I saw the movie on Thursday, opening day down here. One of the funniest things I have ever seen. It is a masterpiece of timing, humour and (sort of) plot. The whole thing is funny as hell, and the writers make every single joke great. Homer is still stupid (something that really manifested itself past the tenth season) but it's funny; it's like a funnier 84 minute long season 6 episode, also it has better animation, and Homer is stupider.
The movie is PG, what with the nudity, drug references, sexual suggestions and jokes. So, don't be fooled into taking a 6 year old along.
The whole adventure is delightfully impossible, with a Chekov gun (try to spot it), blantant defying of physics, a wonderfully crafted insane advisor, Arnold Schwarzenegger (who was apparently not paid to read) and a moral crisis for Homer.
Along the way we meet scores of old characters, new jokes, shocks, cel shading in every scene, and CGI (just like their younger, revived cousin Futurama).
So if you're debating whether or not to go, or if it's worth it, go. Go now. Pay someone to give you a seat if necessary.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Mighty Mouse
As you may or may not know from my iPhone post, I am an Apple fan, although I own three PC's, two with XP, one with Vista. But, when I suddenly found myself mouse-less, I needed a new one. And as luck would have it, I live in Australia where they mark good gaming mice up $80 for no reason. So, I decided to get a Mighty Mouse, because it looks so damn cool.
So, I paid my money, and took home my wired Mighty Mouse. I plugged it into my computer, and it installed the standard Windows mouse driver. That's when I got a kick in the ribs - Apple refuses to make a driver for the damn thing! That would be fine, but it has a 360 degree mouse wheel. Well, ball. And uncustomisable side buttons.
So I have a cool looking mouse with and extra button, and a scroll ball that only works in one plane. And I can't find a driver for the thing. If you find a free one, email me! Comment! Something!
Overall I am quite happy with it, but I don't think it will be a good gaming mouse. Definately try it before you buy it. You might like it, you might not. I happen to like it, but I know a lot of people won't.
So, I paid my money, and took home my wired Mighty Mouse. I plugged it into my computer, and it installed the standard Windows mouse driver. That's when I got a kick in the ribs - Apple refuses to make a driver for the damn thing! That would be fine, but it has a 360 degree mouse wheel. Well, ball. And uncustomisable side buttons.
So I have a cool looking mouse with and extra button, and a scroll ball that only works in one plane. And I can't find a driver for the thing. If you find a free one, email me! Comment! Something!
Overall I am quite happy with it, but I don't think it will be a good gaming mouse. Definately try it before you buy it. You might like it, you might not. I happen to like it, but I know a lot of people won't.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Wow
This is some of the weirdest stuff I've ever seen. It's so very...odd. I'm talking about Lucky Star, a manga/anime in Japan. The first 5 minutes of the episode is a heap of cartoon girls dancing. Often in the middle of nowhere with no rhyme, reason, point, or recognisable dancing. I hope thats dancing.
And, you know what the first words are in the opening proper are? They are "around 3 cm". With no set up. There's talking before that, but it just comes out of nowhere. Nowhere at all. I mean, there's a reason for the dancing, I think. They might be cheerleaders, because that's the standard reason given for what people call 'fan service'.
And the first ten minutes of the first episode is talking about how they eat food. Watch for the random stuff they pull out of nowhere. It's hilarious. Watch especially for the scene with the ice cream.
And someone ran the song Ievan Polkka to some repeated scenes of it. The music makes anything funny (It's Finnish) but the scenes clinched it.
If you want to see it, go check out Youtube. It's so worth it.
And, you know what the first words are in the opening proper are? They are "around 3 cm". With no set up. There's talking before that, but it just comes out of nowhere. Nowhere at all. I mean, there's a reason for the dancing, I think. They might be cheerleaders, because that's the standard reason given for what people call 'fan service'.
And the first ten minutes of the first episode is talking about how they eat food. Watch for the random stuff they pull out of nowhere. It's hilarious. Watch especially for the scene with the ice cream.
And someone ran the song Ievan Polkka to some repeated scenes of it. The music makes anything funny (It's Finnish) but the scenes clinched it.
If you want to see it, go check out Youtube. It's so worth it.
Monday, July 16, 2007
iPhone
People either love or hate iPods, and by extension the iPhone. I myself am a big fan, although i dislike the mini, and the 2G nanos. In all likelihood, I will get one the moment they come out in Australia, preferably without being confined to a single phone company.
This isn't to say that the iPhone is perfect. It isn't. The thing is expensive, coming in at US$500. Thats very expensive indeed. It can only accept programs written by Microsoft, it lacks a memory card slot, its 2.5G's! That's not nearly enough G's!
