Gaming by GlossGreen

Now this it truly amazing. Beta keys have been around a quite a while now and are used to help drum up support for an upcoming title, I don't think I've ever seen a beta as in demand as this one is. Why is this particular beta so sought after? I have seen no fewer then 6 different sites giving betas out in the last week, and all have been swamped. It isn't that LittleBigPlanet is a completely original idea. Forge in Halo 3, Dungeon Creator and RPG Maker all had a similar idea, but those attempts pale in comparison to this one. LittleBigPlanet is a title where, in fact, you get to create the game itself. How? By providing you with robust tools and numberous customization options, you are able to design and build your own game levels. Of course, if you so choose, you could just play the levels designed by the developers. But, where is the fun in that?

Now I'm not a really creative person, and designing is not my forte, but damned if I don't want this game too. Why? I don't know really, it's just a little hard to explain. Gimme a second to collect my thoughts on this one. OK, here goes. This game is all about using the imagination that you have. You are not required to have advanced degrees in game design or computer graphics to succeed here. All you need is a vision and the perseverance to make it happen, and frankly, it all boils down to having fun. From what I understand, having fun is pretty easy to do. Just take a look this. Even Adam seemed surprised at what he saw.

Now, it's not all about using the textures and objects that are included in the game itself. You can add whatever you want to the game, and it's only limited by your imagination. Now here's a video that any Xbox owner can relate to. I just love the warthog.

Having the tools and an imagination is not enough in itself to guarantee a game is going to be successful. It has to control well, have a learning curve that isn't too difficult, be fun, and having a bit of personality helps too. That's why I like this next video. This is a short section at the beginning of the game, the tutorial level as it is.

Media Molecule could have made a boring start like many games have done previously, instead, what they do is make you instantly part of the experience. Even though you play through the opening credits, you are getting an opportunity to become familiar with the controls. Not that there is much in the way of controls to grasp. You have run and jump, at least in the beginning. This is very much a pick up and play game.

As we've seen, this game is a little different from the norm. There are no violent deaths with spurts of blood. There are no bullets. And no one is going to cut off an appendage. There may be very little violence in LittleBigPlanet, but, with a game like this, you won't miss it.

By GlossGreen

Ah, vacation. That magic word that makes all the stress disappear - if only for a short time. This time for me was 26 days. 26 days of relaxation, fun, and...cleaning the house. Alright, 2 out of 3 isn't bad, and it very well could have been. I think overall this was a pretty good vacation. I admit, it would have been better if we weren't still unpacking the house, or if we did get away for a while, but we can't have everything. So what did I do during my time off? Lots of stuff.

One of the biggest priorities the family and I had for this month was unpacking the house and setting up my wife's studio in the basement. See, she has a tiny bit of artistic talent and really needs her own space to practice her skills. But only a tiny amount of talent? Actually, she has more creativity in her little finger than I have in my entire body. Luckily for my daughter, she inherited her mother's artistic vision. All she got from me was her interest in gaming. I guess it could have been worse, she didn't get my sense of humor. Back to the story, we have the studio almost done. We just have to buy a couple of bookshelves and move a few boxes around, and generally get the space in order. Almost there.

As far as me, I got really lucky this vacation. Right around the beginning of my time off I received a little gift from good ol' Uncle Sam in the form of my tax return and stimulus money. I, of course, had to be a good American and purchase a good ol' American product. I had my eye on a couple of different things, but I finally decided on what to get. I ended up buying an Xbox 360 Elite with Mass Effect, a good purchase in my mind and one I don't regret making. Since then I've downloaded a few demos and games from Live, got about half the achievements in Mass Effect, and generally enjoyed the 360 experience. I didn't neglect my PS3 during this time though. I also got to experience the whole firmware update 2.40 thing. I do currently have the update on my PS3, and luckily, have had no problems with it. Already, I've managed to get almost as many trophies as I do achievements. Not too bad for just starting out.

I've also spend a little bit of time catching up with some of my favorite shows. I love That 70's Show. I've even managed to watch a bit of The Family Guy (although I like American Dad better). But the one show I most enjoy? That would have to be Red Vs Blue, I'm up to the beginning of season 5 now. The humor and dialog in that series is great. When I was watching it I couldn't help but laugh, my daughter would just look at me confused when that happened. I'm so hooked on the show I sometimes catch myself talking as Vic/Vic Jr. or Caboose. My wife just looks at me and tells me I'm strange when that happens.

It's been too long since I'd taken time off. I didn't do a whole lot, but I still managed to have a good time. I got a new game system. I let my daughter have the storage shed and make it into a club house. I helped to set-up the actual house. I even got out of the house once. I went to the lake with my daughter and took a few pictures. Vacations are great, I can't wait for the next one.

If you don't know what the above numbers signify, then you are not a gamer. Those three little numbers have been all over the internet for the last couple of weeks, and with good reason. See, those numbers are the reference for the next PS3 firmware update, live today. Now why is this update so important? Because Sony is finally trying to level the playing field against Live.

The true importance of this update is two-fold. For the first time, we are able to access the XMB while in a game. This is a very significant event. Now, instead of having to leave the game to adjust Bluetooth headset options or check out that message that your buddy just sent you. Part of having access to the XMB is also the addition of custom soundtracks. To me this is very interesting. No, not because I want to use the feature (I don't have any music on my PS3), but because a couple of months ago Ripten reported that Microsoft holds a patent for in-game custom soundtracks. I guess they don't own this method.

Second, (and just as important for some people) is the addition of achievements, or as 2.40 refers to them, trophies. After downloading and installing the firmware update and the update for Super Stardust HD (which took about 45 minutes total) I was able to try and get a trophy. It didn't take me long, I managed to snag the Tokenizer trophy. The trophy message pops up in the upper right hand side of the screen, a little more unobtrusively then the bottom center placement of achievements. Supposedly there is a noise to accompany it, but with the SSHD soundtrack as frantic as it is, I couldn't hear it. Looking at the trophy list itself in the XMB, listed are the names of the trophies and a description of how to get them. After you unlock a trophy a picture and the date and time information from when it was unlocked are added. An interesting feature to add, to be sure. Now taking a look at this update, I have a question. Will this be enough to compete with Live?

Then answer? It's a step in the right direction. There are still several additions that need to be made in order to be on the same playing field as Live. Cross game chat and invites are probably the biggest faults right now. But, I have no doubt that those features will be added very soon. Sony says it's taking it's update cues from the consumer. If there is a feature you want to see, tell them. Tell your friends to tell them. Tell your forums to tell them. Tell everybody to tell them.

Now tell me, what is the feature - that didn't make it in this update - would you most like to see and why?

Yes, it's that time of year again. E3 may not be the blockbuster gaming event that it was just a few years back, but it still holds a lot of sway with game developers and publishers. How do we know this? All these damn stories about how a "secret" will be revealed at E3 statements that are being released by everyone, their mother, and the kid down the street. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of seeing them.

