this really sets the tone for Gears of War for PC.



now, it's uncommon for PC gaming to experience glitches, crashes, bugs and then the long processes of patching it altogether. But it's a big warning flag that points out the direct problem which is Games for Windows Live. Even now well over 4 months after the game's release, Microsoft's tech support just recommends for you to "Alt+tab" and pretend to ignore it.

Still the year of 2007's rumble between Epic Games and Microsoft Game Studio has been a messy and public fight between the two. Traditionally, Epic gives everything away for free since Jazz Jack Rabbit days, but Mircrosoft demands there to be some sort of reward features for GFW Live Gold users. Some of the default restrictions are No Save, No Achievement points, No anti aliasing and no online multiplayer. What's really ridiculous is warning screens will pop up saying as if they are protecting your save file by joining GFW Live. Now it's quite simple to bypass a lot of these, but another warning flag will just be right up in your face declaring "You will have 'True Skill match making' if you pay for Gold account." With ever step, a new window pester you and panhandles more money away from you.



It's a shame because even a great deal of this content is free even on the 360, although multiplayer is charged but that makes sense since there isn't any other alternatives on a closed platform console. Still the 360 version was designed for more user friendly experience, and that's the intention for GFW Live but within each step it just adds new problem. 360 players are not facing the same problems as the PC gamer, instead they can easily buy a console with Gears of War and have a smooth ride.

Like I said earlier it's really telling that Microsoft Tech support just advices you to ignor the janky warning. If you click on it or close it, that will cease your game immediately. Hence why you need to alt+tab it.

Like I said, a PC gamer is a different creature then a Console gamer, we can handle this issue. But Games for Windows Live just reminds me of Total Entertainment Network, Kali or the other pay services of 1996 that were around during Quake and Diablo offered free online play. The LEAST GFW Live can offer us is offer us Geometry Wars.... Oh wait, that's on Steam for 4 bucks.

Steam will save PC gaming

it's hard to start an entry like this. I mean there is a lot to say since it's all over the web what happened. Still it's quite alarming to log into this site and see and read nothing on Jeff Gertsmann leaving gamespot. That silence is deafing.

the blogs are the only hints from his friends that help console how I feel about this incident

and it's also beautiful see movements like this happening

Now, I'm not the best source for Video game news.... that's why I blog onto gamespot, but after reading all the articles I did a few caricatures and sketches of the main themes of GDC "love" Shigeru Miyamoto, Eiji Aonuma, Peter Molynuex and Little Big Planet.

sigh, what a satisfying ending.
I won't spoil anyone but after my 50 plus hours of gameplay I just needed a break just to take it all in. I never did go through a massive 50 hour marathon like I did with a Link to the Past 1992 and Orcarina of Time 1998. Instead I enterted a dungeon and called it a night, giving myself the rest of the day eager to go back and see what I will discover. I wanted this to be the purest Zelda experence as much as the original Zelda NES games were to me.

And now the ending comes, and there is a moment where I feel like I need sometime to reflect. So I took the opertunity to be productive by cleaning out my closet, and as I did that I stumbled across plethora of Zelda collectables through out the years.
First thing I cam across was this Nintendo Sticker Activity Book.

"Official Nintendo Licensed Product"
there was a point in my childhood where I was obsessed with sticker books. Much like trading cards you can collect them, build a collection and then use the extra to stick them all over my room. Although all the stickers were from the Nintendo instruction manual, the book has some terrible Zelda art. Just looking at it, Link looks so lanky goofy, and confused. It's as if he's shaggy with a sword always bumbling into a battle. It's just worthwild to build up the entire sticker collection so you can have the strong heroic hero anime art that will cover up those silly line art games in the corners. I recalled since I really loved the Transformer Movie sticker book, so I was under the assumption this would be as much fun. It came with a red clear plastic viewfinder for your little puzzels and challenges on the lower corners.... but I only purchased one pack of stickers and never finished it.


I wonder if I should search EBay for the stickers?


the Junary 1989 Nintendo Power issue.

I have fond memories of this issue.
I recieved the issue on the first day I got my glasses. So my first clear image is a rocker feathery mullet Link with soft rim lighting finding a mannequin that's Zelda in her eternal slumber. It looks very laughable now but if you recall back then there was Zelda 2 chip shortage. So no stores carried a copy of Zelda 2, so I wouldn't be able to play till the Summer of 1989. I would carry around this issue and for months looking over this cover building the anticipation for Zelda 2. The Sleeping Beauty theme is probably my favorite theme in Zelda 2 and it's also in Shadow of the Colossis.
You know what, I've played every single Zelda game, and Master Sword never did glow, it wasn't till now with Twilight Princess till we finally got this image in the game. Don't worry, that's not so much of a spoiler.

