Completely Illogical

No, I am not talking about Bill O'Reilly. Nor am I talking about Jack Thompson, who appearently got himself banned twice at Game Politics.
No, what I am talking about is my new router. I got it over the holiday break and use it mostly as a firewall and for my new Nintendo DS (which a Mario & Luigi review will be comming soon).
During initial setup at my college, it had problems with the internet. Considering the how the college sets up its service, I was frustrated but not suprised. After a call and a few days rangling with the darned thing, I got it working.
Then about a week ago, it stopped working. At the time, I was too tired (for other reasons) to deal with the problem, so I unplugged it. Then about a day later, I plugged it back in and it was fine. Confusing, but not that inconvienent.
Then a few days ago, it stopped working again. I rangled with it for a bit, then decided to unplug it and see if that would help. A few days later, it didn't. I went through essentially reseting the device and all the other things that I could. Then I decided just to give up for a while, hooked my internet straight to my computer, leaving the router plugged.
Then after going through some of the suggestions that the company puts up at their web site, I hooked the router back up to try them. Before I did anything, I tried to see if somehow I could access the Internet. Success.
Why does this happen? Randomly failing and succeeding. Nothing changes, but everything does.
There might be some philosophy in that, but mostly it just shows why computers are often called confusers.

Worst Person in Videogames: Jack Thompson Maxes Out Edition

A little late with this, but I just now was in the mood to post.
Jack Thompson, through this past month, has proven to not only go to the same level as Pat Robertson or Bill O'Reilly, but can exceed them.
First, his suggestion that copies of 25 to Life should be taken off the shelves by cops. Citing a California law, his claim that the game is a threat to society shows that judical activism doesn't just occur in courts. Only Bush will cite such a law in such a way, but Thompson has done so in an even more insidious, demogogic way.
Then, when a gamer announced his suicide on a forum, Thompson took the worst and most inaccurate version of the event (accurate version here: http://gamepolitics.livejournal.com/182224.html), he made the worst comment one could ever make (I believe Gamepolitics has since taken down the original quote). He went on not only to use this sad death for his own ends, but went into full demogogic mode, including one long comparison of videogames to porn.
I would like to NOT write about Jack Thompson, but he just seems to do things so bad, that it can not go without comment. If you have a little extra money, donate here: http://flowersforjack.livejournal.com/

. I just hope Thompson doesn't literally blow up because of it; I tend to like Florida.

George Bush Hates Privacy

Just as one would think that Bush and his administration would stop with tapping phones (which is severe on its own), here is another case of the government trying to get private information.
Now, as the New York Times and others have reported, the Justice Department is trying to get actual information on Google searches. Yes, all the searches that you and everyone else on the Internet have made.
The given reason: to prove that porn sites are too easy to access for minors. There is a law that has yet to go into effect due to court intervention. The law cites heavy penalties when a web site deals harm to a child, which includes porn. The courts has injected that filters can do a better job then the law.
So...now they're looking at something, in which is doing its job, and looking into your privacy without merit (there is no probable cause for EVERYONE) and for a law which already is iffy on 1st Amendment grounds in the first place. Thumbs down for the Justice Department.
However, Google is doing the right thing by refusing to cooperate. Yahoo has already confirmed themselves that they cooperated. You can start to see one reason why Google just can't be seen as an evil corporation: they just don't stab their customers in the back.

2006 Possible Year in Preview for Videogames

One thing John C. Dvorak says is that predictions in tech are almost never right unless they know something no one else does. He's right in the tech industry because it is a much more nonlinear industry. Videogame, on the other hand, are a much more linear experience. Even with that, suprises do come along. So here is my predictions for the next 12 months.

Current Gen Home(PS2, X-Box, Gamecube): Last leg for these systems. Only Zelda will make any real headway for these systems. Few BIG games will come out, mostly because developers are preparing for the next gen. Mostly, games that were supposed to come out in 2005 will exist for this year.

