Grand Theft Auto IV PC

Yep, this game is a little messed up. I can play Fallout 3 just fine on mah rig, ahem, I mean on my PC while it still looks very respectable. I've heard that Rockstar is working on 'something' to help people get decent frame rates and still enjoy the game.

That would be rad, because I wouldn't mind some more time in GTA IV

Fighting Games + Me = Whaaaaaa???

Super Street Fighter II HD Remix is pretty awesome. I took the plunge and by plunge I mean I paid cash, er I mean MS points for this game (Hell, I already had the points so why not?). Now, I've never really been someone who played fighting games. The last time I was in an arcade I don't even remember what I played but all I did was button mash. It's fascinating to me hearing about development and technical aspects of fighting games that I haven't been aware of, i.e. hit boxes, damage values, priority rating, frame counting.

Now, I'd like to get further into this. I may get MK vs. DC, not to mention Street Fighter IV coming out next year, I'm seeing a Hori stick in my future. Perhaps the Hori Real Arcade Pro. EX. I dunno, I'm finding I do have fun playing a good fighting game, learning the moves for different characters. I just think it would be easier with a good home arcade stick.

Also, in case you didn't know about it already, go www.ocremix.orgfor the official SSFIIHDR soundtrack. I'm currently seeding.
I need to play some multiplayer of SSFIIHDR. Gerstmann, You're on my friends list, I'm looking in your direction!

New Riddick

Riddick: Dark Athena looks sick. Thank you, Tigon Studios, Starbreeze and Vin Diesel. I never did finish Escape From Butcher Bay back in the day (rhyme!) so I look forward to playing this. Also, points.

Games To Play

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

I hear it's awesome I just haven't seen fit to start playing it (yet).

Left 4 Dead

I haven't played any multiplayer yet and only played through one 'movie' so far. A co-worker of mine is constantly bugging me with 'Wanna kill some zombies tonight?' when he sees me at work.

Fable II

I don't know when I'll 'feel' like playing this. Someday. Soon.

Fallout 3 PC

With Fallout 3 X360 done, naturally, I need to finish bugging Pappy (man that kid's a dork) in Big Town with speech challanges to reach level 20 with good karma and 8, 14 and 20 with bad karma. This equals 90 points...Then I can do the same thing for the PC version for more points not to mention all the points to gain as I play the PC version again. I'm reminded that I am basically paying for more points. Nah, I'm enjoying it too, honest. I don't hate myself that much. I just like Fallout 3 is all.

Killzone 2

Ok, this game continues to look just beautiful. I'm really liking the modular (RIS? RAS?) Armalites with what looks like EoTech 551 tactical holo sights. Hellghast? Check! Looking awesome? Check. As powerful as the PS3 is, it still looks like it's pushing the system's hardware.

Ghostbusters

I was worried they wouldn't be using the c|assic proton-packs at all in this game. But I'm glad to see the guys using these very positron colliders. I'm pleasantly surprised to see Bill Murray joining in on the voice work. Maybe we can finally expect some 1/4 scale Premium Format Figures from Sideshow Collectibles of all four of the actor's likenesses INCLUDING Bill Murray's. 'Cuz he never licenses his likeness for anything, from what I've heard. God, that would be awesome. Mixed media 1/4 scale statues of the GHOSTBUSTERS! Ok, my nerd is showing... Moving on...

New Star Wars: The Force Unleashed DLC

Yeah, I bought that.

Last but not least I used Soundforge 8.0 to remove all the clicks from the waveforms of the Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 Premium Edition. I burned my own disc without clicks. Now I can finally enjoy this great score! It's weird, all the clicks/errors looked the same and they were all in the same spots in each track. Lame!

If you read that wall of text, congratulations!

Goddamnit, GameSpot. I still can't make bolt or italic text in my blog. Whatevs.

I just finished Gears of War 2. It was spectacular. Favorite part of the game, hands-down, has to be the Riftworm. For now anyway. I need to process what I've played in the last few hours. 

I still need to play and finish:

Fallout 3 - I've barely touched this game. I've barely touched this game. I bought it for both the X360 and PC. Ya know, for points and such.

Fable II - I've messed around with this a little bit. I still need to find a game master so I can transfer my gold.

Dead Space - Another game I've barely touched but can't wait to finish.

Saint's Row 2 - I'm looking forward to the craziness I've heard and read about in this game. Throwing dudes nonwithstanding.

James Bond 007 Quantum of Solace - I finished this today too but there are still acheivements to be had until I return to Gamefly.

Call of Duty: World At War - It will be here tomorrow when I get home from work.

Little Big Planet - Lookit that, a Playstation 3 game! I got this last week and I still haven't even put it in my PS3 yet. I'll get around to it, Sackboy.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 [Premier Edition] - Wow, I almost forgot I bought this one.  Wow.... 

"Stainless Steel Canteen: Collectable brushed stainless steel Call of Duty branded canteen. Not intended for drinking."

Then what good is it? Seriously! So, when I get this and I drink from it, will I DIE? Huh?

The soundtrack included with Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 Premier Edition is great which makes the audible clicks heard two at a time between tracks a real shame, a damn shame.

EAC won't do the job removing the clicks if I try to extract the WAV files.

I wonder if contacting EA would bear any fruit. I doubt they would go to the trouble of pressing/burning a copy sans godawful clicks for just anyone much less me, Nicholas.

Help me, Greg Kasavin. You're my only hope.

LATE EDIT: I just can't get over how stuff like this happens in this day and age. Pressing error mayhap? Argh.

SOCOM issues aside, today is the day. People in the know will know what I speak of. Either you will assume I'm talking about Fallout 3. For some, LittleBIGPlanet. For now, it's the former I speak of.

Since I'm waiting for payday to buy the Collector's Edition of Fallout 3 for the X360, why not get the PC (i.e. Games for Winders) version off of Steam, right? I don't know if I planned to get both but in the end, this means more points! Yes, ladies and germs, the points are seperate.

9% so far at 550 KB/s.

I was please to find out that my still fairly new PC will be able to handle this game as it exceeds the minimum system requirements. (Thanks to canirunit.com)

P.S. I absolutely cannot wait to get a get my hands on LittleBIGPlanet.

EDIT: Stupid GS Doesn't let me use spaces before and after links.

I haven't even been able to play a little bit. At least I could play the beta. All I get is
PRESS START BUTTON
LOADING THE PLAYER PROFILE. PLEASE DO NOT TURN OFF THE SYSTEM.
INITIALIZING THE NETWORK.
CHECKING FOR UPDATE DATA...PLEASE WAIT.
NETWORK INITIALIZATION FAILED.
Then I'm back to the PRESS START BUTTON screen.

Bollocks.

I hope SOMEDAY I CAN PLAY THIS GAME I PAID FOR!

On the bright side, I'll be picking up Fable II tomorrow and Far Cry 2 will be here in a coupla days.

Huzzah!

01/06/09

I hope this is something that will get me to play Halo 3 again. I wouldn't mind playing as a ODST in a cross between"Ghost Recon and Gears of War"in the Halo 3 universe. I'd prefer 90% Ghost Recon and only %10 Gears of War. We'll see.

I'm 34th (as of today) in the state of Minnesota. I've been playing alot of Mercs2 since it came out on Sunday. I got to spend most of Sunday and Monday with the game, even passing on eating a meal made of corn on the cob, grilled hamburgers and potato salad at my folk's house.

Games!

34th!

P.S. I just realized I have many more points than Carrie Gouskos.

P.S.S. Goddamn! Don Francis has alot of mother f'n points (71,884)! How does he do that? He has a family and a full time job to boot!

"Hey Louie, the man is dry. Give him one on the house, OK?"

Followed by

"These special viewers caught all three days of GameSpot's live stage show at E3 2008. They braved the good and saw the best to be the straightest shooters around. This emblem is on the house."

That quote is from the darkest, most influential science fiction film ever made, Blade Runner. It was just a coincidence that I happened to be having a drink myself at the same time I noticed this.

