeling it.” It’s that pessimist in me, fucking everything up, fucking jerk.

So my writing is pretty much non-existent as well. This causes me to stick with my self proclaimed “aspiring aspiring writer” label. I feel like I’m just a delusional fool sometimes. one who is smart enough to realize it, but not smart enough to overcome it.

This obviously isn’t me all the time. It’s just during moments of weakness, which seem to happen far too often now a days and that realization depresses me. *sigh followed by a cough*

Ah fuck it, I’ll end it here. I’ll go back to attempting to make a “to do list” for tomorrow and fucking around on twitter. Also, Socially Awkward Penguin is the best meme I found out about today randomly while on twitter!

PS: While looking for a way to turn text into a link, I found out that the program I’m using to writing this has a built in “break it in. I’m a bit annoyed…..

UFC 141 Free on Xbox Live!

2011-12-20T15:57:00.000-05:00

UFC 141 Free on Xbox Live!

The xbox UFC app is now available on the 360 dashboard, and as a special treat, Microsoft and the UFC are offering UFC 141 for free (both in SD and HD) so go download that app and select 'buy UFC 141' (it comes up $0.00, don't worry).

Nintendo 3DS: 'Hardcore' Gamers' Dream?

2011-12-20T14:45:00.001-05:00

Thus far, the Nintendo 3DS has:

-A new (and GOOD) Shinobi Game!!! (btw, my first 'S' Rank:

)
-Two new Resident Evil titles (one out (although it is just a mercenaries rehash), one upcoming (actual new entry in the series))

Btw, if you are not aware of Resident Evil: Revelations, and are a RE fan, shame on you! It's aiming to be a mix of the new and old RE styles, and looks very good thus far.

-New entries in the Contra and Castlevania series announced/rumoured

-Heroes of Ruin, an upcoming (Q1 2012) online action RPG/dungeon crawler that looks VERY good

-Monster Hunter 3G or whatever it is called

-Nano Assault.

-Some other crap I am unaware of/do not care about, because really, it's all about this:

....as long as it doesn't get cancelled.

(and Shinobi, which I am loving (and is kicking my ass))

(And yes, I am aware of the existence of the NG:Sigma rehash for the Vita. I'll probably end up getting it, but the 3DS title is supposed to be an entirely new game)

Nintendo has long had a reputation for catering to the 'casual' market, and while this may not be entirely unsubstantiated, they have gone a long way to rectifying that perception with their acquisition of some serious 3rd party firepower for the 3DS (and apparently for the upcoming and stupidly titled Wii-U as well).

If you are more in line with what people mean by a 'hardcore' gamer, as I would be my most people's standards, then you may want to take a second look at the Nintendo 3DS. When thinking of the 'hardcore'/'casual' issue, it's not as clear a divide between the Vita and 3DS as you may think. The 3DS isn't just Brain Age and Nintendogs games.

When you think Nintendo, you may think Nintendogs, Brain age and Wii Sports. Well, maybe it's time to think Ninja Gaiden, Shinobi, Resident Evil, Contra, Castlevania and Monster Hunter :P

Shinobi StreetPass Challenge 1 S Rank

2011-12-20T14:22:00.001-05:00

Christopher Hitchens is Dead :(

2011-12-16T14:45:00.000-05:00

"R.I.P." Christopher Hitchens :(

December 16th, 2011: The day the world lost one of its most prolific social, cultural and political analysts, and a voice of reason that, if the tides of time are fair and true, shall echo down throughout the ages and resonate with all who hear it.

Screens: Obsidian's South Park RPG Screenshots. Looks JUST Like the TV Show

2011-12-14T02:48:00.000-05:00

Here are 3 screens from the new South Park Role Playing Game being developed by RPG masters Obsidian. Tell me these screenshots don't look exactly like the TV show. Ya, that's right- you can't, because they DO.

Dragonborn Evangelists?

2011-12-07T17:32:00.000-05:00

Well, looks like we're all fucked.....

