Ok, when I get settled I may resub to play those.  It's very cool that they've made a way for people who can't commit to raiding (or want to deal with the drama) to experience the endgame content.

Well.. I wouldn't call it experiencing end game content.  Truth is I found the Chronicles to be something of a let down and they are short and not very "epic."

Played through the entire campaign with a friend and we both agree that this is the game of the year. So much fun, and it has legs. I was really hoping that Dead Island would have been as intense as some of the segments in Gears, my friend and myself literally walked through Dead Island and only finished it because we were hoping it would have gotten better. Here's a hint; it didn't. 

I'll do a cartwheel off a flaming school bus for a beta key. 

I just read that there is a patch coming out today and it completely breaks saves. So hold up on playing.

The version uploaded to steam was the dev version of the game. I'd stop playing until the proper pc version is released.

My largest beef with Netflix is that they NEVER have new movies available for streaming the day that they're released. I wanted to watch "Troll Hunter" this week and it is only available via physical disk. 

Chatbot talking to Chatbot

They don't seem to get along, exactly.

They really do sound like a couple fighting.

The Six Ways You'll See Your Dad

This is very true, funny, and a little moving.

I think I entered Clown Stage a little early.

Cats in the Cradle

I wish I had a father.
That song came on during one of the last drives my dad did with me back to college.  Sniff.

How did she figure out where the portal gun was?

I know its probably nit-picky, but portalling across a street by jumping off a building would make the landing on the opposite building something a person could not roll out of. She does not have the jumpy-spring boots the character in portal wears.

looks like quicksave is F5, and quickload may be F8.  I'm at work so I can't verify that yet.

That's standard for every PC game that has featured a quick save you silly goose; and shame on you for not knowing that.   

El Shaddai

A couple gameplay videos have been released showing off quite a bit of real racing: video 1 and video 2.  There is also a video showing off the new track editor.

I say that in motion the game definitely holds up to be visually stunning, seemingly on the order of Dirt 3 which I consider to be pretty high praise.  The gameplay looks as fast and crazy as ever, though I know if I was playing it myself it would take me a hundred runs to get some of those turns right.  It almost makes me wish they had a better way to indicate the path ahead, as their square corner and modular tracks often have me turning into the wall.

Want. Now.

<3 Catherine to death! The puzzles are challenging but not too difficult, yet. I've gotten gold on everything just before the first boss.

You can also get the solar roof package on newer Prius cars, where the solar panel powers an electric fan in the ventilation system to keep the car cooler on sunny days.  Or a remote starter that just turns on the AC. 

1.) Get in car. Is it hot? Yes.
2.) Turn on air conditioning.
3.) Drive.


Ta-da!

I changed my mind about Catherine.  The buzz is just not very strong.  I'll probably wait for price drop.

Wut?

http://www.gamerankings.com/ps3/605302-catherine/index.html

Seems pretty strong to me.

Catherine (PS3)
From Dust

Hello, Shitstorm, my old friend.

@Sparhawk, that was awesome.  Bravo!  

Edit to add one more along the same lines:

That image speaks the truth!

I guess opinions differ greatly for everyone in respect to Catherine but the game is about a lot more than sex and it certainly has, in my opinion, a VERY fun game mechanic.  It has gotten stellar reviews for its addictive game play, amazing art, an excellent soundtrack, and a great storyline.  To quote 1up.com, "One of those rare games whose M rating means mature, not just "mature."

From 1up.com

Catherine surprised me. Plastered with scantily clad ladies and come-hither artwork, Atlus' marketing materials make it look like yet another sleazy, pandering gal game from Japan. The reality of the game is far different, and considerably more nuanced. It's sometimes sexy, and it's often sexual, but it uses its "adults only" tone in a genuinely adult way. The closest thing to explicit content comes in the form of a terrifying abomination ripped straight from Gerald Scarfe's sketchbook for Pink Floyd's The Wall. When Vincent isn't climbing boxes to escape a grisly death, he's hanging out with his friends at his favorite bar, trying to keep his life together, or contemplating the challenges of love and the responsibilities of adulthood. This isn't a game about saving the world or even necessarily being a hero; rather, it's about sorting out the mess one man has made of his life and determining how his own situation fits into the tangled web of his pals' and fellow bar patrons' lives. It's a game about intimacy, and the intimacy of its scale reinforces that theme by focusing on the seemingly trivial concerns of a small cast of normal people. Catherine is a lot less titillating than its packaging wants you to think, and that's a good thing.



http://www.1up.com/reviews/catherine-review

My completion percentage of RPGs that I've played is somewhere in the single digits.  I'm familiar with the tropes more in a cultural sense than through any actual experience in my part, which is why I asked.

