tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23584719802080651052024-03-13T12:46:58.466-04:00Binary ArmorWrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03577199704710596088noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-3972996634490374962012-09-06T08:06:00.001-04:002012-09-06T08:15:21.086-04:00Skyrim: Hearthfire ReviewBuilding your own home out in the boonies has been something that I’ve wanted since TES: Oblivion. That’s why I was pretty stoked to see just that in Bethesda’s <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SE5owAIPmk">Games Jam video</a>. Annoying music notwithstanding, the video showed off some cool additions. Several of them have already been implemented in updates (mounted combat, Kinect support) and DLC (vampire lord, lycanthropy perks). <i>Hearthfire</i>’s home building adds yet another.<br />
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While I am aware of the situation with Skyrim DLC on the PS3 and the concerns it and the release of <i>Hearthfire</i> have raised, I will opt to forgo that discussion and talk about the DLC within its own merits.<br />
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I’m not going to bother you with exhaustive detail... the <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_V:_Hearthfire">various</a> <a href="http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Hearthfire">wikis</a> are continually updating with anything you could possibly need to know. For the low-down, just check out the official blurb:
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<i>"With this official add-on to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, you can purchase land and build your own home from the ground up - from a simple one-room cottage to a sprawling compound complete with an armory, alchemy laboratory, stable, garden, and more. Use all-new tools like the drafting table and carpenter's workbench to transform quarried stone, clay, and sawn logs into structures and furnishings. Even transform your house into a home by adopting children."</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can I make my house out of dragon bones? 'Cause I've got a lot of those...</td></tr>
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If it hasn’t already been made clear, this add-on gives the Dragonborn the opportunity to purchase land to build a home and adopt children. <i>Hearthfire</i> begins with a courier delivering a letter about child adoption. Subsequently talking to the woman at the Honorhall Orphanage in Riften will prompt you to state your occupation. You can choose from ‘Dragonborn’, ‘Thief’, ‘Assassin’, or ‘Adventurer’ (mages need not apply). Of course, choosing thief or assassin will make her question your seriousness. If she’s satisfied with your lifestyle choices, you’ll then be informed that you must own a home that is equipped for a child before you can adopt.<br />
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That’s where the land comes in. There’s no clear indication that there’s land for sale, aside from a letter from one of the jarls that doesn’t always get delivered. You can stake your claim in Hjaalmarch (Morthal), Falkreath, and The Pale (Dawnstar) and start building. Aside from an initial investment of 5,000 gold, you might need to be thane in that hold or at least do a few quests for the jarl -- the requirements aren't always clear.<br />
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Once you’ve purchased your land, you can begin constructing your house using the new drafting board and carpenter’s bench. Enough materials to build the first stage are provided in a chest at the work area. Further building materials will have to be purchased, like lumber from lumber mills, or mined, like stone and clay. Interior items can either crafted one-by-one or purchased as a package.<br />
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At first, I was expecting <i>Hearthfire</i> to be geared solely towards players with excess cash to spend on a fancy new home. Make no mistake, the process takes lots of time and money. However, the first portion of the home-building creates a small house that is perfectly livable, provided you add the appropriate furnishings, for a price comparable to Whiterun's Breezehome.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All we need now is a kickin’ 80′s montage.</td></tr>
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Should you find yourself with some excess gold, the starter home can be converted into an entrance hall once the main hall is built. It doesn’t end there. Apart from the main hall being fairly massive, with two stories and a full-size cellar to boot, you can add up to three additional wings to the house. Each wing gives you a choice between three specialized rooms, ranging from a greenhouse to a trophy room. Even without all of the additions, the sheer amount of storage that you can add through furnishings puts every other purchasable home to shame. A fully furnished house is a hoarder’s wet dream. Did I mention that one of the additions can be a storage room filled entirely with chests and containers? Not to worry, though, choosing that storage room over the alchemy tower won’t leave you without a way to mix potions. All of the crafting equipment is available in the main hall or cellar, as well. It can become a bit redundant, but at least it doesn’t force you to sacrifice functionality.<br />
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Unfortunately, your choice of additional wings is pretty much the extent to which you can customize the house. Furnishings are all pre-arranged, and the decor is non-negotiable apart from any objects that you place on shelves and in display cases. All three properties produce structurally identical houses, so the selection is based on your preference of location and scenery. The inability to preview additions or undo them, should you have a change of heart, is quite disappointing. But honestly, it’s just as well, since I’m too busy using my new-found storage space to organize my stuff by color and weight.<br />
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I’ll be honest, the prospect of adoption and family life doesn’t seem to fit with any of my characters, nor did it pique my interest as much as the rest of <i>Hearthfire</i>. But Bethesda put some thought into that with the addition of new orphans to some of the cities, running around barefoot, begging for gold. They’ll even tell you all about their parents... who are dead. Thanks for the guilt trip, Bethesda!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You too can sponsor a child in need for just Septims a day!</td></tr>
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The interactions available for your children can be pretty varied and amusing, including playing hide and seek (which they are terrible at) and giving them gifts (you can give them a dagger, if you’re feeling irresponsible). But no, you can’t make them do manual labor (aside from chores), kill them, or take them as followers. But I’m sure PC player will have mods for all that and more once they get their hands on this add-on.<br />
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Adoption isn’t just for the landowning gentry, oh no! Most, if not all, of the existing homes now offer an upgrade allowing for adoption. This comes at the expense of one of your rooms, of course. But what’s the loss of your alchemy room when you could hear the pitter-patter of little feet around your collection of dragon bones and deadly weapons?<br />
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The new housecarls for each of the holds are way better. For starters, they don’t just sit in your bedroom all day, and watching you sleep at night (I’m talking to you, Lydia). They’ll even go outside from time to time to survey the land and generally look more useful than their city-dwelling counterparts. Just about any follower, including the new housecarls, can be asked to become steward of the estate. On top of being able to buy things for your new home, they do the all-important job of sitting in all of your chairs and saying random things whenever you walk by.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He can get you anything you need… except for a good skooma dealer.</td></tr>
