tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27042017350090108302024-03-05T06:06:12.386-06:00TerminocityAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624679800963792801noreply@blogger.comBlogger291125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-36492825604096791002012-11-26T19:32:00.000-06:002013-06-19T13:26:18.873-05:00Gray Reviews: Assassin's Creed 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTupvd_0ERMyCzodQ8WS82VXjZ3Fmu7rMtZnYMmWoRL6Dy_fbHAnK59Pj8ar5vQIGjq2jzLYbJbfktrhRWr019eQm2UMWGGQDIdyc3Uvd4JBhPDkQDC5j17tEO7X6Z4i-YHeLJFkLb7W4/s1600/AC3.6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTupvd_0ERMyCzodQ8WS82VXjZ3Fmu7rMtZnYMmWoRL6Dy_fbHAnK59Pj8ar5vQIGjq2jzLYbJbfktrhRWr019eQm2UMWGGQDIdyc3Uvd4JBhPDkQDC5j17tEO7X6Z4i-YHeLJFkLb7W4/s640/AC3.6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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From Altair, to Ezio, and now to Connor, the Assassin's Creed saga has led us jumping through history as the Assassins struggle against the mysterious and powerful Templar order. So how does the final chapter of this AC trilogy play out? <a href="http://greyprince.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/on-assassins-creed-3/">Read my review to find out!</a><br />
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See you in the next level,<br />
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GrayGrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-12137471958602298792012-11-14T17:02:00.000-06:002013-06-19T13:26:01.803-05:00Computer America Gamer Tuesday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3uYbIVOmKVOsJBIEELbqY8RrtpemJJ8Koc-L4p5MBiQtSUahz6W2mao8m7np_IoPnmAvj8Vsl4WIfKFag85ma8diq5iGwHtAIutMgwJtKFa6hxoe73VAmvMMOuQ9slyIGnQ27COpdtM/s1600/computeramerica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3uYbIVOmKVOsJBIEELbqY8RrtpemJJ8Koc-L4p5MBiQtSUahz6W2mao8m7np_IoPnmAvj8Vsl4WIfKFag85ma8diq5iGwHtAIutMgwJtKFa6hxoe73VAmvMMOuQ9slyIGnQ27COpdtM/s400/computeramerica.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It’s that time of the month again! On the second Tuesday of each month, the Computer America national radio show dedicates their show to talking about nothing but video games and the video game industry. And I am their official video game correspondent! This month, Ben, Craig and I dive into Assassin’s Creed 3, Dishonored, Halo 4 and Black Ops 2 as we talk about their strengths, weaknesses and see how they stack up when they go head-to-head.</div>
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Here is the link for the first hour: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/60252603/computeramerica%2011.13.12%20hour1.mp3</div>
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And here is the second hour: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/60252603/computeramerica%2011.13.12%20hour2.mp3</div>
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Hope you all enjoy the show!</div>
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See you in the next level,</div>
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Gray</div>
Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-10920186742609736092012-11-02T19:22:00.000-05:002012-11-02T20:11:05.426-05:00Dishonored: Video Review by Grayson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://terminocity.blogspot.com/2012/11/dishonored-video-review-by-grayson.html"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTnX-DNz9RkEsNngQ-6HRDv6kEUaKRF9meJyyZzvIvtlrAm8TX8S-MskHdMZ-TQL6s87XC0dRn9ir2It5FLt39_5b4-TQLzOGbs6hJ1ro-WCQMKLzTmCr7FFL-1iouwatAQuNrSuNEbME/s640/dishonored3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Sorry for the delay folks, but at last my video review of Dishonored is up! If you haven't yet, head on over to <a href="http://greyprince.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/on-dishonored/">my blog</a> to read why I believe it to be 2012's Game of the Year.<br />
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Enjoy the video!<br />
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<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SeroAfxEick" width="560"></iframe>
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See you in the next level,<br />
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GrayGrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-216297136625029732012-10-25T16:07:00.003-05:002012-10-25T16:35:48.158-05:00Gray Reviews: Dishonored<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://terminocity.blogspot.com/2012/10/gray-reviews-dishonored.html"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlJeySPUvy9CDfnV53k0bFksnvE_Q8R8QAiBriIUAVcEwlIwDrpoqbSyz26RG9Q3WGbwVNQm8-f0DktxaYyycjrgoWqNbeCZHXxxCwdSATdtN3jswizx8pXl_SPFjS55KEaeLlE8TIeQ/s640/dishonored.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Developed by Arkane Studios, Dishonored has been eagerly anticipated for months, garnering over 50 awards at E3 last Summer. Now that it's here, does it deliver the first-person action/stealth experience we've all been waiting for?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://greyprince.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/on-dishonored/">Check my review to find out!</a></span><br />
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See you in the next level,<br />
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GrayGrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-88466703720702805522012-10-22T20:04:00.003-05:002012-10-25T16:36:29.638-05:00Vigil Co-Founder Joe Madureira Departs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83TEVmCUehGvjDJRByFcybORbvFZO2OZy3hrfQGn5d5Yl3Nqo43Kn3CyVJlXJpxkAo0ebWx1XciHSO-jr5tGkp1vpaUM8t4wEyjdilllKn6lHvC17bME8dMrnflBU2-yKTl87pRNcIxc/s1600/joe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83TEVmCUehGvjDJRByFcybORbvFZO2OZy3hrfQGn5d5Yl3Nqo43Kn3CyVJlXJpxkAo0ebWx1XciHSO-jr5tGkp1vpaUM8t4wEyjdilllKn6lHvC17bME8dMrnflBU2-yKTl87pRNcIxc/s400/joe.jpg" width="299" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>It seems this is the season for departures in the video game industry, as Joe Madureira announced his departure from Vigil Games in Austin, Texas.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://greyprince.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/vigil-co-founder-joe-madureira-departs/">Check it out here</a></b></span><br />
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See you in the next level,<br />
