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!!
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Sunday, June 18, 2006
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.
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:
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:
Hope that helps with a little clarification.
-David
- 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)
- Screen size 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
- BD/DVD/CD Drive:
- (Read Only) Maximum Read Speed BD 2x (BD-ROM)
- DVD 8x (DVD-ROM)
- CD 24x (CD-ROM)
- SACD 2x
- (Read Only) Maximum Read Speed BD 2x (BD-ROM)
- 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
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
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Here "Wii" Go Again ...
Time for more potshots at the new moniker for Nintendo's next-gen console:
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 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.
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?
- 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?
Saturday, April 15, 2006
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:
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.
- 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.
Friday, March 17, 2006
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 ...
Well, I WAS leaving ...
As I said earlier, I was set to leave and head to California for an meeting with the folks over at GameSpy about the News Editor position. As the song says, all my bags were packs and I was ready to go ... but occasionally, The Powers That Be decide that it would be funny to give you a swift kick in the ass. For this particular case, The Powers That Be recruited the "fine" folks at Delta to get a good laugh in.
Before I go into what happened and why, I need to rewind a bit for one piece of information. The Game Developers Conference is taking place next week in sunny San Jose ... as a result, most video game media outlets will be busy trying to get as much coverage as possible. This means that GameSpy was itching to get me out for the meeting before the end of the week. After all, if we couldn't it by then, GDC would throw everything off and I wouldn't be able to meet up with them until the week after. It may not seem like much, just an extra 7-10 days ... but it's a big deal. So, GameSpy went ahead and bought the plane ticket to fly me out this morning. Well, I'm NOT in Cali right now, so it's a safe bet that something went ... wrong.
I printed out my ticket, I was at the airport in plenty of time, and I was all set to go ... until the fateful moment that I hit the check-in kiosk. I scan in the ticket, and the screen pops up a message asking me to "Insert Credit Card Used To Purchase This Ticket". Apparently, Delta has a policy in place where if you buy a plane ticket with a credit card within five days of departure, you have to PRESENT the credit card at check-in. You see where this is going yet?
So, I'm trying to figure out HOW I'm going to make this work and get out to Cali today. The Delta rep at the desk offered me one solitary solution: She would cancel the ticket I had in hand, and then have me repurchase the SAME TICKET on my credit card for a higher price of $900. The higher price was because the ticket was technically a same day purchase. So, to clarify, Delta wanted me to CANCEL the lower priced ticket which had already been paid for so that they could sell me the SAME TICKET for a few hundred more. And all because *I* didn't have the credit card that the company paid for the ticket with. Yeah ... that wasn't happening.
I tried calling the Delta customer service number and didn't fare much better. By the time we actually got around to working out a new solution ... something involving me paying an extra $100 fee tacked on to the pre-paid ticket ... so much time had passed in the various misadventures of checking in that there was no way for me to get to an onsite service rep, get the ticket, get through security, and get on the plane. And so, the trip has to be rescheduled for the week after GDC.
So, your Public Service Announcement of the Day?
Delta sucks ...
As a side note ... I picked up Mega Man Powered Up on the PSP to give me something to do on the trip. If you own a PSP, you HAVE to get this game. So far, it's the best game I've seen on Sony's handheld ... though I haven't picked up Daxter just yet.
Before I go into what happened and why, I need to rewind a bit for one piece of information. The Game Developers Conference is taking place next week in sunny San Jose ... as a result, most video game media outlets will be busy trying to get as much coverage as possible. This means that GameSpy was itching to get me out for the meeting before the end of the week. After all, if we couldn't it by then, GDC would throw everything off and I wouldn't be able to meet up with them until the week after. It may not seem like much, just an extra 7-10 days ... but it's a big deal. So, GameSpy went ahead and bought the plane ticket to fly me out this morning. Well, I'm NOT in Cali right now, so it's a safe bet that something went ... wrong.
I printed out my ticket, I was at the airport in plenty of time, and I was all set to go ... until the fateful moment that I hit the check-in kiosk. I scan in the ticket, and the screen pops up a message asking me to "Insert Credit Card Used To Purchase This Ticket". Apparently, Delta has a policy in place where if you buy a plane ticket with a credit card within five days of departure, you have to PRESENT the credit card at check-in. You see where this is going yet?
So, I'm trying to figure out HOW I'm going to make this work and get out to Cali today. The Delta rep at the desk offered me one solitary solution: She would cancel the ticket I had in hand, and then have me repurchase the SAME TICKET on my credit card for a higher price of $900. The higher price was because the ticket was technically a same day purchase. So, to clarify, Delta wanted me to CANCEL the lower priced ticket which had already been paid for so that they could sell me the SAME TICKET for a few hundred more. And all because *I* didn't have the credit card that the company paid for the ticket with. Yeah ... that wasn't happening.
