New column is up ...

Another week, another Crispy Gamer column. The latest "News in Review" is up ... here's a link to it:

The News in Review

Just like last week, things aren't going quite like they're supposed to. For starters, the column is once again in the News section, as opposed to the actual Features/Columns section. What this means is as soon as the new news stories pop up this evening/tomorrow, the column will get buried under the deluge of news bites. Second, they still haven't found a way to fix the character limit for the news stories. While this really doesn't affect actual news bites, it DOES affect the feature length column. So, the column was apparently split into two news stories ... a solution akin to putting a Band-Aid on a sucking chest wound. But hey, at least it works and it's up.

Oh ... for the record, the last line isn't a typo. After losing a third of the column last week to technical issues, I couldn't resist the play on words. If you get the joke ... great. If not, ah well ...

Now comes the time for me to ask a favor of you guys. Go check out the column and make sure to let me know what you think. Let Crispy know what you think too. If you feel so inclined, sign up for an account on Crispy (if you haven't already), and join up with the Crispy Gamer Development Group to tell them you want to see more. It's also a great place to throw in your own suggestions on how to make the site better.Right now, I could definitely use a little extra support. If the column stays buried in the News section and doesn't get too many hits, it may not be around much longer. Right now we're in the "testing the waters" phase, and I need Crispy to know you guys wanna take a dip in that pool.

Okay, that's enough for now. Feel free to let me know what you think of the news recaps, as well as any suggestions for what you'd like to see from me in the future at Crispy (or anywhere else).

End of line ...

So ... who's been keeping track of things?

First and foremost, since a lot of you have been wondering where all my updates have been, here's the latest. Most of you probably already know that I've been writing regularly for TeamXbox. What games have I been reviewing? Well, here's a handful of links from April:

• Mr. DRILLER Online
  
• Ikaruga
  
• Rocky and Bullwinkle
  
• Guilty Gear 2: Overture preview
  
• NBA Ballers: Chosen One
  
• 1942: Joint Strike preview
  
• Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 preview
  
• Ticket to Ride
  
• 1942: Joint Strike preview

Okay, so there's the start ... I'll post links to May's stuff later. I've also done a couple of podcasts for Crispy Gamer, as well as working the news beat for the site. Now, the all of the pieces fall into place, I'll also be starting up a weekly column there, reviewing the week's news and offering up my ... umm ... "unique" take on the stories. Expect a healthy does of wit, sarcasm, and just about everything else.

I'll have more news soon, and I'll be working harder to keep this blog updated.

It brings a tear to the eye ...

For all you video game fans out there who missed the news, Judge Dava Tunis has released her preliminary report on the Florida Bar's case against Miami-based lawyer Jack Thompson. In the report, Judge Tunis recommends Thompson be found guilty on 27 of the 31 charges levied against him.

You can read the GamePolitics article here.

For those who missed it the first time around, I've had more than my own share of dealings with Thompson. Check out the piece from my time at Game Almighty, Dealing With a "Jack" Ass.

Now, if you guys know me, you know I'm not petty ... I usually take the higher ground. Of course the key word there is "usually". In this case, I still have to ask one thing:

Who's the piss ant now, Jack?

Ahh ... that felt good.

End of line.

Vindication and satisfaction ...

Ahh ... the life of a game journalist.

So, early last week, I had the pleasure of writing the TeamXbox review of Assault Heroes 2. Now, I spent the better part of the weekend before the review playing the game AND the original one, long before I ever typed the first letter for the review. I compared both games and weighed the sequel against the first title and on its own merits. I was wavering between a 7 and a 7.5 before finally settling on a 7 for the final score. In my mind, a 7 isn't a bad score by any stretch of the imagination ... but it just shows that there was plenty that could be better too.

Overall, I simply felt like the game didn't bring anything really different to the table. To me, the game felt more like an expansion than a sequel. And considering that you can get the first game for half the price of the second ... well, it's the better deal. Still, fans looking for more Assault Heroes action would probably enjoy it. So, I settled on my score, wrote the review, and then things went ... "wonky". I won't go into too many details, but no sooner than my review got posted, I started getting flak for it. Apparently TeamXbox had scored the first game an 8.5, and there were people who felt like I scored the sequel too low by comparison.

Now, let me start off by saying that I had nothing to do with the review of the first Assault Heroes game. If I HAD, I'd have probably still scored it at around an 8 ... considering how it stood out at the time. Keep in mind that when AH1 came out roughly a year and a half ago, the Xbox LIVE Arcade library was a lot smaller. These days, though, there's a lot more on the service, and if AH1 came out today, it just wouldn't stand out as much ... especially in the light of other similar games I've played, like 1942: Joint Strike and Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 ... both of which I recently previewed.

So, here I am catching heat from all different sides about the review. In retrospect, maybe I could have explained a couple of things a little better in the piece, but I still stand by the review and stand by the fact that a) a 7 out of 10 ISN'T a bad score, and b) the game WASN'T scored to low. As I've said from the beginning, a review is simply one person's opinion of a given thing at a given time. I don't expect everyone to agree with me when I write a review, but I do my best to explain my opinion and why I think the way I do. My reasoning has always been that, whether you agree or disagree with me, you hopefully understand me.

Having said all of that, and taking the heat like I did for the review, I've gotta say that I felt a little better about everything after taking a new look at Game Rankings ... and found that, despite the initial reaction I got, it looks like I wasn't so far off the mark after all. The Official Xbox Magazine apparently gave Assault Heroes 2 a 7.0 score as well, and GameSpot gave it a 7.5. Neither review took away from the enjoyment of the game, but simply said it could have brought more to the table.

Admittedly, none of this would have changed my thoughts on how I do my job. Hell, if I scored a game at a 4/10 and everyone else scored it as an 8/10, I'd still stand by whatever I wrote. Even so, it's more than a little satisfying to see that I'm not alone in my thoughts ... and that some people out there even decided to stick by me and my work.

Okay ... that's my rant for now.

End of line ...

More to come

Yes ... it HAS been a long, long time. Too long. But no, I haven't forgotten about this little slice of internet real estate. I'll be doing more to update this soon, possibly with a whole new bag o' tricks. It'll take a little while, but bear with me.

Another day, another review ...

Ah ... there are some day I like my job. I ended up having to write up a game review earlier for a game that was ... well ... just bad. The game was Warriors Orochi for the Xbox 360 from Koei. So why, you ask, is it a good thing for me to write about a bad game? Because it's a nice way to relieve some pent up frustration.

You can read the review for yourself over at TeamXbox. Check it out, and maybe you'll get a chuckle or three out of it as well.

End of line ...

Rough week ... but working on it.

For those of you that talk to me regularly, this is already some old news, but the last week or so has been a particularly rough one for a variety of reasons. If you missed the news, my grandmother passed away last week on her 91st birthday, and while I'll admit to not being close, it obviously took a toll on my mother. Add to that some other personal issues, including becoming the ass end of a handful of jokes due to the actions of someone extremely close to me, and the ensuing (and unfortunately, still continuing) fallout from that, plus a lot of other related and unrelated issues ... well, let's just say the past week or so has ranked high, 1 if not a very close second in fact, on the Low Points list of my life. Making matters worse, only time will tell how things will really work out in the end ... and whether there's truth to things said, or if it's all just more "smoke and mirrors". It's going to be a really rough road ahead ... and not one I'm looking forward to traveling down, especially on my own.

On a somewhat more positive note, if you head on over to TeamXbox, the lead story is an interview article with Eric Holmes, lead designer on the upcoming next-gen game, Prototype. Look closely and you'll see the byline is yours truly. Hope you enjoy the read.

As for everything else, all I can do is try to take it day by day.

End of line ...

Finishing the Fight ... later

Okay ... so it goes without saying that I picked up Halo 3 last night (this morning). I originally had pre-ordered the Limited Edition (that would be the expensive one WITHOUT the helmet). Thing is, I'd heard that apparently the folks over at MS were having some problems with the Limited version, as the discs were popping off the pegs in the packaging, resulting in a lot of scratched discs. So, using this as a perfect excuse to validate a decision I'd probably already made subconsciously, I managed to upgrade at the last minute to the Legendary Edition. Yeah, that's right ... I have the helmet now.

