System Wars bets was closed due to "discussion of gambling." Which apperantly warrented Legal threats against the site and or may have led to some serious problems. Everyone questioned the validity of this, but in the end, the mods won, KC left, and SW Bets closed to much dismay.

It's now the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and what do I notice in a thread? That's right! BETTING.

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=26320768&msg_id=300308324#300308324

People are betting ownage sigs if teams lose in the Playoffs. Normally I would endore this behavoir because it is fun, and the community is better when everyone has fun. But since this violates Gamespots new "not talking about gambling," rules. I expect every poster involved to be informed, and that thread to be locked and each user given a warning.

Stay true to your word mods. Shut it down for the same reasons SW bets was.

I just think this whole gambling thing is a total lie and ludacris.

It's true. Don't try and give me this "omg guitar virtuoso FTW," bs. Through the Fire and the Flames is mediocre music with one guy splooging all over you with guitar. Take away the guitar, and it's just a horrible song written by someone who is playing WOW.

Still though, the song is freaking infectious.

They suck so much, but man does Through the Fire in the Flames stay in your head.

Not gaming news, but real news! it's my school's paper but it's all good :)

http://media.www.commonwealthtimes.com/media/storage/paper634/news/2008/03/31/News/Vcu-Community.Reacts.To.Tyler.Binsteds.Death-3292560.shtml

E.T. was such a bad game, that it's final resting place is not a thrift shop, or collector's basement. No, it's buried in the desert somewhere, hoping that one day we will simply forget it existed. May I present to you the next game to have a sandy grave (no pun intended)

50 Cent: Blood on the Sand

(story taken from Forum post, and is being regarded as rumored)

"50 and G-Unit are putting on a sold-out performance somewhere in a fictional Middle Eastern setting. This is where the 'blood on the sand' comes in. They put on the performance; the people are pleased, but the concert promoter stiffs them and doesn't give 50 and G-Unit their payment."

With a lead like that, how can it not be good! Let's hear more!

"So, of course, 50 isn't going to leave until he gets paid, so he hassles the concert promoter, [saying] if he doesn't come up with the money now, there will be consequences. And instead, the promoter offers him a very valuable gift - something that's valuable to this particular country - a diamond encrusted skull."

This is like Jack and the Bean-stalk....for rappers.

"So 50 gets the skull, and as he's about to leave this war-torn country, when they're ambushed and the skull is taken. They escape the ambush, but they're without the skull. So 50's motivated to get what belongs to him. So basically, throughout the game, he's trying to track these people down and find out who they are and why he was ambushed."

Game of the generation, no decade, no all time. Eat your heart out Super Mario Galaxy.

There are already so many plot holes, and WTF's and the story is only rumored.

First off, I doubt the Middle East cares about 50 cent, enough to even have him perform. Secondly, the people are probably pleased the concert ended.

Now I know from 50's rapping that he ain't no foo, so why the hell would he agree to preform in a WAR TORN country, and not get paid up front. I mean he's 50 cent, you don't say "hey I'll pay you when it's done and the people are pleased," no you pay him up front in cash.

Let's get to this promoter buisness. Obviously this guy has the money, I mean he has a freaking diamoned encrusted skull he just carries around. What's more puzzling is given 50's reputation, how do you think you will just get away stiffing the man? Did the writer really think it believeable that the promoter thinks he can pull one over on 50? The writers obviously don't know 50 like I do!

So anyway the promoter just whips out the diamond skull and 50 is pleased. Sure why not, that is some serious bling, and he could probably take the teeth off the thing and make one cool grill. Plausible plot line, but what doesn't make sense is why are they ambushed. Why not ambush the weasly promoter? I mean didn't the terrorists see the concert, the man is wearing all sorts of body armor, he must be hardcore!

Now I'm not gonna lie. If I got ambushed in a war torn country, and lived to tell the story I'd leave. Screw it, my life is more important than a diamon grill I could have had. Not 50 though, 50 employs thought, and decides it in his best intrest to stay with G-Unit and pursue his stolen treasure. I'm sure that there will be all sorts of twists and turns, and maybe we get lucky and 50 will learn a bit about himself in the process....

I'm guess the game will have a heavy focus on squad combat, bling, a rap soundtrack provided by 50 cent, boobies, lots of cursing and a mandatory cameo by Dr. Dre and Eminem.

ESRB, please when you recieve this game, just rate it R for retarded.

Gamespot's community is too bitter as of recently.

