Well its seems like forever but Duke is back. And is amazing how people hate it. I mean if you play it and go play 3D, is it really that different. The only additions are the driving areas and platforming elements. Now don't get me wrong, its not a 10/10 game. If you really get down to it, its very similar to games to todays FPS games, and it shows that type of FPS people don't like anymore. The singleplayer could have gone to more locations, but thats it. Duke has never been about story, so the campaign is on target. People want the over used COD multiplayer. Its personally great to see someone make a "traditional" multiplayerinstead of the "build a loadout" multiplayer. If you really play the multiplayer, its not different than the dual shotgun, axe throwing multiplayer of COD. If the campaign was longer and possible be able to carry one or two mor eweapons, that game would be higher.

Yeah its been a year. Lifes great. KZ2 rocks.

By the time most of you read this I'll be gone. As most of you know I signed up for the military back in Sept. Well my ship date has come up. Its been great yall. I'll be back in June.

We just got done with episode 2 last night. Heres what we talked about.

1. PSP/PS3 Firmware

2. Exclusive Issue

3. GTA4

4. Phil Harison

5. Upcoming COD4 features

6. News

http://www.garageband.com/mp3/Reaper_Podcast___Episode_2.mp3?|pe1
|WdjZPXLrvP2raVa0Ymhs

Well after last weeks BS about KZ2, me and a buddy are starting a podcast. Were gamers who talk about gaming from our perspective, and tell it how it is. we are gamers talking about games, for gamers.

Enjoy.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/190739.html

MP3 Verson

http://www.garageband.com/user/Terran499/podcast/main

A story broke from the MS breakfast this morning that claims that the PS3 version of GTA will not get DLC at all. Well that is bogus. Rockstar has said in the past that MS is getting exclusive content, but the PS3 version will get content. Its just like Soul Caliber 4. The 360 is jetting Yoda as exclusive but the PS3 is getting Vadar. PS3 will get content at some point.

For those that read the story about Gears 2 in Gamepro, I'm the one who sent the scan to gamespot.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=26196425

With all the recent events happening in the game industry, as a gamer and someone who has been around since the days of the 2600 and NES, I have come up with a list that if action was taken, this would turn around the game industry and end so many problems.

10. Format wars HD-DVD and Blu-ray. Its happed before and its happening again. First was film reel, then VHS/Beta, then DVD/Laserdisc, now its Blu-ray/HD-DVD. Now before you say anything, this is why this is important. Programs need space. If you realize it or not, games are the same. If runs on a system, or a console, it's a program. Nowadays games are big in terms of size. My first computer was a Pentium 1 and had a 3GB HDD. When it was built, it was the best. Nowadays, some games have huge soundtracks. Heavenly Sword for example tops in at 10GB of sound files. My point here is you need the disc space to hold that information. The DVD has reached its limit. If you have a PS3, you have already seen the benefit of Blu-ray. The 360 on the other hand only has dual-layer DVD disc, which means the game must be compressed, which means that more processing power wasted uncompressing. Besides that fact, a number of HD-DVD movies I see cost more than the Blu-ray version and have nothing extra. On top of that more companies are siding with Blu-ray. My point here is end the war so that gamers can get their games on these discs.

9. Closed source technology "Open source" means that the software code used to create the product is made available for computer-savvy individuals to tinker with, modify and improve to their heart's content, while closed source software, on the other hand, comes with restrictions on copying and modifying. The open source idea has help developers make games easier and show how to do things. For example Incognito release technical designs on how certain aspects were done in Resistance so other developers could learn how to use the technology. On the other hand, many developers try to keep things they done under wraps like the govt. hiding nuke codes.

8. Fanboys (nonothing types)
The definition of fanboy (or fangirl) is an individual who harbors a fanatic devotion to something without logical reason. If you ever been online, there's ocean of know nothings and the few puddles of educated. You always here these people going Apple vs. Windows, VHS vs Beta, PlayStation vs. Xbox, Killzone vs. Halo. See an article about something remotely related to the PS3 and the 360 boys flood out of the woodworks. I'm not saying fanboyism is bad, just be educated. I'm an educated Killzone fanboy, but I have played Halo. I'm a Sony fan but I know the facts about other systems and games.

