Back In Action!!

Before I begin I have to state that I love my parents so much. This has been are hard three weeks without any gaming system but finally the storm has cleared and my gaming life is back. Not only back but improved! Sorry Microsoft but since you failed to replace my Xbox 360 after its tragic death to the red circle, I have upgraded to the Sony PS3. See how quick you can loose a loyal customer?

With that being said Lets Begin!!!With its Release date scheduled for tomorrow, it is only right that I blog about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. With the first being one of the greatest games to ever be released, the is much anticipation for this game. Pre-Sale copies are at high numbers and stores are expected to be sold out fast.

I even have friends who are discussing camping out to be one of the first to get the game. This is something I thought I would never understand until this game was released. Will I do it, No, but if I had a tent, money, and didn't have to do this blog (lol), I would think about it.

The online network is about to be going crazy come the November 10th release date. This only adds to the feeling of doing the right thing for leaving my xbox behind. Who would charge a person to play a game online that they already bought. OUTRAGEOUS!!! But with this free network with PS3, I am going to be a beast in the game just like the Celtics are in the NBA (had to add that in here since they are 6-1)

There are a lot of new missions and different activities in Modern Warfare 2. It has this Special Ops mode that allows your to do special missions outside of arcade and campaign mode. As you collect stars, more missions become available. There are about 69 missions in all and if their anything like the first Modern Warfare, its bound to be filled with greatness.

Weapons on this game have advanced. Through reading different reviews, yes some stores couldn't hold out until the release date, the gun are a lot better. With game play being about the same as it was on the firs modern warfare; might i add that the firsts game play was unique, unlike any other, great! Many people hated using the shotgun with a secondary weapon being a pistol. On Modern Warfare 2, you are able to take the custom slots and create better class gun selections. Shotgun with SMGs, SMGs with Rocket Launchers, etc. In the end, pick a gun, aim, and hope for the best, lol. Also, there are so many attachments for weapons this time around. Even better perks to upgrade the perks from the last game.You are also allowed to run around with a protective shield. Everyone has seen a swat type show where the bust out the van with a big shield to guard them, this is what you now have in the game. Their are also grenades that you can throw and will stick to anything. Great weapon to have in online play.

This a game that is not to be played on a same big box television that your brother used when he was in college 10 years ago (no i am not speaking about my tv). This game should be played at its best. Big screen, 40 inches or better, LED Backlight, HDTV input, Surround sound, two red bulls, and a group of friends who love to kill each other and talk shit should all be present at the time of game play.

With all that said, I must now call that ex-girlfriend and ask her to buy me the game tomorrow!

Advancements in Technology

New Technology

Lately while playing different games; borrowing a friends system, I realized that games have come a long way. There are games that are coming out with great new advancements that make game play easier and more realistic. Not only speaking about graphics, how the players in games look, but the added small things that many may not notice.

NBA 2K10 has come a long way from since it first dropped on in 1999 on Dreamcast. This year’s game includes an upgrade on presentation and commentary. Every time you turn on your console, the game will give you a list of all the days’ real NBA season match ups. It will always be giving real commentary stats during game play.

PSP has reached new heights with it PSP Go. With its smaller size and 16GB storage, the PSP Go will cost about $250. This will include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It will also be able to download games directly to the console. PSP Go Weighs about 40 percent less than the PSP-3000, close to the same size as Apples I-Phone. PSP Go also has a full slide down control panel.

PS3 is putting video stores out of business. Playstation and Netflix are pairing up to make video game and movie streaming available. Soon to be available for everyone with a PS3 system, its just a matter of time. This advancement has started a decline of video sales from actual stores, blockbuster or planet Hollywood. Many have started to close down, laying off people left and right.

Online play has advanced tremendously. Online play went from playing against someone down the street to playing against those around the world. It has thus led to world wide communication in game play.

I could go on for days about the advancements but overall we know the extent of the matter. Gaming is reaching new heights and doesn’t seem on slowing down anytime soon.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6210984.html?tag=other-user-related-content;3

http://www.gamezone.com/news/10_05_09_03_54AM.htm

http://www.thekoalition.com/netflix-coming-to-a-ps3-near-you/

I love these other games but Super Mario is the Best Game Ever!!!

It comes a point in the gaming industry when we must step back and recognize characters who have succeeded in bacoming the most memorial characters in the gaming world. This Week we recognize Mario.
Lets be real for a second. Name any other game or game character that has been around longer than Super Mario? Came out with more game sequals than Super Mario? Have had a game on almost every gaming system? No one but Super Mario has made it to these heights. This came across my mind the other day when once again mario is on the cover of another game. Him, along with his friends and Sonic battle it out in the Winter games.

