It's been a while coming, infact it's two days later then the maximum date they cited in their contract..

And two weeks later then they actually said they'd have it done. But I finally have ADSL.

And I tell you, theres no way I'd go back to dialup willingly.

I'm currently downloading the shadowbane installer. Which is around 891mb.

It'll be done in two hours. I know, to most in this day and age it probably isn't a great shock.

But for someone whose been with dial-up for oh so long, it's just.. Just impressive.

Normally I'd have had to have left my computer on for a little over a day to get that.

Now I'll have it in two hours. Just. Wow.

 

I've been watching Youtube videos.

I can do that now.

Most forums I visit have people constantly posting them and beforehand I could never watch them cause they would just take forever to load.

Now I don't have a problem with streaming them. At all. No buffering.

No having to pause to wait for it to catch up.

Just plays as if it were straight from my computer. It's HEAVENLY.

 

Still have yet to set up the 360 with the net though, but I think my older bro wants to do it or something.

So it'll wait. Looking forward to playing online though. I mean. I could play most games before.

Gears not a problem, Call of Duty okay, Saints Row fine.

But Smackdown vs Raw, Fight Night and DOA4 were laggy as hell.

Completely unplayable. Should be able to do them now.

 

Also been playing Second Life.

I got a better taste of it while I was staying at my older bros whilst Mum was in hospital and I liked it enough. I'm not an especially social person, but I still find some enjoyment in exploring places people have created, hanging out and drinking virtual beer. Heh.

 

Speaking of MMOs I'm looking to get into one. Hence the download of Shadowbane.

It's free, so why not?

Roma Victor (Google it) I'm also interested in.

It's apparently not the best optimized game in the world, it hasn't the best userbase.

But the people there seem dedicated enough and I like the idea.

I also wanna play more commercial mmorpgs.

I've seen Star Wars galaxies gamecards at the store, surprisingly. So I may go that way.

But I liked the sound of the game better before all cu or nge stuff.

Also interested in WoW. It sounds simple to get into, but in the long run I'm not sure it's for me.

Everquest 2 I'm looking at but I doubt I could run it. Same goes for Lord of The Rings online or whatever they call it now.

PC definitely needs to be upgraded now that I actually have a connection I can play with.

 

Anyway, gonna head off and grab some food while Shadowbane downloads.

If anyone plays give me a buzz. I'm generally not especially socialable but if I'm gonna play MMOs and I do want too it couldn't hurt to develop some people skills, lol.

To add them to my collection on this slow connection would take too long, so I'll mention briefly here.. Yeah.  I was mean't to have Broadband, but thye haven't put it on yet. I'm peeved, but meh..

 

Guitar Hero 2 (360) - Brother took the PS2 version soon after he moved and I likes me Guitar Hero, so when I saw this I just HAD to snatch it up.

 F.E.A.R. (360) - Did I mention this already? I feel I might've. But yeah. I have F.E.A.R. and it's pretty decent, though as I gathered from playing the demo not as scary as people make it out to be. 

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (PC) - I think thats the title.. The sound on my computer died so I've been playing on Mums laptop, it's a pretty good game though sadly not without it's glitches. Only noticable one is a graphics problem that causes the screen to do weird things if I scroll up or left. Scrolling down or right is fine. This only happens after a little while of playing, though and can generally be fixed for a time by restarting the game, but it's still pretty damn annoying, especially in the middle of a fight. But I like the game. I like the character creation. I like the dialogue. I like the steampunk/fantasy setting. It's fantastic. 

Well looks like I might have a lot more game time on my hands, my girlfriend dumped me.. While I was away due to my mother being in hospital, no less. Low.
She says she still wants to be friends but is ignoring every single message, e-mail, e-card, e-everything that I do. So I don't think I'm going to make any headway.
Needless to say, I'm pretty bummed.. Just been lounging around, getting my mind off things with Oblivion and F.E.A.R.

The PS3 launched here downunder a couple weeks back now, I believe. I hear it didn't go so well, so Australia seems to be following suit. With them tearing out the hardware to do with backwards compatability and having a near $1000 AUD pricetag it's not suprising. Won't stop me from picking one up.. Maybe after a few price drops. I actually saw a few in stock though, unlike at the Wii launch where I could stare at the software and accessorys but not have access to a damn console. Though I'm skeptical of it and disapprove of the way Sonys been presenting themselves, I'm not going to outright condemn the console. Though the only exclusives I was interested in have jumped ship and will be available on the 360 as well I'm still interested in seeing whats coming out for the PS3. LittleBigPlanet looks promising and I'm interested in the 'Home' application.

