DanK's 50th BlogDay Extravaganza!

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danielkempster

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Edited By danielkempster

Hey guys, and welcome to a special edition of my blog. For those of you who aren't aware, this is my fiftieth blog entry for Giant Bomb. It feels really weird writing these words, because I've never maintained a blog like this before. I'd attempted to establish a blog back in the days of Gamespot, but gave up after I realised the community would be near-impossible to penetrate. Back when Giant Bomb launched ten months ago, and I typed out my introductory blog, I hoped that I would be able to find my footing within the community and attract a small audience who would enjoy reading my musings. While I'm well aware that I don't enjoy the fanbase and readership of fellow Giant Bombers like Sweep and Dalai, I'm incredibly grateful to all the people who take the time to read my blogs and offer their own views. You've made me feel integrated within this brilliant online community full of awesome people.

Anyway, enough of the mushy stuff for now. Plenty of time for that later. On with the BlogDay Extravaganza!

Retrospective: Looking Back On The Blog

While trying to decide on something exciting to write about to commemorate the occasion, I decided to leaf back through some past blogs in search of inspiration. Looking back on them now, I find it nearly impossible to believe that I've written this much in the last ten months. If it's taught me anything, it's that I'm a lot more passionate about both games and Giant Bomb than I initially thought. I've written about everything, from what I love about games, to the games themselves, to community matters, and pretty much everything in between. So, to commemorate this milestone in my own blogging history, I've decided to share some of my personal favourite blogs with you.

Half-Life: Discovering Gaming Greatness

Blog HERE
An account of my first ever experience with a Valve game. The start of the first of two beautiful love-affairs that have begun since I joined Giant Bomb, the other being Bethesda.

My Top Five Moving Moments In Games

Blog HERE - SPOILER ALERT
After experiencing the poignant ending of Half-Life 2: Episode Two, I decide to compile this list of the moments in gaming that moved me the most.

DanK Should Have A Face!

Blog HERE
A community-based blog/musing in which I decide to settle with a permanent user icon.

The Christmas Mega-Blog! Part Three - The Significance Of Story

Blog HERE
My love of games comes together with my love of writing to express my views on the importance of good storytelling in video games.

Sinners And Saints

Blog HERE - SPOILER ALERT
After enjoying most of Saints Row, something completely changes my opinion of it and prompts me to write this comparison between it and Grand Theft Auto IV.

2008 In Review

Blog HERE
A belated look back on my gaming experiences in the year of 2008.

Canis Canem Edit: Discovering Gaming Greatness

Blog HERE
After going back to an overlooked Rockstar classic, I explain why I think Canis Canem Edit is superior to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in almost every respect.

DanK's Top 30 Games List

Part One HERE   Part Two HERE   Part Three HERE   Part Four HERE   Part Five HERE   Part Six HERE
dankempster jumps on the list bandwagon and compiles a charter of his favourite thirty games of all time.

How To Get Your Girlfriend Into Games: Dead Space Edition

Blog HERE
My girlfriend and I find the perfect way to spend a romantic evening together - strategically dismembering Necromorph limbs!

A Very Special Thanks

Like I said earlier, the Giant Bomb community is the sole reason I've made it this far. If you guys didn't take the time to read these blogs and share your own views with me through the comments you leave, I wouldn't have any motivation for doing this. You really are the reason I've maintained this blog for the last ten months. So thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for sticking with me. Thanks AgentJ, Al3xand3r, AndrewGaspar, Arkthemaniac, atejas, BiggerBomb (your readership is greatly missed, buddy), Billabong81, BoG, brukaoru, Bucketdeth, Claude, crunchUK, c1337us, daniel_beck_90, Disgaeamad, ElectricHaggis, Gizmo, Hamz, Hexpane, jakob187, Jayge, Jensonb, Kush, Lies, LordAndrew, Manachild, MasterOfPenguins_Zell, MattyFTM, Maxszy, Meowayne, natetodamax, oldschool, Otacon, PenguinDust, Pepsiman, PowerSerj, Puppy, RandomHero666, Red, RHCPfan24, Rowr, ShadowKiller, sidescroller, Sir_Ragnarok, Soap, SuperMooseman, Sweep, TheGreatGuero, The_A_Drain, ThomasP, xruntime, ZeroCast, zhinse, and everybody else who's ever read and/or commented on my blogs. In addition, thanks to you for reading this commemorative edition of my blog. Join me and raise your glass in a toast to the next fifty.


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DanK

---

Currently playing - BioShock (X360)
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danielkempster

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#1  Edited By danielkempster

Hey guys, and welcome to a special edition of my blog. For those of you who aren't aware, this is my fiftieth blog entry for Giant Bomb. It feels really weird writing these words, because I've never maintained a blog like this before. I'd attempted to establish a blog back in the days of Gamespot, but gave up after I realised the community would be near-impossible to penetrate. Back when Giant Bomb launched ten months ago, and I typed out my introductory blog, I hoped that I would be able to find my footing within the community and attract a small audience who would enjoy reading my musings. While I'm well aware that I don't enjoy the fanbase and readership of fellow Giant Bombers like Sweep and Dalai, I'm incredibly grateful to all the people who take the time to read my blogs and offer their own views. You've made me feel integrated within this brilliant online community full of awesome people.

Anyway, enough of the mushy stuff for now. Plenty of time for that later. On with the BlogDay Extravaganza!

Retrospective: Looking Back On The Blog

While trying to decide on something exciting to write about to commemorate the occasion, I decided to leaf back through some past blogs in search of inspiration. Looking back on them now, I find it nearly impossible to believe that I've written this much in the last ten months. If it's taught me anything, it's that I'm a lot more passionate about both games and Giant Bomb than I initially thought. I've written about everything, from what I love about games, to the games themselves, to community matters, and pretty much everything in between. So, to commemorate this milestone in my own blogging history, I've decided to share some of my personal favourite blogs with you.

Half-Life: Discovering Gaming Greatness

Blog HERE
An account of my first ever experience with a Valve game. The start of the first of two beautiful love-affairs that have begun since I joined Giant Bomb, the other being Bethesda.

My Top Five Moving Moments In Games

Blog HERE - SPOILER ALERT
After experiencing the poignant ending of Half-Life 2: Episode Two, I decide to compile this list of the moments in gaming that moved me the most.

DanK Should Have A Face!

Blog HERE
A community-based blog/musing in which I decide to settle with a permanent user icon.

The Christmas Mega-Blog! Part Three - The Significance Of Story

Blog HERE
My love of games comes together with my love of writing to express my views on the importance of good storytelling in video games.

Sinners And Saints

Blog HERE - SPOILER ALERT
After enjoying most of Saints Row, something completely changes my opinion of it and prompts me to write this comparison between it and Grand Theft Auto IV.

2008 In Review

Blog HERE
A belated look back on my gaming experiences in the year of 2008.

Canis Canem Edit: Discovering Gaming Greatness

Blog HERE
After going back to an overlooked Rockstar classic, I explain why I think Canis Canem Edit is superior to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in almost every respect.

DanK's Top 30 Games List

Part One HERE   Part Two HERE   Part Three HERE   Part Four HERE   Part Five HERE   Part Six HERE
dankempster jumps on the list bandwagon and compiles a charter of his favourite thirty games of all time.

How To Get Your Girlfriend Into Games: Dead Space Edition

Blog HERE
My girlfriend and I find the perfect way to spend a romantic evening together - strategically dismembering Necromorph limbs!

A Very Special Thanks

Like I said earlier, the Giant Bomb community is the sole reason I've made it this far. If you guys didn't take the time to read these blogs and share your own views with me through the comments you leave, I wouldn't have any motivation for doing this. You really are the reason I've maintained this blog for the last ten months. So thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for sticking with me. Thanks AgentJ, Al3xand3r, AndrewGaspar, Arkthemaniac, atejas, BiggerBomb (your readership is greatly missed, buddy), Billabong81, BoG, brukaoru, Bucketdeth, Claude, crunchUK, c1337us, daniel_beck_90, Disgaeamad, ElectricHaggis, Gizmo, Hamz, Hexpane, jakob187, Jayge, Jensonb, Kush, Lies, LordAndrew, Manachild, MasterOfPenguins_Zell, MattyFTM, Maxszy, Meowayne, natetodamax, oldschool, Otacon, PenguinDust, Pepsiman, PowerSerj, Puppy, RandomHero666, Red, RHCPfan24, Rowr, ShadowKiller, sidescroller, Sir_Ragnarok, Soap, SuperMooseman, Sweep, TheGreatGuero, The_A_Drain, ThomasP, xruntime, ZeroCast, zhinse, and everybody else who's ever read and/or commented on my blogs. In addition, thanks to you for reading this commemorative edition of my blog. Join me and raise your glass in a toast to the next fifty.


No Caption Provided


DanK

---

Currently playing - BioShock (X360)
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#2  Edited By Manachild

at least you didnt post casket wine.... that would have been unforgivable...

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ElectricHaggis

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#3  Edited By ElectricHaggis

50 blogs...
That's pretty impressive in under a year.  Especially since they aren't short and asinine.  Congratulations.

Oh, and Fanta Fruit Twist is awesome.

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#4  Edited By sweep  Moderator

congrats dude, and don't worry if you aren't getting many comments, the quality of your writing is fucking superb. You have a seat reserved on the Giantbomb Blogging Elite Table. (You have to sit between SuperMooseman and TrueEnglishGent.)

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Puppy

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#5  Edited By Puppy

/tailwag

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#6  Edited By Disgaeamad

As Sweep said, you're a great writer bro. I find your blogs incredibly interesting, although I have a tendency of not commenting due to having absolutely no idea of what I should say. But yeah, keep it up man. It's always great to see a new blog of yours pop up in the Friend's Blogs section.

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nixium

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#7  Edited By nixium

Congratulations.

I just went back and read some of your blogs (still new) I think the coolest thing I read was that final fantasy got you back into reading.

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Dalai

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#8  Edited By Dalai

I need to comment on more blogs in general.  Congratulations on the 50th and here's to the next 50!

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#9  Edited By Dalai

I need to comment on more blogs in general.  Congratulations on the 50th and here's to the next 50!

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Claude

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#10  Edited By Claude

Looks like I have some more reading to do. Congrats.

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Otacon

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#11  Edited By Otacon

W00t! keep 'em coming DanK, here's to the next 50!

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LordAndrew

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#12  Edited By LordAndrew

Congratulations. It takes some crazy dedication to get to this point.

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#13  Edited By Rheinmetall

What you said about how difficult was for the GameSpot community to get to know you as a blogger/writer really hit the target! I know what you mean, I guess all GameSpot users know what you mean. Just imagine one thing. I'm almost for one and a half year in GS, and after a great effort and luck, I managed to have 4 kind people who find interesting what I write, and often leave their comments. I don't complain because I've seen some really special writers in GS, with no audience at all, and some really meaningfull, if not revolutionary, posts that none ever had the chance to read them, because of the specific structure that rules GameSpot.
On the contrary, my first blog post here attracted the attention of at least 13 people, who also left their comments.