Every other complaint is about "GS Sold out," "Reviews suck," "We miss jeff, and alex, GS has no credibility." For a website that supposedly has the best community, all I've seen over the past few months is a community that has not tried to be proactive in light of certain events. I see a community that is dwelling on the past, instead of enjoying the oppurtunity at hand.

Gamespot is rebuilding, and there are alot of guys working hard to re-establish the site to it's former glory. It took a hit over the holidays, and lost editors but It's slowly rebuilding. We as users can be a part of that, supporting our site, and supporting the editors who are working hard to keep you here.

Even with all the losses, Gamespot is still offering Community Game Nights, and Tournaments to it's users. It's still getting news on the front page, it's getting reviews done (slowly but surely) and it is slowly trying to regain your trust. Gamespot is still functioning as it did, just without the same amount of writers. That' pretty impressive if you have a small understanding of how much work goes in to a website as big as Gamespot.

Yet I see so much whining about this site, I wonder if anyone will ever get over it and move on.

Gamespot's remaning staff deserves better. I think that maybe it's high time that users started to read the reviews, try to be constructive, and spend less time checking giant bomb.com hoping that Gamespot will be crushed under it's "star power," in Ryan Davis and Jeff G. Forum users should spend less time whining about scores and which reviewer they think sucks the most and instead give these guys a chance.

It's an exciting time, to see a site have new editors emerge. But people seem so hung up over just a few guys, they can't fathom the idea of ever letting someone else achieve that same status. Jeff G will be missed, but why should any new reviewer be constantly dogged just because he isn't Jeff G?

I've been going to Gamespot since I was young, during the N64 days and love the site. It was sad to see so many great guys go, but new stars will rise, and with a little love and perserverance, Gamespot can be great again. So let's give these guys a break.

Last week I was able to procure a Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel for free. A person wanted to sell it at a local gamestop, they wouldn't take it in, and they didn't care to get anything for it. So I asked if I could take it off thier hands, and now I'm wrestling with the wheel in PGR4 and Forza 2.

It's a neat experience, playing a racing game with a wheel, especially when you are so used to a controller. The most time I've spent behind a video game racing wheel was probably in the arcade for LA Rush or some other $1 rip-off game. Wheels add a nice sense of "I'm really driving this porsche!" but at the same time, I was scratching my head, wondering what was wrong.

Steering was sensitive in PGR4, nearly impossible to pull off kudos tricks, and I felt I was much better with the controller. I'm sure with practice I can really learn how to use the wheel, and make the most of it, but my first impression was that of a gimmick.

I'll sit down with it more, but at the moment it's been rather dissapointing. Throw me some pointers if you are familiar with these wheels.

Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Tom Clancy lovers rejoice. Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 is an excellent addition to the restart of the series. Unfortunately for $62.99, it only adds a new story, some great co-op, new maps and fun distraction in the experience system. Don't get me wrong, the game is deserving of the high marks it has received, and if you love tactical shooters this is the grand daddy of them.

Though in Vegas 2, you can't help but feel as if, nothing has REALLY changed. Weapons are pretty much the same, with the additions of new models such as the MP7. Multiplayer maps are newer, but some favorites are brought back. The story mode benefits from co-op, but no so much from an intriguing story (terrorists, wmd's blah blah). Vegas 2 is more or less a beefy expansion pack, than a full fledged sequel.

While playing through the game, I get the feeling that I could have paid $30 dollars for a new campaign, new weapons and new maps. There is a slight graphics upgrade, and as always the bright neon slot machines provide an glitzy backdrop for firefights, but game play improvements seem minimal. Besides the addition of a full co-op mode, and the experience system, it's pretty much just Vegas 1 with a big 2 slapped on the cover.

Though it does come through on the multi-player again, and god knows that's where most everyone will spend the majority of their Vegas 2 time. So in short for skeptics, if you kinda liked Vegas 1, there is plenty to love in Vegas 2, just don't expect a huge difference. For FPS and Vegas 1 fans, Vegas 2 is a great game, and you will not be disappointed. I just can't help but wonder if Ubisoft Montreal knew they were making a glorified expansion pack, rather than taking some risks with the series.

Any who, don't let my musings over the game distract you, it's a great game that delivers on what it promises, but definately could have benefitted from trying to take the series forward, rather than play it safe. I'm sure Vegas 3 will shut me up in 09.

