Grand Theft Auto IV is coming out next month. I had forgotten about it, placed the game in the back of my head when it was announced two years ago. I’m glad I did: two years flew by and now it’s almost here. I want to play this game. I also want to play Halo 3 and Half-Life 2: Episode Two. I finally need to buy an XBOX 360. I have all these other games from my XBOX days and it’s time to upgrade. I’ll probably do that this month, giving me the rest of March and all of April to play other games like Gears of War and Dead Rising before GTA IV arrives. I am giddy with anticipation. Tee-hee.
Update: I went ahead and bought the XBOX 360 Arcade version. It comes with everything I, a casual gamer, needs. I also picked up Gears of War and The Orange Box. Later in the month I’ll get Dead Rising and Halo 3 and that will pretty much hold me until GTA IV is released at the end of April. After that, I’ll look into buying the 120GB hard drive and join Live (which together will let me play my old XBOX games) and then I’ll start making some machinima like back in the day. Then my next order of business will be getting a giant plasma HDTV before “The Switch” in 2009.
I now have a section on that site devoted to my XBOX gaming here.
So I’ve applied to Blizzard Entertainment in regard to a recent employment opportunity for a Video Editor. I think I’d much rather work in their Cinematic department, but oh well. Aside from the cover letter, this is what I submitted. I’m actually pretty scared about getting this one as it would require I move to Irvine, California. I’ve never been one to be afraid of commitment, but now…I don’t know. I guess we’ll see what happens. Either way, at least I tried.
I never heard of this game before, either. It’s called Cloud and it’s really beautiful. You play a sick child who dreams of being able to fly like a bird. In his dreams, the child is able to control clouds and push them across the sky to form shapes as he plays in the sky. Later things become serious as the child uses the clouds to fight air pollution and save a town from an erupting volcano. The game was created by students at USC in 2004.
John “Bonzo” Bonham is the name of the drummer from Led Zeppelin who died in 1980. I am Jason R. Johnston and I have owned the impossibleFX.com website since February 23, 2001. I sometimes go by the screen name Bonham for my fondness of Zeppelin and John Bonham as I used to play a drum kit. I also owned and operated the popular Deadly Dozen Community fan site which lived from December 27, 2001 to October 23, 2003.
After I terminated the DDC to pursue photography as a full-time business, my computer at the time suffered a hard drive failure. Unfortunately, I was unable to recover any of the user-submitted mods for any of the Deadly Dozen titles that I had on the DDC. However, it has come to my attention that a lot of the ol’ forum guys from the DDC went on to create their own site here: http://www.bassface3d.com/phpBB2/ which I suggest anyone who is interested in modding Deadly Dozen, or any other nFusion game, should check out. :)
Check out the archived Deadly Dozen Community.
I just found out StarCraft II is on its way. And since the original was released in 1994, it’s like the screenshot says: “Hell, it’s about time.”
Turns out Blizzard Entertainment has been working on it since WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne was released in 2003. So that’s why all the casting calls for 3d game developers.
I haven’t been this excited to play a game since Valve announced Half-Life 2. I think I’ll grab my old StarCraft CDs and give ‘em a spin. Ya know? For posterity.
The guys have been contemplating independent game development as a supplement to our current respective sources of income. Edward asked me if I wanted to be a part of it. I told him I had been involved with game development in the past as I had created mods, total conversions and user levels for the games Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Doom 2, Duke Nukem 3D, Quake 2, Unreal, Soldier of Fortune 2, StarCraft, WarCraft 2 and 3, Freespace 2, Age of Empires 2 and the Command and Conquer series.
I attempted to develop an adventure game a few years ago based on the universe I created while developing an animated short film called Hunt; the production of which was halted indefinitely when my workstation crashed in 2001. I was contemplating a game engine called Torque when I decided I didn’t care to learn another programming language and thus got more heavily involved in photography (which has since become my one true passion).
MAY 19, 2007 — McALLEN, TX, USA — Edward Cordero watches as cousin Jay Juarez (left) and friend Mariano Rivera (right) perform song XYZ by rock group Rush in the console game Guitar Hero II. PHOTO BY JASON R. JOHNSTON
As it turns out Edward had bought a book which references Torque, developed by Gas Powered Games for their shooter Tribes. I was already familiar with the engine as I had researched it again in 2005 as I had dreams of another game, this time a post-apocalyptic shooter. But my passion for photography and my unwillingness to learn another programming language kept the credit card in my wallet.