I'm of the mindset that if you want gamers to get excited about your product, tell them about it, don't tease them. I know, sounds like a hard concept to grasp right? Well, I hate to break it to the game makers and the gaming press, but if they can't figure that out they are stupid. Take this event from Blizzard that's been getting a ton of press lately. I don't know what your take on this might be, so I'll just give you mine. It's ice. From a company named Blizzard. No challenge there to figure out. If it is about a game then they need to spit it out instead of dragging it out. This what-ever-it-is image seems to be advancing day by day. To what? Honestly, at this point I really don't care.

Here's a good one from the fantastic folks at Microsoft courtesy of MCVUK.com:

European VP of strategic marketing for interactive entertainment at Microsoft EMEA David Gosen has told MCV that the platform holder will unveil some ‘fantastic surprises’ at E3 this year as it steps up its efforts in the mass market space.

"We’re always working on new things, and you'll continue to hear lots from us that we believe will be game-changing," he told MCV.

That's a pretty bold statement...About absolutely nothing. What is going to be "game-changing"? How about those "fantastic surprises" and "new things". Could it be an announcement featuring Halo Chronicles? I know, how about the theorized code-named Newton controller we've all heard about? My bet is on an announcement about a new hardware SKU or possibly a price cut. Then again it could be none of those things, and probably, nothing that any of us would give a damn about.

Sony most definitely is not immune to hyping themselves up either. The big talk with the Big S is all about Home and firmware update 2.40. As Sony's answer to Live and Achievements the question has to be asked: Will they be worth the wait, and the hype. The problem is that hype can (and frequently does) backfire, just reference the PS3's launch and first year. And there is always the risk that the next big thing that is getting plugged could actually end up being the next Ninjabread Man or some other load of crap.

This time of year has always been full of marketing garbage and shit talking, and I don't see it changing anytime in the near (or far) future. Game makers will always try to peddle their wares, but without telling us the details, how do they expect to sell it to us? I know everyone wants to make a big deal out of their hard work by manufacturing their announcement into a media event. My opinion: Give us the damn info and let us make up our own mind without the force feeding of crap to go with it.

Two days ago I finally bought an Xbox 360. I had been thinking about picking one up for quite a while, but like many, I had my reservations. Obviously, I don't have any reservations now and I bought an Elite on Monday. I went to the store by myself, chose the game I wanted, paid for it and went home. After I got home I let my daughter see what I bought thinking that she'd be excited to have a new system in the house. Boy was I wrong. Before I even had a chance to open the box my sweet, innocent, and carefree daughter was criticizing my decision to pick one up. OK, I've dealt with fanboys on the internet before. I usually respond by spouting logic and then ignoring them, kinda hard to do in this case.

See, here's the thing. I think this is all my fault. No, I'm not a Sony fanboy myself, although for the past several years the only systems I've owned have been of the Sony variety. In 2002 I bought a PS2 for myself. At the same time I bought a Game Boy Advance for my daughter. She was 5 or 6 at the time and not really into videogames as much as she is now. She would watch me play and pick up a controller every once in a while herself, but she didn't really have the skills to have fun gaming. A few years back all that changed.

Starting in 2006 things became different. My daughter was getting more and more active in playing games and more demanding to have more time to play. It got to be so bad that she would try to take the controller out of my hands, not that that actually worked. I finally gave in and sent my PS2 to the dark and dangerous region of the house known as "her room". After that, my daughter's interest in gaming went through the roof. She, like me, would spend hours playing games. She would play games like, Spyro, The Sims, and Kingdom Hearts all day and love it. Last year she kept bugging me to get games like Okami and Psychonauts for her, she knows creativity and quality in games when she sees it. And that trend continued up to a few months ago when I got my PS3.

Now, my daughter hasn't had the interest for the PS3 as much as she has for the old system (which miraculously still works after 6 years). Sure, she enjoys games like Uncharted, but of course, the PS3 resides in the living room and under my control, unlike her PS2. How is this teaching her bias against other systems? Remember, I said I bought her a Game Boy Advance right? Well, she never had any interest in that. We never had an Xbox (until now) or any Nintendo systems in the house during her lifetime. Sega systems are just as unknown to her. So she is biased on the basis of not having experienced anything else.

I don't have anything against Microsoft. Really, I don't. I just never thought too much of the original Xbox. And with the RRoD crisis I really didn't think too highly of the 360 either. This never stopped me from believing that both systems had great games though, the hardware just never impressed me. I think it was this attitude that my daughter has latched on to and adopted as her own. This attitude was laid bare when my wife asked me why I had to own all the systems in the current generation and how the 360 was different from the PS3. Before I had a chance to answer my daughter blurts out that the PS3 is better then the 360 in every way. She went on to criticize the game box saying that she couldn't even stand to look at the color. At that point I managed to get a word in edgewise and try to air my opinion of the 360. I explained to my wife that the games are different. Each system has exclusive games that I can't get for the other and that is why I had to buy both. This seemed to satisfy my wife, but I don't know if my daughter understood.

See, I have to teach her the way of the true gamer. It's not about the hardware and it never should have been. It's all about the games. The hardware is just a means to play great software, and the software is what it's all about. Next month or so (after my funds are replenished) I may pick up a game or two for the 360 that'll interest her. Maybe Halo would be a good choice. After all, blowing something up on the PS3 is just like blowing something up on the 360, it's all fun.

Shane Kim is confident and not afraid to speak his mind. We all know this because the guy loves to talk about the 360 and Microsoft Games Studio. He also tends to give out great quotes and sound bites. Reading an interview with Mr. Kim recently one of these quotes caught my eye and I just had to throw my 2 cents in about it.

"In no way would I say that Halo, or what we know of Halo today, is the peak of what’s possible. Far from it. It’s another benchmark, another milestone to exceed in the future.”

There's no doubt that Mr. Kim has a lot of confidence in his company and developers. It is also no secret that Microsoft has quite a few excellent game studios under it's umbrella. What is missing though, is just how Microsoft can top the biggest franchise - and the reason they're in the black - it's had? Ever.

“But if you look at the initial success of Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox 360, that’s been super, and we have exclusive [DLC] content coming too. Gears of War 2 is going to be huge, Fable 2 is going to be huge."

I have no doubt that GTA IV and all the other games coming out in the next few months will be impressive for the 360, where my doubts lie is in the success of these titles compared to Halo 3. Collectively, the Halo franchise has sold more than 20 million copies and counting. Looking at the upcoming line-up, I don't see the possibility of any of those titles achieving that kind of success.

I know I'm just the average gamer, but I don't see the possibility of sales number like those seen for the Halo titles ever happening for the 360 again. I know that Gears Of War 2 and Too Human will be big titles as well as the eventual Mass Effect 2, but there's nothing coming that has the immediate pull of a Halo title. Even with Halo Wars coming out sometime in the future, I don't think the old Halo magic will be there. Mr. Kim says it himself here:

“So I don’t know. I believe that we’re going to have just as big of a year in terms of content on Xbox 360. Maybe we don’t have a particular exclusive that’s as big as Halo 3, but I do think that Gears 2 and Fable 2 will be really big hits.”

