SoShinyAndNew

OMG Chess Is For Nerds

2008-04-29T23:45:00.003-05:00

The nostalgia of a game can leave any gamer wanting more story long after the final credits have passed. Luckily the gaming community has devoted fans that are willing to create fan fiction beyond the developer’s original intentions. Lately, I have stumbled upon several sights that have given a new twist to the meaning of games.

One video in particular, “A day in the life of a turret” from www.theleetworld.com, made me laugh beyond belief last evening. The video displays the normal work day of a couple of turrets who work for Aperture Science Labs. The witty banter that ensues between the two is priceless. Anyone who has completed Portal and enjoyed the infamous ”ending credits song” will be amused.

After watching the video, I have grown fond of other video series that give me video game characters in everyday life situations. I strongly recommend Street Fighter the Later Years from www.collegehumor.com. I will post more videos as I discover them. Enjoy!

http://www.collegehumor.com/tag:street-fighter-the-later-years

Wanting What You Can't Have

2008-04-28T14:30:00.006-05:00

I will be the first to admit that I am addicted to achievement points. I don’t mind picking up a twenty dollar title at Wal-Mart if I know I will get some replay value out of it or add a couple hundred points to my achievement score. However, sometimes achievements can drive me absolutely insane. Case and point, I purchased Major League Baseball 2K7 for the Xbox 360. I figured it would be a good buy because of the longevity of season modes in sports games and the competitiveness in online play. So far the game has turned out to be a stellar purchase for overall game play.

However, one thing is driving me bat crazy(no pun intended). Because I like achievement points so much and have been known to go to silly extents to get them, I am attempting to do the same for MLB 2K7. Completing a 162 game season does not bother me. Waiting for the one special game where I get a player to hit for the cycle for a secret achievement is fine. Nevertheless, there is one achievement that seems impossible if at the very least improbable for me to get. For 10 lousy stinking achievement points, there is a secret achievement titled “Rail Lean Catch”.

To complete this feat, you are supposed to make “an acrobatic catch leaning over the foul territory railing”. It seems simple enough. Just wait for the ball to go foul at just the right angle and eventually you will get the opportunity to rack up 10 points! Complete hogwash! The game’s camera angle system projects a top down view of the field at such an angle that it is impossible to see your players when a foul ball is going off to the stands down the third base or first base line. The line of site is so bad that it destroys any chance for you to send a player over near the rail to make a catch. You literally cannot see any of your players in this instance. Terrible!

I know this is just one example of a poor design of the achievements in relation to the developer’s design of the game. I have scoured the internet thinking maybe I am just doing something wrong, but I have yet to find a source of solace for my dilemma. None the less, the point of achievements is for players to be able to achieve them. Xbox knows that players take their player scores seriously. If people are willing to cheat to raise their score and Xbox support is willing to ban them for it, then I do not feel as silly for this post as I normally would. People just tell me to walk away. Forget about it. It’s just 10 points. But sometimes it is those things that you can’t have that truly make you want them the most.

Tonight Theres Going To Be A Jail Break!

2008-04-23T14:18:00.002-05:00

What? I didn't help him. I don't know what your talking about.

Miguel Tejada ESPN Interview and One Expensive Red Sox Jersey

2008-04-22T12:58:00.005-05:00

I just wanted to throw the video up on the blog so everyone could have a bearing to gauge how they felt about my previous thoughts yesterday. The ESPN guy was pretty much a dweeb in my opinion. I completely agree Sir Charles!

On a happier note, the mysterious jersey that was built into the New York Yankee's new stadium by a rogue construction worker has reached a bid of $72,200 with one day and two hours to go. The money raised from the auction will go to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. The jersey was dug out of solid concrete after a construction worker admitted to the prank. The Yankee's management made the decision to dig up the jersey despite destroying part of the completed area and wasting five hours for the whole process.Its a lot of money for a jersey but its for a great cause.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120248650648&tr=y&auid=3582588#ebayphotohosting

Sir Charles Voices His Oppinion On Tejada

2008-04-21T15:00:00.006-05:00

By and large, Miguel Tejada probably walked into the interview with ESPN at Citizen's Bank Park thinking the hardest question he would have to answer was something about steroids (of which he has been accused of taking). However, Tejada was instead greeted with a birth certificate obtained by ESPN through the Dominican Republic's government showing the baseball player had been lying about his age. One of my favorite analysts from TNT, Charles Barkley (or Sir Charles which I prefer) voiced his opinion about the subject on Dan Patrick's radio show. Just a few of his comments included:

"I thought what they did to Miguel Tejada was one of the most Bush League things I've ever seen."

