The Gamer's Quarter

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

I know I will be!
_________________
“The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932

"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Lestrade · Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:37 am Post subject:

I might in fact download this and have a go. Might as well!

I tried last night, upon realizing that my TV has component inputs, to hook up the Xbox 360 this way. I got a B&W image; I'm having a hard time understanding why, and my trip throughout the intertron isn't helping. Does anyone have any advice?

Also, Ridge Racer is really a great, great game. I am having so much fun with it. I could play it for weeks on end and not be bored.

Oh yes! I managed to play Doom deathmatch online last night, though the bitches kept kicking me because I was whooping their ass big-time. I don't even know if I have any wins to my name, the pussies. In any case, we'll have to see if I can go a few rounds with one of you folks.

Tomorrow is the big Halo 2/DDR/Guitar Hero party at my place. It is going to rock! I'm very excited. Maybe I will post a photo of the apartment with the poster I made?

Finally, I downloaded and played the Dead Rising demo. I was sort of disappointed; it's fun, and I was LOLing the whole time because of all the ridiculous things you can do, but the demo really makes the game seem dull. Furthermore, the terrible lip syncing on the characters really irks me, as do the soft textures. It doesn't matter, though, because the game is basically unplayable on my SDTV, with the itty-bitty typography just mocking me, urging me to try and read it. Maybe I'll play this game next year, when I get an HDTV.

I really love downloading demos. Half the time I don't want to play a game for more than an hour or two anyway!

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

http://img244.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wiiorderji7.png

Canda preorder info!

EDIT: Trade in special*: http://www.ebgames.com/gs/wii/eb_trades.asp

*canada only
_________________
“The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932

"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Lestrade · Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:42 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the info, but I've decided I'm going to leave it to chance and try to get a system with my local retailer. I just hate giving anyone but them my money. They've been so good to me over the years.

Hey, does anyone (Shaper) wanna see if I can play Doom tonight? Just to see?

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

Lestrade · Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 7:45 pm Post subject:

OHMYFUCKINGGOD, I'm in tech-support hell. My father's internet account has been fuxx0red for two weeks because the ISP (Bell Sympatico) can't get their shit together. Half the reason for my $120 bus ticket back home was to help my dad set up his internet account for him. Even now, the goddamn thing still doesn't work. I'm fucking spitting blood here. I have to call the fuckmasters tomorrow again to get shit worked out.

Further to that, as some of you may have noticed, Empty Words has been down for almost the same length of time, because the fucking CIRA and my registrar like to point back at each other and not give me any help. I've lost my username and password, and you'd think the fuckers would be able to help me out after several emails to this effect. I'm going to chew them out on the phone too for some of the worst—worst—online customer service I have ever seen.

Also, Mortal Kombat Armageddon unfortunately sucks. A lot.

And finally, the intro to FF12 sucks. A lot. It's like watching a Simpsons clip show. It's also just... poorly done. I don't really look forward to watching my wife slog through it.

P.S. Guitar Hero rocks, and I am the Halo master, for a weekend at least.

P.P.S. Fuck.

P.P.P.S. UFC, despite all protests to the contrary, is nothing more than two men in Speedos hugging each other on a bloody mat for 20 minutes, Every time.

EDIT: To clarify my MK statement: I'm severely disappointed by the game because:

a) Graphically and aurally, it's just a repackaging of Deception
b) There are text-only endings! I always love to see what happens next in the crazy, all-over-the-place MK universe, and I've always been a fan of satisfying, fighting-game endings, but this time around, the huge number of characters is a disadvantage. After seeing DOA4's endings, I'm spoiled! Thankfully, I can read all the endings and avoid all the work. I know that previous MK games had text-only endings, but they at least had some interesting artwork to go along with them.
c) The combat in Konquest mode is fun and fluid; the actual one-on-one fighting is not. Shaolin Monks was so damn good; why retrograde to the stiff-and-clunky Deception engine?
d) Loooooooooooaaaaaaaading times...

I know I'll keep playing, though I hope there's a master unlock code somewhere, because I just feel like noodling around with it, instead of really diving into it. The game is to Deception what Ultimate MK was to MK3.

Also: so spoiled by next-gen graphics. :-)

EDIT 2: AWESOME.

Lestrade · Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 10:35 am Post subject:

Oh man. How much do I want to buy this!?

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

Wait, does this mean there are Rumble Roses faceplates? Oh baby oh baby.

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

Speaking of faceplates, does anyone know where to get one of the Dead Rising ones? Play-Asia sold out of their in about 3 hours Sad

_________________
“The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932

"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Lestrade · Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:08 pm Post subject:

Oh, man. Meesa... very sleepy. Got up early today so I could work at home, then come in tto work some more! Deadline time... Somebody, wake me up!

EDIT: What. Why haven't I heard of this?!

EDIT 2: Whoa, I just played the Super Famicom version of MKII. Green blood! Black-and-white fatalities! It's like Bizarro World!

Lestrade · Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:35 pm Post subject:

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

So... Spiderman is taking over Canda-land?
_________________
“The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932

"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Lestrade · Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:48 am Post subject:

In monochrome spaceships!

