Hey guys. I just wanted to shamelessly promote this video we made in my production fundamentals class. It's a movie trailer we had to do for our final. Keep in mind we only had 1 camera and 1 person who was able to transfer it to his Mac to edit. I'm the guy you see in the still before pressing play. Hopefully there will be movies that have more professional production once I get into the higher levels of the Media classes. Enjoy!
 
  

First off, I'm not one to get excited for this day. This year however, was the year to get some sweet games that I didn't manage to pick up because I was probably playing Call of Duty or Street Fighter and they went off my radar. Also, one year I was looking for TV's and found one that was cheaper before black friday; which made me completely disregard the day all together. At this moment, I have had the pleasure of staying inside and doing my black friday shopping online with amazon.com and snagging up the following deals:

Metal Gear Solid 4, Infamous and Fallout 3 (All PS3)- $10 each

3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3) - $15

Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) - $17

$62 for all of these games was well worth it in my eyes. Judging from the previous prices that these games were originally, I have saved around $41 have I bought them at normal price. I cannot wait to finally delve into all of these fine games that should have been bought months or even years ago. Too bad I have to wait a week or so for them to get here because I want to play them all now!

Did you buy anything for black friday? If so, was it a really good deal? 

Hey guys. Like many people this week, I purchased Black Ops. I'm really enjoying it. The online multiplayer definitely seems to have more balance compared to MW2, but doesn't come without some flaws.

From what I've played over the past few days, I've noticed that the spawn system could use a little tweaking so that the enemy players don't spawn right behind you. Some of the hit detection with melee attacks are just absolutely unrealistic; especially when someone knifes you when they aren't even looking at you or you are on the other side of them. The launcher that you are able to purchase after level 30 shows that it has the highest possible accuracy and damage, but doesn't seem to hit aircraft on the first missile after lock-on; then goes on to always manage to hit and destroy the aircraft on the second missile. Lastly, small maps like nuketown are utterly unplayable once someone receives a chopper gunner and would benefit the other team if they were to spawn inside a house instead of the backyard when this happens.

These are just a couple things that caught my eye while playing. Flaws aside, the game itself feels like a mix between MW2 and Halo Reach in that most people that are used to breaking away from the pack will find themselves in a world of hurt when going up against more than one enemy; thus forcing people to stick with their teammates. Along with that, some of the guns don't deal as much damage and don't seem to be as easily accessible to newcomers; which would come from the loss of the stopping power perk and auto lock-on feature when tapping the left trigger or L2. Overall, I say that the game is much better for the changes that have been made since last years iteration, but cannot see a reason to really get into another game next year if they keep the current formula for online multiplayer. 

Sup people. I'm here to give you a quick update about the games I've been playing this past week and some of my thoughts. I've mostly been playing 360, but have dabbled a little onto the PS3 and Iphone. Some fun, some not so fun, but without further ado, here we go!

Vanquish (PS3) - My brother-in-law purchased this game and let me borrow it because he isn't very good at shooters. When I first started playing it, I thought that the game was really cool. The controls were tight, Sam's suit was slick with having the guns transform into each other and having the ability to boost around the map, and the graphics are really top notch. Then I started getting into the later levels where they just recycled the previous bosses over again or gave you two to fight instead of having a new one, which made me lose interest in progressing any further.

Super Meat Boy (X360) - I was a bit hesitant about purchasing this game until I started to see all of the great reviews and noticed that it was $5 off until the first week of November, so I decided to buy it. Man, is this game frustrating sometimes. Especially on the later levels where you need to do everything perfectly or else you die. I'm currently on the last level and cannot seem to get past this one part which makes me curse up a storm, but still having a blast playing such a well made platformer.

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock (X360) - I know, I know, another Guitar Hero game, but I'm really enjoying it. I beat the game a few weeks ago and thought that the Quest mode was too easy. I'm playing through all of my songs, I have 300 exactly from exports and free DLC, in Quickplay+ and finally managed to get up to the "Hardcore" songs. Most of the songs aren't great to listen too, but having a lot of the older songs along with the Metallica export helps bring in songs that I really like to play.

Rock Band 2 (X360) - I haven't played this game in a long time. I decided to buy some songs that I wanted to get which involved the Blink-182 Pack 2, Jimi Hendrix's Spanish Castle Magic, Foxey Lady, Purple Haze and The Wind Cries Mary, Iron Maiden's 2 Minutes to Midnight, Killswitch Engage's My Curse, Megadeth's Hanger 18, and Bang Camaro's Push Push (Lady Lightning). Had a blast playing all of those songs even when I failed in one of Hanger 18's solos. I just can't wait until I get Rock Band 3 for Christmas!

Call of Duty: World at War (X360) - I started playing this again after getting fed up with Modern Warfare 2. There are just too many stupid things going on in that game that frustrate me to no end. Mostly everyone who is playing WaW just uses submachine guns instead of noobtubes which, thank heavens, are not in the game. I'm just getting pumped for Black Ops.