So who can compete with on of the best characters of all time. First you have the Mario dressed in red shooting fire balls at little brown mushroom heads. Or you can the mario with a cape on his back flying threw the air. Mario has reached limits that any other character has failed at.

When have you ever seen a character walk around with a water pack on his back, spraying charater in his own water world? No, not until Mario did it. Mario is the only charcter that has came out with a game for almost every sport. He has played soccer, golf, tennis, hockey, and the list goes on. This is not the menchin the different mario party games(one of my favorite) to come out over the years.

See, what you must understand is that it takes a great character to pull all this off. He has even brung along all of his friends, toad, princess, luigi, yoshi, etc. to the gaming industry. These character, we have to admit, would be nothing if it wasnt for mario. Even sonic is now getting sum much need support from mario. Donkey Kong thanks mario every day for keeping his character alive. If it wasnt for Mario, Donkey and Diddy would be lost in the lame character category.

Mario also came out with the Super Mario Brothers Movie. Who els do you know took the time to make sure that his brother also got some fame. The movie, though it may no have been a great hit(i thought it was great), was funny and entertaining.

So as we take the time to look back at mario journey, we admire his greatness and diversity in the gaming community. We appauled his great abilities and know that no other character will ever reach the bar he has set.

Super Mario - The Best Character Ever!!!

Bad For the Children.....NOT!!!

We have all heard some teachers and parents say that video games are bad for the children. That the more you play a game the more effect they have on your brain. Games like Grand Theft Auto, if played too much, can influence a child to commit acts seen on the game. They all present a list of negatives:

In many violent games, players must become more violent to win. In "1st person" violent video games the player may be more affected because he or she controls the game and experiences the action through the eyes of his or her character.

Academic achievement may be negatively related to over-all time spent playing video games. (Anderson & Dill, 2000; Gentile, Lynch & Walsh, 2004) Practicing violent acts may contribute more to aggressive behavior than passive television watching. Studies do find a relationship between violent television watching and behavior.

Women are often portrayed as weaker characters that are helpless or sexually provocative.

Game environments are often based on plots of violence, aggression and gender bias.

Many games only offer an arena of weapons, killings, kicking, stabbing and shooting.

These five negatives suggest that the games are to blame for a child’s violent behavior and actions. That woman are put down and seen as weak in video games. These are all wrong. People see these negative and run with them; never seeing the light or positives to gaming systems. So let’s state the positives.

On the USF Tampa Campus, the ROTC uses a big gaming system when practicing combat training. As an orientation leader, I was presented the opportunity to play this game. The officers give you a real M16 with a clip that when entered into the gun, must be cocked back and safety released in order to be fired. Though the gun, clip, and every other part are real, the weapon is wired into a computer that monitors your shots. You aim at a huge screen which gives you different war scenarios. This is just one way that the technology of gaming has positively effects others.

Leap Frog has reached new heights in the gaming community. With games that range from all subjects, math, science, and reading, Leap Frog has one of the strongest positive influences on young children. My nieces and nephew love leap frog and will play for hours if not stopped. This is such a great advancement in the gaming community because it takes the fun of gaming and combines it with education, child do not realize they are learning by playing the game.

The Wii has become not only a system for learning with games that mentally stimulate the mind and helps create better problem solving skills but now effecting people physically. The Wii has developed gaming programs that gives people the opportunity to get off the couch and physically become a part of the game. With games such as Wii Sports, gamers have the ability to be a tennis player, boxer, golfer, etc. It is a perfect way to end the thought that games contribute to a percentage of fat people.

Other Positives include:

Manali Oak states that “Playing video games involves problem solving, planning, estimation and analysis of the moves or actions of both you and your opponent. This affects the player positively by developing in him/her problem-solving skills, analytical and estimation skills and quick decision-making.”

Video game playing introduces children to computer and information technology.

Games can give practice in following directions.

Some games provide practice in problem solving and logic.

Games can provide practice in use of fine motor and spatial skills

Overall, GAMES ARE FUN!!! Who doesn’t love playing a game with friends all night? Who doesn’t love getting on line and playing against people from all across the world? Who doesn’t like to learn while having the time of their life? People who are trying to down play gaming are haters. They should realize all the positives that can come from picking up a controller and letting yourself enjoy life a little more.

http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_effect.shtml

NoOoOoOoOo….(deep breath)…….NoOoOoOo

Attention! Attention! Attention,

Over the week the worst thing that could ever happen to someone happened. Think of the worst thing that has ever happen to you and multiply it by 10. I mean, so bad life should have ended and I come back in the next life as Lil Wayne (greatest rapper alive). Ready? Brace your self, take a deep breath…..

MY XBOX BROKE!!!

What a tragedy? How could something like this happen to me? I of all people is left with just a box. I’ve watched people handle their xbox 360 terribly. I’m talking about kick it, spill juice on it, and let kids/adults step on it and their xbox is working fine. But I move it from my room to the living room and BOOM! Malfuntion, Pimp down, 10-42, get to the car b***h (in my Katt Williams voice).

