Upcoming Changes

Over the next few days, I'm going to be playing around with the look of the blog. Text. Stuff. I may get inventive in gimp (since I’m poor and don’t own Photoshop) I’m thinking of going back to black text, or maybe a deep blue. Get a blue vibe going on. You tell me. Leave a comment if you’ve got any suggestions. Otherwise, it’s my decision—and we all know where that could end up.

--Santa

Sorry Gents, Not Quite Dead Yet

I know I haven't been very punctual with blogging recently—but good news! My finals are over! Starting now, its summer time. All of summer. Just us. So, where to start? I got Civilization V from my good friend, and I’ve been hooked since. I’ve been getting back into League of Legends, and I love the graphics and FPS updates, but I’m not crazy about Darius, since he can literally destroy everything without trying. I got a new unusual: a Texas Ten Gallon in black with Stormy-Storm. It’s beautiful. I also sold a G. Merc’s Pride Scarf for a white Bills hat, a clean Fast Learner and a dirty Front Runner. Overall, I’m doing pretty well, and I’m looking forward to that eventual Ten Gallon with beams, its staring me in the face.

Let’s get back to Civilization V. My friend bought it for me as a late birthday gift (a very, very late gift. 5 years late) and told me I would love it. He didn’t lie to me. I started a game as Kamehameha (not because it sounded like a particular reference to anything) and got the immediate bonus of being able to cross oceans—which is significant in 4,000 BC. In Civ V (for all of you not quite familiar with the game) it’s like risk, but with more parts to it. You can win through peace, culture, or war. You can use economics to help you get to this, and research stuff to help you meet these goals. Being an economic warlord from TF2 I quickly narrowed in my focuses on this idea.

Currently, we’ve hit the 1700’s (AD now) and are dominating little tiny city-states who are standing in my way. We’ve started a new campaign with another friend in it too, and I have my own going on as well. I have to say, I didn’t expect any game to come between me and TF2, but Civ V and LoL are quickly worming their way up and into my time, and I’m not going to stop them. So, I think it’s time to move out of all my time-variable assets, so it’s time to shift into keys and metal on stuff I don’t really want/need. I’m liquidating, and nobody can stop me.

--Santa

League of Legends: Best. Patch. Ever.

So, I haven’t played LoL in what seems like a month now, and that’s probably how long its been. But, feeling like I had betrayed my lovely old game, I started the update, and then quickly went to TF2OP to see if anyone had made me an offer on my unusual. But, the update was over after 30 minutes or so, and I got on what seemed like a completely different world to me.

And by different world, I of course mean I watched the suggested game. I have to admit, I’m liking the new spectate mode; reminds me of Replay Mode in TF2, but somewhat better and worse at the same time. Since you can’t record, I suppose it makes Spectate mode a little less… enjoyable. However, I find it to have a better range of tools. I can only hope that Valve takes a cue from Riot, and vice versa. But, this isn’t the only thing I can to talk to you kids about.

So, in this big old patch preview for Darius I couldn’t help but notice that they didn’t do one thing that I didn’t like. I couldn’t believe it. A big increase of frame rates (something that I really could use) pretty much a lot better graphics even on super low settings, minion kills in the upper right corner, making Ashe look not completely stupid. I couldn’t believe it. I think riot read my blog. I’m so proud of Riot. Thank you so much for listening to the community. Still waiting for the Heimerdinger update though.

In the near(ish) future I do plan on getting back into the League. But for now TF2 has its lovingly strong wrap of hats on me tight, and I don’t think its planning on letting me go soon. When I get the Sunbeams hat, maybe I can finally take a break. My goal is getting close, why give up now?

That reminds me. 

This is the last needed post of the blogging run from my AP Lang and Composition class. Its over kids. But, this doesn't mean that it ends here. This blog is now my own project, and I'm not feeling like ending it. So, I want to hear from you guys some suggestions as to what you want me to do. Leave me a comment. Vote in the poll. This is our blog now. I may not post for a couple of days coming up here, but please feel free to leave some. I will read it, and will consider it.

