It's the first day back at work. And things are looking pretty swell, I think. Work looks to be fairly rewarding, and things at home are shaping up.
Over the Christmas break, we starting dressing up the house with decorative items and photos. It's been a long time coming, but the house is starting to feel like a home. It's been a year since we've moved in, and we hadn't even put up any photos of family and friends. That's already looking to change.
The next order of business is working on the lawn, and laying down a decent bed of grass. That's a project for the tail-end of summer, I think.
Showing posts with label Rant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rant. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Monday, October 18, 2010
What have I been up to?
It has been just over a month since I last posted anything here. Which, I admit, is a dramatic drop from my regular pace. I've endeavored to maintain a minimum of a post a week, but obviously I haven't kept to that promise.
Since the last post, a new issue of Pixel Hunt had been released, with contributions from myself again. I will have a couple of items in the upcoming Issue 12 as well. The podcast front has been fairly quiet as well, though we did record another episode a few nights ago.
The Pixel Hunt site has been hacked (again), so keep an eye out for new content once the site is restored.
I've also just submitted my first review for Hyper magazine. I'm hoping that my writing is deemed strong enough to warrant future opportunities. I've got my fingers crossed.
I've also really happy to have gotten the chance to get back into boardgames on a few occasions in the past month. I played some new hotness and some old favorites, and I'm really satisfied. Now my fingers are itching again, and I should probably get something onto the table some time soon.
Since the last post, a new issue of Pixel Hunt had been released, with contributions from myself again. I will have a couple of items in the upcoming Issue 12 as well. The podcast front has been fairly quiet as well, though we did record another episode a few nights ago.
The Pixel Hunt site has been hacked (again), so keep an eye out for new content once the site is restored.
I've also just submitted my first review for Hyper magazine. I'm hoping that my writing is deemed strong enough to warrant future opportunities. I've got my fingers crossed.
I've also really happy to have gotten the chance to get back into boardgames on a few occasions in the past month. I played some new hotness and some old favorites, and I'm really satisfied. Now my fingers are itching again, and I should probably get something onto the table some time soon.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010
E3 2010, the largest showcase of video games and other forms of electronic entertainment, has recently closed. As always, there are a whole slew of news and announcements about past performances, as well as new plans and initiatives. And always accompanying are post-expo reactions and responses.
It seems that this year's E3 is focused on the short-term, with many announcements related to this coming holiday season. Very few products break the mould, and most are retreading familiar ground.
Sequels are an accepted reality in videogames; we always want more of a good thing. But even in sequels, there are innovations. That seems lacking in the sequels we are seeing this year. Halo Reach, Gears of War 3, Killzone 3. There may be improvements in the technical aspects, but there's a general lack in bold imagination and and inspiring creativity.
I want to see more games like Journey, where the imagery is evocative, and about "singing, sand, hiking, cloth, surfing, astronauts and feeling small". My expectations for the game could ultimately go unfulfilled, but the developers have a such strong track record that I feel justified to be hopeful.
If nothing else comes of the game, at least they have given us some truly beautiful art.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
It's been a long time since... / Catacombs
It's been a long time since I last played a boardgame. My last recorded play was two rounds of Space Hulk earlier in January 2010. Before that, it was in August and July 2009. And before that, it was in 2008. So it's pretty clear that my boardgaming has gone down drastically since I've moved to Melbourne.
There's a number of reasons for that. 1) My games collection is back home in Singapore, and I'm not keen on re-buying most of them. 2) We've moved about from one rental home to another, and owning games would be a hassle. 3) It's a touch more troublesome getting to meetup groups.
I do still try to keep up with the newest games being released, and I've still got a couple of pre-orders still going on. And one particular game that's caught my eye is Catacombs.
And it's pretty simple why it's caught my interest. Catacombs = Descent: Journeys in the Dark + Pitchcar. It's a dungeon crawl game where playing pieces are flicked around a board.
From the reviews and session reports on Boardgamegeek, it seems like a light game with minimal strategy, but with some tactical depth. It also seems to foster collaborative group play, which appeals to me.
I'm not sure if it's available in Melbourne, but I think it'll be worth a hunt. Neither Milsims or Mindgames seem to list it on their sites, so I'm probably going to have to get to a store to physically search for it.
There's a number of reasons for that. 1) My games collection is back home in Singapore, and I'm not keen on re-buying most of them. 2) We've moved about from one rental home to another, and owning games would be a hassle. 3) It's a touch more troublesome getting to meetup groups.
I do still try to keep up with the newest games being released, and I've still got a couple of pre-orders still going on. And one particular game that's caught my eye is Catacombs.