I tried calling the Delta customer service number and didn't fare much better. By the time we actually got around to working out a new solution ... something involving me paying an extra $100 fee tacked on to the pre-paid ticket ... so much time had passed in the various misadventures of checking in that there was no way for me to get to an onsite service rep, get the ticket, get through security, and get on the plane. And so, the trip has to be rescheduled for the week after GDC.
So, your Public Service Announcement of the Day?
Delta sucks ...
As a side note ... I picked up Mega Man Powered Up on the PSP to give me something to do on the trip. If you own a PSP, you HAVE to get this game. So far, it's the best game I've seen on Sony's handheld ... though I haven't picked up Daxter just yet.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Leavin' on a jet plane
It's going to be a hectic time leading to the big Three Oh on April 1st (translation: yes, I turn 30 on April Fool's Day). I'm flying out to CA on Thursday to interview at GameSpy for a position as news editor. Then, the week after GDC (and just two days removed from my birthday), I fly BACK out to CA for a business meeting to discuss me taking on the role of Editorial Director at the new magazine spinning off from Play. And in between all of that, I'm supposed to talk with the producers at All Games about doing news for them, help Vic come up with some pieces to film for Electric Playground while they're at Wizard World LA, and write up about 30 scripts for some gaming segments. Oh, AND I'm trying to get MySpace to fix a problem witha new group I put together ... the damned thing won't post forum topics.
Like I said ... busy times ahead. Drop me a line though and, if nothing else, wish me luck. I'll need the extra moral support ... 'cause I'm lacking in morals myself (heh).
Like I said ... busy times ahead. Drop me a line though and, if nothing else, wish me luck. I'll need the extra moral support ... 'cause I'm lacking in morals myself (heh).
Monday, March 06, 2006
It's a new(s) start to the week
It's been a while, but it looks like (among my many other projects), I'm back to contributing news articles over at GameSpy. Here's my latest contributions:
As always, I'll post what information I can about the latest happenings here. Keep your eyes peeled for some big announcements too.
- E3 is Officially a "Sell-Out"
"Word has come out today from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) that this year's E3 trade event has officially sold every inch of its more than 540,000 net square feet of exhibit space, covering all five halls at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Always considered to be the premiere event for the video game industry, this year's event will play host to more than 400 different exhibitors."
More... - Family Guy Video Games Hitting Consoles This Fall
"Take-Two Interactive and Twentieth Century Fox today announced an exclusive licensing agreement to produce a series of video games based on Fox's hit animated series Family Guy. The games will be released under Take-Two's 2K Games publishing label, working closely with series creator Seth McFarlane."
More... - 2K Games Sheds Some Light On The Darkness
"Comic book fans were sent for a loop late last year when Majesco announced that it had sold off all rights to two upcoming comic-based video game titles. Games based on Top Cow's supernatural hitman The Darkness and Marvel Comics' flaming motorcyclist Ghost Rider were both sold to an unnamed publisher to the tune of $8 million. Speculation as to the identity of the publisher officially ended on Friday when Take-Two announced that it will be bringing The Darkness to next-gen consoles sometime next winter."
More...
As always, I'll post what information I can about the latest happenings here. Keep your eyes peeled for some big announcements too.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
It's a start
Things have been crazy lately, but I haven't forgotten about FanBased. In fact, I'm in the process of adding forums so that all of you can have a soapbox of your very own. The forums are live as we speak, though I'm still working on the overall design and such. Eventually, you'll see everything come together into one cohesive experience ... the blogs, forums, news, print, podcasts, and everything else. For now though, since this is still a one-man operation, you'll have to deal with bits and pieces at a time.
Anyway, if you need a direct link to the forums, you can find them at http://www.visionaryink.com/forums/. Go on over an register to get ahead of the curve.
Later
Anyway, if you need a direct link to the forums, you can find them at http://www.visionaryink.com/forums/. Go on over an register to get ahead of the curve.
Later
Friday, January 27, 2006
Gaming News
Time for another round of video game news. Here we go:
More interesting developments on the job front as well. If you're interested in news tidbits like these, expect to see and hear much more in the near future. I hate having to be clandestine here, but there are a couple of projects about to start which will guarantee that you'll be seeing a lot more of my name around the video game and comic industries shortly. Got your curiousity piqued yet? Then keep tuning in here and see where things are going.
- E3 Cracking Down on Booth Babes?
The Entertainment Software Association, those fine folks responsible for putting together the E3 expo every year, recently sent word that it will be putting harsher penalties in place for exhibitors who violate the event's long standing but often ignored dress code.
According to the ESA, "Material, including live models, conduct that is sexually explicit and/or sexually provocative, including but not limited to nudity, partial nudity and bathing suit bottoms, are prohibited on the Show floor, all common areas, and at any access points to the Show." Exhibitors in violation of this will be given one verbal warning, followed by a fine of $5000 to be paid on-site and a refusal to allow the models back on the floor until they comply with the dress code.