Thanks, and have fun.

--Santa

 

Steam Trade Gets Tradier

So, much to my own amazement, it does seem like Valve is being nearly normal with their updates to Team Fortress 2. The TF2 team has been adding a new item, and doing a few patches, once a week for about… 5 weeks now. I’m so proud, Valve. Keep up the good work. In other news, here’s what’s happened with this week’s updates:

·         The Addition of the “Sneak Spats of sneaking” seen in the picture to the left

·         The Addition of new promo items from Ghost Recon, seen above are two of them

·         The removal of crates 41 and 42, and the addition of 44 and 45. Both of which have the stock rocket launcher and stock Sticky Launcher, completely undermining the rare strange market. Time to sell, everyone! But, at least Valve put some cool strange parts in these.

·         Fix on the Frying Pan, so you no long hold it like a stick on the Scout, and other classes

·         Fixed the Last Breath, so it no longer clips with every item ever invented

And that’s about it. However, something happened with Steam Trade which may be important for the Mannconomy.

Super Monday Night Combat (which will from here on out be referred to as SMNC) now has Steam Trade, so all of you out there playing this game, who would like some SMNC items you may be in luck. Since the introduction of Steam Trade (which has allowed me to get some very nice games for the low, low price of free) I’ve been wondering what else would be put in. Steam trade is used 99% of the time for TF2. I think I may go on Spiral Knights and see if anybody wants my old stuff in favor of their metal, or hats. Not all people are poor, and if they pre-ordered Left 4 Dead 2, and just so happened to not want that Bills Hat anymore, well, I suppose I could take it off their hands.

To touch base with what’s pretty much happened with the new crates: let me put it into perspective:
A lot of people like the stock version of weapons—like the Shotgun, Grenade Launcher, etc…  this raised the prices all the way up to ridiculous prices, like 4-5 keys on the stock rocket. Since Valve has decided that nobody is their favorite, they’ve nerfed us all by destroying some of the value of the market, sending everything into frenzy. Yes, it’s over. Your old stranges are old no more. Get used to it.

Sorry for making everything out into black and white, but if you’re a trade like I am, and are invested in older stranges, its time to sell sell sell!

--Santa

Update Central

This weekend was a doozy. I had my birthday celebration, and I decided to use that to go and buy some exciting games, that I may be using later on in the blog. Let me make you a list of everything I decided to get:

• 1 Nintendo 64 (lightly used, in black)
• 2 N64 controllers (not Nintendo brand, but some off brand stuff like Mad Catz)
• 3 games for the Nintendo 64 (Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64 and Pokémon Stadium)
• Pokémon Yellow Version for the Game Boy Color

 Oh yes, this is quite the hall. I was torn between getting the original Silver version or Yellow, but seeing that I did have Silver for a long time, I decided to give Yellow a try. I haven’t used Yellow version quite yet, but I plan on trying it out on my DS, hopefully the internal batter hasn’t run dead quite yet.

With the N64, I have to say that it was a bit more... odd. I bought the N64 from a local game shop, and as such, they only had one N64 in stock, which was no big deal. However, they didn’t have the normal RCA setup (the ye olde Red White Yellow set-up you may remember from your GameCube’s original cords on the Xbox 360, in case you’ve forgotten since the big HDMI update)  this had a coax converter. For the younger one the audience out there, a coax wire is your standard cable, which you use to get cable TV. The N64 spanned a generation, with some of the TV’s in the family not with the standard RCA plug-ins, mine came with an adaptor. Luckily, I don’t watch TV; I play games. The other problem was in the coax-in slot on the back of the flat screen. Mine only had one, and it was threaded, to help keep a cable on. I had about ¼ inch of the wire on the coax slot, and decided to try my luck. Who knew? It had the tip on, as long as no sudden Earthquake hit, it should be just fine.

