Bingeing on the Backlog

*goes straight into the exposition like I haven't been M.I.A for 4 months... and this is perfectly acceptable because when friends (you + me = friends, right?) who haven't seen each other for a long time finally meet up, they pick right back up where they left off! (N.B. that's how you know who your friends are)*

You won't believe me (so I made sure to secure evidence for later use) but I've been playing my PlayStation 3 (PS3) for the last 4 months. *waits patiently for: awkward silence, outraged tirade or any permutation of both* (Now that we've got that out of the way)

Like I was saying... I have ONLY turned on my Xbox 1 twice in the last 4 months and those were done in order to update its software. There have been 2 major Xbox 1 software updates within the 4 month period. The first of which revamped the whole dashboard (just as I was getting accustomed to the old one *insert sarcastic YAY for having to re-learning how to do stuff*), turning it from a itemized tiled interface into a sidebar/drop-down menu hybrid. Then there was a smaller patch that streamlined and synchronized everything (essentially making the changes implemented more efficient and making things like snapping and switching less time consuming).



Old Xbox 1 Dashboard (Itemized Tiles)

New Xbox 1 Dashboard (Side-Menu Hybrid)

I'm not sure how I feel about the new dashboard just yet. I'll need some time to fiddle with it and figure out what to do in order to do the things I want to do, then I'll get back to you. (Back on topic) If it were not for these updates though, my Xbox 1 would have stayed in its corner gathering dust. 

My PS3, on the other hand, has had more use than the only functioning controller at the arcade after a new fighting game comes out. I have been playing it almost religiously. Everyday for about 2 hours a day and more on weekends (this reminds me of waaaay back when before I started adulthood *sigh*). This drastic change in play style resulted from a series of unfortunate events (like Lemony Snicket) but, as with most things in life, it all worked out itself in the end. (Still not sure if I turned a bad situation into a good one or if this was all a part of the grand scheme of things) 

Unfortunate event #1- My Xbox Live Gold (XBLG) ran out!

So after I got all hyped and bought Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited (without reading the fine print) I ended up having to fork over another $25.00 for an XBLG 3 month subscription because the game CANNOT be played unless you have XBLG. You're allowed to boot up the game but you can't sign in to the server without XBLG and as such I got the 3 month subscription. I could have paid $10.00 for a 1 month subscription or $60.00 for the 12 months but I'm a miser and after quickly realizing the savings I would receive (factoring in the optimum gains versus the overall costs and the limited spending power I had at the time) I decided to go with the most lucrative, that being the 3 month package. Then, I played Elder Scrolls Online like there was no tomorrow!!! I would be up at atrocious hours in the morning finishing up quests or smithing new armour or taking down bosses. I joined a guild, quit and made my own, acquired members, formed raid parties, set strategies, shared loot and felt good. This all went to shit when my XBLG ran out and there were no funds readily available to keep the subscription going. *insert SAD face here*

Unfortunate event #2- The Wife learned that HDMI is a thing!

Being not so tech-savvy, is one of the things I love about my wife. I like having her come to me and ask how to change the printer ink or what does DDR5 mean or if I know that Control and A highlights EVERYTHING on the page, stuff like that. (A man loves to feel wanted, he also loves to feel like he has all the answers) One day after she destroyed the display for her laptop (again) she called me up to remedy the situation (because husbands are super beings. Able to project the data from the laptop screen onto the bedroom wall over the phone; with their minds). I asked if the laptop had an HDMI port and then facepalmed at the realization that I had just made the situation worse. She asked what that was and I explained as best I could. It boiled down to me telling her to look for the "hole" on the side of the laptop that says HDMI. I told her to, very gently and without breaking ANYTHING (especially my Xbox 1 or my TV), remove the HDMI cord (the one that's attached to the TV not the one that's attached to the power block) from the Xbox 1, plug it into the HDMI hole on the laptop and then turn on the TV. She was ecstatic!!! She showered me with praises beyond measure!!! And that was the last time I got to use my TV for gaming. *insert SAD face here*

Unfortunate event #3- Game Drought!

When I got my Xbox 1, it was for 2 main reasons. Firstly, most of my gamer affiliates have the Xbox 1 and secondly, it had the cheaper price at the time. After I got it and did some research I was blown away at the selection of games that it had. Unfortunately, many (the vast majority, 90%) of the games are not my regular forte i.e. RPG, Action Adventure games, Fighting games and (most recently, with trepidation) FPS. I am perfectly fine with (and thoroughly enjoy) sitting by myself, in the seclusion of my room and devoting hours in the pursuit of my favourite pastime. For the 4 months in question though, there haven't been any games for the Xbox 1 that caught my fancy. It's either that or the games I fancy are still TBA (To Be Announced) or have a release set for some time in the distant future. So basically, I'm stuck in a place where I don't have any Xbox 1 games that I'm interested in. This drought saddened me greatly. Now, don't get me wrong. There have been some genuinely excellent games released e.g. Forza Horizon 2, Halo 5: Guardians, Star Wars: Battlefront but none of these uber games fall into the "games I wanna play" category. Some games that do fall into this category are: Rise of the Tomb Raider and Assassin's Creed Syndicate but, as usual, paucity of purchasing power prevented procurement (translation = No Money, No Games). *insert SAD face here*

After being depressed by my harrowing predicament and wallowing in self-pity (for about 2 minutes) I did what any self-respecting gamer would do. I ran a drop cord from the transformer in my room and set up my PS3 in the family room. No one uses the TV in the family room (the internet does that. Everyone's in their room whatsapping or youtubing their life away) so it was ripe for the taking. I was relegated to an RCA (aka Non-High Definition) TV and I didn't have the comfort of laying in bed while playing but it was either go mad from lack of gaming or stay the course (which I did, to my hearts content). The "family" room became my room away from my room. It didn't have all the amenities that I had grown accustomed to i.e. my fan (fan = air mover in local dialect) but it had its pros. It was closer to the kitchen than my room was, it wasn't nearly as enclosed, I wasn't occasionally asked to "turn it down" and, most of all, I was able to be engulf by the blissful, unadulterated, all-encompassing drawn into the game world feeling. I could play for hours on end and not have to worry about most of my normal worries (they were replaced with their video game counterparts though. "Let the mischievous imp live or kill the mischievous imp?" "Should I buy this gun? It's kinda pricey!" "Attack, attack, attack, dodge... what they hell? That's not what he's supposed to do"). It was all I could hope for in my time of need. 
This is where most of you are probably thinking "This guy is nuts. How can you give up your current console for a 7 year old system?" and my answer is: SIMPLE, my PS3 backlog is epic. I have *counts off the games I have for PS3 in my head* 10 games sitting at home (both digitally and physically) that I haven't played yet and I'm talking about games that are pretty good. I talking about games that take up 60 hours to complete. I'm talking games that got great reviews. I'm talking games like: Mass Effect 3, Strider, Dead Space 2, Puppeteer, Tales of Graces f, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution  and a few others that I'm not going to name because I want to keep my gamer street-cred. I couldn't believe the treasure trove of goodies my PS3 turned out to be.
I must admit. I felt bad having to go back to my PS3. The months of resentment and neglect had shown themselves. She was filthy (covered in dust bunnies). Her cords were all tangled, her controllers were lifeless husks (the batteries were dead). She gave me all of her best years, she was faithful and true to the cause at all times. Even after I had left her for the younger, prettier mistress (Xbox 1), she welcomed me back with open arms and loving embrace. She even went so far as to hold on to some special items that she knew I would love. All this for me, a bastard, a betrayer, a boisterous fool who thrust her aside. How could I have been so blind? 
We hit it off right from the get go (me + PS3 = friends *big goofy smile*). I powered up, popped in a disc and the rest was sweet sweet gaming history. It was awesome. At first, I was a bit peeved at the downgrade in graphics. I had seen the greatness that was HD and to go back to RCA was an issue. However, that didn't matter anymore once the nostalgia and familiarity kicked in. While playing, my mind ran back to happier times long past and reminiscence washed over me. The on-screen characters became my comrades-in-arms, my compatriots, my companions and the age old tradition of triumph (and/or defeat) was reborn anew. Before I knew it I had completed 4 or 5 of the games in my backlog and months had passed by. I didn't even remember I had an Xbox 1 until I was grabbing something from my "safe keeping" corner and it happen to fall on the box. (Yes, I still have the original packaging my Xbox 1 came in. Yes, it makes for a great travel case. No, I will not be robbed if people see me with my big green box. No, I can't afford the expensive official travel case)

