That's right bitches.
Thursday, January 31
Wednesday, January 30
More Cloverfield information.
The monster has been sleeping beneath the ocean for 1000s of years.
Tagruato is a corporation that owns many different things.
Slusho is a sister corporation for Tagruato.
Slusho is a drink that is sweeping the Asian nation.
Tidowave is sort of environmental group that is against Tagruato, saying that Tagruato pollutes oceans, etc.
Tagruato has at least one deep sea drilling station.
Slusho uses Tagruato to deep sea drill for their secret ingredient (that they dub “Seabed's Nectar”) to their drink
Tidowave warns on their website that Slusho is not FDA approved, and not to drink it.
Theory: The secret ingredient is presumably from the monster
Tagruato’s drilling station (named Chuai) is destroyed. You can see a news clip here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=NfTWm1nCgLc. Note: I shouldn't have to put this, but for any idiots out there, this news clip is obviously made for the viral marketing, and is not actually a news clip.
Tagruato blames Tidowave for the attack, Tidowave denies the attack.
Theory: Tidowave attacked attacked the drilling station, which woke the monster up, and the monster then destroyed the station. OR the drilling woke up the monster, and the monster destroyed the station.
Tidowave speaks of staging an "event" on their website.
Theory: This could be the destruction of the "oil drilling rig".
Slusho and "Seabed's Nectar" is approved by the FDA.
Tagruato owns a subsidiary called Bold Futura. They launched a satellite (called the Hatsui satellite) that collects data and takes pictures of the ocean (or the ocean bed).
Theory: The satellite located the monster from which they gained the nectar for Slusho.
The Tagruato website had this posted: “In their latest gesture to reach out to fellow man, Tagruato used the Hatsui satellite to try to identify a rogue piece that is thought to have fallen off of the Japanese Government’s “ChimpanzIII” satellite. Although Hatsui’s work has not yet been able to confirm the identity of the fallen piece, Tagruato scientists and engineers are busily trying to track and recover the fragment. According to Hatsui data, it disappeared into the Atlantic Ocean late last week.”
Theory: This is what is seen in the ending seen from Rob's camera.
Alternate Theory to drilling/destruction of drilling station woke up monster: The crash from the satellite awoke the monster.
A memo containing financial data for the drilling station was sent as an e-mail for people who ordered Slusho products, with the words "Americans, No oil here! They must have known before they built- The Whistleblower” written at the top.
(This backs up the theory that the drilling is just a front to get nectar from the monster)
________________________________________________________________________
JAMIE & TEDDY STUFF- This is another tie-in to the movie. Site: www.jamieandteddy.com (password: jllovesth). The site contains webvids from Jamie to her boyfriend Teddy. The following recaps all of the webvids.
Jamie and Teddy know Jason, Lily, and Marlena.
Jamie and Teddy are dating
Teddy goes off to do something far away. We aren’t told what
Jamie makes webvids for Teddy to watch while he's away.
Teddy sends Jamie a gift, but tells her not to open it until December.
We learn that Teddy has not called Jamie, and is usually pretty good about calling her.
December rolls around, and Jamie opens the gift. She receives a Slusho hat, what seems to be a sample of "Seabed's Nectar", and a message from Teddy:
The message reads: “Jamie, listen to me, alright this is not a joke. If you're hearing this before we've spoken, then it means that I've been captured by the company called Tagruato. Ok, TAG-RU-ATO. Now listen. You, this is important. Don't call the authorities. It'll screw everything up. Just sit tight and wait to hear from Randy. He knows to call you. We're on their station ok, and it's like they've found something, or they're making something, but the point is, I can't, I'm not going to be calling you again. You're not gonna hear from me again. I just want you to wait for Randy… he will explain”
Theory: This implies that Teddy is working for Tidowave.
Theory: Teddy is on the oil rigging station undercover, but has been found out by Tagruato.
Jamie decides to call Teddy's bluff and calls Tagruato, which denies Teddy's affiliation, saying they've never heard of him. Jamie immediately gets a call from an unknown number speaking a foreign language, who she hangs up on because she can’t understand them.
Jamie now thinks Teddy is cheating on her for not returning her calls.
Jamie is angry.
Jamie eats "Seabed's Nectar".
Jamie says that the stuff makes her "see everything a lot clearer now".
Jamie cuts the head off a teddy bear to show she is angry at Teddy.
Transcript from Jamie's last video: "Love you haha, I am finally over you and you know what, I feel like a whole new woman and it’s like it’s gonna be the first night of the rest of my life and and Lily is putting this thing together, and I’m gonna go to it and I don’t know why I just soo like I’m like uh the happiest the happiest I’ve ever been in my whole life and I don’t know I have like MASSIVE amounts of energy I’m gonna have MASSIVE amounts of sex with Schneider and it’s just gonna be great and I just think you should say goodbye to these breast (kisses breasts) cause you’re never gonna see them again and look here (slaps butt) I think you’re pathetic."
Note: Jamie can be seen at Rob’s party passed out on a couch.
End of Jamie’s webvids.
Alternate Theory to Seabed's Nectar comes from the monster: Seabed's Nectar is what made and\or transformed the monster. This could be evidenced by the fact that Jamie has gone crazy and feels powerful, etc.
Tagruato puts out a memo that reads:
"{TO:} Level 1 Temporary Provision Staff Member
{FROM:} Judgement Council
{SUBJECT: Trusting Those Out of Our Sight}
{DATE:}11/24/2007
Effective Immediately!
Over the next few days, because of the incident that took place, starting now all letters to the outside will first
pass through our communication center, or they will not go out. Level 1 Personnel? They will remain where they are,
making certain to read the message from start to finish. (How will they know it is authentic, this message that is
dispatched everywhere? When it is inscribed by the ?.)
In addition, working hard/employment rusted overtime? As for the employees, they will be made to wait in their
appointed lodging facility until told otherwise.
If one witnesses an act of misconduct, and neglects to report it to the Council, Chuai’s department bureau will enforce
principles and regard it as a violation. There will be no exceptions."
The back reads" Americans,
The Chuai station hides a dark secret. Good people are going missing. Expect further communication in the near future. - the Whistle Blower"
Theory: The incident is the discovery of Teddy as a double agent for Tidowave.
Theory: Teddy is "The Whistleblower" mentioned earlier
END OF JAMIE/TEDDY STUFF
______________________________________________________________________________
A comment on the Slusho website says simply "BLOOP!". This is possibly a reference to the "BLOOP!" incident of 1997 in which the US detected an ultra-low frequency in the ocean. According to the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) description, it "rises rapidly in frequency over about one minute and was of sufficient amplitude to be heard on multiple sensors, at a range of over 5,000 km." Though it matches the audio profile of a living creature, there is no known animal that could have produced the sound. If it is an animal, it would have to be, reportedly, much larger than even a Blue Whale, according to scientists who have studied the phenomenon.
Slusho T-Shirts were shipped with half a page of a Japanese newspaper that could be about Hideki Matsui who plays for the Yankeess and is nicknamed "Godzilla".
Rob is in charge of duplicating Slusho’s success in the States.
OH SHIT SON!!!!!!!!!
Good news or bad news.
Both could be bad news.
Hopefully this one won't be bad news, but at this point in time I just can not get excited about a remake of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. After the balls-up that was HALLOWEEN and the kind of okay CHAINSAW remake I'm a little nervous about this one.
I grew up addicted to '80s horror. There is a divide in my generation; two types of children. You were either a Freddy kid or a Jason kid. I was both, but I leaned toward Freddy. I was a little fat Freddy Krueger 3 years in a row... wishing my lame Freddy glove knives wouldn't bend and look cooler.
I'm not too pissed off at a Friday the 13th remake going on... I'm not happy about it, but Friday the 13th was always about the exploitation... the good kills, the young naked girls, the dark humor. NIGHTMARE was about atmosphere. The sequels have tainted the original, but go back and rewatch A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. Turn out the lights, turn up the sound and I guarantee you'll get creeped out again.
That movie is fucking scary.
New Line is making a deal with Platinum Dunes (the folks behind THE HITCHER, TEXAS CHAINSAW and the in-development FRIDAY THE 13TH remake) to remake A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. No writer is attached (and there won't be until after the strike) and no director is attached.
I will have a zero-tolerance for modern horror gimmicks (what Vern would call "avid farts") or cheap scares with this one. I don't care how shitty FREDDY'S DEAD was, if you're going to remake this movie you're playing with one of the best examples of horror in the last 30 years.
Much like with the FRIDAY remake, I don't understand why it's so hard to make a sequel or a relaunch that takes place within this established universe. Maybe that's the idea with the remake, I don't know, but I'm not really happy about this.