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There are plenty of other interesting things to do and experience besides building and adoption. There are new cooking recipes and a few home ownership and parenting situations to deal with that I haven’t really gotten into in my short time playing. I’ll say this: giants don’t make great neighbors, and it’s not because they play their music too loud.<br />
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On the performance front, <i>Hearthfire</i> isn't perfect, nor is it buggy to the point of being unplayable (and that's sort of a compliment for Bethesda). While not game-breaking, bugs like the player not receiving the letter notifying them that they can purchase land or the requirements for purchasing land and adoption can make it a bit confusing to get started. I also noticed frequent (but temporary) freezes, as well as a considerable increase in load times. Bethesda will certainly need to put out a patch to sort out these few issues.<br />
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The knee-jerk reaction by some mouthbreathers on the internet to compare this DLC to “horsearmor lol” is woefully unjustified. <i>Hearthfire</i> provides plenty of non-essential goodies to a game already full of content and is worth dropping five bucks on. Besides, just about anything Bethesda could have released would have been more useful than "horse armor."<i><a href="mailto:wrecklaimer@gmail.com"></a></i>Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-8751295520964368602012-08-13T16:38:00.000-04:002012-09-06T07:50:24.172-04:00The New Legacy Control<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1_IBesxa835ad0Yv6ZBvRcxwFISOUwQou2Zv9E7HQLHj0Gm-kbZwzgnDt0UXFjayd2J9oin1qPkee9DZlCyl9gQ1gxNRY9I5VSVkW_DPQyO4L6S8g73iRDsBwb8DOIgDFJ9DkW8NbJjG/s1600/LC-logo-y.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1_IBesxa835ad0Yv6ZBvRcxwFISOUwQou2Zv9E7HQLHj0Gm-kbZwzgnDt0UXFjayd2J9oin1qPkee9DZlCyl9gQ1gxNRY9I5VSVkW_DPQyO4L6S8g73iRDsBwb8DOIgDFJ9DkW8NbJjG/s200/LC-logo-y.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Well, it's been a long time coming, but the new site design for Legacy Control is live! This fresh coat of paint (along with numerous other tweaks and features along the way) are brought to you by me, the web designer, developer, and 'web ninja' at LC. Like it or not, I'd say it's vast improvement both visually and functionally. But don't take my word for it... <a href="http://legacy-control.com/">check it out</a>! And read the comic while you're there. Seriously. That's what it's there for.<br />
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Along with the new eye-candy, comes some potential word-candy in the form of LC's new Control Freaks blog. This editorial/blog resides at <a href="http://legacy-control.com/control-freaks">legacy-control.com/control-freaks</a>. You can learn all about it from its <a href="http://legacy-control.com/2012/08/13/welcome-to-control-freaks/">inaugural post</a>.<br />
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For those who aren't familiar, Legacy Control is a relatively new (well, more like 2 years old) webcomic about video games and other geek culture. No sense in a long-winded intro -- just visit the site: <a href="http://legacy-control.com/">legacy-control.com</a>Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-8286932627490296252011-12-02T17:18:00.001-05:002011-12-03T15:23:57.798-05:00Christmas Comes Early for Battlefield 3It looks like I'm getting a late birthday present, and everyone is getting an early Christmas present. The folks at EA and DICE have finally dated the release of their Back to Karkand DLC for mid-December. Battlefield 3's back to Karkand add-on, which will be free to those who pre-order BF3 (myself included), is set to be released on December 13th. Otherwise, it's $15 (1200 MSP). Playstation version owners will get it a week earlier on the 6th.<br />
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Karkand will feature new maps, guns, vehicles and achievement/trophies. It seems that the weapons will be unlocked by "Assignments" which require you to meet specific requirements within a match. But the cool thing is that they unlock for not only the BtK maps, but also the originals. Let's just hope that they're guns worth running on the treadmill for. I do enough running in the game as it is.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-45866502605555592562011-10-25T15:42:00.000-04:002012-05-17T11:25:31.601-04:00Battlefield 3 Android Home ScreenIn the spirit of <i>Battlefield 3</i>'s release today (in North America, at least), I put together a custom Android home screen to mark the occasion. I literally just received my preorder copy at the door as I'm writing this (release-day shipping from Amazon ain't too shabby). Spooky...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click for full size</td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a>The greenish-blue probably doesn't match in-game colors, but I thought that it looked nice with the minimal white and black. The background is the Operation Metro wallpaper that was released with some others a short while ago. I forget where I got it from, but it can be be easily found by searching for "Battlefield 3 Operation Metro wallpaper" or something like that. The whole thing was put together rather quickly and simply, but I think it turned out pretty well. It would definitely look even better if I took the time to make more of the pieces myself. Maybe I'll repost an updated version this weekend if I have the time.<br />
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Here's a quick list of supplies needed to deploy this:<br />
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<li>Home screen launcher - <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.fede.launcher&hl=en">LauncherPro</a> (<a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=org.adw.launcher&hl=en">ADW.Launcher</a> works, too)</li>
<li>Clock - <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=bob.clock&hl=en">BobClockD3</a></li>
<li>Calendar - <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.roflharrison.agenda&hl=en">Agenda Widget</a> (highly customizable)</li>
<li>Weather - <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.levelup.beautifulwidgets&hl=en">Beautiful Widgets</a> Beatutiful Weather 1x1 w/ Letters skin</li>
<li>Icons - <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=jp.co.bii.android.app.dskvzr&hl=en">Desktop VisualizeR</a> widgets w/ Windows Phone 7 icons found <a href="http://yankoa.deviantart.com/art/Windows-Phone-7-Icons-166077852">here</a> </li>
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All of the apps and widgets listed above are free, with the exception of Beautiful Widgets (which is $2.89 on the Android Market). I think it's definitely worth the purchase, but if you're so inclined, you can get it for free from <a href="http://www.getjar.com/">GetJar</a>. Although it wasn't intentional, I thought it was kind of cool how I ended up using "metro" style icons with an Operation Metro wallpaper.<br />
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Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get some things done so I can justify playing some <i>Battlefield 3</i> tonight.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-48472436831784465442011-08-22T22:52:00.000-04:002011-08-23T03:20:56.048-04:00She Had Some Work Done...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; float: right; font-size: 85%; margin: 5px 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 280px;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSe9s3wujUHqd_OAayE3vJQSeapqDEnGvAWV15X2a3TE9QDtyVTCvW3apyEmcdeUEzcBMjPwxgaStuWbfM7xwgJn_v1BGE3cfUXRgQMsMRnyNANxC-Xxb9M-R81RX4Ll9PC3DsoBxAQGYe/s320/splicer-b-wkr1ycd8gn.jpg" width="280" /><i>"You promised me pretty, Steinman! You promised me pretty! Now look at me! LOOK AT ME!!"</i></div>
Well, the new site design is up and working (as far as I can tell). It took a hell of a lot longer than I had planned. Mostly due to how finicky I was about the whole thing. I think it looks far better on the outside, and it definitely is a lot better on the inside.<br />
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I also took the opportunity to cut some of the clutter out of the sidebar. I may add a few things back in, but I'd like to keep it clean. I'd be lying if I said that I'm done with it. As far a I'm concerned, it's an improvement, so it's close enough. I'm not above making further adjustments, though. <br />