X-Box 360: First, there will be a price drop in Nov. or Dec. by at least $50 for the actual (not core) unit. Don't expect the core unit to go down. Instead, it will either be eliminated (as in there will only be the real 360) or some new items put in, like wireless controllers.
Some rumors are going about that an improved hard drive will come out. I believe those are true, just not as a replacement for the one already in the 360. It will be more of a external hard drive.
The Live Marketplace will get alot more small & cheap games. Some ports, like the already anounced Street Fighter 2, will come along, but don't expect too many. Expect something like Darwinia (which I expect will go on the Marketplace around E3).
You will start to see 360's on shelves as Microsoft's production catches up, but don't expect a huge slowdown in sales for a while, although hype will definately will go down.
Also, no Halo, but expect something else from Bungie.

PS3: This will not be released anywhere until the holidays. This is based on the lack of real gameplay footage and nothing at CES. It will be released in the US and Japan around Thanksgiving at around $400.
The release of games will be about the same as the 360 launch, but a few games shorter.
The controller will be redesigned to be something more similar to the Dual Shock. No new functions, except maybe wireless.
And no Metal Gear Solid 4 nor Killzone 2. We'll see sequels, but nothing too far from what we're seeing this generation.

Somewhat both PS3 and 360: The competing HD formats, Blu-ray and HD-DVD, will merge in the summer as both sides realize how stupid this is. The PS3 will still have Blu-ray for games, but will have a seperate function for HD movies. The seperate player for the 360 will also come out, but for only a few hundred dollars. The HD disk players themselves will not be worth buying because of it.

Revolution: I will take the side that the console will keep the name Revolution, if not something similar. Launch day will be around Thanksgiving for US and Japan, priced around $150 (garenteed if you give or take $50).
The launch of games will be much better then the DS', having games of similar nature to what we saw out of the DS this last holiday season. Just don't expect anything considered console-seller quality, although do expect something that will be must buy.
You will see playable demos at E3, although not many from Nintendo.
Mario 128 will be out and a must have title, but Smash Bros. 3 won't come out until 2007.
The download service will succeed as third parties release their major hits on it. Expect Sega on board with Master and Genesis games.

PSP: It still won't get its must have game. If anything, it will still be known more for the multimedia features then for games. Modders will catch up a bit to the countermeasures that Sony has been putting out, but two new upgrades will slow them down a bit.

DS: The course has been set. What we saw from the DS in 2005 will be seen in 2006, just in much greater numbers. Now that third parties know what to do with the hardware, we will see them capitalize on it.
The WiFi service will be improved, but not by much. Demos may come out for the US and everywhere else, but not too many.

GBA: Umm...not that much. Nintendo may come out with a game or two, but I expect third parties may just abandon the last full 2D system almost completely.

There you have it. Not much, and most of it is safe, but that is how I see it. Really, we won't see a clear winner between the three, as the camps are only being set up. It will be E3 2007 is when we'll see who has the advantage for the next generation of consoles and portibles.

Cleaning Up DC?

Somehow, Jack Abramoff has done something that no pundit or journalist has been able to do: force the politicians to go clean.
First, anyone who recieved any money from him found less in their coffers as they expell those funds either back to Abramoff or to some charity.
Next, we have Tom Delay resigning from his majority leader post (here: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=1479719) and some House Republicans are talking about possible changing the entire Republican leadership in the House, although only a replacement for majority leader is confirmed.
Then, as I read in the New York Times, ethics rules may change. While it would be impossible in almost any other time, a proposal to make ALL trips funded by third parties illegal. With money being an important part of this scandel, it would be hard for anyone, Democrat or Republican, to vote against such a measure. However, chances are still slim as it could die in committee through some other, quieter means.

This is only just the beginning. I have no doubt politics in the legislature will change, even if Republicans remain on top. Along with Bush's problems (mostly wire-taps right now), I'd expect politics to be in much better shape by the end of summer. I can't say it will last, but at least we may have something to look forward to.

Mario Kart DS Review

Starting on a side note, some (ok, no one, since that's how many who are reading this) may have noticed a lack of posts here. That isn't because I'm having some crisis or another. It's just because no news story is really catching my eye lately. CES seemed to be a bust, and the Alito hearings have only started and are very predictable thus far. I'll try to put up more posts for anyone who is reading this (ie: no one), but I can't make any garentees. Now onto the main show.


