I got so much inspiration from the presenters and other attendees at the conference; getting back to basics and realizing that you need to be the driving force behind ideas is what it’s all about. Don’t wait for the requirements of your projects to innovate, you’ll never get what you want out of that, unless you get lucky with a few here and there. What I really learned was that the fun lies in the exploration of new concepts and teqhniques, not in the “this doesn’t fit my current project, so I wont look at it” attitude. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve skipped over something just because I didn’t think I could use it right then and there. Keeping the big picture in mind – innovation, integration, and imagination – is key for me.

Here’s a link to the talks that were there. You can follow the links to get back to phparchitect, and all the awesome presenters that were there! If you’re a coder, you have to go to this thing next year, it was quite alot of fun!
http://cw.mtacon.com/schedule/city/new-york

The game starts off with a pretty cool cutscene about the world you find yourself in, basically a pseudo-post-apocalyptic world with a hidden secret. You are with a group of vagabonds searching for a treasure on the planet, and get to choose which one of the four player types you want to be. (I’ve been the soldier and the sniper so far, but will at least play one more I’m sure). The game starts out by slowly walking you through the basics, and if you dont wander too much at the beginning, you get up to speed and start collecting skill points pretty quickly. Stay on track at the beginning so you can do this, the game gets hard very quickly, especially the bosses. Pay attention to what you pick up, especially weapon mods, they will be very helpful in your questing!

Couple of awesome things about the game. The cartoony textures give it a unique appeal, very absorbing in my opinion. The enemies and playable characters are also very innovative, and a fresh approach to the shooting genre. The amount of weapons is killer, along with weapon mods. The flaming bullets. The grenade mods (I’ll leave it as a surprise). The ‘fight for your life’ feature is awesome. Love the self-healing shields. Advancement is pretty quick if you stay focused and do quests. LOTS of loot. The list goes on.

A few things I don’t like:

1. Too much walking in the beginning
2. Too many of the same types of critters to kill (at least in the beginning).
3. Item pickup is slighly cumbersome.
4. “Fight for your life” sucks if everything is dead: you die anyway! so just respawn.
5. Paying for dying sucks, exp when it costs more the more you have.

Haven’t played coop, arena, or one on one battles yet but I’ll save that for part II (if there ever is one… if there isn’t… just buy it already!!!!)

Sure enough, this lovely gem should be annouced officially by Verizon today for release to their customers. I am always a fan of the fixed keyboard, and that’s what really kept me away from the iPhone (although I officially recognize its awesomeness). This offering from Motorolla shapes up to be a real beauty; too bad I don’t have upgrade ready – maybe I’ll be lucky enough to have the retail price under $300.

Here are a few more links for ya! Nice site Phandroid.com!

http://phandroid.com/2009/05/28/verizon-android-phones-are-officially-coming/

http://phandroid.com/2009/10/06/verizon-to-make-an-android-announcement/

This title recieved game of the month according to to GameInformer Mag; I have to agree, the interface, display, and gameplay are phenomenal. Games like this should really be the measuring bar for ANY game that comes out – why are studios still putting out titles on the newest consoles with less than perfect rendering, clunky interfaces, terrible gameplay, etc? There are not excuses anymore, if you’re going to spend $50M on a title, do it right or get out of the game.

This title aptly takes you into the DC universe, the mind of batman, and specifically Arkham Asylum. The attention to detail here is spectacular, the special sensing mode you have available is very fun to just poke around your environment with an notice amazing things like the heart rate of characters around you, secret areas, breakable items, etc. This kind of ‘enhanced reality’ should really be leveraged more in games, I’ve been seeing it more in well done tittles, it should really become more of a standard.

I did not play this game too far in, but it is well worth a solid rental and playthrough for any DC fan, or really anyone who likes a superbly constructed action based title.

I myself am so addicted to Sacred 2 right now that I only have time to check other games out right now, unless i quite my job

This is a very well done game, immensely satisfying on many levels. Very cinematic, perhaps not as well as Metal Gear Solid, but nonetheless exceptional. The constant action is very absorbing, and the advancement ladder is very well done.