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Have no fear, <a href="http://cheeseburgerapocalypse.blogspot.com/">Cheeseburger Apocalypse</a> will be getting the same treatment. But not a really radical redesign. Mostly rebuilding it on this template's customized skeleton. And I'll get to spiffy it up with nice graphics like I had always intended. F0RCEFL0W's custom headers will still grace the page. Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-14379197043405422552011-07-14T17:59:00.000-04:002011-07-14T18:00:05.542-04:00Game of CouchesThere's been no shortage of things to kill my productivity lately. It's
nothing short of a conspiracy. I swear, if I did not have the
self-control that I demonstrate in steeling myself to write this
very post, I'd be doomed spend the rest of my summer on the couch. So
much new and <a href="http://binaryarmor.blogspot.com/2011/07/tv-nostalgia-courtesy-of-netflix.html">old</a> TV magic to behold, care of Netflix and associates.But I'll get around to finishing the site update sooner or later.<br />
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I started watching the highly recommended <i>Game of Thrones</i> as of yesterday. I must say, I was not disappointed. While I may be a little late to the party, all of the violence, nudity, and Sean Bean that <i>Game of Thrones</i> has to offer has not been lost on me. Did I mention that there's lots of tits? And that's just speaking for the first two episodes. Yes, sir, this is not the show for the young'ins. But does seem to perfectly hit <a href="http://legacy-control.com/2011/05/15/game-of-thrones/">my demographic's favorite selling points</a>. Okay, so it might not have a lot to appeal to women. But it has lots of horses, too (women like horses, right?)Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-50636755104617039832011-07-12T16:07:00.006-04:002011-08-12T03:26:19.780-04:00TV Nostalgia Courtesy of NetflixI've been using Netflix for a while now, and it's been a major consumer of my free time. Unlimited streaming TV shows and movies for as little as $7.99 a month? <a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/bill-oreilly-you-cant-explain-that">You can't explain that</a>!<br />
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<img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHqhyVAvdUzjh0IfjokFZMAl0yZlUNG0FjBZQ4vtFjwAugqw_SrdCGnn7RYBayTdL5IAn5MtrFr8zkHgSVCM4Bo-1gTUoIcRa0A0nZ5WCBMDB-q4RuCjAaydTVlIkBN3gTDW7Tp-PItpi/s320/xmen_0a2fdd01a6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin: auto 1em auto auto;" width="320" />But Netflix has gone further and tempted me with offerings of many of the TV shows that I watched as a kid in the 90's. At first it was just <i>The X-Files</i>. But after seemingly listening in on my thoughts and conversations with my brother, now the <i>X-Men</i> and <i>Spider-Man </i>cartoons that I grew up with are available. They also have<i> Mighty Morphin Power Rangers</i>, too.<br />
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Other recently added choices like all of the <i>Star Trek</i> TV shows (except they don't have <i>DS9</i>) are a good bet as well. I already watched through <i>Star Trek: TNG</i> prior to getting Netflix, but I'll probably start up <i>Star Trek: The Original Series</i>.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-47659202521510375482011-06-13T20:32:00.007-04:002011-08-08T04:48:06.285-04:00Time for a Tune-upDue a combination of my summer free time and the fact that the blogs are, as of yet, woefully unmaintained, I'm getting around to an update. Not only do I intend on making everything pretty (not my strong suit), but I'd also like to make the template compliant with Blogger's new(ish) template designer. I decided that it would be best to start from one of the many stock templates to meet this requirement.<br />
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It pains me to abandon my frankenstein-ed template, especially after getting it to play nice with Internet Explorer. (Seriously, IE, why can't you be like all of the other web browsers?!) Working from the new templates has presented some of it's own challenges. Not that they're radically different; I just personally find the way they're made to be strange. Maybe they know great some web design secret and use it to keep out the riff raff. Kinda like an web design Bat-cave.<br />
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<a href="http://cheeseburgerapocalypse.blogspot.com/">Cheeseburger Apocalypse</a> will also benefit from this as well. Changes won't go up on either until I'm satisfied with the results. I'm currently testing on my test blog.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-81960944908948020872011-06-03T19:39:00.006-04:002011-06-22T03:49:09.597-04:00Duke Nukem Forever Demo ReviewThey say that 'You Can Always Bet On Duke', but I never was a bettin’ man. Thanks to my recent purchase of the <i>Borderlands GOTY Edition</i> (also made by Gearbox and 2K), I received early access to the <i>Duke Nukem Forever</i> demo as of today. People who pre-ordered the game get the early demo as well, but I’m not sure what’s so great about a demo for a game that they already bought… Guess it’s time for ol’ Duke to put away the bubblegum and start kicking ass. I’ll stop with the puns now. Maybe.<br />
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The demo begins with Duke pissing in one of the locker rooms of the football stadium. You can hold the right-trigger to have Duke relieve himself in the urinal. Once you’re done, you head out (without washing your hands, of course) to where armored soldiers are planning their assault. You’re free to draw on the whiteboard, but it’s hard to do with thumbsticks. Whether you make a crudely-drawn penis or just scribbles, the remaining soldier comments on the mastery of your plan. After watching a few guys get wasted by the up-coming boss, Duke grabs the “Devastator” grenade launcher and heads up to the field. You’ll have a battle almost identical to the one in <i>Duke Nukem 3D</i>. The scene ends to reveal that you were actually playing a <i>Duke Nukem</i> video game (so Meta!) accompanied by twins. In case you don’t remember, all of this was already in the previous gameplay videos.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7VIhyphenhyphenmQkZSXznB79rzjErwwafNruJI1DpFq8E1UJd1PJN_ghGnHrq9B-BgB3IUKDaWOXGY1CQ3h73raQjP5hyphenhyphenlpYcL36hGN_iUaOOAMWzbOzIvBVDyLyflSmfQ7InWvk37xOSwotN_u1g/s1600/duke-demo-pax-cont1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7VIhyphenhyphenmQkZSXznB79rzjErwwafNruJI1DpFq8E1UJd1PJN_ghGnHrq9B-BgB3IUKDaWOXGY1CQ3h73raQjP5hyphenhyphenlpYcL36hGN_iUaOOAMWzbOzIvBVDyLyflSmfQ7InWvk37xOSwotN_u1g/s400/duke-demo-pax-cont1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You hear that? That's the sound you pissing away 60 dollars.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Despite the fact it was a throw-back joke, the stadium boss battle was the closest the gameplay in the demo came to feeling like authentic Duke. The following level starts you off in Duke’s monster truck, running over pig cops. After reaching a mine, the truck runs out of gas, requiring Duke to venture ahead on foot. The subsequent shoot-outs and mine cart shenanigans don’t feel particularly in the spirit of a <i>Duke Nukem</i> game. They probably could have picked a less boring level to include in the demo.<br />
