I haven't posted about the sweet, sweet electronic music in a while, so here it is. I've been going through my relatively older techno lately and re-discovered two gems that I thought I'd link to here (click to listen!). The first is:
Pleiadians - Maia
This is a great melodic tune, incredibly easy to dance to. I really love the highs in this song - it is a perfect example of goa / psychedelic trance that even people who don't like techno might be able to get into. I could listen to Maia all day and probably not get tired of hearing it. And, to show the breadth of what techno can sound like, I offer this one:
Osom - Over Game
Here is a fantastic and very original song some might put into the "hardcore" category of electronic music. It's very fast and has bleeps and bloops seemingly randomly placed from beginning to end. However, when you put it all together, this song's sometimes very high and sometimes very low bass themes create a soundscape of incredible proportions. Over Game is definitely not for everyone (some people probably wouldn't make it through the first minute), for those who can appreciate the more heavy side of electronica, this is one of the best compositions out there.
Enjoy!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Braid
Again with the Braid, you say? Yes! I finished the game last week, and I have to say it was one of the best gaming experiences of my life. It twisted my mind in ways few other things have - the movie Memento would be my closest comparison, though that is a bit flawed as it's a completely different medium.
The final level is fantastic, and even that word doesn't do it justice. Never before has a video game required me to think so differently, and I can say I see the world in new and fascinating ways after playing it. I will never think about "time" in the same way again.
I read a great article at Gamers with Jobs, written by a guy who's ideas I respect probably the most at the site, and he had quite some things to say about the programmer and creator of Braid, Jonathan Blow. The comments following the article are informational, intelligent, and at times very deep - some of the best written ideas about video games that I've possibly ever read. That a game, in this case Braid, can bring on such talk of "meaning" really shows me that Blow has succeeded, regardless of what people may say about the content of the game. What does the game mean? What ideas are being presented by Braid? Does it matter what any one person believes the game means - especially the game's creator?
The man himself felt the need to chime in to say his own part as the creator of Braid in the comments of the article. I'll end with a quote from the end of his post:
"I don't particularly trust written, rational explanations as conveyors of truth or accurate meaning. That's why I make video games."
The final level is fantastic, and even that word doesn't do it justice. Never before has a video game required me to think so differently, and I can say I see the world in new and fascinating ways after playing it. I will never think about "time" in the same way again.
I read a great article at Gamers with Jobs, written by a guy who's ideas I respect probably the most at the site, and he had quite some things to say about the programmer and creator of Braid, Jonathan Blow. The comments following the article are informational, intelligent, and at times very deep - some of the best written ideas about video games that I've possibly ever read. That a game, in this case Braid, can bring on such talk of "meaning" really shows me that Blow has succeeded, regardless of what people may say about the content of the game. What does the game mean? What ideas are being presented by Braid? Does it matter what any one person believes the game means - especially the game's creator?
The man himself felt the need to chime in to say his own part as the creator of Braid in the comments of the article. I'll end with a quote from the end of his post:
"I don't particularly trust written, rational explanations as conveyors of truth or accurate meaning. That's why I make video games."
Thursday, January 29, 2009
A lot has happened...
since the last time I've posted, so I'm not going to say it all.
I have an XBox 360 now, and have for a few weeks. I love it. I'm currently playing through Braid, at least for the maybe 1 hour a week I get alone with the console. The game is fantastic, like none other I've ever played. I'm pretty close to the end, only three levels to go for the main part of the house. Not sure how much comes after worlds 2-6 (and hey, where is world 1?).
Mostly I've been playing Lego Indiana Jones with my son, who LOVES it. He talks about playing it all the time. I'll admit, the game is incredibly fun. I'll probably borrow Lego Star Wars from a co-worker, so we'll have a whole new world to explore pretty soon.
Speaking of legoes, we stopped up at my parent's house (who are in Florida, and specifically Disney World as I type this) and picked up another big bunch of my old legoes. Is there another toy on this planet as great as legoes? I don't think so. A lot of the things I built years ago were still together, including an awesome car/truck vehicle I made during a summer vacation while in college. I distinctly remember building it out on the porch of my parent's house on a bright and warm summer day, drinking a Killian's Irish Red. Ahhhh..... I feel good just thinking about it. Building lego machines as an adult is marvelous - I can create awesomeness on a scale and complexity I never could have imagined as a kid. And my son gets so much pleasure out of it as well. If you have a kid, you have to have legoes too. There should be some kind of law for that.
