Thrown Controllers

Home Tech Support 100 - Learning to Tech

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 13:20:00 +0000

There's a saying, "You need to learn to walk before you can run". Sooooo, what do you do before you learn to walk?

Crawl.

Aww, look at the little pischer!

That isn't to say that there's a demand that you get down on your hands and knees and babble like a meshuggah, but it does mean that you need to find the true "start".

It really isn't much different from anything else.

You don't have to know everything, you don't have to know how to do everything.

You just need to ask, listen, observe and do - and be willing and patient. When things we like stop working the way that we'd like, those last two are hard to do, but necessary.

Don't ask for help until you can be willing and patient, or you may find yourself bereft of a solution.

This is no different from any other task, from retail to leadership; we're not born with excellence.

Like all other things, excellence requires dedication and experience to go along with it all.

I learned from people and my surroundings, and then learned how teach myself. That's a process that will always take years.

My skillset is a combination if an education in networking and computers combined with cable support learned by trial and error, research and osmosis on the job with Bright House Networks and Spectrum working at Transcom in Barrie, and now Cogeco in Burlington.

That's a culmination of about eleven years, and that's just my latter career.

So, why is this important to know? I mean, don't we already know this?

Yes, and we forget it with the passage of time and the advancement of marketing.

Any of you who have let out this familiar ditty - "It's supposed to just work!" - know what I'm talking about.

So, step 1:

Ask:

Like all things, if you don't know but need to get things done but don't know where to start, inquire.

But, I'm going to save you a step here: Your first inquiries will be about taking stock. This is a pre-diagnosis of sorts.

What isn't working?

Type of device
brand name
model if possible
serial number (do not ever assume that it is any number other than one that says "Serial Number" or some kind of "S/N") sometimes there's more than one; grab them all!

How is it not working?

What does it normally do versus what it currently does. Does it make noise (different from its usual sounds), display a message, have a blinking light or all of the above?
What does the noise sound like?
Is there a pattern or rythmn to the sound and/or light blinks?
If there's a message, what does it say word-for-word?

Knowing the device means that you can easily discover:

The Manual (TM): This will help you navigate menus and will have quick troubleshooting tips
The manufacturer or service provider - any sounds, light blinks and messages can be run by them and they may be able to shed a light on symptoms that the modem can't

If you can answer these definitively, you're good to go. Never take modern technology for granted and assume that these can be seen /discovered remotely

With this info in tow, you're ready to find solutions!

We'll be talking more about equipment in later chapters, because all of us subscribe to some kind of service that interacts with that equipment, and it really helps to know who to actually call.

I mean, does anyone really want the frustration of calling a service provider only to find out that they really should have really called their device manufacturer?

We'll also talk about spotting buck-passing in later posts, I promise you.

The model information can also be searched - very helpful if you've lost the manual.

Knowing the symptoms - what it's doing, lights, sounds, messages can also give you an idea what to try first.

The number of calls we handle about "No Signal" is a testament to this; at least half of these are caused by switching inputs to a device and not switching back.

It only takes a couple minutes to do this. Really.

At this point, if you don't know, start looking. Help yourself.

The available resources are endless - documentation, people, and of course the internet.

We'll discuss the internet as a research tool later because there's way more garbage than gold, and no two tech columns are equal.

Hint. Hint.

Just kidding.

But seriously, put yourself out there. Get frustrated.

Human memory is geared for remembering misery best, so the more something frustrates, the more you'll actually get out of it.

Yeah, I know, that sounds like smart-assery - and I will admit, I was smirking while typing it out - but it's 100% correct; it's part of our survival drive.

The more you know, right?

Just make sure to start asking questions when you hit a brick wall - and that wall may be closer for some than others, and that's okay.

Next up, Step 2: Listen.

Like the last step, there's some prep to do here. Bear in mind that a lot of it is mental.

I always go in with a "Trust But Verify" mentality, and I recommend that you do the same - even if you do know a thing or two.

Research always requires a bullshit detector, but you never really want to let yourself alienate anyone willing to help you; never punish anyone for their kindness, and remember that experience doesn't just talk.

As you go from support to support, be open-minded with the presented solutions; sometimes what sounds outlandish can work - but verify.

This leads into Step 3: observe.

This is really Step 0 of sorts, in that it's perpetual and you'll be doing this from the get-go.

Pay attention, learn, note, process.

And why not, there's nothing you can't gain here if you're willing!

Finally, step 4: Do.

You've grabbed what need - you know what you've had, you've checked out solutions, you've jotted down what you can, now it's time to try your solutions.

This is also the only way to really build on your experience, and also hone that bullshit detector; you're now proofing everything you've got so far.

If all else fails and there's no definitive confirmation that nothing else can be done, start from Step 2 and resume.

That's pretty much it; this is the heart of technical support and troubleshooting, and in this regard, it's no different from any other kind of complex problem solving - which we will all do at some point in our lives.

It might be some kind of construction, a recipe, a piece of art, a social gathering; this is the process of making things work.

So the next time you tell yourself and others "But, I'm not technical!", you don't have to be. You just need to be able to solve a problem - and we're all born ready for that.

Disclaimer:

Any views that I have, they're mine and mine alone. They don't represent my employers, past or current.

The overall purpose of the these tech support blogs is to provide a practical and progressive educational place, whether you want to learn where to start or up your game.

That said, all comments will be moderated.

And finally:

This is not an official forum of discussion for any service provider.

These complaints will need to be addressed through the appropriate official channels, which this is not.

Rebrand!...Of Sorts. Oh, Right, Hiiiii!

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 03:28:00 +0000

So, five years, eh? Yes, it's a long time, I realise that.

A lot has happened; got busy with work - became a trainer for my then-employer, Transcom, changed jobs to Cogeco (tech support),

dealt with wedding planning woes, moved to the big city,

and of course, got married.

So how do I have time, now?

Well, life has calmed down a lot since, particularly since I don't have to deal with any big personal projects in the near future.

The name remains, but the game has changed.

So, how?

For starters, Thrown Controllers is going to become more hardware- and tech-oriented.

My goal is to start teaching people things as well as having meaningful conversations about technology.

Because contrary to popular belief, it doesn't. Just. Fucking. Work.

Okay, okay and we'll talk about gaming, too. A little. Particularly the frustrations of modern user interfaces for Joe (or Joanne) Average.

Maybe some actual games.

We'll see.

The main goals of this will be to help people navigate the travails of modern technology, particularly multimedia.

Also, the tone is going to change. I'm going to be more "technical"; i.e. I'm going to turn my filter off and let myself swear; be a bit more human.

If that bothers you, stick around a little, it'll grow on you - and you'll be able to brag to your friends about the cool techie stuff you're learning!

Aaaand, technology can drive us nuts, I think it's only fair you see it warts and all.

Especially since I'm pretty sure many of you have sworn a blue streak over some of the issues you've encountered - and maybe even some of the solutions.

Welcome to the new Thrown Controllers. Enjoy the ride!

Any views that I have, they're mine and mine alone. They don't represent my employers, past or current.

The overall purpose of the these tech support blogs is to provide a practical and progressive educational place, whether you want to learn where to start or up your game.

That said, all comments will be moderated.

And finally:

This is not an official forum of discussion for any service provider.

These complaints will need to be addressed through the appropriate official channels, which this is not.

Planned Obsolescence

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 01:07:00 +0000

Unfortunately, today's gaming consoles are not built to last quite as long as those of yesteryear. I've replaced my SNES because I accidentally broke the pins with a repair cartridge (there's your warning if you ever consider buying one), but it was about 15 years old. But if I wanted to swap the pin set, it was and is possible (I didn't know that at the time).

Modern consoles, starting with the PS3, are not like that due to "security methods" hard coded into the motherboard and drives, which is absolutely ridiculous. The better to sell more consoles, or charge exorbitant repair costs.

Unfortunately, mine had a system board failure (most likely due to a botched repair on my part coming back to bite me a year later).