Big hits? Sure. Bigger than Halo? Not a chance. I think what I'm getting around to here is that the possibility exists that the 360 has already peaked. Hardware sales are slowing in North America and virtually nonexistent in Japan. Rumor is now that the Xbox has another price cut coming or the possible announcement of a new hardware configuration out of E3. Either way, expect sales to increase in the short term. Long term, though? The Wii will own hardware sales, and with Sony bringing out it's big guns in late 08 and early 09 expect to see the 360's attach rate drop from that magic 7.7 number that they are touting today.

This is by no means the end of the 360. There are still several years to go in the life cycle for this Microsoft console. Just don't expect it to last in the marketplace as long as Sony's machine. On the good side, the 360 will definitely outlive the Wii.

The Aftermath

Well, holy crap. That was a pain in the ass. Sorry to cuss like this, I just feel the need to release my frustration some how. Cussing just seemed like a good way to do it. It's been a long time coming, but I'm finally settled into my new place. Even though I still have a lot of unpacking to do, the most important things are done. The bed is together, the TV and PS3 are set up, and (of course) the internet is set-up. Yes this is my first time really going on-line in weeks. Weeks people!

How did I stay sane? I have two things to thank for anchoring me to reality, my PS3 and PSP. I'm really impressed by the capabilities of both machines. I've been pretty much playing my PSP everyday. Well, I had to take Mother's Day off. Had to treat the wife. Other then that, a few minutes to a couple of hours a day were devoted to my black beauties. Crisis Core is a great game (Adam Sessler is still the man, even if he is wrong about it) and I've even played a bit of Lost Planet, pretty fun game, too. One thing I have been doing more though is the video aspect of both machines.

I'm pretty excited about the future of the Blu-Ray disc. Every week there are more and more great movies being released for the format. It is kinda depressing seeing the almost non-existent HD-DVD section these days, but like a car accident, I can't help but look. The store I frequent has a smaller selection of HD-DVDs then they have for UMD. If that isn't the end, what is? I know we'll be seeing the format around for at least a few more months, after that we'll only be seeing them in history books and yard sales. Maybe not history books, but probably video and gaming magazines and web sites doing a retrospective.

Spending almost all of the day with two other people (family members at that) in one very small room is stressful to say the least. Part of that kept us from tearing out each others throats was compromising about what to do each night. Due to a generous gesture on my part, I limited my PS3 use to once every few days. We ended watching a lot of movies, seeing quite a few good ones at that. For those of you that haven't yet, watch The Mist. The ending is perfectly Steven King. I still have the Blu-Ray version of The Rock to see, maybe tonight is the night. That is if I can pry myself away from The 4400. We did also end up getting out of the place once or twice. A couple of nights ago my daughter and I went to see Iron Man. All I'll say is, if you like action movies with a bit of humor and heart, then you have to see this movie.

Time to go, I've got the internet to catch up on.

There is one thing I hate to do above all others. One thing that just turns my ordinary life completely upside down. One thing that I would rather get a root canal than have to do. Moving. I've already done it twice in two years, this makes number 3. With the job I have I tend to move around at an irregular interval. I was at this place for 10 months, the previous for 13, and before that for 4 years. With this move I'm hoping to regain the former stability that I had. Here's hoping for the best.

As a gamer, moving completely blows too, more so this time. I have to be out of my current residence by the 17th, but my new employer provided residence won't be ready for possibly 2 weeks after that. Even after that it'll probably take a couple of days to activate the internet for the new place. When I say new, I mean that the place has just been built and we'll be the first residents. In the meantime, that means that my family and I will have to live out of a hotel. That is going to suck. Here in our current apartment, everyone has a place they could hang out in. My wife has her office/art room, my daughter has her bedroom, and I generally get the run of the living room (with the TV and PS3). Living out of a hotel is going to put all that out of whack. I don't know what the temp place is going to be like, but if it's anything like every other hotel I've been in (usually the one room affair with two beds), I'm screwed.

See, my wife really isn't into gaming. She does play games every now and then. Mostly what she plays are flash games on her computer. I've only got her to play one game on the PS3, and that was flOw. The only reason she played that was because it was so different from the rest of what I have. I only hope that there is a desk in the hotel room, because if that's the case I'll be able to hook up her computer and maybe, just maybe, be able to get some use out of my console. Hell yes I'm taking it with me. I know that the movers are professionals and all, but I will never trust them with my very expensive electronics.

I could possibly be in luck though. My wife has shown an interest in Assassin's Creed, based on what she's read of it online. Maybe I can entice her into playing a bit of it. I have no problem watching her play the game and have fun. Another possibility is the fact that I only have one controller, but with the Dual Shock 3 having just released I can pick one up and talk her into playing a little multiplayer with me. Well, maybe not. On the positive side, at least with my PS3 I'll have a DVD and Blu-ray player with me. Movies for the win.

Part 4

Finishing up my entirely too long series of posts on the history of gaming we arrive at the last generation. This generation, as have previous ones, had a significant impact during their time and will continue to have lasting effects for the future of console gaming. The true effects of these innovations may not be seen for years to come, but expect to see new and impressive ideas continue to arrive in this and the future generations.

This brings us to the current and seventh generation (2004-). This generation is marked by interesting changes to every console. As console manufacturing and competition became more intense, the field dropped down to 3 combatants. First out the gate was Microsoft with the Xbox 360. While adding more advanced hardware to it's console, the true reason for The 360's success has to lie with one of it's previous innovations. Live has proven to be king of online console gaming and has become the de facto standard for the industry. A standard that Sony, and to a much lesser extent, Nintendo have scrambled to emulate.

Both the Wii and the PlayStation 3 were released about a year after the 360 to widely different degrees of success. The PlayStation 3 was next out the gate, with a couple of features hidden up it's sleeve. The first was the inclusion of Blu-ray support for gaming and movies. Another was the inclusion of a consumer swappable harddrive, to compete with the 360's more expensive proprietary model. Sales of the PS3 were initially promising, but due to the consoles high price, soon began to slip. The next generation Nintendo console, the Wii, was released two days later. When announced, this console wasn't given much of a chance to succeed. They had an unusual and untested control scheme and a plan to target the casual market. The Wii immediately became a hit. With the novel controls and a low price (released at half the cost of the PS3 and $50 less then the 360 Core, $150 less then the 360 Premium). In the short term, Nintendo's gamble has paid off. In the long term, it remains to be seen if the Wii can continue to fend of the 360 and the PS3.

The handhelds also continued to change. The first release was the Nintendo DS in late 2004. The DS was similar in look to the previous SP model with one large exception. The clamshell design was similar, but the inclusion of a touch screen for input on the lower half was a major innovation. This touchscreen was activated by using a stylus, not unlike one found with PDAs. The DS would see a revision in mid 2006 known as the DS Lite. While the Lite has the same overall internal hardware as the original DS it did include brighter screen, extended battery life, and as the name suggests, smaller size and lighter weight. A few months after the original DS was released, Nintendo saw it's first serious handheld competitor in over 15 years.

