WoW has spent over 6 hours downloading/installing the patch (it's STILL not done, at 83% of install).  I'm gonna call that "impressive".

I'm really enjoying the modded PS2 now.

Here is what I want, and is proving to be an impossible task to find:
 
A modded PS2.  The modded PS2 can play backups/import games (and dvd's, I got one British dvd).  Also, it would have a hard drive, so I could theoretically copy games to it, for faster load times.
 
So, not a huge deal, but it's proving to be such a chore to find.  What a bummer.

Got a bunch of games recently.  Here are some thoughts:
 
1.  Red Dead Redemption -- looks good, and plays well.  Unfortunately I can't play the game, because there's an issue with the horizontal screen size on my tv.  A part of the game is cut off (like half an inch on the left side), so when I'm on a horse, I can't see it's stamina meter.  It's kind of annoying, since I was interested in playing it.
 
2.  Lego Batman -- well, it's Lego Batman, what  more needs to be said.  Some of the path finding/puzzles are a bit strange, but I enjoy it.
 
3.  Eternal Sonata -- see the same problem as Red Dead, only replace "Stamina Meter" with "Action Meter".  Which makes the game more unplayable, really.
 
4.  The Darkness -- fantastic FPS game.  It's saddens me that so many people are excited/orgasming over Halo: Reach.  It's a Halo game, with Tribes style power ups.  BIG DEAL.  I like The Darkness, because while it's not super original, it looks fantastic, has some interesting idea's, and makes you care about whats going on.
 
5.  Rock Band 2 -- bought a bunch of songs from people I like.  That's about it.
 
6.    Alan Wake -- beat the 2nd episode, good stuff.  The combat is challenging, which is nice.  Great atmosphere, and look to the game.  I miss bullet time, though.
 
7.  Spiderman: Web of Shadows -- was going great, till I web swung onto a street, and fell through the game world.  Ouch.
 
Also, I'm followed by Johnny V on here, and Adam Boyes on Twitter.  I have arrived,  people.

So, apparently, there's a recent hubbub about how used games are damaging to the market.  Well, it's not recent, as the argument has been around forever, but a few people have recently spoken out about it, and  I want to see if what they say has any merit, and then talk about the consumers themselves.
 
The big one is from Cory Ledesma, creative director of THQ's WWE games.  Here is the quote:  
"We hope people understand that when the game's bought used we get cheated," Ledesma told CVG in a recent interview, defending the one-time use code included in new copies of THQ's upcoming wrestling title allowing online play. "I don't think anyone wants that, so in order for us to make strong, high-quality WWE games we need loyal fans that are interested in purchasing the game. We want to award those fans with additional content." 
 
There are a few issues I'd like to discuss:
 
1.  As a matter of a whole, I don't mind the "one use" code, or having to buy a small part from the online store.  It depends on what it is, but it seems to be only multiplayer, or downloadable content.  So, I don't mind that, in theory.  However, there's 3 problems with it:
 
A.  A good chunk of the time, you can't buy games older than a year, in a store, new.  If I wanted to try and find a new copy of Tony Hawk's Proving Ground, or Amped 3, or even Fable 2, I would be EXTREMELY hard pressed to be able to walk into a Best Buy, or Walmart, and find a new copy of the game on the shelves.  (I do realize that you might buy them from the Xbox 360 download store, but that's a specious argument)  If I told this Mr. Ledesma to walk into Best Buy and try and dig up a copy of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008, does anyone think he could do it?
 B.  I'm going to take to task a particular game company, EA.  EA (and some others, but mainly EA) routinely shuts down game servers, for online games.  Check here for a small list of what I'm talking about.  If they include a code for online servers, then they either have to stop this, or just pony up to the fact that 85% of their games are serialized, and that they just sucker people into buying the new ones.
C.  Does anyone, ANYONE, find it ironic that dude who makes WWE games is complaining about used games, when his series is one of the most sold, in a used game market?  Here is the thing, he (THQ, WWE) are making annualized games.  Every year they come out with a new Smackdown Vs. Raw (or prior, Smackdown) game, since 1999.  It's the same thing that Madden does, along with a dozen other franchises, they just make annual sequels.  It's what killed Tony Hawk, for those of you keeping score.  If Mr. Ledesama was TRULY serious about wanting to create a "high-quality WWE game", then you might give the developers a year off, come up with some fresh idea's, and some innovative, and new gameplay.  Everyone knows the 5 new things they add to these annual games, per year, doesn't amount to a hill of beans, or a 60$ new price tag.  
 