And that's all I have to say 'bout that!
I have an XBox 360 now, and have for a few weeks. I love it. I'm currently playing through Braid, at least for the maybe 1 hour a week I get alone with the console. The game is fantastic, like none other I've ever played. I'm pretty close to the end, only three levels to go for the main part of the house. Not sure how much comes after worlds 2-6 (and hey, where is world 1?).
Mostly I've been playing Lego Indiana Jones with my son, who LOVES it. He talks about playing it all the time. I'll admit, the game is incredibly fun. I'll probably borrow Lego Star Wars from a co-worker, so we'll have a whole new world to explore pretty soon.
Speaking of legoes, we stopped up at my parent's house (who are in Florida, and specifically Disney World as I type this) and picked up another big bunch of my old legoes. Is there another toy on this planet as great as legoes? I don't think so. A lot of the things I built years ago were still together, including an awesome car/truck vehicle I made during a summer vacation while in college. I distinctly remember building it out on the porch of my parent's house on a bright and warm summer day, drinking a Killian's Irish Red. Ahhhh..... I feel good just thinking about it. Building lego machines as an adult is marvelous - I can create awesomeness on a scale and complexity I never could have imagined as a kid. And my son gets so much pleasure out of it as well. If you have a kid, you have to have legoes too. There should be some kind of law for that.
And that's all I have to say 'bout that!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Science Imagery
National Geographic has a story on the Best Science Images of 2008. Fascinating and awesome! Is anyone else as excited about mixing science and visual arts as I am?
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Jonathan Blow
My new (video game) hero is Jonathan Blow, the creator, designer, and programmer for the XBox 360 game Braid. Braid was created literally only by him and David Hellman, who did all the artwork. Unfortunately I haven't been able to play the game at all since I don't own a 360, but Jonathan is putting together a PC version that I will definitely buy the day it comes out. So far it has received literally the highest rating ever for a XBox Live Arcade game, and 10th highest ever for the console as a whole, and that says something.
What makes me so excited about this is that Jonathan is and always will be an independent game creator, doing nearly everything on his own. He does it not for the money, but for the love and the Art (yes, with a capital "A", more on that in another post I think), of video games. Video games can be a method of communicating an idea or concept rather than simply for entertainment - and this is something I've been looking for myself. Using video games to teach creates, I believe, a bright future for the medium.
Anyway, I've been reading an interview with Jonathan at gameculture.com, and I saw an incredible quote about video games and teaching that I wanted to save. Thus, the impetus for this blog post:
"...all games teach things and the way they teach is by guiding you toward the goal by giving you feedback about whether you are accomplishing your tasks successfully or not, and that entire guidance is a communications process."
This communications process is the essence of video games. Without effective communication between a video and a player, the player is lost and has no interest in continuing the game. I have a feeling Jonathan Blow and Braid will affect how Omnivore turns out in a deep and exciting way.
What makes me so excited about this is that Jonathan is and always will be an independent game creator, doing nearly everything on his own. He does it not for the money, but for the love and the Art (yes, with a capital "A", more on that in another post I think), of video games. Video games can be a method of communicating an idea or concept rather than simply for entertainment - and this is something I've been looking for myself. Using video games to teach creates, I believe, a bright future for the medium.
Anyway, I've been reading an interview with Jonathan at gameculture.com, and I saw an incredible quote about video games and teaching that I wanted to save. Thus, the impetus for this blog post:
"...all games teach things and the way they teach is by guiding you toward the goal by giving you feedback about whether you are accomplishing your tasks successfully or not, and that entire guidance is a communications process."
This communications process is the essence of video games. Without effective communication between a video and a player, the player is lost and has no interest in continuing the game. I have a feeling Jonathan Blow and Braid will affect how Omnivore turns out in a deep and exciting way.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
A New Year Begins
School year that is. I don't remember the last time I've been this busy - it's the craziest time of year for my job, my grad course started yesterday, and Emmet's Essentials has had more stuff going on in the last few weeks than probably ever.
My grad course this semester is Computer Graphics, and I'm incredibly excited for it. We'll be programming graphics with OpenGL and making some great looking stuff...