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The gameplay is more or less what you’d see in a modern FPS. I wouldn’t compare it to something like <i>Call of Duty</i>, since the controls simply aren’t as solid. Many of the game mechanics and design choices seem to cramp Duke’s style. For example, you can only carry two weapons simultaneously, making you choose between Duke’s cool arsenal. Sorry, baby, but Duke's just not a two-weapon guy! This really puts the brakes on the run-and-gun combat that you’d expect. I was also disappointed by the absence of Duke’s “mighty foot”. Instead, you’ll have to make do with the standard gun melee attack. Duke’s pistol happens to be a gold-plated M1911 that’s just as useless as most video game pistols. Don’t get me wrong, the real M1911 is a fine gun, but I kind of expected something a little more flashy – maybe a Desert Eagle or at least his semi-auto 9mm from <i>DN3D</i>. Most of my gripes come from personal taste and classic <i>Duke Nukem</i> nostalgia, but the fact is that it still plays like a subpar shooter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6i8B5KEEELazGSyomkfPpLeHy2x8kMv135bkA9Tp9FWbTtvlAZN1_TOSK3BTTUPsDuqIthyphenhypheneRzFk6nIcNFq3xoroOPFvgxz6wIGDFJDaZLPKXIhwV9wMO1hSk-b3eY3vJjBwBi0GaNIC/s1600/duke-nukem-demo-dated-news.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6i8B5KEEELazGSyomkfPpLeHy2x8kMv135bkA9Tp9FWbTtvlAZN1_TOSK3BTTUPsDuqIthyphenhypheneRzFk6nIcNFq3xoroOPFvgxz6wIGDFJDaZLPKXIhwV9wMO1hSk-b3eY3vJjBwBi0GaNIC/s400/duke-nukem-demo-dated-news.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No game is complete without an erection joke.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><i>DNF</i> isn’t technically impressive in the looks department, either. The best approximation I can come up with is that it’s on-par with Halo 3: ODST in terms of graphics. It would maybe pass for a game released 2-3 years ago, at best. The few examples of explosions present in the demo were underwhelming to say the least. The enemy animations and models looked fairly good, though.<br />
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The Duke is in the details with this game (er… demo), however. Those painfully corny one-liners are still around, but there are plenty of other fun tid-bits. Upon picking up the “Devastator” grenade launcher, you’ll notice that it has exactly 69 ammo. Fans of Half-Life 2 will notice a nod to the Citadel overload storm. Another Half-Life reference comes when Duke finds a boarded-up mine tunnel and comments that it’d be nice to have a crowbar. The trademark crude humor is intact, but I’m not sure it can carry the game all by itself.<br />
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I can’t help but feel that the demo failed to show us the goods – and I don’t mean all of the strippers that the trailers promised us. Duke remarks “I’d buy that for a dollar!” (yet another pop-culture reference) when breaking open a supply crate. I’m sure if I were to buy <i>DNF</i>, I’d be willing to pay more than a dollar, but I sure wouldn’t pay full price for it. Maybe I’m just a long-time fan who’s nit-picking, but I simply don’t see enough going for it as a shooter, let alone a <i>Duke Nukem</i> game.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-1747662892118864302011-06-01T19:34:00.003-04:002011-08-23T17:42:25.852-04:00Write It Like You Stole It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOtELQT3SqAU57uZWHhU4e6GL3zoZVyUEBhYfsHFV_I0EbBKJ-4FtpiO9EkEO0mmphhc1YR7DyaKDJe33TxFPeYKKThk3rZG_6Laom-ohT5drJJMZJosOpF5x8fy_CSQO8PUtXV2YE8Zb/s1600/425.grand.theft.auto.iv.042908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOtELQT3SqAU57uZWHhU4e6GL3zoZVyUEBhYfsHFV_I0EbBKJ-4FtpiO9EkEO0mmphhc1YR7DyaKDJe33TxFPeYKKThk3rZG_6Laom-ohT5drJJMZJosOpF5x8fy_CSQO8PUtXV2YE8Zb/s200/425.grand.theft.auto.iv.042908.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Browsing the front page of the local newspaper today (that’s right, a twenty-something reading a dying media), I came across something I hate to see in the news: video games. Below the main headline read “Brothers Played ‘Grand Theft Auto,’ Drank Before Officer Was Killed”.<br />
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The article is a follow-up to the recent shooting death of an area public safety officer. It presents updated information regarding the shooter (who was also killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound) and the circumstances leading up to the crime. The same article is available at Mlive.com <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/06/in_moments_before_he_killed_ka.html">here</a>.<br />
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As someone who plays video games regularly and can think critically, I was deeply disappointed when I saw this article. Not disappointed that a video game was involved in a crime. Of course, I was disappointed that people do these things. But I was also disappointed that the journalist thought that the game was important enough to mention three times within the article, not including the title. Even the pullquote mentioned “GTA”. We get it! The scumbag who shot a cop played "Grand Theft Auto"! But is that any more a valid factor in his actions than, let’s say, the alcohol and firearms?<br />
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I would bet that if it wasn’t the decision of the author himself, somewhere down the line, someone suggested that this violent video game be put in the title. Because a news article about a cop-killer is a shame. But a cop-killer who played video game that lets you kill cops? That’s media corrupting our youth! Well… in this case, a 31-year-old felon, who had been drinking and had access to firearms.<br />
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<blockquote>“Both [Leonard Stalter and his brother] had felony records and lived across the street from each other in houses where there were unsecured firearms. They would spend hours drinking Captain Morgan, becoming intoxicated and playing ‘Grand Theft Auto,’ a notoriously violent TV video game.” <br />
-U.S. District Court Magistrate Hugh W. Brenneman</blockquote><br />
I’m not sure why he also felt it was necessary to mention that they were drinking “Captain Morgan”. Maybe it’s the drink of choice for heavily-armed felons? Were they eating “Funyuns” (also known as “the snack of violent crime”) and needed something to wash them down?<br />
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This just comes off as a lazy attempt to demonize something that they don’t even care to understand. I’m not sure how a “TV video game” differs from a “video game”, but I’m sure Brenneman doesn’t know either. But we all know the reason “video game” or “Grand Theft Auto” is ever used in print is to scare the same older generation whose music choices were condemned as immoral. Sorry kid, but your lifestyle choices aren’t rebellious or edgy – everything your generation likes is subversive and wrong.<br />
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I realize that it’s their job to not only write a story, but to also sell it. Even if they weren't trying to say that playing "Grand Theft Auto" was a legitimate factor these men's actions, it’s irresponsible to imply it. These adult men made their own decisions, resulting in the needless death of man doing his job. Alcohol was a far more valid factor, but even that is not an excuse for anyone’s actions. Blaming violent behavior on drinking or video games themselves is insulting. It’s insulting to the family of the officer killed and trivializes their loss. It’s insulting to those who would rather deal with the real issues at hand.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/06/in_moments_before_he_killed_ka.html">Statler brothers drank alcohol, played 'Grand Theft Auto' before Officer Eric Zapata was shot to death</a>Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-39968745491558368912011-01-18T17:03:00.025-05:002011-08-29T02:27:39.806-04:00Your Mom Sells Dead Space 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AEZc1IK-Alw0DwZIQXID7LUTYGDnhYT8bKW-vlcJH_ZP1WOWYn6zR-C_AXPwxIgJlVOqsdIby9CD6HgGmu76myjBx86EulKfphqSQiIZ0mQkVfdGMuAluFyBUXFDDwNRt5A1CNA1U3K1/s1600/isaac-ds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AEZc1IK-Alw0DwZIQXID7LUTYGDnhYT8bKW-vlcJH_ZP1WOWYn6zR-C_AXPwxIgJlVOqsdIby9CD6HgGmu76myjBx86EulKfphqSQiIZ0mQkVfdGMuAluFyBUXFDDwNRt5A1CNA1U3K1/s200/isaac-ds.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
EA/Visceral Games' recent viral ad campaign for Dead Space 2 has been popping up on various video game news outlets since its debut over the weekend. For those of you who are not familiar, it's essentially an attempt to make Dead Space appealing solely based on the idea that middle-aged (conservative) mothers think it's gory and violent. Take a look at some of the videos <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcm5M-KWQnM&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=SPA8D6BCA0A537750D">here</a>.<br />
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Apparently, everyone (excluding their mothers) thinks this is "brilliant". I'm not sure that I'd call it that, but I see what they might be going for with this campaign. The argument for why it's "brilliant" is because it uses the idea of the disapproving mom to sell video games. But if your target audience is over 18, how does parental disapproval have anything to do with making them want to buy the game? If it really is trying to sell mature game to minors, then is reducing your industry to the child-corrupting stereotypes really the way to help your bottom line?<br />
