A whopping 531 days back, I made my last blog entry here at GS. A lot passed following this, including but not limited to a personal vendetta, a failed startup, a new PC and notebook, a sweet moment of success, some terrific gaming moments, and finally, a place where I'm proud to be ... That's a lot of lost ground to cover! (Un)fortunately, I won't be getting into all that crap completely, although you might see glimpses as my blog progresses (I say this every single time, don't I).

For starters, the BIG news... I finally cracked the CAT, and now am merrily sitting in my super hot microwave of a hostel room in IIM Lucknow. For the uninitiated, IIM, or Indian Institute of Management is THE definitive chain of B-Schools, where every postgrad seeker aspires to be. You need to clear a tough exam with a fantastic perccentile (98%+), and then go through a gruelling Group Discussion / Case Study and a Personal Interview. The process is attempted by almost 300,000 students every year, and only a fortunate 1500 make it to the IIM... Yeah I'm on the top of the world right now!

Lucknow, the City of Nawabs, is a place best known for its warm climate, chikan embroidery and of course, the mouth watering kebabs. My B-School is located about 20 kms out of the city in a secluded area, with plenty of greenery (and mosquitos to boot with), and a tremendous infrastructure! A few light courses are going on, but soon enough, a grilling couple o years is going to change my life forever!

Of course, this means I've finally left my job at Infosys Technologies, which was a mixed bag at best. While I was more than impressed by the infrastructure and values of the organization, there were incidents which led me to believe that the corporate world has digressed perhaps too much from its path, in the wake of competition, deals, policies and contracts. It was an enriching 18 months which I spent there, and was decidedly a perfect way to launch my career.

Finally... the gaming.... aahh... my favorite part!! At the beginning of last year, I finally went for a complete overhaul of my ageing Athlon XP, and lent it some graphical firepower, which was seriously required. That meant that apart from my routine job and life otherwise, I always had something to look forward to post 11PM every night! . Man... this is the way to survive!! I was finally able to play those titles at maxxed settings, which i had only seen in jerky trailers... Cinematic experience bore a new meaning .. This, and more coming in a blog soon!!

Let's make this one short n sweet now... This blog post was just a consolation for myself... a pat on the back for making a comeback to GS, and blogging in general. Looking above, it's not really a blog which dicusses anything, but more of a rant about all the stuff which has been going on. Shall catch ya gamers soon enough, hopefully with something more of your interest than my tales!!

Cheerio!

-@gefreak

It's been quite a while since my last blog post on GS.... Hell it's been quite a while since I sat down and went through the GS news and forums and the other stuff.... But here I am again.... trying to get back where I belonged!

It's been pretty busy out here. I just started on my new job... a whole new experience... got my first really "big" paycheque (You know... this is the one that "matters")! And all this while, I got to understand how corporate life in the IT sector works.... It's not exactly a piece of cake!!

As far as gaming goes...... duh! I don't even have my own rig here! All I've done over the past two months is play CS (bleeeeaagh!!), Virtua Tennis (#@$#@% controls) and a couple of flash games on my office system (a sad old Intel 845!!) in the late hours.... and that too just to keep myself where I really belong....

Oh yeah.... It's been a rough 3-4 months or so.... but I'm well and truly back!! (At least while I'm writing this blog post!! )... And as soon as I get released from my current unit in mid Jan, I'll start saving up for a new comp... not just a run-of-the-mill, basic-performance-great-value system, but a monster (a budgeted monster, more likely!)... something in the vicinity of the newly launched Phenom, the AM2+ and afew gigs of RAM to boot.... and maybe an 8800 or two (okay.... this is where I got ahead of myself! ).... I've plenty of lost ground to cover!!!

Cheers!!

@gefreak

Nope.... I'm not talking about another Tsunami hitting the subcontinent..... ..... That's something I'll never like to see repeated...... The CAT is approaching!!!!

I don't know how many actually know about it.... CAT's the entrance examination for the IIMs (Indian Institute of Management). They're top notch B-Schools..... some of the best in the world.... And the entrance test is one of the toughest, given by more than 250,000 students.... competing for a mere 500 odd seats.... ..... You do the math!!!

Anyways..... the paper's on 19th.... So I'll probably be a bit inactive around that period...... Hope I get through!!!

Cheers!

Hey all!!

I guess I owe an apology to everyone..... especially those at the RTS union.... I've been away for close to 2 months without explaination..... Well, I'd to leave for a rather sudden project work on behalf of my college. I had no time whatsoever to tell anyone (even mYTH had no idea for some time ) and now it's been almost 2 months without an internet connection for me. Whenevr I did get some time to access the net from a local cafe, I usually limited myself to checking my mails, just to save some time.....

The absence has also brought about a delay in the next issue of the RTS newsletter. I've been away from the union too. I just hope that the activity's still going the way it was before.... (Any improvements are welcome, though!!! )

I still have a week to go before I can return to my normal schedule.... but my presence shall still be limited to a few posts on and off..... I'll upload the next issue of the RTS Newsletter asap..... Till then,

Cheers!!

Hi all!!

This is just to tell everyone that I'll be taking a break from my regular Gamespot visits, as I'm gonna take off for a weekend along with a few of my friends......

I'll be back in time to release the first issue of the RTS newsletter!!! Now that I'm excited about!!!

