Unmada

Thanks for the tip! I've been wanting to give this game a shot.

38 Studios was the fiasco that made me cringe and wince in sympathetic pain the most.

@FancySoapsMan: Skies of Arcadia is always the first game this question brings to my mind. The setting is still my favorite game world, and the combat system remains my favorite RPG combat to this day. I'd be a little worried if a sequel actually were in the works now, though. Whatever weird alchemy made that game so appealing to me probably wouldn't be replicated with how much time has passed, both for any original creators and for my tastes.

I loved Drew's account of his journey in the Democratic People's Republic.

I watched the Hobbit yesterday. It was a 3 out of 5 for me. I liked the light tone and the visuals were incredible. It was nice to be in this world again with some lower stakes and more room to breathe. However, I rarely felt invested in the plight of the characters. Ultimately, I liked it, but it was a bit hollow for me.

One element that is still sticking in my craw is how Peter Jackson sometimes exaggerates the action. King Kong was a striking example of this; I was really into that film until the dinosaurs charging through the ravine, around and over our heroes. I felt my suspension of disbelief snap right then. No way could I believe that these film makers, actors and sailors could survive that onslaught for more than a few moments. The LotR films were much better in this regard for me, but the Hobbit fell prey to the same disconnect.

The Manual of Bean Curd Boxing by Paul Read.

Blank-ass-blank is probably my favorite linguistic cliche of theirs. It just feels so damn right, coming out of my mouth-hole.

@JusticeJanitor said:

I've started saying Duder a lot. I blame Giant Bomb.

Heh, I've been saying "duder" for ages because of GB, and a friend recently remarked that he'd started saying it too, because of me. He never exposes himself to GB, so it's now second-generation duderism.

I've noticed myself using their slang on occasion. Mostly, I don't mind one bit and it's kinda fun; as NickL said, we pick these things up. I am, however, actively struggling to keep myself from acquiring one thing they say: "I'm not gonna lie..." This one irks me and I'm trying to erect a barrier in my brain against it.

Thanks for writing on this, Patrick. Bigotry can only be seen as what it is once people stop sweeping it under the rug. The fact that this topic is controversial in this particular community indicates that it's striking a nerve.