I would like to thank everyone at GameSpot for covering this years E3. I had three days off in a row (I don't know if my supervisor knew E3 was this week or not, maybe, we both work in media, but I doubt it) to watch most of the coverage and watch the videos of stage demos that I had missed.

Love,

Nicholas

Anticipation doesn't even come close to describing what I feel about playing so, so many games coming in the next 6 months (or so). A list is obligatory, yes. but totally necessary.

These are in no particular order. Well, maybe they are. I can't believe how good these games look. I can't wait to play them.

Gears Of War 2

Fallout 3

Far Cry 2

Bionic Commando

Mercenaries 2: World In Flames

Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway

Resident Evil 5

Bionic Commando Rearmed

Dark Void

Killzone 2

Left 4 Dead

Tom Clancy's End War

Resistance 2

Ghostbusters

Alpha Protocol

And sure, why not...

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Spore

Street Fighter IV

Crysis Warhead

This is a little boring. C'mon, Sony! This is rolling out half-assed!

Never has a twitter update made me smile so much.

giantbomb double bass pedal support, support for pro electronic drum kits, drum machines through midi port. 6 minutes ago from Twittelator

As an owner of a Roland V-Drum set with MIDI output, this changes my mind about Guitar Hero: World Tour. This will make it so much more intuitive for me to play fake-ish drums in a video game.

I'm guessing this will be accomplished with a MIDI-to-USB peripheral of some kind. I'm REALLY curious to see how this will in fact work. TELL ME MORE, ACTIVISION/NEVERSOFT.

Now if this could be possible in Rock Band 1/2... Well, heh, then that would AWESOME! Alex R., I'm looking in your direction!

UPDATE: Apparently Roland V-Drums from the Roland's Pro line are neccesary. Dang. I'd still like to know more, however. Maybe my drums will work afterall. I mean the MIDI ports are there on the sound module. I'm keeping my fingers crossed but I'm not holding my breath.

Ok, first things first. I 'found' all five, as it were. yesterday. I'm talking 'bout Battlefield: Bad Company here. The gaming community breathes a sigh of relief. Finding all five can be a dangerous endeavor. Here's what ya have to do to get these five weapons in Battlefield: Bad Company.

#1 Pre-Order the game for a sniper rifle code.

#2 Sign-up for a newsletter. Ya know, send EA your information so they can send you, more than likely, a crappy, useless newsletter. Well, whaddya get for doing that? An Mk 43 Mod 0. That's an M60E4 to the rest of ya. This bad boy is actually worth the effort. It's my LMG/weapon of choice most of the time.

#3 Play the demo. This one can be a bit trying. Playing the demo, more to the point, the multiplayer side, is fun, don't get me wrong. It's that I know I'm playing just to get to level four, Corporal, so I can unlock the Uzi in the full game. I don't even use the Uzi/Specialist very often. I spent most of my day yesterday playing the demo so I could get the damn gun. It was more of a completist thing than anything else.

#4 Become a veteran. Ok this one blows the most. Sucks the hardest. And I mean HARD. I've got a copy of Battlefield 2 here. I paid good money for it. I played the hell out of it back in the day (Ok, it wasn't that long ago). Yet, the code I put in doesn't work. It's already been claimed apparently. This has happened to alot of people from what I've read. So, I installed it, played a round, or rather, tried and that was enough. I used the same username and password and viola! Veteran point added. Hell, my code from Battlefield: Vietnam didn't even work either. I drove to my parents house to get that, brought it home and no worky. So I decide to go to my local Gamestop and buy a used copy of the Battlefield: Modern Combat. On my way there I nearly get pushed off the road and to avoid said almost-accident, I accelerate slide in to the curb and some small street lamps the city has on the sidewalk. Making this bone-head move broke a chunk of the lip off my wheel about a foot long, dented my passenger side pretty good and dented my ground-effect-looking-skirt-thing. My car, a 2001 Ford Focus ZX3 S2 (only 3000 made) is driveable but I'm going to definitely need a new wheel. Otherwise it's just cosmetic. I still made it to the GS, but I was shook up and have been pretty mad at myself. It's funny how things happen like that. If I had left sooner or even later, that may not have happened. I put in the game, and played a round of Battlefield: Modern Combat against three other people, exited and linked my gamertag to the Battlefield Veteran page to get another points equaling two , which I needed to get that damn Uzi.

