On Tuesday morning, I called my local GS regarding the status of the Xbox360.  To my surprise, they had a few in stock (and Prems at that).  Now, I know that I've expressed my dedication to current gens (speakably for the Xbox), but the lack of support from M$ on the Xbox thus tempted me, and I really didn't feel like waiting until later this year (for Rev & PS3) until picking up a new console (or for more intriguing titles to be announced for the Xbox).  With no guarantee that there would be any 360s available for later sale, I eagerly darted to the store & picked up a 360 Prem along with PDZ.

With all of that out of the way, I'll have to confess that I haven't played the system for more than an hour (on Tuesday).  For one,  I didn't want to increase the possibility of a probable system overheat, two, that gigantic powerbox (which comes with the system) has me fearing a huge light bill.  So I'm going to attempt to keep gaming on this thing to a complete minimum.

That's not to say that I don't like what I'm seeing so far.  I'm rather impressed with the system (and enjoy PDZ's lush graphics) and look forward to getting back on XBLive soon.  I just wish the system wasn't so darn power hungry.  My goodness!!  I'm still looking at purchasing Kameo (my first choice) & Condemned next for the lineup (& perhaps Oblivion sometime down the line).

With that said, I believe it's safe to say that I don't think I'll be purchasing either a Rev or PS3 this year, just because...and I'll still be playing the current gens quite regularly for the simple fact that they don't get hot enough to fry eggs off of within a few minutes.  Enticed with the close arrival of E3 06.

..And for the record, no.  I don't have an HDTV, nor do I plan on investing in one for a while.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/blizzard/starcraft-ghost-indefinitely-postponed-162934.php

Well, it appears as though despite the numerous delays & setbacks, Blizzard has finally decided to put the axe on the Starcraft: Ghost project. Now Blizzard is claiming that they want to focus development for the next gen consoles, though they've yet to confirm a next gen approach for Ghost.  The first sight of doubt came Blizzard switched team developers (Nihilistic ran out of patience on the project, thus Swingin' Ape stepped in).  However at E3 05 Blizzard showcased the game in it's current form & declared that the project was moving along fine, thus shooting for an early 06 release.  Then shortly after, Blizzard nonchalantly announced that they had axed the GC version of the game to focus more on the online portions for both the Xbox and PS2 (then shooting for a mid 06 release).  Now, Blizzard's finally come out of the closet & confessed that the game's canned for the current gens to focus on the next gens.  However, who's to say that the whole claim that the current gen versions are canned to focus on a next gen adaptation aren't simply a ploy to keep any fans quiet while Blizzard cans the project for good?  It's not like they can't release the game for the current gens now, then later a next gen port with enhanced visuals.

Anyone else disappointed with this news (considering that you cared in the first place or didn't lose interest years ago)?  I've had my sights set on the title for years.  The game looked perfect back when Nihilistic was on board working on it.  However due to Blizzard's constant badgering & shift of focus from one minute to the next, Nihilistic lost interest & left the project only to later pitch the underwhelming Marvel Nemesis.  Then, when Swingin' Ape (Metal Arms) stepped into play, though the game didn't look as enticing as it did at first, it still showed promise.  It's misleading for Blizzard to have fans believing that the game would still be slated for the current gens only to turn and say "Screw you!" to that same fanbase that   I'm wondering how long Swingin' Ape can manage to stay on board before flipping.  That's considering that the Ghost project's still into play.

Blizzard claimed they wanted to make a phenomenal next gen worthy game for the current gens.  They claimed they had no plans on a next gen take of the game.  Those comments leave to believe that there's a possibility that the projects been canned for good and that Blizzard have simply moved on.  Think about it.  Why come this far only to shelve what you wanted released for so long.  Who's to say that a next gen take on the title won't take twice as long to develop as the original (since they'd supposedly create an entirely new engine from the ground up), not to mention, cost twice as much?

Anyhow, though I feel a tad betrayed, I can honestly say that this news doesn't come as a surprise to me.  Nowadays when a game gets put on indefinite hold, that usually means that there's a high possibility that the game won't be released, but the devs won't want to come out & say so immediately (having a bunch of angry consumers sending them death threats, etc.) so they'll wait for the hype to die down on the game, then later quietly place the axe on it.

Well, on the bright side of things, at least Duke Nuken Forever is still alive & running, and 3d Realms still has the game slated for a current gen console release.  Right?

Thanks for reading.

Now this just takes the cake here:  http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=4604409&nav=0RYv

Basically what's happening is some airhead is attempting to pass a law making it illegal to sell violent videogames to anyone (in Tennesee). Adults included! 