Here presents another opportunity to get into independent game development. I agreed, as long as I didn’t have to code anything. I’d be more valuable as a game designer more than anything else. We pitched our ideas at a lunch meeting earlier in the week and last night met again to further develop our ideas. We were postulating a puzzle game would be our best first bet to enter the gaming world but we could never come to an agreement on what the game mechanics and playability would be. I argued that the game simply didn’t sound fun, even after I had given it a thorough design doc. Then I said that puzzle games weren’t my forte and I would be more valuable designing story-driven action and adventure games. I then proceeded to come up with two more games that I knew I could handle, design-wise. I really, really like the second one.
I think most of the ideas I’ve heard have been too grandiose and the gameplay mechanics too difficult and/or frustrating to be any fun. I rate games I play and spend money on based almost solely on their level of fun; graphic and sound qualities aside. Tetris is my all-time favorite game, despite the fact that I hate puzzle games. I loved a racing game called Mars Maniacs. Half-Life 2 is one of my all-time favorite games, second only to the original Doom which is given absolute credit for not only my interest in gaming, but my interest in computers and technology as well. Preceding that was the original Star Wars trilogy which gave me my first passion. Filmmaking, plus computers and technology, art and science from my artistic capabilities and intelligence, and my interest in composition and lighting coalesced into what is now my primary passion: photography.
So I don’t know how well this puzzle game idea will be. But I do plan to pitch the other ideas I’ve come up with last night. I actually showed them to Mariano as I drew the ideas out on paper and he seemed to really click with the second idea, my favorite. So we’ll see what happens.
As we waited for Marc to show up earlier in the evening, Jay and Mariano played Guitar Hero II as Edward and I watched. Marc was at a quinceañera late into the night so he wound up not coming. Jay ordered pizza from Papa John’s: chicken with onions and black olives. It was actually pretty good. Edward left after 10pm saying he’d come back, then Jay left and came back with a new game, Dead Rising, which he played until about 2:20am. When Jay picked up a wooden bench and started wielding it like a battering ram, we all just about died laughing. Edward didn’t come back. Then Jay left and I got to play the game until I got too tired at about 2:45am. When I got home I popped in a DVD of Deep Space Nine and watched the rest of one episode then started another until I passed out around 4am.
This afternoon I called Gloria [rewind: I've made a casting call announcement for anyone age 18 on up to model for me on a TFP (Trade For Picture) agreement and a girl named Gloria who found me on MySpace contacted me that she'd be interested so I got her contact info and told her I'd call her Sunday afternoon between 1 and 2pm. I also have gotten back in touch with Marian, another model whom I've worked with before to see if she'd like to be a part of my new photo project. Typing this reminds me to talk to Monica at the office tomorrow to see if she'd like to do hair and makeup for me. I wonder if Claudia will be available to assist? Mental notes made.] and left a message. I’m in no rush to get this project off the ground, but I would like to finish it before the fall when school schedules are reinstated. That reminds me also to get back in touch with another Gloria about the same project. More on this later.
Someone said something about balance issues in the upcoming Star Wars game Empire At War being developed by the guys who used to make Command & Conquer. Just because it’s them I know the game will kick ass and chew bubblegum.
Still, the pantywaists in the LucasArts forums keep making much ado over the topic hoping that no matter which faction you play as, the game will be super duper balanced and equal so every one has the chance to win and have “fun, fun, fun”. Note the blatant sarcasm. I had this to say:
Honestly, I don’t care about balance. The entire point of Star Wars is that the war IS unbalanced. It’s not fair being the Rebel Alliance. It took their entire fleet to win at Endor and the battle was only a diversion to get the small ships in there to blow up the Death Star. And that was AFTER the clandestine maneuver to destroy the shield generator was a success. And they never would have gotten that done if it hadn’t been for those damn cuddly teddy bears!
The Empire is better funded, has better capital ships, has a more ruthless policy on expendable assets such as pilots and troops (just clone more) and unlimited funds. They hold more territory and are general badasses that control through fear and intimidation.
The mere sight of a single Star Destroyer spells “I just wet myself” for most anyone, let alone a fleet surrounding a Super Star Destroyer. Unless you’re an unstoppable asteroid the size of a Nebulon-B Frigate, a Star Destroyer isn’t particularly scared of you.
Therefore, RTS theory suggests that tactics in Empire At War will differ between factions.
For example, if you’re the Rebellion, you do like rebels do and make surgical strikes, picking at your enemy from several different strategic angles until he bleeds himself to death. And you risk your own life doing it.