Typical Discussion with a Christian

2011-12-04T13:54:00.000-05:00

I received two private messages on youtube regarding the first ever video I ever uploaded to the site. Said video is based on the following blog post:

Eternal Torment and a Just God

The thesis of said blog post basically being that the christian god punishes every sin in the same way, even though (apparently) not all sins are equal. I ask in the video/blog if this is fair, and whether or not we are more just than god, since "in the criminal justice system, differing crimes are given differing sentences. But not in hell. An atheist gets the same treatment as a serial rapist or a murderer. Hell, under this system, I would get the same punishment as Hitler. Is this fair? Is this behaviour indicitave of an omnibenevolent being?'

Here's the first of the two PM's I received:

Hey i watched part of your eternal torment video. you have legit questions!

one in of the Letters the Lord said this "My newly beloved flock, you have accepted what I have given you...

Now root out that which remains, for it has already died within you...

Do not revive it, let evil die!

All sin is sin and requires forgiveness...

All sin is not equal... Only forgiveness is equal...

All sin is forgiven through the cross...<<< Only the people's rejection, of that sacrifice, leaves them in the dark... Separated from God." - Jesus Christ http://trumpetcallofgodonline.com/index.php5?title=Those%2C_of_Steadfast_Faith_in_Christ%2C_are_Free_From_Doubt...In_Them%2C_Sin_Has_Also_Vanished in another Letter the Lord said this "...Yet you say, "I do not believe in punishment"... In this lies your error, for I sent My Son to take the punishment for you. If there is no punishment, then My Son I did not send, and you are lost. The punishment of sin is death, but the sacrifice of My Son is so you may live." -God The Father http://trumpetcallofgodonline.com/index.php5title=I_am_He_Who_Corrects_and_Disciplines_Those_He_Loves and in another letter the Lord said this "I am The Way, The Truth and The Life. He, who believes in Me, has eternal life... The Father has provided. >>>Still men create religion, in vain hopes to reach God... God has sent His only Son to reach men. The Way is before all men, you need only take it...

One path, one way.

Take many roads, and they will lead you in many different directions... None to salvation, only confusion. If you then not take The Highway of Holiness, then I ask you, what path do you tread? For if God has laid the bricks of the one and only path, and swept it clean in The Son, then all other paths are full of debris and made by the evil one. - Jesus Christ - http://trumpetcallofgodonline.com/index.php5?title=Seek_the_Lord_and_He_Shall_Find_You...He_Will_Open_the_Way

anyway love ya bro, may the Lord lead you to repentance! God bless

I choked back my laughter and responded:

Hello, I don't believe your message really addressed the main thesis (if you will) of my video. My point was to discern whether or not 'sins' are considered equal, and then to address the fact that the punishment for these 'sins' is equal accross the board. You yourself stated that:

"All sin is not equal... Only forgiveness is equal..."

which means that while the reward for good behaviour/acceptance of Jesus/repentance is equal (entrance into heaven) the punishment (eternal separation from god, according to your particular interpretation of the scripture....so no torture in hell, correct?) based on your message is equal as well.

So, you have inequal sins with equal punishment. Rape is punished the same way as disbelief in god. Genocide is punished the same as lying or adultery. THIS was the point of my video (well, that and the questions that then follow from such an understanding).

You did not address this. Could you?

For example, do you have children? If so, do they receive the same punishment for any and all misbehaviours? Why or why not? If you do not have kids, you can still answer the question based on what you think parents should do/what is fair for children of any parent, including yours in the future, if you have any.

As far as the lord leading me to repentance, I need not repent to anyone but the people I hurt, and I make sure I do that whenever possible. I also seek to minimize the hurt I do to those around me. Neither of these require belief in a god.

Thank you for the message, and thank you for the nice sentiment at the end (although I don't believe you actually love me, since you don't know me). I don't know how many atheists you have encountered in your life, but I know many, and I know some that get offended or slightly miffed when a believer says god bless them. I am not one of those atheists, and I frankly find their reaction to be silly and misguided. God bless you is an expression of good will on the part of the believer. Why would you be offended or annoyed at someone expressing good will/a nice sentiment? That's silly to me. So, thank you for the nice sentiment, and I offer you a secular equivalent: I hope life treats you well.

I look forward to a potential response from you.

magx01

Here's the second ridiculous, rambling, nonsequitor response:

Hello. from my experience with the Lord, as i walk with Him He corrects Me and diciplines Me in a way that suits my life, according to the dicisions i Make :) the thing thank im thankfull for is that although i do sin, now that the Lord lives in Me no matter the sin, ive been forgiven (even though i dont deserve to be) becuase of His sacrifice.

