So...haven't been writing as much.  Turns out class isn't so boring, now that we're getting to the end of the semester.  I've essentially gotta polish up a website, put together portfolio for 2 classes, and I've got a monster of a final in script writing.

Recently, I've been jamming out on my huge blue DS.  These original models are rather ginormous.  I like to think that mine was the Ark the Autobots came to earth in...

SO, I've been rocking out on Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2:  Electric Boogaloo.  Maybe I'll write a review on it.  It's definitely not like the original Tactics game for the PSX.  It's more watered down in story and experience mechanics, which is sad.  I wonder why Squeenix hasn't given this franchise the love it deserves?  Look, just 'cuz it's a tactical rpg doesn't mean it's destined for handheld gaming...  >_<;

My broski got some new DS games in the mail - Dragon Quest IV and Rune Factory 2.  He got the former, and I'm playing the latter, taking a break from all that tactic schtuff.

Rune Factory 2 reeks of J-RPG.  The first thing you get after powering up the game is an AWESOME animated video with AMAZING emo music in English.  After pressing a button, you then get the main screen, and a voice enthusiastically says, "Rune Factory Two!", which is silly.  

In fact, I'm gonna go on a limb here and assume ALL of the voice acting is silly.  In the first scene, you essentially meet the main characters - a boy, a girl, and her huge father.  I'm pretty sure he's voiced by Barry White.  It's AWESOME.  Sometimes, I'll hear the voice, and embarrassingly think it's time to slow dance with a girl.  Yeah, there's just too much AWESOME here.

Anyway, just some thoughts - maybe I should write some reviews...

...ZELDA-AH!

Just got this in my spam mailbox today:

Dear $Account{AccountName},

Please be advised that NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. will continue to support customers of Hellgate: London with online server support and play through January 31, 2009. In a further gesture of support, we will provide this server support free of charge to all fans and players of the game up until the shut down date.

All of us at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. appreciate your enthusiasm for Hellgate: London and look forward to providing you with future entertainment products.

For questions regarding the shut down or additional information about Hellgate: London, please visit the game’s official website at www.hellgatelondon.com.

Thanks you,
Namco Bandai Games America Inc.


Sad to see even their form email is broken...not that Hellgate: London was amazing...

I've been really busy lately.  This semester has left me pretty much with 5 hours a week to play games.  I don't really play much nowadays - just my account on WOW.  It's crazy to think there are folks out there with lots of time and lots of money to go out and get all these new releases.  I remember a time when the house only had one console - you were either a Nintendo family or a Sega family.  If you had BOTH, well, you were filthy rich, weren't ya!

I've got a Wii collecting mounds of dust.  And that's sad.  The last game I played on it was Smash Bros.  The last serious game I played on it was Twilight Princess, but I didn't beat it.  The last serious game I beat was Metroid Prime 3.  I wish Nintendo would release more games of this caliber.

Now, I've got some disposable income...but no real time to play any games outside of WOW.  I'm  eye-ing that Fallout 3 pretty hard, but I don't think I'll get it soon.  My system could use a few upgrades...dual monitors would be awesome.

I'm spending more time reading, actually, than I do playing games.  I guess it makes sense when you consider that I'm never home anymore.  I'm reading this series called "Mistborn" by Brandon Sanderson.  It's a pretty awesome series of books.  There are 3 in all and I'm on the beginning of the second.  It's a fantasy book, and instead of magic, the main super power in this series is that of consuming different metals and drawing upon that power to manipulate other metals in your surroundings.  Not crazy Magneto manipulation, but just enough that, when done right, you're practically flying through the air and shooting out coins with your mind.  Pretty cool, and a refreshing alternative to spells of fire and ice.

Why does it feel like this election year, I'm forced to pick the lesser of two evils?  Maybe I'll drown my sorrow in some Lolcats and photoshopping Ryan Davis...

I remember a time more innocent and pure, when one could notice the early morning dew and realize that school was in session.  I'd have to walk about a mile to get to my elementary school.  But not without first waking up at the crack of dawn and watching some early morning TV!

One of those revolutionary 80's television shows that I grew fond of was called Video Power.  For a wee lad like myself, it was a show like no other!  The opening was fresh, the music was hip, and the dude hosting the sh ow was just uber.  Johnny Arcade, they called him.  A dude's Dude, indeed.