Are they going to recast Freddy? I can't imagine a Freddy without Robert Englund (although my buddy Kraken has been telling me for a year that whenever they decide to remake NIGHTMARE they should cast Ben Foster as Freddy and he's surprisingly fitting when you look at him with that in mind), so hopefully they don't do something as stupid as making a Freddy movie without Freddy Krueger.
And hopefully they don't treat the teenagers like retarded CLUELESS rejects (hello HALLOWEEN remake). And who can they get to be as badass as John Saxon?
I don't know. The original was so inventive, the remake is going to have to be just as inventive, but not a copy. It'll take a really interesting screenwriter and director for me to shake this bad feeling. You?
Super Powers.
Most of you are like me, you love Super Heroes You love them not because of what they do, who they save, or what they fight, but mainly you love them for their Super Powers. Now don't get me wrong, all of those other things make the character worth while. I would hate reading about a badass Super hero that spends his day watching tv, and playing online poker, while using his powers to clean up after his dog.
Now as the years go by, heroes come and they go. And while the story and the characters change, the powers remain the same. I would like to see more original super powers out there. I want to see a new character emerge with a new power.
The reason for this post is to see how creative you all can be. I want people to comment on this by coming up with their own unique super power. Now it doesn't have to be some super, crazy, over the top power. Just be creative.
Now as the years go by, heroes come and they go. And while the story and the characters change, the powers remain the same. I would like to see more original super powers out there. I want to see a new character emerge with a new power.
The reason for this post is to see how creative you all can be. I want people to comment on this by coming up with their own unique super power. Now it doesn't have to be some super, crazy, over the top power. Just be creative.
Tuesday, January 29
A sad review of Megaman 2 for Gameboy.
This is a sad attempt for a review on Megaman 2 for the original Gameboy. I loved this game and it was the greatest:
A couple of things I have learned working in QA for the past 5 years.
Here are the top three things I have learned while working in the QA department
3. People swear they know more about films and old-school videogames than me.
2. People SWEAR that the Tim Burton Batman films are definitive.
They sucked.
1. The reason G4 or GAY4 tv is still on, is because moronic no life having people watch it.
3. People swear they know more about films and old-school videogames than me.
2. People SWEAR that the Tim Burton Batman films are definitive.
They sucked.
1. The reason G4 or GAY4 tv is still on, is because moronic no life having people watch it.
Sorry for the hiatus but we are back, well sort of, maybe.
The terrific trio is currently on hold, all three of us are working on several projects and or working at the time. Posting some blogs and thoughts are during the tdown period we have, that we currently don't really have, just because we've all be settling down with new employeers. But for myself your King Pirate xXTUBBYXx, I am currently carrying a notepad and pen to write down my blogs before posting em up, that way I can share about six or seven blogs a hour. That's some good reading.
But for the down time, there really has been any news leaking out. We all at the gamesplosion labs are mourning our loss, Mr. Heath Ledger.
But for the down time, there really has been any news leaking out. We all at the gamesplosion labs are mourning our loss, Mr. Heath Ledger.
Tuesday, January 22
Zombie apocalypse.
I love zombies. Mindless killing machines that feel no pain, they never back down, and they are driven by one goal. To eat you, your family, and everyone you have ever known. Zombies will always be scarier than werewolves, or vampires because these two have weaknesses and are only effective at night. A zombie could take a silver stake, covered in garlic, that sprays out a combination of liquid silver and holy water, during the middle of the day, and it would just keep coming. My love for zombies explains why Resident Evil is one of my favorite game franchises. You have one man, or woman who must survive hell as they are pitted against an endless army of the undead, while trying to find supplies to keep themselves alive long enough to find an escape.
Now zombies come in 4 types:
Normal - a bullet to the brain is all you need to take down these slow moving bastards. Hopefully you have an extra 999 bullets for the other zombies coming your way.
Runner - what is scarier than a horde of zombies? A horde of zombies running at you at full speed. These bad boys will chase whatever they see until something slower comes into view. Try getting a head shot on a moving target.
Smart - these zombies remember their days of being human, and are capable of using weapons. They are slow and a bullet to the brain will put them down, just don't let them see you because being gunned down by an undead softball player sucks.
Super - these zombies are smart. They are capable of speech, and can even set traps. To make matters worse they are virtually indestructible. The only way to get rid of them is to burn them. The problem with that is the fact the smoke will re-animate anything. So killing them creates more, nice.
If i could choose i would want the world to end with a Zombie Apocalypse. Why, because i would be free to just kill and destroy until i finally meet my end. Where else could you run around with dual shotguns, a machine gun, a giant sword, and an axe without going to jail. My only concern is my family. i would hate for them to be killed, but I would hate it more if they were turned. I don't think I would be able to kill them right away. but aside from zombie versions of my family everything else is fair game. To get an idea of what i would be like play Dead Rising. get the main character to level 50, and give him a battle axe. That's what I would be like, except I would be naked covered in yellow paint.
Now zombies come in 4 types:
Normal - a bullet to the brain is all you need to take down these slow moving bastards. Hopefully you have an extra 999 bullets for the other zombies coming your way.
Runner - what is scarier than a horde of zombies? A horde of zombies running at you at full speed. These bad boys will chase whatever they see until something slower comes into view. Try getting a head shot on a moving target.
Smart - these zombies remember their days of being human, and are capable of using weapons. They are slow and a bullet to the brain will put them down, just don't let them see you because being gunned down by an undead softball player sucks.
Super - these zombies are smart. They are capable of speech, and can even set traps. To make matters worse they are virtually indestructible. The only way to get rid of them is to burn them. The problem with that is the fact the smoke will re-animate anything. So killing them creates more, nice.
If i could choose i would want the world to end with a Zombie Apocalypse. Why, because i would be free to just kill and destroy until i finally meet my end. Where else could you run around with dual shotguns, a machine gun, a giant sword, and an axe without going to jail. My only concern is my family. i would hate for them to be killed, but I would hate it more if they were turned. I don't think I would be able to kill them right away. but aside from zombie versions of my family everything else is fair game. To get an idea of what i would be like play Dead Rising. get the main character to level 50, and give him a battle axe. That's what I would be like, except I would be naked covered in yellow paint.
I want to play a game with you...
I saw (pun intended) Saw 4 recently and i have to say I enjoyed it. Unlike most people I have constantly been impressed by these movies. Mainly because of the iconic traps, and the inevitable twists that come at the end of the movies. The story is always griping because you learn more and more about the main subjects (or victims) and what links them together.
This most recent one centers around SWAT Commander Rigg (Lyriq Bent), as he is forced to play Jigsaw's game in order to save his partner and friend Detective Eric Mason (Donnie Wahlberg). It also goes back and explains how John Kramer (Tobin Bell), became the twisted mastermind known as Jigsaw.
Through a series of flashbacks we learn the John Kramer was a brilliant engineer. He had a beautiful wife, and was starting up his brand new company. Things went south for John when his wife was struck by a door that was kicked open by a junkie in the rehab facility she worked for. Their child died, taking a piece of John with it. Right after that he discovers he has cancer. This news pushes John over the edge, in more ways than one. After a failed attempt to take his own life he realizes life is the most precious thing we have, and there are several people who take it for granted. With a new purpose for his remaining years of life John sets out to help those, who refuse to help themselves. By forcing them confront their demons and to play his games. Aside from explaining his transformation, it also shows where the idea for the pig mask came from, and explains what's up with his creepy little puppet and red tricycle. it was a nice touch, one that was never needed, but it was nice to learn there was a reason behind them.
Now back to Rigg. Rigg is obsessed with saving everyone. So much so that he puts his own safety at risk. It is a noble obsession, but an obsession non the less. One that eventually drives his wife away, and puts him in Jigsaw's sights. The game Rigg has to play is similar to Saw 3. Where as in Saw 3, Jeff (Angus Macfadyen) had to navigate through a series of rooms. In the center of each room was a trap holding one of the three people, who were responsible for Jeff's pain. You see his son was killed by a drunk driver. During the trial the only other witness never showed up, so the judge gave the guilty party a reduced sentence. The first room contains the eye witness that never showed, the second contains the judge that didn't deliver justice, and the third contains the man who killed his son. Jeff is tasked with putting his hate and frustration behind him in order to save these people. To make it harder Jeff will have to cause himself physical and emotional pain in order to do so. Now, back on track. Rigg has to do the opposite. He must do nothing, and let the doomed save themselves. He has 90 minutes to follow clues that will lead him to his partner, while fighting his urge to save everyone. Rigg is even made to carry out one of Jigsaw's games, when he forces a known sexual predator to strap himself into one of Jigsaw's machines, in order to save as jigsaw saves.
My only gripe with this movie is the ending. It was meant to upset people in my mind, but still you find yourself hoping for the best. Also the surprise twist is pretty interesting, but part of it will leave you wondering. Because as we all know Jigsaw was kill at the end of Saw 3, and so was his accomplice, Amanda (Shawnee Smith). We are introduced to the man who will be taking over for Jigsaw. I guess I just wanted more back story for the new mastermind. But i'll just have to wait for Saw 5, or 6 to get that info.