Only time will tell if attendees will continue to see as much eye candy on the E3 floor as they do on the screens, or if this announcement actually marks the beginning of the end of the booth babe era. - Nintendo to Re"DS"ign the DS
Nintendo, the reigning king of the handheld market, officially unveiled the latest plan continue its dominance … the DS Lite. Without much fanfare, the company's Japanese website announced a slimmer, trimmer version of its best-selling DS hardware is scheduled to hit store shelves on March 2nd of this year. The redesigned version of the DS hardware is about 43 percent smaller and 21 percent lighter than the current model. Aside from compact size, the biggest change in the DS Lite is the addition of a brightness control for the system's dual screens. So, how much will this Weight Watchers inspired system set back gamers? Right now, the price for the new system is set at 16,800 yen or about $145 US … slightly higher that the price of the current plus sized model. - Siren Lures in a Movie Deal
Despite mixed results at the box office, Hollywood still can't seem to get enough of the video game industry. According to an article on Variety earlier this week, Sam Raimi's Ghost House Pictures has picked up the motion picture rights to Sony's creepy survival horror game, Siren. Although there's currently no director or cast attached to the project, the Variety piece does credit writer Michael Gordon with putting together the screenplay. Gordon does have some experience at adapting other properties to the big screen. His previous writing credits include the upcoming Warner Bros., 300, which based on the Frank Miller graphic novel.
Early details of the movie's plot center on an American medical student searching for her missing sister in Japan. Eventually, she finds her way to the village of Hanuda, where supernatural forces have taken over. Principal filming is expected to begin on Siren later this year. - Phantom Lapboard Comes Up With Some Real Cash
File this under the "They're Still Around?" category. It's been three years since Infinium Labs first announced its plans to get into the gaming industry with the Phantom video game console. And while the console itself seems no closer to being released, the company has announced plans to release the system's uniquely designed wireless keyboard and mouse combo to PC gamers. Of course, it takes money to release a new product. And money is something that Infinium Labs has been struggling with in recent months. Now comes the announcement that private equity firm Golden Gate Investors is coming to the rescue to the tune of $5 million. With the new funding, Infinium hopes to be able to move forward with its plans to release the Phantom Lapboard later this year. - Sony "Zips" Up SOCOM Developer
Hot on the heels of its acquisition of Killzone developer, Guerrila Games, Sony has announced that it has also snatched up Zipper Interactive, the studio responsible for its top selling SOCOM franchise. As a part of the deal, Zipper will become a part of Sony's ever-growing SCE Worldwide studio. The day to day operations of Zipper will be handled by the current management and execs from SCE Worldwide's Foster City studio. Financial details of the purchase haven't been released, but it’s a safe bet that Sony paid a pretty penny for the studio responsible for one of the company's biggest selling franchises.
More interesting developments on the job front as well. If you're interested in news tidbits like these, expect to see and hear much more in the near future. I hate having to be clandestine here, but there are a couple of projects about to start which will guarantee that you'll be seeing a lot more of my name around the video game and comic industries shortly. Got your curiousity piqued yet? Then keep tuning in here and see where things are going.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Peeking in the Swag Bag
I've been sorting through a few of the various items in the Swag Bag. I figured I'd put together a list of a few of the things so that people can get an idea of some of the fun, unique, and sometimes warped collectibles that accumulate in my line of work. Also, it's an opportunity for people to try hitting me up for some of the stuff (heh).
