Cheater’s Brain Stabbed in Wallhack Brawl

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An Adventure, Part 4

Reading over the note again, you decide that maybe it’d be best if you just met up with Jack at Dot’s in a little bit.  You’re not exactly sure what path he took, and you don’t want to chance running into whatever caused that bloodloss in the front.  After thinking it over a bit, you also decide it might be a decent idea to grab some provisions and throw them in your Jeep, just in case.

After rooting aorund the house for a bit, you find some bottled water, some canned tuna and crackers, and some trail bars.  All in all, not a bad haul.  You also manage to find a box of ammo, another forty-eight rounds.

Guess the gun was Jack’s, then, you think. Wonder why he left it?

After gathering the gear, you think that maybe it’s best to just shelter up in Jack’s room until it’s time to meet him.  You already cleared the house, so you know it’s safe enough, and it’s better than driving aorund while god-knows-what is going on.  You look around for something to do, and notice a shelf of books in the corner.  Since you have nothing better to do, you grab a much-read copy of At The Mountains of Madness and set to reading.

What seems like moments later, you hear an enormous explosion.  You realize that you had fallen asleep, and after checking your watch, you see that three hours have gone by.

Jumping up, you run to the window to see just what exactly is going on.  Though it’s still dark, the residual effects of the explosion light up the horizon, along with what look like several small fires to the north.

I hope Jack’s okay, you think.  That’s right about where he said he’s be.

Still feeling safer in the house, you wait out the remaining several hours, the trudge down to your Jeep with your new gear and start it up, warier than ever.

You drive slowly, watching carefully for any movement, any sign of life.  And there is still none.  No animals running around, not even a breeze running through the trees.  Absolutely nothing.  It’s eery.  Of course, reading Lovecraft earlier was probably not the best decision, but at least Mountains is an interesting read.

It doesn’t take you long to get to Dot’s, and the first thing you take notice of is the fact that there are a few other cars parked outside.  You recognize one as Jack’s pickup.

Stepping out of the Jeep, you see the dingy bar as a beacon of hope.  A glimmer of light shines through the covered windows, the first real sign you’ve seen of other life.  You hurry across the lot and into Dot’s.

Inside, you’re greeted with about a half-dozen faces, two of whom you know.  One–Jack–smiles as you enter, nodding in your direction.  The other just looks at you then turns back to the radio she had been working on.  Dot always was a woman to keep busy.  You wave.

Jack speaks up.

“Well, folks, that about wraps up the crew I’ve been trying to put together.  This here is one of my best friends, and–like the rest of us–a pretty smart cookie.  We can use the help on this.”

Jack looks back over at you, then points around the room, first to a young woman holding a large shotgun.  “This is Mary MacGregor, one of my old friends from Harvard.  She was visiting a mutual friend of ours when the ‘event’ happened.”

He ushers to an older couple.  “Doctors Harry and Samantha Foore, local doctors from the other side of town.  They saw me leaving town earlier and I told them where to meet.”

Finally, he points at the last two men, both larger and very muscular.  “And these two lovely gentleman are Sergeant Ryan Connor and Private Shane Dodson.  I picked them up at the temporary military base the Amry’s got built up north.  They’ll pretty much back up everything I have to say.”

He looks around the room again, the opens his arms.  “Well, folks, we’re sure in the shit-hole on this one.  Something seriously bad is going on up north, and the Army isn’t letting anyone in that area.  I took some of the back roads and cut across Ol’ Shaw’s field, but I got some idea of what might have happened.  And trust me, it ain’t good.  What it looks like happened was–”

He didn’t get to finished.  Before he could, another massive explosion shook the bar.  The windows blew out, throwing all of you to the ground.  Your ears hurt from the concussion, but you seemed to be okay.  No blood, at least.

Shaking your head, you get to your feet, looking around.  What you see turns your stomach.

Four armed soldiers–probably Army–are standing over you and your compatriots, assault rifles trained on you.  You see that everyone else is much the same as you–dazed, confused, but not damaged.  Except for Mary…you don’t see Mary anywhere.

Then Jack catches your eye.  He has a hand behind his back, where you see a large revolver held.

Mary must be behind the bar, you think, waiting with that shotgun.

And you.  You have a pistol.  So what do you do?  Do you follow Jack’s lead and defend yourselfs?  Of course, you don’t know what’s going on yet, and these guys are the Army.  They’re supposed to be the goos guys, right?  Maybe you should warm them, tell Jack not to do anything stupid.  Or maybe you should just cut all and run.  The door is wide open.  So what’ll it be?  What’re you going to do?

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[Via http://dingo13and7.wordpress.com]

Games Komputer - Kecanduan Game Komputer

games komputer

Dengan kenaikan besar popularitas – dan keterjangkauan – dari komputer permainan komputer dan peralatan Forum Komputer kecanduan permainan komputer menjadi semakin lebih luas. Ditambahkan ke fakta-fakta tersebut koneksi internet kecepatan tinggi dan kehandalan koneksi Komputer Second ini berarti bahwa internet game dapat dimainkan terus menerus tanpa kehilangan koneksi dan Membuat Komputer ini juga dapat memberikan kontribusi yang signifikan terhadap kecanduan.

Hal ini semakin lebih umum bahwa pemain game online menghabiskan lebih banyak waktu di depan komputer mereka membangun karakter virtual mereka dan lingkungan ke tingkat yang lebih tinggi dengan demikian Pengenalan Komputer bersaing dengan pemain online lainnya. Kecanduan ini merupakan cara bagi orang untuk melarikan diri dari kehidupan mereka yang biasa di dunia nyata. Seringkali fantasi mengatasi kenyataan.

Ada beberapa cara untuk menentukan apakah seseorang menderita kecanduan permainan komputer. Pertama dan tanda peringatan paling penting adalah jika mereka menghabiskan ke atas Keamanan Komputer dari jam sehari di depan komputer mereka bermain game. Setiap perubahan dalam kepribadian misalnya mudah Tutorial Komputer tersinggung ledakan amarah penarikan sosial. Ini adalah indikator yang biasanya baik kecanduan adalah memegang. Pengobatan kecanduan ini harus segera dilaksanakan segera setelah tanda-tanda peringatan menyadarinya.

Itu mungkin hanya karena permainan komputer pecandu kehilangan semua jejak waktu saat bermain game Komputer Murah nya. Anda dapat memerangi tanda-tanda ini dengan menempatkan timer sederhana dekat dengan komputer mereka. Apakah itu ditetapkan untuk satu set jumlah waktu biasanya dua jam adalah awal yang baik . Menyarankan kepada para pecandu bahwa begitu timer berbunyi mereka harus mengambil nafas dan melakukan sesuatu yang lain. Menunjukkan bahwa berjalan-jalan Penggunaan Komputer di sinar matahari dan udara segar akan membersihkan kepala dan pikiran mereka.

Ini adalah salah satu cara dalam upaya untuk Komputer Indonesia mengurangi jumlah waktu yang dihabiskan oleh pecandu pada komputer bermain game pada komputer mereka. Ada orang lain dan sedikit kecerdikan akan bekerja keajaiban. Meskipun tidak ada obat cepat semalam untuk kecanduan permainan komputer itu harus be menyadari that itu adalah proyek long-term yang perlu bekerja pada dari hari-hari tanpa gagal.

[Via http://komputerajaib.wordpress.com]

Next Generation PaperBoy

Paperboy is a 1984 arcade game by AtariGames. The players take the role of a paperboy  who delivers newspapers along a suburban street on his bicycle.

Originally developed by : Carl Bedard, John Salwitz, Dave Ralston, Russel Dawe.

[Click Here To Play]

I have created a re-make/spin-off of this once popular game. In this version you need to toss the paper to an array of people lined up. The more successful the more points. There are people that AREN’T supposed to receive the paper and you will receive a deduction for delivering to them.

[Via http://tezzmosis.wordpress.com]

Partini (Adult Party Games) Was $32.99 Now $12.99

An Adult Party Game with a Delicious Twist! Gather up a crowd of party pals and take your next event from good to great with PARTINI! It’s the party game for the laugh-out-loud crowd! Play six fun games with a delicious twist–and entertain your party pals for hours! Mime Twist – Zip your lip and act it out!Hum Punch – Hum it up in a musical challenge with no singing allowed!Clay Smoothie – Mold and fold clay into objects that your teammates might recognize.What Nots – Can you describe something by saying what it’s NOT?Straight Up – How well do you know your teammates? Write something true or funny about someone. Will you get picked for telling it like it is?Shooters – Ready, aim, and fire plastic balls into plastic cups. With a dash of drama, a splash of laughs and a double shot of silliness, you’ve got a happy hour that will last all evening long! Includes 35 coasters, 500 cards, 5 plastic cups, 2 plastic balls, modeling clay, pad of paper, 4 pencils, die and instructions. For 4 or more players. Was $32.99 Now $12.99 SB Link Address

Please click on the following link to visit this daily featured deal.

Deal Address Click Here

[Via http://shoppingbagger.wordpress.com]

Wood Texture + BumpMap + Vray 1.5 RC3

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[Via http://derkauf.wordpress.com]

[Part 1] Making an Online Game with Ruby

I’ve decided to make an online game with Ruby, yay for masochism! I mean, yay for challenges!

Lets break it down:

• A simple multiplayer dungeon crawler
• I will use Ruby, as it’s my favorite language, and this blog happens to be about Ruby, imagine that!
• I will use Rubygame as my game dev library
• For simplicity, I will use an HTTP server and sinatra as my web framework to help make things easier
• I’ll be talking about my development experiences here on rubygamedev

I’ve got some code written, which I’ll throw on github sometime soon. It’s not yet a game, so the jury’s still out on whether or not it’ll be fun…

[Via http://rubygamedev.wordpress.com]

Nishiddho Ahoban

fun, funology, boredom busters, jokes, brain drains, science fair, wacky facts, hot stuff, kids, kids sites, kids games, kids links, safe kids sites, childrens sites, family sites, family links, family, teens, parents, K12, K-12, teachers, recipes, cooking, fun facts, crafts, quizzes, quiz, art, arts and crafts, experiments, science experiments, magic, magic tricks, free, educating, educational, kid, class, classroom, learning, information, exploring, knowledge, web-based, interactive, education, content, edutainment, entertainment, children, child, games, activities, early learning, preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade, sixth grade, k-6, elementary school, middle school, student, hot, cool, best, families, puzzles, color, alphabet, number, geography, science, math, reading, spelling, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, word finds, word search, painting, logic, game, learning, grammar, dinosaurs, teaching, pets, class, homework, creative writing, stories, story, studying, creativity, experience, toys, ideas, imagination, imagine, play, projects, skills, technology, after school, after-school, elementary, gifted, multimedia, riddles, tools, young, youth, bright

[Via http://nishiddho.wordpress.com]

Risotto, March Daring Cooks

This will be a tale of two risottos. First was a traditional mushroom risotto dressed with a Bolognese sauce made from Moose, pork, and veal. Second was a Risotto radicchio e salsiccia ( Risotto with radicchio and sausage). In the second one I used sausage made from mountain goat. Let’s get the blog checking lines out of the way.

The 2010 March Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Eleanor of MelbournefoodGeek and Jess of Jessthebaker. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make risotto. The various components of their challenge recipe are based on input from the Australian Masterchef cookbook and the cookbook Moorish by Greg Malouf.

Great risotto starts with stock. I like to use chicken stock made from leftover roasted chicken carcass along with extra necks and backs. So roast a chicken. Ever since reading Bouchon, I have only roasted chickens using Thomas Keller’s simple high temp method. You take an organic bird and wash it thoroughly. Then dry completely inside and out using lots of paper towels. Season inside and out with lots of kosher salt and pepper. Cook at 450F for about an hour. When you are just a few degrees below 160 at the thigh, melt some butter and toss in some fresh thyme to the bottom of your roasting pan. Use this combined with the roasting juices to baste the bird until fully cooked.

This was dinner and lunch for a day or two. Strip the carcass and pick all the meat off. Save all the bones and the neck from inside. I added to that some more necks and backs. This was all roasted again with mirepoix until browned lightly. Then cover in cold water with some herbs, bay leaves, and pepper corns tossed in for good measure. I let simmer for 5-6 hours at barely a bubble. It should reduce by about half. That is then strained carefully through several layers of cheesecloth. I like to defat by refrigerating overnight and then taking off the fat solids.

Now for the rice. There are many types that are ok but most traditional is Arborio.

Start some olive oil to heat in a pan and add in rough chopped cremini mushrooms. Don’t move them around. You are going for caramelization. When the mushrooms have been basically seared I then toss in a medium finely diced sweet onion. Stir around until the onions become translucent. Now is time to toast your rice. You are basically warming the rice while completely coating the outside with oil so as to ensure even absorbtion of your stock. Notice how the outside of the individual grain become translucent?

I have learned a few tricks while polishing up for this month’s challenge. One very important one is that not only should your stock be hot before adding to the rice, but so should your wine.  So make sure your stock and wine have been preheated. I also salt my stock at this point. For 1 1/2 cups of rice I added about 1 cup of white wine. Now the stirring begins. I am of the school of thought that for proper creaminess, risotto must be kept moving. So stir. When almost all the liquid is gone, add in a large ladel full of stock. Stir, repeat. The rice should take about a 3 to 1 ratio of stock to liquid but many factors can change that. Just keep stirring and adding stock until you get an al dente grain and almost all the liquid is absorbed.