I’m not always a big fan of games designed around movies, but this title is by far an exception, notwithstanding the Xmen franchise, which I’m sure helps its case – the marvel universe has been very well implemented into the video game world for years now. The maps call to mind drakes fortune / heavenly sword feel to them, and add an element of mystique to them that is enjoyable. The feral senses are also great when you get lost I’m about 1/3rd the way through the game and have already fought a few bosses – on the easiest difficulty the challenge is just enough to give you a run for your money, but not overwhelm you with complexity. This is undoubtedly one of the best rentals I’ve played, though I’m not sure it has too much replay value. That’s really up to you though, if you’re a wolverine fan you will love this title.

This little gem successfully ate up a good portion of my weekend, which was perfect. That was exactly what I wanted to accomplish; long hours of gaming bliss.

The upgrade ladder and open world format is killer, as well as the different ways of getting there. I LOVE the takedown races, usually getting two to three times as many as I have to in the allotted time. I also recently got really good at the stunt races, achieving a 330k score with a HUGE smile on my face.

Found a nice area to the west of the map with a massive chain of jumps to chain through a 4x combo bonus for a ludicrous score. Funny it’s a racing game because I find the races to be a little tedious at times (because I have to pay attention to turns I think.).

I’ve already gotten most of my $20 worth of gameplay back in two days, and it’s rare that ever happens with any title, so it’s really an unexpected delight to say that. Frustrations are fairly minimal in the game, so that’s a pretty big plus as well. I still don’t get online play, but a friend of mine attests to its great online capabilities, so I’m still looking forward to seeing more of that.

Okay Gameinformer, you’ve officially lost your credibility. This game is SO not even capable of being in the running for game of the month, let alone worthy of a rating over 6.5/10. You are now officially deemed fully shady and not to be trusted, after all you ARE a retail chain outlet and have most likely ordered 9 million copies of this game, so what better way to get it off your hands than rate it game of the month?

That said, let me just sing the praises of demos and rentals. Thank God they exist, because they save us from feeling so totally owned after spending $65 after tax for a game. This demo was LAME, which doesn’t even make me want to rent it, let alone buy it. It’s just got cheese written all over it.

Now yes, I do like eye candy, and the rendering is a little pixellated on 1080p, but let me go into more detail about why this game is disappointing. One word: gaming engine. After playing Killzone 2, the interface on this game is nothing short of a full on travesty. The aiming sucks, the weapon switch sucks, and the mech controls are dismal and unrewarding. I feel like I’m playing a game I got out of a gumball machine. (and if I did, I’d find a way to get my quarter back).

I am so glad I played this demo, as I had it high in my queue, and it’s since been removed. I honestly like playing Haze (read my trashed review of that game) more than this demo. But don’t take my word for it, go play it yourself! If you’re a shooter game fan with high expectations, you may feel the same.

Oh god, I’m in viewing bliss. After buying a 22″ widescreen from Acer just weeks ago, I saw this baby at costco yesterday for only $10 more, and it’s got speakers! Forget about paying $400+ for a small lcd tv, just buy this thing and you’re good to go!

It’s got hdmi, vga, and dvi in, and wouldn’t you know it, they ship it will ALL THREE cables. I’ve had a smile on my face all day. Do yourself a favor though and put it at least 3 ft from you, it’s a little overwhelming at closer distances.

I just realized the other day that the amount I’ve spent on Logitech Equipment in the last few years would buy me almost two new laptops (Acer Aspire I @ $300/ea). Beyond the fact that this is a fantastic company that has produced phenomenal interface equipment, I found it interesting how much money I’ve spent not so much with this one company, but that my spending on devices and gadgets has gone through the roof over the last few years. I just read about a new development in the ‘Cloud Computing’ field of modular components for all gadgets, and realize how ludicrous that market is going to become in the next 3-5 years.

The article I read mentioned that there are a few companies working on modular components for all electronic devices, such as battery, cpu/processor modules, etc. I consider that great news, as I’ve gotten quite sick of how compartmentalized the device market has been ever since its inception. I mean, seriously, how many different connector types do they have to make to send essentially the same charge voltage to a Lithium-Ion battery on a cell phone? It’s things like these that need to go: charge chords, connectors, adapters, etc.