All in all Saw 4 was a good movie. The story was good, the acting has been getting better, and the traps were also good. Now nothing will ever beat the trap from Saw 3, where the black dudes arms, legs and eventually his head were rotated 180 degrees. I give this movie an 8 out of 10.
This most recent one centers around SWAT Commander Rigg (Lyriq Bent), as he is forced to play Jigsaw's game in order to save his partner and friend Detective Eric Mason (Donnie Wahlberg). It also goes back and explains how John Kramer (Tobin Bell), became the twisted mastermind known as Jigsaw.
Through a series of flashbacks we learn the John Kramer was a brilliant engineer. He had a beautiful wife, and was starting up his brand new company. Things went south for John when his wife was struck by a door that was kicked open by a junkie in the rehab facility she worked for. Their child died, taking a piece of John with it. Right after that he discovers he has cancer. This news pushes John over the edge, in more ways than one. After a failed attempt to take his own life he realizes life is the most precious thing we have, and there are several people who take it for granted. With a new purpose for his remaining years of life John sets out to help those, who refuse to help themselves. By forcing them confront their demons and to play his games. Aside from explaining his transformation, it also shows where the idea for the pig mask came from, and explains what's up with his creepy little puppet and red tricycle. it was a nice touch, one that was never needed, but it was nice to learn there was a reason behind them.
Now back to Rigg. Rigg is obsessed with saving everyone. So much so that he puts his own safety at risk. It is a noble obsession, but an obsession non the less. One that eventually drives his wife away, and puts him in Jigsaw's sights. The game Rigg has to play is similar to Saw 3. Where as in Saw 3, Jeff (Angus Macfadyen) had to navigate through a series of rooms. In the center of each room was a trap holding one of the three people, who were responsible for Jeff's pain. You see his son was killed by a drunk driver. During the trial the only other witness never showed up, so the judge gave the guilty party a reduced sentence. The first room contains the eye witness that never showed, the second contains the judge that didn't deliver justice, and the third contains the man who killed his son. Jeff is tasked with putting his hate and frustration behind him in order to save these people. To make it harder Jeff will have to cause himself physical and emotional pain in order to do so. Now, back on track. Rigg has to do the opposite. He must do nothing, and let the doomed save themselves. He has 90 minutes to follow clues that will lead him to his partner, while fighting his urge to save everyone. Rigg is even made to carry out one of Jigsaw's games, when he forces a known sexual predator to strap himself into one of Jigsaw's machines, in order to save as jigsaw saves.
My only gripe with this movie is the ending. It was meant to upset people in my mind, but still you find yourself hoping for the best. Also the surprise twist is pretty interesting, but part of it will leave you wondering. Because as we all know Jigsaw was kill at the end of Saw 3, and so was his accomplice, Amanda (Shawnee Smith). We are introduced to the man who will be taking over for Jigsaw. I guess I just wanted more back story for the new mastermind. But i'll just have to wait for Saw 5, or 6 to get that info.
All in all Saw 4 was a good movie. The story was good, the acting has been getting better, and the traps were also good. Now nothing will ever beat the trap from Saw 3, where the black dudes arms, legs and eventually his head were rotated 180 degrees. I give this movie an 8 out of 10.
Monday, January 21
My Zombie Epic, By xXTUBBYXx
For years or as far back as I can remember I have loved the zombie genre, for some reason the tantalizing effect that these films had over me was remarkable. As a kid the simple idea of the dead coming back from the grave was horrifying, at the early age of 7 I was checking out books at the library dealing with voodoo, and deaths from around the world. Slowly I desensitized myself, I could literally watch someone die in front of me and not have a care in the world, I had seen to many horror films to not wince at all. Ever since this I had always wanted to write a Zombie film, one that would capture the essence of the old Romero classics, but bringing new life to the genre. I wanted to be that person that brought it up a notch, so I wrote a story. For two years I have taken out and re-arranged my script, finally realizing that this could be it. My zombie epic is entitled: Once Upon a Time After Death (It could change with comments but who knows)
The draft I wrote up, is a two-parter, with the second part running off into a different story but with the events from the first interloping. The basic premise is about a man named Paul Wilson, who finds himself lost after loosing his fiancee to cancer. Having to go on living without his beloved, he lives the life of a hermit, quiet and reserved, some believe him to be a felon while others believe him to be a retard. Far into my story we learn that a company a few miles down from Mr. Wilson's residence is coming up with a new cure for cancer, the cure comes from a specimen of unknown origins, problem is the cure inhibits the bodies immune system. The patient finds peace knowning there cancer is ridden, but at the cost of there body slowly degrading. Some just fade away, while others become crazed cannibals with no sense or humanity. Basically things go crazy, including some of the cures falling into a local water reserve which leads us into the second story, where a young couple go out to a retreat in the forest. One drinking water from the local stream and you guess the rest.
Well this is a bit of my nonsense, before I put the finishing touches on it.
The draft I wrote up, is a two-parter, with the second part running off into a different story but with the events from the first interloping. The basic premise is about a man named Paul Wilson, who finds himself lost after loosing his fiancee to cancer. Having to go on living without his beloved, he lives the life of a hermit, quiet and reserved, some believe him to be a felon while others believe him to be a retard. Far into my story we learn that a company a few miles down from Mr. Wilson's residence is coming up with a new cure for cancer, the cure comes from a specimen of unknown origins, problem is the cure inhibits the bodies immune system. The patient finds peace knowning there cancer is ridden, but at the cost of there body slowly degrading. Some just fade away, while others become crazed cannibals with no sense or humanity. Basically things go crazy, including some of the cures falling into a local water reserve which leads us into the second story, where a young couple go out to a retreat in the forest. One drinking water from the local stream and you guess the rest.
Well this is a bit of my nonsense, before I put the finishing touches on it.
Sunday, January 20
Don't Believe the Low Bit-Rate 'HD' Lie
HD movie downloads are a big lie, these so-called HD movies [from on-demand download services] use very low bit-rates compared to even standard definition DVDs let alone something like HD DVD or Blu-ray. Raw uncompressed 1080p video at 60 frames per second is about 3000 mbps so even HD DVD's 28 mbps needs to be compressed about 107 to 1 with the H.264 or VC-1 codec. By all reasonable standards this needs to be the minimum bit-rate for acceptable loss in quality on 1080p video.
Standard definition 480i DVD movies are typically 5 to 8 mbps (megabits per second) MPEG-2 whereas these so-called HD wannabes weigh in at a pathetic 1.5 to 4 mbps of 720p H.264. Apple's new HD service is capable of 4 mbps which simply isn't enough to be considered HD. XBOX360 downloads are 6.8 mbps 720p VC-1 so they're semi-decent borderline HD. Marketing will push the nicer sounding "720p" aspect of the video but they don't tell you it's way too compressed to offer good video fidelity. Blu-ray has a maximum bit-rate of 40 mbps while HD DVD offers a maximum of 28 mbps. Over the air broadcasts can be up to 19.38 mbps.
Don't get me started on the fact that ISP's are going to start capping customers that use to much bandwidth, so downloading these "HD" movies are going to cost you more then what you paid for on your internet bill.
Standard definition 480i DVD movies are typically 5 to 8 mbps (megabits per second) MPEG-2 whereas these so-called HD wannabes weigh in at a pathetic 1.5 to 4 mbps of 720p H.264. Apple's new HD service is capable of 4 mbps which simply isn't enough to be considered HD. XBOX360 downloads are 6.8 mbps 720p VC-1 so they're semi-decent borderline HD. Marketing will push the nicer sounding "720p" aspect of the video but they don't tell you it's way too compressed to offer good video fidelity. Blu-ray has a maximum bit-rate of 40 mbps while HD DVD offers a maximum of 28 mbps. Over the air broadcasts can be up to 19.38 mbps.
Don't get me started on the fact that ISP's are going to start capping customers that use to much bandwidth, so downloading these "HD" movies are going to cost you more then what you paid for on your internet bill.
Saturday, January 19
Friday, January 18
STAR TREK > CLOVERFIELD
So i just saw Cloverfield last night, AWESOME, but thats not what this post is about, i have to see it again because i didn't pay attention to the first half hour, i was too buy trying to hide my hard-on given to me by that fucking majestic trailer for Star Trek, if you don't give a shit about monsters or "real perspective cinema" then you just see that trailer for Trek, and walk out, they don't show any actual footage or any characters, just a very EPIC view of the enterprise being built on on earth, even though it was never built on earth, it just makes it more believable which is ok, its just breathtaking. :)
Just saw Cloverfield.