7. Region encoding
In this day and age with the world getting smaller and the price of games gong up, why do we need this. There are many, many games released in Japan that will never make it over here and vice-versa. The main reason most games don't come over here and vice-versa is some genera's aren't popular over here and there. Like in Japan, sim games like Train Simulators are big, where over here . . . . The same can be said about FPS games. Over here, Gears and KZ are big. Over there, only a few are successful. Anyways the point I'm getting at is if people want to play a game from another region, let them. Plus the have to buy the game, so that just means more royalties for the hardware maker.

6. Rating System
Every other day you hear about another controversial game. On the off day, you hear someone complaining about the system. Well let's put an end to this. I say do away with the AO rating and come out with a M18 rating. Look at movies. Rated R means you have to be 17 to see or buy it. And that's another thing. Just put the SAME penalties as movies. If a kid walks into Wal-Mart and buys a R rated movie, the clerk who sold it can get fined and put in jail. If the same kid buys a M rated game, nothing. Also again do away with the AO rating. Any time you hear the word Adult and rated, you think of porn. Also, lets have a rating of T15. There are many games that are rated M for no reason. Look at Zone of the Ender 2. That got a big fat M rating, but the F-word is not said once, there's only a cut scene where you see blood ONCE, and the only a few people die. In fact, more people die in the first level of Splinter Cell than the ENTIRE ZOE2 GAME. M point is 1. We need to enforce the ratings the same way movie rating are; 2. Do away with AO, and 3. Overhaul the current system and put new levels in.

5. Online Standards Now a days online is big business. Some big games are even criticized if they don't have it. This goes back to the source technology. Some games have great online play but lack a manageable menu. Others are team based but lack communication. There are many team based games that for no reason do not have headset support. Take one of my favorite series Armored Core for example. When Armored Core 4 came out, it had online support and looked incredible. The only two problems was that the menu only let you select which type of match you wanted and didn't show what was all available. The other problem was unlike the 360 version that had headset support, the PS3 did not. What made it worse was there was no text support so the only thing you had was preset phrases like "Whoa" or "Can you please change the map". There's more to this problem but the rest is for one of the high problems. The solution is 1. Make a simple online menu that will let players select between ranked and unranked matches and when it comes to finding player made matches/unranked games, let people browse to find a map/game mode/player numbers/weapons modes they want. The more option the better.

4. Over-promising and under-delivering
This has been around since the ET 2600 disaster. One big culprit is the Gundam Games. Now don't get me wrong, the Gundam series are awesome. Its just Namco should sell the franchise to From Software (aka Armored Core). None of the games have ever felt right. Its like watching a Ferrari on TV and then driving one, just to find out it handles like a big-rig. But its not just Gundam games, many games fall short do to either story length, content, of multiplayer abilities. A number of games have a great multiplayer and no story on hardly anything. Its also the other way around. Some games have incredible single player but don't bother with multiplayer.

3. Publishers If you realize it or not, it the game makers themselves that are part of the problem. If you read some of the interviews, they themselves sound like fanboys/girls. This ties in to the next reason, #2, so I'm not going to got too much in to this. If you keep up with the news, there has been a lot of talk about Bioshock coming to the PS3. It seems smart right, games cost a lot to make and I haven't heard anything about 2k and MS signing a exclusive deal, but the lead developer came out a few days ago and basically said "Nonononono, it isn't coming to the PS3, nononono" I mean W.T.F., is the PS3 too good for you? I mean he wont even say why, its just NO. I'm going to mention one last case in the final problem.