Here is the ultimate solution for Mr. Ledesama's problem:  Make a WWE game with stellar gameplay, mechanics, graphics/sound, and a system where you can actually update the game on a yearly basis.  That's it.  I would happily pay a 60$ price point if they made a game that wasn't outdated by the time it hit stores, and you could actually update.  I'm not even talking roster updates, but let's say someone like John Cena introduces a new finisher into his arsenal, than the next time you go online with the game, you're able to get an updated John Cena move list (and graphical package) that lets  you do the new move.  And this isn't  relegated to WWE, mind you, they could do this for Madden, FIFA, and every other sports game, or annualized (yearly) game in existence.  The fact is, they're NOT building new games, on a year to year basis.  They are taking the previous game, updating some stats, adding in 4 to 8 new gameplay systems, and shoving the game out the door.   So, if that's the case, why shouldn't people buy the previous version?  It's essentially the same as the new version that has just come out, only with some half-baked crap rolled into it.
 
Here's the other quote, from Jerry Holkins (creator of Penny Arcade, and all around cool dude)
"In a literal way, when you purchase a game used, you are not a customer of theirs," Penny Arcade's Jerry Holkins wrote today. "If I am purchasing games in order to reward their creators, and to ensure that more of these ingenious contraptions are produced, I honestly can't figure out how buying a used game was any better than piracy. From the the perspective of a developer, they are almost certainly synonymous." 
 
Again, a few things to examine:
1.  I would happily reward a developer, if I felt the developer was actively trying to reward me, for buying their game. But most aren't, let's face it.  I bought a used copy of Tony Hawk Project 8 earlier this year.  Why?  Because the newest one (Tony Hawk Ride) sucked, and it's at an appropriate level of my interest.  Again, they've been cranking out yearly Tony Hawk games since 1999, with no stopping.  And the minute the new one comes out, last year's model becomes instantly worthless.  If the creators don't reward their consumers, why should the inverse be true?
2.  Alongside that however is equally true.  When I have enough money, I am going to buy a new copy of Red Dead Revolver, or Alan Wake, or Fallout New Vegas.  The reasoning is, because I support their stance in making a new, or original, or different game.  It is ludicrous of EA, THQ, or Activision to expect people to shell out 60$ for a new game, that usually can't be distinguished from the one before it. 
3.  This goes back into an earlier point, but Walmart, Best Buy, and the like have only a limited shelf space for games.  So they tend to only stock the new, or popular games anyway.  If I want to find a copy of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 1, or Pinball Hall of Fame Williams Collection, I either have to go to Gamestop, or order it online (which the money doesn't go to the developer/publisher anyway) 
 
The consumer in me says, used games have to exist.  Without them, people would only have the ability to find 20% of the game market, instead of the usual 50-70% that Gamestop provides.  And yes, Gamestop is an evil, evil, company.  But, when you're trying to find a copy of Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, it's about the only real place you have of looking.

So, IGN and "Syfy" have, in their inept stupidity, created a website/contest where people can pitch a Syfy movie plot to them, and other people can vote on them, and the "winner" gets made.

With this in mind, I think I've come up with a brilliant pitch. Here goes:

We meet a nerdy kid in 1995. He's obsessed with a tv channel, let's call it the "Scifi Network". On this network are old/weird movies, occasional Twilight Zone marathons, anime late at night. The network knows what it is, and isn't ashamed.

We cut to 1999, when the network manages to start making some shows. Shows based on stupid movies, or canceled shows from other networks, but shows. One show started off great, and had a bunch of Muppets in it, with not a lot of CGI garbage. The kid is still pleased.

We cut to 2003, the Muppet show got incredibly stupid. The network has been trying, and failing,to come up with other shows, but has come up with a curious show where it's a stupid reality/prank show. They've also created a spin-off of the show, that was based on a stupid movie. There is a curious new show, based on a really stupid tv series from the 70's, but the kid will never watch it. The kid is growing up, but fails to stop believing in his beloved network.

We cut to 2006, the young man flips over to the Scifi Network It's about 9pm, and he's hoping to watch some reruns of The Outer Limits, or maybe some old movie, or, god help him, maybe some 4th or 5th season Sliders episodes. Instead he finds wrestling on his beloved Science Fiction network. Something called "ECW", which is now on the network. The young man, weeps inside. Also, the network didn't import the new Doctor Who show, till a year afer it came out, forcing the young man to get it from nefarious means from the "file sharers", and he's never looked back.

We cut to 2009, DISASTER STRIKES. The network the man has grown up to love is now gone. Instead it has rebranded itself the "Syfy" network. The man tries to understand what that even means. At a glance, all the programing seems to be withering away. Filled with wrestling, dumb reality shows, with only one night devoted to "original" programing, and the weekends filled with terrible, "original" movies, with such clever titles as "Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus". Or nightly marathons of "Ghost Hunter", and it's resounding *thud* of crap. And the sequel show to the original show has been canceled. Now they're making another sequel based off of it.