RTS Union leader Basez2 stepped down from his post yesterday, and guess who got selected by GS to carry on........ ME!!! I gotta tell you, it's been a really confusing two days, and I got like a gazillion PMs asking about his change, even before I knew it'd happen!!! Well, in any case, I guess it's official now. Basesz2 told me that he wanted to move on, but I'm still glad to have him as an officer in the union...... it'll be a big help. The union's not in a very good shape, with only the officers and some loyal recruits being regular members, but with the upcoming revamp, and the RTS world cup, we might have a different picture on our hands in a couple of months.

Well, am really glad to be selected as leader, although at the expense of such a fine one........ And I do hope I get all the support required from the union.

Cheers!!

Campus Recruitments began yesterday..... and I got a job in the very first company!!! And it's none other than INFOSYS!!! They selected 48 candidates out of the 350 odd eligible, and I WAS ONE OF THEM!!!!

The written test was one of the longest one and a half hours of my life!!! It was not till I came out of the hall that I realised that I'd made some really dumb errors in it! That got me really down in the dumps, but surprisingly enough, I got cleared!! I suppose a good mark in english made up for the aptitude mess up.......

Anyway.... Interviews began and went upto 8:30 in the evening..... We were damn tired, had had nothing to eat all day, and just wanted to get the result asap..... Then those people decided to take another round of interviews for a few candidates...... as if there wasn't enough tension in the air already!! Wild speculations began running throughout the crowd about who all had been re-interviewed and why......
The process took another 2 hours, and at 10:30, by the time when everyone had ripped off half their hair off their skulls, the placement incharge came in with a beaming smile and announced that 48 had been selected by the company..... and the best thing was that the 48 included about 7-8 of my very good friends, so i'll have plenty of company so to say!!!

We finally went out to eat a sumptuous dinner, and retired at 2 am......... what a day!!!!!!!!!

A day late in posting this..... but neway.....!! I turned 21!!!!!!!!!!!!

And what a day it was!!!! My best birthday ever!!!! What a blast!!!!

Now's the time!!! Placements start from next week onwards! It's how you fare in front of those people that matters, not how you've fared all these years!! Let's hope I land up with a decent job asap!!


*FINGERS CROSSED*

and this time, it's Age of Empires 3..... took a long time coming (almost 6 months after its release), but here it is!!!

Read Review

For anyone who cares........... I'm back on GS!!! Yeah, I know, I've had a reallllly long layoff, and I've been back like, what, twice already??? But this time, I'm really here!!! I've finally got a net connection that doesnt blow up when data transfer speed crosses 3 KBps, and although i've got exams and the job recruitment season coming up, I'll well nd truly be here!!!

Glad to be back!!!

Well..... not back as in 'properly' back, but at least, I'm home for the next 10 days or so.......

AND I got Civ4 and NFS Most Wanted......... CIV4 ROCKS!!! It's probably the most addictive strategy game I've played in recent years, barring perhaps AOE2, and it's got me hooked!!

I haven't tried out MW yet, but will do......... Played the demo earlier, so thought I'd give it a try too!!

Hi all!!

Well, college starts from tomorrw, and I'll not have any net access for about a week or two starting today, so I guess my frequency on GS will drop.........

Anyway, as long as I get a decent connection, I'll be back, although it'll still be check n go for me.......... Still, better than nuthing, eh?



So............. c ya all around, I guess

I just got my greedy little hands on three RTS titles ........... Warhammer 40K : Dawn Of War (I've been dying to play this), Knights of Honor (I hadn't heard of this be4), and Settlers : Heritage of Kings (didnt expect too much from this)

All of them look pretty good, and Warhammer 40K's definitely a must play..........

Enough rambling.......... I've one week to get thru these games be4 college starts........... and maybe I'll even try my hand on reviewing a couple............


Let's see how they turn out............

Hey...... don't blame me if my journal's too full of posts like these!!! I just like reviwing games and putting them up for others to see and judge............

anyway, enuf with that lecture....... i just put up a couple more..........



WWE RAW


Battle Realms

I did Battle Realms coz, well, I'm a die hard RTS fan, and it seemed logical that a review of a RTS game should be up there.........!!! I could've done AOE2 and AoM, whic i like better, but this one was a bit unique........ a bit of a challenge, if u know what i mean!!!!

And about WWE RAW, well............... I just needed to criticize a game to get some steam off me................ so voila!!!

Was just wondering how many people around the world actually play this game............ (in real life, obviously!!!)

btw, just put up review no. 5............. Cricket 2005!!!

http://www1.gamespot.com/pc/sports/cricket2005/reader_review.html?id=4134342

This time is NFS Underground 2............. don't ask me why!!! I just pick 'em up randomly!!!

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/driving/needforspeedunderground2/reader_review.html?id=4117682

check it out!!!

well, i've just put up 2 more reviews. anyone who's interested might
want to check them out. One's for Need For SPeed Underground and
the second's for Unreal Tournament (both PC)



and don't forget to trust me if u like 'em!!! thanx!



http://www.gamespot.com/pc/driving/nfsunderground/reader_review.html?id=4104882

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/unrealtournament/reader_review.html?id=2961664

I'm finally at level 6.......... wooooohooooooooooo!!!!

That's something i'd always wanted.......... now maybe i'll try my hand at some 'game reviewing'.............

do check out my first review......... its for The Sims: Unleashed......... yeah, i know, not exactly a game to review......... but i'd written this one down ages ago.............. twas my first ever review..........

Okay....... its as simple as this..... I want to get to level 6 asap, so any suggestions on what i might try to do???