So, first off I had to play a little 1-on-1 with my friend Jenn. After getting her set up, we played around on a couple of the maps, and she got to try out some new weapons. Personally, I'm loving the Spartan Laser, and the flamethrower kicks serious ass too. After that, I popped in the bonus discs to check things out a little, watch the RvB episodes (Episode One redone in Halo 3 graphics is CLASSIC), and then decided to jump into the single player campaign. Then I realized something ... I haven't slept in a couple of days, and barring anything unusual, I don't think the Chief is going anywhere. So, it looks like I'll "Finish the Fight" later today ...

Oh, and for the record, Heroes STILL kicks ass!!

End of Line ...

State of the WldCard address

First the bad news:

Unfortunately, I'm no longer working as the News Editor over at Game Almighty. I could make up some grandiose tale involving superheroics, midget mobsters, and ninja accountants, but the only truth would have probably been about the accountants part. The truth of the matter is, the company hit a bit of a financial speed bump and had to put a lot of the staff on a leave of absence for an indeterminate length of time.

Does this mean the end of Game Almighty? Hell, if you read comics enough, you know that nothing is dead 'til you see the body ... and even then it probably will come back. The site is still up and running, and you may even see an article from me on occasion during the restructuring. If and when things change, I'll let you guys know.

Now the good news:

Where one well dries up, another springs forth sometimes. Although I was never technically exclusive to Game Almighty, since I started there six months back, the only other real work I've done elsewhere was my usual production work with Electric Playground. Another season means another batch of Comic of the Week segments and more. Now that I'm freed up, I've been popping up again all around the place. New to the list of regular haunts? TeamXbox. Expect to see me doing a lot of writing over there in the coming months too.

Want to see some of the most recent stuff?

• Fatal Inertia review @ TeamXbox
  
• Dynasty Warriors Gundam review @ TeamXbox
  
• Dead Head Fred (PSP) review @ GameSpy
  
• Turn It Around! (DS) review @ GameSpy

So, what's looming on the horizon? Look for an interview w/ Eric Holmes, lead designer on Radical's upcoming next-gen hit, Prototype as well as an exclusive interview with California State Senator Leland Yee regarding his thoughts on the video game industry and bill AB 1179 (the bill restricting the distribution of video games to minors that was struck down in CA District Court).

Now for the newest feature on the blog: the WldCard Omnibus, where I'll answer some frequently asked questions in rapid fire.

Here goes ...

• Yes, I AM in fact single (big surprise)
  
• Umm ... I don't really know WHY it's important for you to know what I'm wearing
  
• Tonight? Probably watching Heroes and playing Halo 3. Got any better ideas?
  
• No, you can NOT borrow $20 ... quit asking
  
• Yes, I really do get paid to play video games
  
• Yes, the job has its REALLY bad days (try putting together a list of the worst games ever)
  
• Yes, there are still some surprises up my sleeves
  
• The profile pic was by comic book artist, Kelly Yates. The colors were thrown on by me and my Photoshop.
  
• The background pic is by comic artist Randy Green
  
• Caboose is doing fine
  
• Yes, I'm still deeply entrenched in the comic industry
  
• Not real sure of its "meaning", but I hear it makes for a decent cereal, an okay magazine, and Brian's was a HILARIOUS Monty Python flick.

Okay, that's all for now ... feel free to submit your own questions for the next Omnibus here in a message or comment, or email it to me through the usual means.

End of line ...

Drawn to Life

So, this week THQ and 5th Cell finally released Drawn to Life to DS audiences. In case you've never heard of it, the best way to describe it is: "Classic platformer with a twist".

The gist of the game is that you are the mythical Creator of legend, who drew an entire world into existence. Now, that world is being overrun by evil little shadow creatures and you've been called in to lend a hand. To help out, you infuse a small wooden mannequin with some of your power, drawing the character into life (hence the name of the game).

The big hook here is that when you're playing the game, you create a custom hero. Using the basic paint tools offered in the game, you can make the character look like just about anything. Also, at key points in the title, you'll be called upon to draw more assets, such as custom platforms, weapons, and even spaceships. While these items react the same no matter what you actually draw, it's a great way to "draw" the player into the experience. Right not, for example, I've drawn up a custom animated Master Chief as my hero, armed with a crude representation of a Covenant Plasma Rilfe. Through the first stage, "M. Chief" was hopping around on the Xbox 360 logo and having a grand ol' time on the DS.

The game supports 3 saves/heroes, and players can trade out their characters with friends via local connections. While I haven't tried this yet, you can also apparently swap out parts between characters, making for some cool little Frankenstein's monster mashups.

The gameplay itself is pretty straightforward ... think along the lines of the original Mario games (before he went all 3D). The player runs around collecting coins and bouncing on enemies. The touchscreen is used sporadically for things like clearing the inky shadows from the landscape, but otherwise it's main focus is drawing.

I'm having a lot of fun with this right now. It's nothing too deep, and it's a casual yet creative little gem that may fly under most people's radar. Still, if you're looking for a change of pace and are feeling a bit artistic, give Drawn to Life a whirl.

A shifting of priorities ...

Where do I start on the beginning of this fine, fine week?

Here's the scoop, due to some unusual events last week, things have freed up a little bit for me finally. So, what does that mean for all of you? Well, besides seeing a lot more in the way of freelance work here and there around the net, you're going to be seeing some changes here as well. You'll likely start seeing a new design roll out this month, and you'll definitely be seeing more content.

My goal is to create a one-stop shop for news relating to video games, comics, movies, and other such stuff. Until everything gets finalized, you'll be seeing more in the way of news posted here, albeit in a slightly unorganized manner. Consider this your "Pardon our mess while we remodel" notice.

Later,
David

PSP 2K

So by now most retailers have gotten in their shipments of the new PSP Daxter Entertainment pack ... which is also the public's first gander at the newly redesigned PSP (dubbed the PSP 2000 in the press, but carrying an actual PSP 2001 model number). I decided to bite the bullet and pick this up, and I've gotta say that I'm impressed so far by what I've seen.

First off, I've gotta say that if you're in the market for a PSP, this is definitely the way to go. For just 30 buck more than the core unit's $170 retail price, you get a copy of the HILARIOUSLY fun Daxter game ($20 MSRP), a copy of the Family Guy Freakin' Sweet Collection UMD (another $20 MSRP), AND a 1G Memory Stick Pro DUO (ringing in at an MSRP of $50). So, all in all, you'll save about $60 total ... even better, this weekend, Target has the pack listed at 15% off ... making it the same $169.99 retail price as a core system. And keep in mind, you've still got a week or so until the new PSP models hit stores in the Core packs.

Moving along to the system itself ... I'll skip any mention of the cool "Ice Silver" (bad pun) color. The first thing I noticed when I pulled it out of the package is that the new system feels ... well ... fake. I'm not knocking the system, but it's just SUCH a huge change. Basically, Sony has swapped the heavy metal outer body of the original PSP with lighter, seemingly durable, plastic body for the new model. The result makes the new model feel ... well ... like a cheap prop when compared to the original.

Another physical tweak to the design is the new UMD loading tray. Gone are the days of sliding in the UMD and trying to get the spring inside to lock into place. Now, you just pop open a small door, lay the UMD inside, and everything just falls into place. I'm a little split on this design. I LOVE the way the UMDs fit into the tray now, but I'm not a fan of the elimination of the eject button. Every time I manually pop open the UMD slot, I'm afraid I'm going to snap the damned thing off. Maybe I'm just being paranoid since it's new ... and since the rest of the PSP feels like a prop.

On the original PSP, the speakers were situated on the bottom side of the unit (where the serial number and wrist strap loop are). This was fine, but occasionally, depending on how you held the system, your fingers couldn't help but cover them. With the new speaker placements, at the upper portion of the main menu, this isn't a problem. As a result, the new system SEEMS to have sharper sound. It really isn't much of a difference in terms of hardware, but without players' hands getting in the way, the speakers sounds richer than before.

Now, maybe it's just me and maybe I'm losing my mind, but I'll be damned if the new screen isn't somehow sharper looking than the original. Playing games like Dead Head Fred on the system, everything looks about as crisp as if I was playing it on my HD LCD. Right now, I'm just itching to get my hands on the video cables to see just how this stacks up when actually ON the LCD TV. I think Sony kinda missed the boat by not including the AV Out cables, especially considering that the video out function is one of the new system's biggest draws. Either way, it looks like I'll have to wait til a little later to see the AV out in action.

