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Game Difficulties…
Feb 28th
So here we go, ranting time.
I have came to the concrete conclusion that video game companies lack the ability to create an enjoyable gaming experience for player who want to play on a higher difficulty than “Normal”. Here is why:
Take Alien vs Predator for instance (the game I am currently into), I am playing through on the Predator campaign on Hard. Normal difficulty of course is a cake walk, with virtually no challenging parts, with the exception of boss fights and some puzzle solving. I completed without dieing for the most part.
Now lets take Hard difficulty for instance.
*Thinking to self, Do-de-do I’m an invisible Predator sitting in this tree 50 feet off the ground cloaked there is no way this marine is going to see me while I’m not moving and invisible*
Cant see me here in this tree, while I'm invisible...
*Marine walks under me, starts to walk past me with his back turned, I’m thinking sweet I’m going to get him, then Marine suddenly swings around “I FOUND HIM IN THE TREE!”*
Ok what the fuck, maybe he can...
*A true WTF moment pulses through my head, as the Marine spins around and beast shots me out of the tree with 5 bullets from his 99 round magazine*
*I think to myself, OK maybe it was a bug or something… And then it happened, again… and again…. and again. By this point I still stuck on the first enemy of the level wondering “OK Seriously WHAT THE FUCK?”*
So herein lies the problem with today’s video games, instead of making an enjoyable difficult game, it feels like a chore to simply beat 1 level before ripping out you hair in frustration. What should be done on higher difficulties is make the AI more intelligent, not give them screen cheating so they can see my invisible, in the dark, in a tree, across the map. It is just stupid. I can understand giving them some more damage for there gun, but now days the jump from difficulty levels is insane. It goes from the game being mind-numbingly easy on Normal, to “THIS IS FUCKING STUPID! As you slam your Keyboard/Controller on the ground in anger” on Harder difficulties.
In conclusion if a game developer is reading this, please rethink your ideas for gaming difficulties, because this is getting to become plain out stupid.
It is getting to the point were, most players cheat or abuse an exploit just to beat a game on Hard, or higher difficulties, just so they can beat it. I know this isn’t what game companies had in mind, when players were cheating just to beat their game. I mean I can cite 5 games off the top my head that are like this: Call of Duty 4, Call of Duty: WaW, Halo 2 Legendary (Yeah fuck that), Halo Wars Legendary, and AvP Nightmare Difficulty (one death and you start the level over, think Halo 2 Legendary with Iron Skull). Notice a trend? Yeah it is the same damn companies that do it every damn time.
So don’t get me wrong here, I love ALL these games, especially AvP with a passion. But I mean really, It took me under one day to beat all the campaigns on AvP on Normal. And, it was FUN, I enjoyed playing them. And, I still go back and play them for fun. But, it took me an HOUR to beat ONE level on Hard, I haven’t even tried Nightmare yet. It is repeatedly “Trail & Error” it is stupid, I don’t get why companies do that, why make a game so HARD that when you try to beat it on a tougher difficulty you want to throw your game out the window.
So here I am dragging this on, I’m done for now.
-Juno out.
Her Morning Elegance, Oren Lavie
Jul 8th
Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie
Rather interesting video, and as the youtube description states, for fun facts about the video visit http://www.myspace.com/orenlavie
LightScribe
Jun 26th
LightScribe is a specific rom drive that allows direct labeling of discs. Now there is not too much new about it at the moment except that the company has released newer color media disc’s for your prints 
. For me and some others at least im sure, that’s pretty epic. The prints yes, will still be monochromatic but now, you get different color disc wooo! Currently the reason for this post would be that im using LS for this event ticket project in my Graphics Design Two class, whereas my tickets are actually the cd’s where ive used light scribe to imprint the information as in the time, and place etc etc. Fairly useful and pretty nifty tech to have [=. Alas, I digress, it’s pretty useful and if you’re bored and or into the ocd that sometimes is labeling and design of your cd’s then give it a look and or a try! http://www.lightscribe.com/
Sound Recording (stereo mix-what u hear)
Jun 5th
Small tid bit of information for those wishing to use their laptop to record from websites such as Youtube or Myspace music players and the like.. Most of the companies out there now seem to be removing the option in our recording devices on our cards given with laptop, this goes especially for vista users.. where as most say to right click your sound icon click recording devices, then further click show hidden and disabled devices etc.. Well some of you may find that they are already checked and yet u still only see a icon or 2 proclaiming in and or output and or microphone.. what you’re supposed to logically be able to see would be all that + your sound card itself, which can differ from computer as to its title, such as “what u hear” or “stereo mix” this little option is the key to recording and such through programs like audacity and or adobe audition without it using your laptop as such is almost all for not without another form of outside software..
