When you wake up in the morning, you never know what kind of a day you're going to have. Yesterday morning, I had the feeling that my day was going to be really bad. I woke up at 6:45 (2 hours earlier than I usually do) because I had two early morning meetings to go to. Then I knew it would be a long day, because I had a BASH (Business After Scheduled Hours) for our local Chamber of Commerce, and I told Jeff, a colleague of mine, that I would be meeting with him after the BASH to work on helping each other's businesses out. So I knew it was going to be about a 14 hour day. Nothing to look forward to.
For about the last month or so, we've been barely making it by. I guess I should explain for anyone who doesn't know...when you own your own business, you don't get a paycheck. We get money by getting people to pay us for what we do. So if we don't get any work, we don't get paid.
We build software for businesses. My analogy for this is, say you have two blocks of wood connected by a screw. And you need to get that screw out. You can use any number of tools to get that screw out. A penny will work. A screwdriver will work. And a power drill will work. Which is the best solution? As this relates to software, most people who sell software are trying to sell a product. They will tell you that you should buy their penny. Or you should buy their drill. All of them will work, but perhaps they aren't the best tool for the situation. We actually look at what you're doing. We ask questions, like "how many times will you need to get that screw out?" And "how long will you be doing this? for a year?" Then we figure out what the best software to use would be, and either build it, help you implement it, or whatever.
OK, back on track to my point. We've had some really big quotes for some really big jobs out there. In early February we quoted a job for about $125,000. (Yes, that many zeroes!) Another job we quoted at $30,000 early March, and finally a third at $15,000 around late February. We expected to have had at least one of these jobs by not. Not so. We have still been waiting to hear back from everyone.
In the meantime, we've picked up some smaller jobs. A $3,000 job here, a $1,000 job there. But those don't quite pay the bills. So we've been holding our breath for a long time on a lot of these.
Wednesday morning's meeting was a volunteer meeting for the Monroeville Chamber of Commerce...I'm on their marketing committee to help them figure out how best to market their projects and events. During that time, they mentioned a need for their website to have customer logins. Perfect job for us, so we'll be talking with them about that. It will be small, but filler work is great. Then I met a designer and an IT person....two great places for referrals since they often work with people needing what we do.
Got back to the office, and actually worked on a project that was at a standstill. I finally fixed the problem that I'd been having, so I made a lot of progress.
The day still was kinda long, so off I went to the BASH. There I was introduced to a woman whose husband's company is getting raped by their software vendor. Apparently they pay $250 for a phone call to tech support. How ridiculous is that? So we'll be talking with them about fixing up their circumstance. Definitely a good lead.
After that I met with Jeff, who had a really ingenius idea for software. So when I discussed it with him, it seemed that he had the right mindset to build a software program from the ground up. If he really wants to do that, then power to him. I guarantee that he'll want us to be involved at the very least, if not programming the software ourselves.
So I went back to the office, feeling pretty good about the day. When I got back, I got an email from a colleague who had been in contact with the woman in charge of the $125,000 project. She said that we'd have to wait about 2 weeks, but it seems that we have a really REALLY good shot at getting the project. Then I found out from Nick that we had two other phone calls. One saying that we are just about guaranteed the $15,000 job that I mentioned before, and one saying that a friend of ours has another client who needs some work done.
What a whopper of a day. I sat in my chair for a good 5 minutes and just tried to take it all in. I know that I don't usually post about our projects, and things that we're up to. Most people don't care to know about the tools that we found to help our clients, and solutions to problems that we've encountered. I'm a friggin programmer! But I had to share this day, because this makes days like last Thursday (where we had to scramble to make payroll) very much worth it. On days like yesterday, it's good to be a business owner.
And if anyone is interested in some of the projects that we do, I'd be more than happy to talk about them here. Just be honest though....does anyone really care that we found a program that allows you to run a WAMP stack (Apache, MySQL, and PHP) locally without needing a web server? Probably not. But let me know, because I'll be happy to share the kinds of things that we do.
As a footnote, I've been playing Titanquest and a little bit of Baldur's Gate II. Once I feel more comfortable with them, I'll post some reviews.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
OCRemix.org
I don't remember who showed this to me first, but I wanted to share it with one and all.
Everyone knows that some of the best music ever made has been for video games. Even the classic NES games with its 4 bit sound had some classic melodies that are still catchy. So if you yearn for the greatness of old video game music, this is an awesome website.
OC Remix is a website that collects independent remixes of video game music. People will submit entries, and the music is available to download for FREE. No licenses or anything!
Personally, I'm a huge fan of the Megaman II music that's there....to me that game had some of the best music ever.
Some of the remixes are techno, some are classical, some are rock n roll, and some are everything in between. And I'm sure that everyone will agree that Super Mario World / Sleigh Ride is downright awesome.