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GrayGrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-22731227980929300362012-10-11T18:10:00.002-05:002012-10-12T14:56:19.908-05:00Computer America: Gamer Tuesday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhht6SzZr9vcLN3uSnDJU82xLucAtzn1BCA2qvmGPX4-AOvHIU_Paj6B_reZMxOOCxB0V67lfJPga3UFZ2w7BE1z_2OLii7f00Ge8X-q5UFBZr_Uh0w3QugzGCxbXM9v8yhPymk6RTmg14/s1600/computer+america.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhht6SzZr9vcLN3uSnDJU82xLucAtzn1BCA2qvmGPX4-AOvHIU_Paj6B_reZMxOOCxB0V67lfJPga3UFZ2w7BE1z_2OLii7f00Ge8X-q5UFBZr_Uh0w3QugzGCxbXM9v8yhPymk6RTmg14/s400/computer+america.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a49; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;">Another second Tuesday of the month means another edition of Gamer Tuesday on the Computer America Radio Show! Head on over to <a href="http://greyprince.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/computer-america-gamer-tuesday/">my blog</a> and check out the podcasts from our show!</span>Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-47330598207600300912012-10-02T17:42:00.000-05:002012-10-03T10:54:16.668-05:00Gray's reviews: Borderlands 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSr4ZBlFzT2ydT_ntdBBkpEhRbTlopETXHs06GSKd_c-Sml4H2_1HnP8JWfG5ZuGh5Ktel9UMSKfaGFDSVSfnUGA3WvoAHLhUUiUb_R8I-F_0rB40kspbSB198UGpHSgrvC1NSnXii1fk/s1600/borderlands2.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSr4ZBlFzT2ydT_ntdBBkpEhRbTlopETXHs06GSKd_c-Sml4H2_1HnP8JWfG5ZuGh5Ktel9UMSKfaGFDSVSfnUGA3WvoAHLhUUiUb_R8I-F_0rB40kspbSB198UGpHSgrvC1NSnXii1fk/s640/borderlands2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Is the return to Pandora worth another riotous adventure brimming with head shots, weird personalities and droves of guns?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://greyprince.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/on-borderlands-2/">Find out with my review of Borderlands 2!!</a></span></b>Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-40432901528024924682012-09-25T19:13:00.001-05:002012-09-27T12:08:50.888-05:00Google Watches You Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://terminocity.blogspot.com/2012/09/look-we-all-know-google-is-watching-us.html"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTKUKPwSBkB9GqURSE-v0WXTmWDDbBR4R_PeXuM9oLkPiIejo8PRENZiI1SzW0Af7hoO6y8xGtUWXkMEKHG9mb1chI3wnO7mtVz3rCrwORmu5umkEP6F39f_Slw6K4zswSgYvapXKRb4/s640/google.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Look, we all know Google is watching us. Whether you like it or not, there are major companies chomping at the bits for what you search for every single day. Thankfully, this isn't one of those posts.<br />
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Google published a report today regarding the search habits of gamers related to major video game releases of 2010 and 2011, and the results are pretty interesting. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://greyprince.wordpress.com/2012/09/25/googles-research-on-modern-gamers-reveal-interesting-market-and-research-trends/">Come check out some of the juicy details!</a></span></b>Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-10271754958760875672012-09-20T15:45:00.000-05:002012-09-21T19:24:10.136-05:00A New Horizon: Bioware Founders Retire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://terminocity.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-new-horizon-bioware-founders-retire.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5N66NyY3Vulpmnb3kuaOnRjYuxbMPnqNoKrZvgtAzrW479KHi8xPbvz3lolhRBvfH3zRyTuDryOOK6VqTER8_ezmYS1qMCtLSDQWNnG2JVFT6KmHU9lMJR7tu3WGIWpjMu46WbEjCPU/s1600/founders.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Announced on Tuesday, Bioware founders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka will be retiring from Bioware and from the video game industry entirely.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> <a href="http://greyprince.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/the-next-level-founders-of-bioware-retire-from-the-video-game-industry/">Click here to read what they had to say</a>.</b></span>Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-65233205620445952912012-09-17T20:09:00.000-05:002012-09-18T13:34:42.377-05:00Gray's Reviews: Black Mesa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://terminocity.blogspot.com/2012/09/grays-reviews-black-mesa.html"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNpt0Y4K-X3f4_ZnfKbNB9MBQD8haAGlQ7PWsEVOsdNEmcjeYZ44W3_vNHvYFXpS7TSdXm0vznZK-eLayV_sFc1kGpESCKN0zZ56ek2gaBqIa2qfjnmTMDkN0EqhIXusR6ZAfx6GL55E/s640/blackmesatitle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a> Seven long years ago, a small community team made up of developers and volunteers quietly announced they would be redesigning the original Half-Life utilizing the (at the time) new Source Engine made for Half-Life 2 and Portal. While there were a few screenshots here and there and a tantalizing trailer some years back, the team was pretty quiet about the whole thing. Fans have been salivating for even the smallest morsel of info about the project, and some even started spreading rumors that the whole thing was silently scrapped.<br />
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Well, hell seems to be getting pretty cold because Black Mesa has finally debuted. So here's the million dollar question: Does Black Mesa succeed at recreating the world that first introduced us to Gordon Freeman, or does it fall short of everything it <i>could</i> have been?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> <a href="http://greyprince.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/on-black-mesa/">Read my review and find out!</a></b></span>Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-45828681255839698502012-09-13T13:03:00.000-05:002012-09-13T16:20:34.770-05:00Wii Have Launch: Wii U Price and Date<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://terminocity.blogspot.com/2012/09/we-have-launch-wii-u-price-and-date.html"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_u-WigwDfxb6cxxDtN9oTKjzwLuOYdLwGdhGeOOeiWEtZF0TO0l4ngOSA9GcYVRRmhvR5T16N2H03y5qFGxaEZmAmAn3tr5gs9ma3A8_6np3JZ2YyH_nuwgjh9PCLkJGX9cX-jAdsjo/s640/wiiu.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>After a mediocre showing at E3, Most of us were still scratching our heads as to what exactly Nintendo was trying to explain regarding the Wii U. It has a tablet controller, HD graphics, and perhaps even playing full games just on the controller. Fortunately, the media event this morning pulled the curtain back much more, and we now have official details on a launch date, price, lineup and some new features for the Wii U.<br />
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It will be launching on November 18th (which I think from now on should be called Nintendo Day, since they seem so infatuated with that particular date and launching new consoles), with a basic model price of 299.99 and a premium model of 349.99. As always there will be a Mario title at launch, but the rest of the lineup appears to be mostly made up of ports of games that have already been out for weeks and in some cases, months.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu">Click here to check out trailers, stats, and the features you'll get for the premium model</a></b></span></h4>
Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-62992971532624718512012-09-12T13:48:00.001-05:002012-09-12T23:10:27.996-05:00Computer America Radio Show: Gamer Tuesday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://terminocity.blogspot.com/2012/09/computer-america-radio-show-gamer.html"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dnES4fhxURyPjUeHb5bMTZ3RjF1EDKiykPjREVUN19RWwfVo_UokEas-jTrylXOEzx-6hrWv8yV410DbRi_UHM3GLPpIFG7zaIF4LKCdIoqFGTVHUmmccIDqrqfHA3Q575vzhmlZsP0/s640/computeramerica.jpg" width="640" /><span id="goog_1734031277"></span></a><span id="goog_1734031278"></span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;">It’s that time of the month! (not a menstruation joke)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;">Last night the Computer America Radio Show had their monthly Gamer Tuesday show, for which I am their guest host and video game correspondent. If you didn’t get a chance to tune in last night, you missed some great discussions about Steam Greenlight, the new Half-Life redesign called Black Mesa, predictions for the upcoming Nintendo Wii U Media event, and others. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #4a4a49; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="color: white;">Below are the links to the podcast versions of last night’s show, So tune in and</span> <span style="color: white;">enjoy!</span></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #4a4a49; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><b><span style="color: #4a4a49; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://dl.dropbox.com/u/60252603/computeramerica%209.11.12%20hour1.mp3">Hour 1</a></span>:</span></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><b></b><b><span style="color: #4a4a49; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4a4a49; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://dl.dropbox.com/u/60252603/computeramerica%209.11.12%20hour2.mp3">Hour 2</a></span>:</span></b></span>
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Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-57370555784938431192012-09-12T13:32:00.002-05:002012-09-12T16:39:28.045-05:00LocoCycle: An Interview with Jay Stuckwisch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://terminocity.blogspot.com/2012/09/lococycle-interview-with-jay-stuckwisch.html"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3DSAA_7Z-iSLGrGQasXEnC4eLgxpIgJfzNY2eGJ2oO3P3C9b93OwEA9FLPxu_zKt8OqSRTBXxFlwwdz5pUis1xMAh6qUw0KECHdVS8HRAw3D0EzosaVvTqBITpjGEr3hnnU8jvlzND8/s640/loco2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Twisted Pixel may not have a major title release under their belt, but in the XBLA network they are one of the highest-rated developers around. From The Maw to 'Splosion Man, from Comic Jumper to Gunstringer, the minds at Twisted Pixel have made quite a name for themselves with some oddball characters.<br />
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Their recently announced game LocoCycle seeks to keep that tradition alive with sentient, fighting motorcycles, and Jay Stuckwisch was kind enough to spill a few details with me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://greyprince.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/twisted-pixel-an-interview-with-jay-stuckwisch-on-lococycle/">Check out the interview here!</a></span></b>Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-71177958525918169092012-09-10T12:49:00.000-05:002012-09-12T23:09:35.945-05:00Valve Blossoms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a name='more'></a> It's no secret that Valve is one of the most acclaimed video game companies in the world. Since their initial iconic game Half-Life, founder Gabe Newell has become a major innovator in the gaming industry by establishing the Steam online network, forever changing how gamers and developers published their products. And everyone took notice.<br />
So it shouldn't come as a surprise that other major companies have tried to copy what Valve has done, but what you might not know is how far some companies were willing to go to make Valve one of their own. In this article by the New York Times, EA was aggressively pursuing Valve in hopes of acquiring them for a supposed sum of $1 billion dollars at the time. Now estimated at nearly $2.5 billion, Gabe has made it quite clear that Valve likes where they are at, and has no intention of becoming part of a corporate entity.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/technology/valve-a-video-game-maker-with-few-rules.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all">Click here for the full NYT article</a></b></span><br />
<br />Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-15248668166464669012012-09-07T12:04:00.003-05:002012-09-07T12:30:32.766-05:00G4 evolves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://terminocity.blogspot.com/2012/09/g4-evolves.html"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozlKQQE1iV8RNaWZAgy69-spvpchc-a2-bUYtpkeSGLY_oZJPH_D44-3oDshjcKBgyw9fbTSF0USCxCePAjF91tpOhPHoahH0MjG_IsS4oRzypaEVUZwjSDl-3tLvDZ7n0i7y4QQUlhI/s400/G4.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>In life, all things must grow up someday. In some cases, even entire networks get a revamp.<br />
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According to Variety, gaming and geek-centered network G4 may be set to undergo a rebranding process, in which it will become a more GQ-style network that centers on "The Modern Male". While sources claim the new version will stay true to its gaming roots (no doubt fan favorite <i>Attack of the Show</i> isn't going anywhere), newer shows may be introduced to help grow beyond the video and computer game screen.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118058863">Check out the original report here</a></b>Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-975250229296660502012-09-06T08:00:00.003-05:002012-09-06T08:07:26.701-05:00Terminal Reviews: Darksiders II<div style="text-align: center;">
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Yes, it HAS been a while - thanks for asking. In all honesty, though I love to shoot the shit about all things geek - grad school has definitely taken the wind out of my sales in terms of writing outside of multiple papers a week.<br />
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The good news: we are working out a system that will get some regular and original content going. As for now, enjoy a pretty incredible video review by my super talented brother, <a href="http://greyprince.wordpress.com/">Grayson</a>.<br />
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Let us know on the right hand survey what you would be into looking at - more gaming/reviews/movies/etc.<br />