Luckily, if it's a chip failure, that can usually be fixed by someone in the know. I found a great little business here in my area (Simcoe County).

It's called Revamp Repairs, run by Rob Weller. He does it all on the side, and he does a hell of a lot more work than a lot of the brick-and-mortar places do. You can reach him by phone at 705-716-8007 or by e-mail at barries.consoles.repairs@gmail.com.

He stands very firmly by his work; he'll guarantee his repairs for a full year. If he can't fix it, there's no charge to you.

That said, if any of you would like to post your favoured repair business, please do. I think they'd greatly appreciate the recommendation and exposure!

Gadgets, Oh My!

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 02:42:00 +0000

Long time no write, I know. What can I say, I've been catching up on my back log. At any rate, I found and acquired a very neat little handheld, the Retro Duo Portable. Made by Retro-Bit, it's a hand-held emulation console.

That's essentially it below:

Sort of. It also comes with an adapter cartridge to play NES games, and it will accept Retro-Bit's Retro-Gen adapter to play Sega Genesis games.

As it is an emulation console, 100% compatibility is not guaranteed. Of my NES games, only Strider doesn't work so far, and Snake's Revenge and The Guardian Legend have buggered-up music. Shame; The Guardian Legend has some of the best music on the SNES.

My few Genesis carts that I have tried all work (Aladdin, Zero Tolerance, X-Men, X-Men 2 and Jungle Strike).

All of the SNES carts that I have tried have worked (I have lots of those).

Battery life is okay, and I actually like the ergonomics. The speakers suck, though.

What's really cool about it is that it's not just a handheld (no, it's three! Actually, that isn't it, either), you can also connect it to a TV, connect the controller adapter and a pair of SNES controllers, and get your game on. That's definitely pretty slick.

Battery life is okay; I get around 5 - 6 hours, and it only takes about 2 1/2 hours to charge.

Recently, I've been bringing it to work to catch up on games I just haven't finished, but I really don't have enough break time for that; either way, I do like it quite a lot.

Ergonomically, it's also not so bad to play; the D-Pad isn't particularly uncomfortable, so marathon sessions are possible (battery life permitting).

Hopefully, someone will make a mass-produced hand-held N64 with the expanded memory pack (and a save game pack!) built-in. I'd buy that for a dollar (or 5)!!

On the topic of handheld game systems, there are quite a lot of skunkworked ones where people have gutted the actual systems to make battery-operated handhelds running off of the native hardware.

If you have a knack for soldering and know a thing or three about electronics, it would certainly make a neat project.

Otherwise, there are a few hand-held emulation systems kicking around. Hyperkin has one, the Supaboy, and I think YoBo (FC Twin) does as well. I've puttered around with the FC Twin, and due to a bad battery (sorry, it shouldn't take over 6 hours to charge a lithium ion battery!), I traded up for the Retro Duo Portable after that.

Unfortunately, none of the emulation systems are currently a 100% compatible solution, but possibly with time and technological advances, they well. After all, Top Gear 3000 can be played through an emulator when at one time, it couldn't due to the graphics mode that it used.

But damn, they are fun nonetheless - and it's kind of its own reward to see which games do work.

Keep up the good gaming, and I'll see you all next time!

Long Awaited Update (One Can Be Hopeful)?

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 05:21:00 +0000

Geez it's been awhile, eh?!

Work and a lot of gaming will do that to you.

I recently (about two or three months ago) got an older gaming PC up and running, and started catching up on PC gaming that I've been missing.

I've played Far Cry (IMO, the XBox re-do was better), Chaser and Dai Katana (it really does suck) so far, and I've touched on Torchlight (interesting, but I like Sacred and Sacred 2 more).

I have also been playing the Dead Island series on my PS3, and I have to say, I'm really liking them. I'm actually trying to figure our why Riptide was raked through the coals. Only time will tell, I suppose.

What really has my attention right now, though, is this older shooter called Boiling Point, released back in 2005.

Boiling Point was made by a studio based in the Ukraine called Deep Shadows, and, unfortunately, might have been released a little hastily. I remember it also getting raked through the calls. But, one patch later, and the game was not only playable, but awesome.

Boiling Point is pretty much the inspiration for the latter Far Cry games, and it shows. You have a massive open world to explore, a lot of vehicles, and a lot to do. However, unlike the newer Far Cry games, you have skill-based stats, vehicles require training and licenses to use, and other than the local wildlife (which is incredibly dangerous, by the way) no one is an enemy until you engage them as such; you start the game off on a neutral slate with all involved factions.

So far, I haven't even touched the main story, I've been too busy running side missions, earning money and playing with the weapon upgrade system (which is simple but practical). I really like the inclusion of multiple ammunition types, as it definitely adds a tactical level that's been missing since System Shock.

The game, ultimately, is kind of like a cross between Far Cry, Deus Ex and hint of Grand Theft Auto (but only a a tiny bit).

Despite the aging graphics (and they are quite aged), the gameplay is extremely refreshing after some of the drivel I've played lately. Unfortunately, it was a bitch to find. Yes, I swore, but I can't emphasize this enough. It's pretty easy to get if you live in the U.S., though - us Canucks will have to use and abuse EBay or Amazon, though. For you lucky enough to live south of the 49th, though, Atari will gladly sell you the digital download for $9.99 (plus taxes, I assume). I'm not sure which version it is, though. If it's 2.0 or higher, you're good.

I've also finished Grand Theft Auto 5. Excellent game, but...I think Rockstar needs to make GTA V their grand finale. The online was fun for awhile, but...I'm starting to not care about the series anymore. Which is a shame, the heists were great. Being Neil, Michael and Chris (Heat fans will get the reference, I hope) was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, this is still not part of the online, and I have more games to play than GTA V.

Speaking of which, for those of you who have not played Lego Marvel Superheroes, you are seriously missing out. It is an incredible amount of fun. And it's fun that casual gamers can get into, too. K (aka The Girlfriend) absolutely loves it. Well, when we're in a mission, anyway. She's not too keen about the free-roaming.

The skinny on that is that it is the latest Lego free-roamer (Lego Lord of the Rings - also excellent - and Lego Batman 2 being the precursors, if you will). Aside from going on missions, you also solve puzzles and run side-quests in the free-roam world to get gold blocks to do even more missions, which are a lot of fun. Like previous Lego games, you not only get to play as the good guys, but the bad guys, too. Sadly, Magneto wasn't really all that impressive.

Going back to Dead Island and it's sequel, Dead Island: Riptide, I've also been playing those, and they're a lot of fun. Not true sandbox, play, though; they're like Borderlands in terms of flow and progression, so there are separate "levels", as it were.

For those who aren't familiar, Dead Island is a first-person Action-RPG where you're basically trying to survive an isolated zombie apocalypse that's trying to break loose. You pick one of four (or five in the sequel) heroes that are immune to the zombie virus, and you beat, hack, slash and occasionally shoot your way to victory in a paradise lost.

Each character levels up and earns skills, and aside from a plethora of weapons that you can pick up, you can also combine them with other mundane items to craft even better gear - and upgrade them, too.

And zombies aren't your only enemy, either. Aside from the different classes of the walking dead, you also fight humans, too, and you can use the same weapons against them as you can the zombies, although humans seem more resistant to melee weapons and weaker to guns; the zombies are the exact opposite, barring the shotgun.

Like Borderlands, the game also has online co-op for up to four players, too, so you can slaughter zombies alongside your friends or strangers, whichever you prefer.

My goal at this time is probably to finish Boiling Point, then maybe Far Cry, and then go back to Dead Island. In the middle of that, I'll hopefully also finish Lego Lord of the Rings, which is, by far, the least disappointing Lord of the Rings game that I've played. And yes, I have played Return of the King and War in the North, but not Third Age.

Hopefully (fingers crossed), I'll start seeing weapon repair kits in Boiling Point. The wear feature is interesting and while I am allegedly supposed to see repair kits, I can't buy the, anywhere. I guess I'll just have to trudge onward.

And to you, I say happy playing, and a good morning, afternoon or evening.

