Multi-player - I suck...

After getting over that flu that is going around, I decided to get into some multi-player before starting a new game. I can't beleive how much I over-estimated my disability to play any game in MP. I might as well see if the gamertag 'dogmeat' is taken and change to that. Nothing like several hours of playing and only getting one or two kills to shrink whatever ego I may have had down to the nano-scale size. And before you ask, some of that was against 'timmies' (do they ever shut-up about off-topic subjects or yelling into the mic?!)...

I bought a Turtle Beach Ear Force X1 headset for use during MP. This is the headset that MS should package with the premium 360 set. Big,full, stereo sound reproduction cans, with a useful boom mic. Only problem I've encountered is that it seems the mic gets cut-off for no apparent reason. Maybe the 360 kills it if you haven't made a sound in a while, or maybe the headset circuits kill it for the same reason. Just that odd problem in an otherwise great product.

I think I'm going to have to call XBL and have a little chat about getting me a user guide. I have no problem with network connections, and accessories. I have a problem with the interface. I haven't found any way to respond to a game invite. Say you are in a game and get invited to join a friend - what do you do to accept? Nothing seems to be obvious or intuitive regarding a choice. Then there is leaving a game to go to a lobby or back out to search for another server - what to do? Press the green center button then interrupt the game and restart?! That doesn't seems the best possible solution to me. Well, millions put up with the quirky interface so maybe it is just me.

I rented COD3 from BB today and I guess I'll start it tomorrow. Don't know if it is BB or me, but I could have really used a manual. Maybe I'll find one online somewhere or just deal with an challenge. The reviews are really positive about this game, so I should be able to get a good extended trial from this rental.

Enough whining and blathering on...

Posted by NotStyro @ 1:17 am EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments

Playin' hooky, playin' GoW...

No, not really playing hooky. Called-in sick to work. Some sort of flu. Feeling dizzy and nauseous in odd cycles. Today it struck early, so I took the day off.

In the breaks between dizziness and nausea I managed to finish GoW. That general Raam is one mean and tough hombe. Took a lot of running about  & playing keep away plus rifle shots to take him down. Finally done with 'casual' level, so maybe some multiplayer next...

- NS

Posted by NotStyro @ 10:32 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments

New revision to 360 - it figures...

According to the internets rumour pipes (as usual, engadget), MS is getting ready to release a new revision to the xbox 360. The major upgrades are HDMI, new cpu and a 120gb drive. It figures MS would do this after I just bought into the brand.

The only thing that immediately piques my interest is the drive. Hopefully MS will release the 120gb drive as a 'drop-in' replacement for the existing 20gb drive. Don't know how they will handle the migration of settings and downloads, but considering the MS track record, you will probably just lose those settings and downloads and have buy everything all over again.

Thats it for my take on gaming.

In other news, my grand (or great, depending on interpretation) niece was born today (well, 5-Jan). Usual stats - 6 pounds 13 ounces. Kid and mother are well. Probable father, my nephew, is doing well. The birth was timed nicely - my grand (or great) nephew was born three years ago on 6-Jan. Consecutive dates are easier to remember (and mark-up calendars).

-NS

Posted by NotStyro @ 12:15 am EDT | Permalink | 3 Comments

Another successful weekend gone...

Well, tomorrow is the start of yet another workweek. This one is going to be a full four-day, 10-hours/day, festival of camaraderie and teamwork. It is at this point I remember where I work; so I'll go in tomorrow and find I'm a receiver once again with a randomly assigned pitcher. Maybe I'll get lucky and will receive on the top before the bases get loaded. Enough with the baseball metaphor.

As stated before, Fear is a good game. Kind of got me pissed that you had to wait until all those credits finished before hearing the 'to be continued...' and getting your acheivement unlocked. I hate that almost as much as the product placement for Dell XPS 'systems'. With all that product placement the game could/should have sold for $9.99. At least I had the satisfaction of shooting each of those Dells...

Downloaded and tried some demos. Quake 4 looks like it will be an great game. The last Quake game I played, on the pc, was easily bested by UT. I don't even remember that Quake having a single player campaign. Then again I barely remember playing UT2004 single player; I usually play against the bots.

Also tried Lost Planet. Either I didn't notice that the demo was MP only, or it wasn't noted very clearly. Seeing that the demo did not really want you to even review the stick/button assignments, I couldn't very well entertain the idea of doing multiplayer. Even a short single player campaign to review the controls would have gone far. So, delete and continue...

Found tc-r6v to be enjoyable. I'll probably rent this to confirm. I wen't through the single player demo campaign without much fuss. My leadership skills are a bit rusty, but I eventually got myself to let go of being point so the team could work properly. One thing to note - I'll be staying away from realistic mode until my skills greatly improve.

GRAW on the other hand was a mess. The controls seemed to be setup for creating confusion rather than speed and efficiency. Nothing like the controls for tc-r6v. After more than a few tries I just got more frustrated. Don't need that so, delete and continue...

What can I write about Roboblitz? Kind of fun and challenging. I need to try it again when I'm not so tired and frustrated (from GRAW). Maybe adjust the sensitivity of the controls. That seems to be a recurring problem with the controls. I have the same issues with Moto-GP. I just can't get the right amount of control.

Intelliflix has gone ahead and sent me three movies instead of any games. In addition, some of the games from the top of the queue have gone into a 'holding' area. If after I return these movies, and they don't send me the games out of the queue, I guess I'll have to cancel and shlep over to Blockbuster to see about game rentals.

-NS

Posted by NotStyro @ 1:11 am EDT | Permalink | 2 Comments

Gaming rentals...

In addition to the other mentioned activities of this weekend, I also joined Intelliflix. They are a movie, game & 'mature' rental service. I primarily chose this company because they may have a distribution center close to where I live and because they rent movies as well as games.

Does anyone else rent games from an online service?  Anyone use Intelliflix? 

Also, it appears that MS doens't believe I completed Fear. I need to see if I can do the end again. Apparently you need to watch the entire credits before the accomplishment is noted. I would call that a design flaw, if that is what has to be done.


Posted by NotStyro @ 3:42 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments