SLUniverse Forums - Blogs - Full Frontal Nerdity by Cristiano

Overload

Cristiano — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:24:52 GMT

I have a problem. Lately, I find myself on total overload. There are so many things I want to be doing - I have a bunch of stuff I want to add to Snapzilla, I have a new project I want to work on, I'm working on a video game for the XBOX 360, and now Eboni has goaded me into doing some new stuff in Poser. Yet, I start a project and find myself totally blocked on most fronts. I accomplish a little bit and then stop. I feel like my attention span is nil - I jump from one thing to another. I hope I can find my focus again, not having it is making me very unhappy.

Great iPhone/iPod Touch Apps

Cristiano — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:40:00 GMT

Well, I have now had my iPod Touch for a few weeks, and it has grown on me a bit. I still think it is way overpriced and I find some of its quirks frustrating, but some apps I have downloaded have gone a long way toward helping me enjoy it more.

A huge frustration for me is the lack of any kind of subscription service that supports the iPod. Being able to buy songs directly from iTunes onto the iPod is convenient, but expensive and not what I want. A lot of times i'm in the mood for a particular song or artist, but it doesn't mean I want to buy something (yet I'm not into just stealing it). Rhapsody and Napster are both excellent subscription services, but shut out by Apple.

A sort of happy median between the subscription and buy model is streaming music from services like last.fm and AOL Radio. Both have excellent free apps available that have made the iPod a lot more enjoyable for me.

The last.fm app is fully integrated with the web site, and lets you log into your account and quickly find music. Excellent UI - my only complaint is the current version has crashed twice on me. Hopefully they will keep updating it.

AOL Radio has offered a huge selection of streaming radio stations for years. The AOL Radio app brings that content to the iPod - it also interestingly enough adds local stations to the mix that offer streaming, and can use your location to find them. There are so many specialized radio stations in every genre imagineable, and it's all very accessible.

Another entertaining app is Joost. It brings together all kinds of great video content, including current music videos. I haven't spent too much time with it, but so far I have been really impressed by the quality of the video and the content offered.

Finally, an app that I use daily is the excellent Facebook app. It makes it incredibly easy to keep up with what is happening with your friends on Facebook, and to update your status and comment on things. It's very intuitive to use and makes Facebook even more addictive.

The best thing about all the apps I mentioned is they are free. I don't want to talk about how many paid apps I have already bought. :tapedshut:

World of Goo

Cristiano — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:06:26 GMT

In the midst of all the multimillion dollar high profile video game releases right now, it is nice to find an unexpected masterpiece from a small, independent game producer. That game, World of Goo, is an incredible addictive puzzle game with an oddball sense of humor and compelling gameplay.

The basic concept is you use balls of goo to build a path to a faucet to suck them up into. The balls stick together and you can arrange them in a variety of ways. Physics also come into play as you have to balance your build so it doesn't fall over or get you into other hazards. As you play, new types of goo are added that have different abilities. Each level has a goal of the number off goo balls you need to rescue.

In some ways it is oddly reminiscent of Lemmings, but it is definitely a unique game. Anyone who likes puzzle games should definitely check it out - it is definitely one of the best releases in a long time.

A fan community has developed around the game as well, with level editors, new levels, goo ball mods, and other content being developed for the game:

http://goofans.com/

A demo is available for the PC and Mac:
PC Demo
Mac Demo

The game is also available for Linux, though no demo is yet available.

The game is also available for the Nintendo Wii through Wiiware.

Gameplay video:

YouTube - World of Goo: Playthrough

The full release is downloadable from several sites, including Direct2Drive.

The game developer site is at:

http://2dboy.com/

A Revolution in Console Game Development Part 2

Cristiano — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:28:06 GMT

Way back in February, I wrote about how excited I was about the preview that Microsoft showed of their XBOX Live Community Games initiative, which allows any game developer to develop for the XBOX 360 and have their game made available to millions of players through XBOX Live.

With the release today of the XNA Game Studio 3.0, along with the forthcoming release on November 19th of the NXE (New XBOX Experience), the moment is finally here. When the NXE launches, it will contain a section for Community Games built into the interface.
I can't wait to see what kind of games people will create - the quality of the preview submissions the last time around was really high.

Now I just need to get off my ass and start developing a game. :poke:

Gamefly

Cristiano — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:28:58 GMT

So I finally took the plunge and signed up for Gamespy after getting a free month trial of it from Pizza Hut. Although it does seem a bit pricey ($22.95 a month for 2 games), so far I have been impressed with it.

The first two games I ordered were Assassin's Creed and Ninja Gaiden 2 - games I have wanted to try out. Ninja Gaiden 2, was on low supply so I ended up with my second choice of Mass Effect.

It took 2 days to get Asssasin's Creed and 3 days for Mass Effect - not bad at all. The only disappointment was the games did not come with any manual (though you can view a digital copy online). Otherwise, everything was fine.

I got an email them today that they are having a summer sale and I can buy Mass Effect for $17.99 and Assassin's Creed for 19.99 - pre owned. I think I will buy them both - it is a lot better than $59.99, and I don't care that they are preowned, since they are guaranteed.