Notiquette

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 04:07:00 +0000

I stopped online multiplayer gaming for awhile back in 1999, I think, and I didn't really start back up until about 2003 or 2004 (shortly after XBox Live launched, actually).

One of the biggest reasons why I stopped was because my first few encounters with the "next generation" of elite online gamers was left me feeling like they only cared about number one.

And today, I ran into that yet again. Earlier this week, I declined someone from joining an open game of Dead Rising that I didn't even know was open - and it doesn't help that this is the default setting (so, anyone just downloading Dead Rising 2 for free by way of XBL's Games With Gold program, remember that). His reaction was to cuss me out for it.

This is unacceptable behaviour to begin with. If someone does something stupid, sure, it's okay to call them out. But not with an F-Bomb. Second, who are we to judge?

One of my favourite things about my gamer friends is that we only act like jerkbags with each other, we don't drop it on others.

This is something to consider, especially since you never know who you're going to offend in a monitored community. If you get enough proven complaints against you, you're no longer welcome - and this is definitely true of XBox Live.

The internet, has unfortunately, shown just how deep our yellow stripes can run, and it's more important than ever that gamers remember their "netiquette". As games get bigger and the number of players increases, tensions are going to rise, sure.

But if you don't pick your battles, you'll undoubtedly find yourself ostracised.

Going Retro

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 17:16:00 +0000

Well, a little. Despite my currently healing ankle ( I rolled it back in June), I bring my laptop to work every once in awhile to play games. I decided I'd give Shadow Warrior a go again, as it's been a few years.

Man what a great game!

For those of you who aren't familiar with it, Shadow Warrior puts you in the shoes of Lo Wang, a ninja assassin who works for the shady Zilla corporation. Zilla, however, made a deal with some demons and decided to have you killed off. As you can imagine, that doesn't exactly fly with Lo Wang.

Shadow Warrior uses a much enhanced version of Ken Silverman's Build Engine (in fact, I think he helped in the development of Shadow Warrior as well), and features climbing ladders, weapons with multiple functions, and even vehicles. Unlike most Build games, Shadow Warrior also has a large focus on melee combat.

The original game sports 14 levels and there were two finished but unreleased expansions, Twin Dragons and Wanton Destruction. Both expansions are available for free around the internet if you already have the game. If not, you can get it from Steam or Good Old Games for a decent price (the GOG version also has both expansions).

While it's a build game, E-Duke currently doesn't support it, and most of the source ports for it aren't that great. JFSW runs slow, and the other that I've found, Proasm's Shadow Warrior Port, has a problem with corrupting save files. Not good.

However, it runs great in DOSBox and that's all that matters to me. The original game, while short, is pretty stellar. Of the expansions, I've only played Wanton Destruction so far, and while it's not quite as fun (mind you, that may be biased because I was using the Proasm port), the level design was fantastic.

I also just picked up Scurge: Hive for my DS, and I have to say, it's pretty decent. I've only put a few minutes into it so far, but it's kind of like Alien Syndrome meets Secret of Mana.

Other than that, I'm still playing a lot of Dynasty Warriors 8 and Defiance. My goal with Dynasty Warriors 8 at this point is to clear the hypothetical story branches. Once I have everything unlocked, I think I might go on a co-op spree. With Defiance, I'm still whittling away at the missions. There are a lot of them!

Also, the current XBox 360 Games With Gold title is Dead Rising 2. So far, it's okay. It's not blowing my skirt up, I'm getting flashbacks of Majora's mask with the time limit thing. Hopefully it gets better as things go along or it'll be leaving my hard drive. For those who know me well, you'll know I have little nice to say about Majora's Mask.

The last title, by the way, was Crackdown. Hopefully you Gold account holders grabbed that if you don't have it. It's a stellar game.

Speaking of games (when aren't I?!), time to get back to killing AI critters and taking names. Keep your thumbs on your sticks and your fingers on the triggers!

New Acquisitions And Still Slogging Away At Dynasty Warriors 8

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 03:17:00 +0000

Hey guys, how are you this unseasonably cool evening?

So, believe it or not, yesterday afternoon was the first time that I played Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Batman: Arkham Asylum. Both solid games, as many who came before me already know, and probably feel the same way about the sequels that I haven't played, either.

K. and I headed down to Alliston to see what was what. We went into a neat little bookstore where the owner kept her pet dog with her. I think it was the first chihuahua I didn't want to kick. Actually, a really sweet, not-yappy chihuahua; strange, I know.

Anyway, so, we hit the local Hock Shop (which is actually the company's name) to see the bargoons on games. I picked up Arkham Asylum, Uncharted and Lego Rock Band, all with manuals for $10 plus taxes, and I grabbed Demolition Man for the SNES for $5.00.

It's one of my favourite movies, and for $5.00, I thought, sure, why the hell not. It's not an easy game to find, either. Well, I'm not going to lie, there are far better movie-based action games from that era. True Lies, for instance, kicks the crap out of it. So, I'm glad $5.00 is all I paid for it.

So, on to my progress with Dynasty Warriors 8, which, as you can tell by now, is a massive game. I finally finished the entire Wei campaign in Dynasty Warriors 8; I'm now working on unlocking the alternate history campaigns, which is actually a good bit of work.

To do this, you have to complete the special objectives in the main history chapters. These will sometimes unlock new side-chapters or "save" characters from their pseudo-historical fates for use later on, which also alters the historical campaigns as well. They'll also open up side-missions. Once everything has been unlocked, you'll be able to change the campaign flow at the designated chapter because you'll get two options as to whose battle plan you're going to follow.

It certainly makes things pretty interesting, to say the least.

I also have the Ambition mode nearly finished, but I'm going to start playing with weapon fusions soon. Plus, Ambition mode is so damned addictive, probably because each mission is generally a short loot-fest. In, out, done, and then you get more rewards back at camp. It's very fun, and the higher the difficulty, the better.

I have to admit, I really like what Koei did with the A.I.; it hasn't been this aggressive since Dynasty Warriors 5. It sucks that only the west got the tweak. I can assure you, Koei, hardcore gamers want more than an interactive storybook.

I've also been playing a good bit of Defiance, and I have to admit...I'm getting kind of bored with it. Progress, admittedly, isn't stagnating, but I'm barred from buying totally 1337 gear because my "reputation" stat isn't high enough.

WTF is it, and how do I raise it? Yeah, yeah, look to teh interwebz, I know.

But it would have been nice if the manual the game came with outlined this instead of it showing me the controller buttons and then several blank pages for writing notes. I mean, I'm not keen on buying it - which is clearly what Trion really had in mind (Bits, the game's currency, which you buy with real money to fast-track progress).

I also started playing a bit more of Starsiege. So far, I'm on the fence. The game definitely does not suck, even though it hasn't necessarily aged well. I like that it's a bit more arcady than Mechwarrior, but you still have to grasp a thing or two about trajectory, and you need to understand the relationship to the energy needs of your equipment versus what the reactor in your HERC (The mechs in Earth- and Starsiege) can do. At any rate, I'm at the 3rd mission, and I'm not hating it.

Now, K.'s asleep, which means it's prime-time for gaming. So, keep your paddles in hand and have fun!

The Heat Beat Me

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Sat, 27 Jul 2013 01:48:00 +0000

Actually, it beat my PS3. Yes, my PS3 is in the shop because of the wonderful YLOD (Yellow Light of Death). I'm hoping it can be fixed so I don't lose my data.

Now, beforeit went into the shop, I went under the hood to put new thermal paste on the heatsink. And boy was I in for a surprise. This is why there's an "if" over the head of my PS3.

You see, I bought my PS3 used. However, I was not aware that it was actually refurbished. I actually don't have a problem with refurbished, because it generally means that problems existed and were fixed. Cool.

What I have problem with is finding out what I bought was refurbished after the fact and before I need repairs, because suddenly I get an-in-your face version of: "Your device has repair history! SURPRISE!!!"

Being that this is not my political blog, I'll refrain from colourful language, but I can assure you, I'm bloody tempted.