And it's pretty simple why it's caught my interest. Catacombs = Descent: Journeys in the Dark + Pitchcar. It's a dungeon crawl game where playing pieces are flicked around a board.
From the reviews and session reports on Boardgamegeek, it seems like a light game with minimal strategy, but with some tactical depth. It also seems to foster collaborative group play, which appeals to me.
I'm not sure if it's available in Melbourne, but I think it'll be worth a hunt. Neither Milsims or Mindgames seem to list it on their sites, so I'm probably going to have to get to a store to physically search for it.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Heavy Rain - A few thoughts, and loads of spoilers
I bought Heavy Rain, played and completed it over 3 days, and promptly returned it. But that is not an indication of the quality of the game. Rather, it was because I considered my experience with it complete. And holding onto it would be akin to trying to grasp onto the last wisps of a dream. And letting it go was probably the best thing for us all.
But I'm hoping to be able to quantify my experience with it, and where I think the game truly resonated with me. And I hope that sharing my perspective will enable other games to hopefully enjoy it as much as I did.
*Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers*
Scott Shelby is the Origami Killer.
This is an important development in the game, and not just in the narrative. It seems that for some players, this particular revelation reveals several inherent flaws in the game, and thus tainted the overall experience.
And the criticisms leveled against Heavy Rain's red herrings, and logical gaps in the narrative are fair and deserved. And the criticism against the mixed performance by the voice actors are also fair. These are lessons that should be accounted for if a sequel or successor emerges.
But the problems listed above should not be a deterrent to enjoying the game. And I believe that the game challenges our understanding of our role in the game, and this challenge may have left some gamers cold.
It seem that most players engage the game with the thought that we are the primary actor. We control Ethan, Madison, Norman and Scott. We are in control of the characters' actions, thoughts and impact in the game world. This is a commonly understood language of games, where the player is the sole determinant.
However, in Heavy Rain, we have to understand that we are not the primary actor. We are not even the director. Our role is not to determine their progression for them. They have already done that for themselves through their own independent actions. Our role in this world is far less involved, serving only as observers, as flies on the wall. And the game serves only as a window into which we glance briefly into the lives of these characters. And these characters, who exist completely independent from us, do not conform to our understanding of the world. If we were to extend the film-making analogy, we would be more akin to that of a post-production editor. We can affect the pacing of the narrative, and pick out one scene over a selection of alternatives. But ultimately, our impact is minimal.
And because we are placed in this unfamiliar position, various story elements may seem out of step with our understanding of the game. And we ask whether the reveal, or any other plot point made any sense to us. That, I believe, is the wrong question to ask. The question should instead be, "Did it make sense to them?".
Was the character of Scott Shelby internally consistent, within the confines of the world he lives in? Yes, it was.
Did Ethan truly believe that he was the killer? Yes, he did.
Did the peripheral characters also believe that Ethan was the killer? Yes, they did.
Ultimately, there are fair criticisms that can be laid against the game. But we should not diminish the game's challenge to our commonly understood role as a gamer. It may seem disempowering that we have no impact within the game. It's like picking up a snow-globe that won't work whenever we shake it. But I believe that this challenge could change our perspectives of our roles as gamers, and our expected interactions with a piece of interactive creative work.
But I'm hoping to be able to quantify my experience with it, and where I think the game truly resonated with me. And I hope that sharing my perspective will enable other games to hopefully enjoy it as much as I did.
*Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers*
Scott Shelby is the Origami Killer.
This is an important development in the game, and not just in the narrative. It seems that for some players, this particular revelation reveals several inherent flaws in the game, and thus tainted the overall experience.
And the criticisms leveled against Heavy Rain's red herrings, and logical gaps in the narrative are fair and deserved. And the criticism against the mixed performance by the voice actors are also fair. These are lessons that should be accounted for if a sequel or successor emerges.
But the problems listed above should not be a deterrent to enjoying the game. And I believe that the game challenges our understanding of our role in the game, and this challenge may have left some gamers cold.
It seem that most players engage the game with the thought that we are the primary actor. We control Ethan, Madison, Norman and Scott. We are in control of the characters' actions, thoughts and impact in the game world. This is a commonly understood language of games, where the player is the sole determinant.
However, in Heavy Rain, we have to understand that we are not the primary actor. We are not even the director. Our role is not to determine their progression for them. They have already done that for themselves through their own independent actions. Our role in this world is far less involved, serving only as observers, as flies on the wall. And the game serves only as a window into which we glance briefly into the lives of these characters. And these characters, who exist completely independent from us, do not conform to our understanding of the world. If we were to extend the film-making analogy, we would be more akin to that of a post-production editor. We can affect the pacing of the narrative, and pick out one scene over a selection of alternatives. But ultimately, our impact is minimal.