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An interesting thing to note is how they tested mothers from "the heart of conservative America". As if liberal mothers would have been too busy demanding that there should be more educational content to make entertaining reaction shots.<br />
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Maybe EA believes that its games won't sell well enough based on their own merits or reputation with people who have played the first game (which people seem to like). And yes, I realize that this was done largely for the sake of humor, but that doesn't mean that can't be critical of it, damn it!<br />
I'll admit, the videos are good for laugh or two at the participants’ expense, but if you're running out to buy a game simply because it has a cool marketing campaign, then maybe you should rethink your purchase criteria.<br />
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UPDATE: Even the fine minds at Extra Credits (The Escapist) made this point <a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2794-An-Open-Letter-to-EA-Marketing">here</a>.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-54448040418822587412010-11-30T18:35:00.007-05:002011-08-29T02:28:19.034-04:00A Very Battlefield Christmas<div style="float: right; font-size: 85%; margin: 5px 10px auto; text-align: center; width: 300px;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDr40IJz6MXY6RlKPmbGy8DnxmguqbklaBb3K58RAuLUElVzpBq1dLQcwnodVlCa52Om0xBCefEXDTTSGxa-DdhvTJZej5M6GPQvcAvBuv8VWBFlu4-Ulc8hNmVBYCE4dHSHdYrwyazVKL/s320/battlefield-bad-company-2_panama_holiday.jpg" width="300px" /><i>In retrospect, the hats might make us easy targets...</i></div>
Perhaps in the holiday spirit, EA and developer DICE have finally rolled out some dates on the promised Map Pack 7 and the Vietnam expansion. The map pack being first up to be released... tomorrow? Umm... thanks for the notice, I guess...<br />
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Anyway, you won't be able to put your boots on the ground in 'Nam until December 21. PC players on Steam will get it as early as the 18th, because screw you, that's why!<br />
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Of course, there'll be the Multiplayer Update 3 waiting before you can unwrap (download) your shiny new presents. I've always wanted a flamethrower for Christmas!<br />
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Here's some eye-candy:<br />
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The official news can be found at the <a href="http://blogs.battlefield.ea.com/battlefield_bad_company/archive/2010/11/30/release-dates-set-for-vip-map-pack-7-and-battlefield-bad-company-2-vietn.aspx">Battlefield blog</a>.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-71966335818417925462010-08-12T20:05:00.008-04:002011-08-29T02:30:06.657-04:00To Infinity and Beyond [the Sea]Ken Levine has finally revealed his super-secret project with Irrational Games. It's going to be another Bioshock game! You may be saying to yourself, "didn't they just make a Bioshock game?" You, sir or madame, would be correct... technically. Yes, Bioshock 2 was released recently, but it wasn't made by Ken and his team at Irrational. And see what happened to it? A mediocre sequel to an amazing game.<br />
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Thankfully, Levine is back at it with a new take on the series with Bioshock: Infinite. Yes, the "Infinite" is supposed to have some significance, but we don't know why just yet. While Bioshock first took place under the water, this one will be set in a sort of city in the sky during 1912 (post Civil War America). A cinematic trailer, much like the one for the first game, was released.<br />
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I can just imagine the Big Daddies (or what ever that was) with giant rotors, flying around. Sounds almost silly, but from what we can see of it, that menacing yet oddly disturbing appearance of the Big Daddies has not been lost. The whole heart-in-a-fishbowl thing is a little creepy.<br />
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Anyway... let's just hope Levine can pull off yet another fine game. I certainly wouldn't want the series to end on a low note.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-77645581193246514682010-04-05T15:32:00.007-04:002011-08-29T02:30:31.887-04:00It Only Does Poorly in School ...<img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdiAzrSui3WKLT51SrRmJTMQskP1Q3icKjqjC4BcGBfVnsC6xZWZ8u2OxAihoDHDgxPLLfAsnK2hkFIOSi_vpbOSLl4aBXLanz-cWeyDwUS4HBT3NKOwEa_kr9w8spYCbyk-50pgqr6h1N/s200/kid-videogame.jpg" style="float: right; margin-bottom: auto; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 5px;" width="200" />I came across a recent Associated Press article about a study done on the effects of a video game console (in this case, the Playstation 2) on a child's academic performance. Most of the same information in the article can be found in a similar one <a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/health-1/video-game-hurts-schoolwork-of.html">here</a>. Demonizing the video game industry is nothing new, but some of the evidence against it is of dubious quality at best. Kids who have video game systems play more video games than those who don't? How did we not see that before?!<br />
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To show just how "professional" this study was, the researchers chose to exclude girls from the study because they would not "produce meaningful results." So, essentially they're saying that they limited their test group so that the data would better suit their claim. I'm not a behavioral researcher, but isn't the point of a study (aside from coming to obvious conclusions) to gather data which is then used to make a reasonable conclusion? It seems to me like they did the opposite: made a conclusion and then hand-picked data to support it, ignoring blindingly obvious factors.<br />
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The only redeeming part of the study is that one of the researchers admitted that there isn’t “necessarily something inherent in video games that negatively affects kids. It’s an activity that detracts from time that could be spent on schoolwork.” They also pointed out that it seemed to have no effect on math and problem solving skills.<br />
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These claims that video games lead to poor academic performance on young people universally is irresponsible at best. I've been playing video games for most of my life, and I've been a well above average student, too. No amount of video games prevented me from graduating at the top of my class in high school.<br />
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As for those kids who are truly sacrificing their learning for entertainment (not just video games), that's where personal and parental responsibility come in. After all, most of these "cultural epidemics" we seem to be having in this country aren't because of evil products. It's because of people who are too lazy to take responsibility for their own actions and show a little self-control.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-26973310829975421652010-03-26T15:09:00.007-04:002011-08-29T02:30:58.967-04:00Perfect Dark XBLA Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was huge fan of the original <i>Perfect Dark</i> when it first came out on the Nintendo 64, spending more time on it than any other game in its generation. Let’s be honest, the N64 wasn’t exactly a top-of-the-line machine, but it had some great games. Chief among those was, of course, <i>Goldeneye 007</i>’s spiritual successor: <i>Perfect Dark</i>. Now it’s back and looking better than ever. The Studio that brought <i>Banjo-Kazooie</i> and <i>Banjo-Tooie</i> to the Xbox Live Arcade has graced us with another one of Rare’s classics. After our hopes of ever getting a port of <i>Goldeneye </i>were dashed (thanks a lot Nintendo), we got bumped up to first class: <i>Perfect Dark</i>.<br />