My main question is why are these political anti-gamers spending millions to pass laws which usually get denied?  Not only is it a waste of time & money (given that there's a ESRB rating system) but they seem to be completely ignoring that that time & effort could be well spent towards something more productive (Katrina victims anyone?).  For this law to go through would be an infringement on our rights.

I'm a grown adult and love gaming.  I've been an avid gamer since the tender age of five.  I grew up playing such games as Sinistar, Paperboy, & Pacman.  Then, gamers were introduced an entirely new brea of gaming with such titles as Star Fox, Street Fighter, & Mortal Kombat.  Their innovations helped to keep the gaming category fresh while at the same time providing room for it's predecessors.  Then, approximately around 1994, the media (along with Corporate America) made the decision that they could try & thrust off the one thing to which they had tried to cash in on for so many years.  Videogaming.

So now all of us veteran gamers have to sit back & watch Congress approve laws to try & kill off the one thing which we've grown up loving for so many years?!  I think not!!  Wake up, people!!  You don't have to play what the media tells you to.  There are so many great titles out there that you should never get stuck reluctantly playing some overly boring nonviolent game (no pun intended).

I agree that there is a line (concerning videogames) and some people tend to cross it unnecessarily.  However, I don't want my freedom (much less reputation) to play violent games stripped, simply because a few irresponsible individuals are sloppy & can't decipher reality from fantasy.  Who cares if some disturbed teen had a bad day at school therefor, on the next, brought a gun to the campus?  Deal with those people individually & stop looking to someone/thing else to blame for that person's lack of sanity.  Stop trying to make us as gamers look morbidly evil!!

What ticks me off the most, is that a majority of the people trying to pass these so-called bills to ban violent videogames, is that many of them have never even sat down to pick up a gaming controller (much less try to understand the concept behind the game).  All they see is "Hot coffee mod" or "Look! His/her head/hand blew off!" and will immediately dismiss any positive aspects that the title may contain & include it with their lists of games to try & ban.  It's almost as if these politicians are simply using gaming as an easy way to boost/increase their power/stay in office. Talking about they're trying keep violent games from the clutches of the youth.  Then next, they want to kill of violent games completely.  They can't even seem to decide what they want done about any game past a teen rating.  Solution, make it illegal to sell violent videogames to anyone?  Great idea.

"When you pull a trigger in a videogame, it's no different from doing so on an actual person."  Wtf?!  Whoever came up that theory is completely mindless hoaxer, so are you if you believe that statement holds any actual merit.  Unless theres some form of voodoo magically entranced within a videogame controller, to which for each time someone presses the X or A button, someone outside mysteriously gets shot & dies, then the cops had better be at my doorstep with the handcuffs prepared to take me into custody.  Reasons being, that makes me a killer.

Politicians seem to think that videogames are the only catharsis for inspiring violent acts simply because you're actually playing the game as opposed to watching.  Which is sheer ignorance.  Movies, the news, and music have been proven to have influenced lewd behavior even moreso than gaming as an entirety.  For instance, there was this guy on America's Most Wanted top ten most wanted list to whom was wanted for being apprehended for a crime & locked away.  He then discovered a way to escape the high fascilitated prison & successfully evade police from (get this):  "An act which he remembered seen done successfully on a PG rated 007 James Bond flick." Then, there was a child who superkicked his friend (playfighting) causing her to lose balance & bash her head open on the ground, killing her.  All of which he was inspired to mimick (superkick) from watching an episode of Power Rangers. 

Why is it that politicians try to ban violent videogames as opposed to movies & other forms of entertainment (not saying that they should be)?  For the shear fact that a majority of policians themselves infact watch violent flicks (etc.) & for them to ban them would deter a form of entertainment on their behalves in which they enjoy. They'll find the grotesque violence in Passion of the Christ or Black Hawk Down justifyable since films are easier for them to get into or digest.  However, they'll immediately discredit a videogame like say; MGS, Max Payne, or Counter Strike simply because they're too lazy to pick up a controller & learn to play the game to discover the plot behind them.  In actuality, videogames are very similar to movies in that they can tell a story, but through a different form of entertainment. By some of these politicians analogies & claims (concerning videogames) all violent movies should be banned as well.

However, as long as there are people like Hilary Clinton, Joseph Liberman, & Tommy Kilby who constantly try to pass bills to have violent videogames banned (along with delivering doublestandered talk & speeches), things will continue to remain as they are now, if not worse in the coming years ahead.  What's next?  A ban on the national news because a standout few people find it so depressing to digest that they start jumping off of cliffs or start mimicking the crimes they hear/see committed?

Educate yourself on the true essense of what gaming in itself is.  Videogame's aren't something you pass laws on, they're a form of entertainment in which you live to temporarily escape reality.  Thanks for reading.