Enjoy the music from your favorite games as interpreted by these great remixers. Please share some of your favorites. Here are mine:
-Anything by Disco Dan
-Dr. Willy's Wedding, and most anything from Mega Man 2
Everyone knows that some of the best music ever made has been for video games. Even the classic NES games with its 4 bit sound had some classic melodies that are still catchy. So if you yearn for the greatness of old video game music, this is an awesome website.
OC Remix is a website that collects independent remixes of video game music. People will submit entries, and the music is available to download for FREE. No licenses or anything!
Personally, I'm a huge fan of the Megaman II music that's there....to me that game had some of the best music ever.
Some of the remixes are techno, some are classical, some are rock n roll, and some are everything in between. And I'm sure that everyone will agree that Super Mario World / Sleigh Ride is downright awesome.
Enjoy the music from your favorite games as interpreted by these great remixers. Please share some of your favorites. Here are mine:
-Anything by Disco Dan
-Dr. Willy's Wedding, and most anything from Mega Man 2
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - First Impressions
Well, I only got to play this game for about an hour and a half. We rented it, because Nick/Rubix's fiance works at Family Video, and we get game rentals at half price. However, a day into the rental we were told that since it's a "New Release" we can't rent it at half price for now. So....whatever.
I wanted to post since it looks like there is interest in the game from the previous few comments.
When I saw that the game was coming out for the Wii, I was pretty psyched. I played the game a good bit on the Gamecube. I didn't get exceptionally good at the game, but I learned enough about the controls and enjoyed it.
So I popped in the game and just started playing. Now mind you, after playing Super Mario Galaxy, I had some pretty high expectations. I expected for the game to use the Wii's motion sensors as the primary attacks, or at least some sort of attack. Unfortunately, this was not the case. My character stood still as I waved my little controller around in the air. The controls ended up being almost exactly like the Gamecube controls. In some ways, this is good. I didn't have to relearn any moves. However, it felt very redundant. I played single player mode through a quick game, and quickly turned the game off. The game was a repeat in my mind. New characters, new graphics, new environments. Same moves, same mentality, same basic principle.
I admit at that point I thought that the game was a dud. I was looking forward to a completely different game. One that used the Wii's unique motion sensor to make me feel like I was swordfighting or something. Make a Power punch a forward thrust or something. In this way I was sadly disappointed.
Later on, I tried playing the Co-op mode with Nick. It was very enjoyable. It forces you to play different characters, something none of the other games did. I enjoyed the different aspects of the levels as well. Some were a normal arena match, some were side-scrolling, and some were a combination of both. We only got 6% through, but I liked the idea of having a single player version of the game. It was the most enjoyable part for me.
I was never a huge Smash Bros multiplayer fan. Usually I was either playing with someone who knew the game inside and out and destroyed me, or someone who didn't know how to play who I toasted every time. I expect that since the game is meant to be mulitplayer, that would probably be the most enjoyable part. Single player might be fun to run through the adventure mode once or twice, but then I'd probably be tired of it.
I will have to try it again sometime, perhaps in a multiplayer setting to see what happens. I don't think that I gave it nearly enough time for it to impress me. But my first impressions were "same old, same old."
Love to hear your thoughts.
I wanted to post since it looks like there is interest in the game from the previous few comments.
When I saw that the game was coming out for the Wii, I was pretty psyched. I played the game a good bit on the Gamecube. I didn't get exceptionally good at the game, but I learned enough about the controls and enjoyed it.
So I popped in the game and just started playing. Now mind you, after playing Super Mario Galaxy, I had some pretty high expectations. I expected for the game to use the Wii's motion sensors as the primary attacks, or at least some sort of attack. Unfortunately, this was not the case. My character stood still as I waved my little controller around in the air. The controls ended up being almost exactly like the Gamecube controls. In some ways, this is good. I didn't have to relearn any moves. However, it felt very redundant. I played single player mode through a quick game, and quickly turned the game off. The game was a repeat in my mind. New characters, new graphics, new environments. Same moves, same mentality, same basic principle.
I admit at that point I thought that the game was a dud. I was looking forward to a completely different game. One that used the Wii's unique motion sensor to make me feel like I was swordfighting or something. Make a Power punch a forward thrust or something. In this way I was sadly disappointed.
Later on, I tried playing the Co-op mode with Nick. It was very enjoyable. It forces you to play different characters, something none of the other games did. I enjoyed the different aspects of the levels as well. Some were a normal arena match, some were side-scrolling, and some were a combination of both. We only got 6% through, but I liked the idea of having a single player version of the game. It was the most enjoyable part for me.
I was never a huge Smash Bros multiplayer fan. Usually I was either playing with someone who knew the game inside and out and destroyed me, or someone who didn't know how to play who I toasted every time. I expect that since the game is meant to be mulitplayer, that would probably be the most enjoyable part. Single player might be fun to run through the adventure mode once or twice, but then I'd probably be tired of it.
I will have to try it again sometime, perhaps in a multiplayer setting to see what happens. I don't think that I gave it nearly enough time for it to impress me. But my first impressions were "same old, same old."
