The Death of Arcades

I have really been nostalgic lately and thought of all the good old days when you could go to a mall with a twenty dollar bill and have a great time at an arcade, or better yet when you had a decent nickle arcade in your area. What happened? Why the decline in good arcade games?

I understand that now we have powerful consoles at home and the ability to play online. I do miss however the sense of seeing jaws drop when you finish that combo in a game like Tekken 3, or beating the Simpsons Arcade Game with a single quarter.

Online play is the death of arcades and it is a sad day. The security of remaining a faceless voice by which you can annoy the masses with whatever god awful noise you feel like producing at the time.

That's another reasons why we need arcades. So that those people who are just there to annoy get regulated upon. One they lose money and two no one really takes crap from other people when your precious quarters are at stake.

Bring back arcades. Seriously

Gaming in HD

So I started gaming in HD finally due to an incredible deal at Best Buy. I would like to take a minute to write about how big of a difference this has made and the life changing effects I have been through in the past week.

Gaming in HD has rekindled my love for games. I am no able to game with those fancy next-gen graphics that I have been hearing about forever.

I am able to read text in games now. I didn't even realize how bad this is. Don't ruin your eyesight...game in HD

Gaming in HD is something that all gamers should experience. I realize however, that we all can't afford a new TV as they are expensive, but if you can find a great deal and afford to give out the money...do it, it will change your life.

I got myself a Samsung 32-inch LCD and I am in love. I will say this however, I am now contemplating picking up a PS3 so that I can get a blu-ray player.

Gah! Decisions

The New XBOX Experience

I for one am a fan of the new XBOX Experience.

Some of the key features
-Games can now be installed to the hard drive
-Marketplace can be accessed while in game
-Forming parties for a game has become easier
-Avatars (knock-off Miis)
-Style overhaul
-Creators Club

Overall I am satisfied with the new dashboard. I really like the way it looks. I am also a fan of how things are broken down.

I feel navigating achievements has become easier, yes I am into getting achievements, but only when I really don't have to go out of my way to get them.

The new marketplace took some getting used to but now I am satisfied.

Something new to XBOX Live is the addition of user created content known as the creators club. I for one think its a cool idea. According to a 1up.com podcast "1up Yours" the content is all monitored by users so there should be some sort of filter as to what makes it on the creators club.

Avatars rip off Nintendo Miis so much it hurts. I like them but I do feel they are an unnecessary addition to gather more users who just want casual games.

All and all I am very satisfied with what Microsoft has done with the new XBOX dashboard.

Rant 2

What's wrong with enjoying games? I ask not rhetorically but in earnest expecting an answer.

I am a really big nerd. So much so that I make references to things and just get a look of disgust at how nerdy something I said was. The reason I ask the question is why is me beating Chrono Trigger more nerdy than knowing the entire '98 Padres roster?

I think nerds, and I say that in the best meaning of the word, get a bad rap. What makes my hobby inferior to anyone elses? Why should we get cartons of milk thrown at us for liking dragons?

As far as the other side of the story goes. I also am a rare breed of nerd. A nerd that knows how to socially interact with all people not just people who have the same likes as me. We as nerds need to band together to show the world that we are normal. Cut the non conformist crap and just act regular. No need to wear a cape outside. No massive spikes to a dance.

I guess what I am really asking is why can't everyone get along. It seems so easy, yet people make it a lot more difficult than it needs to be. The general public have started to accept gamers in a larger number now as they have become more and more saturated with games and have found for the most part that a lot of them are okay.

Impressions

I finally took a break from Rock Band 2, and am quite surprised that this seasons triple a titles do not disappoint.

Call of Duty: World at War: The game is great. I myself am a fan of World War II no matter how many times it is put in front of me. The co-operative campaign in the game is great, except for the fact that in one part so far it seems that the first player gets to do a lot more of the action type stuff that makes the game fun. The online multiplayer is much like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. You get to level up and choose perks and build custom classes. All and all their are a few things that are their to nit pick at but I am generally liking the game.



Fallout 3: Never before in my life have I witnessed a game that was this graphic with violence. I might even dare to say that this game may be a little over the top for even me. The game being so open ended is also hard for me to grasp. The scop is just so large it's hard to fully understand how much freedom players actually have in the game.

Fable 2: The game as a whole is great. It is a middle ground between sandbox and linear pathed rpg. The problem is the game is much too short.

Rant

OK OK, I know you are all probably tired of hearing about election stuff. The reason I waited a week before posting an election blog, is that I felt the need to step back and analyze the situation.

Before I start my rant on the elections let me say that America has certainly come a long way, and is definitely making some progress in who we the people elect to run this country, however; Barack Obama is still a democrat. If John McCain were black and he were to be elected I would say the same thing, he is still a republican.

I feel that America is in need of a wake up call. The fact is, that we have become very much a bi-partisan nation. If we truly wanted to see how far we as a nation have become we should have let the major independent candidates participate in the 2008 debates. Before you jump down my throat saying that it would take votes away from a candidate I would say that it is our right as a people to hear all angles of those who would potentially run the country. I for instance, didn't like either candidate and am sad that I didn't get to see any of the independents on stage. I do believe if we as a nation want to really change the way things are in our country, we have to inform ourselves on the options that are being provided for us.

It amazes me to think how well someone could identify themselves as an independent rather than trying to force themselves to fit into one of the big two.

The real reason I posted this blog is to confront what an Obama presidency will mean for us as gamers. 1up.com has an excellent piece on what it means for us. Check it out on their site. Politicians need to lay off the hate for video games. Just as with movies or any other form of entertainment I think that there is a disconnect between real violence and violence see in a game. I myself, have played many a beat em' up and have never wanted to get into a fight, in fact it scares the hell out of me any time I get close to being in any type of confrontation.

Pile of Shame

Alright guys, it's that time of year, you all know what I am talking about.  The time where a great number of games come out and all of us gamers go broke and the gamers on hiatus build their piles of shame (games you buy and then they just sit there) thinking that things will free up soon enough for them to get through these awesome titles. 

With the coming of Rock Band 2 I have not been able to pry myself or my family away from the game and have a couple of games that I really should be getting through before they become irrelevant in conversations among the people I most identify with... gamers.

My list has started to grow ever larger. The list so far: Fable 2, Fallout 3, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, Viva Pinata, Oblivion, GTA IV, Ninja Gaiden 2, Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, and a ton of others.

I am slowly working my way through Fallout 3, but because Bethesda is behind it I know it will take the rest of the year at least, if I want to get the best value out of my purchase.

I'll try and scour the Internet for news as well and see if I can't put stuff up here.

Starting something that should have been done a long time ago

The day has finally come where I start a blog. 

This blog is dedicated to all the people out there who love technology and more specifically, video games, but just don't have the time they would like to have to get down and take on that new epic challenge.

What makes me qualified to talk about games?  Lots.  Let's start with the fact that I have been gaming since I can remember.  I started with the classics, Mario Brothers, Duck Hunt, Contra, Bubble Bobble, the list of games I played when I was young continues for pages.  I am also now in college and am not finding the time I would necessarily like to have to play games.  I also have two jobs.  These things all take time out of my life that could be better used playing games.

This fall I decided that I would force myself to play games so I signed up for the college newspaper to write video game reviews.  So far everything has been great, and there is nothing more satisfying than to say "Sorry guys I can't I gotta do homework and it's playing this game"

Well I am signing off this post to start really posting.  Look here for game impressions and other things pertaining to games