So, here goes:
I've got more stuff in the bag, but this list is just for starters. So ... anyone got any unique ideas for dishing stuff out? Or are you just going to try calling dibs on the different things? For the record ... that last option probably won't work on me ... unless you get REAL creative when calling dibs. (heh)
Later,
David
So, here goes:
An Xbox version of Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, signed by the developers over at Radical Entertainment- Three retail games for the Nokia N-Gage: High Seize, One, and X-Men Legends II
- Darkwatch T-Shirt (XL) and comic book
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory hoodie (S)- Art of Guild Wars hardback book
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas embroidered socks (yes, I said "socks")- Fable metal die, sides read: Choose Good, Choose Evil, Follow Your Heart, Trust Your Instincts, Yes Absolutely, and No Definitely Not
- War of the Monsters foam rock
- Destroy All Humans! ray gun (shoots smoke rings)
- A set of the limited edition City of Villains HeroClix initially available only in the CoV Collector's Edition
- Set of Hot Shots Golf Fore! golfballs
Metal Gear Solid Cold War Camouflage Snake Kubrick figure- Mortal Kombat Deception Skull Head Scorpion action figure
- Mortal Kombat Deception Cold Snap Sub-Zero action figure
- E3 2005 exclusive DS card featuring theLegend of Zelda: Twilight Princess trailer
- Zero Hour exclusive Xbox 360 faceplate
Red vs. Blue Season 1, 2, and 3 DVDs signed by the guys at Rooster TeethDoom theatrical one sheet posterGizmondo handheld device (Smart Adds version) w/ 3 games- Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction Xbox demo, signed by writer Paul Jenkins
- Wristband embroidered with the SEGA logo
- Wristband embroidered with the Dead or Alive 4 logo
Plastic fan from Tokyo Game Show promoting Viewtiful Joe and MegaMan (aka Rockman)- Final Fantasy XI Online Atlas, sealed w/ exclusive Yoshitaka Amano book jacket
I've got more stuff in the bag, but this list is just for starters. So ... anyone got any unique ideas for dishing stuff out? Or are you just going to try calling dibs on the different things? For the record ... that last option probably won't work on me ... unless you get REAL creative when calling dibs. (heh)
Later,
David
Friday, January 20, 2006
An explanation on opinions
Y'know, one of the drawbacks to writing reviews and editorials is that, while I don't expect everyone to agree with my opinion, everyone seems to expect me to agree with theirs. Earlier in the blog, I posted a piece titled "Getting Desensetized" discussing the my thoughts about a study on the supposed effects of violent video games. Today, someone decided to comment on it. A few people told me they thought I should just delete it and forget about it ... but I decided instead that maybe this would be a perfect time to try and explain what is important to me about opinions. Here's the original comment that got it started, as well as my response:
Now, for the record, this blog is a hodgepodge of things. There are going to be news stories, editorials, career updates, as well as some trivial stuff I just happen to feel like writing about at any given time. Some stuff will be serious, some stuff won't. Some stuff will be informative, and ... well ... some stuff may be more on the pointless side. Either way though, it's always going to be entertaining.
Having said all of that, now it's time for you to express YOUR opinion.
Anonymous said...
this artical sucks dude can't u come up with a better sack of crap than this.
Friday, January 20, 2006 12:12:00 PM
WldCard said...
This "artical" wasn't an article. It was simply me talking about why this study bugged me. People can twist any data around to fit their means, and on the surface this seems like more of the same.
It's an opinion ... like the top of the page says: "Come on in and check out what I'm thinking, what I'm working on, what's happening in the industry, and whatever other unique adventures happen along the way."
A couple of people saw this comment and thought I should just delete it and forget about it. And for just a split second, I considered it. But the thing is, I always tell people that my reviews are simply my opinions, and that I don't expect anyone to necessarily agree or disagree with me.
Well, my "editorials" like this are the same type of thing. It's just me voicing my opinion ... much like you decided to do in your comment. The different is, in my piece I gave REASONS for my thoughts. I tried to explain WHY exactly I felt the way I did about the study. Just like in the reviews, I always explain WHY I like or dislike a game/book/etc. I may not expect you to agree with me, but I try my best to put forth my reasoning for my way of thinking.
So, maybe you really do believe that the blog entry was a "sack of crap". Hell, I'm sure there are plenty of people who agree with you. I'm also sure that there are people who disagree with you. It's your opinion and you are welcome to it. That is your right and your prerogative, and no one should deny that to you ... just as I'd expect no one to deny it to me. The difference is, when I expressed my opinion, I gave my reasoning for it and left it open for discussion.
Your comment, on the other hand, brought nothing to the table. No reasoning. No point of interest. Nothing. So, to wrap things up in your own words, "dude can't u come up with a better sack of crap than this"?
Friday, January 20, 2006 12:51:40 PM
Now, for the record, this blog is a hodgepodge of things. There are going to be news stories, editorials, career updates, as well as some trivial stuff I just happen to feel like writing about at any given time. Some stuff will be serious, some stuff won't. Some stuff will be informative, and ... well ... some stuff may be more on the pointless side. Either way though, it's always going to be entertaining.
Having said all of that, now it's time for you to express YOUR opinion.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
New name, new look, and a new beginning
So ... some of you out there have been wondering when I was going to get around to updating Stacking the Deck. How's this for an update?
Here's the deal. It's a new year, and things are already progressing at a crazy rate. I'm still writing regularly for GameSpy. I'm also doing a lot more work for Electric Playground and Play Magazine. In fact, I'm currently working on a feature for Play. As usual, I'll let all of you know when it gets published.
Now, besides the usual chaos of my writing gigs, I'm also finally getting some other projects of mine off the ground. I'm working on developing a few intellectual properties for various outlets (tv, games, comics, etc.). I'm also planning to put together a podcast covering different areas of fandom. I'm basically sticking my finger into a host of different pies. An even better food metaphor is throwing a bunch of spaghetti agains the wall and see what sticks.
