Check Me Out On The Mykey and Ghost Show!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you all know about one of the best audio broadcasts on these here Internets, The Mykey and Ghost Show! They interview me, let me plug my Tudors DVD Contest/Twitter Giveaway, and discuss Easter in the ways only Mykey and Ghost can! Check it out, and let me know what you think!

Go here in case you missed the link… Mykey and Ghost Show!

7 Things I Wish I Could Be Gaming

As it stands, I’m without a television to hook my Xbox 360 too. That goes for literally every system I have at my disposal, no “telly.” The idiot in me traded in my DSLite a while ago, and I never had a PSP to get rid of in the first place. I’m down to this computer, and its measly graphics card, and the internet that comes and goes at its own whimsy. I’ve decided that instead of being bummed, I’ll use my time to fantasize what I will be doing the first chance I get…

1. Play as Rorschach (Watchmen demo): More specifically, I want to toss prison inmates to their Comedian-like death. No other move in the game quite captures the essence of Rorschach, like the trusty grab and throw, but it doesn’t hurt to shatter a few prisoners’ faces with an elbow, or two… Not you anyway.

2. Get a boarding penalty (NHL 09): With the rules in this game ignoring the fact that there are only six hitting animations (1 of which is actually legal) with the recent update, I guess I’ll have to settle for going to the box every time an offensive player carries the punk into my corner. Keep your stinking poke check.

3. Delving deeper into F.E.A.R. 2: I’ve only put about 3 hours of play time into this game, and half of that has been in online modes, so I’ll be glad to have an interesting single player experience to continue… Thanks again to 360junkies.com for hooking me up with the game!

4. Piledrive Sagat into any old Street (Fighter IV): I’ve been longing to destroy this cycloptic douche bag again. I don’t know what it is, but the way he says “Tiger!” makes me want to crack his bald head like an egg. Thanks to the shinyswine.com for hooking me up with SFIV!

5. Find some unique stunt jumps (GTA IV): It’s been way too long since I cruised the mean streets of Liberty City, and even longer since I jumped over them. Actually I’ll probably dial up some cheats, like I’m fucking Keanu in the Matrix, and go rooftop sniping, while I’m at it.

6. Beat my high score in Waves (Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2): It’s been so long, I don’t even know what that score is! I’m pretty sure it’s in the 5 mil area though, and I need me something round the 7 mil area to even be able to return home to my family after all these years…

7. Play something new (Resident Evil 5, Legends of Wrestlemania, MLB 2K9): I don’t care which one, actually I do, and it’s RE:5! Man I want to get my hands on this sucka. Most of all the Mercenaries Co-Op, mmmmmmmmmm Mercenaries.

You could even do this list backward, and I’d be equally happy. I just want to play some games! How did people live 1970 years without games? Bet they’ll never do that again…

Fun with Skate 2

My guy rocking my new Yankees gear, looks better in game, but I could have used a bit darker of a blue.

Skate 2: Just picked up Skate 2 the other day, and have been running around trying to make as much fun out of it, as I can. Like anyone I started it off with making a few videos, mostly of me owning spots… Check them out

Video 1… Here

Video 2 is of me jumping a guy, nailing the trick, and then going on happily ever after…Here

Also for anyone who needs Yankees gear for their character in Skate 2, go check that here, and you will be the NY. All right kids, catch you next time I play arts and crafts!

Souvenir City

Come join the discussion on the forums… Souvenir City

Instrumental Games Saving the Music Business?

Remember when Napster came out in 1999? It was the summer of seventh grade for me, a year into my America Online subscription, and around the time I was getting into Rage Against the Machine. At the time no fuss was being made about the music “sharing” that was going on, but that didn’t last for too long. By 2000 the pop band Metallica decided to throw a childish tantrum, and try to ruin what Shawn Fanning had spent his time trying to create, Napster (not that the RIAA weren’t ahead of them). Fall of 2001 saw Napster’s free music program turn into profit-based program due to enormous debt. Did this stop the world from acquiring Metallica’s, or anyone else’s music? No, no it didn’t.