Halo Reach (X360) - This is the first Halo that I've been able to beat on Legendary by myself, which I will never attempt again after the frustration I endured during my playthrough. Even so, I love this game when I'm able to play it with my friends, but not so much when I play with random people, especially in SWAT. Most people that I get matched up with either quit or just plain stink. I mostly go on to see what challenges are available and to see if I can get some easy money, but then if no one else is on, I just don't really play.

Cut The Rope (IPhone) - This game completely caught me off guard with how fun it was. Even though I only played the free version, it was almost enough to make me want to continue on by paying $1. This puzzle game has so many good things about it that it's hard to put down when you start playing. If you have any "I" device, definitely give this game a try and you may be hooked like me; that's all I really want to say about it because you just have to try it for yourself.

These are the games that have kept me busy throughout the past week. I just have one thing to say about Vanquish and that is to give it a rent and play through it once in a day or two because that may be all you need to get that game's experience. Other than that, I had a pretty solid week in terms of gaming. Let's hope this upcoming week is better. 

This is a blog about what I have learned about the real world, college and the job market.

Usually when I try to go to sleep, I start thinking about all the things I have to do in the near future. I'm a college student that is under constant stress because of all the things I need to get done for my classes. Sometimes I stress myself out to the point that I should just try to get a job so I wouldn't have to worry about doing all these assignments. Crazy as it sounds, I'm able to push myself to a point of irrational thinking and felt that I needed to put something down to clear my head.

If you are anything like me, you don't want to feel that you are doing something for nothing. What's the reason that people even go to college? Many will say it is to boost their income that they will make for their lifetime and others will say that it is to further pursue a career in doing something that they love. I happen to believe that there is a way to try and get into a field of work that you love doing, but at the same time, putting up with college to try and better your chances just doesn't make me feel any better when there are so many others unable to find jobs. 

Take my friend Greg, who has finished community college, for example. 

My friend Greg is a really nice guy. This past spring and summer, he has been interning at a radio station which has helped him learn all the ins and outs of the company. Everyone who has worked with him loves him because he is a great person and a hard worker. Now Greg has finished community college and it comes time for him to apply for a job.

Greg is very confident that he is going to be able to get a job at the radio station based on the great recommendations received from his coworkers. He later receives news that they are not going to hire him right now but will once they get an open position that involved what he was doing. Greg is very upset and pleas with them that he will work in any position, even receptionist, and they still don't hire him. Even thought he's upset, he asks if he can still intern after summer and they agree.

This is the part that really upsets me.

A few weeks after this incident, they have an opening at the company for a job in public relations, which Greg had experience in. Greg applies again, along with I assume many other people, and does not get the job. They hired someone who never interned in public relations, a radio station or anywhere. The only reason why this person got the job was because they had a bachelor's degree.

If I was in Greg's shoes, I would be beyond rage at the fact that I sacrificed all of his time without pay to be with this station and they basically say that it doesn't matter. What a bunch of crap! I mean seriously. They were lucky enough to have a kid have so much passion for what he went to school for, sacrificed all his summer, just to have a shot at working in a radio station and they won't even stand by their words.

Why the hell did they have to string him along like that for? If they wanted people with a more advanced degree, they could have just told him that while he was interning in the spring. But no. They didn't and now he is struggling to try and find a job to earn enough money to continue his education.

The whole point of that story was to show that sometimes, it doesn't matter what you can do or who knows you, it's about how much time and money you have to spend on a piece of paper. That's the part of the real world that pisses me off the most. How dare you say indirectly that not having this much education, but the experience in the field, you are not qualified for any jobs that may be available. This is the world that we are going to be living in and I honestly don't like it very much.

One of the reasons why I don't like it very much is because I believe that the whole undergraduate education system is flawed. My major is communications and I am also studying some audio and video production so that I may have more experience in different fields that revolve around what I would like to do. I really enjoy my classes that are tailored to my major. On the flip side, hate the ones that I'm forced to take because it is a institutional requirement. 

Take for example calculus. 

When the fuck am I ever going to need to know this information when I'm doing a radio show; by the way, I have done some work on the radio. Are people going to need my help with some math problems or are we going to discuss different formulas after the break? That would be the WORST radio show ever! Well, maybe chemistry takes the cake instead of calculus, but that is only because I hate calculus and despise chemistry.

Do you get what I'm trying to say? If people want to be able to work in a field that they enjoy, why should they have to put up with classes and obstacles that don't relate to their line of study? Someone who wants to run a business and decides to major in business isn't going to need to know the periodic table! Well, maybe if they run a business that actually makes periodic tables for schools, but that's not the point!

What I would prefer is a way for people to figure out what they want to do in life and go intern with someone who is actually working in the field like an apprenticeship. That way, people will be able to see if they would enjoy the work while getting hands on right away instead of learning all of this other crap that they won't even need to know. This would eliminate so much wasted time and money for people that want to have certain jobs. I think that there should still be schools though for things that actually need to be taught in the classroom that really can't translate too well into an apprenticeship. 

