Saturday, May 8, 2010
KMK Ep 4
I just posted a new episode of KMK. You probably all check it out. It's our most off topic podcast yet. It's over at kmk.podbean.com
Friday, April 16, 2010
Respawn Entertainment
According to GameRadar.com EA has signed on to work with former Infinity Ward heads to create a new studio.
If I understand this correctly, I can only assume that Activision is kicking themselves in their teeth right now. Let's let go the people who helped create one of our greatest franchise only to have them picked up by our rival game publisher...Smooth move Activision.
This comes at a time where both parties are suing one another and at least now the former Infinity Ward heads have something to put them in a positive light instead of a legal battle with one of the biggest game publishers around.
On a much lighter note, I have been sitting on a link for a while and then a friend sent it to me so I decided to check it out. It's grooveshark.com. It's an internet radio like Pandora, but from what I can tell it's a hell of a lot better. There is more variety and you can pick the music that you want to listen to, as in full albums streamed at good quality. Check it out. Thanks to TJ.
And on a final note, KMK episdoe 4 will be coming soon as I find the time to edit it and put it up on podbean.
Nigel
If I understand this correctly, I can only assume that Activision is kicking themselves in their teeth right now. Let's let go the people who helped create one of our greatest franchise only to have them picked up by our rival game publisher...Smooth move Activision.
This comes at a time where both parties are suing one another and at least now the former Infinity Ward heads have something to put them in a positive light instead of a legal battle with one of the biggest game publishers around.
On a much lighter note, I have been sitting on a link for a while and then a friend sent it to me so I decided to check it out. It's grooveshark.com. It's an internet radio like Pandora, but from what I can tell it's a hell of a lot better. There is more variety and you can pick the music that you want to listen to, as in full albums streamed at good quality. Check it out. Thanks to TJ.
And on a final note, KMK episdoe 4 will be coming soon as I find the time to edit it and put it up on podbean.
Nigel
Monday, April 5, 2010
A break from games
Whoa, it's been awhile.
Alright let's get to the meat of the message here. Since last week I have been listening to two artists almost exclusively. These two artists are Pomplamoose and Ronald Jenkees.
Let's start with Pomplamoose as they have almost taken over my ears. In all honesty, I have no idea why I didn't start listening to Pomplamoose sooner than I did, only because I have heard some of their stuff before and thought it was pretty incredible. Pomplamoose has some really awesome covers, but they are much more than just a cover band with creative and original songs as well. The band consists of two people Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn who play a variety of instruments and edit them into very awesome music videos.
Nataly's vocals are among some of the best I have ever heard. There is something soothing and relaxing in the way she sings. Jack and Nataly have an impressive repertoire of instruments that they play. The sound is so hard for me to describe just go check their videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/PomplamooseMusic or buy their album on iTunes.
Recommended Tracks: Pomplamoose - Little Things
Pomplamosse - If You Think You Need
Some
Ronald Jenkees is a keyboardist with incredible talent, he also knows how to lay a pretty rad back beat to his music. My only problem with Jenkees is that he has this online persona for youtube that kind of bugs me...at least I think it's an online persona if not he doesnt' bug me at all. Jenkees is also one of those musicians you go back to and wonder why the hell you weren't listening to them all along.
You can also check out Jenkees' youtube page at http://www.youtube.com/user/ronaldjenkees?blend=1&ob=4
Recommended Tracks: Ronald Jenkees - Throwing Fire
Ronald Jenkees - Guitar Sound
Alright let's get to the meat of the message here. Since last week I have been listening to two artists almost exclusively. These two artists are Pomplamoose and Ronald Jenkees.
Let's start with Pomplamoose as they have almost taken over my ears. In all honesty, I have no idea why I didn't start listening to Pomplamoose sooner than I did, only because I have heard some of their stuff before and thought it was pretty incredible. Pomplamoose has some really awesome covers, but they are much more than just a cover band with creative and original songs as well. The band consists of two people Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn who play a variety of instruments and edit them into very awesome music videos.
Nataly's vocals are among some of the best I have ever heard. There is something soothing and relaxing in the way she sings. Jack and Nataly have an impressive repertoire of instruments that they play. The sound is so hard for me to describe just go check their videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/PomplamooseMusic or buy their album on iTunes.
Recommended Tracks: Pomplamoose - Little Things
Pomplamosse - If You Think You Need
Some
Ronald Jenkees is a keyboardist with incredible talent, he also knows how to lay a pretty rad back beat to his music. My only problem with Jenkees is that he has this online persona for youtube that kind of bugs me...at least I think it's an online persona if not he doesnt' bug me at all. Jenkees is also one of those musicians you go back to and wonder why the hell you weren't listening to them all along.
You can also check out Jenkees' youtube page at http://www.youtube.com/user/ronaldjenkees?blend=1&ob=4
Recommended Tracks: Ronald Jenkees - Throwing Fire
Ronald Jenkees - Guitar Sound
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Mass Effect 2 and what this means for gaming.
Mass Effect 2 revolutionizes what a sequel should be in the western RPG market.
I finished Mass Effect 2 and I can safely say that it is the best western RPG I have ever played. It now ranks in my top 10 favorite RPGs of all time and I am venturing a guess that this game will have no rival in terms of what a sequel does to evolve a storyline.