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<iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="250" hspace="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6695283.2330;sz=300x250;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000000024781945;pid=sku7594245;usg=AFHzDLvKeuGMSCbv1MrkZ7W-cGE-mUiz9A;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.samsclub.com%252Fsams%252Fdarksiders-ii-ps3%252Fprod7040243.ip%253Fpid%253D_DoubleClick_Affiliates%2526ci_src%253D15781033%2526ci_sku%253Dsku7594245;pubid=575572;price=%2459.88;title=Darksiders+II+-+PS3+-+PS3+Games;merc=Sam%27s+Club;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fs7d2.scene7.com%2Fis%2Fimage%2Fsamsclub%2Fs7product%2F0075291999352_A.jpg;width=135;height=135" vspace="0" width="300"><iframe src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6695283.2331;sz=300x250;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000000024781945;pid=sku7594247;usg=AFHzDLs0uArwUu4liZ1Cdp0itH-Dwagdqg;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.samsclub.com%252Fsams%252Fdarksiders-ii-xbox-360%252Fprod7040245.ip%253Fpid%253D_DoubleClick_Affiliates%2526ci_src%253D15781033%2526ci_sku%253Dsku7594247;pubid=575572;price=%2459.88;title=Darksiders+II+-+XB360+-+Xbox+360+Games;merc=Sam%27s+Club;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fs7d2.scene7.com%2Fis%2Fimage%2Fsamsclub%2Fs7product%2F0075291955382_A.jpg;width=135;height=135" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe><iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="250" hspace="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6695283.2332;sz=300x250;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000000024781945;pid=sku7594247;usg=AFHzDLs0uArwUu4liZ1Cdp0itH-Dwagdqg;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.samsclub.com%252Fsams%252Fdarksiders-ii-xbox-360%252Fprod7040245.ip%253Fpid%253D_DoubleClick_Affiliates%2526ci_src%253D15781033%2526ci_sku%253Dsku7594247;pubid=575572;price=%2459.88;title=Darksiders+II+-+XB360+-+Xbox+360+Games;merc=Sam%27s+Club;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fs7d2.scene7.com%2Fis%2Fimage%2Fsamsclub%2Fs7product%2F0075291955382_A.jpg;width=135;height=135" vspace="0" width="300"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624679800963792801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-29226054116505883582012-06-14T17:38:00.002-05:002012-06-15T17:30:24.043-05:00Kickstarting a Dream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/414817408/medieval-battles-the-app"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeukuUr0mrePncoPTs0AcEReytrQcJCg4Wv2nSPOnUP5nsHHEsIZggSQXpWKHtf_gNiQN77ShimMDWoCBZk-g5d51YOKPwCu8bGGoOnCCaa3L0F8QOTjd6osZvoWYZB_QYq3AyacrloNWH/s640/plastic+wrap.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Really, I <i>am</i> sorry for the corny title. It's just hard not to be optimistic when you are attempting to take the "family business" <a href="http://tinyurl.com/7gtj48r">to the next level</a>. A digital format would hold many advantages in distributing the game outside of the San Antonio bubble, but let me be honest -- nothing will ever come close to matching the unique thrill of watching it dawn in the wide-eyes of a 9 year old staring at thousands of miniature historical armies for the first time that yes, history can be fun. <br />
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The Hamiltons, as a family, have taught "Medieval Battles" at the same small private school <a href="http://www.sa-academy.org/site/pp.asp?c=ahKIIYNQF&b=3956605">summer camp </a>(quaint site, no?) for the last 25 years. It's has been a quarter of a century of growing and fine tuning, of adding complexity without sacrificing accessibility. It can be daunting at first for young kids to walk into a room with a 30 foot long table filled with big kids with big armies. Yet, what we discover is that often many of those children just have yet to be challenged by any sort of game that incorporates math, luck, and most importantly strategy. It is fascinating to watch a timid 9 year old get pulled out of his or her shell by the variety of the turn-based gameplay, and then start to demonstrate actual historical tactical maneuvers by the end of the week. <br />
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It has become such a hit during the summers that our preferred miniature retailer, <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2007/12/24/smallb1.html?page=all">Dibble's Hobbies</a>, consistently sees a revenue boost from young kids coming in to buy figures that they too can paint and assemble. I am sure the Medieval Battles kids are easy to spot, since they are usually the ones leading confused parents around the store. Most of the time, those parents are only too happy to indulge their child's passion for learning, even though it must sound like Greek when their kid turns to them at the dinner table and tells them, "My English longbows destroyed the French knights after their peasants routed." <br />
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Even still, some enthusiastic parents tipped off the <i>San Antonio Express News</i>, who wrote a great article, though it did have the misfortune of being embedded next to some pretty depressing headlines (seriously, scroll down past the awfulness in <b><a href="http://www.sanbornstudios.com/documents/layout_pdf/en_layout_slow_asses_valley_i_073108.pdf">part 1</a></b> and <b><a href="http://sanbornstudios.com/documents/layout_pdf/en_layout_slow_asses_valley_ii_073108.pdf">part 2</a></b> of the articles).<br />
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How could I possibly replicate that tactile learning experience? Without expanding naturally - I simply can't. Not to say that purchasing 200 more pounds of painted 11mm pewter figurines is impossible, it's just impractical for achieving a greater impact in the educational community. I want to prove that the way in which our youth engages with history and its lessons can evolve to meet the expectations of the modern age by also making it accessible to everyone who does not have the money for thousands of hand painted figures. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/7gtj48r">By launching a Kickstarter campaign</a>, I am hoping to garner enough pledged support to turn Medieval Battles into a mobile application, playable on both tablets or phones. Though it will obviously incorporate new elements of gameplay for the mobile platform, it will stay true to its core principle of the reward structure being educationally driven. Fast paced sword fighting or bow shooting via factor multiplication? It could happen.<br />
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If you want to updated regularly, join our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/medievalbattles/">Facebook</a> group for a news feed of new items. We also have a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/MedievalBattles/videos">YouTube</a> page that we will be updating soon with more videos as we take them. <br />
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Damn. Feels good keeping the legacy alive. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624679800963792801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-13595778535774287042012-06-08T12:00:00.000-05:002012-06-12T17:04:17.257-05:00Terminal Review - Prometheus is NOT Alien<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The ideas and technical wizardry in <i>Prometheus</i> are enough to hold it up on its own as a decent Summer blockbuster, but oh were we promised so much more. I hate to toot my own horn, but a couple of months ago I posted <span style="color: yellow;">(spoiler)</span> <a href="http://terminocity.blogspot.com/2012/04/prometheus-creepyness-and-theory.html#more">a theory</a> based on a a few new images that were floating around the net. I can now confirm that it turns out to be about 90% accurate (with the other 10% maybe falling into place in hinted at future movies). So if you read that theory, you may think:<br />
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"Hey that's a pretty badass sounding film that is also a direct prequel to the all-time great horror flicks<i>, Alien</i>. Neat."<br />