We call it "Humanoid" some moron friend of ours said that.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD:
Cloverfield - 4/5
"My name is Robert Hawkins. It is now 6:43am on May 23rd. Approximately seven hours ago something attacked the city, we don't know what. But if you found this, if you're watching this then you probably know more about it than I do."
The story revolves around a group of friends who plan a going away party for a friend named Rob, who is going to Japan on a business related trip. The party starts and the personal dilemmas fly...but soon everything is erupted by a loud unknown noise. They soon realize that there is something attacking the city and that they must simply get out and survive.
Let me simply say this: If you are someone who expects answers from films, something nicely wrapped with a bow for you, then stay away from this film. If you are expecting a monster flick, something with full on aerial shots showing you every detail of the creature, than for the most part, you might be disappointed...Cloverfield is simply a human story, from a human point of view of a devastating attack going on around them and like the real possibility of such a destruction happening, you are left wondering 'what the hell is all this'?...along with 'why' and 'how'.
I followed the film for a while in the early stages, becoming more anticipated by the teaser, reading different ideas and reports on 'what the monster will be' etc...and whether you followed anything or not, you will still get the same effect that the film offers. Shot on a HD digicam, you would expect a lot of shaky movements with no effect on the audience...everyone that thinks this is way off. I'm also glad I read the production notes before seeing this, because everything they said about doing a lot of pre-planning for every shot is true. Before the party starts (the one we all know by now that happens at the beginning), its simply Rob holding the camera in his high level apartment, looking out of the city and watching a woman lying in bed...it simply leaves you thinking 'where is this going'. The party builds simple, but very real human characters as we go through there typical dilemmas and fights and before you know it, everything hits...anything you imagined watching the teasers action is way off, to gain the full intensity of every moment to follow, you need to see this in theaters. The intensity lies within that first impression, the unexpected reality in the tone. From there its simply a ride through there point of view of the events that go on and with brisk pacing, you are kept engrossed right until the credits.
Unexpectedly, the visual effects are stunning. From the Statue of Liberty head flying down the street to the Manhattan bridge collapsing, everything fits well into the intended tone and its amazing. The creature is unlike anything we have seen before, I am certainly not spoiling anything on how it looks (unless you ask) but aside from some certain similarities of real creatures, it is really quite visual and unique...and the parasites are very similar but put to great use.
The acting was amazing. Aside from moments where Jessica Lucas performance felt forced and unnatural, a lot of emotions are thrown around in all there performances and we connect well with the way they respond and react to a lot of things...there are one or two moments even of a slowing in pace where we are offered some emotional moments and you can't help but get at least a little caught up in it.
I really don't think this review has done justice, nor has it given you a realistic example of how the film is from every angle. It leaves many things unanswered, but that's the point of the film, were you expecting an origin from an unexpecting group of people? It isn't original in style either, Blair Witch started it years ago with horror...but Cloverfield continues it in what can be seen as a reinvention of a dying genre. Unbelievably real in tone and remarkably intense, Cloverfield is briskly paced, unrelenting and with a dash of humor to keep us breathing. If you see this, only ever see it in theater, I feel the tone might get lost on DVD.
PS.
Let me also say this, I sat through the whole entirety of the film with a stiff neck, I was in such massive pain. There were times were I got a bit nauseous and felt like throwing up, but the whole presense and anticipation for the monster kept me in my seat. Not only did I barf afterwards all over my clothes and bathroom floor, I felt a bit scared looking outside my window. For 18 years now in my existence has no film ever given me chills.
Thursday, January 17
Achievements, for more than just bragging rights.
Everyone who knows me, knows I am an "Achievement Whore". I don't even try to hide it anymore. I not only try to get all the achievements in the games I want to play, but I play some rather craptastic titles to raise my gamerscore, *cough cough Pimp My Ride cough*.
A lot of people ask me what is the point. The biggest reason to go that extra mile, kill that extra 1000 zombies, or beat the tank with the knife is for bragging rights. Friends, and rivals can see what games you have played on their Xbox360s or check out your profile on Xbox.com, and see what you have been able to accomplish. This gives players proof to back up their epic stories of their virtual victories. Plus it gives you something to talk about when you put down the controller and step back into that crazy 3D sim, we like to call "real life".
Hey Jim, I saw you got the "Stab happy" achievement in Zombie Carnival. How did you get it, because it's been kicking my ass?
Yeah dude, it was freakin insane. First you have to get butt naked, so the boss will lower it's guard. Then when it comes in for the kill, you have to throw the cat at it, so it starts to cough up blood, then run up to it and stab it with the pen a couple of times, before it recovers. Basically you have to keep doing that until it dies. It took me 17 tries to do it. I started at 7 and finished it at 12. But those 5 points were so worth it.
Anyone who actually pays attention to that little flashing bar that pops up every time you fill certain requirements knows there are some games out there that have achievements like that, and give you close to nothing for your effort, but yet we still do it. *cough cough Bullet Witch, beat Hell mode for 1 freakin point, wtf is that sh!t about, cough*.
But aside from being able to brag to your friends about killing 53,594 zombies with your bare hands, they do serve another purpose. The prolong the life of many games by adding replay value to them. Most games do this by giving the player some sort of reward for doing certain things, like special features, new modes, and secret characters and weapons. Other 360 games just give you achievements to get you to play the game again. Most of them require the player to play through the entire game again on a harder difficulty. Once again this falls under bragging rights, but for others like me who never start a game out on the hardest difficulty at least have a reason to pop it back into Xbox, and keep it out of the used section at GameStop. I know for a fact I would have never played the main story of Gears of War over and over again on the different difficulties if it wasn't for the achievements. I might have played multi player for awhile before finally trading it in. It's a great game, don't get me wrong, but it just wasn't something I would have ever considered playing again on the harder difficulty just for the hell of it.
Now this was the main reason behind the achievements, but it was never fully realized by Microsoft. Microsoft intended for players who were true hardcore gamers to be able to cash in all their hard work for different downloads, such as arcade games, gamer pics, dashboard themes, even Microsoft points. They tried it out in February of 07, as a contest where players were assigned different levels based on their current gamer scores after registration. The gamer was then tasked with raising their score by at least 1000 points in order to be eligible for the prizes associated with their current level. The contest ran from February 12th - April 12th. It was cool to be able to finally say all my hard work finally paid off. Unfortunately I have been unable to find out if Microsoft would try this again. I speculate it was an experiment to determine how much something like this would cost them if they continued doing this sort of real world reward system.
Here is the link for the official site so you can get a better understanding of the contest.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/2007/0205-xboxrewards.htm
And there you have it folks. Now leave. All that time you spent reading this you could have raised your score by at least 500 points, or even more if you played your cards right.
A lot of people ask me what is the point. The biggest reason to go that extra mile, kill that extra 1000 zombies, or beat the tank with the knife is for bragging rights. Friends, and rivals can see what games you have played on their Xbox360s or check out your profile on Xbox.com, and see what you have been able to accomplish. This gives players proof to back up their epic stories of their virtual victories. Plus it gives you something to talk about when you put down the controller and step back into that crazy 3D sim, we like to call "real life".
Hey Jim, I saw you got the "Stab happy" achievement in Zombie Carnival. How did you get it, because it's been kicking my ass?
Yeah dude, it was freakin insane. First you have to get butt naked, so the boss will lower it's guard. Then when it comes in for the kill, you have to throw the cat at it, so it starts to cough up blood, then run up to it and stab it with the pen a couple of times, before it recovers. Basically you have to keep doing that until it dies. It took me 17 tries to do it. I started at 7 and finished it at 12. But those 5 points were so worth it.
Anyone who actually pays attention to that little flashing bar that pops up every time you fill certain requirements knows there are some games out there that have achievements like that, and give you close to nothing for your effort, but yet we still do it. *cough cough Bullet Witch, beat Hell mode for 1 freakin point, wtf is that sh!t about, cough*.
But aside from being able to brag to your friends about killing 53,594 zombies with your bare hands, they do serve another purpose. The prolong the life of many games by adding replay value to them. Most games do this by giving the player some sort of reward for doing certain things, like special features, new modes, and secret characters and weapons. Other 360 games just give you achievements to get you to play the game again. Most of them require the player to play through the entire game again on a harder difficulty. Once again this falls under bragging rights, but for others like me who never start a game out on the hardest difficulty at least have a reason to pop it back into Xbox, and keep it out of the used section at GameStop. I know for a fact I would have never played the main story of Gears of War over and over again on the different difficulties if it wasn't for the achievements. I might have played multi player for awhile before finally trading it in. It's a great game, don't get me wrong, but it just wasn't something I would have ever considered playing again on the harder difficulty just for the hell of it.
