Thursday, April 22, 2010

Moving up the ladder in Karate Champ


Working my way up to 100,000. I didn't have such a clean game but I was racking up to the 9th dim ladder but took one too the "censored".
Still working my way up a little each week. I been taking a break because I am noticing that I been getting laxed on my game play in the early stages.
It will be sometime till I get to play again because my Mame Project has been needing some attention.
I got my Arcadevga card all loaded up in my PC and ready to to be connected to my golden Tee arcade Monitor for some Mame action.
Should be fun and I can't wait.
Brent
P.S. Nick is BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

God of War 3-the lead up


Okay, at 2 a.m. this morning, I've caught myself up with the series.

If you're caught up with the story, then you know Kratos is ready to bring war to Olympus.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I just feel sorry for you.


I'm ready for round 3. Check out IGN's review to once again see a great reason why a trip to a Gamestop is a must.










Saturday, April 17, 2010

Going digital in 2010.


Mark my words, the following phrase is going to be next "it is what it is". It's going to the next phrase that you'll hear people saying ad nauseum, to a point that you'll end up blogging in anger just because you'll hear it over and over again. A little like the Macarena, but with people who are not as well dressed as the two guys from Los Del Rio.

"going digital".

Yup, I'm telling you, it'll be the buzz phrase of this year, if not this decade.

And, when you're wondering who to blame, point your ire in the direction of Apple and Amazon.

This all started with a conversation I was having with my father. Now, my dad was a VHS fiend back in the day. Home videos, videos from his job (he was a mechanical engineer and filmed production of the materials his company made. Yup, literally videos of cups and other things on an assembly line. And, sometimes he'd make me watch it. Ugh, that had to be some form of child abuse right?)

Now, the apple didn't fall far from the tree. In fact, it pretty much fell right next to it and is growing up to be pretty much the exact same tree. While I never actually filmed anything, I built a collection of dvds, vhs tapes, comic books, graphic novels, and regular books that could furnish a wing of a town library.

During the summer, as I did for part of last summer, I move down to North Carolina, where my girlfriend lives. Last year, I packed several books into a box, along with my PS2, and drove it all down to Durham, North Carolina.

So, I began to wonder-wouldn't it be simpler if I could just have one device for all of my books? One device that lets me read everything, listen to my music, and maybe play on the internet?

The opening salvo for all of this began with the Kindle-Amazon's e-reader. The device allowed us all to wonder if we need to stop actually buying books, and just, well, "go digital".

The benefits just started spouting out like a fountain-less paper, less space used up in our homes, less stuff to move one day. Ultimately, less clutter. In a time when people are trying to save money, the idea of actually renting space for storage is quickly heading to the sidelines. Space is at a premium for many of us now, and any way to start saving some of it is a must.

With the Kindle, books and magazines could all be found in one device. No more large bookshelves, and piles of magazines-just one device with a WiFi connection that allows you to access the largest library imaginable-the world's.

So, Amazon was enjoying the extra pub, literary purists started to scowl, and any student started to wonder if this would finally be the end to ten lb. textbooks.

Then, April 3rd happened.




Apple's Ipad basically lets you perform three essential functions:

1. Watch
2. Browse
3. Read

The Ipad serves as a digital reader, which is automatically going to put a dent into Amazon's Kindle profits. On top of that, Amazon's actually anticipating this by providing a Kindle app which will allow an Ipad to access Amazon's large library of eBooks.

With various companies putting out applications to work with the Ipad, such as Netflix, ABC Television (alternative to Hulu for Flash fans), and YouTube, the Ipad can serve as your mobile tv.

And, of course, Apple's web browser, Safari, is available, so email addicts like myself can check messages with the device.

Haters have already labeled this as a bloated Iphone/Ipod Touch. Probably true, but so what?Consider this: no more books, cds, or dvds. One device to rule them....oops. Had a Tolkien moment right there.

While I first started thinking about the Kindle, after playing with the Ipad twice, it's pretty clear Apple's about to make a few more bucks off of me. First it was the Ipod Touch, now this.

The point is, physical media is clutter; it's cumbersome, unwieldy, and a royal pain in the ass to move around.

It has to stop. I want to be able to take my media with me, without having to bring an extra suitcase or a carry-on bag.