Nintendo puffy stickers

God, these stickers never last long, majority of the time if you put them onto something that gets little usage like a book self, a PC monitor, or a book case then they stay in perfect condition. I kept these onto a magazine holder, on the other end, Link fighting a Staffos is worn out. The plastic part is peeled off, and the foam padded matterial is hanging onto a thread. Still the Megaman 2 shooting the crash bombs next to Samus and bald bull..... Captain N the Gamemaster just pales in comparison with this.

The original NES instruction manual.

Sigh, there is another story behind this. I recalled back in 3rd grade I was so excited about the game that I would carry the manual with me and read it where ever I went. As I was on my school bus riding back home from my 3rd grade , I went over to a friend to show him how massive the world of Zelda was. He asked if he can look at it closely, and I was glad to show him. With a simple flick of his wrist, he ripped out the front map, tossed at me and then ran out of the bus. I was in complete shock, closed to crying, but I just just stuttering "Why?" with my jaw agape.

The first image of Link attending to the poor injured Impa was the image missing since it's on the other side of the overworld map. That was the image I had sentimental feelings about, since it was the start of the quest, the chain of events that guided Link to his adventure. I guess because the NES never had too detailed in game graphics to tell the story so the adventure alone was far more exciting, but the instruction manual helped fill in the story.

The Adventure of Link instruction manual.

there is something about how tatterend and torn these NES instruction manuals. It's not nessicarily me just being a slob, but instead it's about how long i've had them and caried them around all the time. As I look at the Orcarina of Time manual is in mint condition. and the A Link to the Past only has a few aged and faded corners. Zelda 2 is really the biggest influence to me, Link never looked bigger or large and the fate of Zelda was was always there for you to witness her situation. Zelda 2's Illustations really wasn't the best anime art out there, but it was simple enough to help you flesh out your own imagination how the game was outside of your own 2d pixelated world. For me, I was around 12 years old, and Zelda 2 shaped my mental image of what a 16 year old boy looks like.

Hee hee, unfortunatly I never did grow up into link, but I guess that's why people now ask for the more realistic older link then Windwaker's link. Yes, Windwaker's link is that iconic little NES Link, but Zelda 2 had a far more complex RPG element and combat design that made it make sense to have an older Link

back to my original title.
Sigh, Twilight Princess is more then just 20 years of Zelda fan service. It never seems to try to hit you over the head with "Hey remember the Hyrule castle theme from A Link to the Past?" or "Remember Sleeping Zelda?" instead those elements and themes traditional myth that is changed through out history but still maintaining it's core elements. It's not as if Octorocks and Moblins are all running around hyrule overworld map there for sake of fan service. As simple as Zelda's stories there is a wealth of Zelda history within, and it's not as if the game comes off as simple when I have 20 years of Zelda knowledge under my belt. Instead something new is added which helps make this game more like an original product. The experence is vast, massive and in the end proving to be the best Zelda game out there.... and when I close my eyes, think long and hard about what Link looks like when I was 12 years old, Twilight Princess is that Link.

As much as one would suspect, I'm not marathoning Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess. Although I'm at point where Link takes Master Sword out of it's resting place. So I'm reminded of all the other Zelda games and how the Master Sword is the halfway mark to all Zelda games.



A Link to the Past set the standar of setting up the immediate goal of the game as wielding the Master Sword will finish off the evil. So immediatly you get three or more dungeons that are all tricky and complicated, easing you into the more tricky stages tocome. It just was convincing to believe this is what the main goal would be to get that sword. Once you steped out of the woods you felt like you could take on anything, so there is an incentive to face off Agahnim.

And so the second chapter begins.

Which is the main theme of all Zelda game, and a big reason why A Link to the Past tops as one of the best games of all time. Zelda has always been one of those games easing you into something really difficult and believing the end reward is resucing a princess, collecting triforces, jems or pendants, and wielding a sword.


So back to where I'm at.

The point where you get the master sword is really a big plot twist revieling a dramatic moment in the game. It's been 4 months since the game's release, and I've done well to keep away from all the spoilers. Still it really hit me that moment.

I'm really loving Twilight Princess, but I'm often comparing with Okami. Although I'm keeping an open mind, taking it slow and enjoying every minute I play the game. Although why I'm enjoying this game is that this feels like a true sequel to Orcarina of Time and A Link to the Past. There is nothing wrong with making something original like Windwaker or Majora's Mask, but a lot of musical themes, items and moments are harkening back the original games. It's not like fan service to say "Hey, remember the boss with the mask that you needed the hammer to knock it's masks off, well, their BACK!" Instead they are softly suggesting these elements from all the other games.