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Originally released in mid-2000, <i>Perfect Dark</i> is set in the year 2023 during an interstellar war between two races. The Maians resemble the stereotypical grey-skinned, big-headed aliens, and the Skedar, who we shall describe as “space dinosaurs”, are able to disguise themselves as humans. The game follows special agent Joanna Dark, an operative for the Carrington Institute, during these events as she investigates a conspiracy by the evil dataDyne corporation.<br />
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Be aware that this is more of a port and not a remake. Think of it more as a remastered version of your favorite music album, rather than one done by a tribute band.<br />
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<b>Gameplay</b><br />
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For <i>Perfect Dark</i> veterans like myself, there is basically no need to relearn the game. Gameplay-wise, this XBLA version is identical to its predecessor. On the other hand, players who are new to the game are in for a shock. Unlike other rereleases for XBLA, such as <i>Duke Nukem 3D</i>, <i>Perfect Dark</i> doesn’t add any tweaks to benefit current generation gamers. This means that you’ll get no checkpoints during missions and no regenerating health. Unfortunately, all of this means that anyone without some understanding of the game’s origins (or at least an open mind) may dismiss this game entirely.<br />
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While it hasn’t been changed fundamentally by the switch from the old N64 controller to the Xbox 360 gamepad, most actions can now be performed in a simpler and often more comfortable manner. For instance, switching to secondary fire or crouching is now single press (no more holding multiple buttons). The default controls follow closely to the original setup with adjustments for the conveniences, but there are two other styles for different tastes. The precise-aim function is still available, but between auto-aim and the dual analogs, you’ll probably rarely use it. Unfortunately, it’s still just as hyper-sensitive and fidgety as it always was.<br />
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The game offers 17 solo missions plus 4 special assignments that must be unlocked. Between missions and multiplayer, the player is free to roam the Carrington Institute and look up character bios and equipment info in various parts of the building. The firing range, which tests your proficiency with each of the game's weapons that you’ve unlocked, is still around. Earning gold medals can score you the cheats for the classic <i>Goldeneye</i> guns in solo. The rest of the cheats for solo are waiting to be unlocked within the missions just like in the original, but you’ll still have to work for them. Your hard-earned cheats can add an extra level of fun to the single player. The alternative way of unlocking a few of the cheats (previously by using the <i>Perfect Dark</i> Game Boy Color game) has been replaced with the presence of a <i>Perfect Dark Zero</i> save. All of the solo player levels still feature the numerous easter eggs (cheese, anyone?), as well as most of the glitches (the useful ones). They even took the time to recode the game so that strafe-running would still be possible for speed runs. Now that’s dedication!<br />
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<i>Perfect Dark</i> still features its excellent difficulty system, which is far more enjoyable than the ones used in current generation games. Each difficulty (Agent, Special Agent and Perfect Agent) doesn’t just add tougher and more numerous enemies, it also gives more objectives and sometimes changes the flow of the level. You’ll even notice changes in ammunition and item availability. Completing the game on Perfect Agent difficulty adds the Perfect Dark mode, which allows the player to customize various aspects of enemies, such as health, accuracy and damage.<br />
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In addition to the solo missions, <i>PD</i> includes a range of multiplayer options, including co-operative, challenge, and player vs. player “counter-operative” modes as well as a more traditional deathmatch all within its “combat simulator”. The combat simulator was – and compared to some modern games, still is – one of the most robust multiplayer components available in a FPS. The XBLA version supports up to 4 players split-screen as well as up to 8 “simulant” AI players, allowing for a grand total of 12 combatants. Each simulant can be set to a number of difficulty and behavioral combinations and character models. Even better, each match can be set up with custom weapon sets and music selection in addition to standard score and time limits. The only thing new to this version, aside from the addition of the classic <i>Goldeneye</i> guns for use in the combat simulator, is the ability to take the multiplayer online. Online matches are often plagued with frequent lag spikes, and the customization is more limited in private matches for some reason. Co-op, counter-operative, and challenge modes can also be done online, but they suffer from the same connection issues.<br />
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Between the solo story missions and generous multiplayer components, there is plenty of content to be had for the price. If that’s not enough, they’ve also included Xbox Live leaderboards for single player mission scores, times, and “crowns” awarded for meeting special conditions. <br />
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<b>Audio </b><br />
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The audio of <i>Perfect Dark</i> has not seen any major changes. It’s a shame, since the sound effects and voice acting were one of the few areas in which <i>PD</i> faltered. It’s just as well, because a recast of the voices and updated sound effects would have made it lose some of its character. On the bright side, the sounds do seem a bit cleaned up, and there’s a new echo effect in large, empty rooms. The good news is that the soundtrack is still intact in all its original glory. Many of the tracks are still some of the best pieces of video game music to date.<br />
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<b>Visual</b><br />
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The most noticeable (and pretty much the only) change to <i>Perfect Dark</i> is the gorgeous update to its graphics. Gone are the days of squinting at the screen to see what’s going on and have your multiplayer match go south as the frame rate grinds to a halt. Although, it was technically one of the most advanced games developed for the N64… Now you can enjoy the fresh, high-definition textures and a silky-smooth 60 frames-per-second frame rate.<br />
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With the update in textures comes a reskining of the character models. I’m not a big fan of Joanna’s new face – it kind of looks like she put on too much make-up. The other major character and enemies are fairly unchanged. I should note, however, that the Maians now have more distinct textures and wrinkles. Perhaps they perfected space travel, but not age-defying moisturizers? The character models themselves only benefited from a few extra polygons here and there. They all still speak closed-mouthed while flailing their blocky fists.<br />
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Perhaps the next biggest change that you’ll notice is the look of the game’s numerous guns and gadgets. Each of the weapons has been completely reskined and most of them could now pass for real-world. They don’t look quite as futuristic or vibrant as in the original, but they look fantastic, nonetheless.<br />
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<b>Final Words…</b><br />
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<i>Perfect Dark</i> for the XBLA is prime example of how to port a classic game to a modern platform. The team at 4J Studios and Rare did well to not mess with a good thing and only update the cripplingly outdated aspects (graphics and frame-rate). <i>Perfect Dark</i> may not be a “perfect” game, but the fact that it still holds up 10 years later is a testament to its quality. It’s a piece of FPS history that everyone should experience. <i>Perfect Dark</i> is forever.<br />
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<b>Recommended If:</b> You’ve played and love the original. This time it’s only gotten better.<br />