Am I saying "buyer beware"? Not necessarily. What I am saying for sure is, "Buyer ask questions!", because you never know when your game system has far too much Arctic Silver schmeered all over a heat sink.

Anyway, the good news is, bring your PS3 into someone who repairs them costs less than half of Sony's "knee-pad special". Yes, you get a refurb, but you also lose all of your save data. Yes, I could always back it up, but seriously? That's a royal pain in the tuches. I'd rather just migrate my drive.

I suppose with an XBox, MS may as well do that - they don't, at least not the last time I had to send my unit in. But I did have to redownload ALL of my DLC. Rock Band is not forgiving in that respect.

That said, maybe your license should be based on your online account? I mean, you have to have one to use all of the features of these systems, why not base drive encryption, for instance on something that would allow you to transfer your data to another system.

After all, the sensitive data is kept online. Although I suppose with Sony and recently Microsoft (again!), that may not be such a good thing?

And this is why I don't let others speak for me:

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 05:35:00 +0000

I was trolling the Dynasty Warriors 8 forums because I heard that there were a few issues with the 360 version (seriously, Koei? First the install option is hidden away in the game menus on the PS3 and now the 360 version has framerate problems?), and I came across this post from a genius by the name of charlesgibson88:

I always liked in the old DW games how the game felt more real, even though it was a little outlandish. But now everything just feels ridiculous and fake; I just roll my eyes every time when they have Zhang Jiao floating in videos with magic like it is real, or when Zhao Yun flings himself 600 feet in the air in a cut scene. I think they should reboot the series in a grittier and realistic series that focuses on the individual stories of characters. Like what happened to individualized Musou modes and people having unique weapons. I feel like I speak for everyone when I say it feels lousy when you can use Xu Zhu with a sword. A giant mace. That is his weapon. Stop trying to make everything "awesome." I think that Koei needs to take away the magical looking boosty stuff and make it feel real. I don't want my character to glow with power when I get speed up for exactly 30 seconds, and I certainly don't want to shoot electricity everywhere at the end of my combo. I want to pick up a power up and not know how long it will last and how powerfully it will affect me like a real herbal remedy. I want to not know how many hits will kill me. I want to feel like I could get fatally wounded at any moment. I mean all of this can only be taken so far: we still need meat buns to get health, but it should still feel like I am on a battle field in ancient China. I want to pull arrows out of my arm and have to bandage my leaking wounds before I bleed out. I want my character to get focused with rage in scenarios and get exhausted when they are about to die. I also think that you should be able to hold a trigger and enter a focused fighting mode where you can mix up your combos, where you can create more varied combos by making 6 or 7 buttons available to attack. That way you can feel skilled with individual characters and it feels fresh when you are playing with them. Maybe have events where you train the characters skill sets. What do you all think?

Yeah, I know, wall of illegible text due to poor white-spacing. Basically, the guy is pissed with the game not being gritty and realistic enough, and then has the chutzpah to say that he speaks for the fanbase.

A little advice to you who frequent forums: One, that's either blatant trolling, or blatant stupidity - or both.

Yes, charlesgibson88 on Gamespot, I'm calling you out as a fool. Actually, an example of one. You're a sort of "this is what to avoid" lesson for people who actually want to discuss games in general.

Gamers do not like being told that you represent them when you neither ask nor are asked to do so, especially when you do not represent the fan base very well.

So, to avoid the social faux-pas of being an ass after playing a game, find out why the fans like it before you claim you represent them.

It's like saying you represent Nintendo fans but then say Mario should be rail-skinny, have a goatee, wear leathers and dual-wield .50 handguns.

Pretty friggin' ridiculous.

Beat The Heat

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Sat, 20 Jul 2013 13:52:00 +0000

Well, the heat wave seems to be over. For now. I hope that many of you have taken this opportunity to log some gaming hours. I know I did.

I've pretty much been alternating between Dynasty Warriors 8 and Defiance, although I did find my old Total Overdose savefile - Providence! I've also put a little time into Mass Effect 3.

I saw that BioWare was talking about moving the Mass Effect story forward; good for them I guess. Hopefully they won't steal anymore from Alistair Reynolds. It's pretty bad when it's blatantly obvious. But, at least they used a writer who probably doesn't have nearly as much popularity in North America as, Dick, Heinlein or Asimov.

That would have been priceless. And costly. I'm pretty sure their estates have a lot more money to sue EA and BioWare than Alistair Reynolds does. Plus I'm pretty sure that when you're dead and have people with PoA running the show, they certainly have more time, too.

On to more positive things, I've given Dynasty Warriors 8's Ambition mode a go, and it doesn't totally suck. Far better than Dynasty Warriors 7's Conquest Mode, which did.

I'm also still plugging away at Defiance (and probably will for quite some time). I just recently got smacked down by a giant robot while trying to cross what's left of the Golden Gate bridge, so I figure I'm going to have to do some more of the campaign to get down there. We shall see.

I'm going to try to play some more Defiance tonight if I can get away with it, but due to this heat, I haven't had the energy to stay up past midnight, so here's hoping.

Electrolytes to all, and to all a good day!

I Caved

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 23:35:00 +0000

I did it. I bought Dynasty Warriors 8. Not sure why, but I got caught up in hype. Well, sort of. I didn't watch the videos, didn't read reviews, didn't shtup a cos-player, I just saw an ad and thought "O. M. G!!!"

I hadn't been excited about a Dynasty Warriors game like that since 7, and I was only excited about 7 because of the old new combat system.

And yet, there I was.

So, my buddy J. and I cracked it open, skipped a few cutscenes, and started playing.

And went "whoa!".

I hadn't done that with a Dynasty Warriors game since 4. Kid you not. And I actually already knew about the features.

So, for those of you who have missed my many posts about the Warriors series by Koei, Dynasty Warriors takes place during the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries, called the Three Kingdoms Era. It's largely based on a (wicked) 15th century novel (or pair of volumes here in the West) called Romance of the Three Kingdoms, although I think Koei is also starting to add in a more historically authentic flair to the games, as it now seems to be favoring Wei instead of Shu. Romance of the Three Kingdoms favors Shu.

The gameplay is a combination of tactical action and mob-slaughter combat (no gore, though), where you take your chosen combatant and kick the crap our of thousands of peons and jumping from objective to objective to finish the battle.

The battles themselves are based on historic encounters, although Dynasty Warriors 8 has also thrown alternate scenarios into the mix based on how a battle might have gone if certain individuals hadn't died before their time, which certainly adds a nice layer of storytelling depth.

The 77 (yes, 77) characters all progress as well, with a level system that unlocks more attacks in their combo strings as well as special abilities and improved weapon skills. Each character also has their own weapon which the specialise in (although while you carry two into battle, neither has to be the one your character favours), and the weapons have an affinity that corresponds to an opposing element in a triad; Heaven, Earth and Man.

If you have a weapon that has an affinity weaker than your enemy's, you can do a special counter attack, and if your weapon affinity is superior, you'll perform a special finisher after x amount of hits. It's simple, but that's also what creates those "whoa" moments.

The game also has modes up the tuches, so there's lots of replay. I'm certainly looking forward to the Free Mode, so that I can play battles from multiple perspectives.

Koei has done an absolutely stellar job in bringing all of the elements in the series together that people really like, and so far, I have to say, it definitely doesn't suck.

Defying Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 16:21:00 +0000

Well, I finally ponied up for Defiance (on my PS3). It was also $30, so that helped.

Anyone who has been following the game knows that it's got a bit of spotty reviewing. Anyone who's followed the show...well, the show's awesome. One of the better newer shows - certainly one of the better sci-fi shows.

After all, too much Star Gate and Star Trek (enough of the million and a half series already!) makes one go something something.

My impression of the game so far is pretty positive. While I have run into the odd glitch here and there, I haven't gotten permanently stuck on any scenery, and I've only had one lag spike so far.