"I would have slapped the hell out of that guy."

I absolutely love the blunt and honest response we have come to expect from Charles Barkley about any issue that comes up. In baseball and any other sport, age is a pretty important detail in regards to contract negotiation. I am just glad several people are already standing up for Tejada (even though I hate the Astros) in a world where media automatically puts a negative light on everything to get popularity. Is two years that big of a deal? I don't think so.

Here is a Youtube video of the actual conversation.

Revis . . . Discover The Already Forgotten

2008-04-17T11:10:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to throw out a recommendation for a CD I have come to love over the past five years. While attending an Evanescence concert, I had the opportunity to be exposed to the opening act "Revis". Not having a clue who they were and assuming the worst, I decided to ignore them since most bands who open are usually no namers for all the right reasons. However, the minute they started playing I was overtaken by their tunes and the very night picked up their debut album. Unfortunately, the band parted ways after their first album and have subsequently no longer released any new tracks. However, I have to say that this album is by far my favorite one to date so I could not pass up sharing the greatness. I would label Revis straight alternative rock. If you can find this CD still at your local store I highly recommend you pick it up.

Enjoy!

R.I.P. GFW (CGW) 1981-2008

2008-04-15T10:43:00.029-05:00

The truism “all good things come to an end” came full circle on April 8, 2008 when GFW (Games for Windows), formerly CGW (Computer Gaming World), officially ended its twenty seven year run. CGW printed their first issue in 1981 and since then has become a forerunner in information for all things computer gaming related. Last year in 2007, GFW’s editor Jeff Green announced that the magazine would be making the shift from CGW to GFW in a deal with Microsoft to garner more newsstand presence and increase sales. After eight issues, the deal failed to be anything but a final gasp of air.Ziff Davis Media, owner of the magazine as well as other publications that focus on hobbies and games such as EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), filed bankruptcy in recent months because of a substantial lingering debt. The decision to file bankruptcy gave Ziff Davis a chance to reorganize their looming financial woes.

All four editors, Jeff Green, Sean Molloy, Shawn Elliott, and Ryan Scott, will fortunately retain positions within the 1UP network. The new job of the former editors of GFW will be to integrate all things PC (personal computer) gaming related to 1UP.com. It is very good news to see that Ziff Davis has decided to keep these four great writers on staff. In the past three years, GFW has gained a popular cult like following due to their weekly podcast they produce. Since their introduction, “the Brodeo” as it is often playfully referred to, has grown from a thirty minute podcast of unorganized awkwardness to a full length two hour production of hilarious banter, gaming advice, and real world cynicism.I am very disappointed to see the print side of GFW go.

I plan on going out to pick up their final issue, which features Sims 3 on the cover, in an attempt to pay homage to an outstanding group of guys whose podcast I have anxiously downloaded every Wednesday for the past two years. The question still remains, in such a fast paced world where computer interaction is now essential to existence, not just pleasure, is the print side of media on its way out the door? I tend to think not. However, PC gaming has had its ups and downs in the past couple of years with piracy and the ever changing difficulty of maintaining up to date hardware has definitely decreased the popularity of the genre so one could assume its consumer base has fallen. Either way, GFW will live on, hopefully in a stronger and more interesting medium. RIP (rest in peace) GFW (CGW); catch you on the flip side.

Do I Click Pass, Greed, or Need ??? (Explicit Content Viewer Discretion Advised!)

2008-04-08T23:43:00.007-05:00

I can thank the Legendary Thread on the 1UP Network for providing me with this hilarious post. Apparently a woman wanting an epic mount was willing to do anything (and I mean anything) to get it. Don't believe me? Here is the Craig's List link.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/nyc/308349637.html

An EPIC mount! (warcraft players look inside) - w4m
Date: 2007-04-08, 8:07PM EDT

Hello I need 5000 world of gold for my epic flying mount. In return you can mount me.

You have to have an account on the laughing skull server and I want the 5000 gold BEFORE we do anything, we can make the trade at your place since I can't host. EDIT: Because I am having a lot of dumb guys message me who clearly don't have the gold make SURE to send: a picture of yourself and a screenshot of your character with the 5000g, I will be checking armory profiles, thanks.

I play a level 70 night elf druid and would prefer someone who was into roleplaying (I have a costume!) but honestly anyone will do, as long as you have the gold. I would also be ok with a woman too, as long as you have the gold! Also not adverse to the idea of groups\anal.

Please send a pic and be real and drug\disease free with 5000 gold on the laughing skull server.

Later she apparently confessed to having a successful transaction and said she would be getting an added bonus by meeting the gentleman for a second date. Who says you can't find true love in a MMO?

http://epicslut.ytmnd.com/

Shawn Elliott in TF2 = Griefing Genius (Explicit Language Viewer Discretion Advised!)

2008-04-07T11:50:00.005-05:00

Shawn Elliott is best known for his griefing stories and voices on the Games For Windows podcast (1UP Network). Hilarious video of how griefing should be. Gamers take note!

Who else seen the leprechaun say yeah . . .

2008-04-03T13:22:00.004-05:00

Last year, several members of the Chricton, Alabama community believed a leprechaun was living in a neighborhood tree. The amateur sketch says it all.

Localization For Domestic Consumption

2008-04-01T00:37:00.003-05:00

EA (Electronic Arts) made a bold move this past quarter using the United States Spanish speaking population as a test bed for expansion into the international markets with the launch of Madden en Español. The proposal brought on by Microsoft and Sony executives seemed convincing. After all, the United States does boast a population of more than 40 million Hispanics (some deem this to be a severe underestimate) and at the turn of the century it was thought that over 28.1 million people in the United States spoke Spanish at home (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Almost a decade later, one could only imagine the number of people in the United States who boast Spanish as their primary language.

When introduced, Madden en Español was priced, depending on where you shop, at full retail value for the Microsoft version (around $49.9) and slightly less for the PS2 ($29.99) . Since that time, the Microsoft’s version has dropped in price (to $29.99) while Sony’s remained constant. After all, the game was an exact clone of the original Madden 08 only with a new cover (Luis Castillo of the San Diego Chargers instead of Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans), bonus Spanish music tracks, and commentary done by Alvaro Martin of ABC Monday Night Football in Español. Despite optimistic intentions, sales of the game have paled in comparison to the original title which performs consistently year in and year out.

So it remains to be seen, was this experiment by EA an utter failure or merely a litmus tests of things to come in gaming? Bilingualism tends to be a growing trend, not only in the United States but around the world, so one would think that video game developers and publishers would want to target the most people possible to sale their games to. Maybe Spanish speaking American’s lack a strong console ownership base or maybe socio-economic difficulties could be a contributing factor to minimal software purchases of the game. Any number of reasons could be sighted for the lack of Madden en Español’s success.

I can not help but think what it would be like to have a video game with multiple language options much like we now have with DVD movies. Gordon Freeman speaking French while you play through Half Life 2: Episode 2 would be educational and hilarious to say the least. However, because we live in a corporate world and in my case the United States, such a format will never exist. Developers and publishers want to try to get every penny they can out of gamers. This means selling multiple versions of the same game would be much more profitable than adding additional features at no cost. In a future that involves most of the world’s population speaking multiple languages and globalization as a forerunner in how Earth interacts with itself, games might just have to adapt to fit in.

In the Days Of Dropping Mad Coin

2008-03-27T23:50:00.005-05:00

Co-Op game play has become a key selling point for the newest generation of consoles. However, I ask you to humbly look back to a time that required your pockets to be lined with no less than five dollars worth of quarters. Do not forget the origin of where you came from all gamers. Do not forget the history of the beginning.

In the beginning, we did not ask for up to 64 player death matches. No, instead we asked for the mere favor of the gaming gods to let us surpass the modest number two. I ask you to look back to mere times when a friends list required the memorization of telephone numbers. Let us reflect on the games that spurred the present cornucopia of greatness we have today. Ah, sweet sweet memories.