Love to hear your thoughts.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Yes I'm back with another review finally.
After around 30 hours of gameplay, I finished KotOR. And here is my review, with a twist.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (PC)
This is an RPG that focuses on a combination of turn-based and real time combat. Everyone attacks at the same speed (with the exception of a speed boost or slow force power) but you can play cat-and-mouse in real time. It's an interesting combination. Like most RPG's, you have a team of allies who fight with you. Some are Jedi, some are mercenaries looking for a home, some are droids, and each has its own unique capabilities. There is a lot of social interaction, for lack of a better word. Much hinges on your ability to solve problems, find the right people, and say the right things to them.
One of the most intriguing parts of the game is the balance between Light and Dark. Anytime you act in a benevolent way, you will get Light Points and be closer to being a Jedi. Anytime you do something evil, you will get Dark Points and be closer to being a Sith. Becoming either good or evil allows you to have access to certain Jedi abilities. Jedi have the ability to move faster, heal party members, and defend against attacks more effectively. Sith have the ability to slow opponents, drain their life, and use lightning attacks. And that is only the beginning.
First Impressions:
This was the second time that I played this game. The first time that I tried it was maybe 2-3 years ago. I remember liking the storyline a lot, but feeling very overwhelmed. It seemed like there were too many things going on and I had a hard time keeping track of them.
Eventually, I stopped playing it. I think I got stuck on a particular part and got frustrated. I remember there being Dark Jedi involved.
Second Impressions:
I played the game again, and the second time around things were much less intimidating. I understood the premise of the game better, and could concentrate on choosing my stats more carefully. There were only a few parts of the game that I considered to be difficult, including the final battle. There was more strategy involved than outright confrontation. If you brought a teammate who had leet hacker skills, you could hack the computer and cause the enemy droids to attack their masters. You could also reprogram droids to fight for you temporarily, or simple persuade your foes into walking away from combat.
What I Liked:
Dark vs. Light
I really liked the choices made in the game. There was a woman who needed 200 credits to pay her debt. If you gave her the credits, you'd get Light Points. If you killed her to get the bounty on her head, you'd get Dark Points. In some situations, it was more beneficial to get Dark Points to gain more experience. However, too many Dark Points and you could lose your ability to heal your party.
Storyline:
The storyline was very engaging. For the most part, it allowed you to go at your own pace. There were plenty of side quests to do that helped you get XP to aid you in your main quest. And you had the choice to complete them in the "light" way or the "dark" way. At one point in the game, you have to pretend to join a Sith training facility. Accomplishing the tasks there was incredibly difficult to remain in the Light. However, a Dark Jedi would have had difficulty when you were training for the Jedi Order earlier in the game. Many difficult decisions were placed well in the game. And there were a lot of plot twists that made for a great story.
Music:
You gotta love the Star Wars music.
What I Didn't Like:
Interface:
The interface was pretty tough to deal with. In combat, you got a chance to pause and look at your options, and it's a good thing. Choosing abilities real-time was difficult. In addition, inventory and quest management was really cumbersome. I gathered a lot of different grenades and mines and other assorted items throughout, and rarely used them at all. Every once in a while I would go on a selling spree and sell almost everything that I had, just so I could find the items that I needed.
Graphics:
I don't know if it was the engine or my video card, but it was very "blipy." I would take 3-4 steps, and it would blip for a moment. It wasn't very smooth no matter how low I turned the settings. As such, I wasn't too impressed by the graphics. The load times could get annoying, but I was more disappointed with the load times of the cut scenes. Usually those would take forever on my machine, and would sometimes freeze my computer even.
Replayability:
I don't think that's a word, but whatever. I don't think that I could replay this one. Even though there are several angles to take, the storyline and the puzzles were the best part of the game. Certain points were just tedious, especially in large enemy areas. As a soldier, I was always just hitting Power Attack over and over again until the enemies died (this strategy worked for the entire game until the last area.) Two lightsabers + Power Attack = dead opponents.
Character Balance:
What I mean by this is your friendly characters. Sure it's nice to have a droid that can disable land mines. But if you have three Jedi, have one run into it, take some damage, and use Force Heal to bring them back up to full. After a while, I only used the other two Jedi that I had. Fortunately, everyone levels up evenly, so I didn't have to worry about breaking out a lower level guy for a particular situation. But it made the storyline a bit less interesting to be walking around with the same people.
Overall:
I really enjoyed this game. The story is excellent, and the puzzles are entertaining and challenging. So what if the combat got tedious and the interface sucked? It was more about trying to avoid confrontations and progress the plot of the story. I really liked how you could affect the outcome of the game by doing the different side quests and choosing Light or Dark Jedi. Overall, I found the game enjoyable. If you like RPGs and puzzle games, this was a good one. Not the best that I ever played, but most certainly not the worst. I enjoyed the Jedi Outcast / Jedi Academy series better, personally. Can't wait for the new one to come out.