Now this was the main reason behind the achievements, but it was never fully realized by Microsoft. Microsoft intended for players who were true hardcore gamers to be able to cash in all their hard work for different downloads, such as arcade games, gamer pics, dashboard themes, even Microsoft points. They tried it out in February of 07, as a contest where players were assigned different levels based on their current gamer scores after registration. The gamer was then tasked with raising their score by at least 1000 points in order to be eligible for the prizes associated with their current level. The contest ran from February 12th - April 12th. It was cool to be able to finally say all my hard work finally paid off. Unfortunately I have been unable to find out if Microsoft would try this again. I speculate it was an experiment to determine how much something like this would cost them if they continued doing this sort of real world reward system.
Here is the link for the official site so you can get a better understanding of the contest.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/2007/0205-xboxrewards.htm
And there you have it folks. Now leave. All that time you spent reading this you could have raised your score by at least 500 points, or even more if you played your cards right.
Play Portal For Free.
Play Portal for free.
http://www.maxgames.com/game/portal:-the-flash-version.html
http://www.maxgames.com/game/portal:-the-flash-version.html
Q1 NINTENDO RELEASE SCHEDULE.....98% SHIT
NEW Q1 listing.......MEH, Same fucking crap, OKAMI looks fucking nice though.
Wii
Jan. 7: Kidz Sports Ice Hockey from Destineer
Jan. 8: Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law from Capcom
Jan. 15: SAMURAI WARRIORS: KATANA from KOEI CORPORATION
Jan. 15: Furu Furu Park from Majesco Entertainment
Jan. 21: Endless Ocean(TM) from Nintendo
Jan. 22: One Piece(TM): Unlimited Adventure(TM) from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Jan. 29: Bomberman Land from Hudson
January: No More Heroes(TM) from Ubisoft
January: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation(TM): Hard Evidence from Ubisoft
Feb. 8: Kawasaki Jet Ski from Destineer
Feb. 11: Go Diego Go!: Safari Rescue from 2K Play
Feb. 12: WWII Aces from Destineer
Feb. 12: Dream Pinball 3D from SouthPeak Games
Feb. 18: MX vs. ATV Untamed from THQ
Feb. 25: Agatha Christie And Then There Were None from DreamCatcher Games
Feb. 26: Baroque from Atlus USA
Feb. 26: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors from Square Enix
Feb. 27: Kidz Sports Soccer from Destineer
Feb. 27: London Taxi: Rush Hour from Destineer
February: Garfield(R) Gets Real from DSI Games
February: Yamaha Supercross from DSI Games
February: Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore from Konami
February: Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30(TM) from Ubisoft
February: BALLOON POP from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March 3: Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed from THQ
March 9: Super Smash Bros.(R) Brawl from Nintendo
March 10: Worms: A Space Oddity from THQ
March 25: Okami from Capcom
March 25: OPOONA from KOEI CORPORATION
March: MiniCopter: Adventure Flight from Aksys Games
March: Alone in the Dark from Atari
March: Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts
March: Obscure: The Aftermath from Ignition Entertainment
March: Target: Terror from Konami
March: Nitro Bike(TM) from Ubisoft
March: Emergency Heroes(TM) from Ubisoft
March: HEAVENLY GUARDIAN from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March: Rebel Raiders from XS Games
April 15: Castle of Shikigami III from Aksys Games
April: Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami
April: Wild Earth: African Safari from Majesco Entertainment
April: THE MONKEY KING-THE LEGEND BEGINS from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
April: Super Pick Ups from XS Games
May 6: Speed Racer from Warner Bros. Games
May 13: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian from Disney Interactive Studios
May: BlastWorks: Build, Trade, Destroy from Majesco Entertainment
May: King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga from SNK Playmore
May: THE DOG Island(TM) from Ubisoft
June 8: Wonderworld Amusement Park from Majesco Entertainment
June: Catch of the Day from Electronic Arts
June: Ford Racing Off Road from Empire Interactive
June: Cooking Mama Cook Off 2 from Majesco Entertainment
June: Rygar: The Battle of Argus from Tecmo, Inc.
June: DeBlob from THQ
June: Wall-E from THQ
Spring: Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel from Nintendo
Spring: Major League Baseball(R) 2K8 from 2K Sports
Spring: Don King Presents: Prizefighter from 2K Sports
Spring: Top Spin 3 from 2K Sports
Spring: Kung Fu Panda from Activision
Spring: LEGO: Indiana Jones from LucasArts
Summer: Deca Sports from Hudson
Summer: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts
Summer: Active Life(TM): Outdoor Challenge(TM) from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Q2: Wii Fit from Nintendo
Wednesday, January 16
WIN! WIN! WIN!!!! Gamesplosion's first Contest Giveaway.
Hey there ladies and gents this is xXTUBBYXx with some awesome news!
I here at the Gamesplosion blog headquarters, we have alot of swag in my closet. Usually what happens is every month I clean it out and most of the stuff doesn't find a home, but the one at the dump. So I decided to give it away in a Contest format of course, in order to gain some interest to the site as well.
So here are the rules and the prizes: "FREE SWAG FROM TUBBY'S CLOSET!"
No Purchase is necessary to participate, this contest is only open to US, California residents. (Sorry for the rest of you) Oh and trying to spoof your residence through a proxy wont work, I have to ship out the prizes remember. Anyone can participate, as long as you meet the requirements and follow these simple rules. The contest will be held March 21, so you have till March 21, 2008 to fulfill said requirements. The winning person will be picked on how much feedback he/she gives to Gamesplosion. Feedback can be by posting comments, or emailing me with a paragraph, about what he/she would want in a blog site or looks for.
Contest: "FREE SWAG FROM TUBBY'S CLOSET!"
All I ask you to do is email me at Tubbx3@hotmail.com, with a simple paragraph as to what you look for in a blog site, or would want to look for in a blog site. With this information we here at Gamesplosion can meet your demands and give you the insider news you want. You can do this as well as posting in the "Comments" section of our blogs, the more feedback the better your chances are at winning.
The Prize's
The grand prize winner will receive:
1. Official Sarah Connor Chronicles Dog Tag
2. A Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Limited Edition Memorial Day small poster.
3. One year subscription to Game Informer magazine.
So people go on give us feedback and good luck, the contest winner will be choosen on March 21, live on Ustream.
I here at the Gamesplosion blog headquarters, we have alot of swag in my closet. Usually what happens is every month I clean it out and most of the stuff doesn't find a home, but the one at the dump. So I decided to give it away in a Contest format of course, in order to gain some interest to the site as well.
So here are the rules and the prizes: "FREE SWAG FROM TUBBY'S CLOSET!"
No Purchase is necessary to participate, this contest is only open to US, California residents. (Sorry for the rest of you) Oh and trying to spoof your residence through a proxy wont work, I have to ship out the prizes remember. Anyone can participate, as long as you meet the requirements and follow these simple rules. The contest will be held March 21, so you have till March 21, 2008 to fulfill said requirements. The winning person will be picked on how much feedback he/she gives to Gamesplosion. Feedback can be by posting comments, or emailing me with a paragraph, about what he/she would want in a blog site or looks for.
Contest: "FREE SWAG FROM TUBBY'S CLOSET!"
All I ask you to do is email me at Tubbx3@hotmail.com, with a simple paragraph as to what you look for in a blog site, or would want to look for in a blog site. With this information we here at Gamesplosion can meet your demands and give you the insider news you want. You can do this as well as posting in the "Comments" section of our blogs, the more feedback the better your chances are at winning.
The Prize's
The grand prize winner will receive:
1. Official Sarah Connor Chronicles Dog Tag
2. A Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Limited Edition Memorial Day small poster.
3. One year subscription to Game Informer magazine.
So people go on give us feedback and good luck, the contest winner will be choosen on March 21, live on Ustream.
DBZ GOES NEXT GEN, DARTH VADER CONFIRMED
probably,
anyways, im not as big of a DBZ fan as my brother is but i can respect the fuck out of these graphics, will be picking that up.
Atari Announces the Next Generation Chapter for Dragon Ball Z® Video Game SeriesBurst Limit Game Set for Xbox 360® and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system
NEW YORK, Jan. 16 - Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) one of the world's most recognized brands and a third-party video game publisher and distributor, today announced that Dragon Ball Z®: Burst Limit is in development for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. Exploding into the next level of intensity with next-gen graphics, online gameplay and lightening fast action, Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit is being developed by NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. and is slated for a 2008 release.Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit is revolutionizing the series by entering the realm of next-generation gaming. Complete with fierce online battles and radical 3D graphic effects only possible on Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system, Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit will blur the line between video game and iconic anime series. Jam-packed with graphically enhanced playable characters, realistic battle stages and environments, players can take hold and experience Dragon Ball Z® as never before.
"Atari is excited and ready to offer fans the next iteration of the Dragon Ball Z video game series on the next-gen consoles," said Donny Clay, Producer, Atari, Inc. "With explosive cinematic graphics and online gameplay, fans of the series and of the fighting genre will surely enjoy Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit."
The immensely popular Dragon Ball Z® series is the gold standard of anime-based video games, with more than 30 different games and over 11 million units sold since May 2002.