Now, I do notice a slight decrease in the load times with the new PSP over the old one. I bring this up because, while it HAS been described as a feature in earlier material from Sony, some of the press has said there wasn't much of a noticeable change. Others have said there was a measurable change. For my personal experience, I'm in the latter group. While still not exactly lightning fast in some cases, the UMDs do, by and large, load up quite a bit faster than they did before.

So, if you already have a PSP, should you buy this new models? Eh ... I guess it's a matter of preference. For me, and in my line of work, the video out option alone was worth a look ... and the extra onboard memory and such was a nice added bonus. Would it have been a necessity to get the new model? No. But was there enough for me to justify it? Personally, yes. For others, maybe not so much. But if you DON'T already have a PSP, this is definitely the way to go for getting one.

I'll write up an update later to discuss more of the software features of the new PSP, as well as the infamous video out function. In the meantime, the PSP 2001 is definitely worth a look.

Four and Twenty (HP) Blackbirds ...

No, I'm not talking about pie here. So, if you're a computer geek, you may have heard that HP bought Voodoo not too long ago. People kinda figured that meant HP was going to be getting into the gaming rig business ...

They were right ...

http://www.hp.com/blackbird

Looks like I know what I'm getting myself this Christmas (or sooner).

[--INSERT "OOOO"S AND "AAAHHHH"S HERE--]

From the HP Blackbird 002 PC website:

Processor
AMD® X2 Dual Core Architecture

* 64 bit data paths and registers
* Hypertransport-- I/O Bus
* 16 128-bit SSE/SSE2/SSE3 registers
* Integrated DDR2 memory Controler

Configurations

* Athlon-- AMD X2 6000+ 3.0GHz
o 1MB of L2 cache per processor


Intel® Core-- Micro architecture

* 128-bit SSE3 vector engine
* 64-bit data paths and registers
* Energy efficiency optimization
* Thermal cut-outs to mitigate damage from system overclocking

Configurations

* Intel® Core2-- Extreme 2.93GHz
o 4MB of L2 cache per processor (8MB total)
* Intel® Core2-- Duo 2.66GHz
o 4MB of L2 cache per processor (8MB total)
* Intel® Core2-- Duo 3.0GHz
o 4MB of L2 cache per processor (8MB total)
* Intel® Core2-- Extreme Quad-Core 3.0GHz
o 8MB of L2 cache per processor (16MB total)

1.33 GHz, 64-bit front side bus


Memory

* 1GB 667 MHz DDR2 PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM
* 1GB 800 MHz CORSAIR PC2-6400 DDR2 SDRAM
* 1GB 1GHz CORSAIR PC2-8500 DDR2 SDRAM SLI enabled

Four FSB-DIMM slots supporting up to 8 GB of main memory

256-bit-wide memory architecture


Graphics and Displays

Two Doublewide, 16-lane PCI Express graphics slot with one or more of the following graphic cards installed:

* NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600 GT with 256MB of GDDR2 SDRAM, one single-link DVI port, and one dual-link DVI port
* NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS with 640MB of GDDR2 SDRAM, one single-link DVI port, and one dual-link DVI port (available with liquid cooling)

* NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX, with 756MB of GDDR2 SDRAM one single-link DVI port, and one dual-link DVI port (available with liquid cooling)
* ATI RADEON-- X2900 XT 512MB, with 512MB of GDDR2 SDRAM, (available with liquid-cooling)
* ATI RADEON X2900-- XT 1GB, with 1GB of GDDR2 SDRAM, (available with liquid-cooling)
* ATI RADEON-- HD 2600 XT, with 256MB of GDDR3 SDRAM, Dual configuration only.



Ageia PhysX-- PCI-E GFX Accelerator Card

Four slots for up to two PCIe graphics cards

Dual-link DVI ports support up to 2560 by 1600 pixels.

Support for analog resolutions up to 2048 by 1536 pixels at 85HZ

DVI to VGA adapter included

Dual-display support for extended desktops and video mirroring modes


Communications

Two independent 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet (RJ-45) ports that can support jumbo frames


Storage

Five independent Serial ATA slot loading hard drive bays

Up to 4TB of internal storage using drives with the following capacities:

* Hard drive bays 1 – 5 160GB 10,000 rpm SATA (Western Digital Raptor)
* 320GB 7200 rpm SATA
* 500GB 7200 rpm SATA
* 750GB 7200 rpm SATA


Two Super multi-drive, slim slots with Lightscribe (DVD+/-R/RW+/-DL)

* Writes DVD-R discs at up to 16x speed
* Writes DVD+R DL discs at up to 4x speed
* Reads DVDs at up to 8x speed
* Writes CD-R discs at up to 40x speed
* Writes CD-RW discs at up to 24x speed
* Reads CDs at up to 24x speed
o A single 5 1/4 bay for Blu-ray Rewriter and , HD DVD-ROM Super multi-drive with LightScribe CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW/RAM, +R/RW, +/- R DL
o BD-R/RE SL/DL read and write compatible
o CD Family, DVD-ROM read compatible
o HD DVD-ROM/R read compatible

Electrical and environmental requirements

* Line voltage: 100-120V AC or 200-240V AC (wide-range power supply input voltage)
* Frequency: 50GHz to 60Hz single phase
* Current: Maximum of 12A (low-voltage range) or 6A (high-voltage range)
* Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)
* Storage temperature: -40° to 116° F (-40° to 47° C)
* Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
* Maximum altitude: 10,000 feet


Peripherals and audio
Back panel:

* One PS/2 mouse port
* One PS/2 keyboard port
* Two eSATA ports
* One IEEE1394 port
* LCD screen (for diagnostics and status)
* LCD back light button (some boards only)
* SPDIF out and optical out port
* Two RJ-45 (Gigabit Ethernet) ports (number depends on MB)
* Four USB 2.0 ports (number depends on MB)


Top panel:

* 15 in 1 multi-card reader
* One IEEE1394 port
* Two USB 2.0 ports
* One 1/8" microphone jack
* One 1/8" headphone jack


Optional audio cards:

* Creative Audio Sound Blaster® X-Fi-- XtremeGamer
* Creative Audio Sound Blaster® X-Fi-- XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional

Features

* Speaker and Headphone connections: Stereo to 7.1 (Line Out via three 3.5mm mini jacks)
* Flexijack: Line In / Microphone In / Digital Out / Digital I/O via shared 3.5mm mini jack
* Auxiliary Line level Input: 4-pin Molex connector

Expansion slots

* 3 PCIe x16 slots (The two blue PCIe x16 slots operate with a full compliment of 16 PCI Express lanes, while the third white slot operates with only 8)
* 1 PCIe x1 slot
* 2 PCI v2.2 slots


Operating System and Software

* Microsoft® Windows Vista-- Ultimate
* Microsoft® Windows Vista-- Home Premium Security

Security

* AVG Anti-Virus


Productivity

* Adobe® Reader®
* Microsoft® Office Pro 2007
* Microsoft® Office Small Business Edition 2007
* Microsoft® Office Basic


Burning

* CyberLink DVDPlay
* PowerProducer
* Power2Go


... all that, and it looks all nice a purdy too :-P

So, I'm a geek and I'll probably never need all of that. But I'm a greedy little bastard of a geek who wants it all anyway.

E3, Day T-Minus One

Okay ... so lots of craziness yesterday, including an apparent near-miss with another plane while flying to L.A. Maybe it's just me, but when the pilot comes on the speaker to say the turbulence we went through was our plane getting caught in another plane's jet wash ... a plane which no one in the cockpit saw coming or saw where it went ... well, I tend to get a little leery. Oh well.

Moving on, my connection at the hotel is a bit wonky (okay, it sucks), so there's been a delay posting yesterday's activities. Righ now, though, I'm at a Starbucks with my trusty T-Mobile HotSpot connection ... so I'll try to catch up while doing some extra work. Due to the screwed connection though, the video blog will likely have to start post-E3

Next up, I've got some pictures from the latter part of the evening. Sorry folks, no camcorder for the night then. These phone pics will have to do:

And now ... back to our show

It's been an unusually chaotic few weeks lately. One of the biggest things to happen is the posting of my three part feature on dealing with Jack Thompson. I got a surprising amount of positive feedback from the piece, and even got a mention on TechTalk Radio out of Arizona. There's a fun little postscript to the article as well, with Jack sending me his thoughts on it and my reply.

From: Jack Thompson
Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 7:36 AM
To: David Chapman
Subject: Re: Final part of Game Almighty editorial

Nice touch using "Jack Ass." Pathetic.