Everybody remember how their iPods batteries went flat? And we all hacked the backs off to change the batteries with commercially available batteries that worked just as well? And Apple said the whole point was to keep the form factor. You could buy them in a store for much less than the US$79 figure Apple wanted. Well, they did it again. Maybe it's a different battery. Frankly, I don't care. The batteries should be user replaceable or affordable. Some of the people who bought these products had to save. Simply the starting expense of these Apple products is not an excuse for high prices.
So come on Apple. Give us some credit.
This isn't to say that the iPhone is perfect. It isn't. The thing is expensive, coming in at US$500. Thats very expensive indeed. It can only accept programs written by Microsoft, it lacks a memory card slot, its 2.5G's! That's not nearly enough G's!
Everybody remember how their iPods batteries went flat? And we all hacked the backs off to change the batteries with commercially available batteries that worked just as well? And Apple said the whole point was to keep the form factor. You could buy them in a store for much less than the US$79 figure Apple wanted. Well, they did it again. Maybe it's a different battery. Frankly, I don't care. The batteries should be user replaceable or affordable. Some of the people who bought these products had to save. Simply the starting expense of these Apple products is not an excuse for high prices.
So come on Apple. Give us some credit.
The Coming of the Long Awaited Games
Well down here in Europe/Australia all those long awaited Nintendo games are finally coming out. That's Phantom Hourglass, Trauma Center, Mario Kart, Super Smash Brother, Super Paper Mario, Metroid Prime 3 and lots more! Here, you can check the whole list out at the Nintendo Europe Website.
There was an article on Quality Assurance in the Seattle Weekly.For most gamers, it seems like a great job, until you realise that the people treat you like cattle, and you virtually never get to actually just play a fun game.
Well I'm off for today.
There was an article on Quality Assurance in the Seattle Weekly.For most gamers, it seems like a great job, until you realise that the people treat you like cattle, and you virtually never get to actually just play a fun game.
Well I'm off for today.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Accessibility in Gaming
I read an article on the OneSwitch site about accessibility in gaming. It's an interesting topic. I mean, most parents are either unable to play video games or just plain suck, and they were raised on the things.
So, will gaming companies make their products more accessible, or is it just not going to happen. BTW Nintendo, that does no mean slapping a logo on the box.
More to the point, is the lack of accessibility the reason for this lack of gamers? Or is it just disinterest?
So, will gaming companies make their products more accessible, or is it just not going to happen. BTW Nintendo, that does no mean slapping a logo on the box.
More to the point, is the lack of accessibility the reason for this lack of gamers? Or is it just disinterest?
You call that E3?!
Well, the new E3 has come and gone, and though the wretched demons of the nether hells have redesigned it purely to the advantage of everyone who isn't a gamer. The whole point of E3 was for consumers to see what was coming up in the future of gaming. But now it is invite only. Yes, I'm sure that we'll get fair and even coverage that way.
More to the point, lot's of cool stuff has surfaced.
There's another Wii Channel on the block - Check Mii Out. Probably something to do with sharing Miis. Awesome name though.
Theres a 'PSP lite'. With +19% thinness. Wow.
Awesome new Wii Zapper with a place for the Nunchuck added. Much better than the current Zapper.
Well that about wraps up all the cool stuff at E3 this year. In other news, thought the Smash Brothers Dojo site now has quite a lot of content. Check it out.
More to the point, lot's of cool stuff has surfaced.
- The SIXAXIS controller will have rumble again! Sony has signed a deal with Immersion to provide rumble controllers again. Probably no chance of it on your old games though.
- Blizzard has announced that they're working on a new game. It's apparently a totally new game, so Starcraft: Ghost is still on permanent hiatus.
- The 60GB American PS3 with the EE is going away. Sony reports they have enough stock for a few months. Not hard.
- Most people will have known about this one for a year - Microsoft admits that all Xbox 360's have a design flaw that causes them to fail. They've extended all the warranties for 3 years and it will cost an estimated $1.05 billion. Way to show everyone you didn't rush the Xbox out Microsoft.
There's another Wii Channel on the block - Check Mii Out. Probably something to do with sharing Miis. Awesome name though.
Theres a 'PSP lite'. With +19% thinness. Wow.
Awesome new Wii Zapper with a place for the Nunchuck added. Much better than the current Zapper.
Well that about wraps up all the cool stuff at E3 this year. In other news, thought the Smash Brothers Dojo site now has quite a lot of content. Check it out.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
The Console Equilibirium
This is my view of the current console situation, globally and locally (down here in Australia).
My personal preference in the console market is the Nintendo Wii, the Microsoft Xbox 360 and lastly the Playstation 3. This isn't the capabilities of the systems, this is the order I'd get a console in.