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That would be cool if that plot were to have been in the "horror" movie context, but how the pieces actually fall into place in <i>Prometheus </i>are a little haphazard, with some glaring plot holes in the narrative. The crew, who are supposed to be the world's top scientists in each of their field, are quickly reduced to a confusing mess of B-movie cliches incapable of making a logical decision (you can hear some of the steam being let out of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0511541/">Damon Lindelof's</a> balloon).<br />
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Bad characters are even more glaring because there is not much horror in <i>Prometheus </i>to excuse their behavior, but rather a general anxiety of discovery and how it plays with our ideas of creation. In an array of dumb humanity present on the ship, leave it to a robot to truly shine. Perhaps there is no better character to bring the themes of the film front and center than Fassbender's android "David." The scenes with David feel lifted out of a better film, with Fassbender's subtle portrayal enough to want to see again. It was eerie to watch how quickly David assumed the role of an "Engineer," a catalyst for his own ascension to power. David learned more in his two years monitoring the crew's cryogenic flight than he lets on.<br />
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Alas, time is unfortunately spent elsewhere-- mostly on Dr. Elizabeth Shaw's awful character and crises of faith. It just seemed really heavy handed. I am not saying there is a Tim Tebow level of religious debate, but it is a little odd when she is supposed to be the prime proponent of going to find alien creators. Her arc is confusingly handled as the "Ripley" of this film -- quieter moments could have conveyed more. Or Charlize Theron as the lead.<br />
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The film is most engaging when it is in discovery mode, with Fassbender doing his best <i>Dora the Explorer.</i> Dumb characters and actions really pull the rug out at times, but the questions raised for debate add a lot to the lore of <i>Alien</i>. I'll post in the next week after people have seen it about some of the finer details that people asked me about after the film (No, silly, the opening scene takes place on EARTH).<br />
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My theory as it played out, though, felt like tacked on fan-service, with the last scene completely leaving me shaking my head. If you were a fan of the <i>Alien </i>franchise, do not bring your expectations into this film. Somewhere in <i>Prometheus, </i>scattered amongst scenes with David, is the movie that fans wanted. What we are left with is just another promise of a better sequel.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>***</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjnm-CSjvJhJRIOGgaUQIBIzaqfA8kkF5enRXJipV7S100NFdmKBc768i2uZZfHsyaT0WXT-RY4Gx1JgAEhOFIIUwaZzMOzKTsr3UV9fWpR8KnEIEbyi7KJOF__u5MveL73plQDIeN_ze/s1600/Diablo+3.+Soon_e27226_3691872.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjnm-CSjvJhJRIOGgaUQIBIzaqfA8kkF5enRXJipV7S100NFdmKBc768i2uZZfHsyaT0WXT-RY4Gx1JgAEhOFIIUwaZzMOzKTsr3UV9fWpR8KnEIEbyi7KJOF__u5MveL73plQDIeN_ze/s640/Diablo+3.+Soon_e27226_3691872.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624679800963792801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-35221139887147190242012-04-25T21:58:00.001-05:002012-04-27T18:05:07.994-05:00Video Review of SSX by Grayson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.videogamesblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ssx-2012-walkthrough-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="324" src="http://www.videogamesblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ssx-2012-walkthrough-cover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So after a long a weary battle with the gods of technology (and the demi-gods of encoding), I finally managed to get a working format for the footage that FCP understood. So, at last, here is my video review of SSX. It ain't perfect, but I hope you enjoy it regardless!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ngDES69mLX8" width="560"></iframe>
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See you in the next level,<br />
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GrayGrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-66299215471087977862012-04-19T12:03:00.001-05:002012-04-19T12:03:35.680-05:00Michael Bay Sucks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://movi.ca/im/dio/14baylgl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://movi.ca/im/dio/14baylgl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's shit like this that makes me fear for the future:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJ864MGfPjI-cEikx558Ddih_e-Tz-CBd4WmCG0xExMnLRyb-lwbVpkJWRIly16QzuCPaI1JHlV8qEGS6gqzpj9a6XxY43vyKFGuKihJbI_ufYx-HKGRBkTkpbVJpcCo3yPJKoU_jEk2V/s1600/fuck+michael+bay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJ864MGfPjI-cEikx558Ddih_e-Tz-CBd4WmCG0xExMnLRyb-lwbVpkJWRIly16QzuCPaI1JHlV8qEGS6gqzpj9a6XxY43vyKFGuKihJbI_ufYx-HKGRBkTkpbVJpcCo3yPJKoU_jEk2V/s640/fuck+michael+bay.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624679800963792801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-62123925124654303832012-04-13T14:22:00.000-05:002012-06-12T17:26:33.889-05:00Prometheus Creepyness and Theory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vUTJw3DKTa9t9mavoOBULnzSoh_u_QZxVi-_XnvHs-dFVyLYSaFoKLLdOGx7yxkerb1jJY85IYV-uQ_Mb5F_qSBv60t71wnqwJ0zr8PpvJBqgyNgULgDMF-xH48peHxN16Gb3Q7DgYgI/s1600/prometheus-cinemagraph-3__span.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vUTJw3DKTa9t9mavoOBULnzSoh_u_QZxVi-_XnvHs-dFVyLYSaFoKLLdOGx7yxkerb1jJY85IYV-uQ_Mb5F_qSBv60t71wnqwJ0zr8PpvJBqgyNgULgDMF-xH48peHxN16Gb3Q7DgYgI/s640/prometheus-cinemagraph-3__span.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Prometheus can't get here fast enough. I had some theories based on the information that has been out there, and then came this creepy little .gif that has spread around the web:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LC8QsxwiIMDP3DPCvXYvfwWFFOYf7tr4NMeKDpbw70s4Uc4wepP1iwduF9-d5EKabGP7A3_8I_y75MICAkrpJlFIPcreyJMwSjhqJhwFVridTOgp-f83QfjK0uJf-rF3QtaF4iTiBIfY/s1600/Prometheus+.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LC8QsxwiIMDP3DPCvXYvfwWFFOYf7tr4NMeKDpbw70s4Uc4wepP1iwduF9-d5EKabGP7A3_8I_y75MICAkrpJlFIPcreyJMwSjhqJhwFVridTOgp-f83QfjK0uJf-rF3QtaF4iTiBIfY/s640/Prometheus+.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably got it at a frat party</td></tr>
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At first glance, this seems to be sort of the proto facehugger, perhaps its first and most basic form. The post-Scott canon that was established, especially in <i>Alien 3,</i> suggested that the xenomorph organism (the name for the creatures of <i>Alien</i>) can become genetically tailored to whatever its host was - i.e. <i>Alien 3</i>'s xenomorph had dog-like attributes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.wikia.com/aliens/images/e/e2/Predalien-Yautja+Xenomorph.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="345" src="http://images.wikia.com/aliens/images/e/e2/Predalien-Yautja+Xenomorph.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then this abortion to the mythos happened</td></tr>