I finished with just a little bit of butter but left the grated parmesan for later. To make this into Risotto alla Bolognese, I served with a large spoonful of the moose bolognese in the center and then topped with some grated and shaved parmigiano reggiano.

Now for risotto number two. You might notice lots of game being used in my cooking lately. I am trying to clean out the freezer as fishing season quickly approaches. Around Christmas my friend had given me a few of the more exotic items he could find in his cache of game meat. An Italian sausage made from mountain goat seemed a perfect fit for this month’s challenge. I browned it quickly trying to get a bit of color on the meat. This takes very high heat to get rid of the moisture and to kick start the maillard reaction. Notice how lean the meat is?

While browning.

Now for the radicchio. I really love this purple bitter cabbage with just a bit of color on it. So I cut out the stem, quarter, and then season with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

I put these under a broiler for a few minutes, then flipped, allowed to cook a few more, and then pulled out. Hard not to just eat like this. If you do it on the grill you can then melt gorgonzola crumbles over the top for an outstanding veggie side.

The risotto is made as you would a normal risotto. I did use the same pan that the sausage had been cooked in to add that extra flavor. At about 2/3 of the way through cooking the rice I added back in the browned meat and roughly chopped radicchio.

I put some rib steaks seasoned simply with kosher salt and pepper under the broiler.

Now this is how I usually enjoy risotto. With bloody rare dead cow and a glass or two of red wine.

 

You would think that we are done but not quite. With the first batch, I wanted to make a special Italian treat. Arancini alla Ragu is something I have wanted to cook for some time but never took the opportunity until now. With some cold leftover risotto, put in some cold bolognese and a piece of fresh mozzarella if you like. I did some with and some without.

With wet hands, shape this into a ball or egg shape. I put these back in the fridge on a sheetpan while making the coating. Buzz up some bread in a coffee grinder or food processor into a fine crumb. To those crumbs add in finely grated parmigiano reggiano, salt, and pepper. You then do a basic flour, egg, breadcrumb coating process before gently lowering the arancini into 365F oil. Fry until golden brown.

Season with salt while still hot from the fryer. Here is what they look like on the inside.

I can not tell you how delicious these things are. I will enjoy risotto in the future but will now take the extra effort to make these outstanding little fried treats.

Be sure to check out the other Daring Cook’s Blogs by googling the following

 ”The 2010 March Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Eleanor of MelbournefoodGeek and Jess of Jessthebaker. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make risotto. The various components of their challenge recipe are based on input from the Australian Masterchef cookbook and the cookbook Moorish by Greg Malouf.”

[Via http://climbhighak.wordpress.com]

Spotted: the new Republic of Rome

The New Republic of Rome, seen recently at COLD WARS

At boardgame convenitons, everybody tends to play a lot of everything, and miniatures conventions aren’t that different in spirit.  For every diehard Napoleonic miniatures game going on at a minis convention, there’s a nook somewhere filled with the same chaps who play minis playing Descent, or The Hell of Stalingrad, or the Haunting House, or even The Republic of Rome.  Hi ticket multiplayer games with great artwork have been a staple at the HMGS Conventions I regularly attend.  I certainly understand this. Who knows when you’ll find that mix of people again, really?

Republic of Rome is a sentimental favorite of mine.  I can’t admit to playing it more than a handful of times– it takes a large time commitment I don’t have any more, and it is a very unique game design that might not appeal to everyone.  For one thing, to see it get lumped in with “war games” is misleading.  I’d call Republic of Rome a “Peace Game”.. a game not primarily focused recreating a historical battle.  Battles and military actions are part of things, yes, but they are played out “offscreen”.   The main focus of Republic of Rome is power and politics within the Roman Senate.  Within this framework, the players use diplomacy, alliances, persuasions, prosecutions, graft, bribery, murder and even conspiracies to advance their cause.  The subject matter and mechanics will always turn someone off. After all, this game doesn’t come with a map, or little army counters to move around capturing land and killing each other.  Many of my gaming buddies would sneer at gaming the edge of the seat action involved in gathering votes for a consensus in the Senate over the opportunity to flatten some Guards Tank Army ringing Moscow, for instance.   Different strokes for different folks.

It’s been a long, long time since I played Republic of Rome, a game design that dates back more than 20 years. I wonder if the passing of time would diminish or enhance my interest in games from my own past. RoR is one of those games that figured prominently then but not so much more than a memory now. I’m intrigued, but maybe not enough to shell out what Valley Games is asking for it. I guess I’ll have to play it one of these days, and find out.

[Via http://misternizz.wordpress.com]

[PS3] Heavy Rain

So all it took was a couple of hours of playing over the weekend to complete. That kind of threw me off quite a bit as I kept on playing looking for the great big puzzles I was expecting to find that would fry my brain… and suddenly I had reached the end. It’s always disappointing when you pay a significant amount of money for a game only for it to end in 2 days.

On the bright side this game differed from anything else I ever played because it took a lot of the focus of the game itself. It was sort of like watching a film but having to press a few buttons every now and then. Different to other games was also the fact that you became a different character on different scenes. Also you can kind of see which parts of the plot would make a difference to the outcome so it’s interesting once you finish it to go back and try to change the flow of events just to get different endings.

When you were faced with a “puzzle” during the game all you had to do to solve was to thoroughly explore your environment and maybe make a couple of decisions but nothing major. As long as you looked at everything and made your character execute all possible actions regarding an element or clue then you would end up solving the mystery.

I think the concept was pretty good to start with and the graphics were not too bad. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if there was more focus into creating interesting puzzles and dead ends into it instead of making an amazing cinematography. To be honest I wouldn’t rate it as highly as it was rated from a game perspective; maybe as a film or plot but definitely not as a game… But then that’s just me and my taste…

Game: 3/10 Graphics: 7/10 Plot: 8/10 Duration: 2/10

It’s a must try if you want something different to what you’re used to on the PS3.

[Via http://valanto.wordpress.com]

Mosaic Graffiti

While searching for mixes of old and new, some of the most common, yet freakin’ awesome combinations I’ve come across have been altered 8-bit classics.

When a good majority of my generation hears the phrase “old-school”, one’s thoughts often shoot straight towards Mario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and all the other “outdated” games we grew up with. With so many graphically advanced video games today, it doesn’t seem possible for something as simple as an 8-bit koopa troopa on a 2D platformer to hold much ground. Yet, the nostalgia of the old days mixed with today’s technological world creates wonderful gems of art.