My reasons for this are many: for one thing, Nintendo is on the verge of releasing it's 'killer apps' - Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Brothers Brawl and Metroid Prime 3. It uses a fun and intuitive motion sensing control system, and has nearly full backwards compatibility with the Gamecube, as well as the Virtual Console which lets us legally play all those great games on the NES/SNES and N64. And the thing is so damn cute with its great small slim form factor.
The Xbox 360 reasons aren't as compelling, what with the HD-DVD attachment costing so much and the higher price point. And the failure rate and overheating. But it does play most Xbox 1 games (of which I have some, but no Xbox) and it has a fair form factor. It's also made by Microsoft, and whatever you want to say about them, they're rich. They're here to stay. It also offers HD graphics, and the graphics are only slightly inferior to the PS3. All in all, it's a good runner-up.
Finally, the Playstation 3. It would take a lot of convincing to get me to buy this console (chief among these the fact that we pay virtually double the equivalent price of the damn thing in the US). Living in a PAL country, I wouldn't even get the Emotion Engine even if I got one right now, and the great diversity of games the PS brand is famous for means nothing down here. Adding to this is my reluctance to commit to a Blu-ray player when DVD's are still prevalent, and HD-DVD is backed by Microsoft. Lastly, to enjoy most of the graphical enhancements, I'd need to buy an expensive new TV which just adds to the huge price I'd need to pay.
Although, global market figures do not quite ride out my view, placing the Xbox 360 ahead, the the Wii, then the PS3 with 11, 9 and 5 million units sold respectively. This also corresponds to release dates, but the Wii's advantage over the PS3 is double that of the difference between the Xbox 360 and Wii. And the ever important price is a major factor, with the Wii being more accessible.
Obviously no-one can predict the future. We'll have to wait and see, and maybe I'll be dead wrong. Let's wait and see.
My personal preference in the console market is the Nintendo Wii, the Microsoft Xbox 360 and lastly the Playstation 3. This isn't the capabilities of the systems, this is the order I'd get a console in.
My reasons for this are many: for one thing, Nintendo is on the verge of releasing it's 'killer apps' - Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Brothers Brawl and Metroid Prime 3. It uses a fun and intuitive motion sensing control system, and has nearly full backwards compatibility with the Gamecube, as well as the Virtual Console which lets us legally play all those great games on the NES/SNES and N64. And the thing is so damn cute with its great small slim form factor.
The Xbox 360 reasons aren't as compelling, what with the HD-DVD attachment costing so much and the higher price point. And the failure rate and overheating. But it does play most Xbox 1 games (of which I have some, but no Xbox) and it has a fair form factor. It's also made by Microsoft, and whatever you want to say about them, they're rich. They're here to stay. It also offers HD graphics, and the graphics are only slightly inferior to the PS3. All in all, it's a good runner-up.
Finally, the Playstation 3. It would take a lot of convincing to get me to buy this console (chief among these the fact that we pay virtually double the equivalent price of the damn thing in the US). Living in a PAL country, I wouldn't even get the Emotion Engine even if I got one right now, and the great diversity of games the PS brand is famous for means nothing down here. Adding to this is my reluctance to commit to a Blu-ray player when DVD's are still prevalent, and HD-DVD is backed by Microsoft. Lastly, to enjoy most of the graphical enhancements, I'd need to buy an expensive new TV which just adds to the huge price I'd need to pay.
Although, global market figures do not quite ride out my view, placing the Xbox 360 ahead, the the Wii, then the PS3 with 11, 9 and 5 million units sold respectively. This also corresponds to release dates, but the Wii's advantage over the PS3 is double that of the difference between the Xbox 360 and Wii. And the ever important price is a major factor, with the Wii being more accessible.
Obviously no-one can predict the future. We'll have to wait and see, and maybe I'll be dead wrong. Let's wait and see.
Tyro cometh
I'm Tyro
I play games, then I write reviews..
I'm a Nintendo fanboy, so all you guys expecting PS3 game reviews, go away.
I'm also sleepy, so I'm gonna go play Resident Evil 4 Wii edition, then review it for you.
I play games, then I write reviews..
I'm a Nintendo fanboy, so all you guys expecting PS3 game reviews, go away.
I'm also sleepy, so I'm gonna go play Resident Evil 4 Wii edition, then review it for you.
Grand Opening
Well, in a pathetic unknown sort of way. In any case, welcome to the opening of yet another gaming blog, Cloudy's Gaming Blog.
This is my new blog, moved from head.in.the.clouds.
In this me and my fellow bloggers will discuss and analyse the gaming scene, comment and hopefully inform you.
Welcome to the blog!
This is my new blog, moved from head.in.the.clouds.
In this me and my fellow bloggers will discuss and analyse the gaming scene, comment and hopefully inform you.
Welcome to the blog!
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