Man, it's hard to think right now. My brain is just fried... and I'm not seeing any rest in my future. This weekend we're heading to Burlington, Massachusetts for an Emmet's Essentials event. Tomorrow is the first day of classes at my job. Every night we're working on a big EE account for a person out in Oregon. I've got homework again for the first time in a month because of my grad class. All the equipment I've been programming for projection in the classrooms has been doing weird things and not working correctly.
Rest, relaxation, oh how I miss you...
My grad course this semester is Computer Graphics, and I'm incredibly excited for it. We'll be programming graphics with OpenGL and making some great looking stuff...
Man, it's hard to think right now. My brain is just fried... and I'm not seeing any rest in my future. This weekend we're heading to Burlington, Massachusetts for an Emmet's Essentials event. Tomorrow is the first day of classes at my job. Every night we're working on a big EE account for a person out in Oregon. I've got homework again for the first time in a month because of my grad class. All the equipment I've been programming for projection in the classrooms has been doing weird things and not working correctly.
Rest, relaxation, oh how I miss you...
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Nintendo DS
It's happened! I've purchased my first-ever portable game system, the Nintendo DS. It is just plain great. Two screens, nice bright graphics, a stylus and touch screen, quality sound, awwwww yeah. First game: Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney. I've never played a game like this, a courtroom drama, and I'll say that I'm pulled in already. It's so exciting that I hardly know what to say!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Another sad day...
Wow, two in a row here, sorry about that. Yet another icon has died, this time George Carlin. Here's a link to his wikipedia page.
Carlin was in my opinion one of the funniest and most insightful people I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. I actually saw him live a couple years ago right here in Northampton, and it was an awesome show.
I don't want to get too morbid here, but I'll bet his funeral will be one to remember. He was certainly an unbeliever, and probably has it somewhere in his will that he not be buried in a cemetery. I'd say he wants people to laugh about his life - I think I'll find some youtube videos to watch to commemorate this genius of comedy!
Perfect! Here's a short 10 minute video of the man himself talking about death. I think this is the way he'd want everyone to remember him!
Carlin was in my opinion one of the funniest and most insightful people I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. I actually saw him live a couple years ago right here in Northampton, and it was an awesome show.
I don't want to get too morbid here, but I'll bet his funeral will be one to remember. He was certainly an unbeliever, and probably has it somewhere in his will that he not be buried in a cemetery. I'd say he wants people to laugh about his life - I think I'll find some youtube videos to watch to commemorate this genius of comedy!
Perfect! Here's a short 10 minute video of the man himself talking about death. I think this is the way he'd want everyone to remember him!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
A Sad Day
Stan Winston, special effects master, died on Sunday. His work is one of the main reasons that today I love movies, computer animation, and special effects so much!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Drumming
Last Friday night we went to a party up in Goshen at probably the most amazing back yard I've ever had the pleasure to explore. There were stone walkways, iron and glass sculptures, a trickling stream with a little waterfall, a fish pond, and a big stone tower about 10 feet tall, among many other amazing sights. They had a large dragon head sticking straight up into the air with a place for a fire underneath, so when a fire was raging smoke would come out of the dragon's mouth.
I ate, I drank, and I had a really great time. At one point I joined a bunch of people playing drums, and I didn't stop for about two hours! I realized that I loved drumming. I used my hands, and when they hurt from too much rhythm, I asked for a drum stick, and used that.
I found that I have a very good ear for patterns and drum-slapping, and it is such a satisfying feeling to drum along with a whole group of other people. One guy, who happened to be really tall, actually came out in front of us and the fire and just made up words and sung a song as we played.
Then we moved over to another area that was larger so people could dance to our drum and cowbell playing. It was so amazing to watch people dance and move to the sounds that I was a part of creating! Then, it got really crazy - a couple people came out with these ball and chain things, but the balls were on fire. Their balls were burning, as it were! They swung them and looped them around like a battle straight from the middle ages.
The highlight of this time of the evening I'd say was when a woman came out with a hula hoop that had attachments along the outside that were on fire. Here I was, drumming loudly with a bunch of other people, to the sights of this woman using a flaming hula hoop. I'll never forget it!