And because we are placed in this unfamiliar position, various story elements may seem out of step with our understanding of the game. And we ask whether the reveal, or any other plot point made any sense to us. That, I believe, is the wrong question to ask. The question should instead be, "Did it make sense to them?".
Was the character of Scott Shelby internally consistent, within the confines of the world he lives in? Yes, it was.
Did Ethan truly believe that he was the killer? Yes, he did.
Did the peripheral characters also believe that Ethan was the killer? Yes, they did.
Ultimately, there are fair criticisms that can be laid against the game. But we should not diminish the game's challenge to our commonly understood role as a gamer. It may seem disempowering that we have no impact within the game. It's like picking up a snow-globe that won't work whenever we shake it. But I believe that this challenge could change our perspectives of our roles as gamers, and our expected interactions with a piece of interactive creative work.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Dear Ramly Burger,
Sometimes the smallest, most insignificant object can play a pivotal role in a person's life. A trinket or a memento from long ago; a battered old souvenir or a loved toy.
The Ramly Burger would be that one thing for me. I don't remember when I ever had my first one. But its taste and aroma evokes memories that would otherwise been forgotten.
The Ramly Burger, in essence, is the lowest quality burger that one could ever find. A meat patty made from suspect ingredients, wrapped in a thin layer of egg, smothered in sauce and spice, and drenched in oil. The flavours are so strong and overbearing that one can never tell what one is exactly tasting. And truth be told, that is the one true way.
I remember late nights at a pasar malam. And that one trip to KL which I made with friends from the Army. I remember always seeking out the same Ramly Burger man because his skill on the grill cannot be imitated.
The overpowering flavours mirrors the vibrancy and life of home. It brings to fore fond remembrances of friends and family. And it is this that makes the lowly Ramly Burger transcend itself, and become an iconic food not just for myself, but for many people back home.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Life in Melbourne: At the drive-in
Audrea and I went to the drive-in for the first time over the weekend. It's been something I've wanted to go for the longest time, having only read about them in old Archie comics. For me, it sounded like a place for that old-time movie magic. And making out.
And there being a drive-in just minutes away from us, it seemed silly not to give it a try. And not knowing what to expect, going to the drive-in was quite an experience.
We drove in, bought our tickets and promptly met with a wall of cars which were parked for whatever was presently screening. I think we broke a few courtesy rules leaving the headlights on while we prowled for a suitable parking spot.
And getting the sound on was another little tale. We were told to tune our radios in to the cinema frequency, but we were both worried that leaving the radio on would drain the car's battery. Audrea and I have had some bad experience with cars whose batteries drained after about a half-hour of radio. I asked a guy in the car next to our's, who said it's never happened to him. I also posted on Twitter and Facebook to ask, and was promptly assured it wouldn't happen. Still, I think we were both nervous about the car refusing to start after the movie; Luckily those fears were unfounded.
Being in your own car whilst the movie runs definitely gives more privacy, and personal space. We could shuffle about in the car, use our mobiles, and chat with each other at our own discretion. But a car gets uncomfortable very quickly. We didn't have the right tools with us this time, which we'll remedy the next time: pillows, blankets, and finding the right angle to simultaneously stretch out while maintaining the optimum viewing angle.
Still, the drive-in was something quite memorable, and definitely worth going back to again. And something for us to do with visiting friends who may have never been before. But like I said earlier, we'll have to arm ourselves suitably the next time round.
And there being a drive-in just minutes away from us, it seemed silly not to give it a try. And not knowing what to expect, going to the drive-in was quite an experience.
We drove in, bought our tickets and promptly met with a wall of cars which were parked for whatever was presently screening. I think we broke a few courtesy rules leaving the headlights on while we prowled for a suitable parking spot.
And getting the sound on was another little tale. We were told to tune our radios in to the cinema frequency, but we were both worried that leaving the radio on would drain the car's battery. Audrea and I have had some bad experience with cars whose batteries drained after about a half-hour of radio. I asked a guy in the car next to our's, who said it's never happened to him. I also posted on Twitter and Facebook to ask, and was promptly assured it wouldn't happen. Still, I think we were both nervous about the car refusing to start after the movie; Luckily those fears were unfounded.