When it comes to the "kart" racing genre, no one has come close to the original series of kart racers. Mario Kart just continues to make the only must have racers involving franchise characters and items in a racing environment. Mario Kart not only continues this tradition, but it also is the must have DS game.

Graphics: Visually, the graphics are about on par to mid-N64. The art design seems to be similar to Mario Kart Double Dash. But what makes the graphics stand out is the animation. With the exception of a few hickups in online play (slow connection), the framerate is always around 60 frames a second.
The Retro courses are all well done. All of them are mostly intact, although some changes were made to the GCN courses. The SNES and GBA courses all have been upgraded to mostly 3D graphics, all the while retaining their original feel. Even the GCN courses, while downgraded a bit, still retain much of their look from the original.
The new Nitro courses all look great and is a much better representation of what the DS can do. A few courses were designed after some Mario Bros. 3 levels, helping out the game's presentation.

Sound: The sound quality is another thing that suprised me. The sound not only was as good as the original Rogue Squadron game, but had a great surround sound for effect. While Double Dash may have better sound quality, the sound effects, and music, is much better in this game.

Control: Not much to say about this, because it is as you suspect. The touch screen isn't used except for the menu screens, and the button layout is exactly what one expects and will use. The only difference, and much useful one, is that B is not brake, but is actually reverse.

Gameplay: One wouldn't expect a map to be that much more useful for the second screen, but it adds alot. Fake boxes are now only noticable on the bottom screen. With it, one can avoid random shells and attack to the rear more easily.
The item placement is also much better then Double Dash. For one thing, second place has a chance (not that they do get red shells). A few new items come along, including the chomp-like (but less suicidal) Bullet Bill and the blinding squids, which forces more use of the second screen for navigation.
What makes this game really stand out is the courses. When I first got this game, I thought that I would virtually only play the Retro course. It turns out that the new courses were just as well made, some even becoming favorites, like Waluigi Pinball and Airship Fortress.
Single player wasn't an afterthought. The Vs. and Battle modes are now playable alone. Time Trials have automatic ghost saves. And there's a new mission mode, although that has limited play.
LAN Multiplayer (which I haven't played yet) has all the classics, but can now be played with upto eight people. Unfortunatly, there is only two battle modes, Shine Thief and Balloon Battle. Both are good (especially Balloon Battle, where you have to inflate balloons by blowing in the mic), but I do wish there was more. Where's Bom-bomb battle?
Online play is good, although limited. I did have some connection problems with Worldwide mode, but otherwise it was stable. If anything, all of my favorite Nitro courses were not selectable here. Also, it's impossible to have a friend pop up unless you have plenty of them or coordinate with them. While the service is simple and quick, it does limit alot of options that we're all used to on other online games.

Overall: This is the best of the Mario Kart series. It also is the must have DS game to get, and the reason to get a DS. While there are still a few flaws in it, it will still be an incredably good game to own.

Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 9/10
Control: 9.5/10
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Overall: 9/10
Buyability: 5/5: Get it now.

Bad Time for Gaming Entertainment

Videogames crossing over into other mediums has always been problematic. Mostly, it has been adaptations of licenses, like Mortal Kombat and Mario Bros., that has basicly been mostly craptacular, never actually good.
Unfortunatly, Uwe Boll has released another craptacular film that is BloodRayne (see #40: http://www.imdb.com/chart/bottom).

Also on the bad list is Grandma's Boy, a film that wasn't shown to critics before release (often a sign that the film is bad).
Now on the bad getting worse list (remember, BloodRayne was ranked better then Alone in the Dark, so Boll is improving) is G4. Just this month, they have started to show Star Trek: The Next Generation. Nothing against the show, but I just can't help but think G4 has been moving from "Television for Gamers" to "Spike TV, but Crappier". The one original show that was actually about gaming, X-Play, seems to be less and less aired. Not only that, the glimmer of hope that was Call for Help (another former TechTV show) got cancelled after only a few months and not much of a chance to do well.
One problem is that videogames seem to be more of an excuse to make some money rather then making a good product. None of the original G4 shows were good, only ranging from time-killing watchable to utter crap. No movie to this day has been able to remain true to the source game AND be good (and unfortunatly, only the former was ever done). So, when is this going to change? Certainly not from Boll or G4.