2. Available content Oh this one I love. Every week you'll log in to the PSN or Live to get the weekly update. Take the PSN update on 11/15 for example. We got a Battlefield Bad Company Trailer. Its looks good and all but here's the thing, the trailer came out NINE MONTHS AGO. Most of the trailers you get on either service have been out awhile. Last week the PSN got the full TGS DMC 4 Trailer. TGS happened 2 months ago. Its not just trailers but the demos are the main culprit. If you didn't know, when used with games, demo means demonstrating, that's why when you see a demo for (insert game name) demo, its a demonstration of the game. There are currently 76 PS3, not including PSN games, available. There are currently like 43 demos available. I'm not saying that's bad, but if your going to advertise a game, then there should be a demo. If there was demos for Lair and Mobile Suit Gundam, do you think people would buy them? In this day and age, it's just a matter of the publisher putting them out. Two recent cases, which happed this week, are The Orange Box and Blacksite: Area 51. Both of these games received a 360 demo this week but the PS3 is getting neither. One of the most recent big ones was MGS4. In the Kojima podcast, one of the lead devs said quote "It will not be on the PSN. You'll only chance t play it will be E for All." Other times some consoles don't even get demos. Look at COD4. The 360 got a big Beta and the PC got a he single/multiplayer demo. The PS3 got nothing. This brings up something else. These day every other game has a limited or special edition, or in a certain recent case 2 special editions. Many don't even have anything worth it. There are some that do have worthwhile things in them. The Stranglehold Special Edition had the Hard Boiled movie included. The upcoming DMC4 will have 4 of the 10 episode DMC anime included with a number of other things. One of the best is the old Starcraft Battle Chest which included the game, expansion, and a couple strategy guides. Most though have a few videos or little behind the scenes shot or concept drawings. My point of that is while the 360 and PC got special editions, there wasn't one even offered for the PS3. My point in all that is this 1. If your going to put out a trailer, send it out to everyone at the same time; 2. If your going to put out a demo for one platform, put it on all of them; and 3 if your going to put out something for one version of the game, put it out for all the versions.

1. Losing of exclusives/Cross-platform Games Before I start on this one let me tell you something. I wrote the frist 9 over a period of 30 hours. For this last one, I waited 24 hours so I could gather my thoughts. That's how important this is. I've been around in the game scene/industry since the first generation. I've have almost played every game system on the market. I've played hundreds, if not a few thousand games, so I've seen a lot, I've owned a lot, so this means a lot to me. This one ties numbers 2,3,4, and 5 together. As so this one will be a little different and will be split into two parts because both of these problems are equally important.

The first of the two will be the losing of exclusive games. There was a time when if you saw a certain character, you knew which system it was. Sega had sonic; Nintendo has Mario and Metroid/Samus; Atari had Pac-man; Microsoft had Master Chief, and Sony had Snake, Spyro, and Crash. There are also certain games that are on certain systems. Atari had Pacman games, Nintendo had Contra, and Sony had Gran Turismo. Nowadays, if the game maker isn't owned by the hardware company, its games are on every platform. Two of the most recent cases are Armored Core and Ace Combat. Ever since the early days of the PS1, both titles were only on Playstation systems. Well over the period of this year, both games have lost their Playstation exclusetivity. Armored Core 4 went multiplatform for the PS3 and 360. Now this ties in to problem 5. While there was no problem since both versions looked incredible, in fact the PS3 version looked a little better, for some reason the 360 version got headset support while the PS3 got nothing. Now if you haven't played AC4, in the online for the PS3 version all we got is these built in phrases, not text or voice chat. Ace Combat 6 is also another case but for a different reason. Ace Combat had been with Playstation since 95 and the PS1. Namco decided to release Ace Combat 6 on the 360 but NOT ON THE PS3. Personally, that ****ed me off. The Playstation brand is the reason that series exists and they abandoned us. Another casualty is Devil May Cry 4, but at least in this case both versions are equal. My point is there are some games that shouldn't be multiplatform. Some characters/games should only be on certain systems.