Being in your own car whilst the movie runs definitely gives more privacy, and personal space. We could shuffle about in the car, use our mobiles, and chat with each other at our own discretion. But a car gets uncomfortable very quickly. We didn't have the right tools with us this time, which we'll remedy the next time: pillows, blankets, and finding the right angle to simultaneously stretch out while maintaining the optimum viewing angle.
Still, the drive-in was something quite memorable, and definitely worth going back to again. And something for us to do with visiting friends who may have never been before. But like I said earlier, we'll have to arm ourselves suitably the next time round.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
New Year's Resolutions 2010
The New Year has come and gone in a blink of an eye, and we're well into 2010; The final year of the first decade of the 21st Century. And there have been monumental changes in the past nine years, changes that have drastically shaped my life, and the person I've become. And hopefully by the close of this year, and the decade, I'll be able to mark some more notches on my belt.
Resolutions
Resolutions
- Take a course and learn something new.
- Watch more movies.
- Write more.
- Read more.
- Ride a bicycle. Regularly.
Since leaving University, I don't believe I've applied myself vigorously to new thoughts, new ideas or new experiences. And as such, I believe I've stagnated mentally for a good period of time. I need to break out from my complacency and malaise, and try to reignite my brains once again.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Buying a house, and lessons learnt
Audrea and I moved into our new home over the weekend. The house is shaping up nicely, and aside from a few other bits of household items, we're mostly settled in.
But the entire process has been extremely trying and exhausting. And I think we're learnt a number of lessons, which will help if we ever move again in the future.
1) Making the offer, and signing the contract
We made an offer on the higher end of the price range, and perhaps that was a novice mistake. We were afraid that someone else would make a more attractive counter-offer. Making an offer of a reasonable amount to yourself is important.
I also made the mistake of not insisting on including "Subject to finance" in the terms of my offer. This would have given us an exit option, should things not work out. This is particularly pertinent when we were buying off the plan, which would take about 6 months till settlement.
Understanding the penalties is also very important. As I'll share later, we had a hard time securing the loan. And had we defaulted on settlement, we would have lost the house, forfeit our down payment, and paid the difference if the vendor was offered less on the re-sale. We didn't ask about the penalties in greater detail because we were so confident that securing a loan wouldn't be a problem, which in hindsight was a poor decision to make.
2) Not keeping an eye on the house
I think we placed too much trust on the real estate agent, the vendor and the builder to look after us. And as such, we didn't keep as close an eye on the building process as we should have. We didn't insist on being consulted with regards to the internal fixings, or even some of the larger aspects of the building (such as ducted cooling). We were lucky that the builder had a good eye, and picked the colours and materials that we otherwise would have. But we did end up with a couple of things we wished were included into the house.
3) Mortgage, brokers and lawyers
Because settlement was so far removed from the contract signing, we had a bit of time to secure a loan. And because of that, I think we both procrastinated a little bit. This was further compounded when advised by the broker in October that we still had plenty of time to secure that loan. Things did not turn out that way exactly.
The whole process took longer than it should have, taking almost one and a half months before we could confirm our loan arrangements. For some reason, the bank kept requesting for additional documents. And given there was a 6-8 day turnaround with each request, this greatly extended the time needed for the loan. And with our initial submission, we were assured by the broker that we had already provided sufficient documentation, so the constant delays caught us off guard. We only got final loan approval less than a week from settlement.
The lawyer we engaged was a great help to us, because his constant reminders to us emphasised the urgency of the situation. But I think we had different expectations on the services provided. His services were to prepare the required documents for settlement, and in a normal situation, this would have been sufficient. But given our particular scenario, I had assumed that he would also represent our interests in dealing with the broker, bank, and vendor. I guess I had slightly different expectations of what engaging a lawyer entails, so there were moments when I felt quite frustrated by a seemingly lack of assistance from all sides.
4) Stamp duty
One of the biggest shocks we received near the end of the whole process was the amount of stamp duty we had to pay. Buying an off-the-plan property often means a much lower stamp duty than buying an established one. And one is always told that the duty is based off the value of the land. This is close, but not exactly true.
What we've found is that the duty is calculated by taking away the value of the construction from the purchase price. So say that the purchase price is $10, the value of the construction is $4, and the land is $3. The duty is not calculated on the value of the land ($3), but rather on the purchase price minus the construction price ($10-$4=$6). As such, we were hit by a higher stamp duty that we previously assumed, which has left us in a undesirable position.
5) Final inspection of the house
It's important to do the final inspection of the house as early as possible. Because we hadn't secured our loan until the last week, we weren't confident that we would get the house. We found a number of issues with the house, and because it was so close to settlement, there wasn't much that could be done aside from putting a request to have the builder resolve the issues. However, if we had done this earlier, it would have been possible to have these issues resolved before we get the keys. As it is now, those issues are now up to us to resolve.