Now, why did I wait so long? Two reasons. The first is that once I found out that it was based on another medium, I almost instantly lost confidence. We all know that there are very few games based on other media (books, movies, TV shows, songs, etc.) that are actually any good. Other than the DnD games, I can probably count them on both hands and maybe a couple toes.

The other reason is because I'm not an early adopter; only someone with a special level of patience (or complete ignorance of MMO's and their foibles) jumps into an MMO within the first three months after release. Sorry to all of you early adopters, but it's common knowledge that most MMO's come out the gates as a buggy mess, so you early adopters get to be the guinea pigs. And I do have better things to do, like finish games I haven't beaten already.

I also seem to have finally gotten Mass Effect 3 to run with some stability on my 360. I only had to install the game. I don't really have an issue installing games, but if there are going to be problems, I want to see that recommendation to install the game somewhere. Mind you, I didn't RTFM, but at least iD was courteous enough to actually post that right on Rage's startup.

BioWare, not so much, but I hear they were pretty discourteous as far as the handling of this game went anyway.

Also, in my travels, I found a neat little stationery shop (I know, paper, pens, printers, where's the relevance, oh you shall see!) in Penetanguishene, Ontario, called Buro. Great paper prices. Also, great legacy game prices.

I found Betrayal at Krondor there for $5 (which I didn't get, I thought I'd leave that for another classic hunter), and I picked up Starsiege (it's not exactly easy to find these days, especially being that Dynamix no longer exists and GOG doesn't have it yet) for $5, and Total Overdose for the XBox for $5, too. After a couple minutes with Starsiege, I can tell you absolutely wrecks the older Earthsiege games (the series, by the way, is called Metaltech).

Total Overdose is kind of neat, too. It's like Grand Theft Auto artificially inseminated an egg from an arcade machine and Desperado was the surrogate. While taking massive hits of acid. Good times.

Back to Defiance briefly. I have read a lot of user reviews, and they look pretty broad-spectrum'd, so I'll give it to you straight. From a single-player perspective with very little time in it (may a couple hours), the game definitely requires investment. The combat isn't terribly, the weapon mechanics are pretty good, and the networking isn't utter crap either And while the graphics are sort of on the lower end, the world still looks beautiful, and is very easy to appreciate, which is great for exploring.

However, I would recommend at least a 20+ Mbps internet package with no one crutzing around on another device connected to your signal, and I would do some researching into port forwarding to reduce lag-outs. Also, wired connections only for this kind of gaming. Only use Wi-Fi if you're desperate and/or don't have enough A/C plugs and/or funds (the good ones are still over $50) for a powerline adapter.

Stay classy, and if you're playing Defiance on your PS3, look for me, Rabbi Voody. I'm always willing to help in a pinch.

(Hopefully) Weekly Update

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 18:15:00 +0000

I am hoping that I will start to have the wherewithal to start updating my blogs (except the cooking one) on a weekly basis, so this will hopefully be a more regular thing.

For those of you looking for something with more swear words, you can check out my political rant blog, Boobeles and Beer. I always have something to complain about, not sure why I don't update that one more :P

Anyway, on to gaming. I've been trying to play Mass Effect 3, however I've been having massive performance issues with it. Maybe it's my XBox. But seriously, this game is more unstable than a Chucky doll.

Sooo, I've been playing Borderlands 2 instead. Yes, I finished the most recent and also very short DLC, Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep.

I mean, seriously Gearbox? It was funny as hell, but it was no Secret Armoury of General Knoxx. Granted, I haven't done the sidequests, but almost all of the DLC for BL1 was longer, and ultimately cost just as much.

Other than that, I finished Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. I actually really liked it, other than the final mission because I couldn't switch to my FN P90. While I haven't played Advanced Warfighter (I lost my taste for the series with GR2, actually), I have to say, I'd say that Future Soldier is a pleasant step in the right direction.

No news on Fable 3, though. I have to admit, it gets boring pretty quick. Hopefully if there is a Fable 4, they broaden out the combat system. A lot. Because that's what sucks.

In other news, GOG.com is still running specials all summer. You guys missed the Eidos one (actually, I think it was all Ion Storm stuff, so Deus Ex, Anachronox, Dai Katana, etc), but there are a few ones up now, and they'll change out every now and then. Plus, it's always good to see which classic games they've given the Good Old Games treatment to!

Now, from this point on, I'm going to try to get Mass Effect 3 finished; I want to get that one under my belt so that I have almost all of my remaining long games taken care of. I want to finish Quake 4 before summer is up. After that, it'll be Demon's Souls and Dark Souls!

Long Time No See, Eh?

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:12:00 +0000

Hey guys, it's been a millenia, I know.

Lots of stuff going on.

Microsoft alienating their fanbases, first PC administrators (sorry, Windows 8 is a pain in the ass to administer with all of the extra steps to get to a command line), then gamers with their vague descriptions of what it actually does.

Sony talking about the PS4, and how it really does most of the same stuff as the XBox 360, but they're a bit nicer about it (well, the game lending and no sign-in restrictions is a nice touch, at least).

And me, playing Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires because I don't give a damn. Yes, I said it, I really don't care about the next system generation.

Actually, I just don't adopt early, and given all of the SKU's of the current generation, I'm waiting until near the end of the next one. Or at least year 5.

Anyway, on to games, because frankly, the business side is just ridiculous.

I've been playing quite a bit of titles lately, both on PC and console.

So, yes, I've been playing a log of Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires on my PS3. Fantastic game despite the lack of English VO (and let's be honest, these sucked anyway).

What makes 7 Empires great is the addition of the "Strategems", which are single-use special abilities that can change the ebb and flow of the battle, sometimes drastically. Some of the achievements are pretty epic, too, like finishing a battle without using your weapon.

That said, it's still too easy on any level of difficulty lower than Hard. Also, Koei's being really douchy on whether or not they're going to release the final patch in the West that they did in the east. This patch, called the 1.03 Patch, not only fixes several bugs, but adds more gameplay features.

I asked Koei about this on their Facebook page, and instead of responding with an IM, they deleted my post. I'm starting to really dislike them, actually.

I've also been playing Doom 3: BFG Edition, also a really damned good game. Whether or not it has aged well, it certainly has a better atmosphere than most survival-horror games. It's also interesting playing what is the PC version, and seeing how different it is from the original XBox version.

It's definitely a little longer, but some highlights are missing, such as the first encounter with the Cherubs. That was pretty disturbing the first time around, but that seems to be missing in the BFG Edition.

I also decided to give the Syndicate (the FPS that many feel was an abortion) single-player game a go on Hard, and I have to admit, I'm enjoying the game quite a bit more despite its cheap boss battles. Understanding the weapons as well as your abilities really helps there.

And finally, I'm slowly slogging away at Demon's Souls. I have to admit, I think the game is a bit overrated, actually. Granted, I'm finding most of the PS3 (and XBox) exclusives are.

Oh, wait, no, it's not. Right, for those of you with XBox Live Gold (which I figure after E3, you're considering canceling, and I can't rightly blame you as I'm considering the same), you need to get a gander at this: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/games-with-gold. If you don't have Fable III already, it's free. I'm also playing that. It's a good game, but the previous titles were better. But hey, it's free until June 30th, so why not!

Anyway, MS is running this from July 1st until December 31st of this year (PSN's offering is looking better and better, but next gen, my accounts will be going dark as I refuse to pay to play online through a VPN that I could have set up on my own router)

So that's the console front. And my gripings on that.

On to the PC:

Since replacing my laptop's hard drive, I was able to get DOS emulation running properly. Many of you don't know that I actually have a lot of DOS games, as I grew up in that era.

Anyway, between my own collection and Good Old Games, or http://gog.com, I've been doing a lot of catching up.

I recently finished Redneck Rampage and the Suckin' Grits on Route 66 expansion, and I just played The Terminator 2029 for the first time in 15 years.

Redneck Rampage is hardly innovative, but it's pretty amusing, and the level design is generally very good and well thought-out. It has more in common with Dark Forces, actually, than Duke Nukem 3D in that department.

The Terminator 2029 is a mission-based game that takes place in the future between the first two Terminator movies, and goes up to the point where you destroy Skynet from outer space, if I remember right.

It's an objective based first-person action game that seems to have more in common with Eye of the Beholder than, say, Doom.

I also finished System Shock for the first time. And I still believe that Bioshock is an utter joke in comparison. Better controls, but not half as smart.

I've also recently been playing Command and Conquer Renegade, which is actually a pretty neat shooter. Mediocre level design, but very ambitious and easy to appreciate.

GOG, by the way, is having a huge sale, and the first Torchlight game is available for free until June 20th. I'd grab it, I hear it's what Diablo 3 should have been. Plus, it's free. You can't go wrong with that.

Now, before I finish up, I recently heard that MySpace kiboshed all content except for music. And gave users 7-days notice by the site only.

According to some of the complaints, people have not only lost memory, but important items such as saved trial testimony. Why am I bringing this up on my gaming blog and not my personal politics blog? Because this one probably gets more viewers, and this is pretty serious.

This is a reminder to back up everything you can, when you can. You never know when someone pulls the rug out from you on a whim until the last moment, so take control while you have the opportunity.

Keep your thumbs on the sticks, and your fingers on the triggers, and if you have to throw something, make sure it's soft. If something launches anyway, your Wii wrist strap clearly wasn't tight enough.

New Addition

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:18:00 +0000

Hey guys,

I lucked out last weekend. I found Top Gear 3000 for my SNES for $10 plus taxes CAD(worked out to $11.30), no shipping, no handling IN A FRIGGIN' STORE. Kid you not. I played a couple of races "testing it out", and then K put the kibosh on it.

Something about spending time with her. Girlfriends, sheesh.

For those of you who have never played a Top Gear game after the first one on the SNES and I believe Genesis, Top Gear 3000 is more or less one of the many games that helped inspire the driving sims that are Gran Turismo and Forza - except Top Gear only sported Ferraris back then, if I remember right.

So, you race (duh), earn money, upgrade your car and continue to race until you've completed the whole schtick. It's a hell of a lot of fun, especially 3000, which has a gentler learning curve than Top Gear 2, where the series started this formula, continued to Top Gear 2000 (I haven't played Top Gear 2000, so I can't speak for it), and persisted to Top Gear 3000. After it hit the next generation after the SNES with Top Gear Rally, you lost the privilege to upgrade, but could use different vehicles, and then it returned to form with Top Gear Overdrive (excellent game), which also let you choose vehicles as well as modify them.

Now, what's so special about Top Gear 3000? Well, for one, it's not all that common. Two, it was actually almost impossible to emulate for quite some time, and it had everything to do with Mode 7 graphics emulation. SNES 9x can now do this. However, back in 1999 - 2002 when I was trying to decide if emulation and I could ever be friends (not happening), it didn't. So, now that Mode 7 emulation is possible, Top Gear 3000 carts on their own are worth about $15 - $20 on EBay before shipping fees. Yeah, I beat EBay. Like that was hard...

So, there you have it. And if you can't find Top Gear 3000 (or, if I remember right, the even rarer Top Gear 2000), Top Gear 2 is a great settling point. Do yourselves a favor and give this series a go. The gameplay still holds up today.

Currently Playing

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 02:52:00 +0000

No, the Mass Effect Review isn't done. There, I said it.

Anyway, as of the last little while, I've been dumping hours into two games on *gasp!* my PS3: Dynasty Warriors 7 and Syndicate.

Yes, I'm well aware that they are both available for the 360, but at the time, Syndicate was on sale for the PS3 only at a local shop, and Dynasty Warriors 7 XL isn't available for the 360 because Koei thinks that Mixjoy is a relevant feature.

Now, I think all of you know about me and Dynasty Warriors: I'm a jaded fanboy. By the way, that said, Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires is sounding frigging awesome; you'll want to go to Koei Warriors when you get a chance and check out the skinny on the forums.

So, first up: I finally conned K (girlfriend) into playing a Dynasty Warriors game; 7 to be exact. Not working on XL yet; once I have the story mode scompleted, I will though. Anyway, contrary to how she thought she might feel about it, she actually liked it. I set her up with Yue Ying, although using the ge, not the staff. She preferred the twin swords, though. However, she bored of it fairly quickly as I had ass-raped everything on the field before she had a chance to fight; Oh well, chance favours the prepared mind.

As mentioned, I've also been playing Syndicate. What can I say about Syndicate? Well, nothing that hasn't been said before; the single player experience is okay, the multiplayer experience is better. Actually, it's not just better; it's awesome. Unfortunately, it feels stunted. While it's great that Starbreeze was kind enough to display zones using the classic Syndicate world map, there's only 9 levels; not 50 like in the original. And there's no. D. L. C.

I kid you not. What a wasted opportunity!

At any rate, for those of you who do play Syndicate online, my PSN handle is Rabbi_Voody, just like my XBL one. I have started a Syndicate and am happy to welcome others within my ranks; we're (well, I'm) called Canuckorp, and the tag is CKP.

Okay, enough plugging my Syndicate (which, let's be honest, is a clan), I should probably gush about the stuff I like because it sounded like I was giving the game a back-handed compliment. The multiplayer is fleshed out much better, and plays exactly as I was hoping it might; like a super-high-tech and brutally violent Rainbow Six (not that R6 isn't already brutally violent) - except you're all super-soldiers. A huge portion of the mode is using and combining "breaching" (hacking) skills to attack, heal and manipulate the environment.

Your abilities include damage buffs, kill hacks (everyone has a computer chip in their head, after all), self-resurrection and many other buffs or abilities, plus the ability to interact with objects that you just have to screw with, like lowering an enemy's shields are screwing with their special armour.

The weapons are also fairly creative for a lot of run-of-the-mill standards such as pistols, assault rifles and shotguns. Of course, plenty of other weapons such as the classic minigun are also available; you'll have to play more to see more.

Now, being that there are so few levels, there are luckily a lot of incentives to keep playing. The first is the score; how you score will do two things; it will level you up and it will carry your research.

Research is how you improve the weapons you can choose from as well as weapons that you may find in the world that are not available for selection. To unlock these items, you earn tokens from killing heavies and wiping out enemy agents. All in a days' work. Now, research encompasses weapon modifications as well as breaching abilities, so it's definitely worthwhile to invest in. Further, as you rank up, you can buy character modifications, which are unquestionably worth the investment.

The levels are actually very well done, although the variety is basically "total annihilation", "assassination" and theft (which also involves defending the get-away vehicle). But it's so well-done, that I just can't put it down. Oy.

Oh, and I finally acquired a copy of The Peace Keepers (SNES) for less than $30, so I'm really proud about that. Fantastic game. One of my favourite sellers on EBay, Pedro's, is no longer with us, but I was able to get it from another seller, snesbrosauce. If you're looking for good cartridge buys - especially SNES games, look him up. It'll be worth your while.

Also, I have pre-ordered Borderlands 2 for the 360 (it is my dominant system), so for any of you who enjoy Diablo With Guns (aka Borderlands), I will definitely be up to killing bandits and mutants come the middle of September. You have my handle (which was so subtley dropped at the beginning of this post).

What can I say, I'm a sucker for co-operative punishment. Misery does love company, after all.

A Game Store For You

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 03:29:00 +0000

And no, the Mass Effect Review isn't done. Well, it's half-way done. Anyway, K and I were down in Lindsay, ON - or over in Lindsay, I guess - and we came upon Iceman's (nice Megaman reference!), which is a gamer's paradise. They're located on 111 Kent St. W (the old downtown; it's absolutely gorgeous).

They sell new and used games for the current systems and have an excellent inventory of classic games, and their pricing is ethical. Not only that, but they also have a decent collection of music (vinyl, even!), comic books and movies. It's a great one-stop location for your inner geek.

Even better, their staff is knowledgeable. You're not going to run into any mass-market buffoons here who only know the latest EA Sports or Call of Duty title. Well, they'll know about those, but they also know about Double Dragon, Tetris and Safari Hunt. And, of course, Megaman.

So, if you're in Lindsay, look 'em up. They're open Monday to Thursday and Saturday 10 - 6, 10 - 8 Friday, and 11 - 5 on Sunday, which means that if you're in the area, you have no excuse to miss them. Even if you don't buy anything, you need to check the place out. You owe the experience to yourself.

What's New

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 07:02:00 +0000

Hey guys, it's been awhile. yeah, I know, the Mass Effect review isn't posted yet. But just so you know, I'm almost done the gameplay part of it, which is the first of the two more difficult parts. But then again, you guys know that I don't pull any punches.

Speaking of not pulling any punches, I'm about 16 hours into Final Fantasy X, and frankly...I don't like it very much. Ever since Final Fantasy 6, the games have been so restrictive, and not having a world map to save on whenever you like - thus forcing oyu to rely on save checkpoints - is very frustrating when you have things to do. As far as I can tell, it does eventually become less linear, however...I personally dislike the direction the game has taken. The sphere grid, however, is a pretty slick character development tool, so at least there's one thing about the game that I like. I also dislike most of the characters, especially Tidus and Rikku.

I also finished Splinter Cell: Conviction and Rage. I'm on the fence regarding SC:C; the stealth mechanics are there, but the title's far more of a shooter than anything else. Oh, if only there was another Hitman game out before this one, maybe it would have attempted to compete. Rage is absolutely gorgeous, but it starts to wear down in the latter half of the game and the ending blows. The minigames, however, are quite enjoyable, especially the card game that's a new spin on War.

Further, I finally got the chance to play and finish Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Bayonetta. I have to say, these two are must-plays. Bayonetta to simply just experience it, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution to...well, live it. Absolutely amazing game.

That said, beyond the ME review, my workload now consists of Final Fantasy XII, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 3 (have played and beaten 2 and 4) and earning a few more achievements in Dynasty Warriors 7 and Skyrim.

So, play safe, have fun and keep hoping because that ME review will eventually get finished!

A Worthwhile Gamestore...And No Mass Effect Yet

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:39:00 +0000

Hey guys,

In my travels, I came across a gamestore in the 400 Market in Innisfil, Ontario. Unlike the other larger store in the 400 Market, this guy doesn't jack gamers, and his prices kick the crap out of what you'll find on EBay.

His store is called Video Games 101, and he has a site, http://www.videogames101.com/ which, while a little basic, is definitely worth checking out.

The guy has a passion for gaming, not just selling, so give him a gander the next time you're in the area on a Saturday.

And...yeah, no review yet. It's coming, though. I swear.

Its-a Comin'!

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:21:00 +0000

Alrighty then. So, I've gotten off of my tuchas and started the Mass Effect review. No word of a lie. It is in progress. I swear. Next up will be another review coming...not sure if I'll give the treatment to Metal Gear Solid 4, Hunter The Recking: Wayward or if it will be something else entirely. Maybe I'll do Darkstar One? We'll see.

Then after that I will - I promise - get onto finishing No More Heroes so that I can review it.

I swear on Buster's ashes.

Gem Number Next

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:44:00 +0000

So I finally had time to sit down with Bladestorm: The Hundred Years war. I've had it since just after Christmas, but I haven't had the time due mostly in part to a) getting accustomed to my new job and b) buying it in the middle of Darkstar One (which I highly recommend, by the way).

Bladestorm: The Hundred Years War is an original IP in a similar vein as Dynasty Warriors. However, the similarities end at embellished history and melee combat. You play the role of a mercenary who participates in real and fictional battles during the Hundred Years War (which, if I remember right, was 113 or 114 years long). You'll meet real and fictional characters including The Black Prince (Prince Edward of England - not to be confused with Edward II, the son of Edward I, aka Longshanks) and St. Joan of Arc while kicking ass in the name of whatever currency is in fashion at the time.

Combat is very different in that you control ranged, melee and cavalry support units. However, you need to unlock different books which you'll find in battle or purchase to use these units. Further, units are upgradable. Or you can choose to go it alone, although that isn't recommended. Hell, you'll get beaten like a baby fur seal in the off-season.

Each unit and equipment type also has special attacks associated with them, so it's worthwhile exploring the different units. Plus, there's a balancing act between different equipment types and different units, and some of the unit special skills actually mitigate some of these deficiencies.

As far as I can tell, the game is a match of capturing control points, but there are "special requests" that you can complete. These are usually a matter of beating certain officers or a fetch job of some sort.

So far, I'm finding the difficulty is starting to curve upwards somewhat steeply, so there's either something I'm missing or I'm rushing a little too hard. Either way, the game is a lot deeper than the "professionals" laid it out to be.

I've also started to play through some of my PS2 games. I finished Hunter The Reckoning Wayward. So far, best game structure of the series, but the graphics and controls are utter garbage compared to the XBox games. This seems more to do with the deficiencies of the PS2 controller, but it could also be that the devs dicked the controls to push the game out sooner. That is a possibility.

I've also played the PS2 port of No One Lives Forever. So far, it's alright. The dialogue is right out of Black Adder and Monty Python, though, so it adds a great touch of British Humour.

In truth, I've played a little bit of all of my PS2 games; Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy XII, NOLF, Taito Legends 2, Killzone, and HTR: Wayward. Final Fantasy X, from what I've played, is same crap different day - cool cutscenes, humdrum combat reminiscent of the extremely overrated Final Fantasy VII. Final Fantasy XII, however...that's looking to show some huge promise. Taito Legends 2 is an awesome compilation with a terrible menu interface that's about as user-friendly as a beartrap closed on your ankle and Killzone really is pretty mediocre. I can't believe Sony had the chutzpa to sell that dreck as a Halo-killer, especially since Halo was no longer the shooter to beat by that time. Halo 2 was, and it's hardly a game that requires much talent to beat, at least insofar as the singleplayer campaign was concerned.

Next up, I want to find the PS2 port of Deus Ex as I hear that it's quite competent.

After Bladestorm, I'm probably going to get to work on my PS3 backlog. I need to finish Little Big Planet and Resistance 1 and 2. After that, I'll take on Killzone. I know Killzone 2 is good; the first 5 minutes of that were infinitely better than the first 5 minutes of Killzone 1, and I'm not just referring to the visuals and horrid audio, but if one can, it's better to tackle a series in proper order. Couldn't be helped with Hunter: The Reckoning.

Yeah. Right. About that.

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:22:00 +0000

Right, I just more or less ripped the design of Metal Gear Solid 4 a new one and haven't reviewed Mass Effect yet.

Okay, here's why: The rippage of MGS4 was a blitzkrieg on crappy story telling (and seemingly unfocused). This is because I can't give the game a fair review due to my biases against the style of storytelling...and the unnecessary amount of it. I do not care for soap operas. No, this is not a disclaimer; I may write an actual review of MGS 4. You can like it or not. But I think it's about time I lay my biases bare, because I will call out stupid components/mechanics of games when I see them.

And, just so you all know, I was finally able to grab a PS2 with FF X and XII. Not expecting to necessarily enjoy X a lot, but XII looks extremely promising (and is the first FF I've been looking forward to since VII...and that was quite a disappointment to me). I alos got Hunter The Reckoning: Wayward, so the trilogy is now complete. Plus a few other goodies, including NOLF. Don't know how the gameplay will turn out, but the dialogue's right out of Black Adder and Fawlty Towers, so at least the humour looks promising.

Being that I'm finding a little more time to do things in, I will hopefully have the ME review up in the coming weeks. Need to beat the game again...I've kind of forgotten most of it other than that the series rips off Alistair Reynolds' Revelation Space series (although the two sidestories have so far been better than the main trilogy).

Anyway, keep safe and see you all soon.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Under My Belt

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:57:00 +0000

Okay, now before I start, let me say this: MGS fanatics, walk away. Now. What I have to say will make you very upset.

I have played several of the Metal Gear games from the NES up until today. Beaten most of the ones that I've played except for the original MGS. It isn't that I don't care for the graphics so much as the gameplay is a little too overly convoluted and, like every game in the MGS series, far too much value on story. And Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is no different.

Visually, it's stunning in many details, although I notice frequent framerate drops, and many of the stealth actions of the previous games are...dumbed down. Not to mention that the whole sneak-through-a-base thing is more or less paid lip service and the key-anditem-hunting game that actually helped make the series enjoyable is gone (mind you, I haven't played Snake Eater yet), and instead feels more like a fratboy actioner with firepower on demand.

However, the game is a lot of fun, when you're playing it. When you're not playing it, it's because you're watching a 20-30 minute cutscene depicting cool stuff that you aren't actually doing (well...for the mostpart...won't spoil the one cool thing you do actually get to do). Many of the boss fights are by the numbers - mostly because it's little different than any other MGS game.

Now, luckily, you can skip the cutscenes, but then you don't know what the hell is going on. And if you don't have time to screw around, you miss the whole point of Kojima's alleged masterpiece (and yet I've read Tom Clancy books more complex).

The shooting is rock solid, although I found the stealth left much to be desired. While the weapons on demand was a pretty cool feature, it felt unnecessary, especially when a lot of the guns essentially did the same thing and it was more or less a matter of picking your favourite model.

I think that the idea of aging Snake was pointless. I realise that it is supposed to add another dimension of depth, but it really didn't. The stamina bar and how it was used, however, did. It certainly helped increase the tension in a boss fight or two.

As far as level design goes, all of the stereotypical locales are there, plus a nod to past games. This really did not impress me, although it may be because I've read and experienced too many modern-day techno-thrillers. However, desert, jungle, tundra...it kinda sounds like a Ghost Recon game.

In short, as a storytelling vehicle, Metal Gear Solid 4 is a great fan service, but a slap in the face to the average gamer. It is artificially lengthened by way of semi-interactive cutscenes that rarely progress the story so much as try to make characters look cool and throw in what seem to be contrived emotional bonds (e.g. token romance side-storylines). This adds a level of superficiality that really denegrates the game as a game. I realise some people might view it as art...but if it is, it's little more than David with a dress and cockring. As offensive as that sounds, the whole point is that it's dressed up for the sake of dressing it up; underneath, it's still the Statue of David, and it doesn't need those things - especially when they're gaudy and unnecessary. i.e., the game underneath is excellent, you just have to remove the fluffy excrement piled on top by a misguided director. At least he was kind enough to give you the tools to get around them.

So, I sincerely hope that the next Metal Gear game incorporates story that you can read instead of needing to extrapolate it from deliberately paced cutscenes. It needs to be told more efficiently, or at the least, the resources need to be on hand in an efficient manner in the game. Because if I play MGS4 again, I'll be skipping those cutscenes; they're just too long for people with lives.

Wow, It's Been A Long Time. And Oh...I Guess I Owe You Guys An Apology

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan C) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:25:00 +0000

Hey guys, it's been...what, almost three months, eh? Yeah, I kind of got a job working for a computer company called Canada Computers. I sold some stuff, helped customers through system builds, it was fun times. Now it's over. On the bright side, I have more time for Thrown Controllers again...so I guess I owe you all a review...I'll get around to Mass Effect, soon. I promise. I've already beaten it anyway.

So, that said, I guess it's time for an update. As you all know, I'm a huge fan of Fallout: New Vegas. So, I guess I should let you in on some opinions about the expansions.

Okay, so, the first one, Dead Money: Dead Money pissed a lot of people off, I can see. Probably because it was pretty GD hard. I actually rather enjoyed it because it was the only challenge I was pretty much getting without playing with the difficulty settings. The add-on was pretty good, but to be frank, the new waepons and whatnot were pretty mediocre.

Up next is Honest Hearts. What can I say about HH? Well, for starters, it's too short. It's maybe about 2 hours long, and if you finish it, it pretty much dries up the sidequests right then and there. Unlike DM, you can go back. Also, the weapons and items you get from HH are very, very awesome. A little too awesome, but great nonetheless.

Old World Blues is pretty much the best of the bunch. Not only because it's not two hours long, but it has an interesting story and most of the goodies are VERY awesome. HH awesome, but you'll actually need the firepower.

And finally, Lonesome Road. Lonesome Road is okay. It falls somewhere between DM and HH...more towards HH. There are some overly cheap encounters, and I really find that most of the equipment is inadequate for most of the later encounters.

Now, as an aside, I did also DL the Gunrunners' Arsenal Pack, and I have to say...It's an essential. It really is. Some of the stuff is just gear that Fallout players need to have, like the Bozar. I'm not saying it's amazing, just, you know, for continuity's sake (Fallout 2 fans know what I'm talking about).

The expansions themselves are also essential for people who care about loose ends; the expansions will do exactly that. Not sayin' which loose ends, but unlike Fallout 3, NV has far more loose ends to tie. If you have the game and the cash to burn, it can't do too much harm; it's another 20 or so hours of play. On the other hand, if you don't have the game, wait until the Game of the Year Ed. comes out; it's much better value.

So, what's new: Well, I caved and bought a PS3. I currently have Metal Gear Solid 4, Little Big Planet and the first two Resistance games.

I like MGS4 quite a bit. While still an inferior stealth title to Hitman: Blood Money and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, it is still an excellent game. There are things about it that I don't like, though - namely stepping away from the item collecting to get around the environment. I'm at Chapter 3, and I'm not seeing anything like this. I really enjoyed this as it gave me a tangible sense of progress, and it really made you use your memory faculties. I'm not saying it's immaculate (Metal Gear on the NES is proof of this - but it's also like 18 years before MGS), but it certainly increases the depth of the game and gives it an adventure feel. This style of play is sadly lacking. I also dislike the 20 minute+ cutscenes. Kojima, you are a hack. Period. Luckily, the game doesn't suck.

Little Big Planet is very charming, and one thing I really like about it is there always seems to be something new about it. It was designed this way, I realise that, but few games that are deliver so well. And my girlfriend, K, absolutely loves being able to dress up Sack-Boy.

I've played the Resistance games for all of ten minutes each, so I can't really give them a thorough evaluation. However, they don't immediately impress me. They feel like something caught between Halo and Call of Duty, so I think a closer inspection is required.

Now, recently, I've been playing Skyrim, and anyone tracking me on Facebook or Raptr (Rabbi_Voody for those interested) will see this in spades. My initial impressions are fairly negative as far as RPGs go. Skyrim has done away with a lot of the stats that make TES a lot like DnD, which I know is a major piss-off to many fans. Regardless, it's actually a very good game. And that's all I'm going to say because I'm not going to spoil anything for you - which is why I'll be giving the Resistance games a fair go.

And yes, I did wait for it in line on the Midnight Release. Won't be doing that ever again; November plus sickness (which turned out to be strepthroat) equals really damned bad.

I also got a taste of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, and I have to say...it's alright. I can't figure out how to lean, though (only played it briefly), which is pretty major in tactical FPS's. It's pace is insane. I like that. I was introduced to it by way of my friend Jason D, who's more into wargames and such. And also competitive sports games. I can definitely see him getting NHL 2K12. Hopefully it's a lot better than 2K9, which has one hell of a learning curve (of course it is; the later ones always are, claimeth EA).

And finally, for all of the Halo fans, I have played Halo: Anniversary Edition. Didn't finish it - actually only did the first chapter. I'm saving that for a co-op playthrough with my friend Jason S; he bought it for me specifically for that purpose. And possibly playing on Live, which I did to see if it was old Halo redone. It's not. It's just Halo Reach, which actually caused me serious disappointment, but at least Halo Reach plays closer to classic Halo insofar as multiplayer is concerned, what with the shields and health. Halo CE with no shields is very, very, very, very fun to play. It's almost as fast - if not exactly as fast - as classic Doom.

And that is my gaming life over the past couple months in a nutshell. More like a busted nut.

Well, take care. I hope to see you all again soon.