Dissapointments in early 08:

Looking at you Devil May Cry 4. DMC4 just didn't hold my interest last month. I'm yet to beat it, and I'm sure that beating it will change my opinion, but when a game can't keep my interest, it's rather sad. Here I am paying $62.99 for something that didn't really earn the amount I paid. I got tired of back tracking, I got tired of mashing the same combo's over and over, and I really didn't care for the repeat boss fights. I appreciate the Devil May Cry series but DMC4 just didn't deliver to me the way I thought it would. I will beat the game though, and will post my after thoughts if my opinion changes.

Lost Odyssey, what the heck? I love this game, absolutely love it. So why am I dissapointed? I've often chastized Blu-Ray for gaming but I think LO is an example of a game that could benefit from the larger storage. Each disc is about 10 hours long, and that's it. So while I am playing an epic RPG, I was blowing through discs faster than I imagined, making it a little less epic. I'm not disappointed at LO's game play, but more so its ability to be epic, yet not so epic.

Smash Brothers Brawl ONLINE, seriously, I'm really tired of punching the white bag for 15 minutes, only to find out I am being disconnected. I am unsure of the details, and hate to outright blame Nintendo, but I feel they dropped the ball with the online play. It's not working properly, and you can't use the best features in the game. No leaderboards? Brawl codes? No stock matches for random games? Comon! I might as well invite everyone over instead, maybe Nintendo is promoting being social by not following through on their promise of a capable online service? Oh here's the kicker, with no real means of communication, stories around campus surfaced that people are using Halo 3/COD4 party lobbies to make up for Brawl inadequacies. Hilarious.

2008 Suprises!

OMG, Liek you HAZ to chaek out Da CLUB! No super cereal here, the inner Contra geek in me loved this game. Imagine if you had to race a PGR lap, but beat the time limit, while shooting everyone in sight, and earning kudos at the same time. Bizzarre Creations delivered with this title, especially if you are dying for some old school "gotta get the high score action." It could use a fresh coat of polish, but I like what I played and I hope to see another in the future.

Blu Ray! Hey remember when I didn't care for you? Well you see, my girlfriends dad got a 57 in ( i think could be wrong) HDTV, and we mounted it and it's like you know, so cool and he like totally got this blu ray player and I watche 300 on it and I take back all the mean things I said. So I gotta say, thank you for winning the HD format war so I can finally purchase my PS3 and enjoy games and movies without hearing my idiot fanboy manager rave about how "HD DVD IS OUT SELLING BLU RAY IN ALABAMA!" Let's call it even Blu buddy, just prove yourself in my games now and I'll buy you a coke...

Gamespot for keeping it going. After a terrible end to 2007, I still use Gamespot as my main source of gaming news. I don't mind the review delays so much, but as a budding journalist myself, I know how hard it can be to handle so many stories, on such a short deadline. Here's to you and I hope that 08 tides better for you guys.

0087 1958 8839

Make sure you PM me or comment if you are going to add me so I can add you.

Silly Nintendo, hopefully all this online stuff ends soon.

I'm currently a Bachelor of Inter-studies at my college. It's a degree designed by me, to fit my needs, that the university could not meet. I wanted to be an advertiser, but hated it, I wanted to be a journalist, but learned the horrible truth. Print journalism is dying. Both my parents are journalists, and thier advice to me when I told them I would be following the family trade, "learn the web."

So that's what I'm doing. My degree is Journalism, Information Systems and Sociology of the Internet. What a mouthful. With this degree I have created, I want to write for newspapers, magazines, and focus on getting content on-line. Recently I have been writing articles for my journalism classes that have almost been published in our school paper. I have been writing for System Wars Monthly, a fan zine in the community. I write silly reviews and post them on this site and N4G, in hopes maybe someone will read them. I write because I love to.

Wednesday I get my first chance to get published, in print. With the days leading up to the interview, I have been having thoughts about what I really want to do with journalism. Do I really want to interview politicians, or businessmen? No, no I want to review games. I want to preview them, I want to share my opinion and let people disagree with me. I want to piss off fan boys, and I want to be that jerk that says "I know something about Halo 5, but I am under license not to talk about it." Gamespot/IGN/1up/EGM/any mag editor. I want to take your job.

So how does one do that? Well you need experience....I'm sunk. Well not really. Today I got hatching a plan, I think I'm going to start a gaming journalism club at my university. Gather like minded individuals, who want the same goal as me, and publish the first gaming news-magazine in the history of our school. Distribute it at the local Gamestops, and in the school all free of charge. It may not be successful, but if 100 people read at least two pages and hate it, then maybe it was all worth it because they still read it.

Who knows how this project will go, and with how busy school and work have been, I just hope that I can find time to bring it alive. I seriously think it's possible and I know that I'm not the only one who wants to do this sort of journalism.