I look forward to the days that may lie ahead, where I won’t have a cellphone, mp3 player, remote, streaming media device, etc to have to keep track of, all I have is my other ‘Brain(s)’. For home, you can stack a few of the CPU and memory modules together for extra power serving up HI DEF media throughout the house, as well as using a (GACK) chord to just tap right into your home electrical service. From there, for recharging the portable module batteries – inductive surfaces (which can also be used for all of your movable kitchen accessories: blender, coffee maker/grinder, etc).

Market adoption of a set of standards for this which uses all current technologies as a base would be sweet, but I can’t hope too far in that area. If anyone has 500M they’d like to drop on me, I’d be happy to help

Congrats to EA games on a superior title! Being able to get off your board now, and making the gameplay more of an open format, really takes a spectacular game and just makes it even more so.

The gameplay is at once challenging and extremely rewarding, so give this title the time it deserves, especially if you have any interest in riding sideways on any kind of board. I come from a skating background, so I’m a little biased, but the second release of this game shows EA listens very closely to their gamers. I’ve never been much into sports games, but aside from 2k games MLB series, EA seems to have the area pretty well locked up as far as understanding how to adapt complex physical activities to the console experience.

I did find the initial few hours a bit tedious, as I tend to fantasize about ramp riding more than anything, mostly as the lure of the ramp looms large in my pysche, so not getting that instant gratification early in the game may have soured my experience.

Once the Career options opened up, however, I found lots of killer activities to endulge in, and now I’m hooked! The downhill races, the new skatepark contests that open up, all the wonderful and delicious subversive activities available (Making money on stylized bails? SWEET!). Oh yeah. I haven’t gotten into any of the online offerings at this point, but the options looks endless and spectacular. The only thing preventing me from doing that is the extra step involved in getting an EA account – would be nicer if they could just integrate my PS3 account

A quick note on this title after playing it for about an hour: I’m still trying to figure out why this game won GameInformer’s game of the month for May. It’s also a little suspicious considering they gave it that award before it even came out?

I smell something shady goin’ on. Either that or the GameInformer staff has the uncanny ability to lap up new media and heap praise on games that don’t deserve it, to get us to buy the games. That’s why renting is king!

I got so excited about this game after reading the review in Gameinformer and seeing the ‘Game of the Month’ award next to it. Now this, coupled with my disdain for being let down by Sacred 2, leads me to seek elsewhere for my reviews. I will play this game a bit more this weekend, not sure how much, but don’t see my opinion changing at this time. You never know though, if you go back and read my Mass Effect Review, you’ll see I’ve been quite wrong before. My intuition tells me that even if I am a little wrong, I don’t think it will be anywhere near that level. We shall see…

Also it should be taken into account that my large and loyal fan base of millions may not, in fact, base all their game purchases on my every word.

I am obviously too ambitious about RPG’s. Another let down and two hours of my life gone, probably because I was expecting much more (the gameplay videos looked AWESOME!!!).

I told my RPG buddy (who shall go unamed at this time to protect the innocent, mainly me, hah!) that I thought this game was a klunker, but he maintains that it’s worth playing. He has much more patience than I do at some games, and, in my opinion, finds value in games that I appear to lack either the proper gene for, or just wont stoop to that level.

But either way, let’s not cast his opinion into doubt, he is the one who introduced Benny to the world of RPG’s after lamenting at the large pile of XBox shooter games I had. I spent many happy hours on my timewaster 2000 (as I had nicknamed my Xbox) playing Baldur’s Gate, and Both Norath titles. Then when I got the 360 I was pumped for Oblivion, which raised the bar up many levels for avid RPG’ers.

After last year’s offerings in other genres opened up the Coop experience, and reading the Sacred 2 reviews about its online and Coop offerings, I couldn’t help but get a little giddy, almost drooling on my proverbial pocket protector. So when I popped this disc in after paying full price from a long awaited preorder and several release delays later, my excitement vanished in a *Poof*. The viewing angle as you move through the world makes you feel like there is a virtual ‘visor’ above you, the combat is unrefined (though I’m told it gets more involved as time goes on, I’m not happy with what you start with), and the framerate is just colossally horrific. The world IS big, there is LOTS to do, but I was all but turned off to the experience of it all.

Thus, this (overly snobby) RPG’er is going to wait until this title drops below $20, maybe even $15 before playing it again. Basically, I need to be below $1/hr for this game, and after playing it for almost 2 hours, that didn’t look like it was going to happen at a $60 purchase price. What will probably be funny is that once I buy it at the lower price, I will probably play it for close to 30+ hours .

