Well, it's time for some sort of update from the World of Matt again, I think.  I've been mostly making noise in previous entries - in Journals far and near - rather than making any new entries recently.  Time to change.

Firstly, I seem to be sufferring some sort of extra-slow progress through Level 20.  In previous Levels (and particularly the last one), my percentage seemed to zap along quite rapidly.  Not so at the moment.  Now, this may have something to do with me not making a lot of noise here at Gamespot, but it seems a bit slow just the same...

In RL, I have had to do fun stuff recently - like throw huge amounts of money at my mechanic to service my car.  Yup, the date for servicing my car has come and gone, so I figured that this time I should try and catch up on some of the stuff I didn't get around to getting fixed last time.  In simple terms, it means I have been charged more money, and it has taken longer to fix my car.  It's all done now, just in time for the working week.  Yay.

In the Gaming world, I am still wandering around Cantha and causing some trouble there.  My Assassin / Elementalist has just hit Level 20, and I think I'm finally starting to get somewhere in the main storyline.  I'm trying to do as many quests as possible, to try and unlock whatever I can - with varying degrees of success.  I've also created a Warrior (who I think will have a Ranger as his second class), and just recently a Ritualist / Necromancer.  To round out my account (and for the purposes of unlocking every skill), I will eventually create a Monk / Mesmer as well - but that can wait a bit until I sort out my other characters a bit more.  :)

Still Adventuring alone at this time, but I'm getting the hang of what my characters can and can't do - so I'm dying less often now, even in the harder bits.  Obviously each character class plays differently, so I'm learning the best methods for adventuring with each.

Also on the PC MMORPG front, What_Me_Worry has introduced me to a different style of online RPG - a Game called EVE Online.  I vaguely recall reading about this one in one of your Journals in times past (can't remember whose, but Znuggles springs to mind for some reason).  It's different in a lot of ways, particularly in the skill system and the amount of different things you can do in the Game.

It's set in a possible future, when mankind has travelled to the stars and then well...  gotten lost.  As such, you get to wander around space (in a HUGE Galaxy) in your trendy ship, and fight pirates, mine various resources, learn skills, join Corporations, perform missions for the various factions within the Game, and generally just explore a lot.  It's quite a slow paced Game, but that's actually kinda kewl in a lot of ways.  Means you can go off and get a coffee while the autopilot jumps you from system to system, until you're ready to take the helm again.

Downside?  Like World of Warcraft, it's an ongoing subscription type Game.  The problem is that I've actually really  enjoyed EVE so far, so I'm gonna have to make a decision at some point as to whether I'm willing to throw money at this Game to keep on playing it or not.  I have 13 days until my Free Trial runs out, so I've got some time to think still...

I AM playing other Games as well, although mainly on the PSP over the last couple of days.  Daxter in particular is a Game I've dragged out every now and again, and I've completed another Mission or two since I last checked in.  Still working on bettering my Battle Bugs, as I now have a stable of FIVE of 'em...  :)

NEhow, thought I would check in with you all just quickly before I head off to other tasks.  Hope everyone is well out there in Gamespot-Land.  Take care of yaselves, people, and always...

Game on!  :D

Well, it's my day off today, and I'm spending it as I usually do - relaxing as much as possible, and being domestic around my house.  Always good fun.  :P

On the Gaming front, I've been playing a bit on my PSP, and playing some Daxter - which is actually quite a good lil' platformer.  I'm almost a quarter of the way through the Game now - according to my "% Completed" amount listed in the Game - so I'm starting to get the hang of it.

*Minor Spoilers*

I've already managed to unlock one of the Dream Sequences in the Game, and got to play Daxter in very much a Matrix fashion, beating up a group of bad guys like a certain young man called Neo once did.  Good fun.  :D

*End Spoilers*

I've also been adventuring in the land of Cantha some more over the past day or two.  Completed a couple more side quests, and almost got myself to Level 19.  You seem to level up fairly quickly in Guild Wars, but I'm finding it difficult to track down new skills in this Game...