Sony in early 2005 released a handheld console of their own, called the PlayStation portable. This is the first handheld system that has truly given Nintendo a run for their money. To compete with the DS, Sony included Wi-Fi connectivity to allow connections to other PSPs (something the DS can do) and internet browsing (something the DS can't do), an optical disc format, more powerful hardware (to provide near PS2 quality graphics), and the ability for firmware updates. Initial sales of Sony's new console were very strong, but due to a much higher price than the DS ($100 more) and the lack of a games library hurt PSP sales after the shortly after the launch. Recently the PSP underwent a DS style update by releasing a Slim and Lite model late last year. This redesign was not a significant change, but helped to reduce size, weight, improved loading times, and added the ability to output to a TV. Also, significant firmware updates improved the hardware's functionality and it's PS3 interactivity. Sales of the PSP are far behind sales of the DS, but recent numbers have shown a slowly shrinking gap in this regard.

As you can see, innovation has happened, to varying degrees of success, in every console in every generation. Sometimes that innovation hasn't been a hit or helped to see a console succeed. Sometimes it helps a console become a market leader. It's hard to tell what the future will bring, but based on what we've seen of the past, expect something innovative.

After looking through my past posts I noticed a little discrepancy. I have a lack of Wii or DS content on my blog. I don't have many Nintendo articles, I admit that, but it's not because I don't like the Wii or DS. I like Nintendo, I always have. I still have my NES. I've owned a Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, Super Nintendo, and N64. I think I lost my interest after I first saw the Gamecube. Gamecube? Really? Why did they have to make it with a handle? I know the idea, take it to your friends house, get them to play it, and convince them to buy one for themselves. Overall the Gamecube was OK, but other then first party games, there wasn't much there that was decent to play. Before you go all fanboy on me, I know that it did have some good third party games. They just didn't have as many great games as the PS2 or Xbox. I realize that the PS2 had a huge release lead on the Gamecube, but Nintendo didn't help things by having a proprietary format that wasn't much better than a cartridge and lack of DVD support. The reasoning? They were making a games machine not a set-top box.

I understand the logic, I really do. The problem with that logic though is that the consumer wanted a little bit more then what they've had previously. While the PS2 and the Xbox had DVD capabilities, online possibilities and catered to the older generations of gamers, Nintendo stuck to the decision to just make games. That's all good and well, but when you are relying on first party support and don't have much in the way of third party support, you are not going to get many games out there. What they did have were some great first party games (you know the ones, the Mario , Metroid and Zelda games with a few others) and a bunch of kid friendly third party titles. I have no problem with games targeting younger gamers, that's where my daughter started, but you are not going to get many hardcore gamers (the primary game buyers of the time) buying your system with a line-up for children. That seemed to be one of the fatal flaws for the Gamecube. I know it was the reason I didn't buy one.

Fast forward to the Wii (the Revolution name was so much cooler). Like I said before, I do like the stuff from Nintendo, but I have yet to buy a Wii. I do plan on getting one, it's on my list. See, here is the previously mentioned list.

1. Xbox 360
2. Wii
3. DS

I do have the 360 listed first, but that doesn't mean I'll buy it first. It was just the first one I added to my list. Actually, I'm really considering picking up a Wii with my tax return money (if I ever get off my ass and file that is). I haven't played a Mario game in years, Zelda has always been and always will be a favorite, and the Metroid series was a dark breath of fresh air in Nintendo's bright and shiny world. But...I am conflicted. I've been a fan of more adult games for many years now, and for that reason, the conflict. I really want to play Halo (1-3), BioShock, Mass Effect and Gears Of War, games of that type are what I have been playing on my systems since the PS1 days. I haven't been into platformers for many years, but I really want to give it a shot again. Hell, that's why I'm into gaming, to play fun and innovative games. I tend to get bored playing the same genres over and over again. I'm ready to play something other than first person shooters.

The only problems I see with Nintendo now are the same problems I've always had with them, with one new one. First, when are the next series of first party games coming out? What's next with Zelda, Mario, and Samus? I know that Galaxy was released just a couple of months back, as was a Zelda game and the Metroid one, but what is next? The gap between first party games must be shortened, or risk failure like the last generation console. Personally, I would love to see a new IP come out of the minds at Nintendo. Next problem, and the new one, Nintendo has to get a handle on all the crap third party games that are coming out on the Wii. Before it was always a problem with a lack of developer support, now the problem is that every third rate developer and publisher are rushing half-assed games to cash in on the Wii craze. This will be a huge problem if Nintendo doesn't work on it. Ninjabread Man anyone? Oh, by the way, it's getting a sequel.

You ever have one of those weeks that everything about it just sucked? Last week was that week for me. I had to work late several days, had to go in early several days, and I had to do it all while having the flu. I was feeling so bad and tired that gaming didn't even hold an interest for me. Not my PS3, my PSP, or even the couple of games on my cellphone. It was pure torture. I was finally able to get back into the gaming swing last night. I played the demo for Rocketmen: Axis of Evil and -one of my absolute PSN favorites- Super Stardust HD. I thought Rocketmen was pretty entertaining. Interesting story, easy to control (except that your character moves like molasses, and interesting weapons. I just gotta say, PSN is looking pretty damn good right now.

Over the last few months I've purchased, downloaded, and sampled a lot of stuff from PSN. I've bought several PS1 games (Medievil, Wild Arms, Castlevania), a couple of arcade classics (Gauntlet II, Rampage World Tour), a few PSN exclusives (Everyday Shooter, Fl0w, Calling All Cars, Pixel Junk Monsters, Super Stardust HD), downloaded several demos (Rocketmen: Axis of Evil, Lost Planet, Turok), downloaded quite a few movie trailers (Iron Man, Star Trek, Hancock, 21) and even a few game trailers (Haze: Origins trailer, Little Big Planet). What have I learned from all this activity? Sony really wants PSN to succeed. Has it? Not quite, but it's getting there.

Nobody can take the success that Live has had away from Microsoft. Sure, there have been some snags. That's bound to happen with any online enterprise. I think it's commendable what Live has accomplished. It went from being a place for hardcore gamers to play against each other to a fully functioning community. With features like accomplishments, downloadable games, movies, themes, and other content, Live has become the proverbial 800 pound gorilla. Nothing can stand in its way. Let me rephrase that, nothing has been able to stand in its way. I'm not saying that Live is perfect though, nothing is.

Sony definitely wants to take some of Live's thunder, and in order to do that some mighty big changes are in the works. First up will be the addition of in-game XMB. I don't expect to see the whole XMB in there, but having access to my friends list and some of the setting options would be great. Even better would be the ability to customize what parts of the XMB I want to see in-game. There may be an option or two that I want access to that someone else may not. For me, that would be ideal. Second will be the launch (this year or next) of Home. I think it'll be great to be able to invite your friends over to your pad, check out your trophies, maybe watch a video or play a game. Truly innovative stuff. Lastly is a rumored change to the PSN store itself. Personally, I don't care for the layout or controls for the store. One huge thing that needs to happen also is the integration of the store with the transaction options. It should be a no-brainer to want to make the purchase process as simple as possible. Going through 4 or 5 different menus of options is not easy, neither is having to leave the store to do it. For a handy Penny Arcade visual, check this out.