Looking back, the show's concept was savvy, yet very corporate.  You start out with a question and answer session with Johnny Arcade, and kids in the audience tried to ask questions to stump Johnny at his game and overall jokery knowledge, similar to when Ryan tried to stump the ridiculously savant Jeff.

After this brief opening session, kids were chosen to do battle in the honorable courts virtual.  Throughout the show we'd see them play games, trying to rack up the most points.  In between status updates of these kids was an amazing concept - a cartoon show based on video game characters akin to Nintendo's Captain N.


This little animated ditty included video game characters like the knight from Wizards and Warriors, Tyrone from Arch Rivals, Kwirk the tomato, Bigfoot, and some police dude.  I thought that Kwirk was pretty cool in his abilities.  I can't remember who they fought against in the show, but Wikipedia tells me it was Mr. Big and some other characters.  Funny that the Mr. Big they foiled in the cartoon show was truly the one controlling the Video Power TV show from behind the scenes - I'm pretty sure only a select number of games ever appeared on the show, depending on which game company was funding the bank roll.








At the end, one of the lucky kids who got the highest score was given a velcro suit to wear and sent thru the maze of aweful aweful videogames, where the kid could run around for about a minute and start slapping video games onto the velcro outfit.  I always thought the games they were giving away were pretty lame - I'd never even heard of most of 'em, and the games that I liked just weren't on the show. 

Now, apparently this is an amalgamation of the two formats the show went thru.  I remember both, and my memories don't really show where one format began and another ended.  I do remember the later formula was very colorful.

The one game I remember most being on that show was Heavy Barrel, from Data East.  We actually had that game, and spent a lot of time trying to beat it.  Data East was known for making hard games like that.  Anyway, I remember clearly when Johnny Arcade pronounced the name.  His East Coast accent really came out, making him sound like "Havvy Baarel".  It was funny.

So you look at a show like that, and you see how far we've come, and how influential shows like this were, even though they were still pretty bad looking back.  Mr. Arcade, I tip my  hat off to you.








Fun Facts

• Johnny Arcade is a fictional character played by Stivi Paskoski.  Apparently, Stivi has been a pretty busy dude.
• One of the companies involved in producing Video Power also produced the American show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.  Gross.
• So that guy in the green coat  is now president of Live from Earth Entertainment, a production studio.  Hasn't really done much since the glory days of Video Power.

I'll admit it - I get a little giddy when Wednesday rolls around.  The Giantbomb Bombcast© gets released, and we all have something like 2 glorious hours of listening.  I've checked out other podcasts, and they just don't compare.

In other podcasts, you've got a few guys just talkin' about their topic, and they'll shoot the breeze a little.  But it's all boring, or the humor is waaaay flat, and you laugh - not funny haha, rather, funny boohoo.  And you want to turn that business off and get another.

So you've got the Bombcast:  four dudes that talk games...and stuff.  But it's not boring - it's hilarious.  Think Conan O'Brien, but without the random humor.  And now we've got these same guys walking around (read: let loose) in Tokyo, Japan.  And we get to hear their amazing stories as they experience the zaniness of Japanese culture and shopping.  What a cool opportunity to go to Japan with your gamer friends and just hang out for a week.  Just listening to the minutia that these guys go through (the weird soccer management game floor, the creepy doll shop, pwning and gettin' pwned at SFIV, etc.) is hilarious.  Now we're getting the Bombcast pretty much every day.  And that is Awesome.

So while these guys are out in the Land of the Rising Sun, Rich Gallup and some folks at 38 Studios release this video.  And it's Awesome.  It makes me think of the craziness that would happen back at that old website when these guys all worked together.  In fact, back in the beginning of Giantbomb, their videos were a little crazy.

Whatever happened to that?  Was it simply a bunch of crazy-nervous energy as GB was launching?  Was it simply to show off all the capabilities of a fully functional battlestation?  Hey, I'm all for the reviews and interviews on GB,  but every now and then I think it'd be nice to see some of that crazy content you know they're holding back.  Let's see some more Spicy Chipotle!  Let's see some more Luchadeer!  Let's see some crazy chase scenes!