Today I Went Nolstaga GAGA

I have been getting so hooked up with NHL 09 lately that I almost neglected all my other games in my collection. All I have been focusing on is #74 and his NHL career! But an announcement got my attention recently that stopped all that in its tracks... almost. Sega's new trip down memory lane with the SEGA Mega Drive Ultimate Collection being released on dual platforms (PS3 & 360). Going down the list made me go a bit teary eyed. It reads like this:

Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
Alien Storm
Altered Beast
Beyond Oasis
Bonanza Bros.
Columns
Comix Zone
Decap Attack starring Chuck D. Head
Dr. Robotnik's MBM
Dynamite Headdy
Ecco the Dolphin
Ecco II: The Tides of Time
E-SWAT
Fatal Labyrinth
Flicky
Gain Ground
Golden Axe I
Golden Axe II
Golden Axe III
Kid Chameleon
Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
Ristar
Shining in the Darkness
Shining Force
Shining Force 2
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
Sonic 3D Blast
Sonic and Knuckles
Sonic Spinball
Sonic The Hedgehog
Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Streets of Rage
Streets of Rage 2
Streets of Rage 3
Super Thunder Blade
Vectorman
Vectorman 2

Now I know they can't all be gold. I cringe at the thought of playing one or two of these games ever again (WISE FRUM YOR GWWAVE!!!!) especially in hi-def. But I can't help but feel excited at the chance of having another crack at some of those RPG's! Plus having Vectorman (both of 'em no doubt) and also all the interviews, insights plus secret unlock-able games. Already Shinobi (ARCADE), Altered Beast (ARCADE), Congo Bongo (ARCADE) (it's an ancient title that I use to play on Sega's first computer/ console) and Fantasy Zone to name but a few. This is Sega's chance to really fly it's flag at today's iGen kids and show what made them big... and bust.

A couple of things come to mind with this compilation. Firstly... the omission of some titles. Revenge of Shinobi for starters. Man that game rocked with music that simply caned your butt whilst playing it thanks to the kicking bass thrown in. Herzog Zwei is another title that needed to be there. It was arguably the first console real time strategy game... but more importantly it rocked. I use to play this against my brother and we'd just like the fact it was all in real time, split screen and unforgiving. Building a mass army of boats to go bomb your opponents base in one big rush was awesome fun! Gunstar Heroes is another. Yes I know it's by Treasure and not Sega but surely... why split hairs? It had amazing visuals that were suppose to be not capable on the Sega console. It must have made some hardened Nintendo fanboys take note at the time.

Seeing this list has made me drag out my Gameboy Advance Micro and hit Phantasy Star again. That retro feeling is back and I'm enjoying it. Sometimes the newer titles, with all their realism and intricate plots... just don't get it. Gaming is meant to be fun. We don't want to know why we are suppose to plow through a platoon of soldiers and blow up their base... point is it'll be fun just doing it. I love new 7th generation console games and marvel at the technical accomplishments they set out to achieve and nail. But sometimes just watching your character's abilities raise and gaining a new, more powerful weapon or armour is more fun!

WARNING!!! Beware of Dodgey Video’s On the Net

I was searching the net for some “how to” video’s for some website creation stuff I need for my Blackouthouse.com site when I got a page showing what looked to be a video wanting to load. But the screen froze and showed a message stating that a missing video codec file was needed to continue. So I figured if I need it then I need it. Turns out that the message (much like the site) was bogus and that the file it installed was in fact some "malware” software that claims to be an anti-virus program with loads of spelling errors. As you can see from the screen shot below it looks legit and even copies the look of Microsoft’s very own Security Centre for XP! Now I got to get rid of it. It now sends me to their site all the time and basically now shits me off!

So if you get a message page stating a needed Codec is to be installed… maybe it’s just not worth the risk unless you “trust the site”.

Is iTunes the iPhones uNdoing?

I know what you're thinking when you read the title of this entry. "Here we have another nerdy iPhone blogger". Well... you're right... except... I'm not nerdy enough to get myself out of this hassle that Apple have me in. I have two big issues with Apple at the moment that no amount of trouble shooting has solved.

