Hello to anyone that reads this. I haven't written a blog in a long time but I feel like making an entry and welcome anyone to weigh in on the current blog at hand. Or even respond to my previous ones if it entices you.

I have just came back from playing a couple of rounds of CoD4 on the XBOX360. IW as we all know did a good job for making a well made multiplayer and people are extremely excited over its sequel CoD: Modern Warfare 2. However this is a problem that has bothering me and it's not just with CoD4 but a large list of FPS games on the consoles. And that has to do with two foes perhaps larger than Godzilla and King Kong combined. They are called, "sticky aim" and "health regeneration". In a couple of words, it's basically has killed online FPS gaming. Yes, it has been around for sometime now but at this point there has to be something done about it.

I do relatively well on most games ranking within the, "Top 3". Forgive me for being this way but, I really don't like it how games have been suited with the intent to service your mom and dad and not the players who learn to play and master the shooting mechanics of the game. The experience of watching "Kill Cam" videos of the croshair not even being placed on your body but rather "locked on" like a magnet giving the person who can't shoot some form of edge is very disappointing and has made me hit the brinking point. What's worse is in cases where I myself are guilty of using it thiking it would help me, I end up fighting the "sticky aim" as it always for me tends to shoot an inch to far above the head or randomly locks on to a target that I can't even see accross the map leaving me open to random punishment from an enemy less than 10 feet away from me.

The other, "health regeneration". Yes my friends! Now when you are on a roll punishing your enemies with great hot lead vengence or flanking your foes, they can get shot numerous times to the point that their bodies could be mistakenly sold as USDA ground beef, but, yet still have the time to turn around and have a fighting chance to lay waste on you! What ever happened to the good old health bar people? (hello original CoD!) Games in the FPS genre need to to stop promoting getting shot as mere slaps on the wrist. Allow players to learn preservation in online matches.

I know some people like these two gameplay "balancing devices" (esp. casual gamers), but I think with the massive amount of video game players out there that it is time that game developers help service those that don't want to deal these silly devices anymore. If only someone would create a "hardcore" mode of sorts that would eliminate all of these issues, that would make me and others out there extremely happy.

I'd like to hear anyone who read this weigh in on this. Please share your thoughts.

Note: I am aware that Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising will try to address all of these issues and make a more straight up and "realistic" health and aim system. Here's hoping that if mainstream games can't do it, maybe a fps military simulation can.

Happy New Year to anyone that is reading this! I hope you have a pleasant new year.

I just purchased from Amazon, The Orange Box for the 360. I have played it and I would say that compared to the PC version (which I also possess) it does a wonderful job of getting console owners to now fully enjoy the Half Life 2 suite of games (excluding Day of Defeat Source and Counter Strike Source) on settings that a PC user gets to enjoy. I have to say for the reduced price of $20USD you can't really argue with that deal. And I encourage anyone who reads this who doesn't already own this to go out and pick it up.

Now I didn't make this blog just to praise a one year old game on the 360 (four on the PC). I came to talk about Team Fortress 2 on the 360 and the issues that have been raised about its multiplayer updates (or rather a lack of). According to Valve, XBL does not allow in their "business model" constant free updates. The goal is for the user to pay an ADDITIONAL fee via Microsoft Points that the user must purchase. That is where my gripe comes in...straight at Microsoft.

A user that pays for XBL service must question where is that $50 really going into? Personally, I have a hard time agreeing with the 360 fanboy theory, that its used to "maintain" the servers. This is Microsoft we are talking about. Not some little company somewhere in the middle of nowhere with a small antenna sticking out of their shanty that is attempting to provide a service. Sony and their PS3's Home and gaming service does the same exact thing for free (ie: avatars, demos, updates, and media services). In fact I beg to argue that while XBOX may still be the more popular currently of the two, they still do not possess a superior service for online gaming compared to the PS3.

My theory is if 360 allowed free updatable content for games or perhaps pushed software developers to give updates (at no cost) to the XBL subscriber, it would be hands down a victory for the 360. It would simply encourage everyone to jump onto the 360 as a way to get a more complete experience and would increase customer loyalty. Case in point there are over 2000 servers for TF2 daily on the PC and only a total of 4-12 daily for the 360 version! But since XBL puts up their argument to Valve, they are at a standstill until further business talks take place for its release (and inevitable price tag). Note that its not just Valve that succeeds at doing this on the PC, the Battlefield series also had a similar structure and a large following as well. Now I could go on with other games. I just hope whoever reads this sees where I am going with this.

What does (especially in this economy) Microsoft really have to justify their subscription fees? All we have to show for it are a few demos and tons of videos and user content that really doesn't "enhance the experience" at all. What I truly feel is that we are throwing a large percentage of that subscription fee at Microsoft so that in return they can literally just churn out more ads and entertainment media that just goes to their promotional departments. In most simplest terms, is the user just being left with a useless bill? Aren't we just filling the pockets of their ad and campaign agencies only for them to throw materials with high price tags back at us? You decide and I welcome any responses to this.

I will make this really blunt and to the point. XBL Arcade is just a easy way to grab customers by the wallet and gonads at the same time. In economic times such as these we don't all have the money to buy anything we see (especially half the stuff XBA sells). There are programs such as MAME that have been around for years and modifications such as Kaillera to allow you to play online. The best part is its all free (for personal "non commercial" usage in most cases). After reading the article about SFII HD selling over 250k downloads it just revoluting to hear that people throw all their cash away like that. Just Google "MAME" and "Kaillera" and you will also see that there is no reason to waste your money on such things like XBA. Save your money for new games, not rewrites that they charge you 10USD or more for.