So there you have it. My full confession. As you can see, I have not been slacking off and I definitely didn't have writer's block. I was doing major research and carrying out live experiments to ensure the continued publishing of posts on the blog. To set your mind at ease, I have taken up playing Destiny: The Taken King and a bit of Black Ops 3 Zombies on PS4 plus Halo 5: Guardians on the Xbox 1. I have also started saving up to buy Tom Clancy's The Division (even further outside my comfort zone, all 3.75 feet of it) so there's no need to worry about me as I am no longer bingeing on the backlog. (I still need to finish Mass Effect 3 and Dead Space 2 though)

Heal Me...

I need healing!!! Your class, at this present juncture, is irrelevant.

I don't care if you're a White Mage, Druid, Paladin, Priest, Cleric, Shaman, Templar, Restoration Mage *takes a deep breath*, Bard, Astrologian, Seer, Water Mage, Medic, Wavemaster, Vicar, Monk, Spirit Healer or whatever. As long as you make me feel better, I'm down!
 
For the past week I have been plagued by the disastrous, the evil, the decimator of dudes, the feller of females, the EVERYTHING hurts, the "can I leave my head at home?", the "I have no desire to eat but the moment I try to, it all comes right back up" disease. What we locals commonly refer to as The Carnival Flu. It normally rears its ugly head around this time (Late July into Late August) and reeks havoc on not only the body, mind and soul of the afflicted individual (I'm convinced it's actually a curse brought about by some necromancer or a vengeful spirit that has failed to "move on") but also endangers the livelihood of said individuals (no one wants to go to work when you feel like a blacksmith is using your brain as an anvil and your chest and throat feel like you just drank some of his molten metal). Seriously, The Carnival Flu is awful, AWFUL I tell you. I have witnessed companies having to close up shop (for the day) because the work force has been reduced to less than skeleton staff on account of The Carnival Flu (normal head count = 55 workers; Carnival Flu head count = 12 workers 6 of them Supervisors/Managers who just got over the abhorrent abomination).
 
Maybe I'm not being clear, because I don't get the sense that you fully grasp the concept I'm trying to relay to you. Let's try this. You know The Man Cold right? *imagines you nodding or saying uh huh* Well The Carnival Flu is at least 10 times worse. Imagine The Man Cold multiplied! Imagine Chikungunya extrapolated! Imagine The worst bout of ANY menial sickness you can think of and The Carnival Flu will blow it out of the water. The Carnival Flu will see your imagined sickness and raise it 4 more symptoms. The Carnival Flu will make your imagined sickness feel like taking your end-game, max level character back to the tutorial stage.

I cannot emphasize enough the dreaded state The Carnival Flu leaves you in!!!  
 
"Hey TAG, why don't you just take a stroll down to the nearest shop and purchase yourself some potions and healing items and stuff? I thought you were a GAMER bruh..." *snide smirk*

They don't work!

Currently I have been through a plethora of potions, a cacophony of concoctions, a pharmacy of pharmaceuticals and all this from a guy who doesn't like taking medication. (I'm not a fan of doctors and I'm even less a fan of medication. I prefer to use the abilities and skills I have obtained, whether learned or innate [fighting through the illness], to help me out in my quest [dealing with my illness]. I would much rather save my potions [medications] for when I absolutely, positively have to use them or for when the final boss [my illness] is a jerk who uses uber status ailments/debuffs or some such poppy-cock [I normally end up never actually using them but... meh. Don't judge me, ok?]) So far, I have downed Panacea (Paracetamol), Remedy (Robitussin), Sedatives (NyQuil),  Draughts (Lemon Grass and some other random assortment of leaves given to me by a coworker who swears by them), Tinctures (Theraflu), Green Herbs (Moringa Leaves fresh from the source) and I'm still sick. (Another reason why videogames are better than real-life. Remedy/Panacea cures all. Not so, however, in real-life) [Stupid real-life, why you no easier]

If things don't get better I fear the worst for me. I have already lost 6 pounds (those of you who know me personally know I don't really have 6 pounds to lose) and I haven't played any videogames (except for Class of Clans, we had a war going on and I had to donate troops) for the last 6 days. This fact alone exemplifies the severity of the situation as it stands. It takes A LOT to keep me away from my gaming, A LOT, but I don't have the urge or the energy to play. How can I? When my day is as follows: get out of bed, get ready for work, work (or what passes for work now that I'm sick), get home, head for my bedroom, take off my shoes/clothes, asks the household to not be so loud, hide my head under my pillow, sweat profusely, shiver uncontrollably,  twist and turn, attempt to sleep, have fever dreams, blow my nose, cough and cough and cough, curse my sore throat, drink water, try to find a comfortable position, drift in and out of sleep, choke on phlegm, check the time, ponder staying home tomorrow, watch the sun come up, bear my aches and pains, feel miserable, sigh, get out of bed.

I can't take much more of this. So please... someone, anyone, HEAL ME!!!

P.S. If your hands actually look like that, you my friend, are uber cool-some (cool + awesome) and you rock!!! (but you may want to get that looked at, because I'm sure there must be some sort of health risk involved!)

RANT #4

Re-make, Re-mix, Re-master... *Re-rolls eyes*

Dear Videogame producers, developers, creators, distributors, publishers, designers and players *checks off list on fingers to make sure I got them all*. If I NEVER see any of the "buzz words" used to Re-sell the same game to me with Re-newed graphics or Re-solution increase, it will be too soon.