But yeah in the old testament The Lord had diffferent ways of dealing with different sins commited by his people... Alot of those sins lead them to there death, but none the Less God dealt with different sins differently... apart from Christ you cant live, therefore apart from Him all sin no matter how great or small >leads< you to your death. theres no correction and dicipline (from God) for those who live apart from Christ, therefore there reward is equal,(death) but as soon as The Lord leads someone to repentance, then Jesus steps into their life and reveals himself, correcting and disciplining those his beloved, guiding the heart to a greater knowledge of who god is....anyways, I hope I'm not rambling off :) Just some thoughts, catch ya later.

I haven't responded back, and am unsure if I will or not. I mean, what can I say to this shit? He seems nice, so I don't want to be too mean, but if I am going to respond I kind of have to be mean, because what he sent me was retarded. So it's basically ignore him or be mean.

*sigh*

Seriosuly, this is not even remotely close to the first time a christian has engaged me on a point and while I was arguing with reason, they just argued nonsense. I mean, is it just me or doe these religious people often sound like stark raving mad fools spouting off nonsensical gibberish?

Can't I ever get a fucking staright answer out of these people? For once?

New Rainbow Six Patriots Details

2011-11-28T14:45:00.002-05:00

Good news Rainbow 6 fans, today Ubisoft released new information and assets for the upcoming title Rainbow 6 Patriots:

In the game, Team Rainbow faces a new and very real threat known as the “True Patriots,” a highly-trained, well-organized group of militias. The True Patriots are capitalizing on the growing sense of frustration and anger in a modern day America that they feel is irrevocably corrupted by greedy politicians and corporate special interests. Lead by a calculating figurehead named Tredway, this grassroots, homespun, terrorist organization will stop at nothing to overthrow the government and financial institutions to reclaim their country. Capturing the reality of modern-day terrorism, players will take on the role of a new Team Rainbow member as they face critical scenarios that will require them to make tough ethical decisions in order to stop this new breed of terrorists.

Developed by Ubisoft Montreal with the support of Ubisoft Toronto and Red Storm, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6 Patriots not only revolves around a dynamic single-player storyline but also introduce a huge variety of new innovative co-op and multi-player experiences.

New Features Include:

• UNPRECEDENTED NARRATIVE – Patriots’ storyline explores an ultra-realistic what-if scenario inspired by real events and characters. The game will allow players to experience events from multiple perspectives creating an unprecedented level of immersion.

• A NEW THREAT FOR A NEW TEAM – Terrorism has evolved and Team Rainbow must face an organized militia of home-grown insurgents. As the leader of a new squad, players will wrestle with difficult ethical decisions and determine if the doing-whatever-it-takes mentality is needed to stop the enemy.

• ENHANCED SQUAD MANAGEMENT – At the press of a button, the Rainbow squad will perform the most efficient and deadly tactic given the context of the situation. When extreme measures are required, or when players call for it, you can take full control of your squad to plan the perfect assault.

• EVOLVED COMBAT – The game’s combat techniques have been pushed to the next level with cover and weapon systems redesigned to accommodate every combat situation. New Rappel and Breach mechanics are now enriched with multiple new techniques including Wall & Ceiling Breach, Fast Rope Rappel, inverted ‘Aussie Style Rappel’, Infiltrate & Subdue, to name a few.

• INTENSE MULTIPLAYER EXPERIENCE – Players will be rewarded for working as a team and mastering the game’s new features that enhance communication and tactical execution between teammates. Once such feature found in the pre-game online lobby is the Sandtable, a holographic display that helps acquaint players with the level maps before they jump into the action. This will help players strategically coordinate attacks and add a new dimension to squad tactics.

• SURPRISE AND OVERPOWER ENEMIES – Utilize the game’s new Scan mode to strategically breach and infiltrate areas. This new tool will provide a thermal read on the situation, allowing you to determine the squad’s best course to overwhelm and defeat enemies.

So, after today’s update, which features of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6 Patriots are YOU looking forward to the most? Breach the comments section and share your thoughts!