The second part is cross-platform games. Now let me just say this with concern to the exclusive issue. In this day and age, games cost A LOT, A LOT to make. So it is understandable why games go multiplatform. The main point I was getting at is the ****c icons need to stay on their respective systems; Mario on Nintendo, Snake on Sony, and Chief on Microsoft. The main point I'm getting at is IF you decide to make a game multi-platform, MAKE THEM EQUAL. Now I no about exclusive content, like with GTA4, but that's a downloadable later on. As far as GTA4 goes, when it releases on DAY 1, as far as content, weapons, story, on DAY 1, they're going to be IDENICAL. Now I mentioned Armored Core in the first part. Again, make the version equal. Offline wise, game play, story, and parts are identical. As I mentioned, online the 360 got headset support and the PS3 didn't. I'm saying either give both headset or neither. Another game is Blacksite: Area 51. As far as online, reports from many sites are saying the PS3 version won't have headset support. The designers expect these players to work together, as a team, with no headset. What's going to happen if a team of PS3 players go up against a team of 360 players? The game F.E.A.R. is another case. When is came out on PC in 2005, it looked INCREDIBLE. When it hit the 360 in 2006, there was a minor problem of two, but it was still a great game. When it hit the PS3, there were problems. Now, 2 expansions have come out for the PC, and the 360 is getting both on one disc. They're not even bothering with the PS3. Splinter Cell is another case. When the first Splinter Cell came out, it was a success on the Xbox and when it came to PS2, it went through the roof. After 4 games, when the 5th game, Conviction came out, they said they're not doing a PS3 version.. There's even a quote saying its not possible. I'm telling you that's B******t. The original Splinter Cell was put on the PS2, which was less powerful than Xbox. This ties in to the publisher problem. Just get off your butt and make the game, don't be lazy. I'm going to mention one last case but this one is about a game that should be multiplatform but this case is similar to the Ace Combat 6 case. The game is Command & Conquer 3, or just C&C3. The original C&C came out on the PS1, along with the sequel Red Alert and the expansion Retaliation. Now Command & Conquer 3 is out and they released it on the 360, but not on the PS3. This is another case like back in problem 3 with Bioshock. Here's the simple solution: 1. Make both versions of a game identical in features, control, and looks; and 2. If your going to put a game out, put it on multiple systems. Unless a game is first party or there is a signed contract, put it on all systems.

After last year's E3 we all thought how could it get and bigger and the answer was it didn't. They annouced the new E3. It would be smaller and industry ONLY. They also created E for All which would be the public side of E3 where the public could go see the games. That made a huge red flag come up. Well Joystiq confirmed it today and I was right. They reported today the Sony, Capcom, NCsoft, and Sega WILL NOT BE THERE. That means any games those companies are working, Killzone 2, Devil May Cry 4, ect,WILL NOT BE THERE. I knew this would happen because E3 is now industry only. That means these sompanies can get the word out about their product through the press and not have to spend extra money. If these companies were to goto E for ALL, there demos would have to be flawless and thats extra money and time on the demo plus booth space, displays, ect. . . Gamespot can say the new E# is reporter frienly but there is a price we the public will pay.

When I saw the Killzone 2 trailer at E3 I knew right then that Killzone 2 would be better than Halo 3 but why. Now don't write me off as a know-nothing fanbay. I like to think as a myself as a well informed fanboy. I played Halo 1 and 2 when they came out but I like Killzone better. But what is worng with Halo 3. Sure they've added new features and updated graphics but really that sit. I really noticed this when Halo 2 came out but now its real apparent with Halo 3. When Halo 2 came out it had a few new weapons, tweaks, and a couple of new vehicles and maps and slightly updated graphics and online but thats it. Now two years later Halo 3 is doing it again. Now before I go any further will say Halo 1 and 2 did beat Killzone 1 in numbers and that the graphics did look better but at the same time the Xbox was more powerful and Killzone was too much for the PS2. But anyway back to Halo 3. I saw the beta and Microsofts E3 press conference and they're doing it again. In Halo 3 you get some new weapons, gadgets, some new vehicles, maps, and customizatio. Now you might say that is good but now every game is doing that. I mean if you compare Halo 2 and 3, Halo 3 looks alittle bit better and has some new toys, but thats really it. In fact Halo has turned into the new Madden series. It's getting to the point where they'll say, "come buy Halo 2007. It has a new map and weapon that Halo 2006 didn't." Even now they're milking the Halo francise dry. They'r coming out with a Halo 360 even when they 360 is having serious design problems. They have 2, not 1, but 2 limited edition box sets coming out, 1 of them costing twice as much os the game byitself. So that's my two cents.