Come on people, I bought *insert Re-done game here* last year and now all of a sudden (just because a new generation of systems came out) you Re-decide to push out the same game, Re-imagined and expect me to Re-buy it? How Re-dumb do I look? (I wanted to use another Re-word but changed it to Re-dumb so as not to offend any of my demographic *dodges the bullet*) I can't believe you think that I'm going to fork out another $40 - $60 for the same game Re-wrapped in shiny new visuals. I won't be fooled by your added Hardcore Mode or your Alternate Ending. The Re-purposed soundtrack and Re-arranged events are not enough to persuade me to Re-purchase. Sorry!

Now I know it is VERY difficult to come up with original material in this day and age. "There's nothing NEW under the sun"... Agreed. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try, it's better than Re-gression. Isn't it? Give it a go and see what happens. You never know, if you throw enough ideas around one of them is sure to Re-bound. I also understand that making a sequel or prequel is not necessarily the option for you. Maybe you don't have the material or the budget but it works and would be better at gaining my Re-mittance than giving me "Game I just got all the trophies/achievements for after a year of Re-trying HD."     

"TAG... why you be hating on Re-Games bruh?! Many games have been ported (ported = converted to a different system for e.g. Final Fantasy Type - 0 HD is ported to PS4 and XB1 from the PS Vita) and we're uber happy about it. Do you know how long I we wanted to play that game?"

-_- That's beside the point. There are many ported games out there that I would love to play too. That isn't my issue here. My issue is making a game, then Re-making the SAME game at "1080p/60 FPS" or with "the never before seen missions/ending" and the most hated "including all the DLC stuff we sold separately before now!" (I'm still not sure if GOTY [Game Of The Year] editions fit into the Re-game category... so I'm not going to comment on them too much, at this present juncture) Yes the new systems have way better video/audio outputs and it would be nice to see a older game in HD but do you have to? Doesn't it kind of ruin the nostalgia and the Re-miniscence of the old game? (I use the terms "older" and "old" loosely here) Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it!

Of course, ALL of this, Re-wrapping and Re-selling, stems from the "how can we get more money out of them" school of thought that many, if not all, persons in the game industry have adopted. On that note, I'm going to just leave this (photo) here! 

 

RI-DICULOUS!!!

(P.S I want to leave with a clear conscience so I must make it known that Fanboy me is DEFINITELY going to buy Final Fantasy VII Re-make and Final Fantasy Type -0 HD and there's NOTHING Cynic me can do about it. Until that time, 15 Year Old me and Fanboy me are working on convincing Cynic me because we really really want to play Final Fantasy VII since we didn't get to all those years ago.)  

Feeding The Troll...

Now I know you're not supposed to feed the troll but this time... I think it's OK!!!

I was spending my days the way I usually do, at work waiting for it to be over so I can go home, and I got a message from one of my informants (my network is large and in-tune so not much gets past me). Agent Informant (his super-secret informant handle) let me know that the resident troll, at Select Start Gaming (SSG), had just finished playing a few matches of Ultra Street Fighter 4 (USF4). I found this bit of info to be a very mundane and not interesting in the least. (I began to worry about Agent Informant, as this was not something I had come to expect from him. I figured maybe he had burnt himself out and it was time to employ a new agent or, better yet, promote one of my nameless agents to the, what appeared to be, "pending available position." I had started the laboured process of going through the list of suitable substitutes for Agent Informant... but I digress) He began to elaborate on the circumstances and chain of events that led up to his report (him messaging me) and it was then that I understood how such a "trivial" nugget of intelligence made its way into the network.

Resident Troll, is one of the top players in my local USF4 circle. He regularly dominates our (his and my) sparring sessions and on occasion has been known to throw a win or two my way, just to keep me "confident" enough to play a couple more matches with him. So he can practice his brand new combo or character. (Don't think that I am unaware of this trait of yours. I know when and why you do what you do and I just "play" along to placate you. I'm on to you buddy. O_o *does the "I'm watching you" gesture*)

Be that as it may, He has taught me a lot and playing against him has improved my game somewhat. He even helped me convert my secondary character into my has more wins than my primary character (and for this I am thankful).

Agent Informant's expounded message said that Resident Troll had just beaten PIE| Smug. (Yep, you read that right. PIE| Smug AKA Smugkage AKA Smuggles AKA SmugDaBeast AKA King Smug)
For those of you who don't know PIE| Smug is a PROFESSIONAL Street Fighter Player (and by PROFESSIONAL I mean he plays in tournaments regularly, he does well in tournaments regularly and he holds the top position(s) as a Dudley player. He has many different accounts/handles he plays on and he currently holds at least 3 of the top 5 positions for Dudley WORLDWIDE on both PSN and Xbox Live). You can see some of Smug's latest matches in the following video taken from The BEAST's Youtube page. (N.B. you can use as many different handle as you want Smug... we still know it’s you.)  

(The feeding of the Resident Troll commences here. Feel free to skip this section, if you want to avoid feeding the troll, but I have to give him his dues. I'm just that kind of guy)

I must say "Well done, sir!" *gives hearty handshake to Resident Troll*

I have watched you play for hours on end in an effort to improve our gameplay (I have wished for your timing to be terrible and your inputs incorrect, many many times). You went through some rough patches and days where you lost uncontrollably (I secretly laughed at your swearing and saltiness) but you stuck with it and I think it is safe to say your time in the spotlight is greatly deserved. You have my commendation on your exemplary feat of defeating Smug and, in doing so, you embody the  age old adage of "try and try until you succeed." Congratulations! I am proud of you (and hopefully famous by association *suggestive wink*). Who would have thought that someone so close to home, in our little island, would be able to boast about beating a PRO player? You bring a sense of justification to the efforts of our whole clique and I share in your glory. In commemoration of the match and as indisputable evidence to the fact, I have placed below, for your (and everyone else’s) viewing pleasure, the video of your battle with and victory over Smug. (Check out ALL of SSG videos on their Youtube page)

There is also vindication of your struggle as seen in this message sent by Smug after the bout. No sweeter words could have been had. Enjoy them.



"your rose is pretty solid" is Gamer-Speak for "I acknowledge your prowess as a player" 

(Here ends the feeding of the Resident Troll. All parties not partaking in the feeding can resume reading. The coast is clear.) 

"TAG why are you making this a THING? People beat Smug everyday bruh... It happens."

True but this person (someone I know, someone I play with, someone I sit and discuss plinking and frame traps with) beat Smug (PRO player, internationally famous, world renowned) and was acknowledged for it. That to me, is a THING and I am a firm believer in "If I can't be the greatest then I should be a part of the greatest." His win is my win (except when he wins against me), his victory makes me want victories and it gives me hope. If he can do it, I can do it. And even though I may only be an accessory after the fact who was given second hand info and demanded proof (it's the scientist in me). I still feel famous by association and I gonna ride this train to the last stop or until they kick me off.

*puts on conductor's hat, sticks head out the train window and blows the train whistle... choooo choooo* 

 

Doing it My Way...