Since I still own the name "FanBased Media", I figured that the new year was a great time to put it to use. And so, after a lot of redesign, trial and error, and numerous pots of coffee ... here we are.
Let me know what you think, and keep checking back to see what's in store.
Here's the deal. It's a new year, and things are already progressing at a crazy rate. I'm still writing regularly for GameSpy. I'm also doing a lot more work for Electric Playground and Play Magazine. In fact, I'm currently working on a feature for Play. As usual, I'll let all of you know when it gets published.
Now, besides the usual chaos of my writing gigs, I'm also finally getting some other projects of mine off the ground. I'm working on developing a few intellectual properties for various outlets (tv, games, comics, etc.). I'm also planning to put together a podcast covering different areas of fandom. I'm basically sticking my finger into a host of different pies. An even better food metaphor is throwing a bunch of spaghetti agains the wall and see what sticks.
Since I still own the name "FanBased Media", I figured that the new year was a great time to put it to use. And so, after a lot of redesign, trial and error, and numerous pots of coffee ... here we are.
Let me know what you think, and keep checking back to see what's in store.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
More work stuff
It's been a while since I've updated everyone on what I've been working on. Well, I haven't exactly been sitting around with my thumb up my ass. I've actually been getting some work done. Need proof?
Over at GameSpy you can check out my work on these:
While over at the Electric Playground, you can read these:
And finally, in this month's Play Magazine is the following piece:
Zero Hour article (Play Magazine, January 2006)
Some of this stuff is older, and only just getting around to being published. Other stuff has been written within the past week. Either way, there's a lot of my stuff out there right now (woo hoo!!). And things are only going to be getting more busy with the coming year. I'll keep all of you posted as usual. In the meantime, check out the stuff that's out there and let me know what you think.
Later.
Over at GameSpy you can check out my work on these:
- Kong: The 8th Wonder of the World (GBA)
- America's Army: Rise of a Soldier (Xbox)
- Need for Speed: Most Wanted (X360)
- Naruto: Ninja Council (GBA) Preview
- World Championship Poker 2 (PSP)
While over at the Electric Playground, you can read these:
- Mario Kart DS (NDS)
- Gizmondo Hardware
- NASCAR 06: Total Team Control (Xbox)
- Geist (GCN)
- Darkwatch (Xbox)
- 187 Ride or Die (PS2)
- Nintendogs (NDS)
- Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction (Xbox)
And finally, in this month's Play Magazine is the following piece:
Zero Hour article (Play Magazine, January 2006)
Some of this stuff is older, and only just getting around to being published. Other stuff has been written within the past week. Either way, there's a lot of my stuff out there right now (woo hoo!!). And things are only going to be getting more busy with the coming year. I'll keep all of you posted as usual. In the meantime, check out the stuff that's out there and let me know what you think.
Later.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Getting Desensetized
There's a new study forthcoming in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, which supposedly finds that people who play violent video games experience an increase in aggressive behavior and a decreased reaction to violent imagery.
"It's already well known that playing violent video games increases aggressive behavior and decreases helping behavior," said Brad Bushman, a researcher at the University of Michigan. "But this study is the first to link exposure to violent video games with a diminished reaction to violent images."
The research was conducted by Bushman, a U-M professor of psychology and communications studies and a faculty associate at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR), along with fellow researchers Bruce Bartholow, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and Marc Sestir at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
"Most of us naturally have a strong aversion to the sight of blood and gore," Bartholow said. "Surgeons and soldiers may need to overcome these reactions in order to perform their duties. But for most people, a diminished reaction to the effects of violence is not adaptive. It can reduce inhibitions against aggressive behavior and increase the possibility of inflicting violence on others."
On the surface, this study looks potentially damning for the video game industry. However, after a closer look at the details of the study, one can't help but question the results. Take a look at some of the research techinques used to come up with these findings:
Read at face value, the research seems a bit flawed to me. The noise test is a key example. Basically, each of the 39 male participants were told to hit a button as fast as possible. The loser would get a blast of loud noise ... with the volume and length of the noise determined by the winner of the previous round. If the blast is detemined over a period of sequential rounds, then each "winner" knows that he's subject to losing the round and getting hit with the consequence he set. On the other hand, if the participant thinks that he's setting the level for the next set of competitors, he's still likely to set the bar at the same level he would expect to be given to himself. Truthfully? That's not violence ... that's competition at best, and pissing contest between guys at worst.
As far as the image test goes, these participants were college students ... not teenagers. Before I graduated high school, I was already reading pulp fiction stories by the likes of Raymond Chandler (a great author) and Dashiel Hammett. I also had seen much worse than a picture of a man with a gun to his head in my history classes. Would a picture like that get much of a stimulus reaction from me? Probably not ... though not because of anything like video games. And to be perfectly honest, I've been around guns before and even had them pointed at me. And yeah, I'm sure THAT caused a peak in my P300 brainwaves at the time. By their own admission, there was no change in how participants were affected by the "negative but nonviolent" imagery.