 No Earthquakes hit. Having Ocarina in as the first game to play test, I soon found out that the Graphics were stretched a bit, and give it a grainy look (not too surprising from a game 15 years old on a HD TV 50 inches wide) but much to my pleasure, I found that Navi was just as annoying at this resolution as she is on a normal sized TV for that day and age. From here, I checked the other games, and found that all of them worked fine, and that Pokémon Stadium had a few Pokémon uploaded by a kind, previous owner. I was in luck. Metwo beats a Psyduck any day.

 

So, in the future expect more reviews of some classic Nintendo games, that is, if there is a future. This signifies the last week of required blogging. This blog has turned out to be much better of an experiment that I could have ever hoped. This is my question to you, the readers though: is this something you want to see continue on? I’ve posted a poll, and made it last to the end of the month, and plan on blogging until then regardless. If I do continue to blog, I will most likely turn on AdSense, as tis is taking up a lot more time that I originally believed to be the case. But, if the blog continues on, I’m more open to conduct the blog how I wish. So, in accordance with that, if you have any suggestion on how you want to see introduced, then leave a comment, I will respond. In any case, thanks for the near 5,000 views.

 

--Santa

First Look: Building the Future

I never get bored of cliché titles, they always add to the fun. But, as you can probably guess, and the picture certainly gives it away as well, we’re going to talk a little more about Minecraft.

I think I remember saying that I don’t really play Minecraft anymore, I’m a semi-regular on a server, and I play it when my internet goes out (and I still drastically miss TF2 when that happens) but Minecraft doesn’t seem like my niche anymore. I kind of fell out of it like every other game I play when I’m on a downer from TF2. However, a friend of mine pointed out that Xbox was coming to the Xbox, and I have to admit, it seems relevant to my interests. Minecraft: Xbox Edition came out on the Marketplace yesterday, May 9^th (or probably much later than that when you get around to reading this, you late, late, viewers) and as of now, I don’t own it. But, that tends to be what my whole “First Impressions” segments tend to be about—me just giving a small opinion on a game I don’t own.

 

From what I’ve read, the Xbox version is currently based off of an older version of Minecraft Beta, so some of the features (namely some crafting stuff, and food stacking) haven’t been brought out yet. The game isn’t quite as complete feeling as the PC version is, but anything ported out tends to feel a bit shaky. The handling, and overall feel is supposed to be like Minecraft, minus all the fun mods and creative mode, but it’s got an easy playing feel with the new layout on the controller. Playing with a controller is something I’ve been wanting to do with TF2 for a long time, but since I can be quite lazy I have quite set up the controls, with this at least I can have Minecraft my way.

In the next few weeks, you can expect to see a full review of the new Minecraft, it may take a bit of time (due to some inbound AP Tests) but I will get on it when I can. In other news, the blog broke 4,790 views as of this post. Thanks for all the continuing support.

--Santa

TF2—A Perspective.

I sure seem busy on TF2 anymore, with the whole unusual trading business going on now. It seems like only yesterday that I was giving you an update on how I was up to those two fairly nice unusuals (it may have something to do with the fact that I was telling you about it only 4 days ago). They’re gone now. As you can guess by the picture now hovering to your right, I’ve been in another major trade, so let me give you the lowdown as to what went on: Seriously, just about an hour or so after I made that post, a guy makes a post on m TF2OP trade, asking me if I was interested in a Stormy Storm Ten Gallon. I told him that I may be interested in it, and asked him his price, about an hour later he sends me a friend request.

He’s interested in my Ten Gallon partially, and I’ll admit—I was into the Hotrod. Stormy Storm’s probably my second favorite effect in the world, and it’s on my second favorite hat, and the guy just so happened to re-name it to “The Lightning Rod.” I was seriously having a hard time controlling my typing; almost feeling that he could sense my sweaty hands from the other side of the series of tubes connecting us. He wanted both of my hats for it, and I politely declined. After a genuine amount of debating, I came back with a 2:3 proposal, (this guy was a hat collector, and had a good few low tiered hats lying around his backpack) and he thinks about it. I get an answer of “How about 2:2 and I’ll do 2 painted Bills, black and white.” The deal had been struck.