For more information on Dragon Ball Z® video games, please visit http://www.atari.com/dragonballz.
Tuesday, January 15
The greatest Zombie trailer for a movie that you will never see.
What a long title huh?
About four years ago, I came across a teaser trailer for a movie entitled Worst Case Scenario. For many years thereafter I found myself waiting, anticipating, hoping this movie would get distributed by at least a straight to dvd publisher. But so far the site hasn't been updated and each email I send out, the twelve more auto generated messages I receive notifying that no one is home. So for all you that are interested here is the site:
http://www.gorehoundinc.com/index2.html
The Video:
Videogames that need to retire.
Does Frogger have a 401(k) plan? A reverse mortgage on his lily pad? How much has he paid into Social Security since his video game premiered more than 25 years ago?
Because, like it or not, the truck-dodging star of the classic arcade game needs to think about a long-delayed retirement. There have been nearly two Frogger-themed sequels per year since 2000 (including Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge, Frogger Beyond and - no joke - a mobile phone game called Frogger Evolution), and the truth is, he lost a step a long time ago.
Don't listen to the politicians, anti-game activists and the bulk of mainstream media, which will have you believe that sex, violence and other controversies are the most important issues in the video game industry. The No. 1 problem plaguing games right now is the lack of creativity.
While a popular movie franchise such as "Die Hard" or "Raiders of the Lost Ark" might generate two or three sequels in a 25-year period, video game series such as Tom Clancy or Winning Eleven soccer have a more Sisyphusian schedule, with sequels that come out at least once per year.
Both of those franchises get a pass, because unlike many of their competitors, they've managed to maintain a level of quality. But too many games steadily get worse with each new installment, repeating the same stories and mining video game cliches, instead of embracing the pioneering spirit that was prevalent during the dawn of console gaming in the early 1980s and again in the mid-1990s. Meanwhile, game developers with good ideas are hindered from trying anything new. For every wonderful surprise, such as Portal or Nintendogs, we have to endure 20 bargain-bin fillers, such as Frogger's Journey: The Forgotten Relic.
Following are seven video game franchises that need to die. Many were great once and deserve an honorable death. For the record, though, Spyro the Dragon needed to be thrown into a wood chipper from day one.
Pac-Man: The government should have intervened after the 1982 record "Pac-Man Fever" came out, with a congressional mandate outlawing the continued overexposure of this gluttonous and jaundiced pop culture icon. Since the original arcade game and its follow-up Ms. Pac-Man were released in the early 1980s, there have been dozens of inferior Pac-Man sequels, most ranging from mediocre to atrocious. The biggest exception was the recent Pac-Man Championship Edition, developed for the Xbox Live Arcade by Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani. Please let the franchise die on a positive note with Iwatani's game. Next to the makers of the "Highlander" film series, no one has milked so much out of so little as the publishers of Pac-Man.
Medal of Honor: The first two Medal of Honor World War II games were a revelation, invigorating the first-person shooter genre while proving that there was a real market for historical war games. But the quality fell dramatically after the first sequel, and even a halfway decent Medal of Honor game is considered a surprise. Meanwhile, the Brothers in Arms and Call of Duty series have produced better World War II action in the past several years. It's time for an honorable discharge.
Tony Hawk: Once the gold standard of extreme sports video games, the Tony Hawk series is like one of those new Charlie Brown holiday specials: They only serve as a reminder of how much better the old ones were. With one or two exceptions, these skating, snowboarding and other trick-based games are looking old. Tony Hawk is in desperate need of a quick death or a smart reinvention- could a motion-sensitive device such as the Wii Fit balance board be the answer?
Tomb Raider: Much has been made of the improvement of this series with the past two installments, but that isn't much of a testimony considering the franchise had decomposed five years ago. There are clearly no more interesting places for this series to go, and the longer it stays around, the bigger the chance we're going to have to endure another bad Angelina Jolie movie. Put Lara Croft's breasts in the Smithsonian and retire this franchise for good.
Manhunt: This isn't another attack on the Rockstar game's gratuitous violence, which actually seemed toned down in Manhunt 2 (even though the protests and histrionics were ramped up to ridiculous levels). Instead, put an end to this franchise because the Manhunt games just haven't been especially good - and are the weak link in Rockstar's stable of excellent games. A sequel to the excellent Bully or Rockstar Presents Table Tennis would be more welcome than a third Manhunt game.
Spyro the Dragon: Spyro is getting singled out because he's especially purple and annoying, but we could also add Crash Bandicoot, Frogger and Sonic the Hedgehog to the list. And all of those look like a Halo sequel compared with the licensed properties for products such as Bratz and movies such as "Alvin and the Chipmunks." Video games for children are repetitive and unimaginative, poorly written and prone to glitches, with just a few exceptions. Buy a copy of Katamari Damacy, Lego Star Wars or one of the better Nintendo DS titles and hope for a better future.
Super Mario Party Kart Smash Bros. Brawl: Since the Mario character was introduced in Donkey Kong in the 1980s, he's appeared in more than 100 video games - which is about 75 too many. When Nintendo's starts a non-Mario, non-Zelda, non-Star Fox series - such as Animal Crossing and the excellent Pikmin - the results are usually excellent, but too often the company falls back to its safety zone of another Mario game, whether he's the focus or just making a cameo appearance. We wouldn't ask Disney to euthanize Mickey Mouse, and Mario doesn't need to disappear either. But with the groundbreaking creative possibilities of Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo DS, how about just one Mario appearance per year and more energy spent on new characters?
Seven video game franchises that keep getting better
-- Burnout
-- Call of Duty
-- Grand Theft Auto
-- Guitar Hero
-- Half Life
-- Ratchet & Clank
-- Resident Evil
Because, like it or not, the truck-dodging star of the classic arcade game needs to think about a long-delayed retirement. There have been nearly two Frogger-themed sequels per year since 2000 (including Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge, Frogger Beyond and - no joke - a mobile phone game called Frogger Evolution), and the truth is, he lost a step a long time ago.
Don't listen to the politicians, anti-game activists and the bulk of mainstream media, which will have you believe that sex, violence and other controversies are the most important issues in the video game industry. The No. 1 problem plaguing games right now is the lack of creativity.
While a popular movie franchise such as "Die Hard" or "Raiders of the Lost Ark" might generate two or three sequels in a 25-year period, video game series such as Tom Clancy or Winning Eleven soccer have a more Sisyphusian schedule, with sequels that come out at least once per year.
Both of those franchises get a pass, because unlike many of their competitors, they've managed to maintain a level of quality. But too many games steadily get worse with each new installment, repeating the same stories and mining video game cliches, instead of embracing the pioneering spirit that was prevalent during the dawn of console gaming in the early 1980s and again in the mid-1990s. Meanwhile, game developers with good ideas are hindered from trying anything new. For every wonderful surprise, such as Portal or Nintendogs, we have to endure 20 bargain-bin fillers, such as Frogger's Journey: The Forgotten Relic.
Following are seven video game franchises that need to die. Many were great once and deserve an honorable death. For the record, though, Spyro the Dragon needed to be thrown into a wood chipper from day one.
Pac-Man: The government should have intervened after the 1982 record "Pac-Man Fever" came out, with a congressional mandate outlawing the continued overexposure of this gluttonous and jaundiced pop culture icon. Since the original arcade game and its follow-up Ms. Pac-Man were released in the early 1980s, there have been dozens of inferior Pac-Man sequels, most ranging from mediocre to atrocious. The biggest exception was the recent Pac-Man Championship Edition, developed for the Xbox Live Arcade by Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani. Please let the franchise die on a positive note with Iwatani's game. Next to the makers of the "Highlander" film series, no one has milked so much out of so little as the publishers of Pac-Man.
Medal of Honor: The first two Medal of Honor World War II games were a revelation, invigorating the first-person shooter genre while proving that there was a real market for historical war games. But the quality fell dramatically after the first sequel, and even a halfway decent Medal of Honor game is considered a surprise. Meanwhile, the Brothers in Arms and Call of Duty series have produced better World War II action in the past several years. It's time for an honorable discharge.
Tony Hawk: Once the gold standard of extreme sports video games, the Tony Hawk series is like one of those new Charlie Brown holiday specials: They only serve as a reminder of how much better the old ones were. With one or two exceptions, these skating, snowboarding and other trick-based games are looking old. Tony Hawk is in desperate need of a quick death or a smart reinvention- could a motion-sensitive device such as the Wii Fit balance board be the answer?
Tomb Raider: Much has been made of the improvement of this series with the past two installments, but that isn't much of a testimony considering the franchise had decomposed five years ago. There are clearly no more interesting places for this series to go, and the longer it stays around, the bigger the chance we're going to have to endure another bad Angelina Jolie movie. Put Lara Croft's breasts in the Smithsonian and retire this franchise for good.