I've played well over a hundred RPG's from all over the world and I can tell you that it is true. You run into that kind of dialog a lot in Japanese RPG's.  

Mayor: "Hey man, can you save my town?"
Duder: "No problem, but I kinda lost my weapon in the OCEAN OF CHAOTIC MONSTERS on my way here and could use a new one."
Mayor: "Hmmm..."
Duder: "..."
Mayor: "..."
Mayor's Daughter: "Tee hee! FATHER! He's asking you for help in defeating the town; loan him your sword. The one you used in the battle against the RAETHURIAN TORIC DEMON in your youth."
Mayor: "My dear, I would but you see I sold it to a merchant for a hefty sum so that I could afford to buy you your wedding dress."
Mayor's Daughter: "Oh.  MY.... GOD! FATHER I LOVE YOU!"

Duder: "..."


The Mayor and his daughter turn to look at Duder.

Mayor: "The merchant will surely help you with this task. Tell him that the Mayor has requested that he loan the sword to you until your quest is complete."
Duder: "Thank you, Mayor. I will save this town from the demon's blight."


So Duder makes his way to the local smithy and speaks to Forgrun the Dwarf who is known the world over as a really cool smithy and he sells sweet armor and swords.

Forgrun: "Eh? Whatcha want, human? Came here to gawk at my AXshhhhhh and be inspired by my over acting?"
Duder: "I need the mayor's sword. He sent me here himself and request that you hand over the sword to me until I complete my quest."
Forgrun: "Eh? A quest? QUEST?! Lishen here, human, you aren't gettin' that sword without paying me. Or my AXshhhhh will split ya in two!" *Slobbers all his beard*
Duder: "Come on, man. I'm broke. I lost my shit out on the OCEAN OF CHAOTIC MONSTERS and I really want to help your town."
Forgrun: "Not my problem."
Duder: "What?"
Forgrun: "Not my problem."
Duder: "..."
Forgrun: "..."
Forgrun: "300,000 gold."
Duder: "But..."
Forgrun: "Monsters drop gold and there be no end of them outside of town."
Duder: "..."



Duder grinds experience and gold for 5 hours and he finally has enough gold to afford the Mayor's sword so he heads back to Forgrun's shop to finally buy the sword.

Enters Town.


TOWN IS ON FIRE! THE DEMON ATTACKED THE TOWN! THE SMITHY IS DEAD. EVERYONE IS DYING! BUT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN IS THE MAYOR'S SWORD!

The only person alive is the mayor's daughter.


Mayor's Daughter: "Take it, and slay the demon! TAKE IT! And my dress... give it to someone you love."


Duder: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"



Duder rushes the demon and ...

 
  Title fades in slowly and reads: GIANT FINAL FANTASTIC QUEST 8-2 : THE QUEST OF DUDER




BRIGHT FLASH!

The sound of a sword slicing into flesh can be heard and a thump is audible when the demon's body hits the ground.

Duder: "The king must know of this...."


Cinematic depicting Duder traveling via the airship FLEETING FALCON to the king's sky castle. Epic music is playing over the video.



Basically that's how all Japanese RPG's start.

Grave of the Fireflies is extremely well made and effective storytelling yet I still can't recommend it.  When I finished watching it I felt like I was in a stupor for quite a while afterwards.

Same here.  A friend strongly recommended it, and one evening over the Christmas holiday he popped it in and was adamant we watch it.  While the animation and storytelling was stellar, the story itself was terribly depressing, especially for an animated feature, and at the end I too felt like I was in a solemn stupor.  A great film I don't think I'll ever watch again.

While I share both of your sentiments on the mood of it, I do think this film is a must see by anyone who is, or who's ever been, a fan of feature-length animes. The quality of it is just that good. I also think its one of the most realistic portrayals of the tragedy or war ever done in any film media. From my discussion with friends who've seen it, the impressions and impact of it varies from person to person. Some people seem to get caught up with that it doesn't clearly depicting Japan's involvement/guilt in WWII and consequently dismiss it outright. That's a shame IMO as its not really the films purpose; it depicts a war time tragedy that could occur anywhere the world, and it does with a quality that's pure art. Personally I think it's an anime masterpiece, but at the same time a stern reality check.

In short it is a classic film and worth watching. It's certainly not for children so don't expect your 5 year old to enjoy it because it is animated.

GRRM's style of writing isn't any different from the first three books.

Oh, well fuck it then I'll read the book from beginning to end. Yes I have my favorite characters but as long as people are talking then I'll enjoy the novel! Can't wait! ***I just finished reading book 2 of the The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss and it was SUPERB! WTB the 3rd book NOW PLEASE!***

I don't mind different characters but if it is mostly descriptions and less character chatter than I will fall asleep. I read fantasy novels for character interaction and not for this: "And the forest was a deep black with a chill in it and all men say that within this forest there lives a giant named Furthilic the Fierce. Some say his heart grows larger when given a barrel of fine ale and others say he will eviscerate you with his claws in a single swipe but no matter..." and so on.  If that kind of stuff goes on for 100's of pages then count me out.  I'd rather see the interaction with the giant than deal with 100 pages describing where giant lives and how it lives in the forest. Different strokes and all that I guess.

Alright, so to get ready for the 5th book in the series I went ahead and bought  "A Feast For Crows" and I'm about to start reading it, however, I've heard so many different takes on the book that I'm hesitant to even start it and just move on to book 5. Why? Well many people seem to say that book 4 seems more like a dictionary text with nothing but facts and very little story behind them, and that you'd be better off reading a wiki to catch up at this point than slog through book 4. 

So do I read through all of book 4 or should I just wiki the main plot points and get to book 5 asap. Tyrion, Arya, and Jon are my favorite characters and are they covered in book 4 at all?

You might as well trudge through it.  I personally hated this book, but I had invested so much time into the other 3 that I figured I might as well deal with one that was less than stellar.

So WHAT happened with book 4? Did Martin forget his audience? Was it really like an encyclopedia other than a novel?

Alright, so to get ready for the 5th book in the series I went ahead and bought  "A Feast For Crows" and I'm about to start reading it, however, I've heard so many different takes on the book that I'm hesitant to even start it and just move on to book 5. Why? Well many people seem to say that book 4 seems more like a dictionary text with nothing but facts and very little story behind them, and that you'd be better off reading a wiki to catch up at this point than slog through book 4. 

So do I read through all of book 4 or should I just wiki the main plot points and get to book 5 asap. Tyrion, Arya, and Jon are my favorite characters and are they covered in book 4 at all?

I hate the 4th of July.

Want to get some sleep? LOL not happening!

I have had a capable smart phone for just over 1 year (traded blackberry bold for an evo), and today is the day I experienced something  that is WAY more cool than anything I experienced with the many Blackberry's, Palm and Windows mobile devices I've owned over the years. 

Sitting in my favorite cafe during my lunch break, watching Game of Thrones episode 7 in HD, with amazing sound, on a wide-screen screen that I don't have to hold because it has a built in kickstand put there for these precise situations.

DAMN TECHNOLOGY ROCKS!

Sent from my EVO, while streaming the Mumford & Sons album that is taking up exactly 0 kbs on my 8 gig memory card and is stored with over 10,000 more songs that I selected in the Google Music cloud, that I pay nothing for and have the ability to add 15,000 more songs whenever I want and create unlimited custom playlists...

That's a dedicated hipster.

God it's amazing. Can't wait to play the thing.

Inspired.

Don't get it.