I mean, I know there are huge amounts of possible skills I can learn, and I got a bunch of them at the beginning of the Game.  I just haven't found any since then, which is a bit puzzling.  I'm sure in due course, I'll find some more.  Perhaps now that I'm on the mainland I'll have more luck.  *shrug*

NEhow, just a quick update on Gaming in general for the day.  I'll chat to you all in more detail another time, I'm sure.  Take it easy people, and make sure you keep on keeping on in the Gaming world, or in other words...

Game on!  :)

Well, it had to happen sooner or later, people.  My whole life here at Gamespot was building up to that one glorious moment, the moment in which I achieved my all time perfect Rank name - Gitaroo Man.

That moment has happened, but it has come and gone.  All that has changed now.  I've tried to limit my involvement here in my Journal for a lil' while now - hence my limited posting - but I just wasn't able to do enough to do too little here at Gamespot.  The percentage bar marched ever onwards, unceasingly...

So it appears I have gone up another Rank, into another one of the weird ones.  You may now refer to me as WerePaladin, the...

Metal Slime

Is that a Dragon Quest reference or something?  'Coz it sounds a bit weird just the same...  *shrug*

NEhow, gotta get some sleep.  Had a few days away from Cantha now - too much stuff to do in RL to save the world in Guild Wars for the moment.  Haven't actually played ANY Games since Monday really, so I'm gonna have to make the effort again soon...

Perhaps now that Mr. Znuggles is getting himself a 360, I might have to make the effort to play on my 360 again for a bit, I think.  *grin*

Time to run away again, I think.  CYA all another night, my Gamespotty friends and don't forget that you should all make a better effort than I am and...

Game on!  :)

Well, it's been a lil' while since I've posted here, so it's about time I made some noise again.  Actually, I've been away for business for a few days when I was sent up to Port Augusta to run a First Aid Course for a Power Station in the vicinity.  Been back for a couple of days now, but I've had some stuff to catch up around the place, so I've been absent from Gamespot.  :(

I've managed to drag myself away from the 360 for a while, and have found myself a couple of new Games on other systems to play (in my usual style of starting something and then NOT finishing it - Geeceepass ahoy!), so I figured I'd let you all know what's what in Matt's Gaming World.  :)

First things first - I've got another Katamari Game...  Yay!  After my bitter (and not quite gotten over) disappointment of Australia not receiving the original Katamari Damacy, I was pleased to find We Love Katamari on the PS2 a few months ago - a Game which has given me much joy, and caused my friends to shake their heads on a number of occasions.  But a week or so back, I was in at my local Game Store when I was approached by one of the Staff...

"You like Katamari Damacy, right?  Have you got a PSP?"

At which point, once I had nodded my head up and down like a maniac, he handed me a PSP case for Me and My Katamari.  Needless to say, I purchased it on the spot.  I also had to get my PSP fixed - as it wasn't playing UMDs at all - but that's a whole other story.  (I have a working one now...  *grin*)

As usual for Katamari Games, I've since played it and finished it.  Took me a couple of days while I was sitting around my Hotel room in Port Augusta - there's not much of anything in Port Augusta to do or see - but I've completed all the main Requests by the poor lil' animals.  I'm doing my usual completionist stuff though, and trying to find all the Presents and Cousins, with varying degrees of success.  :)

Still on the PSP, I found myself another Game which I've heard good things about, and is actually quite fun to play - Daxter.  Yes, Jak's loveable, wise-cracking sidekick from the Jak series of Games is back in his own Game, and swatting Bugs with an electric fly-swatter has never been such fun!  I'm currently on the second mission in the Game, so it's early days yet.  But I'm having fun smashing bugs, collecting Gems and Precursor Orbs, and finding as many Battle Bugs as I can, so that I can fight my friend's Bugs in a wireless orgy of destruction!  (It's a long story...  Check out the Game if you wanna know more.  :))

I also managed to pick up Guild Wars - Factions, and have a good wander around the land of Cantha.  Contrary to popular (*cough*Vashkey's*cough*) belief, I have not been lost to the world of MMORPGing - although I must admit I now have a greater appreciation for the attraction of the Genre.  I've seen my mate Stan play a decent amount of Warcraft online, and seen some of the stuff he's done in Azeroth.  Guild Wars is different in Gameplay, but similar enough in style to give me a bit of an understanding of both. 