... and my response?

From: David Chapman
Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 8:34 AM
To: 'Jack Thompson'
Subject: RE: Final part of Game Almighty editorial


I appreciate you taking the time to read the article, or at least the title. Use of the term "Jack Ass" did seem apropos followin your references to me as a "piss ant".

Remember, I went into this initially in the hopes of talking with you and trying to understand your point of view. I was honest and forthright when I said that, while you and I would likely never see eye to eye, I want to present your side of the arguement and perhaps find a middle ground. It was your decision to dismiss things out of hand, and act unprofessionally by slinging insults and accusations. Even then, I tried to give you your "fair coverage", including posting your letter to Bill Gates regarding Halo 3 immediately after receiving one of your insults. The offer to respond to anything I or anyone else has written has always stood firm. I think the article reflects that as well.

It's simple, actually. You may consider me to be a "pathetic", "blasphemous", "piss ant" who needs to "get a life" ... but there are still two things I have that I hope one day you understand the concept of: "professionalism" and "integrity".

So there you go ... Nothing else new from Jack, though I did hear through the journalist grapevine that he said my piece was "not an article" but rather "a childish rant" and that Jack didn't "have time for this silliness". But obviously he at least read part of it ...

Moving on ...

I noticed this morning that Blogger is in the early staged of incorporating video posting. Well, that may be just the excuse I need to start posting a few video blogs on the site. For some of you, that'll mean actually seeing something other than the cartoon version of me online. I figure, I've got the digital camcorder ... maybe it's time to make use of it.

Okay ... that about wraps it up for now. More to come ...

Jack Thompson thinks I need a life ...

Well now, THIS was certainly something interesting to wake up to. Bear with me ... this is going to run a little long.

If you've been following my blogs or checking out Game Almighty, you know that I've had the unfortunate "pleasure" of dealing with Jack Thompson. If you don't know who Jack Thompson is, I'd normally say count your blessings, but the truth of the matter is if you don't know who he is, you should at least be informed. He's a man who spews bile and venom at anything and everything that does not fall into his extreme views of what he deems as right and proper. I'm not going to go into a long diatribe right now, but suffice it to say he's a man whose words and actions should be looked at objectively, and not accepted blindly or ignored out of hand.

Having said that, I've been making a point of reporting on Thompson and his activities. I've done my best to simply present the facts to the best of my knowledge. Sure, I can't say that my own opinion hasn't occasionally creeped up in places, but never to the extent of making what I've written anything less than fair. After all, I've always held true to the belief that it's up to people as individuals to make up their minds ... and to not assume that MY way is the RIGHT way, an argument I don't believe Jack would understand.

So, my last article regarding Jack sending a letter to the CEO of Wendy's seemed to irk him. I received a short email stating that I was "not interested in fair coverage of an issue". Admittedly, this got under my skin ... more than enough for me to formulate a response. Here's what I had to say in return:

Mr. Thompson,

For the life of me, I can't figure out where you decided that I'm not interested in "fair coverage of an issue". The letter you sent to Kerri Anderson was printed in its entirety to allow readers to make up their own minds. Also, I've regularly requested interviews with you to help explain your point of view to myself and to the Game Almighty readers. You've even been offered an uncensored open forum to address the issues and the audience you are so extremely critical of. At every turn, you've talked down to the gaming audience and even gone so far as to claim that one reason you refused to do an interview was because the name "Game Almighty" was, in your words, "blasphemous".

From the start, I've told you that while you and I may not see eye to eye, I respect your right to speak. I've said time and again that my hope has been through open communication, both sides of the issue could at least come away with a better understanding of each other's views. I sent you a copy of the Swinburne University of Technology study to help on my side of the equation and I've asked about your thoughts on various gaming related matters to help showcase your views. I've made every attempt to give you a voice at Game Almighty. You have been the one to decline to use that voice.

As far as the most recent article goes, again, your letter was printed in its entirety to allow readers to judge the issue for themselves. Also, nothing printed in the article was untrue in the slightest. You did extend your fifteen minutes on the back of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, even going to far as to attempt to inject yourself into the police investigation, claiming to the police chief that "If your Department really wants to get to the bottom of this, you need to talk to me now."

You've also been engaged in an ongoing battle with the Florida Bar, which is currently looking into disciplinary action against you for your conduct and practices. You've attributed this to a vendetta and conspiracy targeting you by both the Bar and Take Two (and even members of the gaming media).

You've also settled the most recent round of lawsuits with Take Two, with conditions in place which are meant to prevent you from suing Take Two or those doing business with Take Two in an effort to block the sale of the Manhunt 2 or GTA IV, or to make any accusations that those doing business with the company have done wrong by offering the game. In fact, the terms of the settlement read specifically:

"Thompson shall not communicate on his own behalf with (i) any Take Two Entity or (ii) with any person or entity engaged in business activities of any kind with any Take Two Entity in which he (a) accuses, claims or asserts that any Take Two Entity has engaged or will engage in any wrongdoing based on the sale or distribution of any game designed, manufactured, distributed or sold by any Take-Two Entity, or (b) accuses, claims, asserts or contends that any such person or entity has or will engage in any wrongdoing based on or arising out of such sale or distribution, or (c) threatens any kind of action against such person or entity based on or arising out of such sale or distribution."

While the settlement does state that you still have the right to criticize the content and distribution of Take Two games, based on a reading of the above, your letter to Anderson could be construed as coming close to, if not actually, violating the terms of the settlement. Hence my observation at the end of the most recent story.

You challenged Jason Della Rocca, Executive Director of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), to debate the issues in a press release, and then proceeded to backpedal on the issue when Della Rocca asked to do the debate without making money on the issue. In your press release, you stated, "Debate, Mr. Della Rocca, debate. Put your mouth where your money is. Stop hiding in your industry's corporate caves. Either debate or be quiet, as quiet as the people your industry has helped put into the ground." And yet you seemed to make clear you were more interested in making money off of the debate than you were in actually debating the issue. Your initial press release asked, "Or is Mr. Della Rocca, like others who are "spokespersons" for the violent video game industry, a coward who is unwilling to debate these issues in a public forum and not through a press office news release?" Yet by your own actions, you seemed to be the one unwilling to debate in a public forum instead of through news releases ... at least unless you were paid for it. Even in your dealings with Game Almighty, you would never answer direct questions asked of you regarding the issues, instead simply sending either short one or two sentence refusals to do an interview or sending out your latest press release with no regard for the questions asked.

You've even gone so far as to claim that numerous media outlets were all conspiring together against you, filing suits and attempting to get federal investigations on the matter. For what it's worth, I can guarantee you that there are no secret handshakes and special gatherings where we all dress in robes and chant in a darkened room surrounded by candles plotting your downfall. To be perfectly frank, based on my own interactions with you recently and the total the disregard and lack of respect you've shown to me, to Game Almighty, to the media, to the game industry as a whole, and to our audience, I personally would rather not be a party to helping spread the misinformed venom you seem to spew forth on a regular basis.

Still, despite all of this, I have and would continue to give you a voice at Game Almighty. Why? Because I am a professional. Do I have my own beliefs of the issues? Of course. Are they in direct conflict with yours? Obviously it would appear to be the case. However, I DO respect your right to have your views, and I still believe that understanding comes from communication. I believe that, while I may not agree with your point of view in the slightest, you have every right to that point of view, and you have the right to be heard. I believe that the audience should hear BOTH sides of the issues and draw their own conclusions. I believe that people, on the whole, are a lot more intelligent than you seem to give them credit for.

So, I will continue to cover you and your actions as they relate to the game industry. I will also continue to offer you an opportunity to speak, to discuss the issues, or to rebut and stories. I will continue to publish pertinent press releases and such you send on a regular basis. And I will do so in order to allow the audience to make informed decisions, regardless of what side of the issue they fall on. As a professional, I will continue to present BOTH sides of the story. It is up to you to choose whether or not to take advantage of this.

Sincerely,
David Chapman
News Editor, Game Almighty

Now, if you're still reading this, you've probably already started to formulate your own opinions about this situation. Some of you may think I should have just let it drop. Some of you may think my response was a bit out of line. Some of you may be cheering me on ... that's for you to decide. As for Jack himself, this was his response to my challange of his actions and the backing I provided in each case:

"You have WAY too much time on your hands. Get a life"

So, now I leave it in your hands ... what do all of YOU think?