With time came more music downloading programs. Everything from Kazaa to Limewire added to the alleged problem between the internet, and music creators, who were getting their music to more pirates than ever (apparently not the Industry’s favorite demographic). People were still doing their best to avoid paying upwards of ten dollars for albums they only wanted a song or two from. Music sharing would not stop anytime soon, so what would the next big trend be? Apple, a bit before Napster began doing the same, started charging a fee per song on a little program known as ITunes.

5+ billion songs later, and we can see that people are willing to pay for music, especially when they can choose track by track in the comfort of their own living room. Like Alfred Molina said in Boogie Nights, we don’t need record companies telling us what order songs need to be listened to. Itunes is currently at version 8.0.2, and has handled the online music market quite well. Where do the video games come in?

Games like Dance Dance Revolution have always been about the music, and games like Tony Hawk Pro Skater was all about providing a good soundtrack, but before Guitar hero, there was nothing on the consoles (in America) that provided such a deep look into the music we were hearing. Note patterns played out in a generally realistic way, and people could hear parts of songs their ears had never been trained to listen to before experiencing GH:1.

The year was 2005, Dubya had started his second term, Cowboys and Colts opened new stadiums, and Playstation 2 owners were smacked in the face with the future of gaming. A Gibson Sg-like guitar controller was the portal into the rock this time. The game featured tracks from a wide array of musicians, from many different eras, and for a lot of gamers, it introduced songs they had been missing their whole lives. Exposure is the key word here because instrument games bring gamers music from generations other than their own, which in a lot of cases wasn’t a usual thing before Guitar Hero. The younger kids getting a chance to jam Stevie Ray Vaughn or Bowie, while the older generation were introduced to Queen’s of the Stone Age and Freezepop. Does this directly affect music purchases? I think it does.

With Guitar hero 2 gamers were given a bit more of the same, but this time on a much wider array of consoles, this time reaching as far as next-gen system Xbox 360. Months later, November 20th, 2007 to be exact, rhythm/instrument games changed forever with the release of Rock Band. Now players could take on the drums and vocals, as well as the already popular guitar and bass playing parts. A year later, here we are, playing Guitar Hero: World Tour (4 instruments like Rock Band), Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, Rock Revolution (well it’s out, not sure anyone is playing), and bands like Metallica (yeah THAT Metallica) and Guns n Roses are finding ways to release their newest albums on these games.

If nothing else shows that these games are good for the music industry, Metallica jumping on board with the first Rock Band, and following heavily with Guitar Hero: World Tour has to be a sign. They were the number one adversary to the music and technology sharing that was going on, and no they’re one of the biggest advocates of the online music listening community. Did they flip-flop? A bit, but everything has evolved so much since that fateful 1999, that it would be impossible for them not to. With the Beatles getting their own game created by the Rock Band crew, it looks like less and less acts (Pink Floyd/Led Zeppelin I’m looking at you) are keeping their music out of games these days.

Fun with Avatars 2: Electric Boogalo

Here are a few more NXE Avatars I’ve concocted to resemble some possibly famous People/Characters…

Elias Koteas from such great films as Zodiac and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The Spirit of Jazz from the 2nd Series of The Mighty Boosh. Big ups to Laparkea for the contributions on this one.

Just isn’t what I wanted out of a Roy Munson.

Finally Microsoft has released a snowboarding outfit that I allowed my Elias Koteas avatar to rock for the purpose of this posting. I’m pretty excited that they released a whole outfit (and a recolor of the brown dress shoes [black]). I hope MS continues to release these updates.

no new pants

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night: A friend of mine just showed me that you can summon ghosts at the altar in the Northwest part of the Castle. If you sit on the left side you summon a royal ghost that shuts the curtain, and attempts to barrage you with many medieval weapons. If you sit on the right side, a lady ghost shuts the curtain, and attempts a single spear to the heart.

Is there a way to pay online referees?