Will there be a Canthan Plague?  Who knows?  I'm starting to come up against some mission that are becoming increasingly difficult to do by myself - even with a few high level Henchmen along for the ride - so I can see I'm gonna need to find myself some online buddies in Guild Wars if I wanna complete the Roleplaying Campaign.  And if I wanna do any PvP type Gaming, I'll need to either associate myself with a Guild, or create my own (the second option is more appealing, but more expensive and time consuming).  Always wanted to be a Guildmaster, so I think I'll take some more time and form my own Guild at some point.

I've also discovered the joys of the alternate Districts.  In most of the Towns / Outposts, many players gather around and make noise.  Sometimes they are looking for help in a given mission, sometimes they are asking (often n00b-like) questions about the Game, sometimes they are looking for recruits for their Guild, and a LOT of the time, they are looking to buy or sell something that they want or have.

Frankly, all this noise is irritating.  So early on, I discovered that each Town has several Districts associated with it in any given language.  As such, whenever I arrive in a Town, I swap myself to the last available District as soon as possible.  This means that I arrive in a version of the Town where there are very few Players, and as such - not much noise.  Ah, the blissful silence!  :)

More on Guild Wars another time, I think.  On to other stuff...

Time to talk about something non-Gaming for a minute, I reckon.  Buffy.  More specifically - Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Even more specifically, one of the greatest TV shows ever made.  (Babylon 5 is another example of an awesome TV show, but that's a topic I can rant about another time - or at least get some backup from Mr. Znuggles about...)

I recently discovered that there exists a 39 disc DVD Collection of every single Buffy episode in one cool lil' fold out box.  Naturally, being the obsessive compulsive Collector type person that I am - having an addictive personality has it's drawbacks at times - I had to track it down.  This of course put a dent in my bank balance, but I am now a happy man.  Now all I gotta do is sit down and watch 'em all again - from start to finish.  Should take me about a week if I forgo sleep and work, but I'll get there.  *grin*

And that should do for a bit of a monster update.  Hopefully you've made it to the bottom bit without nodding off.  I'll leave you to it for the time being, so make sure that you all...

Game on!  :)

Just a quick one tonight.  (No really, I mean it this time!)

My all time favourite Game is getting a new incarnation on the PSP!  Yay!  Gitaroo Man is BACK, and in the handheld market!  :D

Gitaroo Man Lives is the new Game, and even though I know nothing about it, if it's ANYTHING like the original PS2 Game, then I MUST track it down and play it until my body gives up in exhaustion...

(Can you tell I'm a tad excited?  *grin*)

I gotta go get some sleep now before work in the morning, but now I'm gonna have trouble sleeping, given that there's a new Gitaroo Man Game out there...

GAME ON!  :)

(But particularly if your name is U-1 and you're playing a weird musical weapon...  :D)

For many months now, I have been subjected to the painful task of watching one of my friends succumb to the Plague of Azeroth.  Whenever I am over - at some point in the evening or another - we have ended up in his office outside, and I have watched him wander his way through the Plague-ridden world of Azeroth.  :(

Now I have been nice, and made interested sounds and even asked questions about various quests he has been on, or various powers, or even some of the weird language he uses as a Plague Bearer.  And over time, I have come to understand (in some small part) the madness that grips him.

I can see how people could be sucked in to the Game.  With all the various choices of Race, Class and the various Skills you can learn - I understand how something so bright and shiny could catch the attention of so many for so long.  So, I have finally decided to join in with the world of MMORPG Gaming.

(No, don't get excited Bam and Tinoshke - I'm not gonna join you in Azeroth.  Sorry ladies, but I don't wanna intrude on your fun.)