Hopefully Sony can drive up the interest in PSN and online gaming with the PS3 with these changes. The reason why I want to see PSN do well is the fact that competition drives innovation. Microsoft has been sitting on their laurels for a while, they need something to snap at their heels to bring the next great changes to online gaming. Why? Because if they don't, Sony will, and the gamers will win.

What's on Microsoft's mind lately? As I read through the gaming headlines over the last couple of days that was the question on my mind. I can't help but ask when I see that the PS3 outsold the 360 in February. Or when I see the drastic price cut in Europe, with a rumored one for the U.S. Is Microsoft desperate, or just playing a shrewd game to up their market share? I have no idea, and can only guess myself. But, I do know one thing. Microsoft has thrown down the gauntlet. What will they be doing next?

The first thing they need to do, which Microsoft has been addressing, is getting stock back into the stores. I know getting an Arcade or Pro is not that hard, they are both in stock at my local electronics store, it's getting an Elite that's the problem. If I'm going to buy a console, it's going to be the one with the most features and as future-proof as possible. Now I don't know how future-proof the 360 is without an HD player in it, but the Elite is the best we'll see this year. Microsoft hasn't been too concerned about their numbers as of late, well, some numbers at least. Microsoft says that the number of consoles they have sold (less then the PS3 for two months in a row) is a result of a great holiday season. Due to the fact that they sold more then expected in November and December meant a limited stock for post season sales. Now, how accurate is that statement? We'll never know, console manufacturers can be very...creative with the truth. That includes all the console makers, not just Microsoft.

Second, exclusives sell consoles. That has never been in doubt. Mario sells the Wii, Nathan has sold some PS3s, and Halo has sold one or two 360s. I know, it's probably more like 5 or 6. Microsoft has had some great exclusives in the past 2 years, and they have one or two coming this year and the next. With games like Alan Wake and Too Human coming out shortly, Microsoft is going to have a good year. I can't forget to mention the new DLC for Mass Effect. That is a huge title for Microsoft and will continue to be for years to come. The question is though, will it stay an exclusive? The same has been theorized for BioShock. I really don't think these two games will be going multi platform any time soon. Maybe we will see them ported in a couple of years, maybe not.

The last thing Microsoft needs to do to stay competitive is to maximize multi platform games on it's system. Grand Theft Auto IV is going to be a huge game for Microsoft, and they know it. They have spent a ton of money securing exclusive downloadable content for the game. They are betting that the lure of this DLC is going to be enough to ensure that the console of choice for GTA IV will be the 360. Now, the PS2 gave birth to the series (in it's modern form) and that is where a lot of loyalty lies with the game. Now, with the push for extra, exclusive content, we may see that change. Combine that with the fact that -for now- the 360 has more of an installed base, could make Microsoft the big winner with the latest GTA game. I would, honestly, not be surprised to see that happen. Just look at Call of Duty 4. It's still putting up huge numbers for the 360, much less in sales for the PS3. Eventually, the PS3 and 360 may have a closer installed base, but for now, the 360 is king.

What about the Wii you say? It is arguably the best selling console out there (with the DS) and absolutely in a class all it's own. Now, that won't change for a long time, but let's see what the numbers look like for the little white box next year. The one thing that always hurts Nintendo is the span between first party titles and the lack of good third party games. This generation looks to be even worse in that regard. Ninjabread Man is getting a sequel, need I say more? I still want to pick up a Wii of course. Being a gamer I can recognize the fact that there are some great games on that system, as there are on all the systems. Damn, I need a bigger budget.

However this fight turns out, it looks to be a great year for gamers. With plenty of exclusive content coming out this year and next, we will have plenty to keep us busy, I know I will be. I still have a stack of games to get through. I just managed to start Assassins Creed today, and I've owned it for over a month now. I'm not complaining though, I love to have great games sitting off in the wings waiting to be played. Heck, I even have a couple of PS2 games waiting to be cracked open. I need a vacation just to catch up.

Oh, so you think your significant other is the best thing since sliced bread, do you? Well, you are so wrong. I know, you have to disagree with me to keep yourself in the good graces of that other person, but we both know the truth. Deep down you do agree with me. Now, what the hell am I talking about here? Patience my friend. I will shortly reveal all.

OK, my gaming habit sometimes get me into trouble. OK, I get into trouble all the time. I forget appointments, forget to make dinner, forget to have a life. My wife knows all this about me, but she still loves me. How sweet, huh? Shut-up over there. Just read the damn story. If I wanted your opinion...OK, I know. I ask for opinions all the time. This time, just wait until the end. This is my life here I'm talking about. To continue, after being so rudely interrupted, my family (specifically my wife and daughter) decided to accompany me to the store today. It's one of those big stores that have a little bit of everything in it. We had to drive quite a ways to get there. What was so interesting there that I'd be away from my beloved game console for several hours (all at once, in the same day even)? Why, videogames of course.

That wasn't the only thing I went there for, but of course, being a gamer that's what I tend to focus on. This store was pretty nice. Lots of clothes, books, household cleaners, you know the types of stuff. My favorite. The electronics section. I love to see all the movies, TVs, and the gaming stuff there. There is one problem with all this stuff though. I want it all and have no budget for it. Gaming by GlossGreen is a non-profit organization. No, I am not a charity (although I have been referred to as a charity case), and I do have a real job where I earn real money. I'd starve if I had to rely on my writing. But enough about me. As the title suggests, this is about my better half. Why better? Because she does stuff like this:

A couple of months ago, after having to put up with a friend of hers (usually a nice girl, but a pain in the but on this trip) she let me get a PS3. Out of the blue. Just like that. I know she did it to try to make it up to me, but i probably would have settled for a movie. Today, after driving for hours, pretending to be a tour guide (don't try that people, especially when it's dark), we finally got to the place we were trying to get to. This is after I got us lost more than a couple of times. And no, I didn't ask for directions. Usually this would make the non-driving person a little irritated. Not the wife, at least not this time. So, we get into the store and start looking around. We find a lot of stuff to send the family (ie...late Christmas, birthday presents. I know, I suck), we finally make it over to the electronic section. Here's were she really started to shine.

First, my 12 year old daughter decides that she wants to get into WoW. My wife didn't have a problem with that. Now looking at this situation, I'm a little cautious. Do I really want my daughter to do that. She's already pale enough. She'll practically glow if she doesn't get more sun soon. I know first hand about not being able to quit a game. Now how about a game that doesn't end...ever. OK, so we tell her we will check out the subscription costs and see about getting the game for her. We'll probably let her get it though (shh, just don't tell her yet). Next, we start walking by the console games section. I look around, check out a few things. No new PS3 games I want to get. Only the Pro and Arcade 360s, no go there. PS2 games don't look interesting. DS? Um, no. Now, the PSP. I jokingly ask my wife if I could get one. She paused, thinks about it, and remains uncommitted. We start walking away. That's when I ask her how much I can spend there (a couple of movies did manage to catch my eye). At that point she turns around. She looks at me, and says a few fateful words. "You can get it if you want to." I just stood there kinda surprised for a couple of seconds. My next response was brilliant. "Really?" She at that point stated that I was an adult and could do what I wanted. I asked my thought provoking question again, only to have her say, "If you want it, go ahead". So, I got my PSP today.