The Idea

Recently, I found several examples of artists going beyond the normal techniques of stencil art and incorporating old-school 8-bit ideas with the use of tiles. The most outstanding by far was a man by the name of Space Invader.

Spreading all across the world, Invader has posted up weather-resistant tiles that each resemble a character from the popular retro video game he gets his name from. With over 589 of these brilliant installations found in areas such as billboards, the Hollywood sign, and all over Paris. Some are even located so meticulously that they create Space Invader designs on a map.

For more on Space Invader, check out his info and article in Swindle Magazine.

The Project

For now, I’ve basically just started thinking about this one. I’m still deciding on what materials to go with, where to put it, and exactly what to make.

I’ve looked to see what Invader uses for his installations, but the only info I’m getting has been from photographs of his work. It seems like he uses different types of actual tile. However, other artists I’ve found use wood, paper, ceramic, and several other types of materials. Swindle’s article on Invader even describes how some of his work uses reflectors that shine in headlights.

While I search my head and the internet for the best way to go, here’s a couple more mosaics and 8-bit fun:

[Via http://dotarsen.wordpress.com]

HoleMon

The intention of this game is to make an ¡environmentally friendly game. The game informs of the fact that the earth where we live is suffering and environmental contamination and industrial waste are limiting our livable spaces. Do you have what it takes to save the planet?Check out a dynamic arcade game where you get to collect waste and safe the planet.
Download

[Via http://4castex.wordpress.com]

Dots

I used to play this game when I was a kid, and apparently it’s still alive and kickin’.  You start out with a grid of dots and you and your partner take turns drawing horizontal or vertical lines to connect two adjacent dots.  The object of the game is to use these lines to make boxes in which you write your initials, claiming the boxes as your own.  The person with the most boxes at the end of the game wins.

There are some pre-made, printable sheets of dots here, as well as a sample game.

To adapt this game for use in the foreign language classroom, you can turn it into a spelling/dictation activity.

- Call out a word, relevant to the current unit of instruction.

- Students, playing in pairs, must each write down the word that you say, attempting to spell it correctly.

- The students that spell the word correctly get to take their turn in Dots.  Those that don’t  miss a turn.

[Via http://languageteachersdotorg.wordpress.com]

Vocab Lesson

I have also had some questions about the meaning of the jargon in my posts. Here is a quick vocabulary lesson on the most common PUA phrases and acronyms. After reading this, you should have a fuller understanding of what I’m saying in my posts.

AFC – Average Frustrated Chump. Personally I use this as Average Fucking Chump. This is the guy who is just you’re Average Joe, has had a couple of girlfriends but nothing of note. He can’t understand why he’s been in the friend zone with his sweetheart since Junior High. He’s only not a virgin because of that one time with his girlfriend Freshman Year of college. Basically, a guy with no skills of any sort when it comes to dating or girls.

Close – Noun or verb. To close someone is to either get their number, a second date, a lay, or whatever your objective was. A noun version would be a “number close”, a “kiss close” etc.

Field – Basically anywhere where there is a potential to open sets.

FR - Field Report. These show up on Lair Forums as a form of documentation of a member’s time in the field.

FTC – False Time Constraint. These are used to prevent a set from feeling like you’re going to be a clinger. ex “Hey, I can only stay for a second but I bla bla bla”

Game – Noun. If you “have Game”, you have knowledge of or skills in the Seduction Community. ex. His Game was so solid, it was awesome. His skills were really good so they rocked.

Lair – Usually an online forum for people in the Seduction Community to ask questions and share advice. These forums are usually exclusive and require you to interview in order to have full access.

LR – Lay Report. Similar to a Field Report, but documents a full close.

Open – Verb. If you open a set or a girl, you are approaching them and initiating a dialogue or interaction.

Set/Sets – A girl or group of people that you are interested in opening or that you do open.

SNL – NOT SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. In the Pick Up context, this means Same Night Lay. ex. So I was at a bar and this girl and I were talking and she became a SNL. You meet, seduce, and bed someone the same night that you meet them.

These are the most used jargon phrases and acronyms. I’ll continue to add to this list as more come up in my posts. This list should keep you informed for the moment though.

[Via http://bronwynk.wordpress.com]

NOW! That's what I call Music! - #1

Five minutes later, my holy friday night will be gone promising another one next week. I am now very tired back from soccer game with SAHS; although food at the base was great! We lost by 4:0 and yes, I know it is ridiculous. However, from the game, I am very sure that we got tactically strong and more organized. Also, we could find more factors to improve on for farther more games that are waiting for us.

Back home, sitting on my chair putting one leg on the desk… I felt so empty. And yes, it was time for a beautiful relaxing music to be played. Going over the wrinkles on my brain, I found a perfect song and I am repeating it a lot of times; it is my forth time now.

It is song by a Japanese artist. I would categorize this song as a electronica. The lyrics and the voice of the vocal is very soft. Enjoy.

[Via http://jackk13.wordpress.com]

Playing Bingo Online

Playing bingo online, players can make use of optional features which make playing the game easier, such as auto-daub. Auto-daub automatically marks off the numbers on cards as they are called, so players don’t have to. Most software providers support other gaming features as “Best Card Sorting” and “Best Card Highlighting” where players cards are sorted and highlighted by closest to bingo. Some of these features are designed to free bingo to enjoy the communal pleasantries of the chat features.

There are also a great variety of games to play to suit just about every interested bingo player. Most of the top sites offer several bingo games. Some inexpensive game rooms appeal to the player who may want to play for just a 10 cents or 10 pence. Some bingo games only allow players to purchase the same amount of cards so you are not constantly competing against the “high rollers” out there who buy many cards for the same game.

There are a number of sites that will have the same promotions, similar graphics, the same bingo rooms and the same CMs. This occurs because they are part of a bingo “network”. In simple terms, this means a number of different sites (or “front ends”) are playing with the same numbers for the same jackpot (i.e., the same back end). Multiple sites act as doorways to a single game, leading to larger pools of players in chat rooms and more sizeable pots to win, in an arrangement known as White Label Gaming. While the bingo software is the same, the brand owners are responsible for the look and feel of the site, together with any promotions they wish to offer. This is an important feature of online bingo in that it is critical that any site have enough players to have a decent sized game. Hence, the bingo network that “shares” players.

[Via http://bootingskoblog.wordpress.com]

"Cube Runner"

This next Application is called “Cube Runner” based after the game Cube field on the internet. It involves tilting the iPod left or right to get an arrow to move. but it gets harder there are cubes everywhere and if you hit them your arrow explodes. This is a great iPod Touch or iPhone game because it shows the amazing tilting action of the iPod touch. This is also a popular app around my friends and is good for first iPod touch owners. You can also change the hardness level to easy medium or hard, which just makes the cubes come at you faster. At a cirtain number of points the cubes change colour and the cubes also go in different patterns. I give this app a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars because it never really changes and gets a little boring.