Sometimes all you need is a sufficiently frustrating situation and a correlation of concepts to get the job done. 

I have been feeling a bit "down in the dumps" lately. No I'm not depressed (more like disappointed) but sometimes things don't go the way I planned and I have to make a few sacrifices here and there to get things sorted out. Mainly, I'm referring to my financial obligations that require immediate and persistent attention (bills, rent, food, etc) and the ever so often "out of the blue" costs that magically appear after I have saved up just enough to get that game I wanted. (A wild payment has appeared, T.A.G tosses gaming funds... story of my gamer life *sigh*) I understand that being an adult comes with its fair share of responsibilities but 15 years old me thought one of those responsibilities would be the relatively consistent purchasing (once a month or so) of games or gaming related stuff (controller, headset, skins/covers, etc).

Dear 15 year old me,
It doesn't happen bruh! Sorry!
The End

I have also been undertaking a few ventures that will expand and improve T.A.G's presence in the gaming community. I was hoping to make a bigger splash in the pool, so to speak, but the universe is having none of that. There has been research done, calls made, requests denied, meetings cancelled, attempts failed, plans redacted, access rerouted, purchases made and still no progress. (Glares at my disappointment, while motioning it to go back to it's corner) 

Noticing the change in my demeanor a friendly friend asked what the issue was and I sort of let on that my plans seem to be veering off course and I'm having a hard time making any headway with my aspirations. I told him things seem to be at a stand still and my efforts appear wasted. (This is my eloquent/adult way of saying "I'm not getting my way" and it is equivalent to me crying and throwing a temper tantrum) The friendly friend let me know that all of this stems from me trying too hard. He said that I was maybe biting off a bit more than I can chew or I was expecting too much to happen too quickly and I should consider the following options: either allocate more time to get things in order (I don't think he got that I think things are taking way too long to get where I want them) or try not doing so many things at one time, essentially quit multitasking (O_O huh? No multitasking? That's ludicrous. It's like he's asking me to not be me...)! 

I gladly accepted the advice and began mulling it over (trying my best to "pick sense from non-sense" which is a local idiom meaning "try to find something helpful from any and every thing). Maybe he was right. Maybe I'm trying too hard, maybe I want to run before I walk, maybe I should ease up and ease off. 

"Or... maybe you can do what you do all the time. GRIND!!!"
(Grind, is gamer lingo for "battle enemies and gain experience in order to become stronger. For those who need it, please see the lists of gamer terms and lingo, found HERE and HERE) 

It was so simple, it was genius (even if I did come up with it myself)!!! Why not just apply the same tactics I use in my gameplay to this real-life situation? Just put in the time and the effort and stick to it. Apply the stubborn, tried and true, old fashion, never fail always succeed gamer strategy of grinding.      

So taking my friendly friend's advice (and tossing it out the window *assumes no offense is taken*) I have decided to do it the best way I know how and plough full steam ahead with some of the things I have been putting off or had a hard time getting done. As such I have completed a number of tasks that have taken way too much time for me to get done in the first place. (The fact that the ACTUAL process of completing all these things took just 1 sleepless night,and I have MANY of those, has no influence on the time it took to ACTUALLY get them done. For the record, this is not an excuse... it's an explanation. P.S Don't Hate!!!)

So, I am proud to report *proud smile* that T.A.G now has ALL of the following under his belt:

1.  T.A.G Twitter Account --> @theantiguagamer 
2. T.A.G Instagram --> @theantiguangamer
3. T.A.G Email Address --> theantiguangamer@hotmail.com
4. T.A.G Skype --> TheAntiguan Gamer / theantiguangamer@hotmail.com
5. T.A.G Twitch Channel --> TBA
6. T.A.G Youtube Channel --> TBA
7. T.A.G SoundCloud --> TBA
8. T.A.G Facebook --> TBA

(TBA = To Be Announced... meaning... they are not ready for public viewing yet but they're getting there *suggestive wink*)

I still haven't save up enough money for my new games (Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and either The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt or The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited) yet but I'm 74.35% there and I'll just keep on grinding for those extra dollars. (a pleasant side effect of grinding is the increase in money gained from battles, where money = my salary and battles = work)

Who says you can't learn anything from videogames? They need to have a chat with me so I can let them know whats up. (Please forward all "videogames can't teach" insinuations, indictments, incidents and/or insults to T.A.G's email address... found above) 

1000 times... THANKS!!!

It's been far too long since I have been among you. I hope you readers didn't think I had abandoned you. Did you? Good for you if you didn't! Shame on you if you did!  

Life has been taking over recently and it hasn't been giving my the time or inspiration to post as often as I should be. I'm sure you all can relate, so I'll leave it there and get to the main reason I'm here!

In case you didn't notice, The Antiguan Gamer Blog has hit 1000 views (don't feel bad, I didn't notice it either until today and the actual count upon writing this is 1028 views)  *proud smile* and once again I give thanks to all of you!

      !!!THANK YOU~THANK YOU~THANK YOU!!!

• Thanks to you readers who have been with me from Day 1. (You, make this a joy and as long as you keep reading I'll keep writing)
• Thanks to the newest readers. (I love you just as much and hope you're in it for the long haul)
• Thanks to the people who share my blog. (via word of mouth or email or facebook or twitter or google+ or ... whatever)
• Thanks to the Select Start Gaming crew. (you guys are my gamer family inclusive of that one weird cousin no one understand) 
• Thanks to my #TAGteam. (the help is greatly appreciated)
• Thanks to the software that tracks the view count. (keep up the good work)
• Thanks to my gaming systems for always being there. (what would I do without you... *shudders to think*)
• Thanks to the 4 people that took part in the pole. (your opinions have been duly noted)

To any and every one that Is involved with the blog in any way shape or form. To you I say THANKS, THANKS, 1000 TIMES... THANKS!!!

Damn Those FEELS!!!

I can't speak for every one but for me, gaming is a very emotional thing! I tend to get engulfed in my game play be it blasting an orc with my flame spell or filling a quadrupedal war tank with holes (genre is irrelevant). I always project myself, both physically and mentally, onto my character (even with my penchant for white hair and red eyes). I find myself guiding them according to my moral compass as I get overly drawn into the game world where I have superimposed my decision making onto the poor unsuspecting avatar that happens to be a slave to my whims. He/She/It has no other choice than to do what I want, when I want, how I want it "and that's the bottom line cause Stone Cold said so" and by Stone Cold I mean me... (older Wrestling fans will appreciate that line while everyone else will do 1 of 3 things: wrinkle their foreheads in confusion, google the line or both)