 

While I was away we bought a few games.. F.E.A.R., which actually isn't terribly scary. I played the PC demo awhile back and didn't see why everyone was wetting themselves, have the game and am a little while in and still don't see why people are frightened.

 Have got Godhand also. I haven't played it myself yet but seems nice, simple and quirky. Which is fine by me. 

 Also I forget the exact title but it's a Sega Mega Drive Compilation. It's got three Phantasy Stars, three Golden Axes and Alex the Kidd! They were my main reason for purchase and I don't regret it.

 I also bought S.T.A.L.K.E.R. to find my PC won't run it at all, excuse enough to give my puter an upgrade hopefully in the not too distant future.. Gonna hopefully future proof it a little too. Last time we bought bare minimum to run whatever it was I wanted to run.. Probably The Sims 2. But It'd be nice too be able to purchase some PC games willy nilly with little regard for requirements, atleast for a time. Heh, course for a time. Whats hightech and new one week is obselete the next in the ever changing world of PC gaming and hardware.

 Getting broadband next week too, so should be on XBL more often and playing a variety of different games. Beforehand all I really played was.. Well.. FPS and stuff. They were the only games that ran with minimum lag. Couldn't do Fight Night or Wrestling. Now though I hope to do some WWE online. Should be killer..

OH! Before I forget, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl should be available this month. Super excited except for the fact I'll likely have to replace my DS also, lost during the move..

Anyway, gonna head back to Oblivion. Been toying around a bit and getting good stuff for my char before I get me broadband and can download Shivering Isles. Will be about time too, all I've really been doing is exploring random caves and shrines and it's starting to wear thin. 

I could go on about it awhile, but have you got a load of that article about the PS3 fans raging against Devil May Cry 4 going multiplatform and some going as far to boycott the company? Thats pretty pathetic. Its just a game. Some in that petition called this a bad move by Capcom. But any idiot can see from a buisness standpoint, this is one of the best things you could do a for a game. Being able to reach a larger audience by going multiplatform is a good thing. How can a person be so loyal to a console, a damn machine - to not be able to see it?

 I love all my consoles equally. I wouldnt cry foul if Xbox exclusives reached the PS3, or if Wii games worked there way to it.

ITS A GOOD THING. Giving people a choice for which platform they want to own it is good. Its less restricting for the gamer. They can get it for PS3, PC, 360 - whatever they want. And its a good move by capcom.

Perhaps losing one of it's exclusives, another one of it's exclusives even - isnt good for Sony. But the guy who said it is right, a lot of sheep will buy something simply due to the fact it has the Sony name on it. They might've lost DMC4 as an exclusive, but it isn't lost completely and I dont think it'll hurt Sony so bad in the long run. Time will tell I s'pose.

But really, I dont care about the money factor or the exlusitivity of certain games.

It only annoys me when gamers whine about such insignificant things.

So please, for the love of god, if DMC4 reaching a larger audience somehow upsets you - Stop whining and get a damn life. JEBUS.

If you read here at all you'll likely know I've had trouble tracking down the nunchuck attatchment for my Wii.
I could find wiimotes no problem but no nunchuck, sadly.
So I never bothered.
They were in today though.
So I promptly snatched up a nunchuck and new wii controller.
Schweet.

Ironically, I pick it up at a time when I'll least want it - as I also bought The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - so must other games and whatnot will be likely put on the back burner for it.

My little brother came home yesterday, having rented Gears of War. Unexpected but not unwelcome.

I was interested in buying it beforehand, but never really got around too it.
I know, loads of people love the game.
But from what I heard of it I thought of it as this gens Halo.
A good game, sure.
Just heavily overrated.
And it might still be overrated.
But not heavily.

I'd say unlike Halo it actually warrants a lot of the praise its getting.
Certainly from a technical standpoint it's quite a game.
A marvel to behold.
And it plays well too.

I'm gonna pick it up.. Next week.
I think.

Seems worth it.

The other day I went on my fortnightly game hunt.
Unfortunately, there werent many/any newer titles on shelves.
Atleast none I was interested in.