Without further stalling here.. the point and or key(s) to this problem may be as follows.. A. get a new sound-card. B. Fall back to an earlier driver or new driver that enables it if there is one available. or C. Obtain something like Replay AV.
Microsoft Xbox360 2009 E3 Conference *Updated* with Media Content
Jun 1st
Microsoft Xbox360 June 1 , 2009 E3 Conference
- Tony Hawk Ride with new skateboard controller inferred/accelerometer.
Tony Hawk Ride
- Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 *Game play looks amazing. 2 new COD maps at launch and lol at the guy looking like he was in the game.
- Final Fantasy 13 *Odin will be a summon and this will release Spring of 2010.
XBox Live Exclusives
- Shadow Complex *From the creators of Gears of War comes a 3D Side Scroller over 120 secrets to discover which is coming out this summer.
- Joy Ride * A game for your avatar sort of like Keflings was. It’s a car game, free to download and if your friend has a map that you don’t have you can still play with them on that map they own.
- Crackdown 2 *With a promise of a new worry. Some kind of monsters will be your new enemy, also from the same studio real world comes a new type of game called APB (All Points Bullets).
- Left for Dead 2* Dropping November 14th with an all black cast ..with southern Alabama accents?
- Splintercell Convictions *Mission updates are in-game projected on the wall, real time new tools such as EMP grenades.
- Forza Motorsport 3 * Will be dropping October with 400 cars and a one button driving you also have the ability to create and upload 1080p videos.
- Halo 3 ODST *Starts weeks before the start of Halo 3 and you will have multiple flash backs to different ODST to finish piecing together the puzzle. It will drop September 22nd 2009.
- Halo Reach Fall 2010* Little is being said about his top secret game but if you buy Halo 3 ODST, you will get an invite code to the Halo Reach Online Beta.
- Alan Wake *Is sort of like Silent Hill where you follow a writer that gets to watch his horror book he wrote come to life. His wife is gone and now he has to collect all the pieces of his book to find out whats going on this game will release “Spring 2010″
Xbox Live
- Last.fm *Will be added to the XBox console FREE of charge with a nice little 3D interface to scroll through your songs, it is due out later this year.
- Netflix * Is getting an update and you will now be able to search the entire Netflix movie selection and watch instantly on the Xbox360
- Sky * Is a new Live TV service with football stations and news station right on the Xbox 360.
- Zune’s Instant on 1080p *Is a new service that will allow for instant watching of moves music with no waiting for download movies on demand.
- Xbox Live Social *You will now have the ability to invite your friends to the Xbox live party, sit in a media room, and watch any movie together.
- Facebook * Facebook is being added to the Xbox360. You can update status and even see who on Facebook has a Xbox live account with the avatar showing up under there names. You can even take screenshots in-game and post them on your face book all while still in-game.
- Twitter * This fall Twitter is being added to the Xbox360, you can check and even Twitter
- right from your Xbox360.
LAST EPIC ANOUNCEMENTS
- Metalgear Solid Rising has been announced and you play as Raiden. I’m sure its going to explain his back story more and how he came to be in such a way.
- New Motion Sensor Camera (Code Named: Project Natal) has been announced from complete control of the Xbox360′s interface to a whole new way to do video conference this camera far surpasses the Playstation Eye and I can say that because I own both a 360 and a PS3 also the creators of Fable 2 have created what I think has thrown me off of my chair, Milo which is a boy using the Natal camera can understand what you are saying interact with you and even let you draw on piece of paper and scan it into the game just by holding it up, its amazing . *note* Natal is Portuguese for Christmas
Looking for some fun or adventure in the the Baltimore D.C. area ?
May 20th
If you’re ever in the downtown Baltimore and or DC area and looking for a party spot or club, a couple places to likely check out would be Ground Zero and Black Hole. While Black Hole is apparently an actual club, Ground Zero is straight out of a classic rave ordeal.. Warehouse – loft apartment hidden way into the place door men etc, great stuff ! I recently ventured there as my first show upon turning 21 and was pleasantly surprised by the experience. Great music, interesting crowd of people in every which direction and every room. Two different rooms front and back main and back stage if you will, each with a different style and genre of music and different Dj. From 8bit techno, to hardstyle and epic trance and even drum and bass. There are a few upcoming events in that general area such as Hardcore to the Rescue on may 23rd, Konkrete Jungle may 22nd and then there is the 11th annual Starscape Festival june 6th!
People around mid night [=
Is Swine Flu Sending you Squealing on the Web?