My next game I was hoping would be Thief, but I cannot find my CD. :-(
So I dunno what will be next. As for posting, I'm probably going to post with other assorted things instead of just game reviews. I've been struggling for topics as of late, but I want to keep in touch with everyone still.
Keep those comments coming...I like to hear from you all.
After around 30 hours of gameplay, I finished KotOR. And here is my review, with a twist.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (PC)
This is an RPG that focuses on a combination of turn-based and real time combat. Everyone attacks at the same speed (with the exception of a speed boost or slow force power) but you can play cat-and-mouse in real time. It's an interesting combination. Like most RPG's, you have a team of allies who fight with you. Some are Jedi, some are mercenaries looking for a home, some are droids, and each has its own unique capabilities. There is a lot of social interaction, for lack of a better word. Much hinges on your ability to solve problems, find the right people, and say the right things to them.
One of the most intriguing parts of the game is the balance between Light and Dark. Anytime you act in a benevolent way, you will get Light Points and be closer to being a Jedi. Anytime you do something evil, you will get Dark Points and be closer to being a Sith. Becoming either good or evil allows you to have access to certain Jedi abilities. Jedi have the ability to move faster, heal party members, and defend against attacks more effectively. Sith have the ability to slow opponents, drain their life, and use lightning attacks. And that is only the beginning.
First Impressions:
This was the second time that I played this game. The first time that I tried it was maybe 2-3 years ago. I remember liking the storyline a lot, but feeling very overwhelmed. It seemed like there were too many things going on and I had a hard time keeping track of them.
Eventually, I stopped playing it. I think I got stuck on a particular part and got frustrated. I remember there being Dark Jedi involved.
Second Impressions:
I played the game again, and the second time around things were much less intimidating. I understood the premise of the game better, and could concentrate on choosing my stats more carefully. There were only a few parts of the game that I considered to be difficult, including the final battle. There was more strategy involved than outright confrontation. If you brought a teammate who had leet hacker skills, you could hack the computer and cause the enemy droids to attack their masters. You could also reprogram droids to fight for you temporarily, or simple persuade your foes into walking away from combat.
What I Liked:
Dark vs. Light
I really liked the choices made in the game. There was a woman who needed 200 credits to pay her debt. If you gave her the credits, you'd get Light Points. If you killed her to get the bounty on her head, you'd get Dark Points. In some situations, it was more beneficial to get Dark Points to gain more experience. However, too many Dark Points and you could lose your ability to heal your party.
Storyline:
The storyline was very engaging. For the most part, it allowed you to go at your own pace. There were plenty of side quests to do that helped you get XP to aid you in your main quest. And you had the choice to complete them in the "light" way or the "dark" way. At one point in the game, you have to pretend to join a Sith training facility. Accomplishing the tasks there was incredibly difficult to remain in the Light. However, a Dark Jedi would have had difficulty when you were training for the Jedi Order earlier in the game. Many difficult decisions were placed well in the game. And there were a lot of plot twists that made for a great story.
Music:
You gotta love the Star Wars music.
What I Didn't Like:
Interface:
The interface was pretty tough to deal with. In combat, you got a chance to pause and look at your options, and it's a good thing. Choosing abilities real-time was difficult. In addition, inventory and quest management was really cumbersome. I gathered a lot of different grenades and mines and other assorted items throughout, and rarely used them at all. Every once in a while I would go on a selling spree and sell almost everything that I had, just so I could find the items that I needed.
Graphics:
I don't know if it was the engine or my video card, but it was very "blipy." I would take 3-4 steps, and it would blip for a moment. It wasn't very smooth no matter how low I turned the settings. As such, I wasn't too impressed by the graphics. The load times could get annoying, but I was more disappointed with the load times of the cut scenes. Usually those would take forever on my machine, and would sometimes freeze my computer even.
Replayability:
I don't think that's a word, but whatever. I don't think that I could replay this one. Even though there are several angles to take, the storyline and the puzzles were the best part of the game. Certain points were just tedious, especially in large enemy areas. As a soldier, I was always just hitting Power Attack over and over again until the enemies died (this strategy worked for the entire game until the last area.) Two lightsabers + Power Attack = dead opponents.
Character Balance:
What I mean by this is your friendly characters. Sure it's nice to have a droid that can disable land mines. But if you have three Jedi, have one run into it, take some damage, and use Force Heal to bring them back up to full. After a while, I only used the other two Jedi that I had. Fortunately, everyone levels up evenly, so I didn't have to worry about breaking out a lower level guy for a particular situation. But it made the storyline a bit less interesting to be walking around with the same people.
Overall:
I really enjoyed this game. The story is excellent, and the puzzles are entertaining and challenging. So what if the combat got tedious and the interface sucked? It was more about trying to avoid confrontations and progress the plot of the story. I really liked how you could affect the outcome of the game by doing the different side quests and choosing Light or Dark Jedi. Overall, I found the game enjoyable. If you like RPGs and puzzle games, this was a good one. Not the best that I ever played, but most certainly not the worst. I enjoyed the Jedi Outcast / Jedi Academy series better, personally. Can't wait for the new one to come out.
My next game I was hoping would be Thief, but I cannot find my CD. :-(
So I dunno what will be next. As for posting, I'm probably going to post with other assorted things instead of just game reviews. I've been struggling for topics as of late, but I want to keep in touch with everyone still.
Keep those comments coming...I like to hear from you all.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Rock Band
Well I haven't been playing too many games as of late....this week has been pretty hectic with a lot of different things. But that doesn't mean I can't play catchup with some of the games that I haven't reviewed yet.
Rock Band is probably the most hyped game out at the moment, and the most coveted by non-gaming people. A PS3 and the Rock Band set will likely run you over $650! So the question is, is it worth it?
Rock Band (Playstation 3)
Move aside Guitar Hero. We just added drums and a microphone. I think anyone that has played Guitar Hero alone and with a partner would agree....it's twice as fun with a partner. Imagine having a group of four playing songs together! Rock Band comes with a surprisingly realistic drum set with four pads and a footpedal. It works much like the guitar on the screen, but requires much better coordination to do it.
The microphone is quite creative as well. If recognizes pitch, so you can actually just hum along to the song. But what's the fun in that? The words scroll across the screen, so you might as well sing em!
Add to that the guitar that most people are familiar with. There are a few mechanical differences between the Guitar Hero guitar and the Rock Band guitar. There is an extra set of keys for solos that you can use to avoid strumming, which is very helpful in certain sections.
What I Liked:
-The party atmosphere. It's easy to get anyone involved. Each instrument can be set at a different difficulty level, so it's easy for experts to play with amateurs and not be bored. In addition, four people can play at a time, so even in a party of 8 people, you get to play every other song.
-The teamwork aspect. When you're playing with a group, if one person is struggling to keep up, they may fail. This doesn't necessarily mean the end though...a teammate can save you if they play well enough. The same thing goes for if you're going down the tubes...they can kick it into "overdrive" and you can redeem yourself much faster.
-The song list. Not only are many of the songs from different genres and decades, but they are primarily catchy and easy to get into. In addition, they make new songs available for download every week, so you can buy new songs that you would like to play.
-The multiplayer band-mode. You can actually make your band name, character names, and you can design your characters with physique, hair-styles, body art, and clothing. It acts as a world tour, where you need to earn a bus, and a jet, and bodyguards, and the whole nine yards by doing well at the gigs. Most importantly, there is a lot of flexibility...you can do random song lists, or custom set lists.
What I Didn't Like
-Single Player mode. Don't get me wrong, it works just fine. But while I could play Guitar Hero III alone and get into it, I can't do that for Rock Band. It just isn't as much fun by yourself, and I'd rather do something else than bang on the drums alone.
-Microphone. As creative of an idea as this is, I think this is the least favorite instrument of most people. Some karaoke fanatics will love it. The problem is, not all songs will be in someone's voice range. Doing a set of random songs is frustrating if your voice can't reach the notes on one of the songs. Finally, it doesn't feel as challenging to beat the song by singing. If you're playing on easy or expert, you still sing the same thing. It doesn't get harder...you just have to get more accurate. So it almost doesn't pay to ever sing on expert. It's also easier to beat a song by humming the notes, which is just not nearly as fun either.
-Purchasing of new content. I understand that they are sinking time and money into making new songs and coming up with the drum lines and vocals, etc. But you have to spend maybe $1.75 for a song. That can add up over time, making this initially expensive game even more costly.
Who I Think Would Like This Game
Honestly, anyone who enjoys music will like this game. There are songs from any decade at all sorts of difficulty ranges. The fact that you are playing with friends makes this an amazing party game. Don't be afraid of all of the things that I didn't like about the game. I just wanted to share the things that I had slight frustrations with. Overall I think that this game is well worth the investment, especially if you plan on purchasing a PS3 anyway. If it isn't in the budget yet, I suggest saving up some cash...it's truly a blast.
Many people compare Guitar Hero III to Rock Band....it's really an unfair comparison. One is designed around single player, and the other around multiplayer. That's just the way that it is. If you liked one, you should like the other. I'd like to hear any experiences you've had with Rock Band...post em if you got em. Also any questions, feel free to ask.
Rock Band is probably the most hyped game out at the moment, and the most coveted by non-gaming people. A PS3 and the Rock Band set will likely run you over $650! So the question is, is it worth it?
Rock Band (Playstation 3)
Move aside Guitar Hero. We just added drums and a microphone. I think anyone that has played Guitar Hero alone and with a partner would agree....it's twice as fun with a partner. Imagine having a group of four playing songs together! Rock Band comes with a surprisingly realistic drum set with four pads and a footpedal. It works much like the guitar on the screen, but requires much better coordination to do it.
The microphone is quite creative as well. If recognizes pitch, so you can actually just hum along to the song. But what's the fun in that? The words scroll across the screen, so you might as well sing em!
Add to that the guitar that most people are familiar with. There are a few mechanical differences between the Guitar Hero guitar and the Rock Band guitar. There is an extra set of keys for solos that you can use to avoid strumming, which is very helpful in certain sections.
What I Liked:
-The party atmosphere. It's easy to get anyone involved. Each instrument can be set at a different difficulty level, so it's easy for experts to play with amateurs and not be bored. In addition, four people can play at a time, so even in a party of 8 people, you get to play every other song.
-The teamwork aspect. When you're playing with a group, if one person is struggling to keep up, they may fail. This doesn't necessarily mean the end though...a teammate can save you if they play well enough. The same thing goes for if you're going down the tubes...they can kick it into "overdrive" and you can redeem yourself much faster.
-The song list. Not only are many of the songs from different genres and decades, but they are primarily catchy and easy to get into. In addition, they make new songs available for download every week, so you can buy new songs that you would like to play.
-The multiplayer band-mode. You can actually make your band name, character names, and you can design your characters with physique, hair-styles, body art, and clothing. It acts as a world tour, where you need to earn a bus, and a jet, and bodyguards, and the whole nine yards by doing well at the gigs. Most importantly, there is a lot of flexibility...you can do random song lists, or custom set lists.
What I Didn't Like
-Single Player mode. Don't get me wrong, it works just fine. But while I could play Guitar Hero III alone and get into it, I can't do that for Rock Band. It just isn't as much fun by yourself, and I'd rather do something else than bang on the drums alone.
-Microphone. As creative of an idea as this is, I think this is the least favorite instrument of most people. Some karaoke fanatics will love it. The problem is, not all songs will be in someone's voice range. Doing a set of random songs is frustrating if your voice can't reach the notes on one of the songs. Finally, it doesn't feel as challenging to beat the song by singing. If you're playing on easy or expert, you still sing the same thing. It doesn't get harder...you just have to get more accurate. So it almost doesn't pay to ever sing on expert. It's also easier to beat a song by humming the notes, which is just not nearly as fun either.
-Purchasing of new content. I understand that they are sinking time and money into making new songs and coming up with the drum lines and vocals, etc. But you have to spend maybe $1.75 for a song. That can add up over time, making this initially expensive game even more costly.
Who I Think Would Like This Game
Honestly, anyone who enjoys music will like this game. There are songs from any decade at all sorts of difficulty ranges. The fact that you are playing with friends makes this an amazing party game. Don't be afraid of all of the things that I didn't like about the game. I just wanted to share the things that I had slight frustrations with. Overall I think that this game is well worth the investment, especially if you plan on purchasing a PS3 anyway. If it isn't in the budget yet, I suggest saving up some cash...it's truly a blast.
Many people compare Guitar Hero III to Rock Band....it's really an unfair comparison. One is designed around single player, and the other around multiplayer. That's just the way that it is. If you liked one, you should like the other. I'd like to hear any experiences you've had with Rock Band...post em if you got em. Also any questions, feel free to ask.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Super Mario Galaxy
Four people said that even after three months, they still read my blog.
I'm quite surprised to tell you the truth. But as such, I will try to post interesting material.
This is the first game review that I've really ever done. I won't be doing your run-of-the-mill reviews, because you can go to GameSpot or similar sites and read reviews on just about anything. So, my reviews will contain the following:
1. What kind of game it is.
2. What I liked.
3. What I disliked.
4. Who I think would like this game.
Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo Wii)
The first game that I'm going to review is Super Mario Galaxy. If anyone's played Mario 64, it's very much along those lines. The premise is, that the Princess gets captured again by Bowser, but this time you traverse the universe to save her.
You go to different galaxies and play on different planets to find the stars that are hidden/stashed there. Most planets have three stars that are considered "normal." Then there are hidden stars, as well as "comet" stars, which require you to complete various levels with a stipulation. Some of these are to finish within a certain amount of time, or complete it without getting hurt.
What I liked:
-The depth. Every level wasn't all the same. Unlike Mario 64, not all of the stars are available on the first go around. In other words, you can't get the third star by playing the first level. This added more content to the levels, and made the game more challenging, especially when it came time to find the hidden stars.
- The power-ups. I won't spoil the different power-ups that you can get for Mario, but the first one that you encounter is Bee Mario. You can fly, but only for a certain amount of time, before you start plummeting. But if you get hit with water, you turn back into regular Mario.
- The progressive difficulty. The first few levels could be completed by a five year old. But by the end, I was struggling to complete the final levels. Fortunately, none of them were completely frustrating...the longest that I spent on a level was 30 minutes.
- The "walk away" factor. I'm starting to really enjoy games that you can easily walk away from. And I'm not talking about "addiction" kind of walking away. I mean, if you need to stop playing in 5 minutes, you don't have a problem getting to a save point. Since this game is based on sets of smaller sized levels, it's easy to play 2-3 in 15 minutes, and to go do something else.