I anxiously await BioWare’s new RPG, set to release this fall: Dragon Age – Origins. Check it out!

This is the log of the LG Voyager, Star Date… ok sorry just saw the new Star Trek, forgive me. The Story of how I came to Verizon recently and picked up this phone is interesting, however random. Do you really want to hear the story or do you want me to talk about this phone? Something tells me you’re here to learn about the phone

First off, after using this phone for the better part of a week, I really have sacrificed great software (Android) for great hardware. And that’s almost an even trade: the HTC G1 hardware is like a Ford Taurus, if that Ford Taurus broke in one year not 5. I was already on my first replacement G1 after only 4 months, and that one was starting to fail as well.

So that’s the short version of the story… although during this review I will be lavishing great praise on the Android platform; if the Voyager had a version of it, I would be in sweet phone tecchie bliss

The phone is lightweight but large enough to have a nice screen, the touchscreen feels solid, love the well done QWERTY touchscreen keys on the top display. The dual displays and Env. format of foldout to full QUERTY is well done and I can see LG made lots of improvements to the idea of the Env. The multiple volume control settings are great, almost overkill; QWERTY keyboard is spectacular, flip open phone for automatic speakerphone awesome, and I like the mouse nav on the foldout keyboard for browsing. I certainly miss the Androids Web Browser, I’m almost half tempted to keep the G1 as just an Internet device for now, but it’s too hot on the market to justify hanging onto its shoddy hardware that’s worth $300 +

The Voyager also has a nice 2 MP camera, which utterly destroys what is most likely the crappiest modern cellphone camera on the G1. Its fairly large, but feels good up to your ear, not the bulkiness of the IPhone or G1. I am utterly dazzled with the camera and video settings, very well done! Side keylock feature is great, and the construction of the shell is solid; you really feel like you have a $400 phone in your hands. (I got it for 1c on amazon)

Now onto the software: LG, please hire some designers, I feel like i’m looking at 1995 here. The touchscreen market is hyper competitive so step up to the plate and see what you can do. The reason I’m so critical of the design is b/c that’s really the main point I find lacking: menu system is good, it’s easy to find what you need to tweak in settings, get to web/email, text, etc, so that’s mostly there. Touchscreen controls can be a little off, but this phone is certainly no slouch on all around solid construction, excellent hardware, and ease of use. I would say the #1 thing I miss besides the easier web nav on the G1 is the lack of support for apps: Google maps wont run on this beast, laaaaame! (but the reason is Verizon wants extra money from you for the VZ nav, although it’s really worth it). There also does not appear to be any WIFI support, although I could be wrong. This is not as big of a deal though, as I’m now on the best 3G network, and paying less than half of what Tmobile was charging me to be on theirs. Paying more than twice as much for half as much? now you know why they lost a customer

Overall, If you want a new phone for elegant touchscreen features, either wait until android opens up to other phones, or get an Iphone. Att’s services are slightly more expensive, but they also have great 3G coverage, and the rollover minutes are always good.
I am going to miss android for while (as soon as this thing sells on ebay), but It wont be too long until it opens up to other hardware.

I was reading the new GameInformer and saw this newsclip about a new console. *Sigh* right? Not exactly. Go watch this movie and then come back. I really dont need to say much about this ‘console’ and basicly new way of playing games, other than YESSSS!!!!! Here’s why I think it’s gonna redefine gaming for everyone, not just console users:

1. Portability
   Anywhere there is broadband there is the service. Forget about toting around your console and games, they’re all online.
2. Upgradeability
   I haven’t researched the hardware in any great depth yet, but it looks like the games are delivered as a service, so you dont have to worry about your hardware going out of date as quickly as the consoles appear to (at least with XBOX).
4. Integrated Community
   PC and Console users together (at last?)
5. Easier to preview and purchase and/or rent games

More demos, A service which (I belive) allows you to play On-Demand style.

So if i said or hinted at anything incorrectly here’s a few links for you to check out.
NerdWorld, GameInformer

Either way this thing is Doooope! Hope it’s not a jillion dollers because I’m gonna want one!