#5 Check Stats Online. Not so bad I guess. It was certainly less painful than the previous task.

While were on the subject of Battlefield: Bad Company, there a few things that I don't like. The first thing has to do with the weapons. In particular, the Colt M16A2 and the "M416," Bad Company's version of the Heckler & Koch HK416 Carbine. The problem I have with these are that both the bolt release and the ejector port are on the wrong side. If you've played Call Of Duty 4, and you've reloaded your M4 or M16A4 after it's empty, you would know that once you load a new magazine in the weapon, all you'd have to do is hit the bolt release, which is on the left side. In Battlefield: Bad Company when a new magazine is loaded in to either of these two weapons, first the charging handle is pulled back (don't ride it back!) and the forward assist is pushed in. Wrong. I dunno, maybe DICE wanted to do something different and threw reality to the wind and say "F it! Were going to do this our way." The ejector port and bolt release being on the wrong side still bugs the hell out of me.

Other than that, I love the game. It's fun getting all the medals, patches and wildcards will ceratainly keep me busy for a while now that I've acquired all the single-player achievements.

702 points later, I'm enjoying it. I look forward to getting the rest of the multiplayer achievements. Multiplayer achievements were something I missed from Call Of Duty 4. That's a story for another blog.

Thanks, The Carl (and Playfire)! Anyone else playing and/or liking Super Stardust HD? I'm not sure if I want to play it or not just for trophies, ya know.

To some this may not be 'news' but when a free game is concerned...

Enter now for a chance at a free copy of GS Associate Editor and all around nice guy Kevin VanOrd's favorite game of 2008, No More Heroes for the Wii. Head on over to Kevin's GS blog and make the man a new banner and blog image, either Assassin's Creed and/or No More Heroes related already!

I submitted five entries of my own. I hope you like them, Kevin. It's better than flowers right? I'm excited to see what others have done as well.

One wild and crazy guy!

Nixon: Oh, before I forget, Colonel Sink's a little unhappy with the appearance of your uniform. Says it's not befitting your rank.
(Nixon tosses a box to Winters and he opens it)
Winters: Oak leaves.
(Nixon salutes him)
Nixon: Congratulations, Major.

In the last four days I've played alot of Call Of Duty 4. Right now I've received oak leaves after reaching the rank of Major at lvl 34. It's been a wild ride. I've come to love the M16A4, as long as it's got a red dot sight on it. Right now I'm using an AK-47 with a red dot trying to get those 500 points to not only unlock the Acog sight(?) but to get even closer to the rank of Lt. Col.

Afterall, I couldn't sit idly by after hearing Jeff talk about how he rolls out of bed at noon in front of his Xbox 360 evey day, reaching lvl 55 and subsequently having to make a tough choice. Should he activate Prestige Mode and start all over? I know when I eventually reach lvl 55, I'll be hanging on to that rank for a while after I reach it.

With Mr. Gerstmann on my friends list now it should be fun and maybe a little weird playing Call Of Duty 4 with the G-Man and perhaps hearing him and talking to him. It sure was weird playing Gears Of War multiplayer with Mike and Jerry from Penny Arcade, Mr. Krahulik being on my friends list at the time. I was so tongue tied... I made a fool of myself. I don't think I even got any kills but it was a blast. Some of the other people playing with us were not familiar with who I was. I started to say something about "...how I was a fan of..." And as I trailed off, Jerry , I think it was, said, "the internet?" Something inside my head said, "wake up, stupid!" and said that I was a fan of Penny Arcade. Phew.

So, if you're up for some Call Of Duty 4 on the X360, let me know. The gamertag is NSFolsom.

I can't believe Heath Ledger is dead. Goddammnit! I just don't know what to think or do right now. My thoughts and prayers go out to his daughter Matilda, her mother Michelle Williams as well as Ledger's family. You will be missed, Sir.