Lestrade · Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 9:30 am Post subject:

I was thinking while trying to play Street Fighter II HF' the other day: if only Microsoft (or a good third-party manufacturer) would provide an alternate controller that switiched the left analogue stick and d-pad, the result could be the best (traditional) controller of this generation. Though the stock Dual Shock is handily trumped by the much-more-comfortable, wireless Logitech pad, I can't argue with Sony's decision to leave the d-pad where it is all these years.

I can (and have) played games like Halo on a PS2 pad, and the different position of the left analague stick doesn't bother me a bit. In fact, I hardly notice it. But I certainly notice the difference in d-pad position when trying to play Street Fighter! God, it just feels so unnatural, it throws my entire game off.

So, yes: Logitech! Make a reversy, wireless 360 controller please!

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

I haven't looked at a 360 controller closely (and still have yet to ever play a 360), but does it use the Xbox-style D-pad or something more traditional? I tried to play Street Fighter anniversary collection on an Xbox controller and just couldn't take it.

Lestrade · Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:59 am Post subject:

It's sort of in-between. It's feels a bit more wieldy than the Controller S pad but not as precise as, say, a Saturn pad. I don't really mind its shape; it's the position that really throws me.

- -

Cross-post from IC:

Sony's trying to fuck us again. From this story at Gaming Edge:

Those wondering about battery life will be happy to note the controller is expected to get about 30 hours of playtime out of one 2.5 hour charge. As the battery isn't replaceable, when it's no longer recharging the controller needs to be replaced or sent for repairs.

Yes. Thank you, Sony! What a fantastic idea! I know how long it takes for me to actually get a watch battery replaced, so I certainly am excited that in the middle of the night, if my PS3 controller dies, I have to take it to a service technician to replace the battery! Let me guess, it's a proprietary Sony Atrac™Blu-Ray™Betamax™ battery, that only officially licensed Sony stores will carry? Maybe I'll just throw out the entire controller, since (as Kaz Hirai states) it's just so damn cheap, and while it dies in a landfill I'll go buy another! More trash! More money!

This just gets better every day!

SuperWes · Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:00 am Post subject:

Lestrade · Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:27 am Post subject:

SuperWes · Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 11:48 am Post subject:

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

Wait, how does this sort of thing work for the 360 or the Wii? They both have rechargable batteries in their controlers, right?

GSL · Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:58 am Post subject:

I thought the Wii controller just used a pair of AAs. Which can be rechargeable, I suppose, but that's up to you.

helicopterp · . Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1435 Location: Philadelphia

A little off-subject, but not too much: And why in the world is Sony charing $49.99 per controller? They don't even shake!
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Like you thought you'd seen copter perverts before. They were nothing compared to this one.

Lestrade · Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:45 pm Post subject:

I haven't tried to hook my wife's iPod up to my Xbox 360 yet, so I don't know how it is. Sony isn't including a PS2/1 slot in the PS3 because... I guess because then they can charge you $15 US for that functionality?

I use CF cards in a (oldish) camera, but I would never put photos on a PS3 anyway. Who will? is what I want to know? Fuck's sakes! All I need is game box with good controllers and good online support. Forget the bullshit functions that I won't ever use.

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

There is a report going around that the PS1 emulation for your PSP will require you to download the games via PS3 then send them to your PSP.

Hahahahahahaha. If that is how things turn out then Sony must really not give a rat's ass about the consumer.
_________________
“The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932

"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Lestrade · Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:37 am Post subject:

UMK3 has really sold me on the idea of Achievements. Because of the arcade nature of the game, I love having these arbitrary goals to reach. Now I'm going to go back and start earning achievements in Street Fighter and Doom. Ironically, though I despise collecting in games, I find these achievements enthralling. Must... raise... gamerscore!

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

You're just a tool of the machine.

SuperWes · Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 1:15 pm Post subject:

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

Lestrade · Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:54 am Post subject:

I'm so addicted to UMK3 that I keep checking everyone's Gamerscore to make sure I'm at the top of the stack. This is usually pretty easy since, as Kumar put it, who else plays Mortal Kombat?

Currently at 52 ranked wins, 9 losses. Anytime someone picks cyborg Smoke I fucking SCHOOL them with the sort-of hidden Human Smoke as punishment, because I know they're going to use the same two moves ad nauseum. Not on my watch, bitches!!

I also have an obsessive need to destroy anyone who plays as Sub-Zero. The wife was laughing at me as I yelled at the TV last night, "No one plays Sub-Zero in my house!" You think you can slide 'n' freeze? Fuck no you can't! Watch this! (And then I pummel them.)

I have to unlock Classic Sub-Zero soon or I'm going to go mad. Perhaps it's too late; I'm having waaay too much fun with this.

Also! Nerd acquisition! I found a Zork novel the other day. I bought it. I am reading it. I will post a photo if anyone wants to see it.