I'm baaaaaaaccccckkkk

So, it's been WAY too long since my last post here. There's a lot of updating to be done over the weekend. I'll get to it though. Here's the short short version of recent events though.

• Got regular gig as News Editor for Game Almighty
  
  
• Been working like a fiend at said job, doing things like having to talk with Jack Thompson (if you know who he is, you know why that is a chore)
  
  
• Had to get a new laptop and get everything configured and transferred in from the old system ... while that SHOULDN'T have taken a long time, it has ... plus I'm upgrading how I handle things as well.
  
  
• Blogger's finally updated, meaning no more "Sign into Beta" crap.
  
  
• Meet Daily ... Daily Beagle (bonus geek points to those of you that get the joke):
  
  
  
  

What time I DO have left, I've been trying to have some sort of social life. However, I AM back now and I will be updating semi-regularly, usually on weekends now. So, to those that missed me ... I missed you guys too.

Later,
David

My name is David ... and I'm a journalist

There's a lot of little things going on at once, so I'll try to update everyone here as best as I can. Ready? Here we go ...

First off, for those of you out there who have been following the problem I had w/ my arm, things are much better now. I've done the antibiotics for a couple of weeks now, and everything is returning to normal. The only real lingering effect is some minor swelling and some nerve issues. I've got a decent sized area near my shoulder that's completely numb, and the surrounding area is sensetive and tingling all the time. The reason for those problems has to do with pressure that was (and still is to a small extent) pushing against a nerve in my arm. With the swelling going down, the pressure has eased up and circulation is returning to normal ... so the nerves should start getting back to normal after a little bit of healing.

Now, on to the writing ... I've had a couple of things go live over at GameSpy in the past couple of weeks. I'll post links soon, though I'm also waiting for a couple of extra things to go up first. Also, I'll likely be doing a lot of extra writing for Games Radar in the upcoming future. And if you missed my debut entertainment article for the Florida Times-Union, you can find it archived online here.

And in an interesting twist of fate, I got a message from a former editor of mine asking me to come onboard as an editor for an upcoming magazine, with my focus (initially at least) being news and events in the comic industry. The work would also be non-exclusive, so I could do my regular video game, entertainment, etc. writing ... basically my usual freelance gigs ... without any conflict. I'm weighing things out before I commit completely, but I should start working with the editor pretty soon either way.

That about wraps it up for now (plus, I need to head out for a quick bit). I'll post more later.

Changes are a-comin'

Well, this should be interesting. I recently tweaked out my Google Account settings and found out that there's a new version of Blogger in the works. So, I've already transferred to the new Blogger beta. We'll all have to wait an see what this means now. For example, some of the features from before aren't yet implemented in the new Blogger, but there are supposedly a lot more features that the old Blogger just didn't have. I guess we'll trudge through the transition together.

Gotta LOVE Weird Al

Just saw Weird Al's newest video and almost pissed my pants laughing. Check it out for yourselves:


And yes ... that IS Donny Osmond

Another round of updates

Well, I'm still waiting on GameSpy to post my review of NASCAR for the PSP ... but in the meantime, there's a lot more updatin' going on. Here we go:

First, over at GameSpy:

• Bomberman (PSP)
  
• SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 2 (PSP) Preview

Things will be really crazy with my GameSpy work over the next week or so as well, as I've already written up one new DS review (MechAssault: Phantom War), and I got in a package with six more games to review this week. I'll probably be linking more stuff next week (of course).
Next we have a piece I did at All Games:

• Nintendo Announces Launch Details

Yep, I shot out an early post on the Wii details, even before a lot of other game sites had the news up. I'll have more showing up on All Games on a regular basis now, especially once things start to get settled down.

For those of you living in the Jacksonville, FL area, pick up a copy of the Florida Times-Union tomorrow (Friday) to see my first piece for the paper in the Lifestyle section. Here's the kicker ... it's NOT about video games or comics or any of my "usual" pop culture stuff. My debut for the T-U is a write up on the opening of the Pirates of Penzance musical at the Players By The Sea. Expect to see more from me in the coming weeks and months ... and watch me branch out a bit and bring my unique personality into more "mainstream" entertainment coverage.

Obligatory updates and the like ...

Y'know something I hate? I hate when I keep promising to update more often, and then circumstances stop me from KEEPING that promise. Well, for what it's worth, I AM trying to do better. Anway, on the the latest updates ...

First off, it's been a busy week or so for writing. Need proof?

GameSpy:

• D1 Professional Drift Grand Prix Series (PS2)
  
• Nascar 07 (PS2)(Xbox)
  
• Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover (PSP)

And over at Games Radar:

• Madden 07 (NDS)

There's a LOT more coming down the pike too. Everything from Godfather for the 360 to Bomberman on the PSP. I'll post links as soon as they're up.

On to other journalism adventures ...

For starters (and for those keeping track), I did get a call back from Nintendo about a staff position at Nintendo Power. I made it to the final round of consideration, but just missed out on it. Ah well, congrats to the nameless soul who will be starting there shortly. I won't sulk about it though ... I'm starting immediately writing for Scot Rubin and All Games, where I will be providing news and occasionally popping onto the radio show as well.

And on a local front, I'm starting writingnext week for the entertainment section of the Florida Times-Union, The newspaper here in Jacksonville. I'll be covering everything I can on a freelance basis. For my first trick, I'll be writing up a review piece of a musical this coming weekend.

Anyway, so that's a quick update on the current state of affairs at the moment. More to come ...

New Games Radar stuff

Just a quick post to link to a couple of new articles I wrote up over at Games Radar. Make sure to let 'em know you really like that new guy writing stuff up for them, and that you would check out the site a LOT more often if they could get him writing more stuff. Heh.

• The Comic-Con preview of Spidey's latest adventure leaves us crawling up the walls
  
  
• We give the latest superhero brawler a leotard-clad test pummeling

Death of a Trade Show??

So the rumor mill is running rampant today that the Entertainment Software Association is planning announce the cancellation of the E3 trade show as early as tomorrow (Monday). Reports are varying in their reporting, with some places saying the show will be reduced in size and moved to a new venue, while others hint at a total cancellation of the event.

I'm sure we'll find out the truth of things (and the fallout from it) over the next few days, but in the meantime, I want to get your opinions on the matter. Just how important ARE shows like E3 to the entertainment industry? Is it better to have a huge production like that, with everyone in the industry gathered under one roof? Or are smaller, more frequent company specific press junkets the way to go? Is it better to shine the spotlight brightly on the industry once a year? Or should we cast a dimmer light on our world throughout the year?

As someone covering the various industries, I can see good and bad in both ideas. On one hand, it's a lot easier to get a LOT of coverage when everything is together in a central location. Also, with the amount of media coverage garnered by shows like E3, the industry as a whole gets a lot of publicity. Plus, even if they're not necessarily in the same league as the big guns, the smaller production companies/developers/etc. can at least play ball in the same park.

On the other hand, it would be nice to see announcements, coverage, and all sorts of tidbits in the industry spread out over the course of a year. Why wait until May to show off your latest gaming revolution (or "Wii" in Nintendo's case)? It could also be easier to put together a broader coverage of the industry in the scope of that coverage. And then there's the geographic advantages. Market coverage can get a little more saturated when the coverage is spread from the West Coast to the East Coast and everywhere in between. At least as long as the media or publishers are willing to foot the travel expenses. Keep in mind that for a lot of media outlets, travel budgets are already through the roof.

So ... those are a few of MY thoughts ... what about yours?

Where DOES the time go??

Whew ... okay, so I've been slacking on updating the blog, but again, there's a good reason or three. So, enough with the exposition, let's get right into it:

First off, there was Comic-Con last week. I flew out there to produce some segments for Electric Playground and to cover the show for my newest freelancing home, Games Radar. Everything was crazy at the show, but definitely worthwhile. I put together a number of Comic of the Weeks segments for Electric Playground, which included interview pieces with: Paul Jenkins, Jim Palmiotti, Robert Kirkman, C.B. Cebulski, Justin Bleep, Cully Hamner, David Mack, Chris Gossett, Tim Seely, and a bunch of other fine comic folks.

Then there were some of the celebrity interviews. We got the cast of NBC's upcoming show Heroes (DEFINITELY on my "Must Watch" list this fall), Rosario Dawson, Brian Posehn, Rob Corddry, Stan Lee, Brendon Small and Loren Bouchard (creators of Home Movies), Jorge Garcia and Daniel Dae Kim from Lost, Billy West, and a whole lot more.