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<b>Not Recommended If: </b> You're brand new to the game. It’ll probably be hard to appreciate it if you’re used to modern games.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-37274263617248678402010-03-23T14:52:00.006-04:002011-08-29T02:31:14.181-04:00The Coming Darkness<div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: auto; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 5px; text-align: center;">
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My free time of late has been somewhat limited and what free time I've had has been spent playing the hell out of <i>Perfect Dark</i> for XBLA. Those of you who remember the glory days of the N64 with <i>Goldeneye </i>and <i>Perfect Dark</i> have no excuse not to pick this one up. Come on, 800 MSP ($10) is definitely worth the (visually updated) fun to be had with one of the best classic FPSs now available on the Xbox Live Aracade. For more classics, I recommend <i>Doom </i>and <i>Duke Nukem 3D</i> (just not <i>Marathon </i>- that was a mistake).<br />
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That being said, I'll be sure to have a review for <i>Perfect Dark</i> out by the weekend. In fact, I've started writing it as I write this very post (multi-tasking!). I probably won't go in-depth about the game, just how this version compares to the N64. Sorry to those uninitiated in the ways of <i>Perfect Dark</i>-ness -- you'll just have to take a leap of faith.<br />
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From what reviews of it that I have read, almost all of them complain about how the game is old or outdated. The game came out 10 years ago! I would certainly hope FPSs have gotten better since then! Sadly, some of them haven't in a lot of aspects... I won't name names, but a lot of the reviewers have no idea what they're talking about. For example, one of them said that <i>Perfect Dark Zero</i> was a sequel to <i>Perfect Dark</i> (hint: it's NOT, as if the "Zero" didn't give it away). Just goes to show that reviews aren't an infallible source - they're largely loose facts slathered in opinions. End rant.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-30959969052923322422010-03-11T10:20:00.001-05:002010-03-19T00:43:18.175-04:00Binary Armor Turns OneIt's been exactly one year since my <a href="http://binaryarmor.blogspot.com/2009/03/introductions.html">first post</a> here on Binary Armor. I'd like to think (and would certainly hope) that it's gotten better. Cheers!Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-25336699017444398552010-03-09T12:43:00.052-05:002011-08-29T02:32:38.107-04:00Financial Fantasy<div style="float: right; font-size: 85%; margin: 5px 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 200px;">
<img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0_3rV7_QePAJwpisjITNswKchqMUiWRxbsO9hieXraOLUr9L6oy_waArqsm0CGZoeIn7rX21eaiRSnq5BovLmXG34dyWhNl_vx-mt0AWt0kTLBM2VM37IiYtQkD43dGc0pSn1gGcU_c2/s200/final-fantasy-xiii-lightning-render.jpg" width="200" /><br />
<i>Now featuring the world's largest Swiss Army knife.</i></div>
Another year, another Final Fantasy game... Well, maybe not if you only count the major releases. However, their has been at least one game released in 17 of the last 23 years, with some years seeing the release of more than two. The franchise has been on nearly every platform imaginable. One exception being PC, perhaps because it might get into a fight with <i>WoW </i>to see who's better at making the player grind.<br />
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It's undoubtedly a financial success, whether or not you like the series. Bungie has much to learn when it comes to prolonging a franchise well beyond standard practice as well as capturing an audience on both sides of the world.<br />
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And of course, this year's big release is that of Square-Enix's <i>Final Fantasy XIII</i> for PS3 and Xbox 360. <i>Final Fantasy XIII</i> has so far been well received, with good scores for both platforms. The vaunted <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famitsu">Famitsu </a></i>has given it a 39/40, a near-perfect score. Keep in mind, though, there are currently only 13 games that have ever received a perfect score from <i> Famitsu</i>, one of which is <i>Nintendogs</i> (I kid you not).<br />
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For those of you familiar with Japanese games, it features yet another "battle system" with an unnecessary name (Active Time Battle). It would be like <i>Call of Duty</i> naming its gameplay the "Point at Enemy and Shoot" system, or something equally obvious.<br />
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I, for one, am not a fan of JRPGs games in general. Sure, I've played games like <i>Golden Sun</i> and some of the old Nintendo 2D versions of Final Fantasy (better than most of their 3D counterparts, in my opinion) back in the day, but they're just not my style.<br />
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I like my Western RPGs just fine, thank you. Over-sized swords don't cut it when you have a hard time telling whether a character is male or female, and the dialogue makes you wonder if its writers have every actually interacted with another human being. I will say one thing:; the cutscenes (while poorly written) have some amazing graphics, especially when it comes to people. Just don't get too sucked in -- that pretty lady might actually be a dude.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-25055903140418264392010-02-22T12:58:00.002-05:002010-02-22T13:01:15.727-05:00Perfect Dark(ade)Well, it's been a long time coming, but it should be worth it. It has been confirmed that Perfect Dark will be released on the Xbox Live Arcade on March 17, 2010. I may be a bit slow on this news, but it's still awesome news, nonetheless. So I'll give you a few moments to collect yourselves. It's looking like the game (NOT a remake) has been polished to a 1080p, 60 frames-per-second shine, and has everything intact (complete with ornamental sniper scopes and back-pedaling simulants).<br />
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<center><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/U4fw0VvPg9w&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/U4fw0VvPg9w&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br />
I don't know about you, but the intro (complete with the classic sound) gave me chills. Bring on March 17th! Oh, and I'll be sure to do a review (rereview?) of it as soon as possible.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-91892943084625243002009-11-27T16:27:00.004-05:002011-08-29T02:33:09.384-04:00Built for CombatThe impressive LEGO recreation of the Halo Zanzibar multiplayer map, made by Alex Kobbs, is getting ready for a 25-minute long video. The video will feature a battle between the forces of Red and Blue done entirely with LEGO bricks. Well, that and some custom Halo accessories made by <a href="http://www.brickarms.com/">BrickArms</a> and <a href="http://www.brickforge.com/store/home.php">BrickForge</a>.<br />
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<center><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" height="392" id="gtembed" width="480"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" />
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It has a little something for everyone: Halo, Red vs Blue, and LEGO. You can check out more at the blog <a href="http://kooberzstudios.blogspot.com/">here</a>.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-56966744375403429492009-11-21T18:43:00.008-05:002011-08-29T02:17:18.137-04:00R.I.P. Ol' Xbox"Furby", refurbished Xbox 360: November 19th, 2008 - November 21st, 2009<br />
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<img border="0" height="143" src="http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/images/4/2007/09/rrod.jpg" style="float: right; margin-left: 5px;" width="194" />That's right, I have experienced yet another death in the [game system] family. Just over a year old, the refurbished Xbox that Microsoft sent to replace the first one has decided to RRoD. The worst part is that the warranty expired two days ago. Oddly enough, a friend of mine had the same thing happen today as well... I'm now convinced that this "failure" rate thing is on purpose.<br />