I ate, I drank, and I had a really great time. At one point I joined a bunch of people playing drums, and I didn't stop for about two hours! I realized that I loved drumming. I used my hands, and when they hurt from too much rhythm, I asked for a drum stick, and used that.
I found that I have a very good ear for patterns and drum-slapping, and it is such a satisfying feeling to drum along with a whole group of other people. One guy, who happened to be really tall, actually came out in front of us and the fire and just made up words and sung a song as we played.
Then we moved over to another area that was larger so people could dance to our drum and cowbell playing. It was so amazing to watch people dance and move to the sounds that I was a part of creating! Then, it got really crazy - a couple people came out with these ball and chain things, but the balls were on fire. Their balls were burning, as it were! They swung them and looped them around like a battle straight from the middle ages.
The highlight of this time of the evening I'd say was when a woman came out with a hula hoop that had attachments along the outside that were on fire. Here I was, drumming loudly with a bunch of other people, to the sights of this woman using a flaming hula hoop. I'll never forget it!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Grad Class #2
Well, my second-ever grad course has started. I did incredibly well on the first one, and I'm really looking forward to this course, called Appropriate Web Technologies. You too can see my progress on this course - some work will be on display on my WPI webspace at http://www.wpi.edu/~damo/awt/
This course is online-only, so I won't have to drive to Worcester or Westborough every week. It's the first time I've ever taken a completely online course, though I certainly have tons of experience with online education thanks to my job. Judging from the course description and schedule, I'm going to be very busy in the next two months! I'll be learning a ton, and quite a bit of it will be stuff I've been wanting to learn for a long time (Ruby on Rails, more Javascript, etc.).
Here's to a great class!
This course is online-only, so I won't have to drive to Worcester or Westborough every week. It's the first time I've ever taken a completely online course, though I certainly have tons of experience with online education thanks to my job. Judging from the course description and schedule, I'm going to be very busy in the next two months! I'll be learning a ton, and quite a bit of it will be stuff I've been wanting to learn for a long time (Ruby on Rails, more Javascript, etc.).
Here's to a great class!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Snake with Legs!
Not that I need any convincing for myself about the truth of evolution, but there was recently an article at the BBC about a fossil snake found with two vestigial legs.
It seems snakes evolved from more "normal" four legged reptiles, and then following evolution, lost the legs slowly over the course of millions of years. I think (I could be wrong) you can even see some species of snakes alive today with the remnants of legs.
In the very, very loosely reminiscent words of Carl Sagan, "science and reality are far more amazing than fiction!"
It seems snakes evolved from more "normal" four legged reptiles, and then following evolution, lost the legs slowly over the course of millions of years. I think (I could be wrong) you can even see some species of snakes alive today with the remnants of legs.
In the very, very loosely reminiscent words of Carl Sagan, "science and reality are far more amazing than fiction!"
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Doing My Part
Maybe you've heard of it, maybe not: there's a new documentary coming out in a couple weeks called Expelled. It is hosted by none other than Ben Stein. This is a propaganda film through-and-through for intelligent design - they attack biology, evolution, and true science every chance they get. Full disclosure: I haven't seen it yet. All I mention here can be read online or heard on podcasts.
Some of the actual scientists interviewed were lied to about what the documentary would be about, and some have been barred from screenings at theaters (in one case the person kicked out was actually in it!). Talk about expelled!
In my mind, the most egregious fallacy purported by this movie is their claim that evolution = atheism = Hitler and the Nazis. Huh?
I will do my part to spread the truth about this film by linking to Expelled Exposed. Read and enjoy!
Some of the actual scientists interviewed were lied to about what the documentary would be about, and some have been barred from screenings at theaters (in one case the person kicked out was actually in it!). Talk about expelled!
In my mind, the most egregious fallacy purported by this movie is their claim that evolution = atheism = Hitler and the Nazis. Huh?
I will do my part to spread the truth about this film by linking to Expelled Exposed. Read and enjoy!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Underway
Well, my class in software engineering is well underway, and it's going great. My group did a presentation a couple weeks ago, and we did a great job I thought. It's a lot of reading and a bunch of homework, but I've been able to keep up. The stuff I learn in this class will really help me when I make my games, and also even in my job for the next larger-sized programming project (whatever it may be).