3rd Party Apps

I have been trial software freak since getting onto a PC way back in 97... even further back if you count Amiga 500. So for me downloading, trialling and uninstalling shareware or demos is no big whoop. Yeah I know after a few months it clutters up your PC with all kinds of junk such as undeleted files, registry items but the upside  it all is that you get to find out about really cool software way before most people... and the shit ones too. But iPhone Apps don't work so well.

After approximately a month of happily using the iPhone relatively problem free I have encountered a massive headache that has forced me to try all sorts of trouble shooting methods that have led to me ultimately resetting the phone to Factory settings. But even this hasn't solved my hassles. None of the 3rd party apps now work without hassle. I have managed to get some to work now (such as the cool Sydney Traffic app) but the Facebook app... is now a no show. That was one of the things I liked the most about the iPhone. Instant access to Facebook. All I get now is the program loading up... followed by it dissapearing and showing me the homepage again without as much as a crumby error message at least giving me some hope of solving the problem.

I went to the forums and the boards are littered with folks with the same problem. Some get their problems solved and some don't. I tried all the steps that the happy folks tried but they didn't work for little ol' me.

iTunes

I ordered music now where is it? I don't give the guy in the CD shop and walk out empty handed so why should this be different?  I might stick with CD shops, eBay and borrowing CD's. At least it's tangible and in your little grubby hands! I ordered three albums (If you must know they were: Superunknown SOUNDGARDEN, Secrets of the Ancients Revealed - EP THE MEANIES and Six Suitable Tracks - EP THE MEANIES) but that was on my iPhone. My iPhone timed out the download. It said that the songs will go to my computer instead. Yet they're nowhere to be found. I have clicked all sorts of buttons from within the iTunes program, followed a heap of online help pages and they are amount to crap. Give me my $30 back! LOL

I have reported the problem but have learnt not to bother with iTunes except to use it to sync with the iPhone. If given a choice I'd rather use a third party client as iTunes is a decent software but let down by buggy programming and mediocre performance.

Quote from iTunes help page:

Apple - Support - iTunes Store
I paid for music that didn't download completely.Most times, your download will restart the next time you open iTunes, even after a power outage. To see if you have any pending downloads, select "Check for Purchases" under the Store menu. If your download doesn't resume, please report the problem through your Purchase History. To report a problem with your download:Locate the item in your Purchase History Click the "Report a Problem" link Select "I didn't receive this item" Enter a description of the issue that you're experiencing in the comments field and hit Submit Our support agents will review your request and get back to you as quickly as possible.

Re-Formatting Dramas

Just been having some problems with this PC of late. Facebook applications forced my PC to be re-formatted as I had inadvertantly accepted a Spyware or Malware laddened peice of software which resulted in pop ups galore everytime I opened a new browser window or searched anything. So I bit the bullet and deleted everything (after a quick backup using Norton 360) and now I'm experiencing the pain of starting from scratch.

 

Problems faced with re-formatting:

 

• D-Link Wireless Card (DWL-G510) - Now always throws up the following message on start up: "AirGCFG.exe Entry Point not found" and "WZCSLDR2.exe Entry Point not found". I have installed the latest driver off the net to try and rectify this... no luck! Only a slight problem and maybe fixable if I contact D-Link (or if someone sees this entry after a Google search and has the answer!!!   Pain factor:
  
• HP Printer Software - Unable to install the software and drivers. Halfway through installation I get an interupt message stating that HP Installer Otion Plug-In needs to close. I had this running before the re-format although the HP software was always kinda buggy. It failed to close whenever I wanted to shut down the system. Hate to say it but the Lexmark software was better but they both suck and are seemingly outdated looking software apps. I am downloading the most up to date driver off the net as the one I was using was on the CD-ROM supplied and I am thinking that the XP Service Pack 3 has something to do with this error. I am hoping anyways! Pain factor:

I have so many more programs left to install and it's not going well so far! Here's what's left to install:

• MS Office 2007 (That's gonna suck)
  
• MS Frontpage
  
• Windows Live
  
• iTunes
  
• Adobe Album 2
  
• Xara software

Wish me luck!

iPhone Madness

Well I joined the hype and lined up in the new slick Mac store in Sydney's George Street to nab me one of the new iPhones. No I wasn't there on launch day. I actually tried to get one at Miranda on launch but no luck thanks to Apples really lame distribution of the much wanted must have gadget. But one hour in the extensive Optus contract line up (the Telstra line had many tumbleweeds and Vodafone's line up had two stooges in it) and an hour of getting the contract sorted out, I walked away with a very pretty bag with an apple logo on it containing something that will be the topic of many blogs to come from me... the 3G iPhone.

 

First up... yes I am having a ball with this phone. It has changed my outlook on what a phone should be. Is it perfect? No. In fact far from it. This is the beauty of this new phone. It's like cake. You know it's not good for you... but you find yourself really wanting it. Now before I go on I must confess. I'm a creature of habit. When it comes to PC and Pocket PC's I have developed many habits that I feel I must do to make use of these gadgets. Not everyone is going to find the hang ups I have with the iPhone. In fact, most people will read my complaints on the new phone and think to themselves "oh man... get over it!". And they are probably right.

 

But for now I'll just write down my favourite aspects of the iPhone:

1. The user interface. This just plain rocks. Everything about how you interact with the unit is just so intuitive. In fact... when you pull out the phone from the box you'll notice something lacking. The instuction manual! You won't need one. It just all comes to you and it makes sense! Want to zoom in on a photo? Squeeze the screen with your fingers. Need to move to another screen? Slide the screen with the finger. Want to change the screen from vertical to horizontal? Then just twist the phone in your hand! It will change by itself!
   
2. Cool Gadgets. Try downloading the lightsaber app. Just think Nintendo Wii controller meets Star Wars. Then hook it up to your loudest stereo for full effect! This is just the beginning of many great downloads to come!
   
3. Change Your Internet Experience.  I've read already some comments from people reviewing the Facebook app. One guy wrote "Facebook on the net is just plain weird. But on the iPhone it makes sense!". It really does simplify everything when using the iPhone for the net thanks to Safari's easy to use navigation options.

I could go one but not today. I'll come back later to update on things that I have had to deal with that make the iPhone a not so enjoyable experience. But for now... if you are hesitant to get one... don't be! It's a really slick phone that will make you wish there were more products out there that made life more fun!

Eternal Sonata (360) - SHort Review

I had been curious about this title for sometime. Actually it was on Gamespot that I first spotted it. But to find it on a bargain bin (JB HiFi for all you Australian gamers) for only $29 was a treat!

 

You play the part of a group of adventurers in a world that has been dreamed up by Chopin who is on his deathbed at a tragically young age. From the very get go you'll be in love with the amazingly lush detail that has been pumped into this title. This kind of game seems to be only possible by Japanese game designers it plays more like a cartoon with lenghty cut scenes (my controller timed out on one of them!) and gourgeous landscapes that carry the story line from start to end.

 

It's only downfall are the documentary like interludes that give you an insight into Chopin's tragic short life that break up the pace of the game. It's fuelled by lushes visuals, an engaging combat system that utilises light and shadow to give the player more to think about during battles. Plus it's voice acting won't leave you wanting to hit the mute button. My only critisism is that the game is very much linear. But this may appeal to the more casual gamer. It still has enough to amuse the more harden RPG'er considering the lack of turn based RPG's on the market today.

What's Your Rep?

Just curious to know if you have looked at your own Xbox Live rep yet? You should! It's a great insight into what people think of you! At the moment... I am apparently a potty mouthed git who can't stand losing. Well... it doesn't state that in so many words but here's my report:

 

Negative Feedback

Bad Language: 40%

Unsportman Conduct: 60%

 

Well so what! If I don't like F*&%ing like losing and I make sure they know it.. I'm only proving that I am in fact human! LOL