http://gamingmisc.zoomshare.com/2.shtml Gaming Miscellaneous: Da' Blog Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:15:39 -0600 http://gamingmisc.zoomshare.com/2.shtml/4fe196b5d5a96d3ff1f5f811a4faf2fe_47c499fd.writeback Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:00:13 -0600 Hello again dear readers!! I am back, for whatever short amount of time. Today's topic I want to talk to you about is Digital Distribution!!! (Ok I know it sounds boring but it it important) Digital Distribution is the term for buying games from online sources and downloading them to your computer or console and playing them without a disk. In the past two years digital distribution has become huge in the game industry. Recently I have been doing a lot of stuff with this topic. As many of you know last year I bought "The Orange Box" which is a compilation of five different games all made by Valve Entertainment. Well Valve is on the cutting edge of Digital Distribution. When you install any of there games including "The Orange Box" you have to install "Steam" which is a program that connects you to there servers. It was originally a way to make sure people were not using illegal copies or were sharing one copy of a game with lots of people. But since then it has become so much more. And the aspect I want to talk about is there store. You can buy all sorts of games from the Steam store from the Orange Box to Half Life to Company of Heroes to casual games like Peggle, Geometry Wars, and Bejewled. And it is so simple to buy them (as long as you have a debit or credit card). Once you purchase it downloads to your computer and you can play it anytime without a disk as long as you are hooked up to the internet. Consoles are also pioneering the Digital Distribution way with X-Box Live arcade, Play Station Network store and the Wii's Virtual Console and soon to be available WiiWare. And soon with advancing technologies in internet connection speed and bandwidth and digital storage space like hard drives full games will be only a download away for all consoles and computers. So go visit your Gamestop and EB games while you still can because the day of Digital Distribution is upon us and soon buying a disk will be a thing of the past. http://gamingmisc.zoomshare.com/2.shtml/f197d64c6ad636fb0dc46dfe8683eaf0_478be4ce.writeback Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:40:14 -0600 This year was truly an awesome year of gaming but if you want to hear me rant about how awesome it was go read my last blog. But if you want the results then keep reading. In a year with so many great games which game is the cream of the crop, the best of the best, the top performer, Gaming Misc's Heisman of Gaming. Well it was hard narrowing the nominees with so many games to three games but when I look at the three nominees it just makes sense. The Nominees are Orange Box, Super Mario Galaxy, and Bioshock. All of these games are outstanding and I would recommend them to anyone who is, for one old enough to play these games (Bioshock is not for the youngsters or the faint of heart [basically everyone that reads this blog]) and to all those that love great games, because all of these games are great. If I can describe why these games stand above all the rest of the games this year it would be with with one word, FRESH! Everyone knows that keeping it fresh is one of my mottos and all of these games do that. Super Mario Galaxy takes what is great about Mario games and turns it on its head, literally, with great level design that uses gravity in ways never considered. Orange Box smashes what people expect in a game and for $50 gives you five games, Half-life 2 and it's two add ons (which together can be considered the best one player First Person Shooter ever), Team Fortress 2 (A great and fresh multiplayer game that is all about fun) and Portal( one of the most fresh games ever, a puzzle FPS, who thought it was possible!!!!). Then there is Bioshock which redefines games as an art form, with the best atmosphere in a game ever, a storyline that tackles issues like free will, genetic engineering, and morality of survival, and couple this with an unique rpg element to the game, this game is great. But in the end all three games can not win so the winner is...... Super Mario Galaxy. This game was just really great. It showed the world and myself what the Wii can do. It has great visuals, presentation, sound, controls, and gameplay. It keeps everything fresh with fantastic level design, new powerups and varying game types. It is truely a masterpiece of gaming and well deserving of the title Heisman of Gaming - 