But the entire process has been extremely trying and exhausting. And I think we're learnt a number of lessons, which will help if we ever move again in the future.
1) Making the offer, and signing the contract
We made an offer on the higher end of the price range, and perhaps that was a novice mistake. We were afraid that someone else would make a more attractive counter-offer. Making an offer of a reasonable amount to yourself is important.
I also made the mistake of not insisting on including "Subject to finance" in the terms of my offer. This would have given us an exit option, should things not work out. This is particularly pertinent when we were buying off the plan, which would take about 6 months till settlement.
Understanding the penalties is also very important. As I'll share later, we had a hard time securing the loan. And had we defaulted on settlement, we would have lost the house, forfeit our down payment, and paid the difference if the vendor was offered less on the re-sale. We didn't ask about the penalties in greater detail because we were so confident that securing a loan wouldn't be a problem, which in hindsight was a poor decision to make.
2) Not keeping an eye on the house
I think we placed too much trust on the real estate agent, the vendor and the builder to look after us. And as such, we didn't keep as close an eye on the building process as we should have. We didn't insist on being consulted with regards to the internal fixings, or even some of the larger aspects of the building (such as ducted cooling). We were lucky that the builder had a good eye, and picked the colours and materials that we otherwise would have. But we did end up with a couple of things we wished were included into the house.
3) Mortgage, brokers and lawyers
Because settlement was so far removed from the contract signing, we had a bit of time to secure a loan. And because of that, I think we both procrastinated a little bit. This was further compounded when advised by the broker in October that we still had plenty of time to secure that loan. Things did not turn out that way exactly.
The whole process took longer than it should have, taking almost one and a half months before we could confirm our loan arrangements. For some reason, the bank kept requesting for additional documents. And given there was a 6-8 day turnaround with each request, this greatly extended the time needed for the loan. And with our initial submission, we were assured by the broker that we had already provided sufficient documentation, so the constant delays caught us off guard. We only got final loan approval less than a week from settlement.
The lawyer we engaged was a great help to us, because his constant reminders to us emphasised the urgency of the situation. But I think we had different expectations on the services provided. His services were to prepare the required documents for settlement, and in a normal situation, this would have been sufficient. But given our particular scenario, I had assumed that he would also represent our interests in dealing with the broker, bank, and vendor. I guess I had slightly different expectations of what engaging a lawyer entails, so there were moments when I felt quite frustrated by a seemingly lack of assistance from all sides.
4) Stamp duty
One of the biggest shocks we received near the end of the whole process was the amount of stamp duty we had to pay. Buying an off-the-plan property often means a much lower stamp duty than buying an established one. And one is always told that the duty is based off the value of the land. This is close, but not exactly true.
What we've found is that the duty is calculated by taking away the value of the construction from the purchase price. So say that the purchase price is $10, the value of the construction is $4, and the land is $3. The duty is not calculated on the value of the land ($3), but rather on the purchase price minus the construction price ($10-$4=$6). As such, we were hit by a higher stamp duty that we previously assumed, which has left us in a undesirable position.
5) Final inspection of the house
It's important to do the final inspection of the house as early as possible. Because we hadn't secured our loan until the last week, we weren't confident that we would get the house. We found a number of issues with the house, and because it was so close to settlement, there wasn't much that could be done aside from putting a request to have the builder resolve the issues. However, if we had done this earlier, it would have been possible to have these issues resolved before we get the keys. As it is now, those issues are now up to us to resolve.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
PixelCast 5: Tickle My Pixel
Dylan, Tim and I made a second attempt to finish the podcast, and we persevered. Listen to us talk about games we've been playing, comment on gaming news and discuss episodic content.
We were fortunate enough to salvage half of the original recording with guest host, Nathan Cocks from PC Powerplay. Listen to our smooth, chocolatey voices and enjoy.
Download from here.
We were fortunate enough to salvage half of the original recording with guest host, Nathan Cocks from PC Powerplay. Listen to our smooth, chocolatey voices and enjoy.
Download from here.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Podcast Attempt Failed
It's a real shame that the podcast we were recording yesterday afternoon was lost. It's probably a technical hiccup, and not anyone's fault really. When coordinating a recording with four people in separate cities (and different countries for one), there's many things that could go wrong; Sound quality, bandwidth and overtaxing the computers are all possible fault-lines.