If you want to try this app out press here. And if you want to learn more or buy this app press here. I think you should get this app and I think you will like it.

[Via http://freetheapps.wordpress.com]

Learning from the beta years (Part 1)

You can learn a lot from observing betas, but nothing is more powerful than having been one and looking back. Hindsight is always 20/20. If you had girls and lost them, you can see what you did right and what you did terribly wrong. If you get frustrated from or can’t learn from mistakes, then give up now.

After my first girlfriend of over a year left me for some guy she had waited for to come back, I was devastated. Once I found out, I had her over for one last volcanic lay. Being the beta that I was, I begged her to come back to me not realizing that would only make it worse and give me no chance at all to actually get her back. She gave me pity sex and I made sure to do her harder than ever one last time.

I had always been the nice guy and what did that get me? A girl who cheated on me and lots of girls who wanted to be my friend. I remember in high school when I girl I liked once said to me:

I wish all guys were like you.

What the hell? I’m right here in front of you, take me! Nope, that’s not really what girls want and that puzzled the hell out of me. These are the alpha traits my rage forced me into:

• Having choices
• Pre-empting breakups
• Physical teasing by holding back
• Give hints about seeing other girls without the wet details
• If a girl offers to pay for something, just let her
• Never give gifts
• Take the sex, but still make her leave

Understanding that she was not coming back, I had a fit of desperate rage and was doing it doggy style with a new girl within a week. I didn’t like this girl very much, but kept her around for the sex until she pushed me to my limits. I then dumped her like last weeks garbage and suddenly she was willing to do anything to keep me around. I gave her a big fat ’no’ and that was the end of her. Why did that feel so good? What is this power flowing through my veins?

My animal rage after getting dumped that first time led me to have these alpha traits, but I was to nieve to understand them. I had no idea what I had done until I started reading about game a few years later. These alpha traits were offset by beta traits such as giving gifts, too many compliments and coming off as needy. Being an alpha and beta at the same time is very possible and because beta is what girls remember, you are in trouble.

I soon was seeing multiple girls at once not understanding the obvious fact that having options helps you not to care. You wont put one pussy on a pedestal because there are always others. After one particular first date I got the pull back when going in for the kiss. Then the girl left. A few minutes later I called another girl I had been on one date with, but hadn’t even kissed yet. She came over and we screwed like horny little rabbits. I was going to kiss a girl that day and the motivation drove me there. This was only the beginning…

[Via http://sectorlv.wordpress.com]

Aliens Vs Predator (2010) PC

Aliens vs Predator is one of those games that have been underated by Critics. Anyone that has actually played the 2 original AvP games would enjoy this game to some extent.

Despite the games issue’s it has potential to be a great game, even though Rebellion have not been making quality games lately this game does have its moments and potential(as stated above), but without the release of Dedicated Servers the game’s muliplayer is becoming a flop. (Nobody likes to play with lag!)

Consoles P2P systems should stay with consoles because Dedicated Servers have been around since the birth of First Person Shooters for PC and they allow people to customize their game and also add a Competitive community to it, dont get me wrong PC gaming is slowly dying, BUT, there will come a time when PC will make its comeback as consoles will become obsolete.

Mod-Tools is another thing that should come out for all PC games without custom content (most PC gamers know) the game will become boring without something different/new about the game to continue to play.

Aliens vs Predator™ is an entirely new title for PC and high-definition consoles from acclaimed British developer Rebellion, the team behind the 1999 original PC gaming classic.

Bringing the legendary war between two of science-fiction’s most popular characters to FPS fans, AvP delivers three outstanding single player campaigns and provides untold hours of unique 3-way multiplayer gaming.

Experience distinctly new and thrilling first person gameplay as you survive, hunt and prey in the deadly jungles and swamps surrounding the damned colony of Freya’s Prospect.

- As the Marine, you’ll experience a claustrophobic and terrifying experience where light is your friend, but there’s never enough. However, the United States Marine Corps are humanity’s last line of defence, and as such they are armed to the teeth with the very latest in high explosive and automatic weaponry.

- As the Predator, you will stalk from the shadows and from above, passing athletically through the treetops to ambush your victims. Although equipped with an array of powerful, exotic weapons and tracking equipment, honour ultimately dictates that you must get in close and take your trophies face to face.

- As the most deadly species in the universe, the Alien offers you the chance to play as the very stuff of nightmares – the monster in the dark swarming forward with countless others, jaws like a steel trap and claws like blades.

- Play all sides off against each other in a series of unique 3-way online modes and go tooth-to-claw-to-pulse rifle in the reinvention of one of multiplayer gaming’s defining moments.

Quote(above) taken from http://www.sega-australia.com/games/aliens-vs-predator/

If there is anything i missed please let me know….

[Via http://sl4y3rftw.wordpress.com]

Game Not Allowed to Diss 50 Cent On “The R.E.D. Album”?!?!

Now that Game has officially become the Doctor’s Advocate once again and made his return alongside Dr. Dre on Aftermath records, the two have been steadily working on both of their upcoming projects together.

Apparently, there have come to be some stipulations in regards to Game and his upcoming album The R.E.D. Album, as delegated by Dre.

Sources are reporting that Game will not be allowed to throw any disses at 50 Cent on the album.  Their original falling out was allegedly, in part, due to the beef that had brewed between Game and 50 after he was kicked out of G-Unit.

Well, if that’s not what we call being “sonned” than what is?

This would, however, go to show that Dre isn’t actually teaming with Game again to deliver a bitter jab towards 50 as some may have speculated before.

Rumors have been circulating that the relationship between 50 Cent and Dre isn’t what the media portrays and it is only through Eminem why the two are able to co-exist.  I

n regards to such statements, neither side has issued a statement, but Dre working on Before I Self Destruct and 50 reportedly on Detox should be an indication that the two are playing nice.

[Via http://hiphopwired.com]

Updates

Hey guys its Agent today Planet Cazmo updated!

There are new hot deals that include Lady GaGa shirts. A new mustache was added to the body shop too!

The new multiplayer concert game (that I recommended) is here! Its in beta so there are a few bugs but its pretty cool. The objective of the game is to score the most points by shooting the music notes that are flying around the room its pretty fun.

The Parachute concert is this weekend so if you are a member be sure to go backstage and get an autograph.

-AgentCazmo

Planet Cazmo Cheats Guide Owner

[Via http://planetcazmoguide.com]

Congrats to our new interns!