22 wide open against the Tribal Rage

NHL 09 (Xbox 360): Just got finished with a game that went to a 2-1 single overtime victory for the Souvenir City Day Man. The reason I feel this game is notable though is because we played a team that acquired over 160+ hits against Souvenir City, over 100 of those were away from the puck, and the referees hardly found a reason to tax these would-be-offenders. Usually, such a team is no problem to dispatch, but for some reason the NHL 09 Gods saw fit to make this a 1-1 tie when regulation ended, despite heavy discrepancies in scoring chances (favoring Day Man). Can’t keep a good team down, as the Day Man found their way to victory after a crazy play with a bit of sloppy-ness thrown in for good measure. Here’s a video of a play titled “Sloppy Seconds.” (in crazy old western colors because I wanted to give that feature a spin)

Day Man v Tribal Rage

EA SPORTS World: sloppy2nds

Souvenir City Day Man PS3 Expansion Team

Salcido and Schiller deliver a hit.

NHL 09 (PS3): Souvenir City has expanded to the PlayStation Three and the PlayStation Network. I got a text from Mike D this morning asking if he could take the Day Man online in the PS3 version of NHL 09, and I thought it was a great idea. If anyone out there is looking for an EASHL team on PS3 just drop me a line on here, send BXBomber137 or bigkace1234 a message over the PS3, or use one of the methods on the Contact Me page to let me know you need a team invite.

Souvenir City Day Man Expansion Team needs YOU!

Games that NEED to hit the Xbox Live Arcade

Here are some games that should not only be considered by Microsoft for release on the Xbox Live Arcade, but should be greenlit instantly. Get on it MS!

The Simpsons (arcade game): Not everyone was granted enough quarters as a kid to reach the final C. Montgomery Burns boss battle, but now with the greatness of XBLA, we should be able to experience it with 3 other friends online. It’s a great beat em up (like most of my choices will be), which fits XBLA arcade perfectly (TMNT Arcade 1989).

Captain America and the Avengers: Like The Simpsons, I was blessed with the chance to jam this in a movie theater. I don’t know what it is, but the movie theater arcade has always been good to me. This game is a classic beat em up, with another great license waiting to be taken advantage of. I know the Avengers film is in the works, and Iron Man is already out there, so this game has every reason to be pushed onto XBLA.

Mutant League Hockey: EA sports has long been making the best hockey games in the video game business, and now is as good a time as any to re-release this gore plastered sports classic. Online support is clearly a must (for all of the games being mentioned), and this game could bring new life to hockey gaming, perhaps even reinvigorate the Mutant League franchise (Mutant League Hockey Be a Mutant Mode with the NHL 09 engine?). Everything about this game is great, the hockey, the fighting, the clever play calling, and the killing of enemy teammates. The Mutant League brand is itching for a comeback.

Sunset Riders: The best Cowboy/Western game to this day. A great side scrolling shooter, that featured some of the funniest voice acting in gaming history (“Bury me… with my money”). Couldn’t have been internet poker money! Another 16-bit era arcade game that has been blatantly ignored by XBLA. Games like Call of Juarez and Gun hardly shine a light to this classic. This game features great boss battles, and even horseback levels, which remind me of the skateboarding levels from TMNT.

Tecmo’s Deception: Invitation to Darkness: Here’s my lone single player pick. Perhaps one of the most original strategy games to grace the PSX. Deception was all about outwitting the visitors of a giant castle, and setting traps that would lead to their demise. It was basically like Home Alone meets Satan, and his castle. It’s hard to explain why it’s fun to pretend to be a ghost, and set fatal traps, but trust me, it is.

Fun with Avatars

Blazedasfun told me to make a Lincoln Osiris avatar, so here is what I came up with…

here’s the Downey as that same Lincoln Osiris…

Dante Hicks from Clerks!

Black and White as always…

Here’s Ron Perlman as Clay Morrow on Sons of Anarcy…

Here’s an Avatar I made just for Ron Perlman…

Here’s Hunter S. Thompson…

Here’s an Avatar in his memory…

Matthew Fox as Jack from Lost…

Jack’s Avatar…

Charlie Day from It’s Always Sunny…

Charlie Day the Avatar…