P.S. UMK3 is the first game that really demonstrates the flaws of the perfect-seeming Xbox 360 controller. My god, I can't wait for a decent third-party wireless option with a good d-pad. I even got into a conversation over Live how the 360 controller is no match for a well-maintained SNES one. Hitting left or right should not cause me to jump, you imprecise piece of shit! I've missed so many Fatalities because of that little grey disc... :-(

dessgeega · Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 6:56 am Post subject:

GSL · Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 11:44 am Post subject:

Lestrade · Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:56 pm Post subject:

Here you go:

ApM · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 9:10 am Post subject:

I've got a Zork choose-your-own-adventurish book kicking around here somewhere...

Cycle · Mac daddy Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 2767

I have the first Zork COYA book! I bought it the other day after I found it by accident. It's even written by Steven Meretzky!

Lestrade · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:20 pm Post subject:

Halo 3. I'm frothing already. Can't wait to own Master Chief's head! (Though I would rather just have another beautiful metal case).

Mr. Mechanical · Friendly Stranger Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 1276

Lestrade · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:59 am Post subject:

It begins: blinkylights.ca

Lestrade · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:31 pm Post subject:

So I downloaded the Dashboard update this morning over tea and yoghurt. It looks a bit nicer, for sure. I... I ran out of things to say.

I'm going to try my component cables tonight and see if they give me a vastly superior image to S-Video.

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

They won't. I mean you will be able to notice a difference, but not "vastly" different.
_________________
“The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932

"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Lestrade · Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 10:35 am Post subject:

So I'm finally starting to get excited again for the Wii (my Xbox 360 dulled the pain for quite a while). Oddly enough, what interests me the most about the system right now is the Virtual Console.

Yes, I really want to pay $280 (CAD) so I can play games I already own or have ROMs for. I really want to play the original versions of, say, Final Fantasy IV, Super Castlevania and, yes, the original Mario. I also want to play ports of arcade games like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter, and I want them all in one place.

Oddly enough, XBLA is what excites me the most about my Xbox, too. I mean, the game I've played the most on the thing is UMK3! So there's obviously a bit of a pattern here...

Now if only Rare would release their old catalogue on VC. I really want Killer Instinct and Perfect Dark...

Lestrade · Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 8:23 pm Post subject:

Dear Intertubes:

So I'm 100% sure I'm going to fail the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) I've signed up for. I'm not even taking the hardest level, only level 3, but there's no way in hell I will pass. The cram class I signed up for is just too fucking difficult, considering that I have to try to force dozens of contextless vocabulary words into my head every week, which leaves me little time to study kanji, which was what I was doing before the course.

Why did I sign up? I should have known it would come down to this. I've never been a good student; I haven't set foot in a school in almost seven years! I'm not a youngin' no more, either, and I can't just absorb new information like a teenager can.

How am I supposed to learn hundreds of new, random words (that I may or may not use in the meantime) and another 200 kanji in a month?! It's fucking hopeless.

The shittiest part is, I've already paid for the class, and there are no refunds for the test fees. It's like walking onto a battlefield, knowing you're not going to come out alive. It's so futile.

I'm so goddamn frustrated, I'm getting more and more stressed out every day. I'm not in fucking college; I have a job, freelance work, and a wife. I can't just sit there all day and study. I can't spend my fucking weekends studying, because I barely see my wife during the week!

Fucking cocksucker fucking fuckfuck! What am I going to do!?

Frustratingly yours,
Lestrade

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

Chin up ol' boy. I know you'll gain something from all this. Even if you don't come off the field alive.
_________________
“The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932

"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Scratchmonkey · . Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1439

An example from my friend's JLPT Study Guide:

Word: [the deck of a boat]

Example sentence: I'm sure glad that I know what [the deck of a boat] means.

Fred · . Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 99 Location: Iowa

My good friend Alan, who just moved to Brooklyn and is trying to learn Japanese as his fifth (!) language, recommended this study guide to me on the advice of these Japanese girls on whom he is crushing. But now that I look at it more closely, it's probably even worse than yours; just forget I even mentioned the damn thing. It--like so many formalized Japanese learning programs--is just a sort of reverse of the eikaiwa system, isn't it? "You've learned some basic grammar, now spend ten hours a week with our young, attractive Japanese speaker learning new vocabulary by rote!" Fun.

Anyway, just look at this as a practice run for next year's exam. Standardized testing is a fundamentally imperfect means of evaluation, and you can learn quite a bit about how to prepare for next year's test and how to answer the questions just by sitting for the exam, even if you don't have the full knowledge needed to pass (or even comprehend) the exam. Or you can just draw a giant picture of a cock on the answer sheet. Either way, you'll gain something from it.

Lestrade · Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 6:25 am Post subject:

Lestrade · Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:07 am Post subject:

I finally won an eBay auction! Woo-hoooooo!

OtakupunkX · . Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 730

What did you win?

GSL · Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 12:48 pm Post subject:

Lestrade · Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:23 pm Post subject:

Yeah, that's pretty much what I decided last night after throwing shit around my apartment and kicking things. My god. I need to play some Mortal Kombat.

How 'bout this:

X-O <==8

GSL · Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:33 pm Post subject:

8===D X-O <==8 ?