Manhunt: This isn't another attack on the Rockstar game's gratuitous violence, which actually seemed toned down in Manhunt 2 (even though the protests and histrionics were ramped up to ridiculous levels). Instead, put an end to this franchise because the Manhunt games just haven't been especially good - and are the weak link in Rockstar's stable of excellent games. A sequel to the excellent Bully or Rockstar Presents Table Tennis would be more welcome than a third Manhunt game.
Spyro the Dragon: Spyro is getting singled out because he's especially purple and annoying, but we could also add Crash Bandicoot, Frogger and Sonic the Hedgehog to the list. And all of those look like a Halo sequel compared with the licensed properties for products such as Bratz and movies such as "Alvin and the Chipmunks." Video games for children are repetitive and unimaginative, poorly written and prone to glitches, with just a few exceptions. Buy a copy of Katamari Damacy, Lego Star Wars or one of the better Nintendo DS titles and hope for a better future.
Super Mario Party Kart Smash Bros. Brawl: Since the Mario character was introduced in Donkey Kong in the 1980s, he's appeared in more than 100 video games - which is about 75 too many. When Nintendo's starts a non-Mario, non-Zelda, non-Star Fox series - such as Animal Crossing and the excellent Pikmin - the results are usually excellent, but too often the company falls back to its safety zone of another Mario game, whether he's the focus or just making a cameo appearance. We wouldn't ask Disney to euthanize Mickey Mouse, and Mario doesn't need to disappear either. But with the groundbreaking creative possibilities of Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo DS, how about just one Mario appearance per year and more energy spent on new characters?
Seven video game franchises that keep getting better
-- Burnout
-- Call of Duty
-- Grand Theft Auto
-- Guitar Hero
-- Half Life
-- Ratchet & Clank
-- Resident Evil
HALO3 SERIES 2 FIGURES.....STILL NO INFLATABLE CORTANA : (
Awesome new halo figures just hit toy stores, recreate those epic battles, of course not the ones from the game, the ones every goddamn person was disappointed not to see in the game.
HD-DVD's Future Plans
HD DVD Not Dead yet: Lower Prices, New Marketing, Strong Q4 Sales
>> From the press release:
[QUOTE]
Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. ("Toshiba") today announced that it is stepping up its successful marketing campaign for HD DVD as it experienced record-breaking unit sales in the fourth quarter of 2007. Major initiatives, including joint advertising campaigns with studios and extended pricing strategies will begin in mid- January and are designed to spotlight the superior benefits of HD DVD as well as the benefits HD DVD brings to a consumer's current DVD library by upconverting standard DVDs via the HDMI(TM) output to near high definition picture quality.
As Toshiba achieved the #1 sales volume in the next generation DVD category with an approximately 50 percent market share in 2007, HD DVD is proven to be the format of choice for consumers. Coupled with an 80 percent plus market share of all next generation DVD equipped notebooks for the 4th quarter 2007, the HD DVD format has already paved the way to a high definition digital AV solution by eliminating the boundaries between the consumer's living room and on the go.
HD DVD not only creates the ultimate high definition entertainment experience, leveraging all of the promise of the format such as superior audio/video performance, Web-enabled network capabilities and advanced interactive features - it also has a high-level of compatibility with DVD. With DVD upconversion via the HDMI output, HD DVD players instantly make a movie lover's existing DVD library look better than ever.
New Marketing Strategy for Mass Market Adoption
Taking the holiday season sales based on promotional prices into full consideration, these new manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) are designed to meet the potential demand for HD DVD players in the U.S. market. Effective on January 13, 2008 the MSRP of the entry-model HD-A3 will be $149.99, the HD-A30, with 1080p output, $199.99, and the high-end HD-A35, $299.99.
Extended Advertising Campaign
Toshiba plans to execute an extended advertising campaign that will further enhance consumer awareness of the benefits of HD DVD and drive sales to retail among potential consumers. Advertising strategies will include television, print and online media channels. Toshiba will also work with its dealers and studio partners on joint marketing and promotional initiatives to promote HD DVD. Current promotions include "The Perfect HD Offer" - a mail-in offer allowing consumers to select five HD DVD titles for free from a selection of 15 with the purchase of any Toshiba HD DVD player.
[/QUOTE]
>> From the press release:
[QUOTE]
Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. ("Toshiba") today announced that it is stepping up its successful marketing campaign for HD DVD as it experienced record-breaking unit sales in the fourth quarter of 2007. Major initiatives, including joint advertising campaigns with studios and extended pricing strategies will begin in mid- January and are designed to spotlight the superior benefits of HD DVD as well as the benefits HD DVD brings to a consumer's current DVD library by upconverting standard DVDs via the HDMI(TM) output to near high definition picture quality.
As Toshiba achieved the #1 sales volume in the next generation DVD category with an approximately 50 percent market share in 2007, HD DVD is proven to be the format of choice for consumers. Coupled with an 80 percent plus market share of all next generation DVD equipped notebooks for the 4th quarter 2007, the HD DVD format has already paved the way to a high definition digital AV solution by eliminating the boundaries between the consumer's living room and on the go.
HD DVD not only creates the ultimate high definition entertainment experience, leveraging all of the promise of the format such as superior audio/video performance, Web-enabled network capabilities and advanced interactive features - it also has a high-level of compatibility with DVD. With DVD upconversion via the HDMI output, HD DVD players instantly make a movie lover's existing DVD library look better than ever.
New Marketing Strategy for Mass Market Adoption
Taking the holiday season sales based on promotional prices into full consideration, these new manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) are designed to meet the potential demand for HD DVD players in the U.S. market. Effective on January 13, 2008 the MSRP of the entry-model HD-A3 will be $149.99, the HD-A30, with 1080p output, $199.99, and the high-end HD-A35, $299.99.
Extended Advertising Campaign
Toshiba plans to execute an extended advertising campaign that will further enhance consumer awareness of the benefits of HD DVD and drive sales to retail among potential consumers. Advertising strategies will include television, print and online media channels. Toshiba will also work with its dealers and studio partners on joint marketing and promotional initiatives to promote HD DVD. Current promotions include "The Perfect HD Offer" - a mail-in offer allowing consumers to select five HD DVD titles for free from a selection of 15 with the purchase of any Toshiba HD DVD player.
[/QUOTE]
REALLY????.......REALLY???????....*sigh*
Jackass of the week Kevin McCullough
According to his article he fucking says, and i shit you not.
"And because of the digital chip age in which we live - "Mass Effect" can be customized to sodomize whatever, whoever, however, the game player wishes."
WOW. Oh thats not all folks.
"With it's "over the net" capabilities virtual orgasmic rape is just the push of a button away."
he later updates, after receiving an EPIC amount of hate mail
1. "The most realistic sex acts..." - from the YouTube footage I saw, I still concur, to me these acts are the most realistic put in video games - that I have seen. In the lesbian version one woman's hand appears to stimulate the crotch of the other passing between the legs. Today many of the more perv-oriented gamer-nerds took delight in describing for me the detailed description of games they claim are MORE realistic... Ok fine, I'll take them at their word, but for me the statement stands...
2. "One can custom design the shape, form, bodies, race, hair style, breast size of the images..." Evidently the only thing I got wrong on this was the breast size, though I would like someone to explain to me how the female characters end up having different sizes again on the YouTube footage I witnessed with my own eyes... But the rest of it was true. race, hair style, color - etc.
WTF!!!!, this is from looking at youtube footage, HOW FUCKING HARD IS IT TO TRY THE GODDAMN GAME BEFORE SPEWING YOUR FUCKING PROPAGANDA, OR WAIT WHAT ABOUT NOT WRITING SHIT ABOUT STUFF YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT,......BUT THEN AGAIN HOW WILL I MANIPULATE DUMB ASSES.
I EFFEN KNEW IT!
I thought to myself one day, they really are pushing the Joker stuff out there, I wonder if they are doing this to hide the fact that Harvey Dent is in the movie. You know Harvey Dent Aka Two-Face read the following off Superherohype.com:
News
Harvey Dent is the Backbone of Dark Knight
Source: Los Angeles Times
January 15, 2008
The Los Angeles Times talked to The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan, who says that "Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is a tragic figure, and his story is the backbone of this film."
The Batman Begins helmer also mentioned that The Joker, played by Heather Ledger, "sort of cuts through the film -- he's got no story arc, he's just a force of nature tearing through. Heath has given an amazing performance in the role, it's really extraordinary."
He added that you shouldn't expect a lot of laughs. "It's a dark and complex story and the villains are dark and complex as well."
The Dark Knight opens in theaters on July 18.
I knew it, I had this gut feeling that Joker was not going to have a story in this sequel, but some sort of mini plot to tide us over for the third entry which would probably involve a more emphasizes on the Joker character. Obviously the closer we get to the movies release, am betting the more they will reveal Harvey Dent's role.