I find it relaxing coming back into a Zelda game, I think this is why I apprecating the delays on Twilight Princess.

After 4 months without a Wii system but with a Single Wiimote this feels somewhat romatic

this is companion to my friend's davidscorc, "the greatest game of the past decade" series. I felt compelled to add a few games that aren't the first to do something new, instead it's about video games that did it well.

Star Wars Dark Forces.
At the cusp of the 90s Star Wars popularity, back then there were only 4 toy figures, the Timothy Zhan trilogy books, and Lucasarts didn't make their own Star Wars games. They had Sculptured Software release the SNES games, Sega release the arcade games, and Atari made a Hoth video game and a Vector Based arcade shooter. In terms of history this was probably one of the biggest chances Lucasarts took into testing the waters and making a game for a broader audience then just tacticle spaceship shooters like the Xwing and Tie Fighter Series.

One of the biggest changes from then and now is that this game stereotypical Star Wars game. Lucasarts wasn't trying to mimic the movie experence, in fact there is no Hoth Level or Death Star level. It uses cleaver uses of Star Wars licencing in order to build a game around the smugglers and mercenary universe. And it's built really well making Kyle Katarn into a rugged mercenary that has potential for something more. Although he was a Han Solo knock off, he still didn't try too hard to be a poor man's Han Solo. The writing and the voice acting was really charming and it never felt stiff or ham acting which is the trap that the Dark Forces sequels would eventually fall into.

Although the biggest innovation in the game was it's brilliant level design. Lucasarts hired archetects in to design the level design using a Doom 2 mod. Although there is some slight 3d ships within the background and mousebots but no real 3D levels which was the common misconception of the Doom clone video games. Although there were a lot of sections within the game where they place platforms over enterences or floors above other floors. There were also teleporation ports for when you fall you'd be warped onto the map into another location to make you believe your above or below a platform.All of these were tricks, not real 3D enviroment, but a first for FPS games (duke nuk'em 3d will eventually exploit them a year later). What makes the gameplay experence so enjoyable is how how you navagate through the levels. Instead of generic coridors there is more a feeling of progression.

Take the prison stage for example, as Jan Ors drops you in, your by a cliffside hidden from the base. Walking along the side your crawl along a cave which will lead you inside the base's air ducts. As you sneak in through the base you'll eventually make it to the holding cells where you find your contact. Unlike most doom clones from the 90s where the slapped in a generic texture onto all the walls really making it confusing to follow where your going. Lots of variety within the wall texture, ambient color lighting helping the navagating through enviroment, the overlay map was helpiful but there were enough visual cues to make it more an emmersive FPS shooter. Dark Forces was really the first game to direct you without the common "Hey, I'll follow where the enemies are coming from" mentality of most shooters. Or I like to call "Follow the dead bodies" doom gameplay.

Dark Forces might be forgotten but it was one of those games that really did change FPS shooters.

I picked up Lunar Knights wednesday afternoon. Stoped by a Barnes and Nobel and got myself a Carmel Macchito and a Orero Dream brownie as poped in to play Lunar Knights. First thing I did..... change the names of the main characters to Sabata and Django.

I do think it's a bit shameful that they are rebranding Lunar Knights since Boktai was considerably unsuccessiful... but it never was a bad game. I don't want to be ashamed to loving Boktai, so it bothers me to see the names Aaron and Lucien.

Although, going back to their original source of inspiration, there were 3 Sabata films and 2 Django films. But Django also had over 31 spiritual sequels and rumored to be over 100 more. I was lucky to recieve all the Sabata and Django films as a christmas gift from my girlfriend. Immediatly, in the extra trailers there are several dozen Django sequels with different characters, different actors, and different plots.




Okay, there is Sabata, the sequel is "Adios, Sabata" with Yul Brynner, and the final film is "Return of Sabata" with Van Cleef repraising his role. All of them have that feeling of a 60s bank heist film with over the top villians who duel in over the top elaborate games of death, characters who leap 20 feet into the air and have unique killing people. Or other characters "who dance and when they are done dancing you DIE!"

Django is a HUGE influence onto Boktai itself. Dragging a coffin and redscarfs, it's sad to see these iconic designs leave in the series immedatly into the game. Although Django is a gritter and violent film then the tounge and cheek fun of the Sabata series. Django isn't as widely known as the Good the Bad and Ugly or Wild Bunch, but was one of those key films that help push the darker and gritter film. Which is something I'm surpriced with teh Boktai series as to how dark some of their subject is but still make it appealing for kids. The first scene opens up with characters wollowing their sorrows in a bar over how in order to survive you need to subject your neck to let the vampires to collect your blood on a daily basis.

