I own a plethora of MMOs: Planetside, Everquest, Everquest 2, Vanguard, Matrix Oline, Star Wars Galaxies, City of Heroes/Villains, Dungeon Runners, Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Exteel...

seriously

I don't really play most of these. In the past, my addiction was Planetside, before SOE turned it to complete **** Since then I've dabbled in Lord of the Rings Online, but that's more to enjoy the story and setting contrasted with the socialaspects and game mechanics.

Now, when I look at a MMO, all I see is a template; the same classes, the same combat mechanics, the same grind to the next level, the sameenemies, the same fetch/kill x of these quests, the same arrogant/infantile/obnoxious players, etc. It's really all the same.

Now, I rarely play; perhaps once a month. I wonder ifmy interest will ever return in abundance.

I'm sure that it's painfully obvious just how much Microsoft has dropped the ball when it comes to the Games For Windows initiative (much less the Live portion). We were promised prominant kiosk displays in game stores, working computers on which to demo games in those stores, a mild certification process to help PC gamers understand game requirements, etc. I can't think of a single method that has worked the way the promises led us to believe.

But, man, I really hope Microsoft doesn't give up on this initiative.

Tonight, while sitting on my gaming computer, I conversed with a friend who was playing "Dragon Age" on his Xbox 360, viewed DLC for "Fallout 3," and earned achievements while playing "Dawn of War II." While it's the accumulated Gamerscore that I really enjoy seeing, the rest of these abilities weren't too shabby either. Achievement-whores who are PC gamers (and vice-versa) need to continue to push Microsoft to improve GFWL.

Apparantly, with the recent news, it seems they are. While I doubt they will touch STEAM, I think they have the potential to give them, Direct to Drive, and Impulse some extra competition. Now if only the others could get some way of displaying your PC achievements...

My damage indicator flashes around my sights. I'm taking damage from behind me, to the left of me, and directly in front of me. If I just keep moving, maybe I'll mop the floor with these replica soldiers too. *thirty seconds later* Yup, no sweat.

F.E.A.R. 2 bypasses the chills and scares created by the setting and sporadic use of Alma in the first game and goes straight for a linear feel that feels more evolutionary than it does revolutionary.

While the aforementioned office corridors are gone, in its place is open street settings, some squad-based combat (the AI isn't half-bad), a pilot-able mech suit, and a creatable environmental cover system in the form of flippable tables. And while the combat seems less frantic, it has also become easier. While these additions are welcome, I felt the original formula could have easily served as a welcome return home to the action-horror-fest.

Recently, Blockbuster Online sent me the following movie:

That's right, "The Exorcist." Of course, that not being enough - and with my recent completion of "Borderlands" - I decided to extend those chills by playing "F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin."

I officially have a permanant case of the jibblies.

The crowd that chased me all the way back to the exit. I sprinted back after defeating the end boss.

Bruce Campbell would be proud.

A funny Patton quote.

A piece of my loot - a sniper rifle that shoots bullets filled with acid.

Simply fugly

Note: all issues are dealt with in real-time. I am not ignoring or condoning this behavior.

7:55 Class begins with four students.

8:10 Liveblog begins.

8:14 Class begun nearly twenty minutes ago, and I have two more that just strolled in with zero explanation as to why they are late. Students Z and C are discussing sports, and have been for the past five minutes, despite my efforts. Student K is no longer in the computer system, and so I can't even mark the student "pesent."

8:16 Student K is attempting to look up a movie on www.imdb.org, instead of doing her work. This is her last day to earn a grade. Student D is spending his entire time attempting to listen to music. I'm pretty sure he will not pass at this rate. These issues are dealt with.

8:17 Student K is now googling something, and still not working. I currently have 8 out of thirteen students doing what they should be doing. You'd think it would be a higher ratio, with today being their last day to earn a grade. Off I go to correct this behavior.

8:19 Students D and P are spending their time on www.grooveshark.com. Student B attempts to walk out of ****without explanation. He is reeled back.

8:21Another student B is attempting to play a "Doom" clone over the web. He is redirected back to the correct website.

8:22 Students M, K, other B, and P are finally on the correct website and might begin actual work.

8:23 Student C drops the "n-bomb" twice in three seconds. Then, he drops the "f-bomb." I remind them to clean up their mouth, and student C claims ignorance to the cussing.

8:33 Student K begins cussing. I tell the student to watch the mouth, and the student replies with more profanity. Student B admits that he is not paying attention, and that the work is hard. I offer some help, and he - as usual - denies it. Student other other B connects a combustion reaction on his computer to cellular respiration that we studied in our Biology **** This kids is good.

8:36 Student K is threatening student P and using more profanity. Student other B realizes today is a half a day, and that we will get out of ****early. Student K is dealt with again.

8:39 Student K is off of the correct site again. The student attempts to ignore my demands to return to work.

8:40 Student K is off of the correct site AGAIN. The student is attempting to look someody up in the department of corrections. The student gets angry when I begin to lose my patience.