I've thought of a couple more very stand-out games from the past:
The Dig (PC) - an incredible adventure game from the likes of LucasArts. This game was awesome, I mean, Steven Spielberg was involved! I remember purchasing this one by scraping together quarters, dimes, and nickels - that's how much I wanted to play it.
Command and Conquer (PC) - This game (like The Dig) started out for me with a demo. I played the demo level of this one more times than I care to mention. In my mind, this is THE real-time strategy game. It's what started me on that entire genre of video game.
Ahh video games. I am determined to show people that video games are not just for kids - they are for us older citizens ("adults" if you will) as well. Even more, I'm going to use them in the classroom.
I've thought of a couple more very stand-out games from the past:
The Dig (PC) - an incredible adventure game from the likes of LucasArts. This game was awesome, I mean, Steven Spielberg was involved! I remember purchasing this one by scraping together quarters, dimes, and nickels - that's how much I wanted to play it.
Command and Conquer (PC) - This game (like The Dig) started out for me with a demo. I played the demo level of this one more times than I care to mention. In my mind, this is THE real-time strategy game. It's what started me on that entire genre of video game.
Ahh video games. I am determined to show people that video games are not just for kids - they are for us older citizens ("adults" if you will) as well. Even more, I'm going to use them in the classroom.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Busy-ness
So much going on! First and foremost, I've begun graduate school back at my old alma mater, WPI. My first course is called Design of Software Systems (basically Software Engineering), and I've had a couple classes so far. It's great to be back in school - I can really tell I'm going to learn quite a bit in this class. It'll certainly be a lot of work (already is), but it is awesome. In fact, I'm procrastinating on some homework right now...
I realized that trying to put together a personal top 10 games of all time is a useless pursuit. I've played way too many games in my life, with so many amazing memories, that trying to pick 10 is incredibly difficult. Every time I tried to think of a game to put in the top 10, I'd think of another one, and then another one, and so on. What do I base it on? Games I thought had the best graphics? Games that made the biggest impression on me? The ones I thought were the most fun? The ones I spent the most time playing? It's too much. I think I'll just take a swig of beer and think about how great the sushi was that I had for dinner tonight.
Well, how about I list a few games that just popped in my head, just because.
Solar Jetman for the NES
Super Mario Kart for the SNES
Super Mario World for the SNES
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the SNES
Syndicate for the PC
System Shock 2 for the PC
StarCraft for the PC
Command and Conquer for the PC
Portal for the PC (check this out)
Space Quest 1 through 6 for the PC
Final Fantasy 7 for the PlayStation
And there are so many others. How about I say now that I'll post any more games as I think of them, from now on. It'll be like a retro (and sometimes brand new) gaming remembrance. Hey, just thought of another:
Battletoads for the NES
Alright, back to the homework. Or maybe bed. Tough choice...
I realized that trying to put together a personal top 10 games of all time is a useless pursuit. I've played way too many games in my life, with so many amazing memories, that trying to pick 10 is incredibly difficult. Every time I tried to think of a game to put in the top 10, I'd think of another one, and then another one, and so on. What do I base it on? Games I thought had the best graphics? Games that made the biggest impression on me? The ones I thought were the most fun? The ones I spent the most time playing? It's too much. I think I'll just take a swig of beer and think about how great the sushi was that I had for dinner tonight.
Well, how about I list a few games that just popped in my head, just because.
Solar Jetman for the NES
Super Mario Kart for the SNES
Super Mario World for the SNES
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the SNES
Syndicate for the PC
System Shock 2 for the PC
StarCraft for the PC
Command and Conquer for the PC
Portal for the PC (check this out)
Space Quest 1 through 6 for the PC
Final Fantasy 7 for the PlayStation
And there are so many others. How about I say now that I'll post any more games as I think of them, from now on. It'll be like a retro (and sometimes brand new) gaming remembrance. Hey, just thought of another:
Battletoads for the NES
Alright, back to the homework. Or maybe bed. Tough choice...
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Make Things!
I just read an article called New Years Resolutions for Game Industry Newbies, since I do one day, eventually, want to make games. All five points really made sense. Number one was to Make Things - something I'm incredibly excited to do.
I've been thinking quite a bit (instead of Making Things, I'll admit) about the marble game that I want to create. After playing Portal, seeing and trying (links at bottom) Echo Chrome, reading about Braid, and playing Cursor*10, I've made the decision that I don't want to make the same marble game everyone has seen and played before. I want to make something different - something that makes people really think and use their brains in a way they haven't before.