Apr 28th
So, it seems that the buzz about the potential pandemic Swine Flu, or swine influenza A (H1N1), has become widespread across the internet. Concerns scale from almost none to excessively high to totally warped.
In fact, there are speculations from a handful of bloggers (1, 2) that perhaps Twitter could be a cause of wider spread panic and misinformation. Then, there are those that think this may very well be a great tool to keep in contact in such an emergency that you couldn’t even leave your homes.
My curiosity is peaking about whether or not people will succumb to the rumor mills and just freak out across the web as a majority. Or if they’ll just take the high road of precaution with the information given, relay it, and then continue with their daily living. It’s quite the unfolding drama to sit back and watch.
Perfect Example of to Expect of you filter out Swine Flu Tweets on Twitter. Featuring Hannelore from Jeph Jacques’ Questionable Content.
Will you use utilities like Twitter for the Light Side or the Dark Side of The Force? And are you biting your nails down to nubs with anticipation for the next bit of news?
Responses to the subject of Swine Flu from several people I know are as follows and are merely the commentary in general conversation and shouldn’t always be taken “o so srsly” but are great to bare in that not everyone is as in a panic as you might believe.
(14:55:00) Supreme Lord and Chancellor Miss Miah: What do you think about all this, dude?
(14:55:11) Charlie: no idea
(14:55:17) Charlie: I just think
(14:55:30) Charlie: what’s next, platypus flu?
(14:57:01) Supreme Lord and Chancellor Miss Miah: haha, so no panic on your end?
(14:57:28) Charlie: no
(15:16:28) Stoudman: ZOMG THE SWINE FLU!
(15:16:32) Stoudman: IZ COMING TO GET JOO
(15:16:33) Supreme Lord and Chancellor Miss Miah: lmao
(15:16:41) Stoudman: damn mexican swine
(15:16:52) Stoudman: >.>
–
(15:18:11) Stoudman: my response is this
(15:18:16) Stoudman: if you see a mexican
(15:18:27) Stoudman: even if they’re just sitting on the bus
(15:18:33) Stoudman: or cleaning up trash
(15:18:40) Stoudman: or putting down carpeting
(15:18:43) Stoudman: or painting
(15:18:50) Stoudman: or sitting in front of a home depot
(15:18:55) Stoudman: RUN
(15:18:58) Stoudman: FOR YOUR LIFE!
(15:01:29) Eric: hoping it doesn’t get here or worse
(15:03:40) Eric: well when I first found out about it I was thinking of the movie Outbreak
(15:04:02) Eric: that was my first thought something out of a movie that this is really happening
(15:10:36) Supreme Lord and Chancellor Miss Miah: Really? What about now?
(15:11:49) Eric: really haven’t been watching it lately or keeping on it. I know washington is and EU are working to stop it with the cdc
(15:12:04) Eric: last info I heard is that it hit in NY
(15:13:13) Supreme Lord and Chancellor Miss Miah: Hopefully that doesn’t affect anyone we know there.
(15:14:26) Eric: just signed on to twitter and have breaking news
(15:14:46) Eric: 11 cases confirmed for California
(15:15:05) Eric: confirmed cases of swine flu
(15:15:20) Eric: according to the state dept of health
(14:48:27) tsh2k2: it’s such a big panic right now, hahaha
(14:53:15) tsh2k2: I think it’s another avian flu.
(14:53:31) tsh2k2: What’s the point of tripping out over it? I know it has it’s dangers, but cook your meat properly and you’ll be fine.
My best advice in this case is to follow with the CDC’s Fact Sheet for Good Health Habits to prevent any strain of flu from infecting you and your loved ones. Stay prepared, and never panic unnecessarily if you can help it, the best bet in a crisis is a clear mind. And as in any scenario, arm yourselves with knowledge first before weaponry. Stupid people in a panic are always the first to go! Pay attention to your horror flicks, you’ll see what I mean.
But the main question I have here is, what are YOUR reactions and concerns about the matter? Inquiring minds want to know.
My personal last thought is this in jest. Prepare yourselves for the burning of the bodies! The Zombie Apocalypse is on us like a fat kid eats cake!
Miss Miah (CrimsonOoze@gmail.com) | Written: April 27th, 2009
Epic Family guy that got deleted
Mar 4th
new Pwnage tool ( jailbreak 2.0)
Aug 9th
We have been biting our nails in anticipation and its finally out. The new Pwnage tool will give you an excuse to pay that 200$ + phone bill at the end of the month or to spend over 300 more for protection for those oh so useful apps here is a link PWNAGE 2.0