Just a few weeks ago my lovely wife reminded me of the time I was horribly distraught over the death of a video game horse. (Let me explain to the people who are laughing at me and the people who did not immediately nod in agreement as they thought up their own video game item whose loss would induce panic and distress) The "video game horse" in question is Agro. The tireless and loyal companion (not to mention speedy transport) of the main character (Wander) in Shadow of the Colossus. Agro is your SOLE companion as you traverse varied landscapes and defeat the mountainous giants that inhabit the land. Agro never leaves you nor forsakes you, he/she trots up every time you whistle and some of the colossi (bosses) are unbeatable without aid from Agro. If you played the game you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about and you sure as hell know why I would react in such a way. If you played the game and still don't get why I was distraught then you, my friend, are a heartless statue with liquid nitrogen running through you. (Just Kidding) 

The emotional toll that gaming takes was administered to me again the other day in such a magnanimous way that I was literally moved to tears. I was at home deep in the middle of a Mass Effect mission that had me in a shoot out against the Geth and Krogan minions of the scoundrel I have been chasing for the whole game. This was my third attempt at getting through the battlefield unscathed (and by unscathed I mean without dying). The Krogan were shotgun totting brutes that just loved getting up close and personal while the Geth sat back and sniped from long range (a very good tactic... one that I stole from and used against them *proud smile*). I was about halfway through the ordeal and the fighting lulled so I decided to do the smart thing and SAVE! (for the not so gamer-savvy readers, a SAVE is where you record your progress so you can: 1. restart from the save point after you stop playing and 2. don't have to repeat the thing/s you just did) I had just finished making my second save file when the power went out. My gamer mind immediately went into recon mode. What the hell? Did the power go out? S#|t!!! Did I save? When was the last time I saved? S#|t!!! Didn't I just save? Did it finish before I lost power? S#|t!!! It did save didn't it? I saw "Game saved" pop up! Didn't I? S#|t!!!(losing power in the middle of the saving process is the WORST possible thing that can happen as it essentially corrupts the save file making it unusable which defeats the purpose of having a save file which SUCKS) 

In the midst of all this mental turmoil my mind did the perfunctory act of recalling the many other times this had happened before. Many of these occurred when my mom was still with me and it was these instances that my mind honed in on. (I lost my mom to cancer about 10 years ago. She suffered through it for a few years: travelling back and forth between home and hospital, doing the treatments and dealing with the after effects but we had found it too late and there wasn't much we could do. It was an experience that I will never get over. I don't think anyone ever does but I try to stay strong) The time when I explained why my 12 year old self was upset about my lost progress and she said "It's just a game". The time when I loudly uttered that expletive after an outage and she gave me a sound beating. The time when she asked me to stop playing and I didn't so she promptly headed over to the fuse box, threatening "YUH WAR ME LACK UM ARF?" (This is my local dialect for "Would you like me to turn it off myself?") That time when she FINALLY sat down to watch me play and was asking why my character had a gun but didn't use it.

*solemnly wipes away the tears while typing*

All of these memories brought with them a plethora of emotions: nostalgia, grief, joy, sadness, loss, anger, reminiscence and they all mixed with the panic, concern and uncertainty from the outage and merged into an indescribable yet overwhelming uber-emotion that you would have to experience to understand. I didn't expect it and it consumed me. I had no idea what was happening and before I knew it I found myself laying in bed, face pressed against the sheets, chest heaving silently as I cried (like the mama's boy I am). I stayed like that for the length of time it took me to gain control and regain some semblance of manliness (as "manly" as I could be with red, hot, wet cheeks and cold, tear-soaked, face-print sheets). The power came back and my lovely wife came into the room and found me in my "manly" state. She inquired what was wrong, got no answer, hugged and kissed me then left the room. (I'm still not sure if she wanted to let me have my dignity or if she decided to let me sort it out on my own but either way I love her for it) I sat up, wiped my face and chuckled at myself for being the emotional wreck that I was (but I think I was really suppressing the urge to analyse and critique what just occurred mainly because I still wasn't sure what had happened but also because I didn't want to rummage through all those memories/emotions again). 

So with a refreshed pair of eyes (see what I did there...) I restarted my PS3 (to make sure my save files were safe) and continued on the journey I had started prior to the power outage, the emotional process that is T.A.G's life, and in the back of my mind I cursed myself and my feels!      

BEST! WEEK! EVER!

The past week has truly been one of the BESTEST weeks of my gaming life.  (BESTEST, in case you didn't know, is my successful attempt at converting BEST into a super-superlative. Thus giving it the nuance that is needed to describe this week as it compares to others)

It all started some 5 or 6 days ago, I don't quite remember. This week has mostly been a blurred progression of great event followed by great event and my joy-ridden mind can't make the distinction of a precise point on my temporal scale. That and the fact that I have never really been good with time constructs i.e.dates means I'm not sure when it started but I know it was last week. (If you ask me what happened, I can give a detailed reconstruction but don't ask me when it happened or how long ago it was. I fail every time! (My lovely wife uses this against me) My brain doesn't seem to see the need to correlate "what" and "when", apparently, "when" isn't nearly as important as "what.") 

My good friend and fellow scourer of the interwebs sent me a tweet (@theantiguagamer) regarding a sale on PSN. Apparently there was a MAJOR sale happening where you could get great games at an even greater price. I don't know what happened and I didn't ask why. I was reeling at the fact that there were games available for as low as $2.00 and I mean good games, top of the line games, game that I had wanted to play but never had the opportunity to (or the money to buy). I quickly loaded the link he sent me and almost immediately had a nerdgasm! There was a comprehensive list of all the games available, somewhere around 70 different games spread across 3 different consoles (PS3, PS4 and PS Vita). Being the poor gamer that I am, I was relegated to only being able to buy from the PS3 section. (I'm still waiting for my fairy-god-person to provide me with a PS4. I accept monetary donations of any/every kind and gift packages with consoles inside *suggestive wink*) However, I quickly got over my saddened state when I saw the Crème de la crème of this competitive cache, the epitome of the economical envoy, the bestest bargain in this budgeted bonanza. The Mass Effect Trilogy!!! Not 1, not 2 but ALL 3 games on sale, bundled together for the INCREDIBLY low price of... *insert drum roll* $4.80. 

(For those of us in the know I'm sure you have just nerdgasmed as well so I'll leave you alone. For those of us outside the know, Mass Effect (originally released in 2007)  is one of the most critically acclaimed series in video game existence. It is a deep and rich story with in-game choices that actually shape the in-game universe and how your story plays out. It even goes as far as to carry over choices made from one game to the other i.e. choices made in part 1 affect gameplay in part 2 (released in 2010) and part 3 (released in 2012). Originally each game sold for about $60.00 and then they brought out a collector's edition package which housed the trilogy (also released in 2012) for about $75.00. The digital copies of each game now costs $10.00 each and the digital trilogy now costs $30.00. So for me to be able to buy the trilogy for $5.00 is so epic that it's nerdgasmic in and of itself!!! It can be likened to buying a V8 DOHC Race spec Engine Block for $100.00 or a Gucci Pre-fall Python Handbag for $50.00 or the Limited Edition Olympic Air Jordans for $20.00... you get the idea.) 