Yes, I have decided to stick to my original intentions for MMORPG stuff (or CORPG as the case may be), and I'm gonna make my mark in Guild Wars.  More specifically, Guild Wars - Factions.  Given that the new version is out in the near future (next couple of weeks here in Australia), I decided to pre-order it and give it a good ole' go.  :)

The good news is that if things go well for me in the Game, I may be able to drag Stan away from Azeroth every now and again and see if the two of us can cause some trouble around the place.  Who knows?  If I manage to make enough of a name for myself, I might even manage to start up my own Guild.  Scary thought, eh?  ;)

So if there are any current Guild Wars players out there who check out my Journal from time to time, feel free to drop me a line.  I'll be looking for some Adventuring buddies, and I'd rather start with some people I know from here at Gamespot (you still play Guild Wars at all Tinoshke?), rather than complete strangers.  And it Factions goes well, I'll prolly also broaden my horizons to the original Game and wander around Ascalon some as well.  *grin*

In the meantime, where you may be, whichever World you may be lost in, and playing whatever Game you may fancy, never forget to...

GAME ON!  :)

Evening people, how ya doing this fine (and not yet rainy) day?  :)

Something I forgot to mention in my last Journal entry, which is actually kinda kewl...  Figured I would mention it today, now that I'm trying to catch up on a backlog of Journal entries and stuff of that nature.  OK, I'll stop waffling now and start talking.

As a lot of you are aware, I am a First Aid Trainer - I teach members of the public how to save other members of the public from various nasty injuries (including death).  This keeps me pretty busy.  A few months back, I was made aware of recent changes in my employment status.  In short, I needed to achieve a Certificate IV in Workplace Training to continue to be employed past December this year...

Now, this has been weighing on me for a while, as I'm not terribly good at getting boring things done - particularly when they're really boring.  So I kinda put it off, and put it off, until I couldn't pretend it wasn't there to be done NEmore.  And so, a weekend or so back, I knuckled down, and dug up some evidence that I could actually do all the stuff covered in that qualification.

(Basically, I RPL'ed it.  *grin*)

Luckily, I had enough stuff in Training that I'd done over the last year or two (writing up a couple of Training Packages and other such things) that counted towards it, and I achieved Recognition for all the Modules I needed to complete my Certificate IV!  Yay - I'm not gonna be unemployed NEmore!

(This is the bit where you all cheer.  In case you weren't following the thread here, I did something good for a change.  :))

So I'm more relaxed, and able to catch up on other stuff, such as Gaming and sleeping and reading and other fun things like that.  Even managed to get out for a bit and have a night on the town, which was kinda nice (even if it did involved taking home a cute lady who enjoyed biting more than she should have...  :().  So life has been kinda kewl recently, which makes a pleasant change.

So what's been happening in all of your lives?  Some good news in there, I hope?  :)

Afternoon, people.  Hope you're doing well out there in Gamespot Land and are playing lots of kewl Games.  I've been absent from Gamespot for the last couple of weeks, so I've been kinda neglecting my Journal writing or commenting duties.  Don't panic people, I'll get through all your recent entries and make some noise at them over the next few days.

Just a short entry for today (well, short by my standards, NEhow.  :)) about Badges here at Gamespot.  In recent times (when I've checked on my account here) I've noticed that some of the Badges seem to appear and disappear with startling regularity.  My Butterfly Badge seems to flit off on a moment's notice, and then reappear.  This seems to be "normal" for that Badge, although I'm not sure why...  *shrug*

My other Badge that has recently vanished seems to have done so for good.  I used to have a PC Afficiando Badge.  (Note the past tense)  This one seems to have disappeared as I think I have finally broadened my Gaming collection to the point that PC Games no longer make up a majority of said collection.  This is good in one way, but bad in the loss of a Badge...  *sniff*

On to other matters.  It appears that I failed in updating my Completed Games list last month.  Life was a bit messy for me back then, buy given that I hadn't completed any other Games at that point, it seems OK.  :)

Malkav's Completed Game List (tm)

We Love Katamari - 25th of February, 2006

Tomb Raider: Legend - 15th of April, 2006

Yup, I've completed another Game!  Working on achieving 100% completion in Tomb Raider, so I'm replaying some Levels looking for the rewards I missed.  Also running through the Time Trials, so I'm gonna be bashing away at this one for another few days yet - but things are looking promising.