Battle of Endor; “Get as close as you can and attack those Star Destroyers at point blank range… We might just take a few of them with us.” The rebels were out gunned, out manned and out of luck. But they won ‘cuz, damn it, it was the last movie. And they used hard-core, near kamikaze tactics to hurt the Empire. Yeah, homeboy didn’t mean to fly his beat up A-Wing into the bridge of the Executor, but gosh it sure was effective wasn’t it?
Meanwhile, if you’re playing as the Empire, all you have to do is show up and people surrender.
So, I’d start off playing as the Empire. Stronger units, more resources, easier wins. The REAL challenge is playing as the Rebels against a monstrous, unstoppable enemy.
Ahh, the hopeless battle of a faithful few against insurmountable odds. God, I love Star Wars!
THANKS, GEORGE!
Fans of the classic computer gaming franchise by id Software, rejoice. DOOM III has found a distributor in Activision. Read this press release released earlier this week.
ID SOFTWARE PARTNERS WITH ACTIVISION ON DOOM III(tm)
Activision Set to Distribute Highly Anticipated Game WorldwideSanta Monica, CA - May 3, 2002 -id Software(tm) and Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today that Activision will be the worldwide licensed distributor for DOOM III(tm), the latest installment in one of the most successful franchises in PC gaming history. Built on id’s revolutionary new 3D graphics engine, DOOM III draws players into the most frightening and gripping 3D gaming experience ever created. DOOM III is currently in development for the PC by id Software and will debut at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo in Activision’s booth #1224 in the South Hall.
DOOM III will change what people expect to see and experience in a PC game,” said Todd Hollenshead, CEO, id Software. “We couldn’t be more psyched about DOOM III, and are thrilled to debut the title at E3 with Activision. Get ready to be terrified.”
“We are excited to continue our successful and long-standing relationship with id,” said Larry Goldberg, executive vice president, Activision Worldwide Studios. “I’m sure that id fans and action gamers alike share our anticipation for the latest incarnation of DOOM, which is one of the most important franchises in PC gaming history. There is no doubt that DOOM III will be at the top of every gamer’s most wanted list.”
This is a rant I posted in a forum at DoomCenter.com, a fan site I frequent, where someone had asked how good id Software’s upcoming game, DOOM III, was going to be and how it measured up to other games, including the classic 1993 original, DOOM.
I think rooms-over-rooms became old hat with the Build engine (Duke Nukem 3D) and has merely been done “prettier” with subsequent engines including the Quake and Unreal series. I don’t care if DOOM III is the prettiest game engine ever, it will never beat the original DOOM in the pure fun and sheer terror it gave us gamers in the mid-90s.
Not even Hannibal Lecter will make me jump out of my seat further than the horrid sound of a former human spotting me in the nether regions of Phobos Base. Nor will any other game scare me so intently that I’ll find myself ducking away from incoming gunfire in my seat, safe at home as well as DOOM continually forced me to.
I am, in short, DOOM’s bitch. As we fans all most certainly are: the game is eight years old! How does it do that? The fans do it. We do it. And nothing else in the gaming world will ever get to us as much as DOOM has and continues to do.
Oh, man. I got the game Deadly Dozen by nFusion Interactive recently and I am in love. I know, I know. I normally stay away from the bargain games (Extreme - insert lame sport here - anyone?) but this is a real gem. Despite it’s quick development time, nFusion wisely opted to focus on fleshing out the core gameplay as opposed to half-assing a ton of over the top features and gimmicks. And it works. The game is fun and it’s tough.
All respect for similar shooters like Return to Castle Wolfenstein, this World War II epic plays more like Rogue Spear without the pesky U.N. breathing down your neck. Deadly Dozen does a very accurate job of transporting the player to war-torn Africa, Norway, France, Denmark, and Germany. The NAZIs are on the move, and a covert team of the United States Army’s deadliest, dirtiest dozen are tasked with carrying out missions that are far too dangerous or important for the regular army. Deadly Dozen is deffinately worth looking at, and really is a bargain at $20. But don’t misunderstand, the talented folks at nFusion have made sure that this terrific game is worth every nickel. Great game, great price.
There is a patch available at the Deadly Dozen website that fixes many of the bugs that plagued the game when it shipped. The latest patch (v1.03) really makes the game shine.
Also, for you gore-fiends out there, like me, there is a modification that works with versions 1.03 and higher that will add blood to the game. Nothing offensive, though.
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