Aside from the rich influences Hideo Kojima had with Boktai, I'm just sadden to see some of the characters themes and events leave. Although Lunar Knights is a bit better with a more complex, stronger social themes and deeper story. This is probably my own critique since I grew attached to Boktai even if that wasn't as popular as it should have been.

Reminds me of Otenko as he says, "Django, what a proud and noble name."


..... at least I didn't have to catch a cold from playing Lunar Knights in 12 degree weather.

I like to seperate my personal life with this blog, but I don't mind talking a bit about when it comes to some certain cases. My partner on our comic is leaving to Canada, so I spent last weekend with him getting drunk and playing Guitar Hero 1. He's usually really anti-video games. Back in college he would always tune out when we would play Soul Calibur with other roomates all night. But it's interisting with Guitar Hero, the begining of the weekend on easy he was just dreadiful although he would evolve by the end of the week to where he could pull off 5 stars on medium. The funny part was seeing him say at the end of the weekend saying "So how much is a PS2?" And Guitar Hero still remains being the best selling game of these past few years. HA! I intend to buy him a PS2 when he gets settled in Canada since I intend to visit him.

Well, I did a few speed paintings, something to loosen me up for work. Less then an hour's worth using Corel Painter 9. Their video game related, so I thought it was fitting also.

Eiji Aonuma, director of Legend of Zelda - Twilight Priness, Wind Waker, and Majora's Mask

Keita Takahashi, the creator of the Katamari Damacy series.
For those who don't know anything about Speed Painting, it's like streching before exercising. Just something fast, you don't regret your choices and focus on under utilized talents. I was thinking a lot about colors, and how they hit the skin. I think I went too far with Keita, but it helps give him more life since video seems to dullen colors.

Aside from that, I finished Children of Mana, Yoshi's Island DS and Castlevania Portrait of Ruins. First off Children of Mana...... don't know how to recomend it. I think it's interisting the whole 10 minute little dungeon crawls where you can save. It's not bad for bus rides, but it lacks a lot. To call it a "hack and slash," might insult Diablo and it's not even remotely close to a  Zelda clone. It feels more like Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicals then Secret of Mana, but then again, I played a bit of an import of Dawn of Mana...... ugh, really feel bad for being a man fan at this point, since there was only 2 good Mana games ever made and now we got 5 mediocer games in the series.

Yoshi's Islands DS..... kinda good. I mean I recomend it for anyone who wanted more out of New Super Mario Bros, but man is this game seriously hard. The original Yoshi's Island was easy enough for anyone to play, but this one is hard for odd gameplay choices. There is this black void between the two DS Screens, which gets pretty annoying when you have to throw eggs or leap into that void. The Beauty of the DS is you got more room for a platformer to continue onto another screen, it's something that's taking the DS too literal, and you wish it wasn't there. The other thing is, there is still respawning characters when you walk away from the screen for a few steps. It really gets frustrating at the end. I had to not play the game for a month. Although the game is harder then the original SNES game, so it's debatable if that's better since when I first beat it back in 95 I felt like a cold heartless bastard for beating it too fast..... And no Yoshi tripping on poppie seeds, so it's a notch below the SNES version.

Castlevania Portrait of Ruins...... again, it's kinda like Yoshi's Island. I kinda recomend it but I got some complaints. I would say maybe an hour into the game you start to see repeating rooms and recycled sprites from previous Castlevania games. This makes you think at how rushed the game was, but the good news is the game is really well polished. I found myself playing the extra mode after beating it compared to other portable Castlevania games..... I don't know if that's why I didn't like the normal mode? But I'd highly recomend it for any Castlevania fan.

I caught a cold from playing Boktai out in 20 degree temperature.

do you think I can sue Hideo Kojima for this?

I don't think I would sue him, love his games.... regardless how much he messes with your sense of perception. Maybe I'll just ask for a translated version of Boktai 3 and then AGAIN go out in the cold weather.

hee hee, you may laugh but I just ordered a japanese copy of Boktai 3. Curse you HIDEO KOJIMA!!!! *imagine wrath of Kahn shot*

aside from that, My sister called me to tell me she found a Nintendo Wii for 300 bucks. The drought is still going on for a Nintendo Wii, but rumor has it there will be a bigger shipment this Sunday. I told her about it and then asked her "Were you playing your Guitar Hero?" which she replied "no." as an overzelious nintendo fanboy, I talked her out of buying one and waiting for the system to be reasonably stocked in a store where we can walk in casually and buy one.

Is that so much to ask?