- The "neato" factor. When Mario 64 came out, it was amazing to play in 3-D. That was neato. But this takes it to a whole new level. For the most part, those levels were flat. That is, down was down, and up was up. In this game, when you're bounding between planets, gravity is always changing. This makes jumping far more interesting, since you may not go in a straight line. The game is always making new uses of gravity, even to the final showdown with Bowser.
- Little repeat content. The content is very fresh throughout the game. The scenery was always changing, and you didn't feel like you were doing the same thing over and over, even at the end of the game when you need to find 100 purples coins in several different levels. Some you had to hunt for the coins, some were speed levels with a timer, and others were different still. I never felt like I was just grinding away at a repeating experience.
-EDIT: The music! Thank's Bill. I completely neglected to mention the music. So many of the levels use music from older Mario games. There are new themes, but hearing some versions of the old music was really quite great. Trying to remember what game the music was from was enjoyable in and of itself. I can't believe I forgot about the soundtrack - truly a good point.
What I didn't like:
- Vertigo. With the changing in gravity so much, I often experienced dizziness, or just got confused with where I was and where I was going. Sometimes I was flipped upside-down, and up would be towards me, and other times it would be away from me. It depended on the circumstance. Overall this wasn't a huge issue, but it turned some areas into frustrating ones.
- The ending. I beat the game to completion. To beat the game to completion, you need to obviously defeat Bowser. But at that point, you unlock more levels. That was kinda cool, I admit. But then when I beat those levels, it required me to beat Bowser again, without any change. Then, after I'd completed every level in the game, I unlocked Luigi to play with him. I just beat the game, it's a little late to play with Luigi.
- Flight Mario. There was a flight power-up that I unlocked along the way, but you only use it in one level. That was disappointing...I wanted to fly in more levels. Bee Mario just wasn't doing it for me.
- Two player mode. It says that you can play with two players. All the second player can do is pick up star pieces, and fling them at enemies....something the first player can do as well. It was neat at first, but it got old. It's more of a child's thing. If you wanted to play a game with your son or daughter (or in my case, little sister) it's a neat, challenging experience for both parties. My sister enjoyed it. But when I was playing the second player, I was bored as hell.
Who I think would like this game:
Honestly, anyone who's played Mario 64. It's reminiscent of that, but with so much more. The puzzles start out at elementary school level, but they get pretty hard by the end. I actually stopped playing the game after the first two galaxies, because I thought it was boring. But by the time I got to the end of the third galaxy, I couldn't wait to see what challenges lay ahead. The controls were fun and creative, making good use of the Wiimote. I enjoyed beating the game, even if the ending was slightly disappointing.
I'd recommend at least trying the game. The very first level (after the intro) shows you how the gravity and world structure works, and how neat it can be to have levels on round planets, instead of flat surfaces.
(Here would be where most reviews give a rating, but I suck at those, so I'll leave it to your own conclusions from what I said about the game.)
Please give feedback if you thought this was interesting, or if you feel that I left something out. Add your own comments as well.
I'm quite surprised to tell you the truth. But as such, I will try to post interesting material.
This is the first game review that I've really ever done. I won't be doing your run-of-the-mill reviews, because you can go to GameSpot or similar sites and read reviews on just about anything. So, my reviews will contain the following:
1. What kind of game it is.
2. What I liked.
3. What I disliked.
4. Who I think would like this game.
Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo Wii)
The first game that I'm going to review is Super Mario Galaxy. If anyone's played Mario 64, it's very much along those lines. The premise is, that the Princess gets captured again by Bowser, but this time you traverse the universe to save her.
You go to different galaxies and play on different planets to find the stars that are hidden/stashed there. Most planets have three stars that are considered "normal." Then there are hidden stars, as well as "comet" stars, which require you to complete various levels with a stipulation. Some of these are to finish within a certain amount of time, or complete it without getting hurt.
What I liked:
-The depth. Every level wasn't all the same. Unlike Mario 64, not all of the stars are available on the first go around. In other words, you can't get the third star by playing the first level. This added more content to the levels, and made the game more challenging, especially when it came time to find the hidden stars.
- The power-ups. I won't spoil the different power-ups that you can get for Mario, but the first one that you encounter is Bee Mario. You can fly, but only for a certain amount of time, before you start plummeting. But if you get hit with water, you turn back into regular Mario.
- The progressive difficulty. The first few levels could be completed by a five year old. But by the end, I was struggling to complete the final levels. Fortunately, none of them were completely frustrating...the longest that I spent on a level was 30 minutes.
- The "walk away" factor. I'm starting to really enjoy games that you can easily walk away from. And I'm not talking about "addiction" kind of walking away. I mean, if you need to stop playing in 5 minutes, you don't have a problem getting to a save point. Since this game is based on sets of smaller sized levels, it's easy to play 2-3 in 15 minutes, and to go do something else.