I'm more than a little curious to take a look at the full study once it's published. Unfortunately, with all of these studies trying to prove one thing or another, I've become more than a little desensetized ... not to violence, but to these damned studies. Here's the frightening thing about studies, with a little time, money, and ingenuity, and with the right test group, I could put together a study showing that cute and fuzzy bunnies can drive people to acts of road rage.
Too often, researchers go into a study looking for a particular answer. Many times that expectation of a predetermined outcome causes those responsible to skew things in their favor, intentionally or not. The scientific method is supposed to begin with the question, not the hypothesis:
This method is generally meant to be cyclic in nature. Once the data is interpreted, new hypothesis can be formed an tested as well. I've seen far too many cases though in which researchers spend too much time trying to prove their hypothesis, instead of letting the raw data lead them to new ideas and interpretations.
Anyway, that's enough of a soapbox moment for the moment. What are your thoughts?
"It's already well known that playing violent video games increases aggressive behavior and decreases helping behavior," said Brad Bushman, a researcher at the University of Michigan. "But this study is the first to link exposure to violent video games with a diminished reaction to violent images."
The research was conducted by Bushman, a U-M professor of psychology and communications studies and a faculty associate at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR), along with fellow researchers Bruce Bartholow, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and Marc Sestir at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
"Most of us naturally have a strong aversion to the sight of blood and gore," Bartholow said. "Surgeons and soldiers may need to overcome these reactions in order to perform their duties. But for most people, a diminished reaction to the effects of violence is not adaptive. It can reduce inhibitions against aggressive behavior and increase the possibility of inflicting violence on others."
On the surface, this study looks potentially damning for the video game industry. However, after a closer look at the details of the study, one can't help but question the results. Take a look at some of the research techinques used to come up with these findings:
For the study, the researchers asked 39 male undergraduates how often they played their five favorite video games, and how violent the games were. The researchers also assessed participants' irritability and aggressiveness, asking them how much they identified with statements like the following: "I easily fly off the handle with those who don't listen or understand" and "If somebody hits me, I hit back."
Next, the researchers outfitted participants with electrode caps to obtain EEG data, including the average amplitude of a particular type of brainwave, known as P300, which is believed to be an indicator of how people evaluate a stimulus, such as a photograph. After doing so, the researchers showed participants a series of images. The content of the images was emotionally neutral (a mushroom, a man riding a bicycle), violent (a man holding a gun to another man's head) or negative but nonviolent (a dead dog). While participants viewed the images, their brain waves were recorded.
After viewing the images, participants were told they were competing in a reaction time task with another person to see who could press a button faster following a tone. The slower person would supposedly receive a blast of noise through a pair of headphones, with the intensity and duration of the blast determined before each round by the previous round's winner. Actually there was no partner, but participants' tendency to administer long, loud blasts of noise is a widely used, reliable measure of aggression.
What the researchers found was that participants who routinely played violent video games responded less to violent images, as measured by a diminished amplitude of their P300 brainwaves. But this was not true of their response to other, equally negative, nonviolent images. The researchers also found that the smaller the brainwave reaction to violent images, the more likely participants were to behave aggressively in the reaction time task by blasting their "partner" with loud, unpleasant noise.
Read at face value, the research seems a bit flawed to me. The noise test is a key example. Basically, each of the 39 male participants were told to hit a button as fast as possible. The loser would get a blast of loud noise ... with the volume and length of the noise determined by the winner of the previous round. If the blast is detemined over a period of sequential rounds, then each "winner" knows that he's subject to losing the round and getting hit with the consequence he set. On the other hand, if the participant thinks that he's setting the level for the next set of competitors, he's still likely to set the bar at the same level he would expect to be given to himself. Truthfully? That's not violence ... that's competition at best, and pissing contest between guys at worst.
As far as the image test goes, these participants were college students ... not teenagers. Before I graduated high school, I was already reading pulp fiction stories by the likes of Raymond Chandler (a great author) and Dashiel Hammett. I also had seen much worse than a picture of a man with a gun to his head in my history classes. Would a picture like that get much of a stimulus reaction from me? Probably not ... though not because of anything like video games. And to be perfectly honest, I've been around guns before and even had them pointed at me. And yeah, I'm sure THAT caused a peak in my P300 brainwaves at the time. By their own admission, there was no change in how participants were affected by the "negative but nonviolent" imagery.
I'm more than a little curious to take a look at the full study once it's published. Unfortunately, with all of these studies trying to prove one thing or another, I've become more than a little desensetized ... not to violence, but to these damned studies. Here's the frightening thing about studies, with a little time, money, and ingenuity, and with the right test group, I could put together a study showing that cute and fuzzy bunnies can drive people to acts of road rage.