Just read in the new Maximum PC about EFI now being available for OSX on any PC, sawwweeet! The price isn’t too too bad, considering what you will have access too, but I would honestly wait until it drops down as it takes more market share. Here’s the retail link to buy, keep an eye on this good stuff! I would honestly even look into buying the Motherboard combo from that company, looks like a solid deal all around. For the Uubernerds out there, check this article out from Intel. If anyone buys this hardware please add your comments here I’d love to hear about it! Happy OsX’ing!

Man am I glad I went onto torrents a few weeks ago and grabbed the ISO for the W7 beta, almost makes the $120 I wasted on Vista Home Premium in a Panic worth it!

But Before you read this, I’m going to make an OSX plug: There is a new portable technology out there called EFT (Extensable Firmware Tech) that allows you to run OSX on ANY PC build! So seriously, after reading this, check out this link before you start planning on renewing your subscription to the Windows Colossus.

First and foremost, this OS is w/o doubt a nice improvement over XP. The sad and depressing (and all too typical of Microsoft) thing is that it took ALMOST TEN YEARS and Billions of dollars to accomplish. This is a pathetic failure, and although this OS is usable, ie not like Vista, it is a sad day in the history of this company that they are only now just barely beginning to approach the shadow of competition with apple’s awesome port of BSD Unix (OSX).

W7 64B has clean support for non-64B programs, very well done. So far, very very little will not run on this machine. I have recently taken a shining to Aptana Studio, which doesn’t seem to work right (yet), but other than that, I have plenty of other IDE’s I use and enjoy, so this certainly doesn’t hold me up. There are two folders, one for X86, and one for 64Bit. So far, the only 64B install I have is Photoshop, and honestly, I dont see a huge improvement in speed over 32B. But I think having an OS that takes advantage of hardware that’s been available for years can’t hurt, and the boys at redmond seem to be finally getting the memory and resource thing figured out; I have encountered far less hangups on this machine in the time I’ve been using W7.

One thing I really like about W7 is the windowing system. Here’s a nice shot of the neat rollover previews you now get when your shortcut icons have an active item or items open:

This also works well with multiple folders open as well:

Even cooler, rolling over the rollover previews shows you a quick view of the window w/o having to go into it! On a sidenote, I’ve been told Vista Does this already, but it’s either not available in home premium, or I just never enabled it, etc. W7 came out of the box like this, although I do have ultimate.

Another feature I really like is libraries, which allow you to keep track of directories or groups of directories and files, which I use quite a bit for projects. Let’s say you have your code files, your legal documents, spreadsheets, etc, all in distinct places, but want quick views by project to those files. Libraries helps you get that done very easy by adding library folders with references to each top level directory or file you want to have in that particular group. Good stuff.

For drivers, I haven’t really had any trouble with any devices I’ve installed, and you’re talking about a whizzbang tecchie Uubernerd with serious gadgetItis, so that’s saying something If you’re holding back on XP b/c of this, I would say jump right in, the waters fine; however, some older programs and hardware might have a little trouble.

All in all, honestly I do feel W7 is worth the purchase this coming fall, however, I would really love to check out OSX w/o having to get locked into a Steve Jobs nightmare box I can’t tweak the hardware on! (yes i know about the G5, i dont have 3 grand or whatever ridiculous amount they charge to get a PC-like box, lame!)

If you haven’t upgraded from XP yet b/c of the bad Vista news, I would say 7 is the one for you. If you already have Vista like my sorry arse, and feel ripped off like I do, download Release Candidate 7 and enjoy it free for a year!

Nice work Capcom! This title is expertly done, with clean controls, great story, excellent character identification, and of course, good time zombie killin’!

I’m not a big fan of Zombie games, but I can’t help but recognize superior gameplay and overall superb engineering. The game almost has a “Metal Gear” feel, although by far not at that level (no seamless fades from cutscenes to gameplay, etc). Again, not that hip on zombie games, but that’s coming from someone who played “Dead Rising” for a good 40 hours; I’m willing to make concessions to enjoy a well done gaming engine.

I took a quick look at the customizations available, however, and they look a little on the weak side. I guess if you’re a fan of the franchise, just buy it. But if you’re like me, you should rent it first and make sure it’s what you’re looking for in all those areas.