We had some really good content in there, and good banter all around. So it's a real shame it's all gone now. We're trying to salvage something, but it looks like re-recording is the only real solution here. I hope we can recapture some of that magic.
We had some really good content in there, and good banter all around. So it's a real shame it's all gone now. We're trying to salvage something, but it looks like re-recording is the only real solution here. I hope we can recapture some of that magic.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Life in Melbourne: Royal Melbourne Show 2009
Audrea and I have always been fans of the Royal Shows. We went when we were students in Brisbane. And we continue to go now that we're in Melbourne. Showbags, carnival games, rides, fairy floss and animals. What's not to like?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
2009: A Big Year So Far
Only half the year has gone, and it has been extremely eventful. I can't remember a time when things were as crazy.
- My older sister got married in February
- I got married in June
- I got laid-off in July
- Got a new job in August
- Audrea and I bought a house
- And I just found out that my older sister is pregnant, and I'm gonna be an uncle soon
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Life in Melbourne: Skiing at Mt Buller
We went skiing for the very first times in our lives today, and we loved it. For Audrea, it was her first time seeing snow as well.
It was hard going at the start, as always when learning new things. But we both picked it up fairly promptly. We could move a distance without falling over, and we could do a simple stop and turn. Not bad for first-timers.
Of course, we didn't escape completely unharmed. I'm sure we'll be sore all over when we wake in the morning. And I've got blisters around my ankles where the ski boots dug too deep. But it well worth the battle scars.
It was hard going at the start, as always when learning new things. But we both picked it up fairly promptly. We could move a distance without falling over, and we could do a simple stop and turn. Not bad for first-timers.
Of course, we didn't escape completely unharmed. I'm sure we'll be sore all over when we wake in the morning. And I've got blisters around my ankles where the ski boots dug too deep. But it well worth the battle scars.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Busy weeks, an injured hand and The Ghostbusters
It's been a very hectic couple of weeks. There's a mountain of work to be done, and there's more coming on. The events calendar is pretty light for the next two weeks, but there's more to do about work systems and new projects. I'm in the midst of writing a proposal for a new project, as well as having to do an intensive cleanup of our contacts database. In addition, I've got my annual review coming up. I'm hoping that not only will I continue to have my job, I'll get a pay raise too.
I injured my hand recently, so that's a bummer. It's been hurting for over a month now. The doctor says that the tendons in my left wrist is probably inflammed, so rest and pain medication are the best things for it. It also means I have to reduce my playtime with videogames. Grasping the gamepad, and manuvering the thumbstick seems to be exacebating the problem.
I did have time to give Ghostbusters: The Videogame a good play through. And I've got to say that the game is living up to expectations in some respects, and disappointing in others. It's very much the Peter Venkman character in the movies. Eminently charming but ultimately lacking in some substance. The writing is very funny, making me laugh out loud on multiple occasions. And seeing the original cast reprise their roles elicits a strong feeling of nostalgia. And catching ghosts are quite a blast. The primary problems I have with it are that some parts of the game are terribly frustrating. Especially so when facing the swarms of tiny ghosts that overwhelm you. With the movement and controls feeling a little sluggish, facing those swarms gets really old really fast. The overall story of the game stretches the Gozer theme from the first movie a little too thinly as well. I'll get back to it soon, as I'm wanting to play with the multiplayer mode.
I injured my hand recently, so that's a bummer. It's been hurting for over a month now. The doctor says that the tendons in my left wrist is probably inflammed, so rest and pain medication are the best things for it. It also means I have to reduce my playtime with videogames. Grasping the gamepad, and manuvering the thumbstick seems to be exacebating the problem.
I did have time to give Ghostbusters: The Videogame a good play through. And I've got to say that the game is living up to expectations in some respects, and disappointing in others. It's very much the Peter Venkman character in the movies. Eminently charming but ultimately lacking in some substance. The writing is very funny, making me laugh out loud on multiple occasions. And seeing the original cast reprise their roles elicits a strong feeling of nostalgia. And catching ghosts are quite a blast. The primary problems I have with it are that some parts of the game are terribly frustrating. Especially so when facing the swarms of tiny ghosts that overwhelm you. With the movement and controls feeling a little sluggish, facing those swarms gets really old really fast. The overall story of the game stretches the Gozer theme from the first movie a little too thinly as well. I'll get back to it soon, as I'm wanting to play with the multiplayer mode.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Made a Podcast
We stepped into a recording studio today to make our very first podcast. And it was terribly exciting. I've been wanting to do something like this for a while now, and I finally got a chance to.
My colleague and I chatted with a guest author who was doing his book tour for about 20 minutes, talking about his latest book, his approaches to writing and general outlook on everything else.