The next big thing to happen this week was the release of 2 of my most anticipated games and to make it even better both of them just happened to be released on the same day!Destiny's second "expansion" called The House of Wolves (You can read my Rant about "expansions" here) and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt were both released this week. I got a taste of The Witcher a bit earlier than i its release date though because the same friend who told me about the PSN sale had the brilliant idea (and financial backing) to both pre-order and pre-load it. (pre-order = pay for a game before its release, pre-load = download the game before its release) I didn't actually get to play The Witcher, unfortunately, but I was contented with the gameplay he recorded. A short time after that (maybe a day or so later) I played a bit of House of Wolves. I played the story mission on Venus and failed to complete it even after a 4 tries (I suck at shooters especially FPS)...  fun times!

The icing on this most epic week was having my lovely wife out and about for the majority of the week. She has recently taken up a volunteer position that required her to take part in training sessions that were spread out across the week. This gave me a few extra hours to enjoy myself at SSG and allowed me to dive head first and uninterrupted into the first 12 hours of Mass Effect. I've been doing well so far. My death count is below 20, (none of which I can blame on my lovely wife) which is not bad for me considering I'm playing on Veteran difficulty (HARD MODE) and I think I have finally gotten my team to a satisfactory level (for now). Most importantly, I have finally become adept at the decryption mini-game. (The video shows the most basic decryption. It require exceptional hand-eye coordination and stellar reflexes to get those 3 inputs correct and in time. I am currently at 7 inputs, so you can see why I'm happy. Thanks to Youtuber OsaMind for the video) 

All in all, this week was grand and I can't wait to enjoy my new/old acquisitions. Mass Effect is shaping up to be all I heard it was. (I'm having a hard time defeating Matriarch Benezia though. My "hit and run" tactic doesn't seem to be working against her)

RANT #3

I AM A GAMER!!!

Yes, I have my preferences and sometimes I get into my fanboy mode but generally, I'm an open-minded, accepting, willing to give it a try even if its not in my comfort zone i.e. not on my favourite system (PS4) or in my preferred genre (RPG, Action-Adventure, Platformers) gamer. 

One thing that REALLY grinds my gears though, is the concept of "Exclusives." In layman's terms (and by "layman" I mean "not so game-savvy individuals") an "Exclusive" may be defined as a game that is made SPECIFICALLY for a CHOSEN system. For instance, Bloodborne is a PS4 Exclusive. It was created with the sole purpose of only being played on the Sony Playstation 4 (sorry Xbox and PC guys... no Bloodborne for you). Then there's Sunset Overdrive which (in case you don't know) is an Xbox Exclusive. Only people with an Xbox One need apply for the joy that's to be had in this game. 

I! HATE! EXCLUSIVES! 

I want to play ALL the games (that I want to play)!!! Why would you as a developer/publisher (devs/pubs) want to do something like that? Who thought it was a good idea to LIMIT the potential sales of a game?  In my mind the more copies of the game you sell, directly and proportionately, equates to more money in your pocket. So I fail to see how shrinking the market of your product helps your bank account. The more people you sell to should (by virtue of mere numbers) turn a greater profit than having it "down-sized" to a specified group, at least from my stand point, but I don't have a Degree in Economics, I'm not sure how Marketing works and I don't have a Public Relations Department. Hell, what do I know? As I said in the beginning...I'm just a gamer. (A gamer who would gladly buy the game you so casually barred me from) 

Listen here devs/pubs! I just want to play your games... OK? I don't want to be forced to buy another system (for $350.00) then buy the game I want to play (for $60.00) just to play the game. Don't put me in that position. Its hard for a guy to shell out the money for a new system especially since he can get another *whips out mental calculator. Divides. Carries the 5. Rounds up to the nearest whole number* 6 games for that price. 6 games, 6!!! Hours upon hours of enjoyment multiplied by 6. 3 plus 3 new adventures to undertake and accomplish. Half a dozen stories to unfold. Number of enemies slain and experienced gained to the 6th power. You get the idea!!!

"But T.A.G, research has shown that restricting the availability of a product increases the "desired value" of said product. It's called "The Law of Supply and Demand." Also, the simple act of partitioning our product appeals to the "Elitist" aspect of the human ego. Owners feel superior to non-owners and non-owners feel lacking when compared to owners. It plays on the "Na Na Na Na Boo Boo... I have something you don't" mentality that is sub-conscientiously ingrained in every individual."

*Cough* BS *cough*

Remember me saying I'm a gamer? I'm well aware of how the industry works. We (I) know that the company that has a vested interest in the system your game is exclusive for, paid you a buttload (which is an ACTUAL measurement) of money that (may or may not) make up for the difference in sales that you would have gotten if the game wasn't exclusive. (I'm still not sure how effective this practice is but devs/pubs keep using it so I'm guessing it "pays" off... *buh dum tsss*)

Bottom line... don't leave us (me) out in the cold! I want to play your uber cool game and I will gladly pay my hard-earned money for it. So play nice and make it for ALL systems...OK? That way ALL gamers (me) can enjoy your work of art. Only then will we be able to rid the world of the scourge that is: EXCLUSIVES! (The bane of my gamer existence) 

An Audible Adventure!!!

*Powers on PC, dusts off keyboard, loads page, signs in, asks self "How does this go again?", types the following*

Did you miss me? I hope so!

How long has it been since my last posts? (Rhetorical question people. I'm well aware how long it's been but I need time to think and develop this post so I'm using every weapon in my arsenal to bide time and come up with a witty, well-written posts that will hopefully make up for my absence) It feels like forever. I would love to tell you guys a descriptive tale of what happened while I was away. Laying out every detail in the process as I lead up to some climatic end where I make a profound point and tie in everything into a cohesive story but I have been told that such an action would belittle the effort I have put in so I will forgo the typing and let the fruits of my labour speak for me. 

As you readers know I have been embarking on a journey to improve the blog and make it more varied. As part of this movement I spent some time over the last week taking part in... *insert drum-roll here* THE ANTIGUAN GAMER PODCAST!!! 
*proud smile* 

A friend of mine let me be a part of his podcast and, of course, I jumped at the opportunity to strut my stuff (but in reality I was more humbled by the invite than anything). It was a very gratifying experience and I hope that it becomes more than a one time thing.

I have taken the liberty of including the ENTIRE podcast in this post for your listening enjoyment. Go take a listen and tell me what you think. Leave comments and share it with your friends!!! (If you feel so inclined but if you don't that's fine too, however, it would be really helpful and greatly appreciated but no pressure and I won't judge *ends guilt trip*)   

Grinding for EXP!!!

You may have noticed some slight changes taking place on the blog (and if you haven't, I challenge you to go find them. You get half a cool point for each change you can name. Ready? GO!). These are the cumulative efforts of the T.A.G blog team and have been implemented to assist in making the blog more user friendly and reader enjoyable! (Basically it's my sly, subtle, slowly but surely way of garnering new readers while maintaining old ones (I LOVE both types equally and would never place one above the other... unless I happen to list them in bullet point form, but I digress))

I will be embarking on some new side quests in order to level up the blog and I figured I should let you readers in on a bit of the behind the scenes action that will be taking place going forward. I don't want to give away too much (you know I'm not a fan of spoilers) so I'm going to be pointedly vague. 