Let's not forget the video games ... Nintendo, Sony, Activision, Konami, Blizzard, Square-Enix, THQ, Warner Bros. Interactive, Vivendi-Universal, Capcom, and 2K Games were just a few of the companies showing off their wares at the show. I saw the latest from Justice League Heroes, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Naruto, The Darkness, Castlevania, Lost Planet, Spyro, and too many other games to list out. It was nuts ...

Oh, and lets not forget the events. There was a Naruto preview party, a Sony Online Block Party, and (one of the biggest events), the Marvel/Hasbro party. Again, just a crazy and chaotic adventure, all of which I'm barely scratching the surface of. There are stories of interesting rumors, chance meetings, production gaffes, and other sordid tales.

So, that obviously kept me busy ... but what else has been going on? Well, in case you missed the update, right after I "officially" started as Managing Editor at the new mag from the guys behind Play, things went into a holding pattern again and I couldn't get started. Long and short of it (and trust me, the long is REALLY long), I'm back at the freelancing grindstone for the time being. I'm actually not complaining though. I've managed to pull a lot of things together and should be getting a LOT more exposure as a result.

First off, I've started writing with the guys at Games Radar. I like the way things are put together there, and I'm hoping to be doing some semi-regular freelance work for them. Also, I've worked out a deal with the guys at All Games to help contribute to the news portion of their programming AND to be a somewhat of a regular on the radio show discussing the comic book industry, as well as the crossover projects between comics, video games, and even film. I'll be sure to let all of you know exactly when I start, but this is something to definitely look forward to.

Moving on, I've been expanding some of my work beyond the scope of writing and journalism. Some of this inculdes me getting involved more in the general entertainment industry. No, don't worry ... I haven't got any sort of acting bug. What I AM doing is trying to work with people within the entertainment industry to help "nudge" things in particular directions and work with some really talented people in the film industry. Yep, David's going multimedia ...

Anyway, so that's just the start of what's happening now. I have no idea where it'll all lead, but I'll be sure to keep everyone here posted.

Later,
David

Independence weekend

Well, I've sufficiently recovered enough from the past few days to update everything Post-4th. Here goes:

Heroes was a great show. Better than I was expecting (at least for me). I spent a some time helping out Randy Green (artist on Witchblade, Tomb Raider, Emma Frost, etc.), and most of my time working the floor, catching up with a few old friends and meeting up with a lot of new ones.

On Saturday, Randy and I joined up with Ed McGuiness, Sanford Greene, Dexter Vines, and a few other folks at the Fox and Hound in Charlotte. Ed and I swapped video game tales, including some WoW war stories. Sanford and Dex shared some Dragon Con horror stories, and fun was had by all.

I also talked to Brandon Peterson and Mark Brooks about picking up some digital coloring techniques. For those of you that have followed the original blog at FanBased Media, you've seen my basic BASIC coloring skills. And if you haven't seen my coloring, a simple example is none other than my Avatar here.

The cliff notes for the rest of the show include setting up at least ten of the twenty five plus Comic of the Week segments to be filmed at San Diego. Meeting up w/ Joe Quesada for a quick Marvel rundown, bullshitting around w/ Paul Jenkins, talking to C.B. Cebulski about games, comics, and entertainment media working together, and other basic schmoozing and networking.

Getting back from the show meant getting ready to the 4th of July ... which ended up being a bit of a bust. The weather where I'm at has been miserable to say the least. Flash flood warnings, heavy wind ... hell, the other day my dad saw a tornado touch down in front of his car while he was at a stoplight. To quote hime, "I turned left and hauled ass. Didn't stop til I hit the house." So, no fireworks of any kind here ... though it did give me an opportunity to try and catch up on some writing work.

Anyway, that's the gist of the past few days for me ... what about all of you?

Comic peeps and Superman

So, I'm in Charlotte now and checked in to the hotel. Randy and I met up with a bunch of other pros at a theatre to see a private showing of Superman Returns. It was cool seeing some of the usual suspects (Mike Wieringo, Cully Hamner, Craig Rousseau) and some of the not quite as usual suspects (Joe Quesada, C.B. Cebulski) ... and even some surprise special guests. In fact, I was lucky enough to sit behind Rosario Dawson and talk with her for a while before the show. It's definitely going to be a huge show ... and a busy one for yours truly.

As far as the movie goes ... it's hard for me to really gauge right now. There were some parts I liked a lot and some parts I couldn't stand. There were obvious cuts in the final version (one character who shows in the TV spots was cut completely), and some stuff just didn't make a lick of sense. If I had to give it a GameSpy-like score, I'd give it a 3 out of 5. Worth seeing for fans of the original movies. Comic fans may have some issues with it, but will still at least enjoy it in parts.

Another day, another adventure

So, it's now 2:00am and I'm basking in the glow of my laptop in Martinsville, VA.

"What's in Martinsville, VA David?", you ask inquisitively.

"Not a damned thing." I'd reply.

So why am I here? Well, it's not because of the NASCAR track, that's for sure. Actually, I decided to take some time to visit w/ my dad and also get some work done nearby in Greensboro with a few of my comic contacts. I'm also heading into Charlotte tomorrow to attend the Heroes Convention. While I'm there, I'll be working on a bunch of different projects and trying to pull a few rabid rabbits out of my proverbial hat.

Depending on the availability of a decent network connection, I'll update ye old blog as much as possible.

A Call to Arms ...

As many of you know, I was recently offered the position of Managing Editor for a new mag that was/is meant to cover the comic and anime industries, along with some occasional crossover stuff. Unfortunately, due to a number of communication miscues and the like, I've decided that things will likely be better for me to not take on the position after all. There are a lot of different factors in my decision, but I believe it's in my best interest, and in the best interest of the industries I serve, to utilize my talents elsewhere.

Having said all of that, I'm now in an interesting position. I've always been continuing with my freelance work, though now it looks as if my schedule will be freeing up to handle a larger workload (obviously). Plus, I'll be working on a number of other projects, including more production work in television, radio, print, and online formats.

For those of you wondering where I've been "hiding" lately, now you know. I've been working, but having to stay under the radar, so to speak. With this recent turn of events, I'll be a lot more active and visible around the industry, and I'll actually be even more involved in the video game and comic fields with the new projects than I was with the other magazine ... and I'm still going to need your input and your help.

Here's the lowdown:

I'm currently working on the development of a television show which will focus on the news and information happening within the worlds of comics and video games. I'm also developing a radio show and a new online presence covering the same industries. This is where you guys come in. I need to know two big things ...

First, I need to know if you guys believe enough in our "fanbased media" (I really do love that description) to support some major projects like this. By support, I mean would you be up for doing interviews, or being commissioned for art, or discussing your latest projects on the air and in print. I'm willing to put my ass on the line and my neck in the noose to show the world just how amazing our industry is ... but there's no way I can do it alone. If you're simply willing to put forth an effort to support what we do, I promise to to as much as I can to keep our fans interested and stoked and itching for more of what we do. I started this group with the statement that we all, in our chosen fields, live and die by the support of our fans. Well, this is my contribution to guarantee that the lifeblood continues to flow. More so than that, I want us to not simply survive, but to thrive, to grow, and to evolve into something more than we've ever been.

Finally, I need your input. Video games, comics, movies, television ... all of our fields are linked by the fans. But more interesting than that, we ARE a part of our own target audience. We ARE fans!! Better than that, since we all have our own insights into the industry, we should have a better understanding of what makes things tick. So, now is the time to speak up. What are you looking for in a show? In a magazine? In a game? In a comic? What would grab YOUR interest, take hold, and never let go. For example, these projects I'm working on ... what do you think is missing in the coverage of our industry, as both fans and as professionals?

And hell, this line of thought should apply to ALL of our projects. To all my comic pros here, what kinds of games get your creative juices flowing? To my media people, what kinds of comics could give you the same feeling as a major summer blockbuster? And to my game developers, what sort of television or motion pictures inspire you to cinematic excellence?

Now's the time for all of us to rally together and make a difference in what we do. Don't just sit back and hope for things to change ... let's work together and MAKE things change. We live and die by the fans ... so damnit, let's make sure they LOVE us!!

Catching up ... somewhat

Wow ... okay, okay. So it's been a while. There's been a lot of wild and wacky stuff going on. First off was E3. Lots of stuff there. If you look below this at the two previous posts, they're actually reposted entries I did over at MySpace. From the second day on though, things went crazy, leaving me barely enough time to collect myself. So here's a quick rundown ... though in no particular order.