I would say just for single player the game has easily over 15-20 hours of depth, but that really depends on how you decide to play the game. Also, just like “Metal Gear,” lots and lots of cutscenes, almost to the point of nausea, so if that’s not your thing, be warned.

Wow. I played the original Killzone years ago on the PS2 for about 3 minutes, but I wasn’t impressed. Sony has obviously been paying very close attention to the groundbreaking innovations taking place in the FPS world since then, because this game nails the visceral experience all the hardcore shooters love.

Smooth gameplay, military style combat (aka realistic kills, not 3,000 bullets to kill an enemy, typical of Sci-Fi shooters), excellent character identification, and very well done maps make this a AAA title hands down. A must buy in my book for anyone with a PS3 and a need for a good shooter fix. I have heard excellent things about online play, although haven’t delved into the PS3 online world in a while. Soon though, very soon. Something about ‘free’ appeals to me over Xbox live, which I’m going to let run out this fall as I enter the Playstation network.

The story is very well established, expanding on the original title, with excellent but simply done intros, not the huge movie-type format that some games seem to be overdoing. I was immediately drawn into the story from the opening (which is epic, btw!), and enjoyed several levels of pure shooter bliss as I played the game for the first time last night. Looking forward to many good times with this game, can’t wait to see what else it has to offer. So far, tanks and rocket launchers by level 2, so it’s looking good!

I must say I haven’t played a good bond game in years. Considering what I’m comparing it to this fall, they’ve done quite well. The only thing that detracts from this game is the amount of time I will probably spend on it. There is little motivation to do more than 1 or two playthroughs, and I’m already half way through the game in just under an hour. Yep, you heard me right, it’s that fast. Granted, I’m on easy, but once you understand how to complete the levels, and you’ve played the game a bit, I’m sure it’s not that much harder. My suspicion is that the hardest difficulty levels are just straight up annoying as well.

The take down mode is fun (run up on enemy, press right stick, hit a random key in time),
and there are a few fights where you have to use sequences of key presses (nothing new, but I enjoy those). I found the controls to be easy to use, and figuring out what you have to do is also fairly simple (halfway throught the game and I haven’t used the map once).

Aside from this though, the game offers little more in the way of complexity or depth, Its obvious that its just a component of the franchise, but it really is better than the last few I’ve played in recent years. I remember Goldeneye being the last bond release I really enjoyed, and of course all the ones before that were great as well.

While it’s good to see a Bond game that’s at least worth playing, considering the paltry amount of play time that seems to be available, this is surely a rental. Strangely enough, I found the shooter interface of this game to be more enjoyable than some of the other titles coming out recently, but the game’s lack of depth is really its major falling off point. If you want gamers to get involved in your titles, you really need to pay attention to the most recent developments in the industry, like in game stats, and well engineered coop modes. But let me stop there, I’m expecting too much from a movie-based title

In a few words, this game is like GTA w/o all the extra BS (read my review of GTA IV), and the best coop experience I’ve ever witnessed. I now fully expect any game that claims to have good coop to measure up to this new standard. The Volition Team has pushed up the bar to a new level, and next year should bring some excellent new opportunities in this realm.

I got at least 30 hours worth of gameplay from this rental, and easily 90+ % enjoyment. There’s always a balance of gaming bliss and profanity, and I am always pleasantly surprised when it’s more of the former than the latter. In fact, with all these great new titles coming out this fall, I almost expect that experience from each and every game I play at this point.

If you’re a fan of GTA, I would give this game a try, and find a friend to play it with on coop, it’s designed for that. You will find out quickly that some of the missions are a little tricky, but much easier, if not just much more fun, on coop. The character and in-game customization options are pretty fun, and the outfits are hilarious. I ended up as a buff Asian girl with lots of tats and some nice slick leather pants most of the time. The vehicle options are great, the unlockables there are spectacular; I wont spoil it for you, just go forth and unlock! The weapons unlockables are awesome as well, my favs are the unlimited ammo on the dual wield smg’s, and the unlimited ammo for the rapid fire shotty. good stuff

As far as whether to rent or buy this, I think, if you are a GTA fan and have played the first saints row, this is a definite buy. For me, this format is not so much my bag, but certainly one of the best rentals I’ve had as far as play time. 30 hours for a $20 rental is pretty sweet in my book.