Looking back on the last few years, I see how supportive of my unfortunate addiction she has been. Through the Nintendo Entertainment System collecting time, to the PS1 years, getting a replacement Atari 2600 for the one I lost as a kid, to the PS2 years, on to PC gaming, and now the PS3 decade. Add to that, my new PSP, and I see a hell of a lot of support for my money and time bleeding habit. After we get our tax return back, I have no doubt, that she'll be willing to let me get a 360 (as long as it's an Elite, or whatever the new model will be) to sit beside my PS3. My only question now? What is she going to want from me when she cashes in this manhole sized marker?

Update: To see what I think about my shiny new PSP check this out.

Tax Return Season.

Well, it's that special time of the year again. Tax Return Time! Have you done your taxes like a good little taxpayer should? No, not yet? Well, me neither, so don't feel bad. Note for all you under 18s out there: Don't worry, you'll be paying taxes like a good upstanding citizen soon, too. Just don't be like Wesley Snipes or Leona Helmsley. Or even worse...Al Capone. Don't know who they are? Read a book. Since I expect great riches back from the government of the U.S. of A. I have a nice long list of games and hardware to buy (by "great riches" I mean enough to help expand my little operation here). WARNING: List to follow. Probably boring.

2008 is shaping up to be a fantastic year to be a gamer. Every time I go online I see another great game that I want to get. The number of games on my want list is getting very long indeed (and quite costly). Starting with my current console of choice (choice because it's the only one I have right now), here are some of my most wanted PS3 games.

Where to start? I guess the beginning would be a good place, such as early '08. First up on my list is Turok. Why? Because I'm a fan of the original N64 games, and maybe if I buy the whole game my daughter will stop playing the demo incessantly, and of course, I'll get to shoot dinosaurs. I know this game is out now, but due to lack of an operating budget here at Gaming by GlossGreen I'll just have to suck it up and wait. OK government, when I file I expect my money post haste. Pronto. Immediately. Now. Alright, I made my point clear. Looking at the next few months just makes my mouth water. I HAVE to get the Dual Shock 3 in April. I have no choice in this. I had it for my other PlayStation consoles, so why couldn't I have it with this new one? By finally releasing this controller Sony is just bringing the balance back to the force. Maybe this lone move will put Sony back into the average gamers good graces. I'll keep my eyes open for that one, but holding my breath is out of the question. I love first person shooters, so I have to add Haze and Turning Point: Fall Of Liberty to my list. This origins trailer has completely sold me on Haze. Prototype is also shaping up to be one interesting game (the character himself has me intrigued). As far at the end of '08 goes, I'm looking forward to Resistance 2 (for obvious reasons), Dead Space (survival horror in space. SPACE!), and LEGO Batman (I just loved the LEGO Star Wars games). Oh, and a couple of small endeavors called Home and Little Big Planet. I don't have to explain those two, do I?

Next up, the Xbox 360. I have one problem with my list for Xbox games. Specifically, I don't have an Xbox yet. So...that is obviously first on my list. As for games, again, I have to start at the beginning. Unlike the PS3, the Xbox beginning for me would have to be 2001, not this year. Since I have yet to play (with the exception of a brief try of Halo 1) any Xbox games, I would need to start there. I do have a number of the original Xbox games on my list that are must buys. But where to start? The Halo series is an obvious first choice. From there I'll just have to experiment and see what more I need to get. I won't talk about the other originals I want here. I'll primarily stick with the 360 games in this post. Now, as far as those 360 games I was talking about, I have to start with the no-brainers, specifically Halo 3, Gears Of War, BioShock and Mass Effect. I know there are many others, but those few will definitely satisfy me to start with. As far as the new games coming this year, I have to go with Halo Wars (duh), Fable 2 (have to get number 1 also), Too Human (if it makes '08), and maybe that Ninja Whatwhosits sequel, you know the one I'm talking about. Oh, there are a ton of other ones, too that I've forgotten to mention. Plus, I know my knowledge on past 360 and Xbox games is a little less then my PS3 understanding, but I promise to study hard and improve (as soon as Microsoft gets in gear and starts selling Elites again).

Yes, I even have some Wii games on my list. And yes, I have to buy one of those darn things too. So, how am I going to convince my wife I need a Wii in addition to a 360? I'll have to think of something creative and daring (or just buy it and show her after I set it up). As far as the games go, I'm a huge (HUGE!) Mario and Samus fan. Those original games for the Nintendo Entertainment System were some of the best gaming memories of my childhood (I have them in my closet to this day), so all the games that I don't have already are all on my list. Yes, that includes the Gamecube games. I also may give the Wii play and Wii sports games a shot. I hear they are good for physical therapy type stuff, and my shoulder definitely could use a workout. I promise to film myself and post any embarrassing videos here. No, I definitely won't break my TV (as previously stated, I have no replacement budget). Oh, and if what I'm hearing is true, I wouldn't mind trying a little Bionic Commando on the Wii either. A very interesting rumor indeed.

Finally, I have to throw out my wants for the handheld type stuff. I will definitely get a PSP. As far as a DS goes, I'll just have to see (the brain age stuff looks interesting). Why a PSP? Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core. I stated above that I'm a huge fan of a couple of familiar Nintendo characters, well, my interest in those games pale by comparison to the Final Fantasy universe (honestly, VII started my on this path and the older games just reinforced it). If I get no other game for that system, I'll be happy. Of course, I'll get more than just that one, I just have to read up a little more on the games. Handhelds are something that I have (unfairly) ignored as of late. In years gone by, I did own and play a Gameboy, and even a Sega Game Gear. I loved both of those systems and I look forward to trying the newest gaming toys.

I know, I probably didn't mention your favorite game. To be honest, this post would be twice as long if I really wrote everything I wanted. Lists by people tend to be boring and suck, but it's kind of a requirement for any gaming outlet to do at least one. Here is my one shot at it, although I can't promise that I won't do another one for an actual holiday (like the one preceding the 2009 gaming season). Do me a favor though. Tell me what you want and why, specifically any Xbox or Wii games that have you interested. I promise, I won't call you names or think less of you for wanting Ninjabread Man 2. I may give you a funny look though.

And Speculation.

Last month I gave my thoughts on the upcoming year for all the consoles. I thought the PS3 and 360 could have a strong year. I also wrote that I thought the Wii was on shaky ground. Now we are hearing news and speculation from some of the other media outlets. Was I on the right track? Will the PS3 make a comeback? Can the Wii maintain it's momentum? Let's see what the experts are saying.

First up with the big announcements is EA. We all know EA is fond of making grand statements with regards to its competitors and partners. So them coming out with a statement from left field is nothing new. This is what they had to say about the coming year. EA thinks that the Wii will stay on top in 08, not much of a surprise there with the Wii's current sales figures. What is surprising is EA's prediction that the PS3 will outsell the 360 in the upcoming year. But, should that really be surprising at all? According to sarcasticgamer.com, the PS3 has already outsold the 360. Check out their article to see how they came up with the numbers.