This trade, in his opinion after completion, went my way by about 5 keys; but he was happy. I got (in all) a Stormy Storm Hotrod, a Green Confetti Western Wear, and 2 Bills (black and white, respectively) in return for my Orbiting Fire Texas Ten Gallon and Blizzardy Storm Attendant. From here, I sold the Western Wear to a good friend of mine for 1 Earbud and sweets equaling a Bills hat. I sold my 2 Bills and 1 refined for a Genuine Merc’s Pride Scarf, a clean El Jefe, and a clean Attendant. Since then, I’ve expanded my backpack to a total of 500 slots, and have begun collecting metal and keys, looking to expand my collection and reach the final goal of a Sunbeams Ten Gallon.

Look! Actual In-Game Screenshots!

Today however, I decided to get out of the trade server and into the game that is Team Fortress 2; a small escape from the heart-pounding trades. I’m a regular in a community, and so whilst in their Ventrillo server (for all of you out there who aren’t familiar with Vent, I suggest going out and downloading it. It’s like Skype, but runs on a lot less RAM.) They were talking about playing on the Payload server, which is almost always empty. This was going on while I re-sorted my backpack, so I thought, why not join them when I finish?

After a good, fun round of going Heavy with a Frying Pan, we decided to get serious, as serious as Payload gets in this server. Pulling out my trusty Strange Gunslinger, I decided to give it a good workout. I broke the 900 kill marker, and was getting ever closer to “Completely Normal.” As you can see from the picture, we kind of broke the last round of PL_Thundermountain, but who cares? I rediscovered my old love for normal TF2.

I still hold that Payload is my favorite gametype, even if I still love Dustbowl from my old pub stomping days on the Xbox. Most of you who do read through these posts have probably gone through the same dilemma: playing Hat Fortress 2 without touching base with the original game. I suggest trying it again, it may remind you why you play the game in the first place.

--Santa

Well Founded Conspiracies theories

I got to admit, Its not that big of a year for gaming, if you compare it to last year. We were rocked by a bunch of major titles—ranging from Portal 2 to Skyrim, and some titles I forgot about (and didn’t necessarily play) like dead Space 2. So, I’m looking at this New Year, and I’m think: what is there to really look forward to? Halo 4, which I’m really not going to get into, I don’t really count a December release as part of 2012’s glamour, I’ll be into 2013 when I really like it. I can really only think of Bioshock: Infinite as the main title that’s in October, but still that’s all I can really think of. So, I’d like to speculate some titles which are wholly possible—and might be announced at this year’s biggest game show.

For all of you who don’t know what the Electronic Entertainment Expo (or E3) is, then you’re either a casual gamer, or maybe a new gamer; but let me summarize it like this: it’s the biggest nerd-fest outside of Comic Con. E3—which used to be a big, wide-open, sweaty gamer’s paradise is now closed to the public. This however does not mean you can’t go (you can if you have $995 burning a big hole in your pocket) you can watch the events on G4 (the “video game” channel) or via YouTube (Machinima streams it.) E3 is filled with wondrous tables of the biggest gigs in gaming. Everyone goes to flaunt what they’ve got—from Nintendo to Telltale Games to Valve. Companies like nVidia and IGN come out as well; they’ve got a big pull in this market. The biggest events lay in the biggest companies. The big 3 (Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo) hold a gigantic press conference, showing what we can expect in the year to come, this is when consoles are unveiled (like possibly the new Xbox this year) and some new flagship games (like Halo games, Reach was announced a few years ago here).

Conferences are what make it—it’s not just the big 3. Activision and EA come out to show their superiority. Last year, Valve was slanted to make an appearance, but they canceled their conference at the last moment (probably since Gabe Newell was already showing up at the Sony conference.) but, this is what I’m predicting as the 3 biggest players of E3 this year.

3—Nintendo: I’m hoping to see something like Pikmin 3, or a new Smash Bros., something that can make the Wii U look more impressive than it already is.