8:42 Student K answers a question wrong because the student isn't paying attention. Instead, the student is talking and using more profanity. I correct student D, and student K remarks "ain't nobody care." I choose my battles and ignore this comment, as student K probably just wants attention and/or a fight.

8:44 StudentD has yet to progress anywhere other than to switch the song that the student is listening to. This gets dealt with.

8:46 Student C requests help. Hallelujah. I go help him answer one question. Student M is talking. Student P starts rapping to himself. Of course, everyone can hear it.

8:48 Student D pulls the headphones out of the computer to hand to student P. Student D does not bother to turn off the music first, and the ****oom is filled with rap until I tell the studen to cut it off. Apparantly, Student D did not think to pause/stop the music BEFORE removing the headphones.

8:52 Student B requests help. Hooray. Student K makes fun of student B by telling the student to "shut the hell up." This is dealt with, but Student K appears to ignore the issue.

8:55 ****is over.

Dawn of War: Soulstorm

The game doesn't really add anything exciting. The single player campaign is so similar to its predacessor, Dark Crusade, that it feels like a re-run. Again, you are placed in a situation where each empire has a few controlled territories, and you must conquer each one to win. The only contrast from Dark Crusade is that the former took place on one planet, while Soulstorm takes place on several planets, spreading out the land. The two new empires -Dark Elder and Sisters of Battle - don't really add much to the multiplayer. The only way that I can think of any addition to the multiplayer is the Sister's of Battle's penchant for battling with flame-throwers. It would work really well against the Imperial Guard's weak morale and penchant for fighting at a distance.

Overall, this really isn't worth buying unless you feel the need to own EVERY Dawn of War expansion.

Dungeon Runners

But it's free! I don't care. Even free games can get criticized, reviewed, etc.

This game is limited, and the enjoyment factor will really only last you a few moments. Sure, 1up's Scott Skarky mentioned the somewhat chuckle-worthy item names, but those moments of guffaws really don't last you very long. Overall, the setting is boring, the loot not nearly cool or scalable enough, the quests mundane, and the art direction average at best.

Even for a free game, I would steer clear of this one. There are better dungeon crawlers - albeit no other free ones that I can think of at the moment - out there, a la Torchlight, Diablo 2, Titan Quest, etc. If you enjoy a more 3D experience, I would recommend Too Human (Xbox 360) or Hellgate London (single player only - PC).

Note: I believe the game is shut down by now, due to a lack of funds.

Neverwinter Nights

I have given this game chance after chance for a number of years, and have yet to progress beyond the second Act/Chapter/Whatever.

This game bores me. Everything about it bores me. The art direction looks like the game was built for its level editor, and then a campaign was crafted around that. Everything about the setting is constructed out of blocks of tiles, the animations are weak, the combat is slow, the UI is ugly, the first act takes entirely too long, and the campaign's story is boring as hell.

I purchased this game because I heard amazing things about it. Then those raves were qualified with a "take it online and play other's mods." Did that, tried that in spades, and still found other people's takes on a story or D&D campaign to be boring.

I'm trading this game in.

Random update because I feel like writing.

My house is driving me crazy. We are in the midst of 1,000 projects, and everything is half-done. We've stopped due to the weather and a lack of funds. The biggest issue I have is with our lawn. Our lawn is a **** We have so many empty patches of dirt or moss; it's nasty.

I'm still playing the crap out of "Borderlands" (PC), and have recently jumped online to get better loot via co-op. I have also decided that I would rather have the trade credit for "Dawn of War: Soulstorm" (PC) than finish it. The single player campaign is so similar to the previous expansion pack, "Dark Crusade" (PC), and the new units are pretty boring, so I decided meh.

I can't wait for this week at work. We have a few half-days while the students take exams, and then I get a long weekend for the holliday... and not just any holliday, my favorite holliday, Thanksgiving.

That is all.

The end of the school semester is nigh, and I am viewing a host of Fs. Granted, that comes with teaching in the type of school that I am in, but it's still disheartening. I'm not the only teacher who is having this problem, and it is getting addressed. What's really sad is the 18 year-olds with less than 5 credits.

I've still been playing Borderlands, and loving the loot that I'm getting... but WHY Gamespy? What a **** matchmacking system for co-op. Regardless, below is a pretty funny screencap of some of my epic loots. I'm currently around level 27, and am about 3/4s of the way through the game.

In the meantime, Oblivion has been sitting on my shelf for a year or so, gathering dust. Well, the itch to play it has finally arrived. I have it installed, patched, unofficial patched, and modded to hell to look fantastical. Unfortunately, my backlog is staring me in the face. On the PC alone, I still have to finish Dawn of War Soulstorm and Mirror's Edge, and play Dawn of War 2, F.E.A.R. 2, Supreme Commander, Prince of Persia, and Temple of Elemental Evil. Which brings me to my other consoles...

I have a **** ton of Xbox 360 games that I need to start, play, finish... yes. All of the above. Hell, I recently picked up ANOTHER game, Ghostbusters, and I have yet to place the damn disk into the machine.

I've officially given up on Neverwinter Nights, and am prepared to trade it on Goozex. I have both expansions, and the packaged mods that were sold at retail.