This is the stuff I've been thinking about tonight and many nights before it. We're in a time where there are barely any well paying jobs right after high school. College is almost going to be a mandatory step in life that some people will have to struggle to make if they want to have a reasonable salary for themselves and their families. For the ones who can't afford higher education and need to take out loans to help pay will already be in debt for years after they complete school.

I'm very fortunate that I have parents that are able to pay my way through school. I also don't like the fact that most of that money being used is going down the drain with most of the classes that are "required" and not even connected to what I'm studying. It also doesn't make sense that you basically have to go out and complete internships along with "required" education in order to have a chance at doing something you'll enjoy. It feels that even when all of my resources are being poured into obtaining a piece of paper, that still may not be enough to do what I want after college.

I just wish that it was easier to do what you love in this world, but that wish hasn't come true.     

I cannot believe how awesome this game is! Everything from the tight controls, to the retro music, the frustratingly fun level design and how much it pays homage to other classic video games, makes this one of the best games I have ever played on any platform. They really did a great job at making the levels quick and harsh, but leave you with a great sense of accomplishment after completing each of them. Anyone who loves platformers will not be disappointed with the sheer enjoyment that this $10 game (as of pre-November pricing) will give you.

Download it now while it's discounted!    

The short answer is that this game should have been the successor to Guitar Hero 3. With songs that will truly test your skills on guitar, bass and drums (some on vocals but mostly not), makes this game quite possibly the heaviest and hardest game in the series; also one of my favorite music games ever. The setlist isn't going to appeal to everyone, but Neversoft did a good job by making a great mix of classic rock, modern hard rock and metal songs to feel like you are playing through a classic Guitar Hero. After all, the name of the game is "Guitar Hero" after all and it feels like a step backwards in the right direction to make the name go with the game. 
 
Starting with the all new Quest mode, the main agenda is to play through the songs to achieve a certain amount of stars with each character, gain powers to help you defeat the boss and free the Demigod of Rock. It plays more like an older Guitar Hero but also cuts you a break with the new powers to help make it through the Quest with the least hassle. I found it to be a little too easy when fully powered because you basically can't fail out of a song unless you play the final set and just plain stink. Overall, I found the Quest mode to be fun because the music is was awesome to play through, but still could have used some more structure, polish, and more enhancements with the story to make it a more enjoyable experience.  
 
On to the star of the show, competition with Quickplay+. The only things I liked about Guitar Hero 5 were that you weren't limited to the standard band and that some songs had a challenge to go along with them that would give you more stars when you completed it. Now with Warriors of Rock, each song has multiple challenges and leaderboards for almost all of them so that you can see how you fare against your friends and others around the world. The more challenges you complete, the more stars are added to your Rank, the more things you unlock in the game and the more you will be inclined to play through all of your previous DLC and exports. 
 
I just want to talk about my experience with Guitar Hero 5 really quick because I think that game had to have been the worst in the series imo. I rented that game with a friend when it came out and beat it in a day, tried out the online modes, then haven't touched it for the 4 others days we had it. To me, Guitar Hero had a reputation to be a game that challenged your skills as a plastic guitar player rather than giving you popular mainstream music that the family could play together; World Tour is somewhat guilty of this too. I don't play games with my family, I play games to accomplish certain things in them and Guitar Hero 5 did not give me any reason to continue playing beyond that first run through. 
 
To me, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a game that won't be enjoyed by most because it mainly appeals to the people who loved playing the older games and are looking for a new challenge. Although I only played the guitar and some vocals, I'm sure that there will be hard challenges on bass and drums that will take me a while to complete. I'm also looking forward to busting out my old drums and trying to obtain as many stars as possible while ranking up on the leaderboards.  
 
This may not be the best party game, but if you're like me, you want to try and beat your friends at these songs. There are also challenges that need to be done as a band but hopefully your friends and family will like the music in the game, but chances are that most won't. This game isn't trying to appeal to everyone or give you a musical experience like no other, but give you a video game that relies heavily on obtaining high scores and trying to make you feel that you have accomplished something because of it. That's why I love this game and if you're like me, then you will too. 
 
If I had to give this game a score, it would be a 4 out of 5. I'm just happy that Guitar Hero isn't trying to become like Rock Band and went back to where we all started, the guitar. I'm a guitar player (trying to be a good one) in real life and that's why I started playing these games in the first place because they were awesome to me. If your debating on getting this, just take a look at the track list and if you like the majority of the songs, then it's a no-brainer.

I want to play with more people so I can improve. I'm a little noobish but I'm learning strategy and can somewhat hold my own. If you have StarCraft 2 then add me or leave your name and code and I'll add you.  
 
HairyBeast 
Character Code: 408  

See ya online!

I never played SC before. I can't believe I never did because I am so drawn into the games mechanics and want to learn more to get better for later on. I am only playing the campaign on casual right now but I'm learning the basics.  I hope to learn myself some micro...
 
Any of you guys have this game?