Mass Effect 2 as stated in my last post, is the follow up to Mass Effect...duh. In Mass Effect there are tens of hundreds of choices a player can make that shapes the plot of Mass Effect, but as the saying goes "all roads lead to Rome" so to do all choices in Mass Effect lead to the end goal of the game. Regardless of how players chose to get there, the end destination is the same for every player save a couple minor details.
That is, until Mass Effect 2 game along. Never in my life as a gamer have I ever been shown the consequences of my actions on a longer time-line. I will say that it is one of the most awe-inspiring moments to see that all of those good choices I made in Mass Effect are so far reaching that they even help countless others in Mass Effect 2.
Knowing now that my consequences have actions, choices became even harder to make and had more impact. Choice no longer became "Do you skin this family alive for lying to you, or do you let them go?" I now had to debate on what the consequences of my actions would have to be in the long run.
Perhaps my next statement is a tad to early to tell, but it could be that BioWare is making a statement to the players of the game. Saying "Wake up gamers, choices do exist and they have consequences."
While this statement may seem an obvious one, how often do we see gamers choosing games over family or other obligations. I love games and always will,but a problem with my peers seems to be a general separation from the choices that they are making. Even now as I write this blog, I wonder if this would not be better a discussion to have in a public forum open for debate and the kind of feedback that one can only receive while having genuine human interaction. But, I guess that's a topic for another day.
I finished Mass Effect 2 and I can safely say that it is the best western RPG I have ever played. It now ranks in my top 10 favorite RPGs of all time and I am venturing a guess that this game will have no rival in terms of what a sequel does to evolve a storyline.
Mass Effect 2 as stated in my last post, is the follow up to Mass Effect...duh. In Mass Effect there are tens of hundreds of choices a player can make that shapes the plot of Mass Effect, but as the saying goes "all roads lead to Rome" so to do all choices in Mass Effect lead to the end goal of the game. Regardless of how players chose to get there, the end destination is the same for every player save a couple minor details.
That is, until Mass Effect 2 game along. Never in my life as a gamer have I ever been shown the consequences of my actions on a longer time-line. I will say that it is one of the most awe-inspiring moments to see that all of those good choices I made in Mass Effect are so far reaching that they even help countless others in Mass Effect 2.
Knowing now that my consequences have actions, choices became even harder to make and had more impact. Choice no longer became "Do you skin this family alive for lying to you, or do you let them go?" I now had to debate on what the consequences of my actions would have to be in the long run.
Perhaps my next statement is a tad to early to tell, but it could be that BioWare is making a statement to the players of the game. Saying "Wake up gamers, choices do exist and they have consequences."
While this statement may seem an obvious one, how often do we see gamers choosing games over family or other obligations. I love games and always will,but a problem with my peers seems to be a general separation from the choices that they are making. Even now as I write this blog, I wonder if this would not be better a discussion to have in a public forum open for debate and the kind of feedback that one can only receive while having genuine human interaction. But, I guess that's a topic for another day.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Quick hit reviews
"Mass Effect"
I just recently beat Mass Effect and despite it's physics flaws and chugging frame rate, I felt a need to finish this game.
"Mass Effect" does a lot of things that were refreshing during my play-through. Namely, "Mass Effect" had a story that was engaging and created a bond between my characters and me. The choices were very basic and binary at the beginning, which led me to believe that I was going to have to trudge through "Mass Effect" making choices that had no real consequences or bearing on what would happen later in the game. Yet, late in the game there is a choice that really affected me. I was totally blindsided and wasn't ready for the ramifications of the choice I was going to have to make. Everything considered, I finished "Mass Effect" which says a lot about what the game does as I normally can't be bothered to finish a game.
"Mass Effect 2"
Finishing "Mass Effect" I felt the need for more, and I was blessed that BioWare was going to release "Mass Effect 2" the day after I have finished. "Mass Effect 2" is one of the most beautiful games of this generation. BioWare polished out the frame rate issues of the first "Mass Effect" was plagued with. Importing saved games from the first allows for continuation of the narrative and allows for even more connection to even the most minor characters from the first. I have not finished my first play-through but thus far the story seems to be every bit as driving as the first.
I just recently beat Mass Effect and despite it's physics flaws and chugging frame rate, I felt a need to finish this game.
"Mass Effect" does a lot of things that were refreshing during my play-through. Namely, "Mass Effect" had a story that was engaging and created a bond between my characters and me. The choices were very basic and binary at the beginning, which led me to believe that I was going to have to trudge through "Mass Effect" making choices that had no real consequences or bearing on what would happen later in the game. Yet, late in the game there is a choice that really affected me. I was totally blindsided and wasn't ready for the ramifications of the choice I was going to have to make. Everything considered, I finished "Mass Effect" which says a lot about what the game does as I normally can't be bothered to finish a game.
"Mass Effect 2"
Finishing "Mass Effect" I felt the need for more, and I was blessed that BioWare was going to release "Mass Effect 2" the day after I have finished. "Mass Effect 2" is one of the most beautiful games of this generation. BioWare polished out the frame rate issues of the first "Mass Effect" was plagued with. Importing saved games from the first allows for continuation of the narrative and allows for even more connection to even the most minor characters from the first. I have not finished my first play-through but thus far the story seems to be every bit as driving as the first.
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