Too often, researchers go into a study looking for a particular answer. Many times that expectation of a predetermined outcome causes those responsible to skew things in their favor, intentionally or not. The scientific method is supposed to begin with the question, not the hypothesis:
- Define the question
- Gather information and resources
- Form hypothesis
- Plan experiment
- Do experiment and collect data
- Analyze data
- Interpret data and draw conclusions that serve as a starting point for new hypotheses
- Communicate results
This method is generally meant to be cyclic in nature. Once the data is interpreted, new hypothesis can be formed an tested as well. I've seen far too many cases though in which researchers spend too much time trying to prove their hypothesis, instead of letting the raw data lead them to new ideas and interpretations.
Anyway, that's enough of a soapbox moment for the moment. What are your thoughts?
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Don't call it a comeback!!
Yeah yeah, so it's a cheesy subject, but it's also oddly fitting. I know I've been out of touch for bit (well, publicly at least). I know I'm always saying how swamped I am with wirk (and I am), but things are really nuts at the moment for a lot of reasons.
First, let's tackle the big personal issues:
I found out recently that my dad is going to have to go in for some neck/spine surgery. He went in for an MRI last week and, based on how the results go, he'll need to have some work done to fix some compression in the spine that's causing pressure on some nerves. I've been checking in with him to see how things are developing. He's up in VA, and there's really no one there to be with him. So, whenever the surgery is scheduled, I'll be taking off out of town for a bit to be there for him during the surgery and afterwards to help him out. Growing up, my dad and I weren't necessarily close, but as we've both gotten older, our relationship has grown. Nowadays, even if he wasn't my dad, he'd be a damned good friend ... one of the best in fact. And as you guys know, I'm always there for my friends.
Also on the personal side, I've been trying to take some time to unwind a bit ... basically taking some time for myself. I've been running around like a chicken with his head chopped off for a while now, so I needed to take a bit of a breather to collect myself. All work and no play makes Jack (or in this case, David) a dull boy. So I've been trying to do a little more to get away from the ball and chain that is my PC. Been trying to catch up with a few old friends, as well as making some new ones. Hey, what can I say? Even *I* deserve a break from time to time.
Of course there were a couple of other things that kept me from updating a little more on the blog here. First off was the trip to Vegas. I posted earlier about how that trip went. Admittedly, I've been having a lot of fun with my Xbox 360 since I got back. Of course, I think it's hilarious that the 360 is capable of so much, and yet the game I'm most addicted to is the cheap $5 arcade-style game, Geometry Wars Evolved. It's like Smash TV meets Asteroids. Playing that has got me itching to bring the classic systems out of mothballs to play some of my old favorites. Speaking of favorite games ... if ANYONE out there has never experienced the classic game Zombies Ate My Neighbors ... GO FIND IT!! I'm playing it almost as much as my 360, and it's probably the one game they'll have to pry from my cold dead hands.
Back to the 360, I wrote up a review for the 360 version of Need for Speed: Most Wanted for GameSpy. The game is a lot of fun, but the real story is in how great the game looks ... especially with the environmental effects like lighting and reflections. It looks amazing, especially in hi-def. I've also had a buch of reviews go up over at the Electric Playground website. I'll try to get around to posting links later, but in the meantime, go check out the site.
And since we're on the subject of Electric Playground (and by association, Greedy Productions), there's a lot going on over there. Things are finally cranking again on the EP website. I'll be posting a lot more material over there now that things are working, and everyone is working to really push the site to a new level. You'll be seeing a lot more in the way of updates, more interesting articles, and even a few surprises down the road. There's even some work being done to redesign the site to reflect the changes in the show as well. I'll also be working a lot more closely with Greedy Productions on a couple of other projects they're working on. I'll even be contributing some script writing series of video packages. Basically, it all adds up to equal more work for me (WOO HOO!!).
And speaking of more work, I wrote up a piece on Zero Hour for Play Magazine. When it hits the stands, I'll let all of you know. In the meantime, I'll let everyone know to keep their eyes peeled for news coming out of Play. I'll be working with Dave and the guys more, providing material and such, and helping out with a few cool new plans that they have in store for the near future.
So, does that cover everything? Not even close ... but if I threw everything out here at once, what motivation would you have to keep coming back, eh?
Oh yeah ... one last thing. I haven't forgotten about you guys who have actually asked about the fan club plans. Heh. Y'know, I keep commenting on how I want my groupies, and having a groupie recruitment drive (HA!), but someone pointed out one thing ... what about the guys? One suggestion that's been made (which I think I'll run with) was keep going w/ the whole "rock star" mentality, and have both "Groupies" and "Roadies". I'm also trying to come up with some cool and unique merchandise for people to have fun with. Thanks to a bunch of my friends in the comic industry, you can expect to see some REALLY cool visuals in the near future. Posters, t-shirts, teddy bears, and yes ... due to popular demand ... the infamous fan club thong will all still be available, though with some fun new designs. I want to set up some other things for people who are genuinely interested in the fan club idea too. So throw out some suggestions. I'm even chipping in a lot of goodies from the "swag bag".