I definitely think I will keep my membership after the trial - there are a lot of games I would like to try, but admittedly would only play a few times, so it is a waste to pay $59 per game. I have Alone in the Dark and Ninja Gaiden 2 as the next games in my queue - both games I am really looking forward to.

A Revolution in Console Game Development

Cristiano — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:02:41 GMT

As game systems become more and more advanced, game development has become much more expensive - mainstream releases are multi-million dollar productions. If there is not a guaranteed market for a game, it will probably never see the light of day on a console because the costs are just too high and companies like to play it safe. That is a shame, because it means so many types of games will never get made or experienced by a wide group of players.

That has all changed with Microsoft's recent announcement during its keynote speech at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2008. Microsoft announced that they are expanding their already revolutionary XNA development platform and allowing developers to submit games that can be downloaded and accessed by all XBOX Live users (ie..the YouTube of games). What this means is that any developer, whether a single person or a small team can create games for the XBOX 360 that can then be submitted to the new XNA Community section of XBOX Live, where users can download and rate games. Ultimately, games can also be sold through XBOX Live.

Why is this such a big deal? It means that someone with a really good game idea and the development skills can get their game in front of potentially millions of players on a console, something that has never been possible before. A single developer with the skills could create a game that can be played by millions of people.

The games have to go through an approval process to ensure that people are not just dumping crap online, but that is a good thing. The costs to do this are extremely reasonable too. The XNA development tools are free - being able to publish to XBOX costs $99 a year.

The tools take a lot of the difficulty out of development of high quality games by making it easy to incorporate networking, 3d graphics, voice chat, achievements, multiplayer, etc.. The developer doesn't need to focus on the infrastructure, but instead of the game itself. With the same tools, you can also easily target the PC platform, and in the next version, the Zune handheld as well.

The XBOX Live Community Games service will launch later this year, and will start a new era in console games. Already, the games that have offered as a preview of what people have made are incredible. User created content has transformed gaming in a lot of ways already - having user created games on the XBOX 360 will open up entirely new possibilities. I can't wait to try developping some ideas myself. :cheers:

Shown below is gameplay from Jelly Car, one of the preview games available. This was a user created game - it looks simplistic at first, until you realize that it has a full physics engine in it. It's an example of some of the amazing work being done by small developers.

Exit

Cristiano — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 21:44:45 GMT

Well, I have been sidetracked from posting this week because of the server move, but I took sometime today to try out a game I had not heard of before called Exit. It's an XBOX Live game that was originally on the PSP. It's a puzzle game basically, which combines elements of Lemmings, Prince of Persia, and other games, but is very unique. You have to rescue people from disasters by getting them safely to the exit of each building.

I am still in the training stages, but I liked the game enough to buy it. It has an incredible number of stages (over 200), plus there are free downloadable packs of more stages. It is definitely a game I will spend some time with. The graphics are very appealing - they are a stylized cartoon format.

The whole thing is really well done - the only thing that has bugged me so far is the fat guy saying "HELP ME UP" over and over again while you are trying to help him. Not exactly an incentive to not leave him to die in the fire :)

It's available on XBL for 800 points.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/e/exitxboxlivearcade/

Woot 1000 points finally!

Cristiano — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:32:29 GMT

This is totally embarrassing, but I am happy that I have finally unlocked enough achievements in games to have a Gamerscore over 1000 on XBOX 360. I didn't get there with any lame ones either, I worked hard to get those points. Oblivion Game of the Year Edition set me over the top - I decided I wanted to play it in all its high def glory instead of dealing with the technical issues on the PC, so I am finally playing it. I got 50 points for completing the tutorial sequence, and combined with my surprising ability to get through the tutorial of Call of Duty 4, I made 1025 today. Anyway, I know nobody cares, but that is what blogs are for, self indulgence AND I CARE.:yarrr:

Call of Duty 4

Cristiano — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:04:32 GMT

Ok, I know I am a day late and a dollar short here, but ZOMG Call of Duty 4 is just about one of the most impressive games I've ever seen. The production quality is so high, and the game is so engaging that I can't believe it. I am not normally one who likes shooters (Halo * yawn *), but the gameplay is so compelling that I was drawn into it and can't get enough of it. I hear the single player campaign is short. I'm still stuck on the first mission after the tutorial one (the excellent ship mission which fucking rocked), so I don't think I will run out of stuff to do soon. I will still be trying to figure out how to get to the road and shoot people.

I was totally blown away by the intro after the tutorial mission, where the president of the Arab country is killed. At first I thought it was a static sequence, then I realized it was was from the perspective of the kidnapped president in the back of the car, and that you could look around. The whole thing was engrossing, right down to the controller violently shaking when he is killed.

The multiplayer side is also a joy to play. I played with a friend last night on the ship map, and also the Bog map and one inside a city. The attention to detail is stunning. I was actually scared by a bird lol. My friend ended up regretting that he taught me how to stab. I killed him four times that way.

I am looking forward to playing it a lot more. If anyone wants to play it multiplayer, find me and I will play it with you. Just be nice because I kind of suck at these games and start pressing buttons when I panic.