First, I've "officially" started as Managing Editor from a new magazine coming out later this year from the guys responsible for Play Magazine. As a result, I've been making plans to hit a number of different shows, including the Heroes Convention in Charlotte, NC and (naturally) Comic-Con in San Diego. I've also been working on doing some extra writing for GameSpy and for GamesRadar, as well as Play, on the video game side of world.

Due to some other crazy situations, I've also moved ... twice ... with a third move pending soon. For those of you keeping track on the hadny dandy WldCard Radar, I'm still in Jacksonville ... just been bouncing around. And the office info (address, phone, etc) is still the same and always will be.

I'm working on a blueprint for doing a regular podcast, which will most likely be distributed here on my main blog, or through the Visionary Ink website. I'm still trying to find time to get some stuff done to get the site up and running, but the forums are at least functional over there. I'll try to post a link shortly.

Continuing on ... I've managed to pick up (by sheer luck), not one, but TWO Sega Nomad devices. In case you need a refresher course, the Sega Nomad was released back in 1995 and was Sega's second major handheld game console after the Game Gear. The whole thing started as something called the Mega Jet in Japan. It was a portable Genesis system that was renter out to passengers on Japan Airlines. The device lacked its own screen, but could connect to a small armrest monitor to play any of the Mega Drive games on the market. Sega took the Mega Jet, added a few features, most notable of which is of course the backlit 3.25 inch color screen, and voila ... the Sega Nomad was born. One of the coolest things about the Nomad was its ability to plug into a television and add a second, standard Genesis controller to become, in essence, a replacement for the home version of the Genesis console. Although it was the size of a brick and went through batteries faster than sushi through a sumo, it was a great system that simply seemed ahead of its time. And now, I've ended up with TWO of 'em. WOO HOO!!

While we're on the subject of recently aquired systems, I got myself a Game Boy Micro again. I saw a deal I couldn't pass up at a used game store and managed to get the $80-$90 device for $30 out of pocket. Ahh ... the Micro. It's such a sexy little beast of a machine. The funny thing is, the person who traded in the system traded in the faceplates of one version with the actual system from the other. So, I've got a slick little GBM in solid silver. I also went ahead and ordered the GBM Wireless Adapter and the Famicom faceplate from Nintendo's online store, so I could get a little more out of the device.

I also decided to bite the bullet and pick up a DS Lite. I managed to supress the urge to spend the extra $70 to import a color other than white and just get the US release of the handheld. I'll admit that I was wondering if the DS Lite could really be different enough to warrant abandoning my DS Phat. In the end though, I'm glad I did. The Lite is slicker, more stylish, and the screen is bright enough to make a blind man see. The system has four brightness settings: "Bright", "Brighter", "Brightest", and "GOOD LORD!! MY CORNEA IS BURNING!!". Hell, if nothing else, you can cut out a piece of paper, tape it to the screen, and taunt planes flying overhead with your own private Bat Signal.

Some people have bitched slightly about the Lite's GBA port leaving GBA carts sticking out of the system somewhat. Actually, this isn't a big deal at all, and in fact is a HUGE advantage over the DS Phat. "Why's that?", you ask? .... Go on ... ask ... I'll TELL ya why. It's a little guilty pleasure known as the e-Card Reader. Remember that oddball peripheral for the GBA? Well, the due to the pass through port for the GBA link cable, the e-Card Reader couldn't fit into a GB Micro or DS Phat without some major modifications. And the pass through port ALMOST made the device impossible to use on the GBA SP ... though it did just barely manage to fit there. Since the carts stick out of the DS Lite, I decided to see if there was enough room to allow for the pass through port ... and there IS!! So now I get to swipe my cards and go old school with Excitebike, Clu Clu Land, and Donkey Kong on my new DS Lite. The only down side is hat since the DS system has no port for a GBA link cable, there's no way to use the Lite to transfer items to the NGC version of Animal Crossing with the e-Card Reader. Ah well ...

Oh, and since I admittedly FORGOT that I could transfer my wireless info from one DS to another, I need anyone out there who passed along their Nintendo WiFi Friend Codes to me to do so again. And when you do, I'll shoot you over my updated info as well.

I still plan on adding a few extras to the blog here, including a semi-regular "Hot Deals" posting for the gamer on a budget. Also, I'll probably be adding some extra content involving the comic book industry, keeping things in line with my work. Oh, and for those of you out there on MySpace, you can catch me there at http://www.myspace.com/wldcard. And if you're into the oddball collectibles like those in the infamous Swag Bag, I've started up a group over there for people to show off and swap out their own swag from the game on comic industry. It's over at http://groups.myspace.com/swagbag. Join up if you want.

Okay, I guess that's good enough for an initial update. I'll do more later.

The E3 Adventure - Day One (repost from May 8)

Well, not too much to report today. Got into L.A. and got checked in to the Westwood on Wilshire. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into the Sony event, though I did catch a live feed of the event. Lots of stuff to report from there:

• The Sony PS3 will come out around November 17th in two forms ... one with a 20 gig hard drive and one with a 60 gig hard drive. The 20 gig version will retail for $499, while the 60 gig will run gamers a whopping $599.
  
  
• It looks like the PS3 controller HAS been redesigned after all. Gone is the much criticized "boomerang" controller shown off at last year's show. Now, the controller looks like a clone of the current Dual Shock controller, though this time around the controller will supposedly sport an internal motion sensor. Can you say "Wii"?
  
  
• The PSP will be getting a new series of firmware updates to add support for video RSS feeds, GPS capabilities (in conjunction with the upcoming GPS receiver), and most interestingly, Voice Over IP (VoIP) support. So, gamers may be start using their PSPs as phones soon. Plus, with the earlier announcement of an Eye Toy styled camera attatchment, video conferencing can't be far behind.
  
  
• The PSP will be getting its own line of Greatest Hits titles. The new line will start w/ five games: Ape Escape: On The Loose, ATV Offroad Fury, Twisted Metal Head On, Wipeout Pure, and Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee. From then on, titles will be added as long as they have had 250,000 or more copies sold and been on the shelf for at least nine months,
  
  
• Sony announced a continued commitment to the PS2, and announced that there are still 216 games planned for release on the PS2 by year's end.

I'll post more later, though my net connection in the hotel is a bit "wonky".

Later,
David

--EDIT--

Okay, okay ... I'm up early on Tuesday and felt the need to add something to the blog entry to clarify something. This is mainly due to Juan's comment about the $500 PS3 being the "tard pack".

Based on Sony's press conference, the ONLY difference between the $500 and $600 systems is the size of the hard drive. You're paying $100 for 3x the drive space. That's it. As far as the rest of the system goes, the released specs (to date) are:

• CPU Cell Processor
  
  
• GPU RSX
  
  
• Sound Dolby 5.1ch, DTS, LPCM, etc. (Cell-based processing)
  
  
• Memory 256MB XDR Main RAM, 256MB GDDR3 VRAM
  
  
• HDD 2.5" Serial ATA (20GB or 60GB)
  
  
• I/O USB 2.0 (x4)
  
  
• MemoryStick /SD/CompactFlash support
  
  
• Communication Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T)
  
  
• IEEE 802.11 b/g wireless support
  
  
• Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)
  
  
• Wireless controller (Bluetooth)
  
  
• AV Output:
  
  
  
  • Screen size 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
    
    
  • HDMI OUT (HDMI NextGen)
    
    
  • AV MULTI OUT (x1)
    
    
  • DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL)
  
  
• BD/DVD/CD Drive:
  
  
  
  • (Read Only) Maximum Read Speed BD 2x (BD-ROM)
    
    
  • DVD 8x (DVD-ROM)
    
    
  • CD 24x (CD-ROM)
    
    
  • SACD 2x
  
  
• Dimensions Approximately 325mm (W) x 98mm (H) x 274mm (D)
  
  
• Weight Approximately 5 kg

Hope that helps with a little clarification.

-David

E3 .. The Saga Begins (repost from May 8th)

So ... it's 3:45a and here I am double and triple checking my luggage and the like in preperation for yet another trip to sunny CA. This time, I'll be out there all week covering E3, the biggest show around for the video game industry. My schedule is all over the place at the moment, with very little actually finalized. Thus is the journalist's curse at E3. Ah well, it's these moments that keep things interesting, right?