NEhow, I should run off and do some other stuff around the place before I lose the day.  I'll chat to you all again another time, K?

Game on!  :)

Well, I had my first go at playing someone from Gamespot online last night. Was playing around on the 360 - mucking around playing some Hexic actually - when I noticed on my Friends here at Gamespot was online, playing some Halo 2.

So, in the spirit of finding new ways of getting my butt kicked - I joined in a Game and played online against some people who were massively better than I am at the Game. I'm outta practise on the FPS type Games - haven't played Halo 2 online before, and haven't played it offline in a year or more. So, understandably I got my butt handed to me on a plate on more than one occasion. :)

I played some Oddball (held onto the Ball for almost seven seconds), some King of the Hill (managed to be the King for almost sixteen seconds), played some Slayer matches (and even managed to get a kill or two), and some CTF of various types (my team lost). But I had a lot of fun, and got to listen to some people speak in Portugese.

So thanks for the Game, Catamy. I'm gonna have to go off and practise some, so that next time I manage to NOT embarrass myself as much as I did last night. Possibly. :)

NEhow, I can still look forward to some Burnout (which I have been practising), when I finally manage to cross paths with Mr. Znuggles at some point - I think he's hiding from me or something... *grin*

More another night, I think. Take care of yaselves, people.

Bad luck that is.  Or so the saying goes if you're the superstitious type.  Personally, I'm beginning to think I'm cursed, or that people around me should just watch out - as bad things seem to keep happening to them...  :(

As you all know, my Grandpa passed away earlier this week.  This was not unexpected, as he had been very sick - but was still quite sad, as he was a good man.  Unfortunately, my week hasn't improved any and I am currently a bit of a mess, as  around 24 hours ago, I discovered that my ex-girlfriend Kate had suffered an accident. 

I had received strange text messages earlier in the week from a friend of mine, asking me how I was out of the blue, with no apparent reason as to why she was asking.  Now, given that my Grandpa had just passed on, I let her know this and she was sympathetic, but ended the conversation shortly thereafter.  I thought it was nice to hear from her - but I was puzzled as to the contact.

Last night I mistakenly assumed I had a meeting, which I didn't feel like attending.  So I called up Peter, one of my colleagues in St. John, to put in my apologies.  I was informed that the meeting was next week, and asked whether I had received an e-mail about the meeting - and about Kate.  I had not at that point, and after some questioning it became apparent that Kate would not be attending the meeting due to "health issues" - a statement that seemed QUITE vague.

Shortly after that, I was speaking to Bruno - a mate of mine here in Adelaide who had recently purchased an X-Box 360 - and he asked me if I had heard about what had happened to Kate.  Now at this stage I was starting to get a bit worried as to what had happened, and quizzed him about what he knew.  It turned out that Kate had fallen off her horse - Curry - and was now in hospital.  This was all he knew.

By now, I was beginning to freak out - what had happened to Kate?  Was she all right?  I called her family - no one answered.  I called a mutual friend of ours - no answer.  It wasn't until much later that night I discovered what had happened to Kate...

On Monday, Kate had a terrible fall from her horse Curry.  So terrible in fact, that she broke her back and now has serious spinal injuries.  Kate no longer has much feeling below her waist, and is not likely to ever walk again.  Kate is eighteen years old.  She has just started working in her chosen field, and finally managed to get the horse she always wanted.  She has her whole life ahead of her, and is likely to be spending it in a wheelchair.

There is no justice in the world.  What has happened to Kate isn't right or fair.  She doesn't deserve this, people!  :(

Needless to say, I'm a bit upset.  I've spoken to her mother, and am planning on visiting Kate in hospital over the weekend.  I am unsure as to how my visit will go, and whether Kate will welcome my company at all.  Regardless, I'll be going - I may not be with her anymore, but that doesn't mean that I no longer have feelings for the woman...

I desperately need some sleep.  I haven't slept well since Grandpa died, and I slept worse last night since I found out the news.  I'll speak to you all another night.

Take care of yaselves, people.