I'd say that's one of the powers of video games. It's the ability to change and bend the reality that someone is experiencing. Maybe you can see yourself through a portal, change your perspective to solve a problem, or help yourself in a new way. I absolutely love things that make me think in new and exciting ways, and those are the kind of games I want to create and let people experience as well. Perhaps you'll learn something about others, and especially about yourself.
And, since it's literally 2:30 AM right now and I can't sleep at all because there are huge trucks doing some damned loud revving engine (moving trees? blasting the road? digging for pipes? performing an alien landing cover-up?) things on the street across from my front door, I'm going to expand my mind with some Portal. Making Things is not an option at this time of night, except for a blog post I guess, but I don't think that counts.
I've been thinking quite a bit (instead of Making Things, I'll admit) about the marble game that I want to create. After playing Portal, seeing and trying (links at bottom) Echo Chrome, reading about Braid, and playing Cursor*10, I've made the decision that I don't want to make the same marble game everyone has seen and played before. I want to make something different - something that makes people really think and use their brains in a way they haven't before.
I'd say that's one of the powers of video games. It's the ability to change and bend the reality that someone is experiencing. Maybe you can see yourself through a portal, change your perspective to solve a problem, or help yourself in a new way. I absolutely love things that make me think in new and exciting ways, and those are the kind of games I want to create and let people experience as well. Perhaps you'll learn something about others, and especially about yourself.
And, since it's literally 2:30 AM right now and I can't sleep at all because there are huge trucks doing some damned loud revving engine (moving trees? blasting the road? digging for pipes? performing an alien landing cover-up?) things on the street across from my front door, I'm going to expand my mind with some Portal. Making Things is not an option at this time of night, except for a blog post I guess, but I don't think that counts.
Missed Games
Last week I took a short couple-of-hours-a-day for a week fun course called "The History of Video Games." It was fun, and I learned a lot of things about the world of video games. The course ended with a sort-of list of the top 10 video games of all time. Our teacher left out the entirety of computer games, and the list was heavily weighted to the Nintendo side, so there was a bit to be desired. The list was of course much-contested by everyone in the class (since top 10's are incredibly objective), but some games were mentioned that I've never played.
I decided to make a list of games that I totally missed in the last 15 years that I'm going to go back and play someday. One reason I missed them is because after purchasing a PlayStation and a few games for it in the mid-90s I basically went completely to computer games, leaving out consoles until about 2003 when I bought a PS2. Here they are, in no particular order:
N64:
Super Mario 64
Star Fox 64
Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
GoldenEye 007
GameCube:
Super Smash Brothers: Melee
PlayStation:
Metal Gear Solid
PS2:
Shadow of the Colossus
Resident Evil 4
Okami
We Love Katamari
God of War 1 and 2
XBox:
Halo 2
PC:
Deus Ex
Some of these games seem to be on just about everyone's best-of all time lists. Do I have any glaring omissions? Maybe I need to put together my own personal top 10 list. I think I will, but I've really got to mull over it for a while. Check back in a couple days!
Since I'm currently still playing The Witcher and BioShock, I won't be playing these too soon, but we'll see. I will say that after about getting 10-15 hours into The Witcher, it is still very, very good. It just might make it into my top-10 list...
I decided to make a list of games that I totally missed in the last 15 years that I'm going to go back and play someday. One reason I missed them is because after purchasing a PlayStation and a few games for it in the mid-90s I basically went completely to computer games, leaving out consoles until about 2003 when I bought a PS2. Here they are, in no particular order:
N64:
Super Mario 64
Star Fox 64
Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
GoldenEye 007
GameCube:
Super Smash Brothers: Melee
PlayStation:
Metal Gear Solid
PS2:
Shadow of the Colossus
Resident Evil 4
Okami
We Love Katamari
God of War 1 and 2
XBox:
Halo 2
PC:
Deus Ex
Some of these games seem to be on just about everyone's best-of all time lists. Do I have any glaring omissions? Maybe I need to put together my own personal top 10 list. I think I will, but I've really got to mull over it for a while. Check back in a couple days!