Poker Smash

Cristiano — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:09:23 GMT

One of the things I like most about XBOX Live is there is such a wide variety of games available for it, and unique games are being created for it. Poker Smash is one of those games. It is great to have a game that is not just a remake of a PC puzzle game, but one that takes deep advantage of XBLA and the XBOX 360.

The game is a puzzle game that mixes the basics of Poker with a fast paced unique matching experience. There are five different cards in rows moving upward that you have to move around to make matching card hands to remove them. The more complex the hand, and the more chain reactions you cause, the higher your score. It has a great intro that teaches you how to play, but you should also check out the How to Play directions.

It has several different unique play modes in both single and multiplayer. So far I am addicted to the Arcade and Puzzle modes, I have not yet tried the multiplayer modes. The single player mode also two really creative features called the Store and the Theater.

As you play, you amass winnings based upon your score. You can use those winnings in the store to unlock new board themes, gamer pictures, and video tutorials on how to beat each of the puzzles in Puzzle Mode. Additionally, you can record your games and watch games recorded by others in the Theater. It's a very useful feature actually - I've watched several videos of people playing to learn some new techniques.

Poker Smash is definitely one of the best puzzle games ever released for the XBLA. The graphics are very well done, the music is enjoyable, and it has great particle effects as well. You don't have to like card games to enjoy this one. I know very little about Poker, you just have to understand how to arrange the cards. I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes face paced puzzle games. This one is definitely not easy, but it is not so ridiculously hard that it isn't enjoyable. As with all XBLA games, it is 800 MS points, but well worth it for such a unique and enjoyable title.

Rez HD

Cristiano — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 02:34:14 GMT

Recently, a remake of the classic Dreamcast game Rez has been added to XBOX Live. Known as Rez HD, it is one of the strangest and most incredible game experiences I've had in awhile.

Rez is a hard game to describe. In some ways, it almost seems more a work of art than a game, and now with full widescreen, gorgeous HD graphics, it has never looked better. You are flying through a computer network as an avatar, and as you get deeper, the music and graphics become more intense and layered.

It costs 800 MS Points, but it is well worth it, I think, and there is a trial version of it. Check it out and be sure to read the directions on how to play if you've never played Rez before.

http://www.thatgamecalledrez.com/

Go Go Gourmet

Cristiano — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 02:20:12 GMT

For some reason, I have always enjoyed the whole genre of games that involve food preparation and serving. At their heart, they are really just matching games anyway. A type of game I generally don't enjoy, however, is known as Hidden Object games. They generally have a scene with a bunch of stuff in it that you have to find.

I was a little skeptical when I first heard about Go Go Gourmet, which combines both genres. I've tried a couple of recipe preparation games and didn't like most of them, and hidden object games annoy me. However, it turns out to be an incredibly addictive and surprisingly fun game. You have a kitchen that is filled with various ingredients (represented by icons on the counters), along with some pots, pans, a food processor, and an oven. Orders come in that require various ingredients and preparation steps.

For example, a hamburger requires ground beef, which then has to be fried in a pan. You need to click on the ground beef, then click on the pan. You can't prepare the rest of the recipe until each section finishes. However, you can start other orders that come in. It gets increasingly difficult as you have more and more ingredients and new recipes that require more complex preparation.

I was really shocked how much I ended up liking this game, I have spent a ridiculous amount of time playing it. As you progress, it unlocks new restaurants with new types of cuisine. You eventually have over a hundred ingredients to keep track of. The whole thing is presented very well - if you like these type of games, you know the type of graphics they have.

I would definitely recommend this game if you like games like Diner Dash, Delicious Deluxe, etc..

Big Fish Games

Cristiano — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:35:07 GMT

A friend pointed out this site to me a few months ago, and I don't know whether I should thank her or disown her for doing so. While there are lots of sites that have casual games, none seems to be as well integrated or have the offerings that Big Fish Games does. My particular favorite types of games fall into the "Time Management" category, and also the "Match 3" category (don't get me started on games that combine both).

Like a lot of these sites, you can try each game for free for an hour, and then buy it if you really like it. The games are extremely high quality, and you can get them for as little as $6.95 each depending on how often you purchase.

If you haven't had a chance, check out the site. They have lots of free online games to play as well. The whole thing is very well done, and the games are impressive.

Blogging about games

Cristiano — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:28:50 GMT

Ok, I admit it, I am addicted to video games of all kinds. My favorite are casual games, though I like all kinds. I play them regularly on both my PC and also my XBOX 360. So I decided I will start randomly blogging about games I find that I really like.

A song I can't get out of my head

Cristiano — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:07:15 GMT

One of my favorite songs of this past summer has been the ubiquitous Umbrella by the incredibly hot Rihanna. I just disovered this cover version by Mandy Moore of all people and find it interesting - it keeps the sweetness of the song but gives it a different feel. Anyway, I know my musical tastes are a bit mundane - but above all else I am drawn to really strong lyrics and the meaning behind them, and I think thiis a great song in any format. :giraffe: