• 12Sep 08

  Something the Media will never tell you

  TV is addicting.

  Its sad.

  Its true.

  When we think about addiction to drugs or alcohol we frequently focus on negative aspects, ignoring the pleasures that accompany drinking or drug-taking. And yet the essence of any serious addiction is a pursuit of pleasure, a search for a 'high' that normal life does not supply. It is only the inability to function without the addictive substance that is dismaying, the dependence of the organism upon a certain experience and an increasing inability to function normally without it. Thus people will take two or three drinks at the end of the day not merely for the pleasure drinking provides, but also because they 'don't feel normal' without them.

  Is there really anything on TV that you couldn't find online?

  Many things on the news are fed to us as if they were fact when they are lies instead.

  Commercials for increased libido drugs are bad (viagra): increased libido creates problems (90% of women tend to have lower libido than men anyway). Increased libido increases the frequency of violence and sex.

  The media has an agenda.

  • Posted Sep 12, 2008 10:33 am GMT
  • Category: Writing
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• 6Sep 08

  Number based Review systems

  What does the number represent?

  How good a game is, compared with previous games. Unfortunately people arefallible, have biases, games get old but the reviews aren't updated.

  If I were to go simply by game score alone: I could tell you that Gears of War is the most awesome game ever made.

  But is that really the case?

  A) the game is short; you could beat it in 10 hours or less

  B) the game is not that new, except that you can hide behind cover instead of 'manually'

  C) the multiplayer is nothing special (no serious customizability like Halo)

  D) not much of a plot, shallow characters

  Lets take for example another game:

  Smash Bros Melee

  It struggled to get even a 8.9!

  Why is this a travesty?

  A) the game was a huge jump in quality as compared with the original Smash Bros

  B) the multiplayer is incredibly customizable

  C) the game has vast variety

  Lets take another example:

  Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess,

  A) great game

  B) long game: you can spend 50-60 hours on it without side quests

  C) excellent story

  D) familiar characters

  And yet it doesn't even get a 9.0

  What is my point?

  I don't think a number tells the whole story. I mean how can it. All a number can tell you is that the game runs just fine and is free of serious bugs. Is there really a significant difference between a game rated 10 or 8.5?

  What is most important is:

  VALUE

  how long am I going to be playing this game?

  I want my $50 or $60 game to last. What is the point of getting a new game just to have it sit on your shelf after you beat it (in 5 or 10)?

  If it is a single player game:

  Dragon Quest (series), Metal Gear Solid (series), Final Fantasy (series)

  A) the story should be good and original

  B) the main quest should be long

  C) the ending is the most important part of the game

  Bonus points) if the game can 'change' the way the gamer thinks about life

  Bonus points) unlockables for progressing farther (it just makes success that more enjoyable)

  If it is a multiplayer game:

  Couter Strike is theepitomeof great multiplayer

  A) the multiplayer should be customizable (level editor, lots of characters, character editor)

  B) it should be 4 player or more

  C) it should be mod-able

  Games should have a more specific Genre title and should tell you specifically what you will be spending those important hours of your life doing.

  Game Genre

  World of Warcraft Grinding based Action RPG, process intensive instant messager, Life simulator

  Halo 3 Customizable multiplayer FPS, frag fest story mode (no puzzles) (with vehicles)

  Half life 2 Physics based, Story Driven FPS(puzzles) (with vehicles)

  UT3 HighlycompetitiveOnline FPS (with vehicles)

  Counter Strike Mod-able, customizable multiplayer FPS

  Sim City Mayor Simulator, Disaster Simulator

  Defcon Nuclear War simulator

  Burnout Physics Based,Destruction Derby

  OR

  Game What you Spend most of your time doing

  World of Warcraft Grinding, forming or joining a party, communicating with others

  Halo 3 Fragging Master Chiefs and Aliens (for unique pieces of armor)

  Half life 2 Fragging Zombies, Aliens, Combine Soldiers, and manipulate various objects using a Physics gun

  UT3 Fragging all kinds of Gothic People, Robots, and aliens

  Counter Strike Fragging either the Good Guys or the Bad guys, Game may change with online modding

  Sim City Developingor Ruinning a town/city/metropolis

  Defcon Fragging people around the world and watching the world 'end'

  Burnout Learning what happens when you drive over the speed limit into on-coming traffic, Blowing up some pretty sweet looking cars and seeing how they tear apart

  • Posted Sep 6, 2008 9:47 pm GMT
  • Category: Games
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• 15Aug 08

  Nooneknows

  My alter ego on Giant Bomb by the same name as this Blog post. I will post original blogs on my Giant Bomb profile (meaning I will not the post the same blogs there that I post here).

  Advantages of Giant Bomb:

  1) Jeff Gerstmann as part of the Review staff

  2) no ads except on the main page

  3) lists (game mechanics, characters, developers,..etc)

  4) avatars are not limited in size

  5) blogs are not censored (none of this **** 5.h.i.t.)

  6) no 'system words' (like c.l.a.s.s.)

  ----------------------------

  Disadvantages of Giant Bomb:

  1)Giant Bomb reviews a lot fewer games than Gamespot

  2)Giant Bomb has a smaller community

  3) It is still under construction (so its technically BETA right now)

  • Posted Aug 15, 2008 2:20 pm GMT
  • Category: Other
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