2007. http://gamingmisc.zoomshare.com/2.shtml/65b535b34516f1562b3d5e43ecce99cd_4779d26a.writeback Mon, 31 Dec 2007 23:40:58 -0600 2007 was a great year for gaming, no doubt about it. With great games galore and new systems to explore it really was a very good year. 2007 was the first year of the new console wars. Xbox 360 vs. PS3 vs. Wii. and it sure was interesting. The presumption was that it was going to be a two machine race with the PS3 having superior power and the Xbox having a full year on the competition enabling it to have many more quality games. But 2007 shocked the analysts and the Wii became a force to be reckoned with and has become the best selling system of this console battle. In the handheld department the DS continued it's global dominance but the PSP was no slouch and while not hitting the popularity of the DS it had a strong year. But really throughout the whole year it was the games that made 2007 so special. Some of the greatest games have been released this year. From hardcore blockbuster sequels like God of War 2, Halo 3, Metroid Prime 3, and Call of Duty 4 to amazing new franchises like Bioshock, Uncharted, Mass Effect, and Zack and Wiki. From innovative titles like Super Mario Galaxy, and The legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass, and the Orange Box's Portal to music games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero 3. This was the year for games. The amount of quality titles is really amazing. I can't rmember a year in which I have had so many fresh and exciting times playing games. From Bioshock to Orange Box to Galaxy it has been outstanding. And those are my three nominees for game of the year (which I will announce in a blog this weekend). 2008 is here and it looks promising. But I don't know if it can ever live up to the year that was 2007. http://gamingmisc.zoomshare.com/2.shtml/17ce13b0fecc9c2d8f21d01baf8b5806_470e8220.writeback Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:05:52 -0500 That is right folks. The game we have all longed for has officially delayed until February 10, 2008. How can this be you ask??? Well it is the same old excuse..... "We need more time". Now all of us have to wait two more months than expected. I can't believe Nintendo is doing this. They make me all excited with the Sonic announcement and BANG!!! they pull this on us. How am I supposed to get my Brawl on this holiday if it isn't even out!!! This is truly a sad day in gaming. http://gamingmisc.zoomshare.com/2.shtml/86f59d68ba1946aa0f62e4de396c5f10_46b08ccf.writeback Wed, 01 Aug 2007 08:38:23 -0500 As many of you will be aware of by the end of this sentence Metroid Prime 3 Corruption is coming out later this month, August 27th. As you probably know by now is that I am a huge Metroid nut. After Zelda it is my favorite franchise. So in celebration of Samus's new game this month is Metroid Month. I will be posting Metroid Retrospectives when they become available. So enjoy this Month because I know I will. http://gamingmisc.zoomshare.com/2.shtml/ecde221575ae130f7455767ed1062f68_466eb9d0.writeback Tue, 12 Jun 2007 10:20:48 -0500 As we all know the Zeldaneers is a very exclusive group of the best Legend Of Zelda players in the world. Originally founded by Piggy, it started with three members: El Muchachos, The Stick Pics Guy, and Piggy, and has had only three members since. But a new face on the Zelda scene has emerged. It is Hang Loose. As this very moment Hang Loose is asking the Zeldaneers the opportunity to join this very exclusive club. In the past the Zeldaneers was not a club one could join but exclusive to the three original members. Hang Loose has asked that he be inducted in based on his credentials of having beat Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess. Those three games have been established as the three one must beat to be even considered for induction. Now The Zeldaneers must decide; is Hang Loose worthy and fit to become a Zeldaneer?? May the Three Zeldaneers vote and may any outsiders voice their opinions about why or why not Hang Loose should be inducted. But first let us give an opportunity for Hang Loose to state his case for induction. http://gamingmisc.zoomshare.com/2.shtml/e8be1b295e15db37785ae563125f5682_466968f5.writeback Fri, 08 Jun 2007 09:34:29 -0500 What debate you ask? Well there is only one possible. Which control scheme is the best: Classic controller, Wii Remote, Wii Remote and Numchuck, or Gamecube controller. We all have different opinions. Piggy and the Pig bros are Gamecube control guys while El Muchachos and myself have embraced the Wii remote and all of its attachments. But who is right??? If only there was a game that could use all four of these