While it was work related, it is really exciting because it a whole new project that I've been trying to get going for a while now. Perhaps learning my craft here will be able to help me when I try to make a podcast of my own some time down the line.
My colleague and I chatted with a guest author who was doing his book tour for about 20 minutes, talking about his latest book, his approaches to writing and general outlook on everything else.
While it was work related, it is really exciting because it a whole new project that I've been trying to get going for a while now. Perhaps learning my craft here will be able to help me when I try to make a podcast of my own some time down the line.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Star Trek & Bioshock
Saw Star Trek last night, and I really quite enjoyed it. It established a good balancce between introducing the show to a new audience, paying homage to the old classics, being an action flick whilst still maintaining a sense of drama and camaraderie between the crew members. The special effects were good without being overwrought. So overall, in terms of narrative, pacing, casting & production values, it was really a good movie.
But I just don't get the overlapping timelines. It seems like that's a common theme in Star Trek storylines, with alternate realities and something about the space-time continuum. So Kirk and Spock know that they are going to be friends because Spock from the future came back and told them about that? And then that ties back into the original series when Shatner and Nimoy portrayed those characters back in the 70s? Gahh...
I also finished Bioshock. It's was a really enjoyable experience, though the ending left a little to be desired. The city of Rapture was absolutely captivating. The stylings, the music, the lived-in feel... The whole atmosphere was unforgettable. But two things troubled me... the premise of the story and the way the ending is decided.
1) So Fontaine, posing as Atlas, manipulates my character, a person he had originally brainwashed and sent to the surface world. And some 20 years later, my character is involved in an airplane accident, falls into the sea and lands directly onto the entrance into Rapture. I am then tasked by Atlas to elimiate Andrew Ryan who is a rival to Fontaine. I find Andrew Ryan, who despite knowing the keyphrase to exert control over me, allows himself to get killed, thereby relinquishing control over Rapture, a lost, burnt-out, abandoned city, populated only by mutants to Fontaine. Sounds a little ridiculous? I think so...
2) I got the bad ending. Because I harvested one of the Little Sisters. And I get the "evil person" ending for that. My problem with that is the absolute nature of the choice... you're either a saint or a devil. Any decision can only have one of two possible outcomes. It attempts to elicite a moral response, but morality in Bioshock deals only in absolutes, black and white, yes or no, right or wrong. And in doing so, loses much of the impact that the games presents: That there is no right or wong, but only the will to do.
But I just don't get the overlapping timelines. It seems like that's a common theme in Star Trek storylines, with alternate realities and something about the space-time continuum. So Kirk and Spock know that they are going to be friends because Spock from the future came back and told them about that? And then that ties back into the original series when Shatner and Nimoy portrayed those characters back in the 70s? Gahh...
I also finished Bioshock. It's was a really enjoyable experience, though the ending left a little to be desired. The city of Rapture was absolutely captivating. The stylings, the music, the lived-in feel... The whole atmosphere was unforgettable. But two things troubled me... the premise of the story and the way the ending is decided.
1) So Fontaine, posing as Atlas, manipulates my character, a person he had originally brainwashed and sent to the surface world. And some 20 years later, my character is involved in an airplane accident, falls into the sea and lands directly onto the entrance into Rapture. I am then tasked by Atlas to elimiate Andrew Ryan who is a rival to Fontaine. I find Andrew Ryan, who despite knowing the keyphrase to exert control over me, allows himself to get killed, thereby relinquishing control over Rapture, a lost, burnt-out, abandoned city, populated only by mutants to Fontaine. Sounds a little ridiculous? I think so...
2) I got the bad ending. Because I harvested one of the Little Sisters. And I get the "evil person" ending for that. My problem with that is the absolute nature of the choice... you're either a saint or a devil. Any decision can only have one of two possible outcomes. It attempts to elicite a moral response, but morality in Bioshock deals only in absolutes, black and white, yes or no, right or wrong. And in doing so, loses much of the impact that the games presents: That there is no right or wong, but only the will to do.
Friday, April 24, 2009
What I've been playing
It's been a busy couple of weeks. Aside from work, I'm still working on those things I talked about a while back. But I did manage to get some gaming in.
Guitar Heroes: On Tour: Decades
I've been playing this heavily for the past week. I'm putting together a review for Pixel Hunt, so I've been hitting it pretty hard. You'll be able to see my opinions regarding it in a month or so.