2010 is going to be the year I start saying "no mas". No more trips to Barnes and Noble, my comic book shop (sniff, tear), or to Best Buy. My media's going to be digital. My back, arms and shoulders are already giving each other high-fives, and saying "hallelujah". And, my girlfriend will be happy knowing that her apartment isn't going to look like a vagrant drifter who enjoys a few good books is setting up shop.

Now, the next problem is, how to keep my girlfriend from taking my Ipad.


Wow, it's been a while. The place here looks a little different. I imagine there have been new faces visiting. I like what Brent's done.

So, where have I been? Well, changed jobs, now in the middle of a long-distance relationship, and have basically been swept up in working with a lot of technology-just not with video games.

As for my gaming, Madden 10 pretty much owned my time. If my PS3 was on, you could safely bet I was beating somebody's a$$ with my Raiders. Now, if only my Madden success with that franchise would rub off on the real life counterpart....


Recently, though, my gaming tastes have ventured from the virtual gridiron, to Ancient Greece.

Now, a little backstory. Let me be the first to say that I am one of the worst judges of games; I play something for a few minutes, and if it doesn't keep my attention, I think it's trash. I have done that on two occasions:

1. Halo-Xbox
2. God of War-PS2

Yup, I played both-wasn't impressed. Of course, later on, those games end up selling millions, I try them again, and I wonder to my self, "What the heck is wrong with me? This is great!". I don't know-sometimes it takes me a while to get on the bandwagon.

With God of War, I had played the demo for the first, and just didn't get into it. As of April of this year, that changed.

I was playing Madden, and finally decided to retired. Yup, there was a ceremony, some tears, and a good time was had by all. (Okay, I'm lying. I went to a Gamestop, got a few bucks back, and ended up getting God of War III and Final Fantasy XIII. Thanks for the quick tax refund TurboTax!!).

As for God of War III, I was impressed. The gameplay was of course, great, but what was interesting was how immersed I was with the mythology. The guys who developed the story for the series really did a great job with their research. It's as though someone read Edith Hamilton's Mythology, and built the game the book. For me, game play alone won't sell me; if I'm just running around, Grand Theft Auto-style, it won't work. Give me a story, however, that makes me want to progress through the game so I can see how the story concludes-well, you've got me hooked, as evidenced by me playing God of War II until 3 a.m. this morning. I haven't been up that late since college.

If you haven't tried the demo, and you're a fan of action games, I highly recommend it. At the end of the demo, I actually felt disappointed that it was over. I can't say the last time a demo left me feeling like that. It's a feeling that basically says to you, "Go out and get this game. Now".





Of course, as I bought God of War III, I saw that the first two games, originally on PS2, were remastered for HD, and released on a blu-ray PS3 disc. (For skeptics who thought this was just a cheap attempt at a repackaging the games, I can tell you that you're wrong. I've compared God of War I on PS2 and the PS3 redigitized version, and there is definitely a difference. At $30, it's well worth it.)

While III is amazing, because it's apart of a great story, I recommend playing the first two-you'll just enjoy III that much more.

So, now, I'm in trying to finish up 2, so I can start the third and final game in the series.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to figure out how to get into the Temple of the Fates.

I'm going to need caffeine.





Thursday, April 15, 2010

Good enough for 5th in the world for Karate Champ


74,400 is Good Enough for 5th in the World for Karate Champ but that just isn't good enough. I can get that score up to at least 105,000 range. I have done it before but never thought to take a photo of it. This was a good practice round though.
I'll have to take some video soon.
Brent

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Reason to get an Ipad

This would be the only reason I would get an Apple Ipad. I been burned by apple products before and this one will really burn you because at www.thinkgeek.com they have this product advertised. It looks awesome but Happy April fools. Yes it is true. It is an April fools joke.

What a bummer too because I think people in the gaming world would buy this in a heartbeat. Well in the past they posted April fools jokes like this and then went in full production. So the joke might still be on them. Umm well sort of.

I hope they think about producing this one or someone might if the controls work like the old skool arcade games. Then this might be the perfect give this Christmas season for your retro gamer. If i find out any more info I will keep you posted

Brent
www.extendedplayarcade.com
"the games you crave"

PS link below to www.thinkgeek.com
http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/iCade.shtml?icpg=Carousel_iCade_1