If what they say is true, the PS3 outsold the 360 by 1.53 million in 07. If that comes as a surprise to you, join the club. All we've heard this year is how the 360 is trouncing the PS3. Are we being lied to or is this just something that no one has really paid any attention to? If it's a case of the first, I get that. Microsoft definitely does not want this to get out. But, if it's a case of the second, now that's a problem. We all know the ignorance the mainstream media has in regards to videogames, but what about the typical gaming media outlets? Why is this being reported only by sarcasticgamer.com? Are they way off base, or are they onto a story that has yet to break big? Definitely something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

As far as the Wii goes though, EA's assessment is not the only one out there. Microsoft has it's own ideas. Jeff Bell of Microsoft has said that the Wii is kinda like a gateway device to the world of gaming. His thoughts are that the Wii is getting people into gaming that may not have thought about owning a console before. Unfortunately for Nintendo, Microsoft doesn't think people will stick with it for the long haul, and will be looking for a new system when they grow out of the Wii. This is simplifying Jeff's statements quite a bit. Read the full interview with him here. Does his theory hold water? In a way it does. The theory of the Nintendo bubble bursting has been making its rounds on the internet lately and has been getting a lot of attention and speculation.

What? You haven't heard of the Nintendo bubble theory? Well here it is: The latest thoughts are that the Wii's game line-up can't support the sales the console have achieved as of late. What this means is that the gamers will realize that all there is to play on the Wii are the typical Mario, Zelda, and Metroid games, plus lots of crappy third party games. In the past Nintendo has had the problem of not being able to get consistent third party support. Nintendo doesn't have that problem this time. The new problem is all the really bad third party games that are on the console now. Aunt Trudy may buy that cool looking game for little Timmy, not realizing it's a complete disaster and pretty much unplayable. This may lead to a backlash of people not purchasing third party games, even the good ones, and stick to the first party games. That in turn, could lead to the third party developers pulling their support. The result being a drought of good third party games similar to what the N64 and and Gamecube were plagued with. The result will be less game sales, and then less console sales. The bubble, being the currently huge sales numbers, will eventually burst.

Overall, I think my ideas were pretty close to some of those in the industry. I was surprised about the bit of PS3 outselling the 360, but the Nintendo bubble bursting idea didn't surprise me at all. It just doesn't seem to have the credentials to hang with it's competitors. Game-wise, Nintendo doesn't have the library. Tech-wise, there's no contest to either platform by its competition. Even if it adds DVD support this year, I don't think it'll be able to maintain the top spot past 2008. I may be wrong, after all, I'm just the average gamer.

May I Have Another?

I've had Call Of Duty 4 sitting on my shelf for a while. I was putting off playing it for a few days. I had planned on playing a couple of other games first, but I just couldn't put if off any longer. Why, you ask, would I put off playing a game like COD4? Why didn't I play the game the first day I got it? Am I crazy, or just plain stupid? No, I'm not crazy, and I happen to be as intelligent as the next guy, I think. The reason is simple. I know myself.

Alright, most of you know nothing about me, so I'll let you in on a little secret. Certain games tend to suck me in. Not just any game, just the real special ones. FF VII was one of those games. I put in over 140 hours on that one game. The second time I played it. I played for 70 the first time.

I had a feeling Call Of Duty would be one of those games. It wasn't the actual game that I was worried about. It was the multiplayer. Anyone whose read my stuff before has seen the post I did a while back about my first adventures with multiplayer. The experience wasn't all bad, and I've never been really good at flight games anyway. First person shooters tend to be my thing. COD4 seemed right up my alley, and from everything I've read and heard about this game, I was prepared to be sucked in.

I first put the disc in my PlayStation three days ago. I've had a chance to build up my stats and unlock a few things. My stats aren't that impressive right now, but they're improving. I have a score rank of 736,554, a win rank of 929,362, a kill rank of 624,681, and a accuracy rank of 694,407. Today I managed to advance to 2nd lieutenant and I have unlocked all of the game modes. And just how long did these momentous take to achieve? 16 hours and 23 minutes. That's 16 hours and 23 minutes of actual play time, not counting the time in between matches and in the lobby tweaking my loadout. I have a problem, I know. That's why I was putting it off.

There is only one cure for this affliction of mine, and any kid (or adult, I know there's more then a few closet players out there over the age of 12) that's ever played Pokemon knows what I'm talking about. I have to get them all. By all, I mean all the weapons, perks, accessories, max out my rank, and complete all the challenges. The challenges are by far the most time consuming of all these tasks. First, each weapon in each of the five weapons classes has it's own challenges to unlock extras. Then there are the boot camp challenges. the operations challenges, the killer challenges, the humiliation challenges, and the elite challenges. 16 hours and 23 minutes in and I've only completed 2 of the weapons challenges and almost all of the boot camp challenges. At this rate, I'll be doing this for another month, at least. At least I have a fun addiction.

I don't have an Xbox yet, but this still hasn't prevented me from becoming a PS3 trophy whore. Games like Uncharted, The Darkness, and Folklore have had me hooked due to the collecting and achievements that you can get in those games. Uncharted has the challenges and collecting the treasure. The Darkness has challenges and collecting of papers. Folklore has the challenges and the collecting of the folks themselves. Notice a trend here? Having games with these types of added features really does (at least for me) add to the enjoyment of the game. There is nothing as satisfying as collecting everything there is to get. The only downside is the amount of time required to complete it all. My family definitely doesn't like that. However, I still manage to get out of the house to get some air. A nice long walk on a cool clear winter day is the best. Oh, and work. Of course all this is all secondary to actually completing the game itself. It's just a real nice extra to make the game a little deeper.

I feel bad for my family, I really do. This is just something that when I start, I just have to finish. Many other people have symptoms like mine. Most of the time they revolve around illegal drug use, but still, mines legal. And I only ignore my family for a few hours a day. I don't know if I should get an Xbox now. I may never be seen or heard from again.

If anyone happens to see me on PSN, say hi. I'd be more than happy to swap bullets and grenades with anyone interested.

Today's word of the day* is HARD-CORE. Let us begin with the formal definition provided by Dictionary.com

hard-core [hahrd-kawr, -kohr]
-adjective

1. unswervingly committed; uncompromising; dedicated: a hard-core segregationist.

2. pruriently explicit; graphically depicted: hard-core pornography.

3. being so without apparent change or remedy; chronic: hard-core inflation.

Most gamers will know immediately what I mean by hard-core. I consider myself to be a hard-core gamer. I am dedicated to gaming and the gaming culture. I am uncompromising in my videogame consumption. I have to play. I go through withdrawals if I don't. Am I addicted? Hell yes. But I'm not the only one.

Gamers have been serious about their gaming habits since the beginning, starting with Pong and continuing to the MMO games of today. Spending hours a day in front of the TV or computer monitor, sacrificing a life outside in the real world, is something that hard-core gamers are willing to do in order to finish that level, or gain a few more experience points for their character. Not all gamers have that dedication though. And that brings me to the subject of this post.