I'm about to purchase this:

http://www.moogmusic.com/products/minimoog-voyagers/minimoog-voyager-xl


It'll go nicely next to my Korg M3 and Korg MicroKORG.

Available on Kindle? I'm about to finish the 2nd book of the King Slayer series and I need another book to read to hold me over until George R.R. Martin's next book released.

I also lay some of the blame at EA and I'll add that I remember a year not too long ago when Left 4 Dead was the only other big sellar for EA. I'm sure they only got a smaller portion of $ since they were just the retail channel publisher, but I still say SCREW YOU EA for being such a greedy company. It's no secret they wanted to snap up Valve at one point, and the fact they failed means they'll run some interference on them until the game industry collapses. On the other hand if this was entirely Valves doing, I say good for you for pulling out a few of the 800 lb EA gorilla's pubes.  

L4D was an EA game? Pretty sure Valve developed it.

If Tetris was released this year:

 

How so? I've yet to play a game that I couldn't enjoy in its entirety because it was missing something. Tetris wouldn't release without the "I" piece if it were to be released today. The DLC would be different music and backgrounds and then later on a "hypno" mode with online leader boards. But the core game would remain intact and you could, perhaps even will, play the game that the developer created. A lot of hyperbole in that picture and not a lot of truth.

Just finished the game (and I finished Duke Nukem Forever earlier today. Effective!). Loved (almost) every second of it. This was truly exceptional storytelling, mature and willing to challenge the player's ability to pay attention (I had a hard time keeping track of all the important players in the plot, but you don't really have to either).

Like in the first game, I managed to stay satisfyingly neutral despite every force in the universe attempting to get Geralt involved in some kind of political powerplay. I don't know if I was just lucky or if the writing is stellar all around, but I felt that every major choice I made turned out the right way in hindsight. The situation at the end of the game felt right to me based on the decisions I made.

I don't know why some people call the final chapter rushed. I didn't notice anything like that. It's shorter than the others, but that makes sense because of the plot. It certainly wasn't any less polished.

You literally go right to the boss in chapter 3. that's rushed. I loved the game but chapter 3 felt unfinished.

TIRED ARMS ARE TIRED

I'm not sure it would be any more tiring than playing with the fixed wheel and force feedback.  Racing takes a certain amount of stamina to begin with (even fake racing on a video game ).  I just don't like the idea of no force feedback.  I've become pretty good at feeling the car loosing traction with it before it becomes a problem and not having that could be really bad in a sim game.  In an arcadey racer, usually you're better off with the quicker response of a thumbstick anyway.  This controller seems squarely in the middle of the two extremes and has little going for it imo.

Holding a weight out in front of you  is a lot different than resting your arms on a steering wheel and fighting force feedback. I use the newest Logitech GT wheel (highly recommended it is AMAZING) with the force turned up all the way and I can play for hours without tiring out. One of the hardest things to do is to hold a free weight in front of you with your arms straight out in weight lifting; hell even with nothing in your arms it is pretty hard for long periods of time.  That wheel might be nice for when you only have time for a SHORT race or two but if you're doing 10 laps around the Suzuka race track I'm certain you'll need to pause to rest your arms after a few laps.

What my dream for the next trilogy would be is for 343 to do what Bungie wanted to do originally with the franchise - make it action-RPG along the lines of Mass Effect. But we all know there isn't a chance in hell of that ever happening, even though it would be awesome. If 343 Studios comes up lame on the execution of Halo 4, I'd be content with the shooter franchise ending and them just continuing with the Halo Wars series. That  it's now been over 2 years since the 1st Halo Wars and yet no announcement again at E3, makes me skeptical we'll even see a sequel.

The original Halo was going to be a strat game that was  like their best game franchise, "Myth."

TIRED ARMS ARE TIRED

Wally-World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1tufujnbzU

HILARIOUS

The comments are even funnier as many people don't get it; it's comedy and the guy is making fun of wal-mart and the trashy girls that you see there. A few frames showed the girls and the rapper laughing at themselves.

CK is busy saving the earth. All you sinners better be ready cause the CK ship is taking off and you'e invited! FREE BOOZE FOR EVERYONE!