Congratulations to David and Gabi, our two new interns! Both have strong programming and gaming backgrounds and will be learning all about the business of game development for iPhone / iPod Touch. Over the next 3 months, they’ll be developing a new game under our guidance and training. Hopefully this will provide great opportunities for all involved. Welcome to the team!

[Via http://blog.fairladymedia.com]

ACT 5 – Scene Observations – Language/Music

Scene 1:

Conceptual Effects: The diction employed in Lady Macbeth’s speech is dark and tormented, as she mentions blood and fear. There is a lack of figurative language in Lady Macbeth’s speech. Her statements are simple, as she cannot speak in verse, much less to form figurative language

Musical Effects: Lady Macbeth’s speech stands out in this scene as the most important, and it is notable that her speech is in prose, which is reminiscent of the porter’s speech, when he was drunk. This conveys to us that Lady Macbeth has been affected in the mind as well, as she is walking in her sleep. In her last lines, Lady Macbeth says ‘come, come, come, come…’ and repeats the phrase ‘to bed’ multiple times, this adds to the strangeness of Lady Macbeth’s speech.

Scene 2:

Conceptual Effects: Menteith and Caithness mentions ‘anger’, as well as ‘madness’ in reference to Macbeth. This clearly shows their revulsion at Macbeth’s actions. In terms of figurative language, Lennox states “Or so much as it needs, To dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds.” Referring to the amount of blood that has to be spilled, where the sovereign flower is Malcolm, and the weeds being Macbeth. This is also an example of the use of nature imagery once again. The distribution of lines in this scene is even creating a serious discussion between these nobles.

Musical Effects: The nobles are speaking in normal verse. Lennox, being the last speaker in the scene ends with a rhyme: “Or so much as it needs, To dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds.” Which has been fairly consistent in the play.

Scene 3:

Conceptual Effects: In this scene, Macbeth speaks the most. His speech consists of demands, and insults. This is especially surprising, as even though Macbeth had not always kept his composure, his most common reaction was fear, not anger. This may reveal increasing desperation of his situation, even though Macbeth claims otherwise. He calls the servant ‘villain’, ‘lily-livered boy’, ‘patch’ and ‘whey-face’ all of which would be considered insulting in the context of the play. In terms of figurative language, Macbeth states: “My way of life Is fall’n into the sere, the yellow leaf…” meaning the yellowing leaves of autumn. in this case, Macbeth compares his age to the aging of nature, once again.

Musical Effects: There are many breaks in Macbeth’s lines, as he is addressing two people, the doctor and Seyton. This creates language which seems rushed and hectic, as Macbeth is not addressing each of the individually, but in the same line (49-59). As per usual, the scene ends in a rhyming couplet spoken by the doctor “Were I from Dunsinane away and clear, Profit again should hardly draw me here.”

Scene 4:

Conceptual Effects: Malcolm takes on the role of leader in this scene, this is evident by the number of lines he has, and also the content, as he tries to inspire the soldiers with him. The scene is quite short, but from it, it seems Malcolm is more capable of inspiring, while Siward seems more realistic, as he knows this will end in violence (16-21).

Musical Effects: The final lines by Siward point towards the impending battle, and as it is the closing lines of the scene, they are spoken in rhyming couplet.

Scene 5:

Conceptual Effects: Macbeth’s remarks on the fear he no longer feels is backed by diction such as ‘fears’, ’dismal treatise’, ‘horrors’. He has become to accustomed and seemingly desensitized to fear, and he remains adamant that his castle will not fall to siege.

Musical Effects: In the closing lines spoken by Macbeth, they are almost all spoken in rhyme. The idea of equivocation is mentioned again in this speech, which is a continuation of what the porter had said. The way in which Macbeth speaks is noble, but what he speaks of is sorrowful and reckless. The repetition of ‘tomorrow’ (17-27) and the whole speech creates the feeling that Macbeth is growing weary of his life, as if tomorrow kept coming endlessly.

Scene 6:

Conceptual Effects: Malcolm speaks most in this scene, However, Macduff’s used of diction in the line “Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death.” Foreshadows the  destruction to come later

Musical Effects: There is no rhyming within Malcolm’s line, however, there is in Siward and Macduff’s lines. The lines are short however, and it is seems to indicate that the mood is serious as these men are preparing to march to battle

Scene 7:

Conceptual Effects: The dialogue between Macbeth and young Siward is short and heated, and they speak rudely to each other. In Macduff’s speech, he is the opposite of Macbeth, he is serious in demanding a confrontation with Macbeth.

Musical Effects: Immediately before and after his confrontation with Young Siward, Macbeth speaks in rhyme, and he states that he laughs at the weapons held by a woman born man. This seems to make Macbeth careless and reckless, as even in a time of a battle, he is speaking with flair.

Scene 8:

Conceptual Effects: A lot transpires over the course of this scene. In terms of language, diction pertaining to blood, death and weapons reoccur. This suggests the conclusion of his life is near, and he bravely fights Macduff. For the initial segment of the scene, Macbeth and Macduff both have prominent speaking roles, and then, they fight. The play ends with a speech by Malcolm, which in effect summarizes and concludes the reign of Macbeth. In the speech, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are described as “…this dead butcher and his fiendlike queen,” and a sense of justice seems to be achieved in overthrowing them.

Musical Effects: The use of language becomes more positive after Macbeth is killed, The use of exclamation is not in shock or distress, but rather as celebration, and the final lines, as always end in rhyme.

Act Analysis:

Lady Macbeth:

Out, damn’d spot! out, I say!—One; two: why, then

’tis time to do’t.—Hell is murky.—Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier, and

afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our

pow’r to accompt?—Yet who would have thought the old man to

have had so much blood in him?

Macbeth:

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

To the last syllable of recorded time;

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!’

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

These two speeches are similar, as they both signify the end of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, but the presentation of the thoughts are very different. In Lady Macbeth’s speech, she is speaking in prose, and in disjointed segments, this is significant when she says ‘Hell is murky.’, as if she was interrupting herself also, these lines are not even in length, and have no rhyme or rhythm to them, the lines often continue with enjambment, and it is clear to the reader Lady Macbeth is not well.

This is not the case in Macbeth’s speech. In terms of language, he is clear in his expression of thoughts, and the speech has a somber and melancholy rhythm to it. Opposed to Lady Macbeth’s speech, it is written in verse. Additionally, Macbeth repeats the word ‘To-morrow’ to great effect, as it expresses his boredom with life, as it seems to keep dragging on and on. Lady Macbeth does not have the opportunity to express herself so clearly and with such artistry.

This contrast reveals the difference in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s character, and solidifies the roles they play which have since been reversed. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth was shocked by the murder of which he committed, but now, the person to pay for it is his wife, who has encouraged Macbeth to follow with his murder.