News
Harvey Dent is the Backbone of Dark Knight
Source: Los Angeles Times
January 15, 2008
The Los Angeles Times talked to The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan, who says that "Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is a tragic figure, and his story is the backbone of this film."
The Batman Begins helmer also mentioned that The Joker, played by Heather Ledger, "sort of cuts through the film -- he's got no story arc, he's just a force of nature tearing through. Heath has given an amazing performance in the role, it's really extraordinary."
He added that you shouldn't expect a lot of laughs. "It's a dark and complex story and the villains are dark and complex as well."
The Dark Knight opens in theaters on July 18.
I knew it, I had this gut feeling that Joker was not going to have a story in this sequel, but some sort of mini plot to tide us over for the third entry which would probably involve a more emphasizes on the Joker character. Obviously the closer we get to the movies release, am betting the more they will reveal Harvey Dent's role.
TUROK DEMO AVAILABLE NOW!!!!...on live
Turok demo is now available for download, if you have a subscription to xboxmag then you probably played it.
Thomas Dekker was on "Honey, I shrunk the kids" the tv show.
He acted like no one remembered but I did, I always thought the kid was fruity.
Episode 2 of Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Today's episode was kind of a let down, I mean it was pretty cool at some points, but mostly just talking about snitching on people and how Sarah was supposed to die two years back. Are they going to put the stupid Sarah has cancer and dies continuity from Terminator 3? From what I remember reading and researching they were staying far away from the T3 time line, although they didn't say anything about her getting the disease, they also didn't mention how she dies so it's up in the air. Episode 2 strayed away from the action and excitement that the pilot episode gave us, instead we get a hour long Training Day Tv episode, that's what it felt like. Some of the jokes and subtleties were nonsense, at one point Cameron (The Female Terminator) was mimicking a chola, to even dressing up as one randomly. She also get shocked by a vault, and shuts down to later get sat down on a chair and pushed out a window. For some reason this Sarah Connor isn't coming off very tough as nails Linda Hamilton. I mean seriously leaving John alone at the house? Not yelling at him or breaking him down for ditching the safety of the home. The things that make Sarah look like a bitch aren't really there she seems to soft for me.
I have alot of questions that need some answers for example:
1 How is the female Terminator learning? From what we learned in T2, the cpu learning computer chip should be turnt on. But there was no mention of this in this episode or the pilot.
2. Why the hell would they start sending in resistance fighters back into the past? That would mean less fighters, helping out in the future war.
3. Are we relying on a bored John Connor teenager to save us from the machines?
4. John and Sarah both have cellphones, and they use them. What service provider do they have and how are they paying for these? Couldn't technically they get caught by the cops for this?
5. How the hell did the pilot episode Terminator survive without it's head?
As much as I am picky and have alot of questions I can't stop watching, I am intrigued and hooked on this. Hopefully we find out who the faceless resistance fighter is following the crew. (Kyle Reese?)
I have alot of questions that need some answers for example:
1 How is the female Terminator learning? From what we learned in T2, the cpu learning computer chip should be turnt on. But there was no mention of this in this episode or the pilot.
2. Why the hell would they start sending in resistance fighters back into the past? That would mean less fighters, helping out in the future war.
3. Are we relying on a bored John Connor teenager to save us from the machines?
4. John and Sarah both have cellphones, and they use them. What service provider do they have and how are they paying for these? Couldn't technically they get caught by the cops for this?
5. How the hell did the pilot episode Terminator survive without it's head?
As much as I am picky and have alot of questions I can't stop watching, I am intrigued and hooked on this. Hopefully we find out who the faceless resistance fighter is following the crew. (Kyle Reese?)
Asking a question at the Sarah Connor Chronicles panel.
Sorry for the crappy quality video and sound, for those that didn't quite hear what I said here's the transcript:
"Tap Tap, Hey! I've got a question, I know millions of people are going to watch the show, I was wondering with all the Columbine Shooting and Virginia Tech whatever, what are your feelings on the school shooting scene in the pilot episode"
"Tap Tap, Hey! I've got a question, I know millions of people are going to watch the show, I was wondering with all the Columbine Shooting and Virginia Tech whatever, what are your feelings on the school shooting scene in the pilot episode"
A poll for you!!!!
So the guys do not consider my favorite web show host the "Angry Video Game Nerd" a "Gamer" because he does not play current systems. We leave it up to you the FANS to tell us the answer.
Monday, January 14
No buzz about the Superman Returns sequel.
Yeah, go ahead make fun of xXTUBBYXx for loving such a dull movie.
Nothing Happening for Superman Sequel?
Variety's Anne Thompson has written a bit more on the Superman Returns sequel:
No screenwriters are on board. "Returns" writers Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris opted out of penning "Superman: Man of Steel," and the strike arrived just as other scribes were to pitch ideas. Internally, Warners has moved the release date from 2009 to 2010.
After "Superman Returns" delivered a disappointing box office take of $386 million worldwide, Warner Bros. and Singer debated how to proceed with the next "Superman" pic. The studio even considered rebooting the franchise with someone else.
But eventually WB execs Alan Horn and Jeff Robinov agreed to proceed with Singer at the helm of a $170 million "Man of Steel" packed with more action, a super-powered villain and less romantic melodrama. Before Singer started production on UA's "Valkyrie," WB and co-financier Legendary Pictures closed a deal for him to produce and direct "Superman: Man of Steel."
According to a spokesman for the director's reps at William Morris," 'Superman' is moving forward with Bryan Singer attached." But inside the studio, "Superman" is not on any fast track, and word is that Singer may wind up not directing it.
The article also again mentions that Justice League might not be going ahead until after the strike.
Nothing Happening for Superman Sequel?
Source: Variety
Variety's Anne Thompson has written a bit more on the Superman Returns sequel:
No screenwriters are on board. "Returns" writers Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris opted out of penning "Superman: Man of Steel," and the strike arrived just as other scribes were to pitch ideas. Internally, Warners has moved the release date from 2009 to 2010.
After "Superman Returns" delivered a disappointing box office take of $386 million worldwide, Warner Bros. and Singer debated how to proceed with the next "Superman" pic. The studio even considered rebooting the franchise with someone else.
But eventually WB execs Alan Horn and Jeff Robinov agreed to proceed with Singer at the helm of a $170 million "Man of Steel" packed with more action, a super-powered villain and less romantic melodrama. Before Singer started production on UA's "Valkyrie," WB and co-financier Legendary Pictures closed a deal for him to produce and direct "Superman: Man of Steel."
According to a spokesman for the director's reps at William Morris," 'Superman' is moving forward with Bryan Singer attached." But inside the studio, "Superman" is not on any fast track, and word is that Singer may wind up not directing it.
The article also again mentions that Justice League might not be going ahead until after the strike.
First Five Minutes Of "TEETH"
What would you do if your vagina opening had "Teeth"? That's not the tag line of the poster mind you but my rendition. LOL
The Diary Of The Dead Trailer!
In the same quality as the upcoming horror film REC and sci-fi thriller Cloverfield, George A. Romero brings us:
Diary of the Dead - Exclusive Trailer
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Diary of the Dead - Exclusive Trailer
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Highly Anticipating Tonight's Sarah Connor Chronicles Episode.
I am hoping some of you watched last night's "Pilot" episode of Sarah Connor Chronicles. To tell you the truth I am hoping this series does not get the famous Fox axe, and get canceled after the initial first episodes. The show is produced and written by the same people who gave us the atrocious Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines, which by some is said to be a good movie. To myself however it is a inconsistent, newbie try at the Terminator universe. What the producers should have done was start this tv show and after gathering enough experience and knowledge, done a T3 movie. Well enough of my rant, I hope today's episode has the same degree of excitement and action as last night's pilot.
Hey Fans!
xXTUBBYXx here and I welcome you all to Gamesplosion, a idea that started with Ralph AKA Ossisk. We hope to get your attention and feedback for our blog, which consist of everything mainstream and everything underground, with video games, entertainment, music, the works. As we start to learn the whole blogosphere and etiquette, please bear in mind that we are new. For now our lineup consists of:
Ralph Balcazar: OSSISK
Lorenzo Contreras: xXTUBBYXx
Ronald Hines: Lv99ron
We are gamers, film buffs, porn enthusiasts, but more then anything we are fans.
Welcome To Gamesplosion.
Ralph Balcazar: OSSISK
Lorenzo Contreras: xXTUBBYXx
Ronald Hines: Lv99ron
We are gamers, film buffs, porn enthusiasts, but more then anything we are fans.
Welcome To Gamesplosion.
It Has Begun.
FIRST!
Welcome to Gamesplosion!
Trust us this site will get much more badass, sexy, and explosive.
Welcome to Gamesplosion!
Trust us this site will get much more badass, sexy, and explosive.
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