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I guess I'll now be off to put up with the support services yet again. This time, when they offer to send another refurbished console for $100, I think they would do better by me to just refund the last repair, and I'll take my money elsewhere. I've never been completely loyal to one company for anything, but I have enjoyed the ol' 360. After this, I don't know if it was even worth it.<br />
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Feel free to share your tales of Xbox woes.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-24904285058562138412009-11-04T18:55:00.005-05:002011-08-29T02:36:00.608-04:00Left 4 Dead 2 Demo: Is the Sequel Ready for Primetime?<a href="http://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/left4dead2-e3-431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/left4dead2-e3-431.jpg" width="200" /></a>The zombie apocalypse is back, and I finally had the chance to play Valve's demo for the much anticipated and much maligned Left 4 Dead 2. I had to wait longer as I was not among those who got to play it earlier because of a preorder. <br />
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Aside form the uselessness of get an early demo of a game you've essentially already bought, it seems like this is Valve's chance to surprise it's die-hard fans. I can at least say that I'm glad I don't ever preorder games.<br />
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Valve's present of a demo seems to prove some of the fears that Left 4 Dead 2 is just a regift of the original. Whether you consider the addition of new guns, infected, cast, and locales as a true sequel is irrelevant. The fact is that Left 4 Dead 2 is a sequel. The question, however, is whether or not it's necessary or even worth buying.<br />
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After playing through the demo, I realized that I never once saw a new feature and thought to myself, "why was that never in the original?" Left 4 Dead 2 seems akin to Halo 2 in terms of sequel quality. Halo 2 was not a bad game, but it just fell short of its predecessor. Like in Halo 2, the new guns just feel weakened and cheap. Melee weapons, while they make short and gruesome work of a zombie's face, often failed to register hits. Since they replace your pistol, it makes it nearly impossible to get it back should you grow weary of wailing on zombies with your guitar. <br />
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Even the survivor AI seems to have lost its hunter-sniping edge. Many times I'd find myself moving ahead, only to find them still sitting back at the safe-house while I get swarmed. Sometimes the dialogue can seem tacked on, and I don't know about you, but Ellis is already starting to become grating.<br />
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I'm not sure I feel much like buying this game anymore. Maybe I just need more time with the game. For those of you who've already preordered it, I hope you'll find it worth the cash. It would pain me to see Valve disappoint it's fan base like this.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-59055136371141694562009-10-27T18:14:00.019-04:002011-08-29T02:36:25.781-04:00Page Overhaul in the Works<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyqP2sDeNS3g4ZuCfBIiQ3qljiZD4caFsV0h_T-1Ln_3nR_bnv0kZbUZnO8MiH4sZZHqpxRWIcx_p733f3Q77XfLLQtED5Ok3IcJfkKtgiPfudsgcJcEXVkYHuhbIjVzmE1sOhG5OV5m0/s1600-h/engie150.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyqP2sDeNS3g4ZuCfBIiQ3qljiZD4caFsV0h_T-1Ln_3nR_bnv0kZbUZnO8MiH4sZZHqpxRWIcx_p733f3Q77XfLLQtED5Ok3IcJfkKtgiPfudsgcJcEXVkYHuhbIjVzmE1sOhG5OV5m0/s320/engie150.png" /></a>When I get the time (not anytime soon, I imagine), I plan on rebuilding the page to try and work out some of the kinks.<br />
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Certain elements, like the ads and some widgets, seem to lag a bit when scrolling in Firefox. I generally want to clean up my HTML to make future editing easier. In the meantime, the current state will remain up when I'm not fiddling with anything. There will most likely be a in a lull in new posts, as well.<br />
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Hopefully it'll be as good as new when I'm all finished. Suggestions and comments are, as always, welcome.<br />
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A side note: those of you who have subscribed to the default blogger feed, there is also a feed burner feed available <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/BinaryArmor">here</a>. And don't forget to follow, as well.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00669809982225128827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-18853102170129791302009-10-22T19:57:00.006-04:002010-02-08T19:11:53.338-05:00Plenty of Left 4 Dead Goodness AboundFirst up, Valve's pre-rendered introduction to Left 4 Dead 2 has been "leaked", as usual. The video is a good 3 minutes and provides a full overview of the character, infected, locals, guns, and basic plot. By the looks of the trailer, L4D2 will actually have a plot to provide continuity to the five campaigns.<br />
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<center><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/K_8hJsgZSNA&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/K_8hJsgZSNA&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="344" width="425"></embed></object></center><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://customize.org/rainmeter/skins/66147" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://customize.org/thumbnails/medium/69046.jpg" width="320" /></a>The second item,<span style="font-size: small;"> The Left 4 Dead HUD Desktop</span>, was brought to my attention a few days ago when it popped up on <a href="http://customize.org/">Customize.org</a>. This fine addition to any L4D fan's desktop is a full Rainmeter configuration with all the bells and whistles. It features everything from a clock to customizable app launchers, all in the guise of the in-game HUD. If Rainmeter is your thing (I know I enjoy it's versatility), pick up this config <a href="http://customize.org/rainmeter/skins/66147">here</a>.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03577199704710596088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358471980208065105.post-53382927042618407462009-09-29T13:32:00.001-04:002009-10-24T13:17:03.857-04:00Left 4 Dead DLC on "Course" to XBL, Steam<div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/9/2009/08/504x_crashcourse.jpg" width="150" /><br />
</div>Valve has released the announced <i>Crash Course</i> campaign for <i>Left 4 Dead</i> today, making it their second DLC. Unlike the <i>Survival Pack</i>, <i>Crash Course</i> adds an entirely new campaign, and this time it will cost Xbox 360 users 560 Microsoft Points ($7.00/free for PC). <i>Crash Course</i> is meant to connect the <i>No Mercy</i> and <i>Death Toll</i> campaigns, giving it a sense of continuity. We'll see how that works (or doesn't work). The content is supposed to deliver "a complete Versus mode experience in just 30 minutes." So, this might be perfect for a quick game.<br />
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As a little treat, I've finally gotten around to finishing a few mock campaign posters for <i>Left 4 Dead</i> that I started a while back. I don't have anything made up about them beyond the poster art, but I hope you enjoy them.<br />
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<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36272228@N04/3991404152/sizes/l/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3443/3991404152_cc6eabf216_b.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36272228@N04/3991402090/sizes/l/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2608/3991402090_be23231a1a_b.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36272228@N04/3991403104/sizes/l/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2546/3991403104_65665375e0_b.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<i>Click to see full size.</i><br />
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You can always make your own<i> Left 4 Dead</i> posters using <a href="http://blackmage.org/supernorn/l4d/L4D_Poster_Template.rar">this template</a>.Wrecklaimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03577199704710596088noreply@blogger.com2