We end with 2010. The "Syfy Network" is awash with crap that is barely recognizable as television. They air commercials for Merlin, claiming the show is "Original", despite airing on NBC, and COMING from the goddamn BBC. They keep making horrible B-movies, with people who can barely act, like Felicia Day, or Casper Van Dien. It says a lot about the network that they only have the rights to air "Enterprise", the worst of all the Star Trek series'. Commercials for Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, Mary Knows Best, and Fact or Faked come on, and the man watches them.

The last scene of the movie is a long pull away shot of the man, still in his parents basement, a lone light-bulb swinging, hanging from a ceiling board, feet dangling.

--------------------------------------

So, that's my movie pitch. What do you guys think?
 
In other news, WoW is down for the moment, Fallout 3 doesn't work right on my laptop (the radio stations are janky), and I bought Burnout Paradise for 7.50$, and the DLC is 8$ each.  Good luck with that, EA.
 
Also, thanks for your guys concern.  No news on #CancerFoot (as I call it on Twitter), but that's about it.

So, I know only 3 or 4 people follow me on here.  And that's fine.  I like this site fine, but some of the systems seems confusing.  I love everyone on the site though.
 
Well, I have cancer.  It's either a Sarcoma (Bone Cancer), or a High-Grade B-Cell Lymphoma (Blood Cancer).  I haven't been able to walk properly since about February or so.  The problem I have is, my left foot/ankle is essentially dead.  It's stuck in one position, and I can put ZERO weight on it.  If I even try to, I'll just crumple on the ground.  Bear in mind, this has been like this for 4 months now.  Also little things like touching my big toe, or flexing my foot at all, is super painful. 
 
 I'm saying all of this, just to try and explain what is going on.
 
The reason I'm writing this now is to describe something.  Ever since I "seriously" got into games, probably 10 years ago, if not more, I have always looked up to Jeff.  Not in some fanboy way, but just as someone who I would like to shake their hand, or talk about the finer points of Strider, or even just to hang out with, some afternoon.
 
I grew (over the years) to enjoy Ryan, Brad, Alex, Matt, and Vinny all the same way.  Like, "any of these guys would be great people to be friends with" sort of way.
 
 Ryan seems like one of the funniest, and happiest guys around.  His laugh is infectious, and his sarcasm can be biting, without being mean.
 
Brad is a gentleman of the highest caliber.  His dulcet tones provide a richness of scope that few possess.  Plus his, and Jeff's playing of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, is among the finest seen.  Or in that particular case, not seen.
 
Alex, such a cool, and passionate guy.  Even while having to review some of the worst games imaginable.  His two old videos, a review of Big Rigs, and making of a review for  Robocop are amongsst the greatest things put to film.
 
Matt, guide-master extraordinaire.  I've enjoyed his recent workings on Screened, and am happy to see what he has to say on films, and more.
 
And finally Vinny.  The Endurance Run master himself.  I love to see him comment on games, because it's such kind of a whimsical take on them.
 
I love all you guys.  You're the true spirit when it comes to video-game journalism, but also just people who enjoy games.  It would've been a dream of mine to visit the Giant Bomb offices some day.  I'm not even sure if you can do that, but you understand.  To sit on the couch under the Luchadeer.  To drink some horrible energy drink with Jeff and Ryan.  To discuss the inner workings of some obscure PC game with  Vinny, or to even sit-in (quietly) on a Quick Look with Brad, and wait for him to "Pull a Brad" as it were, during a game.
 
All of these things would've been something I would've loved to do.  That would've been my dream.  Sadly, that won't come to pass now.  Aside from the practical limitations (I'm in Michigan, they're in Cali.  And they don't want a bunch of random-ass people visiting their office), my problem now is health.  I know the Giant Bomb office is in a basement.  For me to get into it, I need to crawl/scoot down the stairs on my ass, using my good (right) leg as the momentum, while keeping my left leg away, from hitting anything.  
 
I...I guess I don't really have much to say.  It is super depressing to me to see this dream (of meeting, or even seeing the guys) fade away.  At this point, I'm trying not to shatter my left ankle when I walk with it.  Sorry if this has kind of meandered some, but I'm not sure how much longer I have when it comes to things like life.  But, I hope you took the time to read it, if you did.

Playing SOTN again.  It's the best of the "Metroid-vania" games.  I like Super Metroid fine.  Shadow Complex seemed a bit over hyped to me.  But SOTN is still the best.

Can you say fuck on here, in a non-gratuitous use, and it be cool?  Just wondering.

How about class or style?

So, I guess this'll be my 2nd post on this site.  We'll see how it goes.

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