In the beginning was hard-core and all was good. Then something happened. Games for people that didn't like games started showing up. The Mom that didn't really understand games started to play. My own Mother loved -and still loves- Ms. Pac-man. She didn't play all the time, nor did she even feel a need to finish a game or get very far. Then came the birth of mini-games. These are small games with little to no story and very simple controls. Soon, there were games released that were only collections of mini-games with a simple story to tie them together. Select a game, play for a few minutes, then leave without any thoughts of completing it or returning to it. We have a name for these people. They are the Casual Gamer.

Being a casual gamer is not a bad thing, but bad things tend to happen to the casual gamer. Oftentimes a game that just isn't good enough or too short to be a good gaming experience is marketed to the casual gamer. These games are very basic and frequently frustrating to play. The reason. The developers and publishers are looking to make a quick buck. Slap Mario or Sonic on a crappy game and chances are you'll make your money back off of it. We are seeing more and more titles that are just plain bad and a lot of those are on the Wii.

Is there anything the casual gamer can do to ensure they get a quality game, and not a cheap poorly designed product? First, do not buy a game just because it's cheap. Little Timmy might like that cheap game about dinosaurs, but not if his dinosaur dies every 5 seconds due to bad controls. Second, do a little research. There are plenty of gaming websites online and many magazines that will help sort out the crud from the gold. Granted, a lot of these sources are geared to the hard-core or mainstream gamer, but it is still presented in a way that most people will understand. Third, if you've done your research and have become familiar with the companies putting out games it'll be easier to find a quality product. Don't buy a game from the XYZ Fly-by-night game publisher. They are just out for the quick buck and their games are generally very basic and not worth any cost. Fourth, don't buy a game just because it's sold well. You very we may find a shovelware game that has squeaked past quality control.

The Wii is not the only console to suffer this blight of poor quality games. They are everywhere from the PS2 to the DS to the Xbox 360 and even cellphones. No system is safe from these shotty shovelware games. They are called shovelware due to the fact that the publisher will just shovel it out onto the market no matter the quality. With a little knowledge, you can prevent yourself from being taken advantage of. Look for first party software, being games that are published by the console manufacturer. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all put out quality games. Buzz is a quiz game that is very popular right now, and is available for most systems. Ask your friends what they play and play together. Have fun with games, but be careful what you buy.

*Disclaimer: In using the phrase "word of the day" I am not stating that I will, in fact, write about a word every day. It just sounded better than "word of the week" or "word of the whenever the hell I feel like writing about a word".

Now I've given you my opinion of what 2008 will look like for each of the console systems. Overall, the prognosis is good for all the consoles this year. Each one has highly anticipated exclusives. The PS3 has Metal Gear Solid 4, and Little Big Planet. The Xbox 360 has Too Human and Halo Wars. The Wii has Super Mario Brothers Smash Brawl, and Wii Fit. Each of these games is anticipated to have a huge impact on the console war. Now what's on your mind?

What's that? You are asking me my opinion about "console wars"? I'll be happy to answer that for you. A war is a struggle between two or more factions. War typically has a winner and a loser. We never want to be the loser. In gaming it's a little different, especially when 3 exceptional consoles are on the market. We want to win. So how does a gamer, a true gamer, win? By not fixating on a brand and look at the games themselves. You could buy an Xbox or a PS3, but without the little disc you stick in the machine, you might get a little bored. I know I would. These companies that develop and publish games all have one goal: To put their games in the hands of gamers, and they ALL have great games that are worthy of our attention. My point is that more then one system you will give you a bigger potential library. Personally, I wouldn't mind putting Halo up on the shelf beside Uncharted. There's nothing wrong with it. It's gamers being gamers and remembering why we do this. To play great and fun games.

So have fun this year. Get that game system you always wanted but didn't get for Christmas. Then save up your money and get your second choice, too. Play Bioshock and Heavenly Sword. Or get Warhawk and Wii Sports. Get something you think will be fun and have fun playing.

What do you think? Should we, as more and more developers are suggesting, switch to a single console enterprise? What are the benefits? Risks? Down right dirty stuff we don't want to know about? Which system do you want and why? What games are you anticipating for 08? Do you subscribe to fanboyism? I want to know what you are thinking about. Drop me a line and let me know.

Looking For A Comeback.

Next up, the PlayStation 3. This has been a tough year for Sony. They've mounted huge losses in their gaming division and have had some major shake-ups with management. The father of the PlayStation has left the building. What part of his legacy will remain? Will Sony be able to recover some losses this year and gain market share? Or will the other consoles remain in a leading position leaving the PS3 to perpetually play catch-up?

This is the year that will make or break Sony. They've been struggling against the 360, and more surprisingly the Wii, for a little over a year now. Thankfully for them, 2008 looks to be the year for Sony to make up some ground. In the war of consoles, exclusives are the big guns, and Sony has some very big guns on the way.

This year will see the release of several of Sony's biggest exclusives. We'll have Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Gran Tourismo 5, and Killzone 2 as continuing series'. The gamers are awaiting these games with baited breath, but a couple of other titles have some thunder of their own to sound. Later this year we will see the release of the biggest little title in Sony's line-up. Of course, I'm referring to LittleBigPlanet. This game has a lot of people talking, and for all the right reasons. The trailers that have been released for the game look absolutely amazing, and if we can do half the stuff they are telling us we can, it will be a groundbreaking title.

This year is also shaping up to be the year of the gamer as a designer. Starting with Unreal Tournament 3, LBP and continuing with Home, we'll be able to build, show, and play our own creations. Designing your own game experience isn't exactly new, but being able to put it online for other console owners to play is. Home is really the unknown here. We haven't seen a lot about it yet, but we all know what we want out of it. Creating Live and the achievement scheme for the 360 was a genius move on Microsoft's part. Now Sony knows they have to have something great to counter it. They're hoping Home will be it. Unfortunately, it's been delayed a couple of times already and that leads one to worry. Is it goig to be good enough? We really need to get this title in our hands soon or Sony may miss the boat.

Sony has a couple of stumbling blocks to get over before they can hit their stride. The single biggest concern they need to fix in order to be competitive, is price. The move to release the 40 gig model in time for the holidays was a good move. That single action help to pull them out of a distant third to a more respectable third. The problem, is that they are still in third. It's been recently released to the press that Sony has been able to reduce production costs (in some reports by as much as half). If true, Sony needs to pass that savings to the consumers. With the Wii at $250 and the base 360 at $280, the $400 PS3 is just not competitive enough. Even having a product with more features does not make it an instant sale. I think Sony has finally realized the folly of their ways.

The other factor that Sony needs to look at is their online presence. By itself the PlayStation Network is not bad. Free access to multiplayer, downloading games and trailers, and of course, the updates coming from the internet. What they need to do is combat Live itself. Achievements were an undeniable hit for the 360. If Home integrates an awards system, Live may have a run for it's money. A word of caution. Simply copying Microsoft's ideas will only cause a backlash. Whatever Sony comes up with had better be original and competitive.

There is great potential for Sony, and with great potential comes...Well, you know the rest. If Sony decides to sit back and not take advantage of their current momentum, they will definitely lose this war to Microsoft. It's in their hands now.