Since I'm currently still playing The Witcher and BioShock, I won't be playing these too soon, but we'll see. I will say that after about getting 10-15 hours into The Witcher, it is still very, very good. It just might make it into my top-10 list...
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Carl Sagan
I've decided that Carl Sagan is my hero. If I were able to go back in time and meet anyone in the world, that person would be Carl Sagan. Just a few days ago on December 20th it was the 11th anniversary of his death. The world lost an important person on that day, someone who spread the word of science like very few others have.
The largest reason for this was his creation and writing (with his wife Ann Druyan and Steven Soter) of Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which is said to have been viewed by over 600 million people worldwide. I'm currently in the process of watching it again, and I'm up to part 4. Anybody who reads this needs to go to their local library, check it out, and watch it. Cosmos is nothing short of astounding, mind-expanding, and inspiring.
Sagan has also written many books, which I've decided to start reading. I'm going to start with The Demon-Haunted World, a book about science, skepticism, and how to make both a part of your life. Since really becoming a skeptic I'd say I need a manual for how to do it, and Carl Sagan is probably the best person to get that instruction from.
The largest reason for this was his creation and writing (with his wife Ann Druyan and Steven Soter) of Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which is said to have been viewed by over 600 million people worldwide. I'm currently in the process of watching it again, and I'm up to part 4. Anybody who reads this needs to go to their local library, check it out, and watch it. Cosmos is nothing short of astounding, mind-expanding, and inspiring.
Sagan has also written many books, which I've decided to start reading. I'm going to start with The Demon-Haunted World, a book about science, skepticism, and how to make both a part of your life. Since really becoming a skeptic I'd say I need a manual for how to do it, and Carl Sagan is probably the best person to get that instruction from.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
The Witcher
So, the last week was pretty great. It was my birthday! I picked up a game for myself called The Witcher, which I picked up largely because of a review on Gamers with Jobs. Other places I looked also seemed to say that the game is amazing.
And, after having played for a couple hours, I have to say that they are correct. The game is incredible. There is so much to The Witcher that I can't even fathom all of it yet. I've been very surprised by it on more than one occasion, from the visuals to the music to playing a drinking game against some big dude in an inn (I won! After playing, all the graphics were blurry and my character stumbled around everywhere - awesome!).
After I get a few more hours in, I'll post again about it. I could still be in that new game dazzle faze, so we'll see what happens after I really get going into the story. So far my only complaint, which I share with most people, is that there are a lot of times where you have to wait for parts of the level to load.
As I sit in this cafe, it is snowing outside. Again. I went outside this morning, and just stepping through the snow is a major task. It's almost up to my knees! This is the most snow I've seen on the ground at one time in years, and I gotta say that I'm liking it. The last few winters have been pretty pointless - little snow, incredibly cold temperatures, etc. At least this year we're off to a great start. It looks like this is going to be a REAL winter!
Oh, I have to mention Portal again. I managed to finish it, and I'll say that it's one of the best games I've ever played. It is 4-5 hours of pure greatness. If you play video games at all in any way, spend the $20 at SteamPowered and download it!
Time to load up The Witcher!
And, after having played for a couple hours, I have to say that they are correct. The game is incredible. There is so much to The Witcher that I can't even fathom all of it yet. I've been very surprised by it on more than one occasion, from the visuals to the music to playing a drinking game against some big dude in an inn (I won! After playing, all the graphics were blurry and my character stumbled around everywhere - awesome!).
After I get a few more hours in, I'll post again about it. I could still be in that new game dazzle faze, so we'll see what happens after I really get going into the story. So far my only complaint, which I share with most people, is that there are a lot of times where you have to wait for parts of the level to load.
As I sit in this cafe, it is snowing outside. Again. I went outside this morning, and just stepping through the snow is a major task. It's almost up to my knees! This is the most snow I've seen on the ground at one time in years, and I gotta say that I'm liking it. The last few winters have been pretty pointless - little snow, incredibly cold temperatures, etc. At least this year we're off to a great start. It looks like this is going to be a REAL winter!
Oh, I have to mention Portal again. I managed to finish it, and I'll say that it's one of the best games I've ever played. It is 4-5 hours of pure greatness. If you play video games at all in any way, spend the $20 at SteamPowered and download it!
Time to load up The Witcher!
Thursday, December 6, 2007
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