In the foreseeable future you should... EXPECT NEW THINGS!




*inserts
long
pause
for
dramatic
effect
and
turns
around
pretending
to
leave
then
quickly
faces
forward*




JUST KIDDING!!!

I have a few projects, I'll be working on with some friends, that will be a great addition to the content of the blog. Who knows... maybe... you'll get to see/hear some cool stuff. There are a few write-ups (write-ups = posts) that I have been mulling around and I think your defense stat is high enough for you to handle it (you've done well so far). I'm also working on a few reviews for some recently released games. These take a lot of time and effort that I may or may not have readily available (between work and family events, my gaming/writing time has decreased) so just sit tight until they get to you. Research is being done on topics that pertain to overall improvement and I'm hoping to implement then as soon as I can 1. figure out how to and 2. get the needed resources. Finally, I have to make a notable effort and direct each and every one of you to take part in the poll that can be found on the top right hand side of the page (that's a freebie for anyone needing more cool points) these polls go a long way towards giving me insight into the minds of the readers. Go answer the questions HONESTLY! (As a gamer, I am all too aware of the temptation to CHEAT but I implore you to avoid the urge and stay true to the cause plus erroneous data will pervert the process and I would prefer it to be as correct as it can)

Those three words!!!

I have been blessed with an AMAZING wife!!!

I met my wife about twelve years ago when she interviewed for a job opening where I worked. She came in, asked a few questions then sat down and waited. I (being the shy and socially awkward person I am) kept stealing glances at her (from the safety of my hiding place) as I was trying to make up my mind about her. I wasn't sure if she was hot or not, she was very modestly dressed, so I took my time to inspect her from random vantage points as I decided. (Yes, I'm weird. Yes, she eventually saw me. No, she didn't find it creepy. No, I wasn't stalking her... that came later) Long story short she swept me off my feet and the rest, as they say, is history. We've been enjoying our marital bliss for quite some time now and we expect it to last quite a bit more. She has had to put up with my second love, video games, (she says it's my first) for the entirety of our relationship and she has even referred to my PS3 as my "other woman" (I will neither confirm nor deny this statement (me = smart)). We've had our fair share of instances where she says something to me during my gaming session and I don't hear a word (I LITERALLY don't hear anything she says), times when she distracts me and causes my demise (she always chooses the most inopportune time to want my attention), times when I'm supposed to be cooking but I get enthralled and happen to burn the food (we laugh this off and make it a date night) but she puts up with me and I love her for it. She is a bit of a gamer herself. (I'm still not sure if I rubbed off on her or if she was a closet-gamer before I came along) She loves Super Mario Bros *suggestive wink*, turn-based RPGs (Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga and Persona) and she's been playing Diablo III: Reaper of Souls recently. She doesn't like fighters and sports and ANY game that involves rapid or numerous button presses. (She has very limited hand-eye coordination, is easily frustrated, lacks dexterity and rage quits A LOT!!!)

Some time ago I took her with me to Select Start Gaming  (SSG) so we could play Diablo together. We've started playing together in an effort to spend more time with each other and it's working out very well for both of us. I get to game, she gets to game and we both spend time doing something we both like as a couple (also I'm not forced to wait on her as she takes her sweet time running up and down the map, exploring EVERY nook and cranny of the game I have beaten six times already, before she heads off to the Boss only to die to him because she kept hitting the wrong button and wasted all of her mana doing a spell that doesn't affect the boss at ALL). We were just finishing up our jaunt when one of the regulars did his running gag of "DUDE... where have you been? I can't tell the last time I've seen you in the arcade!" Not wanting to prolong the agony of hearing this speech again for the seventeenth time I gave him my usual "You know how it is. Work and family stuff take up most of my time" answer. I also gave him the "this is my wife so don't do/say anything stupid" look which he took a while to decipher but got nonetheless. Upon hearing the exchange my lovely wife chimes in with something so out there that it shocked everyone in listening distance. She goes: (and I'm paraphrasing...)

"Yes. I don't understand why he always stay at home in the seclusion of his bedroom and plays by himself. I keep telling him to go out and be more social but he is stuck in his ways and doesn't want to." (she turns to me and continues) "See... everyone knows that you're a hermit. You need to be more outgoing and spend time with your friends. Get out the damn house sometimes!" 

At this point the room has a collective "mouth hanging open in disbelief"! (Still not sure what shocked them more, my wife giving me permission PUBLICLY to GO OUT or my wife giving me permission PUBLICLY to GAME) I was at a lost for words (which HARDLY ever happens) not to mention the reddest shade of embarrassment I could muster. I had just been handled by my lovely wife who hasn't the slightest idea what handled means let alone how to do it. (Handled = schooled, shown the ropes, mentored, taught how its done, etc) The best come back I could think of was a chuckle and "That's not what I thought you thought. Thanks for telling me." (I don't think she realised just what she was getting herself into *maniacal laugh*)

 So taking her advice, (because let's face it, wives know what's best for their husbands) I have switched my gaming locale to SSG *proud smile*. Thus, increasing my gaming time at least three fold in the last month or so. Anytime I feel the need for stress relief or when SSG informs me that I've been challenged or when there's a new game that needs to be played post haste (Neverwinter for example). I approach my lovely wife, take her by the hand, look deeply into her eyes and whisper... "I'm gonna go by SSG." Then in true lovely wife fashion she gives me the cutest smile, bats her eyes and, in her most sincere voice, replies with those three words that this husband loves to hear... "OK. Hurry back!" 

P.S. She occasionally tags along with me or pops in unannounced when I engage in my "social activities" just to make sure I don't sit in the corner of the arcade with my headphones on, oblivious to my surroundings as I grumble to myself while frustratingly trying to beat Bloodborne. (Yes, she sits right next to me. Yes, she still wants my attention when I need it the most. No, I don't mind at all. No, she doesn't regret what she said... that will come later)

RANT #2

You know what I don't get? DLC!

(and Add-Ons and Season Passes and Expansions and other such indulgences)

Why would you make a game then decide to make more of that game outside of that game then add it later? I don't get it. If you're gonna make a game shouldn't you do it to the best of your ability? I mean DLC, to me, just seems so half-assed. It's like the ultimate cop-out. It comes across so "I can always add that later... if I feel like," which is crap if you ask me. (It's crap even if you didn't ask me) Here's an idea, how about you just put a COMPLETE game together and see how that works out? Hmmm? 

Then there is the whole "how can I squeeze more money outta this" aspect of it. Developers, Publishers, and the industry, in general, need to get this straight. We (and by "We" I mean "Me"), gamers, enter into an unwritten yet understood agreement with you guys. You guys spend money making uber cool games (or not) for us to play and we spend money on said game (or not) so we can play them. I find it to be such a money grubbing tactic when you guys try to milk us (me) for all we're (I'm) worth! 