Happy Single Man Day!!!

2011-11-27T16:55:00.000-05:00

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, jack got married.....and now Jack looks defeated.

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. "Jack fell down and broke his crown," Jill said. Ya right. "If I can't have you,no one can," Jill said before she shoved Jack down the hill.

Charlotte's web... 'Nough said!

Happy Single Man Day, boys (yes, it's my own invention). Buy yourself a video game, drink a beer, scratch your balls, pass some gas and revel in your utter disregard for class!

New TV

2011-11-27T00:18:00.001-05:00

Just a quick update: Decided to treat myself now that the house is officially sold. Got myself a 51 inch Samsung 3D 1080p Plasma HDTV on sale for an incredible $699!!!

Sure, it's not am LED TV or anything, but $699!! My best friend just got himself an LED one. 55 inch Samsung, 3D, WiFi, the works, but it was $1300. I just cannot justify spending that much, personally. I bet he will enjoy the fuck out of that thing, though!!!!

Words to Live By

2011-11-26T05:55:00.001-05:00

Every so often in our lives, we experience discouragement. No one is immune to it, although of course, life being the way it is, some of us experience it more than others. Quantitative assessments aside, we all experience it at some point in our lives.

It is during these times that many of us look to others for inspiration. I know I do on occasion. One of the people to whom I turn is Carl Satan. Although he is no longer with us, his words live on forever, powered by their ability to challenge, to probe, and most of all, to inspire.

Who do you look to, and what is it that they said that inspires you? Let me know in the comment section.

Octopus Walks on Land at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve

2011-11-24T12:02:00.001-05:00

Myth: Albert Einstein Believed in God

2011-11-22T12:22:00.001-05:00

Claim: Albert Einstein Believed in God

I see this claim being propagated by some in the religious community (including, surprise, surprise, my old friend Ray Comfort). It's quite popular amongst apologists, especially ones of the Christian persuasion. It's also one that could so easily be discovered to be false by these people if they did 5 minutes of homework, assuming of course they don't already know and are just lying to lend some credence to their cause (not that it actually would, but appeals to authority are very popular amongst the religious crowd).

So, what's the real story?

Truth: Albert Einstein, did not, in fact, believe in a god.

Allow me to repeat myself:

EINSTEIN DID NOT BELIEVE IN A GOD

When Einstein used the word god, he was describing the majesty of the natural world, the universe. He was a pantheist, meaning he was someone who DID NOT BELIEVE IN A PERSONAL, ANTHROPOMORPHIC, CREATOR GOD. He believed that the universe was all that existed, and it was to be regarded with the deepest of reverences.

Some quotes of his:

I believe in Spinoza’s God, who reveals Himself in the lawful harmony of the world, not in a God Who concerns Himself with the fate and the doings of mankind.

The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weakness, the Bible a collection of honorable, but still purely primitive, legends which are nevertheless pretty childish.

And, when people kept (yes, even in his day) trying to claim him as one of their own, so to speak, he had this to say:

It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it.

The definition of Pantheism:

Pantheism is the view that the Universe (Nature) and God are identical. Pantheists thus do not believe in a personal, anthropomorphic or creator god. The word derives from the Ancient Greek: πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and θεός (theos) meaning "belief that God is all". As such, Pantheism promotes the idea that "God" is better understood as a way of relating reverentially to Nature and the Universe. Although there are divergences within Pantheism, the central ideas found in almost all versions are the Cosmos as an all-encompassing unity and the sacredness of Nature.

He denied being an atheist (hell, he even denied being a pantheist in 1950). He referred to himself as an agnostic on more than one occasion. His ignorance of the nuances of these terms aside, even if you take it at face value, him self identifying as an agnostic alone disproves the claim. Still, in the end, he was wrong. He was a pantheist (which really just strikes me as romanticized or poetic atheism, but I digress). No gods. Certainly not the god of the bible. So let it go. You already have Hitler, you don't need Einstein ;)

(yes, that was a cheap shot, but I'm only playing. In reality, Hitler's beliefs are not so easily determined. Many atheists claim him to have been a theist, and vice versa, but the truth will probably never be known, since he said so many contradictory things. Unlike Einstein, whose few little contradictions-of-a-sort were chronological, consistent with a malleable viewpoint, Hitler's were chronologically fucked up and woefully hard to sort through ).