2—Microsoft: This is the big year for Microsoft—announcing Halo 4 was big, but they need something bigger than that, Kinect kind of flopped out, but that doesn’t mean they can’t build off of it. We’re going to see a large ceremony, some pomp and circumstance, with a new console, maybe not a release date, but a new face to put both Nintendo and Sony on edge.

1—Valve: Yes, they have released that they aren’t giving us any games at E3, but there is still hope yet for our truly beloved. Valve’s been giving cute little signs, like a photo in their employee handbook, the joke of Half-Life 3D, the 7 years since Episode 2, its all coming up to this. Valve is going to show us something so magnificent that everyone at whichever game conference literally explodes with anticipation. I’m not expecting a release date, if it comes with one, it’ll be in 2014, but I’m expecting a little tiny tease. Gabe Newell controls the world of PCs with Steam, and since new consoles are being slated for release, I think it’s logical to have the most wanted game in all of recorded history there as a reminder.

Am I being a bit on the hopeful side? Oh yes, but why shouldn’t I be. For me, this year will have something from Valve—they’re changing their image from the company of few games to more and more. We’ve had constant releases from them for a long time now: Alien Swarm, Dota 2, Portal 2, left 4 Dead 2, Counterstrike: Global offense it’s been very constant, so why stop now? I’ll be honest; I don’t care as much about the whole new consoles business as I do care about the new Half-Life idea.

--Santa

Movies: Avenge This

This isn’t a surprise to see me review, except for the fact that I went out and saw it on opening weekend. Let me put it this way though, I’m a pretty big nerd for comics, and the only thing that I love more than Iron Man is Deadpool, but since I’m probably going to have to wait 1-2 more years for the Deadpool movie, I think I can wait a bit. The Avenger’s is probably one of the year’s most hotly anticipated movies as most of you know, and I’ll say one thing now—they aren’t kidding.

Now, when I go out to see a movie, I want to know what I’m into, even if I’m pretty sure it’s going to be fantastic. In most cases, I use Rotten Tomatoes, since they give a pretty good review of movies. In this case, a 93% review from the critics and a 96% from the fans got me into a good mood for this one. Normally I’m a pretty cheap guy, so I got to matinees, but a big group of my friends insisted on a later time, and I gave in. I’m a talker during movies, making a bunch of funny/stupid comments, and super heroes make me all the more excited.

I’m not going to get very far into the specifics of the movie to spare most of you out there that haven’t yet seen it, but here’s a fair synopsis

As Loki, in Norse myth the god of mischief, comes back to Earth planning to enslave the entirety of the human race, Nick Fury (the director of SHIELD) decides to get together a team of super heroes, which he has named the Avenger’s Initiative. Including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Hawkeye and Black Widow, can this team stop Loki from ruling the world before its TOO LATE?

                Cliché overview? Possibly. Do I care? No. This is probably the best way to give you a synopsis without ruining it for you. But, I will go into some of the main ideals.

Acting—Near perfect, but what do you expect when you’ve got a super group together to make a movie? Great shows of emotions, reminding of the humanity of the characters, great lines, and overall great expressions make the move fantastic.

Plot and Props—Once again, the Avenger’s do a great job living up to comic ideals. With characters that look like they’re visiting from one of the many Marvel Universes, and the overall feel like this is a very real Earth in very real danger makes the movie feel the part it needs.

Special Effects—Oh, oh yes.

The “Wow” Factor and Keeping with comic traditions—With great humor comes great responsibility, and although I’m pretty sure I remember Spiderman as being one of the original Avengers, I’ll let it slide, as the overall feel of the characters are so greatly shown.

Final Score—A very strong, and quite honorable 9.75/10. This one came close, but with the overall feel being great, I just can’t give it a 10, I’m saving that for the big boys.

Overall, if you enjoy spending $10 on seeing a movie, or like to spend $10 on literally seeing one of the best movies, if not the best movie of the year, I suggest this one, I love it, and if you’ve ever considered yourself a Marvel fan boy, and you actually haven’t seen it yet, then you better walk to the next movie theater, and buy yourself 10 or so seats, this is a good one.

--Santa