Just Some Of My Poetry

2008-03-24T23:38:00.003-05:00

Plastic wraps around the fitting shape of smoothness
Thats what I like to taste I say
Because when you want something sweet you dont ask for her
You dont ask for an understanding
You dont ask for a truth
You ask for something for which there is no response
A symbol
A sign composed of symbols
Printed in black, white, grey
Looking at yourself in a mirror from a piece of paper
That seems to send the sharpest slightest cuts from its edge
Deep inside you something crawls
Nothing foreign
Nothing new
Nothing for which to fear
But rather to merely contemplate once again in a night full of headphones and
music
Because tonight, like every other night, is that night
The heat pretends to smile at you, but you wear your hoodie
Not because you think it looks cool, not because it is the latest fashion
But because of comfort, comfort from those that tend to forget loyalty
Just let me taste wood
Crack my teeth across splinters that surround me
Encompass me like a man trapped in solace
And perhaps, you can then sit there and tell me to get extreme
You may even be able to tell me to move on
But right now, Im not at that stage of this act
There isnt a curtain being dropped by an ending scene
Nor a cloud of dust surrounding the innocent
You look forward to the burning sensation
Use your thumb to light the fire
Encompass the smoke into the place where you only can breathe
And take away the air that is normality
Because tonight you feel free
Tonight you feel enhanced
Tonight you feel

Hilarious Random Video Of A Guy Playing Phil Gordon Heads Up Online

2008-03-23T23:39:00.008-05:00

"I Bluffed Him Cause Im A Ninja"

Part 1

Part 2

I Am Not Sure If I Am Suppose To Be Happy Or Scared For Society (Explicit Language Viewer Discretion Advised!)

2008-03-22T23:35:00.002-05:00

Round One Comes To A Close

2008-03-21T23:17:00.011-05:00

Well, the bracket has been anything but perfect, but I am hoping my later round picks shine through. I am posting my bracket for any of you who are curious out there. It has been a busy afternoon because I am preparing for my very first fantasy baseball draft on Saturday morning. I leave you instead with one of the funniest things to ever come out of a South Park episode. See you tomorrow!

I am laughing so hard that this is making me cry. Honestly!

Knocks of the Hardwood

2008-03-20T11:15:00.003-05:00

Oh . . . My . . . Bracketology is here! The tourney has returned to grace us with her fickle, tormenting, but yet gratifying presence. The picks have been made. Cash may or may not have exchanged hands amongst co-workers, friends or family. Excuses have been fashioned incase contentions are needed for your favorite team being knocked out early.

I just love the fact the faucet of college basketball will be steadily flowing for the next several weeks. I am interested to see if anyone out there actually objects to pools existing during the tournament. Please take a moment to respond to the poll in the right border.

I am not a homer for any particular school because of my lovely education at a D3 private liberal arts college. We did not even have a football team! So, take my final four with a grain of salt. I have North Caroline, Stanford, UCLA, and Georgetown with Tyler Hansbrough and company over the mighty Bruins in the finals. Enjoy your day of basketball and check back tomorrow with my reactions.

When Gamers Visit The Folkes

2008-03-19T12:25:00.001-05:00

It is essential to have a contingency plan for games when you are forced to return to the old homestead! I say this out of personal experience at the present moment. I have come up with some safety tips for all gamers incase you get stuck in a West Texas town or any other area you grew up in.

Safety Tip 1:
Bring along a Nintendo DS or PSP. If you do not own one of these two items, run out and buy one immediately! You will not be disappointed.

Safety Tip 2:
Do not rely on your parent’s internet connection. I repeat! Do not rely on your parent’s internet connection! They got sick of paying the extra money to stop lag the minute you moved out.

Safety Tip 3:
Makes sure to have ample gamer friend contacts in the area you are visiting. Most of them have probably moved away or may not be coming back when you visit, which could spell disaster for your chance to game.

Safety Tip 4:
Remember to double check those cases to make sure the cartridge/CD is actually still there before departure. There is nothing more fantastic then wanting to play Starcraft only to find out you left it 500 miles away.

Safety Tip 5:
If you are going to visit review sites for your daily intake of gamer hoopla, try to avoid articles, video, and reviews about recent games that you currently own. It will only make you want to play them more! Instead feed the gamer intrigue in you by checking out previews of things months down the line so you will not regret your current situation.

Please Let Me Introduce Myself

2008-03-18T15:47:00.001-05:00

Welcome to SoShinyAndNew! The blog dedicated to helping you reach a paradise of all things gamer enthusiast related. There will also be many more subjects discussed throughout the course of this blog’s life. I want all of you out there who love to game, appreciate poker, obsess over fantasy sports, and take pleasure in the finer things in life to have a place to get info and leave your comments. Needless to say, you will not find any weak sauce here! I am looking forward to this experiment on the web and can not wait to start bringing it!

My Personal Hero