BTW ... those of you with particularly sharp eyes may notice some minor tweaks I did to my profile picture. Bonus points to those of you who recognize the signature on the handheld's new skin.
Later,
David
First, let's tackle the big personal issues:
I found out recently that my dad is going to have to go in for some neck/spine surgery. He went in for an MRI last week and, based on how the results go, he'll need to have some work done to fix some compression in the spine that's causing pressure on some nerves. I've been checking in with him to see how things are developing. He's up in VA, and there's really no one there to be with him. So, whenever the surgery is scheduled, I'll be taking off out of town for a bit to be there for him during the surgery and afterwards to help him out. Growing up, my dad and I weren't necessarily close, but as we've both gotten older, our relationship has grown. Nowadays, even if he wasn't my dad, he'd be a damned good friend ... one of the best in fact. And as you guys know, I'm always there for my friends.
Also on the personal side, I've been trying to take some time to unwind a bit ... basically taking some time for myself. I've been running around like a chicken with his head chopped off for a while now, so I needed to take a bit of a breather to collect myself. All work and no play makes Jack (or in this case, David) a dull boy. So I've been trying to do a little more to get away from the ball and chain that is my PC. Been trying to catch up with a few old friends, as well as making some new ones. Hey, what can I say? Even *I* deserve a break from time to time.
Of course there were a couple of other things that kept me from updating a little more on the blog here. First off was the trip to Vegas. I posted earlier about how that trip went. Admittedly, I've been having a lot of fun with my Xbox 360 since I got back. Of course, I think it's hilarious that the 360 is capable of so much, and yet the game I'm most addicted to is the cheap $5 arcade-style game, Geometry Wars Evolved. It's like Smash TV meets Asteroids. Playing that has got me itching to bring the classic systems out of mothballs to play some of my old favorites. Speaking of favorite games ... if ANYONE out there has never experienced the classic game Zombies Ate My Neighbors ... GO FIND IT!! I'm playing it almost as much as my 360, and it's probably the one game they'll have to pry from my cold dead hands.
Back to the 360, I wrote up a review for the 360 version of Need for Speed: Most Wanted for GameSpy. The game is a lot of fun, but the real story is in how great the game looks ... especially with the environmental effects like lighting and reflections. It looks amazing, especially in hi-def. I've also had a buch of reviews go up over at the Electric Playground website. I'll try to get around to posting links later, but in the meantime, go check out the site.
And since we're on the subject of Electric Playground (and by association, Greedy Productions), there's a lot going on over there. Things are finally cranking again on the EP website. I'll be posting a lot more material over there now that things are working, and everyone is working to really push the site to a new level. You'll be seeing a lot more in the way of updates, more interesting articles, and even a few surprises down the road. There's even some work being done to redesign the site to reflect the changes in the show as well. I'll also be working a lot more closely with Greedy Productions on a couple of other projects they're working on. I'll even be contributing some script writing series of video packages. Basically, it all adds up to equal more work for me (WOO HOO!!).
And speaking of more work, I wrote up a piece on Zero Hour for Play Magazine. When it hits the stands, I'll let all of you know. In the meantime, I'll let everyone know to keep their eyes peeled for news coming out of Play. I'll be working with Dave and the guys more, providing material and such, and helping out with a few cool new plans that they have in store for the near future.
So, does that cover everything? Not even close ... but if I threw everything out here at once, what motivation would you have to keep coming back, eh?
Oh yeah ... one last thing. I haven't forgotten about you guys who have actually asked about the fan club plans. Heh. Y'know, I keep commenting on how I want my groupies, and having a groupie recruitment drive (HA!), but someone pointed out one thing ... what about the guys? One suggestion that's been made (which I think I'll run with) was keep going w/ the whole "rock star" mentality, and have both "Groupies" and "Roadies". I'm also trying to come up with some cool and unique merchandise for people to have fun with. Thanks to a bunch of my friends in the comic industry, you can expect to see some REALLY cool visuals in the near future. Posters, t-shirts, teddy bears, and yes ... due to popular demand ... the infamous fan club thong will all still be available, though with some fun new designs. I want to set up some other things for people who are genuinely interested in the fan club idea too. So throw out some suggestions. I'm even chipping in a lot of goodies from the "swag bag".
BTW ... those of you with particularly sharp eyes may notice some minor tweaks I did to my profile picture. Bonus points to those of you who recognize the signature on the handheld's new skin.
Later,
David
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