- The "neato" factor. When Mario 64 came out, it was amazing to play in 3-D. That was neato. But this takes it to a whole new level. For the most part, those levels were flat. That is, down was down, and up was up. In this game, when you're bounding between planets, gravity is always changing. This makes jumping far more interesting, since you may not go in a straight line. The game is always making new uses of gravity, even to the final showdown with Bowser.
- Little repeat content. The content is very fresh throughout the game. The scenery was always changing, and you didn't feel like you were doing the same thing over and over, even at the end of the game when you need to find 100 purples coins in several different levels. Some you had to hunt for the coins, some were speed levels with a timer, and others were different still. I never felt like I was just grinding away at a repeating experience.
-EDIT: The music! Thank's Bill. I completely neglected to mention the music. So many of the levels use music from older Mario games. There are new themes, but hearing some versions of the old music was really quite great. Trying to remember what game the music was from was enjoyable in and of itself. I can't believe I forgot about the soundtrack - truly a good point.
What I didn't like:
- Vertigo. With the changing in gravity so much, I often experienced dizziness, or just got confused with where I was and where I was going. Sometimes I was flipped upside-down, and up would be towards me, and other times it would be away from me. It depended on the circumstance. Overall this wasn't a huge issue, but it turned some areas into frustrating ones.
- The ending. I beat the game to completion. To beat the game to completion, you need to obviously defeat Bowser. But at that point, you unlock more levels. That was kinda cool, I admit. But then when I beat those levels, it required me to beat Bowser again, without any change. Then, after I'd completed every level in the game, I unlocked Luigi to play with him. I just beat the game, it's a little late to play with Luigi.
- Flight Mario. There was a flight power-up that I unlocked along the way, but you only use it in one level. That was disappointing...I wanted to fly in more levels. Bee Mario just wasn't doing it for me.
- Two player mode. It says that you can play with two players. All the second player can do is pick up star pieces, and fling them at enemies....something the first player can do as well. It was neat at first, but it got old. It's more of a child's thing. If you wanted to play a game with your son or daughter (or in my case, little sister) it's a neat, challenging experience for both parties. My sister enjoyed it. But when I was playing the second player, I was bored as hell.
Who I think would like this game:
Honestly, anyone who's played Mario 64. It's reminiscent of that, but with so much more. The puzzles start out at elementary school level, but they get pretty hard by the end. I actually stopped playing the game after the first two galaxies, because I thought it was boring. But by the time I got to the end of the third galaxy, I couldn't wait to see what challenges lay ahead. The controls were fun and creative, making good use of the Wiimote. I enjoyed beating the game, even if the ending was slightly disappointing.
I'd recommend at least trying the game. The very first level (after the intro) shows you how the gravity and world structure works, and how neat it can be to have levels on round planets, instead of flat surfaces.
(Here would be where most reviews give a rating, but I suck at those, so I'll leave it to your own conclusions from what I said about the game.)
Please give feedback if you thought this was interesting, or if you feel that I left something out. Add your own comments as well.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
After two months...
...he returns!
Happy New Year everyone...a month an a quarter late.
I have to wonder if anyone actually still looks at this, so be sure to comment if you do.
Obviously, I have gotten over my WoW addiction, and I know for certain that I won't be coming back. I can't afford to put that much time into one game ever again. Why is that? Because there are too many good games out there, and not enough time to play them!
I've decided that if people are actually interested in me rating games that I'm playing or have played, I would start doing that. I'm playing around one new game every two weeks or so, because I actually try to beat them. Please note, that most reviews won't give games a _/10 rating, because I'm not into that. Some people will rate your favorite game as a 6, and a game that you hate as a 10. It depends on the types of games that you like. So instead, I'll give you a little of what to expect.
Please comment this post if you still actually read my blog. If at least 3-4 people will read this, then I'll start posting about games that I play.
By the way, anyone playing Team Fortress II should join our newly founded clan, the Kamikaze Sprinkles. Your only requirement is to append your name with [KS] at the beginning. Spread the word!
Happy New Year everyone...a month an a quarter late.
I have to wonder if anyone actually still looks at this, so be sure to comment if you do.
Obviously, I have gotten over my WoW addiction, and I know for certain that I won't be coming back. I can't afford to put that much time into one game ever again. Why is that? Because there are too many good games out there, and not enough time to play them!
I've decided that if people are actually interested in me rating games that I'm playing or have played, I would start doing that. I'm playing around one new game every two weeks or so, because I actually try to beat them. Please note, that most reviews won't give games a _/10 rating, because I'm not into that. Some people will rate your favorite game as a 6, and a game that you hate as a 10. It depends on the types of games that you like. So instead, I'll give you a little of what to expect.
Please comment this post if you still actually read my blog. If at least 3-4 people will read this, then I'll start posting about games that I play.
By the way, anyone playing Team Fortress II should join our newly founded clan, the Kamikaze Sprinkles. Your only requirement is to append your name with [KS] at the beginning. Spread the word!
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