Anyway, I'll be keeping everyone up to date here as much as humanly possible. Luckily, the laptop has been fixed, revamped, and ready to make its return to the halls of E3 ... meaning that I have a lot more in the way of opportunity to update my various blogs and such. Plus, you'll likely still see me online throught the duration of the show.

Well, I'm off now ... got to get to the airport and get myself ready for another 8 hours of travel time in the air. Take it easy, look for me, say hey when you see me, and keep in touch. I'll do my best to do the same for all of you.

Later,
David

Here "Wii" Go Again ...

Time for more potshots at the new moniker for Nintendo's next-gen console:

• The number of calls to Nintendo Tech Support is expected to drop dramatically ... as no man wants to admit his "Wii" is broken.
  
• BREAKING NEWS: Nintendo has announced that Jenna Jameson and Ron Jeremy have agreed to be the new spokespeople for the Nintendo "Wii" system.
  
• Addressing early problems with the system's online component, technicians admit that "What Wii have here is a failure to communicate."
  
• After discovering the jokes being made at its expense, Nintendo decrees that "Wii are not amused"
  
• Once the system runs its course, shipping of the consoles will not stop. Inventories will be "Wiined" down instead of simply being jacked off the shelves.
  
• Much like the Xbox 360 did on MTV, Nintendo's new system will debut on ABC's The View, prompting Barbara Walters to call the console "Wiily wiily interesting."
  
• MORE BREAKING NEWS: Ron Jeremy has asked to be let out of his spokesman contract with Nintendo, stating that he can't associate himself with a "Wii" anything.
  
• As a part of a marketing deal with General Mills, Nintendo's new system will mark the first time a console has appeared on a box of "Wiities"
  
• Online porn gets an unintentional boost when gamers search the internet for the latest footage of someone playing with their "Wii"
  
• Nintendo has just announced that the Wii controller will be called the Personal Universal System Interface (spell it out people).
  
• Marketing pros at Nintendo decided to use the Wii moniker after deciding that calling the system the Nintendo Phallus was just plain silly.
  
• Sales on the new system are expected to decline quickly once it's discovered that adolescent males are actually going blind by playing with their Wii too much.
  
• Word has leaked out that Nintendo and Microsoft will be hopping into bed with one another in a deal that will allow gamers to plug their Wii directly into a friend's Xbox. If all goes well, the two companies plan to announce the birth of a new handheld within nine months' time.

Think I'm done yet? Not by a long shot people ... we've got a ways to go before the launch, and I'm just getting warmed up.

The Death of a Revolution

It's official. Nintendo has decided to dump the "Revolution" moniker for its upcoming next-gen console. The new name, and no I'm not kidding here folks, is "Wii" (pronounced "we"). That's right ... Nintendo wants you to play with its Wii. Oh trust me, it gets worse from here. I've decided to compile a list of Wii jokes/puns/etc. here. Add your own as you see fit.

• Nintendo should get a licensing deal with Queen. Every commercial will feature the group singing 'Wii Will Rock You' or 'Wii Are the Champions'.
  
• Nintendo could instead go another route, spending its entire marketing budget to bring together various musical stars from around the world to record a theme for the new system titled, 'Wii Are The World'.
  
• Watch for the following line in the upcoming instruction manual: "Plug your Wii into the nearest outlet"
  
• Also from the instruction manual, regarding the motion sensitive controls: "Quickly move your hands to fire your Wii at the screen"
  
• If the system launches before its planned street date, expect female gamers to be disappointed that Nintendo's Wii came prematurely.
  
• Nintendo execs proudly proclaim "No one will be able to beat our Wii!!"
  
• Soon after the system hits, look for Nintendo to announce a redesign with a smaller form factor, dubbed the "Wee Wii".
  
• Commenting on the size of its Wii, Nintendo goes on record saying "It's not the size that matters. It's how you use it."
  
• "I can't leave just yet. I'm busy playing with my Wii."
  
• Trade-ins on the new system pour in, forcing retailers to limit the number of Wiis taken by employees each day.
  
• Child Protection Services is suddenly overwhelmed with reports of parents touching their children's Wii.
  
• Riots break out as Nintendo fanboys fight over whether they will now be known as Wii Folk or Wii-ners.
  
• Nintendo has decided to launch the Wii in two colors, Yellow and Neon Orange.
  
• Nintendo teams up with Merv Griffin on a new game show titled "Wiil of Fortune"
  
• Local vice squads shut down Nintendo's in-store displays, which invite gamers to "Touch our Wii here"
  
• The packaging for the new system will be designed to that it's easy to slip the Wii into and out of the box at any time.

Okay, okay ... I have a LOT more "Wii" jokes, but I need to take off for a bit. Add your own jokes to the list in the meantime. And before I go, I leave you with one parting thought ... if "Wii" was the best name the marketing minds at Nintendo could come up with, what in the heck do you think they REJECTED?

Reviews and more

It's been a while since I've update. Just been swamped with trying to set up some new stuff. I have been doing some reviews for GameSpy in the meantime though. Here's the latest:

• Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers (Xbox) (PS2)
  
• Tao's Adventure: Curse of the Demon Seal (NDS)
  
• Worms: Open Warfare (PSP) (NDS)
  
• Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble (PSP)

Moving right along, I finally got my taxes out ... just under the deadline. Yeah, it's not just the blog that was lagging behind due to work. Besides working on trying to set up the new magazine, I'm still pulling together some other projects and keeping up with my freelancing. I've also been setting up appointments and such for E3 and Comic-Con. With E3 just a few weeks away, it's the obvious priority.

Oh yeah ... and since the last blog entry, I've hit another milestone in life. On April 1st, I celebrated 30 years of existence. Yep ... on April Fools Day, I hit the big Three Oh. Unfortunately, the day turned out to be less than spectacular for a few different reasons (and due to a few different people). Even so, I made the most of it. Besides, in the end it's just another day ... and it just means I lived to see the Earth revolve around the sun one more time.

Anyway, there's a lot more to update on, and I WILL be making the attempt to be more frequent in those updates. In the meantime, hopefully this will whet your appetite.

More news at GameSpy

I've been keeping pretty busy over at GameSpy keeping the site updated on its news stories. Here's the latest:

• Sony Breaks Its Silence on the PS3
  

  Less than twenty four hours after Japanese newspapers broke the news that the PS3 would miss its intended spring launch, Sony is making headlines again. This time though, it's not about what the upcoming console won't do, but rather promises about what it will.
  More ...

  
  
• Sony Reveals Future PSP Plans
  

  Although most of today's spotlight seems to squarely on Sony's big announcements regarding the PS3 console, the company didn't forget to focus some attention on its portable console. In a press release put out today, Sony Computer Entertainment outlined some new plans for its popular handheld system.
  More ...

  
  
• New 360 Tech Give MS Its 5,000th Patent
  

  'Patent No. 6,999,083' may not have some cool-sounding marketing name yet, but it's already generating some nice buzz for Microsoft. That patent marks the 5,000th granted to the company since it was founded back in 1975. It's the actual technology contained within the patent, though, that will be of particular interest to gamers.
  More ...

  
  
• BioWare Expands in a Massive (Multiplayer) Way
  

  While the opening of a new BioWare studio isn't too surprising, the new studio's first project may be. According to the press release, BioWare Austin has already begun work on a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing game (MMORPG) title, a first for BioWare.
  More ...

  
  
• 2K Games Announces New Dungeon Siege Titles
  

  Proving that even Uwe Boll can't kill a game franchise, Take-Two Interactive announced on Wednesday that it has picked up the publishing rights to Gas Powered Games' popular Dungeon Siege series. The first two titles to come from the new deal include an expansion pack for Dungeon Siege II on the PC, and a brand new Dungeon Siege entry for the PSP.
  More ...

  
  
• Viva Piñata Takes a Swing at Gamers
  

  Microsoft Game Studios and 4Kids Entertainment announced on Wednesday that the two have officially partnered up to introduce the entertainment industry to the unique world of Viva Piñata. Originally created by Rare Ltd., Viva Piñata takes place on an island (conveniently called "Piñata Island") where the candy-filled party toys favored by sadistic children around the world actually come to life. As a result of this new deal, it won't be long before the general public becomes saturated with products featuring the unusual property.
  More ...

I've also been assigned the review of Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble for the PSP. As soon as I get the game in and get the review published, I'll post the link per usual.