[Via http://roycewei.wordpress.com]

Kobe Returns With A Bang Hit's Game Winning 3 Pointer With seconds Left To Beat Grizzlies

It was like  he never even left. Kobe Bryant returned to the Lakers after missing 5 games and the All Star game to score 32 points including another clutch game winning 3 point shot with about 5 seconds left to play. Bryant had tied the game with a Three with under a minute to play. O.J Mayo went to the free throw line with the Grizzlies holding a 2 point lead and missed both Free Throws. The Lakers had trailed by 5 with only 40 seconds left. Bryant slipped behind a Pau Gasol screen to get a wide open look at a 3 from the right side of the arch to give the Lakers a 99-98 lead.Mayo’s last attempt was a fade away from 20 ft with the 7ft Gasol in his face and it hit the side of the rim and bounced to the left of the basket. Bryant scored the final nine points for the Lakers . Gasol added 22 points. “Every time it feels like the first time,” said Bryant when asked about the feeling of hitting a game winning shot

[Via http://heavenhollywood.wordpress.com]

Vancouver olympic Power point Trivia Game

The Olympics are in full force here in Vancouver.  It is exciting to see people show their Canadian Pride…I honestly didn’t know what had Canadian Pride.  Here is a free Vancouver Olympic 2010 powerpoint game for you to use in your Youth Ministries or whatever.  Enjoy.

Power point game

[Via http://kolbs.wordpress.com]

Sticky Ball

When I arrived to teach at our school, there was a little ball in each classroom that was covered in suction cups.  This ball, when thrown at a white board, would presumably stick to said white board, and thus, some teachers before us invented “Sticky Ball.”  Unfortunately, the aforementioned balls were falling apart, and therefore were not very “sticky,” although sometimes the suction cups would stick to the board and not the rest of the ball, to the students’ amusement.  Suddenly it occurred to me that these balls were probably still available, so I asked our amazing coordinator to find us some new ones, and she did.  At the 100 yen shop, no less (side note, I <3 the 100 yen shop).

Anyway, Sticky Ball is a great game with many variations.

Variation One (the original):  Target Practice.  Draw a giant target on the board.  I like to make the bulls-eye about the size of the ball, then draw concentric circles around that.  Start with five points in the middle, then have circles worth 4, 3, and 2.  I give them one point for hitting the white board anywhere outside of the target.    Have students line up, ask a target language question, and then let them throw away.  Award points based on where they hit the target.

Variation Two:  Flashcard Sticky Ball.  Instead of a target, draw random circles on the board and, using magnets, affix target language flashcards in each circle.  Let the students throw the ball, then ask them a question about  the circle or card they hit.  Award 2 points if they hit the flashcard, 1 if they get the ball inside a circle.

Variation Three:  Picture Sticky Ball.  Instead of a target, draw one big circle on the board.  Ask a target language question and let students throw the ball.  If they get the ball in the circle, they can add 1 thing to the circle (arm, leg, eye, whatever).  Works well with non-competitive classes, but I also tried this with a class of 4th grade boys and they about fell over they were laughing so hard.

Gambatte ne!

[Via http://eigonosensei.wordpress.com]

On Harem-building

Obsidian’s recent post criticizing Roissy’s Valentine’s Day advocacy of Multiple Long Term Relationships -a true harem- brought to mind experience I’ve had doing just that.

I didn’t even have to lie, as Roissy encourages.

All you have to do is establish relationships with married/involved women. It is easier to do this than build an elaborate mountain of lies to keep girlfriends with too much time on their hands from finding out about each other, and it forces the females do the lying for you. I’ve discovered that married women are most vulnerable several months after the birth of a child, or any time in the first 3 years of life of their second child. It is at these times that they are frustrated by their husband’s withdrawal, and fantasize about either moving up to a better provider beta or getting out of the house for once to have some fun.

Working moms are very vulnerable to affairs, but if you are not confident enough to hit on these women publicly, there’s always Ashley Madison.

A key benefit of boinking married chicks is that you, the shrewd gamer, can replicate your genetic potential with significantly reduced risk of having to fork out child support. The cuckolded beta will take the hit.

The downside is that husbands can get downright nasty if you get caught. I had to change my number and ante up my moving date because of threats from one. But even in these cases, the shamed wife will get the brunt of the anger. Just don’t deliberately inflame the situation, and you’ll be fine. Tell the guy to read up on his Roissy. He’ll thank you in a couple months.

I also do not think this would work well for men who are below-average in looks. You want to at least look better than the other guy.

[Via http://planetgrok.wordpress.com]

Prison Break: The Game :D

I don’t know about you, but I miss Prison Break a whole lot! I don’t deny that the show slowly lost it’s quality somewhere in the 3rd season. Also it’s story was supposed to end at some point and in this case, better sooner than later, so in a way I’m not all that sad that it ended. But still it’s my first series obsession and it will always have a special place in heart )

So, to remember the good times, they made Prison Break: The Conspiracy. I’m glad to see that they didn’t go the predictable way and make Michael Scofield the hero of the game and that it doesn’t have anything to do with breaking out. Sorta Instead, the protagonist of the game is Tom Paxton, a Company agent, who is sent to Fox River to investigate why Michael Scofield, a successful engineer without criminal record, became a bank robber. I really hope that it doesn’t come to fighting Michael at any point in the game, because I’m not sure if I’d be able to do that )

The game will be out March, 26th. Until then, enjoy the trailer below

[Via http://jbabzee.wordpress.com]

Fable III Moves out of Albion

The new Fable title coming this year will reach out of Albion and into another continent named ‘Aurora’. Nothing has been said about Aurora yet but Peter Molyneux compared Albion to ‘Europe’ so maybe we can expect to see a land comparable to Asia, or maybe the USA ( though I’d hope they would be more inventive).

In other Fable news, PM said in an interview that players will start Fable III as a fat child, he didn’t use those words, but he did say ‘Weight challenged’ which is in my opinion more offensive than fat kid. Sumo Wrestlers are weight challenges.

[Via http://maidengames.wordpress.com]

Sho Online

I just started Sho Online like a mounth ago and to tell you the truth this game is addictive in the same way as Hero Online. Its about Two Factions Yin & Zhou. And they have these Wars where one Faction can Defeat the other side and claim gates (Territories) that eventually leads the other factions Castle. Overall Sho Online is a fun Game To Play. Please leave your Comments and tell me what you think of this Game.

[Via http://migelandre.wordpress.com]

Game wants Fans to choose Next Single

With the release of his new album right around the corner, Game is trying to be interactive. Last fall, he released two singles from the album. At the time, he was under the assumption that The R.E.D. Album would be released in December. But, Dr. Dre reunited with Game and they began working again.