When Gaming Meets Politics: More and More Legislation

If you ever head on over to Gamepolitics, you will notice that practicly every other day, or at least once a week, more state legislators are proposing videogame laws, most based on failing or already failed legislation. Maryland, Indiana and Utah seem to be on the continuing list of states that are considering such legislation similar to those of California, Michigan or Illinois. This at a time when all of the latter states have had negative rulings against them, and doesn't look like they'll be upheld.
One judge has set the burdan of proof higher then what exists. Without any real evidence, as opposed to theories, these laws can't hold up in court. So why jump on the bandwagon when the Hot Coffee scandel is pretty much over?
Unfortunatly, the reason is that this is a way to show moderatism. Of all the legislation, only one that I have heard of is from a Republican. By introducing such legislation, it is a safe way for a Democrat to show that they can get along with conservatives.
So even with all these negative rulings, I highly doubt this chain of legislation will stop, even with the states that have passed the said legislation. What is going to happen is that after a few months, a new version will be introduced, once again starting the circle of pointlessness.
Only when gamers become an important part of the electorate (ie: ones that vote in large numbers) will this series of legislation will stop. Or when people realize how pointless this is, but I doubt the latter.
Here's to hoping that 2006 doesn't become the year of videogame legislation.

Top 10: Gameranking's List

If I had a much larger budget and more consoles, I would put up my own Top 10 of 2005. However, I have limited experience with the games released this year. Also, I have sent my Top 5 list to the Weekly Geek podcast (at www.weeklygeekshow.com), who can decide to put up the list or not.
Instead, I decided to look up what Gamerankings has for the Top 10 of the past 12 months. Here's the list from 10 to 1:

10. GTA: San Andreas (X-Box version): Certainly shows how good the game was that a port, with little to no new content, still made the top ten months after the original PS2 version was released.

9. Forza Mortorsport: I have heard good things about this game. I wish I could say more about this game, but there just wasn't much talk about it this past year. Don't know why, but I'm guessing World of Warcraft took the press time from this game.

8. Mario Kart DS: This game was the game that sold the Nintendo DS for me. The single player wasn't an afterthought, original courses that rival anything that Mario Kart 64 put out, enhanced versions (or just well done) of retro courses, smooth animation and great sound. This was the Mario Kart game to get.

7. Civilization 4: I'm not sure what to say about this game. I tried the original Civ. game, but just couldn't get into it. Civilization was among the first of the sandbox style of games, and this one seems to improve apon its predecessors.

6. Guitar Hero: This is a game I want to get (and wish I had the PS2 for it). It may not be a complete simulator, but it does a good job making one feel like a rock star. Music is important in this genre, and Guitar Hero certainly has a great song list. Undoubtably the music game of the year.

5. God of War: One of the games that probably was planned for 2004, God of War was one of the best action games this year. As X-Play even stated, even usual mundane tasks (escort missions) was made fun in this game. Can the developer do any better?

4. Ninja Gaiden Black: It may have been an enhancement of an old game (which is actually why I wouldn't put Pokemon Emerald on any top list), it's a testament on how good the original is. It was made even harder, and there's new weapons to play with. It may not be original, but it still was more fun then 95% of the stuff out there.

3. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (X-Box version): Released not too long after Pandora Tomarrow, Chaos Theory one-uped its predecessor with a new coop mode. While the core gameplay of the Splinter Cell series may be the same, the expanded gameplay modes helps keep the series frest and worth it for any owner of previous titles. It's just too bad that the Gamecube version was still screwed (with the lack of online).

2. Resident Evil 4 (PS2 version): The graphics only had a minor (almost unnoticable) downgrade, but all the gameplay stayed the same. Capcom even added a new mission mode and new weapons for PS2 owners, who had to wait.

1. Resident Evil 4 (Gamecube version): The original version, it would have taken game of the year for 2004 (if it wasn't for the delay). Graphics that rival anything out there, sound and environment that will scare the crap out of you, and actually fun gameplay. Capcom finally turned Resident Evil from a cinematic experience to a real game, one that puts it among the best games ever.

I just though it would have been interesting to see Gameranking's list, since other lists may have other preferences, or even forget games entirely due to time (see Weekly Geeks' recent post).