Quick Post-Con Update

Okay, so I'd planned all kinds of updates and such from Comic-Con for the blog, but things don't always go according to plan.  Unfortunately, there was no WiFi anywhere around my hotel room that was available to use, and even the WiFi at the show floor was spotty at best.  Still, I was running around for the duration, checking in with folks, trying out new goodies, getting some inside scoop on upcoming projects in games and comics, and even talking to a couple of people about the development of my own projects.  There's plenty to do to keep me busy next week.

Right now, I'm in the San Diego airport waiting for my flight home (thank you SAN for free WiFi).  I figured I'd post this quick update and let you guys know I'm alive and well, and planning to do an in-depth update after I get back to FL and get settled in.

Comic-Con: The Adventure Begins ... er ... Is Delayed.

Okay. So right about now, I SHOULD be doing that last minute triple and quadruple check before heading to the airport and catching my flight to San Diego. And I WOULD be doing that ... if things were going according to plan.

 *SPOILER ALERT* They aren't.

"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more ..."

Y'know, lately my mantra has been the above line from Shakespeare's Henry V.  It seems like every time I turn around, I'm digging in my heels, setting my stance, and giving one more hefty push forward on something or other.  Whether I'm developing a new project or fleshing out an existing one, every morning I'm waking up, getting my first cup of coffee, dusting myself off, and diving right back into the trenches.  If you're looking for an example, you don't need to look any further than this year's Comic-Con.

Cooking up a new idea ...

Take a look at this picture I put together and tell me what pops into your head ...

If you find yourself torn between playing a video game and grabbing some lunch/dinner/etc.then it's done its job well.  See, there's a story behind this ... and an idea.  Now I've decided it's time to share and to put the call out to you guys for thoughts, comments, and maybe a little role as a guinea pig.  Curious?  Read on ...

Say what you mean and mean what you say ...

Let me start off this post by saying that I don't ever expect everyone out there who reads my stuff to agree with everything I have to say.  I know, I know ... big shock, right?  Seriously though, I'll be the first person to tell you that when it comes to editorial or review articles, they're simply one person's opinion of a given subject at a given time.  In my time as a writer, I've had people criticize my reviews because they thought I gave something too low OR to high of a score.  And hey, I'm okay with that.  A lot of times, I'll even try to engage people and let them know that what I try to do is to express my thoughts on the subject, explain my praise and/or criticism, and that I try to look at things through the eyes of the audience ... though it's going to be filtered through my own experiences.

All that being said, I stand by what I say and I value my reputation as a writer.  What's been pissing me off lately, though, is what seems to be a trend of writers willing to compromise their integrity for the sake of simply ruffling a few feathers and cashing in on the almighty traffic of hits.  Let me explain ...

When did we stop just having fun?

About a week ago, I posted a quick little monologue on Facebook asking when we stopped just having fun and being entertained.  At the time, I was frustrated at a lot of different reviews I was seeing online of everything from games to books to movies.  I was reading article after article in which this thing or that was being nitpicked to death, only to never actually answer the big question ... "Is it any fun?"

I'll be honest, at the time, my post was just meant to be me venting a little bit of steam.  Well, I was surprised at the response that quick post got, so I've decided to expand on the thought a little bit here.

Just paint a target on my back ...

Earlier this week, I finally started spending some time in the early access multiplayer for Naughty Dog's latest globetrotting and relic hunting adventure, Uncharted 3.  Now, I could go on and on about how much I'm looking forward to the next chapter in Nathan Drake's story, and about how the game looks and plays so far ... which is something I'll probably do in a later post.  But this particular post isn't so much about Uncharted 3, as much as it's about the realization that I generally suck at competitive multiplayer ... and how I've finally decided that I'm okay with it.

@Gamer Issue #13

The start of another month means yet another issue of Best Buy's awesome @Gamer Magazine.  Of course, another issue of @Gamer means that another chance to check out a little bit of video game coverage from a certain video game journalist we all know and love.  Plus, this marks the debut of an extra little goodie in the magazine that we'll hopefully see more of in upcoming issues.  More on that later.

For now, though, let's take a quick peek through the pages of this month's issue of @Gamer and see what sorts of cool and interesting stuff you'll find inside.  Afterwards, if you haven't already done so, make plans to head out an pick up a copy from your nearest Best Buy ASAP.  Or better yet, head on over to the @Gamer website and get yourself signed up for a one-year subscription so you don't miss a beat.