So.. I went to the bargain bins. And blew a wad of cash there.

Gothic 2 - I had played it previously at my older brothers place and it seemed decent enough. Saw it in the bargain bin and picked it up.

X2: The Threat - seems okay. I've only played a bit of the tutorial though. Then stopped. I got mad at it when the FREAKING TUTORIAL told me to refer to helpfiles or a manual. IT'S A TUTORIAL. It's meant to teach. Not tell me to go look in the manual. Pretty much depletes the point.

Playboy: The Mansion - I played this before at my brothers also. And shut up. I like it. So I picked it up for the PS2. Unfortunately it doesnt seem to have articles as unlockable as the PC did. They actually were interesting. Hell. It could be a plain magazine tycoon game minus the boobies and it'd still be a good game. Scantily clad ladies are just the icing on the cake.

Mercinaries: Playground of Destruction - I've always wanted to have a crack at this game, but when it came out I never saw it anywhere. Fortunate was I to spot this in the bargain bin.
Blowing stuff up is FUN.


Tribes: Vengeance - I saw this there. Cheap. And I vaguely recalled playing Tribes 2. And this one getting decent reviews. So I picked it up.

SNK vs Capcom: SVC Chaos - I'm a fan of Street Fighter. I'm a fan of Fatal Fury/King of Fighters/Whateveryouwannacallit.
I dont know chraracters from some of the other games.
But it's an oldschool 2d fighter. YAY.

King of Fighters 2003 - Prettymuch the same as above, minus street fighter rambling.

And tonight my little brother bought me Crackdown as a late B'day present. Sweeeet.
Gonna enjoy me some cybercopping later.

I'm annoyed.
I've just about finished the main quest in Oblivion for the second time, with my woodelf char, but I cant.
I did previously with another, but I cant do it now.
I generally get as far as the part where Martin says its too late blahblahblah and then not long after that he dies.
I even got desperate enough to turn the difficulty ALLLL the way down and he'll still die.
Mehhh.

I also just read a preview for Bioshock in.. Gamepro mag or something of the sort.
It looked interesting beforehand but I didn't delve to deep into it, they had a four page preview on it here - I read it.. And it sounds pretty damn cool.
A must have, for certain.

Speaking of must haves, hopefully on the weekend I'll be getting Crackdown. Should be a blast, and hopefully my cruddy ISDN connection will be enough to play soem co-op adequetly. Least til next month when I'll hopefully have dsl.

I'd also really like to get The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on teh Wii.
I've still yet to get another wii controller due to lack of nunchucks availble, but if we had this I could ignore that need for a good long while.

Also I'd like Supreme Commander, but my PC wont play it - i bet. Which is a shame. I loved Total Annihilation.
It's a shame most I know overlook it for say, Starcraft - cause TA in my oppinion blows that out of the water.

Perhaps a PC overhaul will be in the cards later in the year

So yeah.
It's my birthday.
Is a happy one? A bit to early to tell, but I'm gonna lean toward..
No.

For one there won't be cake, I'm a sucker for cake.
It's not a birthday without one. But there be no cake.
Also won't be getting any prezzies.
I hate to sound childish and selfish like that but eehh, it's like one out of two days I expect anyone to do anything for me.
I know we're going through a tiny bit of a rough patch, but we do earn enough to I dont know, just buy me dinner or something.
Well, I will get a present.
If my girlfriends mail arrives today.
She sent something not long ago, along with an overdue valentine present.

If I had've gave my v-day present late lord knows she'd ride me for it and not in the good way. Eh, I digress.

Anyway.

Plans for today involve..
Stuffing my mouth with food!
Cause we got that.
Sitting here for a while, whilst my girlfriend does her usual birthday worshipping me ritual - after which she'll be back at my throat about something no doubt. Yay.
And then maybe if theres time, play some City of Heroes with my brothers and do some celebratory crime fighting.

Or however long I feel like paying for it!
My older bro Steves buying me City of Heroes + 1 month.
Which is pretty awesome of him.

I've been playing the trial quite a bit now with my little bro and it's been swell, reeeeally swell.
To be able to play with Steve as well would be cool.
Not that being on the trial has much to do with that.
It's just. The trials American.
And Steve plays on Euro servers. So yeah..
But that'll be fixed and woo.