Crysis: Warhead
I picked this up along with another game from the EB Games "2 for $50" sale. I've surprisingly been able to play this on my laptop, albeit with reduced graphical quality. Still, it's running fairly well. There haven't been any standout moments as yet, but the overall experience has been enjoyable. That I can approach it from multiple angles, given it's open world nature is a big plus in my book.
Company of Heroes
This was the other game I picked up as part of the EB Games sale. I can see why it has been so highly regarded since it's launch. Each unit seems to display a level of intelligence, plus there's a lot of tactical considerations for the player. I've only played a couple of missions so far, so I'm keen to see how it goes.
Left 4 Dead
Played a good co-op game last weekend, after being cussed out of a Versus game. I'm just not that good and I'm often a burden on my team-mates in Versus mode. Co-op is my best choice, and even then I'm only any good on Normal difficulty. Advanced mode just makes a fool out of me.
Civilization 4
There's so much meat on this bone, I'm not sure if I can take it all in. I've won one campaign but I'm sure I wasn't playing at an optimal level. I did get everyone to vote me as leader of the world though.
Guitar Heroes: On Tour: Decades
I've been playing this heavily for the past week. I'm putting together a review for Pixel Hunt, so I've been hitting it pretty hard. You'll be able to see my opinions regarding it in a month or so.
Crysis: Warhead
I picked this up along with another game from the EB Games "2 for $50" sale. I've surprisingly been able to play this on my laptop, albeit with reduced graphical quality. Still, it's running fairly well. There haven't been any standout moments as yet, but the overall experience has been enjoyable. That I can approach it from multiple angles, given it's open world nature is a big plus in my book.
Company of Heroes
This was the other game I picked up as part of the EB Games sale. I can see why it has been so highly regarded since it's launch. Each unit seems to display a level of intelligence, plus there's a lot of tactical considerations for the player. I've only played a couple of missions so far, so I'm keen to see how it goes.
Left 4 Dead
Played a good co-op game last weekend, after being cussed out of a Versus game. I'm just not that good and I'm often a burden on my team-mates in Versus mode. Co-op is my best choice, and even then I'm only any good on Normal difficulty. Advanced mode just makes a fool out of me.
Civilization 4
There's so much meat on this bone, I'm not sure if I can take it all in. I've won one campaign but I'm sure I wasn't playing at an optimal level. I did get everyone to vote me as leader of the world though.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Things to do
My... It's been a particularly busy month. Work has been crazy, and I've got a bunch of side projects I've gotta be working on.
Pixel Hunt
I'm writing an article on independent games development in Australia, and I've got to finish questionnaires for three interviewees. There's a few other leads I have to follow up on as well. I've also got to finish a game review and an op-ed for publication within the next 3 weeks.
Wedding
I've received responses from friends on their availability to attend our wedding, and we've got to arrange for invitation cards to be mailed out. There's still details to be worked out, such as seating plans, wedding gifts to Audrea's family, wedding cars and videography.
House-hunting
We've gotten our finances in place, and are seriously looking around for homes now. It's really quite taxing driving from property to property, examining the homes and talking with the real estate agents. We haven't really found one that we love that's within our price point just yet though, so that means more searching. And once we do find a place, we'll have to organise movers as well as shop for new furniture.
Pixel Hunt
I'm writing an article on independent games development in Australia, and I've got to finish questionnaires for three interviewees. There's a few other leads I have to follow up on as well. I've also got to finish a game review and an op-ed for publication within the next 3 weeks.
Wedding
I've received responses from friends on their availability to attend our wedding, and we've got to arrange for invitation cards to be mailed out. There's still details to be worked out, such as seating plans, wedding gifts to Audrea's family, wedding cars and videography.
House-hunting
We've gotten our finances in place, and are seriously looking around for homes now. It's really quite taxing driving from property to property, examining the homes and talking with the real estate agents. We haven't really found one that we love that's within our price point just yet though, so that means more searching. And once we do find a place, we'll have to organise movers as well as shop for new furniture.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Just another day on the Werribee train
The 8.09am express train from Werribee to the City forgot to make a stop at one of its primary stations this morning. Instead, we drove straight on through.
Take your pick on which was the funniest:
1) The look on the faces of passengers waiting at the station as we sped past.
2) The 3 minutes we stopped after while the driver contemplated reversing the train back.
3) His embarrassed apology as he realised it would be far too difficult to go back. "Yea... That was my bad," he said.
Take your pick on which was the funniest:
1) The look on the faces of passengers waiting at the station as we sped past.
2) The 3 minutes we stopped after while the driver contemplated reversing the train back.
3) His embarrassed apology as he realised it would be far too difficult to go back. "Yea... That was my bad," he said.
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