control schemes. Well Zelda : Twilight Princess has a Gamecube and Wii version but that is a single player game so you can't compare the two at the same time. But wait A new announcement on Smashbros.com!! Every single control scheme is going to be used for this game. Now we can see which is better and do while beating each other up. I can't wait. http://gamingmisc.zoomshare.com/2.shtml/c5723e5b1d5c85db688c00d03188c8fc_4651ec00.writeback Mon, 21 May 2007 13:59:12 -0500 Today Nintendo Of America announced the rest of the summer and early fall lineup for the Wii and DS. The list for the Wii included major titles. Titles such as Mario Strikers Charged (July 30), Battalion Wars II (September), Madden '08 (Aug. 14), Brothers in Arms (a WWII shooter)(September), and the biggest title of them all Metroid Prime 3 : Corruption (Aug. 20). This is huge news considering all of the rumors going around that even though Nintendo says that all three of their major Wii titles: Metroid, Mario, and Super Smash Bros. will come out this year one will not come out and the title most rumored not to come out this year was Metroid. But know with a solid release date and a very early one I can know actually see all three coming out with Super Mario Galaxy coming out mid-november(before Thanksgiving) and Super Smash Bros. coming out early December. And with the official Super Smash Bros. Brawl Website opening later today we could know indeed what is Nintendo's plan. So today has had some great news for the Wii but it did not go along with great news for the DS, the best selling system for the past 2 years. Today they released it's upcoming schedual and it is pretty weak. The only Nintendo games are DK Jungle Climber, Brain Age 2, and Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol which all don't look that good but only decent and the only real heavy hitters are another Phoenix Wright game and SimCity. It looks like Wii is just more important than DS right know for Nintendo. Hopefully Zelda isn't delayed again...... there is always hope. Oh and stay tuned for Super Smash Bros. Brawl news later today or tomorrow. PS- sorry for the long read. http://gamingmisc.zoomshare.com/2.shtml/09d61eaaa5528ac6dc09d7af899efaa8_464632f8.writeback Sat, 12 May 2007 16:34:48 -0500 A bad title I know bbut I need ed to change the blog up so here goes. For the past ten or so years there has been the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) every year in May. This was the biggest video game show of the year .... was. This year is different. This year they took what was an extravaganza of gaming news and made into a small little trade show that is in JUNE!!!! I can't wait until June to find out why Super Mario Galaxy will be the bestest game ever!!! E3 has always had the best suprises and the most hype but know because of the downsize many companies have been holding their own events to show off their games and that is just not cool. I liked having a week of new exciting gaming news but now I have to wait. I know I should just wait but really with no major video game releases other than Mario Party and Pokemon (both which I won't get) I am really just hungry for something to be excited about. Oh and to make this blog more about you what was the most suprising Gaming news have you ever heard of. http://gamingmisc.zoomshare.com/2.shtml/cb1de3bd4d839b0f9740c57cff79bb58_46144e3b.writeback Wed, 04 Apr 2007 20:17:47 -0500 Thank you, Thank you all for making this, The First Annual Zeldaneers Conference a sucess. But really this is the moment you all have been waiting for, The Zeldaneer Awards. So without further adue let us begin. The Winners are........ For best new Zelda game : The Legend Of Zelda Twilight Princess, For best Handheld Zelda Game: The Legend Of Zelda Link's Awakening, For best 2-D Zelda Game: The Legend Of Zelda A Link To The Past, For best 3-d Zelda Game: The Legend Of Zelda Twilight Princess, For best Soundtrack in a Zelda Game: The Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time, For best new innovation to the Zelda series: Aiming with the Wii Controler. And know for our final Award!!!!! The Zeldaneer of the Year Award. Envelope please...... And the Winner is PIGGY!!!! Piggy is deserving of this award because in this past year he has beaten both The Wind Waker and The Twilight Princess for the first time along with beating The Twilight Princess with only three hearts. He has shown the dedication only a true Zeldaneer can shown and really has stepped up into become a great Zelda master like El Muchachos and The Stick Pics Guy. Those are the awards Thank you and I hope to see you all at next years Zeldaneers Conference.