Because of his busy schedule, Dre had to back out of the project. For the remainder of the album, Pharrell handled things. As a result, both Pharrell and Dr. Dre will be credited as executive producers on The R.E.D. Album. All of the original version of the album was scrapped, meaning that the first two singles, “Krazy” featuring Gucci Mane and “L.A. Girl” featuring Chris Brown, may not even end up being on the album.

For his next single, Game wants the fans to help him out. He has recorded half of his album with Dr. Dre and the other half of his album with Pharrell. With production like that, Game knows that his album will be great. It will not matter what song is released from the album because it is likely to become a hit, regardless. With this in mind, Game wants fans to choose between a song produced by Dr. Dre or a song produced by Pharrell.

[Via http://hhvibe.wordpress.com]

Particular

Should I blog? Yes. Answer: Yes.

This particular blog is another games blog!

Who likes games? I do!

Here are my game experiences of today:

• Playing MK Wii with friends across wi-fi is very fun.
• Boys (or maybe it’s just my brothers) are very critcal about how you play games!
• Angry Bird is so funny and fun
• Bejeweled 2 looks pretty fun too but I haven’t played it yet.

So lots of things are fun and good in the world of gaming. But I was watching Good Game (Aussie gamer program) on TV the other night and I got a bit of background information about something NOT so good and fun in the world of gaming, namely the ongoing debate about R18+ ratings for games in Australia.

I’m not really sure that that website really provides all the information you need to really understand it, but if you want to know more just have a scout around on Google. Or you can go here (Good Game’s website), click “play video” and really get into it!

Basically most people want an R18+ rating on games becasue it makes it much easier for parents to see exactly what their children are playing, and it allows older gamers to really know they’re playing an R18+ game and not just an R18+ game watered down until it’s MA15+ rated just so it can get into the country. However, some politicians don’t think games need an R18+ rating because “games are for children”, and any games that could possibly deserve an R18+ rating is so inappropriate it should just be banned.

So, basically, the world of games is full of silliness and happiness and seriousness and frustration! Very mixed up!

One last word – Australia is currently the only developed country with no R18+ rating for games.

What do you think about the R18+ rating argument?

[Via http://booboomcgoo.wordpress.com]

Beta of the Year

Paging Roissy…

After 15 happy years with his wife, Alan Jenkins decided it was time for the ultimate expression of love.

So, determined to prove his devotion, he had a lifesize image of her face – along with those of their two daughters – tattooed on his back.

But Betas always reap the contempt for themselves that they sow:

Unfortunately for the besotted Alan, it also backfired on a monumental scale after Lisa, 36, absconded with a 25-year-old Latvian hunk she had met at work.

What does the cougar whore have to say for herself?

“I didn’t plan to fall in love with Kaspars – it just happened,” she said.

The Beta is not learning from his mistake:

He could be forgiven for wanting his wife off his back for good, but despite his heartache, he has no plans to have to tattoo removed.

“Lisa may have left me but she’ll be on my back forever thanks to the tattoo,” he said.

Somebody put him out of his misery now.

[Via http://planetgrok.wordpress.com]

Heavy Rain - Review (PS3)

NOTE: This review is SPOILER FREE so don’t worry about it affecting your experience with Heavy Rain.

Heavy Rain is the spiritual successor to Fahrenheit, a fantastic PS2 title that unfortunately collapsed in on itself during it’s final third.

It seems it’s creator David Cage has learnt from that experience and has used the lessons to help form the experience that is Heavy Rain.

And I say experience because Heavy Rain is unlike anything I’ve played before.

Telling the story of the Origami Killer, who kidnaps young boys and drowns them in rain water, Heavy Rain sees you controlling four main characters and through their actions – whether everyday stuff like carrying in the shopping or a frantic fight for their life – you get a real feel for the characters.

Another reason you feel an attachment to them is the well documented continuous story element – whereby if one of the characters die the story continues, just without you getting further evidence/clues that the character would’ve uncovered.

You can’t actually ‘lose’ in Heavy Rain. Most games are like mathematics exams – you have to work out how to get from A to B. There are several ‘right’ answers but a lot more ‘wrong’ answers. If you get the question wrong you start from stratch and try to work it through.

In Heavy Rain the story continues from A to B regardless but your input shapes the way the action unfolds. Presumably the killer is the same each time (I’ve only had one playthrough so far) but the eventual outcome will vary depending on how your story was formed. Worst case scenario if you kill off all the main characters you will end up with a shorter story and, possibly, no resolution.

Knowing during every moment that a slip up may result in the character’s death as opposed to just having to retry the section really ramps up the pressure. Imagine Kratos from God Of War dying permanently if you messed up a QTE or died during gameplay Obviously it’s a different type of game so you can’t compare them directly but it means you care a lot more about making sure no-one gets bumped off.

You interact with your surroundings using the right stick to open doors, sit down, choose what to look at etc. Moving is old skool – R2 is forward whichever direction you’re facing with the left stick changng direction. Pressing L2 brings up a selection of the characters thoughts which can be triggered by the face buttons.

During some cutscenes you’ll be required to take part in QTE events – pressing, holding or tapping various buttons and using the right stick. But Heavy Rain isn’t just a bunch of QTE’s, you will have the freedom to investigate environments and only once did the game (via the character thinking to himself) prompt me to go back and do something before I could leave the scene.

Graphically this game is up there with the best of them and because the camera angles are dictated by the game you’re guaranteed the game will look amazing all the time.

It’s not flawless – I had a few glitches whereby an unrelated character stumbled into view as a cut scene started (presumably as it’s all running on the same engine in real time) and the main character walked right through them.

Friends that have played the game are saying things like ‘this is amazing’ or ‘I’m astounded’ which is pretty high praise from regular gamers. After finishing Heavy Rain I could not stop talking about it with everyone I met – which is quite an achievement without discussing the story

And I am extremely wary of ruining any part of this experience for anyone that reads this, which is why I haven’t mentioned anything specific storywise.

Heavy Rain is a game that deserves to be played by the masses – I suspect, sadly, that it won’t be but if Sony marketed this right (I’d release a full trailer as you would for a film personally) it could break through.

Some people will hate this game and think it’s boring but for me it’s great to play through a strong story and the mundane moments help build the characters.

It says a lot that as soon as I finished this game I wanted to play through it again straight away. I want to give the characters a slightly different personality, experiment to see what happens and find out how it changes the story.

Heavy Rain is by no means perfect but it brings a whole raft of new ideas and innovation to the table.

At the very least rent this and give it a shot – once I started I couldn’t stop playing it and I hope many more people enjoy it as much as I did.

Rating: 9/10

[Via http://greghorrorshow.wordpress.com]