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The <i>Alien</i> comics, as well as their basic nature hints that the xenomorph was designed as the perfect weapon; with the only desire to reproduce, the facehugger would incorporate the enemy host's DNA, and spawn an entire sub-species of xenomorphs tailored to overwhelming that species. <br />
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The big premise of <i>Prometheus </i>is that we will be learning about the back story to the "Space Jockey," the alien that was seen in the ship surrounded by xenomorph eggs at the beginning of the first <i>Alien</i>.<br />
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<a href="http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/planet1051.com/files/2012/03/space-jockey-prometheus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="353" src="http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/planet1051.com/files/2012/03/space-jockey-prometheus.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you were an alien civilization bent on conquering new worlds and species, how would you even know if the face-hugger would be genetically capable of interacting with the strange aliens from other planets that may or may not have "mouths?" So my theory is not that Scott is introducing a "new" version of the known xenomorph, but its pre-face-hugger stages.<br />
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I think the "worm" is actually sort of the "seed" that can adapt to any environment or host, that initiates an entire genetic mutation that perhaps spawns a queen, or pre-queen stage of the xenomorph evolution. Thus, the events in <i>Prometheus</i> would establish that the facehuggers that are stranded in <i>Alien</i> are not just some chance encounter with a human species that the creatures are precisely able to interact with, but are actually already genetically tailored to take over a human system because of the process that occurs in <i>Prometheus.</i><br />
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Here are the <i>Prometheus </i>and <i>Alien</i> trailers back to back:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bEVY_lonKf4" width="480"></iframe></div>
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So the new stages of xenomorph evolution would be:<i> </i><br />
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<b>Worms </b><b>--- ??? (genetic tailoring) --- Queen ---<i> </i>Eggs --- Facehugger --- Xenomorph</b></div>
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The biggest problem with this theory as it stands, is that it appears in the trailer that an advanced alien civilization had already been to Earth. Also there has been this poster, depicting what the team on the Prometheus ship finds on the planet they were "invited" too:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.joblo.com/newsimages1/NewPrometheusPoster.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="428" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a (worm) trap!</td></tr>
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So perhaps the space-jockey alien civilization is not alien after all, but humans or close-to-human beings. Or, they could be aliens that have visited earth and for some reason left guideposts for a humanity that the space jockeys understood to be capable of being a potential threat in the universe (which begs the question, why not destroy them then?). </div>
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In any case, this would mean that the xenomorph could have already been tailored to respond to human DNA; yet, the worm could still in fact solve that whole "chicken or egg" debate that fans have contemplated for a long time, in that if you need a queen to spawn the eggs that spawn the facehuggers - what spawns the queen?</div>
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Have a mentioned yet that Michael Fassbender's character is an android? Oh, and it's been established in the original <i>Alien</i> canon that the xenomorph's cells are made up of <i>polarized</i> <i>silicon</i>. What if a worm got in his eye? </div>
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Fuck it, I am not re-writing this post...my head just exploded. And that's why I am so freaking excited.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624679800963792801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-45722818702812378322012-04-11T21:32:00.003-05:002012-04-12T12:21:51.030-05:00I'm on the radio!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitfFqgMwAQM5sIySFuFwOV32XhZRRu787bnRzUqcPo3CYDZ-XsQiiqCdd-zvXSmgcSEX4KEgfcVFWefb0kNUBF5KfcSzC2w0tHKpQQJDUxsyugwxmZBGDCXg7josfufphphrrIzhoM5Mp/s1600/15498059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitfFqgMwAQM5sIySFuFwOV32XhZRRu787bnRzUqcPo3CYDZ-XsQiiqCdd-zvXSmgcSEX4KEgfcVFWefb0kNUBF5KfcSzC2w0tHKpQQJDUxsyugwxmZBGDCXg7josfufphphrrIzhoM5Mp/s400/15498059.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Howdy folks,<br />
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</div><div>I was on the radio last night on the Computer America national radio show. Every month he does a "gamer Tuesday" show where Craig and Ben talk about video games and the industry n such, and I was their guest host! Check out the show here on the podcast forms of the show:</div><div><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_809597902"><br />
</a></div><div><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60252603/Comptuer%20America%204.10.12%20hour1.mp3">Hour 1</a></span></b> </div><div><br />
</div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60252603/Comptuer%20America%204.10.12%20hour2.mp3">Hour 2</a></b></span></div><div><br />
</div><div>Hope you guys enjoy, I'll be doing this every month on the 2nd Tuesday night from 9-11pm CST.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Gray </div>Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-14410632467144356682012-04-10T17:20:00.004-05:002012-04-10T19:12:36.740-05:00Game of Thrones 2.2 - "The Night Lands"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELy-CGYdeKsxLzAv_WXMGi2HRgTOyfwwjxqfcwAT79aUKozezy53yRZd3NJibn3eVpI4aWl9eaPw919O81KnnBY8zNFZ30dHI0YKtArh2WdTcmNJxIUme3I4IOUqW5-rF1YP4NdzFESj7/s1600/GOT-Theon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELy-CGYdeKsxLzAv_WXMGi2HRgTOyfwwjxqfcwAT79aUKozezy53yRZd3NJibn3eVpI4aWl9eaPw919O81KnnBY8zNFZ30dHI0YKtArh2WdTcmNJxIUme3I4IOUqW5-rF1YP4NdzFESj7/s1600/GOT-Theon.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4urPC14FuQeHu5g3rriw8JOGqfzVsCyU1YhWCprkxTiXs__o-q8CsjcqpLG-xjGUAHMk0BXN2Wlwsv7W_VtSEAi75JJCe7ctAv0fdOAd-J0GHC5AlO9HrBoMklItWq-9mJiCdfC1IMJOj/s1600/GOT-Theon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;">I wasn't planning on doing a weekly thing, but I got a lot of questions about this weeks episode to the point that it might be a good idea to put some ideas and thoughts down as a sort of reference; it's funny, people <i>say</i> they don't want any info from the book, but many are wondering whether this season's introduction of many new characters (we have not even seen Renly's crew yet) means that the ones we come come to know and love will get the short end of the stick. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And the truth is - ultimately yes, the character stories will be farther in between because essentially, most all of the point of view characters have been shifted into their own stories. That means, due to the hour-long time constraint, some individual stories that were thin to begin with, or in their very beginnings, will probably get abridged to make room for the more overt and important happenings that affect the world of Westros. Sure, one can hit the major plot points, but adapting something as weighty as the GoT tomes is going to require sacrifice.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">That being said, I have heard rumblings that there will be entire portions of added content to Robb Stark's character in the show, versus the fact that in the book he is never a POV character. Again, knowing the established plot of all the books, I could guess as to why that would be based on the differences in the two entertainment mediums (no spoilers here). In, reality it is up to the show-runners to smooth the story around the edges to fit it to a TV hour-long, so I guess my original should have been, "I don't know" it's whatever the show runners, and a very involved George R.R. Martin, believes are essential and cut-worthy plot points. Characters <i>will</i> ebb and flow in their relative importance to events, yet they are each so rich and interesting I believe that people will embrace the idea of not having a <i>main</i> character. This is a very important season of GoT, because if they are able to pull off audiences resonating with a new cast of characters every week, it will bode well for the series longevity as it only gets more complex. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Speaking as a fan of both the show and the books, I can tell you that the way each character has been conceived in respects to the overall narrative has been pretty on the money - and that perhaps that in itself is the most important part of a series so devoted to <i>characters</i>. For example, Theon Greyjoy's introduction to the Iron Islands was note perfect, in all its sad creepiness (he rhymes with meek). In only a few scenes we get everything we need to know about the characters that, in the book, spent several chapters orienting and explaining. Essentially, the insecure prodigal son returns to the Iron Islands to enlist his father's help in aiding Robb. The Iron Islands is at best a semi-organized pirate society under the Kraken banners of house Greyjoy, Theon's father, and his host of ships. The problem is that their only real currency is their fighting mettle and again, their ships, since the harsh climate surrounding the fortress of Pyke is only made hospitable by paying "the iron price," or stealing/claiming goods for their own. It's a theme that penetrates all aspects of Iron Islander culture, and something that a boy like Theon, a war prisoner raised by the noble Ned Stark as one of his own, is going to have a hard time adjusting to. Oh, and the fact that his sister is more of a man than he will ever be. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wait until you see her throw an axe.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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In other Westrosi news, Tyrion is becoming a supreme badass as the new Hand to the King. I am really enjoying how Tyrion is more or less becoming the avenger of headless Ned, cleaning house and putting people on notice; it's fun to watch him play the game of thrones in such a way that Ned Stark couldn't, but with still a shred of decency. I am looking forward to a Joffry/Tyrion scene, I need a new slapping .gif. Very cool to hear him talk up the Nights Watch as well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110607173621/uncyclopedia/images/d/da/Tyrion_slaps_Joffrey.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110607173621/uncyclopedia/images/d/da/Tyrion_slaps_Joffrey.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It's good that the writers are using the widening rift between Cersei and her son as a catalyst to get her back to the bitch we all know and love. One of my minor quibbles with last season was I felt that they made her character a little too sympathetic, but the scene where Cersei delivers a series of stinging low-blows to Tyrion about killing their mom in childbirth seemed to get her back on track. What a C-word.<br />
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Some people have voiced their disapproval with the now ubiquitous <i>sexposition</i> scenes, in the sense that they would rather have more time with characters. I tend to agree that if done wrong, it could turn into a <i>Spartacus</i>-like trope, yet the brothel scene with Littlefinger served the dual purpose of bewbs and character development. For me, as long as they are able to maintain those scenes as being meaningful to development of character or story, I'm all for T&A.<br />
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The Night's Watch/Jon Snow stuff are always so cool and different, even in the books, as is everything north of The Wall. From very early on, I was always more taken by the ominous threat from the north as being more serious than the kings fighting for a throne. I have some theories about a few individuals who are or might be agents working for evil forces that have the sole goal of destabilizing the Seven Kingdoms by promoting distrust and war, thus ignoring the warnings of the Watch and paving the way for an easy invasion. I have talked about my theories centering around <a href="http://terminocity.blogspot.com/2011/06/game-of-thrones-finale-important.html">Jon Snow</a>, so I am a pretty firm believer that whatever the climax of the <i>Song of Fire and Ice</i> will be, it's gonna happen on his watch. It also very symmetrical to bookend an episode devoted to incest with the fate of Craster's male offspring, who are offerings to the White Walkers so that he can continue his life creating new daughters/love-partners undisturbed. What happens to the boys? Well it's either (A) Food or (B) they become the next generations of White Walkers. Or (C) Frozen Rugby Balls.<br />
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My second favorite character next to Snow is Arya. Her journey is in the very early stages, but the destination is going to be amazing. The audience is going to have to put up with the fact that this beginning segment, as with every character this season, is about introducing and orienting everybody so that their real journeys can begin. The interplay between Gendry, the oldest Baratheon bastard, and Arya was "cute," but I was more drawn to the talking man in the cage, who had a very deliberate and familiar way of speaking. Keep an eye on him - if you can - he has very big impact on Arya's destiny.<br />
