My new motto: After getting my butt thoroughly trounced many times over on Quake Live, including an embarrassing shut-out in a ten-minute duel, I've started using the phrase "Not afraid to lose" as my motto. Knowing that I'm far from the best player at any online game, I'd rather play through to the bitter end, giving it all I've got, and, yes, losing, than maintain the illusion of a stainless record. I've heard that it's been common for players to bail out of Street Fighter IV matches if they're losing as there is no penalty for doing so. That also happened a lot when I played WipEout Pulse. And I'm sure it happens everywhere online. If you're not gonna stick it out to the end, then don't bother showing up, eh?

I GOT STREET FIGHTER IV TODAY!!! I didn't let the fact that it was out of stock everywhere in Ottawa stop me from acquiring a copy (by patiently waiting for Amazon.ca to deliver) and now I can get in on the sweet fighting action! HADOUKEN! I am freakin' set! Time to get old school new-school-styles! (Not afraid to lose at SFIV!)

Achievements replacing unlockables: For a number of years (i.e. for a span of time that I am too lazy to bother properly researching) games predominantly had unlockables. Some still do, but largely now achievements and trophies are taking the place of unlockables, while unlockables are instead becoming DLC. Now, what used to become available through gaming achievement is only becoming available for money, while all we get for gameplay prowess are achievements/trophies. Achievements and trophies can give us a sense of pride and bragging rights, sure, but they do not change or enhance gameplay. Personally, I think that DLC should be content that significantly expands the experience of a game (e.g. new game modes, new episodes/levels) and not just the stuff that used to be unlockable (e.g. new character outfits). That stuff should remain unlockable. And I hope that developers continue including unlockable content in games, even though it sails between the Scylla of achievements and the Charybdis of DLC.

Speaking of DLC: A hint from Colin Berry on WipEoutZone indicates that DLC is in the works for WipEout HD! (Not afraid to lose at WipEout either!) As frustrating as I find microtransactions, I would happily pay for WipEout DLC any day! (Yes, I am a hypocrite... I'm not afraid of that either.) I am tempted to go on a PS3 hunger-strike, refusing to buy anything else for the system until WipEout DLC comes out. I think I will. Here I go. (In the mean time, I'll be playingSFIV until my three-decades callused thumbs are raw.)

(No PS3 price drop so far--maybe I lucked out.)