You go, girl. Throw a wrench into their plans!

Taking Reality for Granted?

2011-11-17T02:07:00.000-05:00

Taking Reality for Granted?

We all have senses, and we use our senses to perceive the world around us. The sum total of our sensory perception is the input to which we ascribe the characteristic of reality. When we do this, we are effectively saying that what we sense around us is what exists around us, and we use this information to guide us as we move about the world in which we live. However, there is a problem inherent within this methodology, as philosophers have been noting for millenia: We cannot be certain that reality is as we perceive it, since the perceptions that we cite as evidence are necessarily subjective, and are devoid of external, independent confirmation of their accuracy. Or are they? This is the question I'd like to address.

So, some would say that there's no way to confirm the accuracy of our sensory perceptions. Sure, we do internal consistency checks, as I call them, by using one sense to confirm the findings of another. And this, I'd say, is probably a valid and useful tool, but only for identifying reliability/cohesion amongst the senses. There's still the distinct possibility that the information about which our senses agree is still wrong. In other words, our sight, smell and tactile sense might tell us that there's a blue chair covered in velvet situated directly in front of us, and this chair is right side up, and smells like blueberries (not sure why a chair would be draped in velvet and smell like blueberries but just go with it) but if any of our individual senses can be deceived, then is it not possible that the three involved in the sensing of said chair are all mistaken? An honest answer to this question is yes.

Now, does the fact that the senses agree lend some extra credibility to the conclusion that said chair exists in the way we perceive it to? Sure, as would independent confirmation gathered via having other people provide their input. You could easily find 1000 people to agree that said chair exists in exactly the way that you say it does. However, is this sufficient to consider your perceptions to be an accurate model of reality? Many people would say yes, but agreement across a subset is not evidence that any given proposition or idea is indeed correct. Geocentrism, anyone? (Don't forget that we could also get a bunch of colour blind people to agree that the chair wasn't blue).

If our sensory perception is subjective and can be mistaken, then we must admit that asking another person to verify our findings, as well as using our own alternate senses to corroborate our perception, is a flawed undertaking. For an somewhat extreme, but not uncommon example, many people have supposedly witnessed alien encounters, even in large groups. These people are not widely believed, and I am one of the disbelievers. So, clearly, the majority of us believe that their senses deceived them.

For a less extreme example, consider the research studies conducted, during which people were fitted with glasses that presented them with an upside view of whatever they were looking at. Once they took the glasses off, their vision was compromised: they saw the world around them completely upside down for a time. Think about that for a minute. They experienced the world around them being upside down, relative to what we see, and what they normally saw. Their eyes, adorned with nothing extra, looked around and saw things being upside down. This means that what they perceived as reality was not exactly what their eyes took in (if we assume that what we perceive is reality). Their experience of reality was distorted by the processing done via the brain. Their perception of the world around them was not as easy as what they saw. They experienced as real something other than what (again, if we accept our sensory perception) was apparently right in front of them.

That's incredible, and reading that is what got me thinking about this a little bit today. We take for granted the idea that what we see is what is real, and a simple little experiment was able to demonstrate that it's really not that simple. We are easily fooled.

And so, thinking about this, I wanted to ask: if our senses are possible to fool, if we know we can be mistaken, then isn't confirmation via internal consistency checks and the perceptions of others entirely circular and insufficient?

Do we have any methods of confirming our sensory perceptions that do not rely on [i]other[/i] sensory perceptions? I am not saying that I don't live as though the sum total of my sensory input makes up my reality; I do. And I am also not saying that I don't rely on the same sort of validation whose validity I am here questioning; I do. I'm just wondering if perhaps we're all a little overconfident and quite possibly mistaken.

So, to sum up my query, is there some form of external, objective confirmation of reality as dictated to us by our senses, or are our methods for confirming our own view of reality, at their core, circular in nature and therefore possibly in error?

By the way, I really found that study I alluded to earlier (the one with the upside down glasses) terribly fascinating. I read about it in 'The Grand Design,' which is Stephen Hawking's latest book. It really floored me, and I think it was the first time when I truly considered the possibility that we might be taking the concept of reality for granted.