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Every GoT episode has been great, but it is clear that these first few episodes are going to be devoted to introducing new characters and their motivations. Do not fret though, things will get a lot smoother as new faces become familiar and interact with old favorites. Take the favorite character quiz to the right if you have a chance, and post questions or comments and I'll try to answer them in the next piece.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYHhDeX_rPwbiCEXvc4PL_6trR9P8iDWobq8IZ2YetaOsz8LQ32XyRksMVtHDu6rGhWU3kIb3TYPTzGtTNDSaolWgfysvxRmrCQIp_72idj8g7B73AVLaog095jg2HFt0DyZpXMmwc-DW/s1600/snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYHhDeX_rPwbiCEXvc4PL_6trR9P8iDWobq8IZ2YetaOsz8LQ32XyRksMVtHDu6rGhWU3kIb3TYPTzGtTNDSaolWgfysvxRmrCQIp_72idj8g7B73AVLaog095jg2HFt0DyZpXMmwc-DW/s400/snow.jpg" width="321" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624679800963792801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2704201735009010830.post-74942727703845730672012-04-10T14:56:00.003-05:002012-04-10T16:22:15.779-05:00Gray Reviews Kid Icarus: Uprising<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZu0eac3OSbO5nvblKgdNSoK48bou07O55H1-7FVXsDXix2xFt33-Q0-YaH5jbLBC1zztGbC0dHfytYhjiYOR7rpX7GTEc42s_ad2atKbjeJ-1P3DI-lZBx9E_Po0PPH6C0JTXwECivpp/s1600/kid+icarus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZu0eac3OSbO5nvblKgdNSoK48bou07O55H1-7FVXsDXix2xFt33-Q0-YaH5jbLBC1zztGbC0dHfytYhjiYOR7rpX7GTEc42s_ad2atKbjeJ-1P3DI-lZBx9E_Po0PPH6C0JTXwECivpp/s640/kid+icarus.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">How many of you remember Pit? I can say with complete honesty that beforeSuper Smash Bros. Brawl came out back in 2008, I never knew of him. As it turns out, the last time Pit was around was all the way back in 1986 on the NES in his first game ever, Kid Icarus. Well, someone in the big Nintendo family finally decided to get around to making a a sequel, but not any ol’ run of the mill sequel. In fact, Kid Icarus: Uprising is so vastly different from the original game that I wouldn’t even call it a sequel at all. Blending on-rail shooting elements familiar to Star Fox fans with a very cool, customizable on-the-ground fighting system, Uprising is a refreshingly unique and awesome 3DS game that boasts some of the best use of the portable console’s 3D graphics.<br />
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As a loyal servant to his goddess Palutena, Pit is an angel that is tasked with taking on Medusa, who has risen again from the Underworld they put her in all those years ago. Unfortunately, Pit doesn’t have wings of his own, and Palutena can only bestow the gift of flight for five minutes at a time. If the idea of an angel with temporary flight seems a bit funny, you’ll be happy to know that the writers make fun of that fact frequently. The whole narrative is kept very tongue-in-cheek and peppered with bits of humor that keep the story from folding in on itself. It’s always refreshing when developers don’t take themselves too seriously and give their characters a little breathing room to joke and point out some of the game’s more ridiculous points. Pit and Palutena have gentle banter with each other that will often force a smirk out of you.<br />
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he various chapters begin with a flight segment that guides Pit from the heavens to the location on the ground below. All of them have great visuals that really bring out the world and make it seem like a much larger place, but the on-screen action will often prevent you from having a moment to enjoy the scenery. Once on the ground, you take control of Pit with the analog while aiming his bow with the stylus. The action can get a little hectic at times, but the 3DS doesn’t falter even when several enemies are launching projectiles at you. Holding the 3DS while moving and aiming all at once, however, gets taxing quickly. Fortunately, the game comes bundled with a stand in which the 3DS can sit, taking the pressure off your wrist. Looking around with the stylus makes sense at first, but the camera is actually a bit looser than I would have preferred. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue, but when it is directly tied to your aiming ability, you’ll start to notice how the camera makes you more inaccurate.</span></b></span></div><div style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A welcome innovation in Uprising is the sliding difficulty scale. Before each chapter, you can move the slider to how easy, or how difficult, you would prefer it to be. Harder difficulties mean more enemies with more health, but it also improves the quality of loot you can pick up. Better equipment and weapons are frequently dropped by enemies, which you can later sell, fuse, or equip for better attributes. If a bow isn’t your thing, Pit has access to clubs, swords, and even giant energy cannons that each cater to different play styles.</span></b></span></div><div style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">From the ground to the air, Kid Icarus: Uprising is a delightfully fun action game that keeps each level short and sweet. Never too demanding, yet not without moments of real challenge, Uprising is a fantastic reintroduction of a long-forgotten Nintendo character that deserves the spotlight. With the WiiU looming over the horizon, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a full-fledged Kid Icarus game happen on the Wii U sometime (unless they’re already working on it). But if not, this game will do just fine.<br />
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See you in the next level,<br />
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Gray</span><br />
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<span style="color: yellow;">Author’s Note: In my excitement to purchase this game, I overlooked the very small print that the movement/aiming system is for right-handed people. Left-handed controls could only become available with the recent 3DS add-on that gives you another analog stick on the right side. Due to my extreme reliance on my left-hand, the game is almost unplayable for me. I was unable to complete any chapter beyond a difficulty of 4 or higher, and my improvement over the several hours was very little. While I understand why I can only play it right-handed since the analog stick is on the right side, I can’t help but feel a bit cheated. Moreover, when I went searching for the 3DS add-on, I found that every GameStop or Best Buy I went to either didn’t have it, or didn’t even know what I was talking about. The only way to get my hands on one was to order one through Nintendo’s website which is, well, disappointing. The experience has me wondering about the strategy behind this add-on and how Nintendo seemed to drop the ball. Perhaps it’s just me, but I should have been informed about this factor before buying the game, or at least confronted by a notice that’s VERY BIG and VERY READABLE.</span></b></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span>Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03995804670393593875noreply@blogger.com0