Have you ever put in a game and seen three red lights pop up on your xbox? I have!! Everyone knows red means bad, stop, go away. My xbox is done. I have no idea what to do with it. It was working perfectly the day before. This is an outrage.

Dear Mr. Microsoft……

“YOU GONE PAY WHAT YOU OWE!” quote taken from Riley (Boondocks)

Microsoft should give me a brand new xbox. I’ve had that xbox forever, which could lead to yes maybe the life expectancy on this one has run up. But I got it right when xbox 360 first came out. I have been a loyal customer for years. I have bought tons of games, controllers, headsets, and updates from them for years; at least they could show a little customer appreciation. Don’t you agree?

This may seem insignificant/ unimportant to you but think….what if this was your xbox? Wouldn’t you want someone to care? This xbox has been with me through the hard times with family, through the psycho drama break ups, and the lonely high off life Friday nights. What is a brother to do now?

Microsoft is about to get a call tomorrow. And if demands are not met, we all should boycott their programs, games, computers, etc. Anything with the name Microsoft on it or that little blue square with the four colors on it is to be boycotted. I think I should start a march on Washington. Who has Obama’s House number? Where is Kanye West when you need him?

Someone needs to give me some type of direction or a new xbox!

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen; Nothing Like the Movie!!

Who doesn’t enjoy watching robots transform in some of the coolest cars around? The greatest movie of all time with a great follow up, the game fell short on all parts. I really expected more from this game. Yes, there should be robots killing each other but the game needs more. It needs different type of missions than “Kill all Decepticons in site” (in my best Optimus Prime voice). For a movie who sold out the first three weeks, they could’ve put more graphics and better game play into the game. Reminds me of Superman: The Movie, when its game came out. Its graphics was good but the game play fell short.

When the game first starts, expectations are high. You start by learning all the basic moves and controls. Best thing thru the whole game is jumping into the air and watch your autobot or decepticon change into the vehicle. While shooting at different targets you pretty much get the since of how the rest of the game is going to go. Optimus will pop up on the screen and tell you the next mission. You are partially lost when going into missions. During game play there are small movie clips that will play to give light to the situations. If you do not look at the map you will be unaware of how many enemies are in the area.

When looking at your surrounding, you can notice that most building look exactly the same. Sort’ve like the creators got bored and tired so the copied and pasted a lot of building from other games into transformers and clicked file save. There really isn’t much to do in story mode. From protecting building and running around the town, boredom sets in quick.

Richard Wakeling; bloger for thunder bolts games, states “Obviously this is brilliant for fans of the show and even newcomers that want to see what the 80s smash hit was actually like”. Those who love Transformers will object when I say the game sucks. They are blinded by the hype, the game is repetitive, boring, and needs more variety.



Though the story mode game play is slow, multiplayer mode adds to the positives. Maybe because I chill with friends who are very competitive and use a curse word in every other sentence that made the game more enjoyable. What I mean is, multiplayer brings a lot of fun. Team death match is boring against computer but find a group of college individuals, hung over from the night before, and your guaranteed and good time. They (my friends), think the game is great, that the coolest thing about it is letting them transform. I reply, play the story mode.

Chris Roper states that he found a handful of bugs/clichés in the system as he played. He noted that on missions where cars should be following you, they get lost and just appear in the end. Also that one mission, after dieing once and replaying it, left him at a stand still. Came to the conclusion that he was supposed to lose that mission on purpose. I add this in there since my attention span couldn’t last more than bout a half a hour playing this game.

Overall the game gets 3 out of 10 in my book. They spent too much time trying to make the robots and the transformations look good instead of giving a little more time to game play and surrounding settings.


http://www.thunderboltgames.com/reviews/article/transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen-review-for-xbox-360.html#comment-2060

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/997/997005p2.html

Apology

To the Chicken:

I apologize to chickens all across the world. I apologize for deep frying your brothers and sisters on an everyday basis. Smothering them in BBQ sauce, garlic flavoring, teriyaki, honey, hot sauce, and any other combination local restaurants can create. I apologize for rolling you around in ranch and cleaning the meat off your bones. For sticking you between two buns, lettuce, tomatoes, slice of cheese and a little mayo. I apologize for putting you in front of my family on a Sunday evening after church. Leaving you alone during a football game right before the half time show. For selling you out of concession stand for outrageous prices. I apologize for wrapping you in tortillas with sauce and selling them in drive thru. For committing the worst sin of all, letting people put ketchup on your tenderness. I apologize for the bottom of my stomach and hope others feel the same. Though your species may be one of the most delicious of all time, I apologies for my behavior and ask for your forgiveness.