"Dude... DLC is a gamer's dream. You can expand and expound or insert new aspects and plot lines. Basically you make the game go on forever! *fanboy smile*"

NOPE! Wrong wrong wrong!!! Don't try that bovine manure on me! (Momma didn't raise no fool) If you want the game to go on forever, try making sequels and prequels, alternate ending and optional bosses, Newgame+ events and stuff. All of which we (I'm) are perfectly contented with, by the way. Don't try to convince us (me) that what you are doing is for our (my) sake. You're not adding new map packs, extra missions, and additional content because we (I) asked you to. You're doing it to get us (me) to pay an another $7.00 for stuff that could've/should've been, but you didn't, put in the original release (more often than not). 

Here's an example of what your typical add-on/DLC pack constitutes. (Disclaimer: I stole this from an actual on-going add-on pack and doctored the specifics in order to avoid legal action. Hope it works!*fingers crossed*)

Other add-ons currently available are as follows:

• Uber Expensive Pack (half the cost of the game) -  offers you early access to 4 playable characters (including a guy and another guy), plus skins.
• DUDE (lunch money) - gives you DUDE as a playable character.
• Sparkles (bus fare)  - lets you play as prettier sparkly version of a character.
• Keys (cheap date) - lets you unlock everything in one fell swoop.

We're (I'm) so sick and tired of hearing about the latest "addition" to the game we (I) just bought. You expect us (me) to believe that you created, conceptualized, designed, implemented, and released all this "NEW" stuff in the 6 days that have transpired since you released the game? What do you take us (me) for? (Sometimes they even have the audacity to offer all these things BEFORE the game has come out)Just give us (me) a good game that's fulfilling and worth it and we (I) can all be happy. OK, maybe you genuinely thought of it later or maybe fans petitioned for it (I'll give you that leeway) but that doesn't mean that it should become the current state of affairs. 

I can picture the other side of this discussion looking on in wonder. They have NO idea what is being said here. They are fine with getting their new skins (these change the appearance of something in-game), they'll fork over $4.99 for that shiny armour set and their definitely gonna get the latest kill-streak perk. To them I say, *sighs and hangs head in shame*. But as for me and my house... we (I) will refrain from the DLC! (Down-right Lame-ass Cop-out / Dubious Legitimate Consumerism)  

500 times... THANKS!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, readers of all ages. It is with heartfelt gratitude and utmost appreciation that I address you in this post. The T.A.G blog has received 500 views (as of yesterday) and I can't express with enough gusto and fervor the great joy I feel. So, I'm doing what little I can, in the best way I know how, to show you how grateful I am. Basically I'm saying THANKS (and nice job and keep up the good work and lets hits 1000 views soon)!!! 

• THANKS to everyone who took time out to at least visit the blog!!! (your effort is appreciated) 
• THANKS to the people who scrolled down the blog without actually reading anything!!! (you know who you are o_O)
• THANKS to all the READERS. EVERY! SINGLE!! ONE!!! (young, old, dudes, girls, gamers, non-gamer, bloggers, critics etc)
• THANKS to everyone who shared the blog with anyone!!! (by words of mouth, on social media, text, email, smoke signals etc)
• THANKS for the feed back!!! (some of the ideas I liked and will consider. Others... not so much)
•  THANKS to Google/Blogspot!!! (They provided the forum for me to do my thing)
• THANKS to the T.A.G blog team, you guys have no idea how helpful you are!!! (all 2 of you)
• THANKS to the guys at Select Start Gaming for all they do!!! (they have games and jokes and games and comradery  and games)
• THANKS to whoever keeps giving me the anonymous +1 and whoever keeps putting up those little blue hashtag markers on my google posts (I don't know who you are but I'm glad you do it... even if you're an artificial intelligence algorithm that's mining my metadata)
• THANKS to my parents for blessing the world with my creation. (I miss you so much mom)
• THANKS to my job for providing me with fast and reliable internet connection! (This whole thing would take WAY more time without you)

To any and every one involved with the blog in any way, shape or form. THANKS, THANKS, 500 TIMES... THANKS!!!

Input Error!!!

Mortal Kombat X (MKX), me no likey.

I took some time out of my busy schedule this week and attempted to play some MKX. My good friend (the PS4-owner) had been playing it for a couple days and I walked in on him doing advanced combos in the practice mode. He was doing some ridiculous 17-hit, 40% damage, mix ups and juggles. (These are all fighting game terms that you can look up here) I was thoroughly impressed at the skill at which he was displaying in the short amount of time he had been playing for. (Secretly I was cringing because if I happened to be hit by 2 of those combos it's basically K.O.) Of course, in his regular fashion, he was running through the whole cast of characters trying out different variations and seeing which one felt right to him. (MKX has a variation system where a character comes in 3 different variations. Each variation specializes in a certain aspect for example one variant may be centered around projectiles while the other is better for defensive play and the third would be more inclined to rapid attacks) He seemed to like Erron Black (which scared me, especially after seeing Fatal Eight) and he messed around with Erron for a good 15 minutes.

After watching him for some time (he got tired and went to do something else) I grabbed his fight stick and started my own little session. I pressed a few buttons, measured jump distance and float, walk/dash speed, and I found the all important block button. (MK has a dedicated button for blocking as opposed to Street Fighter (SF) where you just hold back.) I lost a bit of my adoration for him though because after I adjusted my seat to get a better view of the screen I noticed his cell phone had a list of ALL the combos he'd done. I glanced at a few, reduced his "cool point" total (he doesn't have too many to spare) and then tried my best to do the combos I read. 

This is where MKX went downhill for me. First of all I haven't played MK since my Super Nintendo days. So I was accustomed to the High Punch Low Punch, High Kick Low Kick set up. The combos I read from his cell phone consisted of the following:

B123-U4-Run-F112
B321 DB2-112-U2-121-DBF2

My brain was like "O_O WTH?!?! This isn't Mortal... OOOHHH they changed the buttons and the layout" and after doing a quick update and conversion I deciphered the cacophony of alphanumeric code and deftly went into my "get the timing right then go for muscle memory" ritual. This lasted all of 3 minutes and I gave up. I wanted to be stringing combos like Sonic Fox and MIT were (in this video)

but that wasn't happening and I wasn't having it. I played 3 matches against a non-player (one worse off than I was) and then I quickly went back to playing Assassins Creed Unity. This was apparently a good thing because a bit later when we were all playing SF everyone (excluding myself) was losing on account of major input errors (I just lost because they were better than me). They all complained about instinctively holding the "block" button when they were attacked only to realise that this was SF and not MK. So I'm happy that I didn't play MK for too long.

Let this be a lesson to ALL!!! Know that MK will mess up your SF inputs and cause you to lose then say "why do I keep pressing R2 to block?" This will be ignored by the person beating you but they will be like "ME GLAD *maniacal laugh*" in their head!!! (ME GLAD = local dialect for "too bad for you... maybe you should've left MK for the MK players. Now do it again so I can take advantage of your dire circumstance"