I heart Hammock more than anything ever.

Hammock - Breathturn from David Altobelli on Vimeo.

May 18th Cannot come soon enough.

12:56

Bored and tired, but not tired enough to sleep, so here I am.

My internet exploded for like 5 days and for the first 24 hours I was kind of pissed off, but I kinda got over it after that and simply didn't give a shit.

The only thing I really missed was reading the news and such.

Trevor and I saw Shutter Island tonight. I'd been interested in seeing it, but not enough to get off my ass and do so, but since nothing else interesting was playing, it seemed like a good idea.

And it was. I'm not going to go on a big review, but I just want to say that the first dream sequence in it is one of the most beautiful, creepy and touching things I've seen in a film for a long time , also because it featured Max Richter's "on the nature of daylight" which was an absolutely perfect musical fit. Loved that shit.

Overall it was a quite enjoyable film.

Now I'm off to play some video games until my eyes hurt.

Forever.

I lower the choke, turn the key, hit the start button and hear the engine struggle. She's been sitting for far too long.

I give it a moment before I try again, this time I hear it starting to fire up. I twist the throttle and hear the familiar grunt that I've grown to love as she comes to life once again.

As if waking from a five month coma, she screams.

I feel a surge of excitement deep within me as I strap my helmet on.

It gets more intense when I fasten my gloves and then hop on, gripping the bars gently.

The kick stand is up, first gear is engaged.

I creep up the driveway slowly.

Shifting into second gear, I avoid piles of sand, mud and pebbles on the subdivision road, smiling the entire time.

I exit slowly and meander down the road a small distance before I shift down to first as I come upon the stop sign that keeps me from the open highway.

Coming to a stop I put my feet down. A few cars pass and then I make my move.

I let the RPM's climb as I click through the transmission. I feel it now more than ever.

I ride until my legs and hands are numb from the bitter wind and eventually stop on the side of the road and feel the warmth of the sun on me once again.

I shiver as I look onward, contemplating how far I should go, almost pushing common sense to the back of my mind.

Sometimes, life is awesome.

Video Games, I fucking love you.

Note: long post most of you won't care about.

Last week (I think) I got a Playstation 3 with my birthday money after realizing that they are finally worth owning just for the exclusives. One such game I bought it for was Heavy Rain. The much hyped and shit talked "interactive drama" from Quantic Dream.




If you ever played their other game, Indigo Prophecy, you'll kind of know how Heavy Rain plays. Nearly every action you make with your character requires you to move the control stick or hold buttons in a certain way and much of the action heavy sequences simply rely on you pressing a series of buttons as accurately and quickly as they are displayed on the screen.

This is the largest reason some people are choosing to ignore this game. However, having just experienced it and having my mind blown, I'd like to say that it's more than an "interactive movie"

The game is about a serial killer dubbed the "origami killer" who kills children by drowning them in rain water and leaving origami pieces on their chests. Throughout the game you play as multiple characters including a father who has lost one son, and had his other taken by the killer, an FBI agent trying to catch them, a journalist and a private investigator.

It's all about them and how all the characters sort of collide and it's done so fantastically, here. Like a race against the clock (the HEAVY RAIN threatening to drown the son) and everyone else.

This is a game all about choices and actions and how outcomes are changed based on them. What's cool is that the game proceeds no matter how bad you "fuck up" and the story adapts as you go.

My head spins thinking about all the choices I made and how the story might change if I'd done it differently.

For instance, as Ethan, the father looking for his son, you begin to go though these "trials" the killer has set up in order to track down clues and answer the question "how far would you go to save someone you love?" and some pretty sadistic shit comes around and even though it's a damn game, as the player, you actually sit there, mouth open, saying "holy fuck. what should I do?" and that, is why this game is so fucking brilliant.

All the while the other characters are trying to solve this mystery about who the killer is and how to save the kid and so on. Each and every one of them with some unique problem that makes them more real. It's pretty awesome.

I'm not gonna sit here and talk about how this game will revolutionize gaming like some people might, but I will tell you that Heavy Rain is one of the most intense and emotionally involving experiences I've ever played.

It's not perfect or for everyone, and will probably go down in history as one of the more argued about games, but man oh man, this title alone is worth buying a PS3 for, at least to me.

To anyone who these days doubts gaming as a successful medium for crafting deep, real, mature stories...just go play this game.

Anything but iPod

So, my Zune has been out of action for a few weeks now and I'm starting to really feel it.

Not having anything to listen to at work aside from loud and annoying co-workers is driving me up the wall.

I did some looking around for a new one a bit ago and quickly found out that nobody had them in stock anymore, so I dug a little deeper and discovered that pretty much all Zune products are discontinued in Canada.

Now, that gets a big "what the fuck!?" from me. Some say it's because Microsoft wants to phase out the 80 and 120 gig models in favour of the 16 and 32 zune HD...but that thing isn't even available in Canada, and isn't set to be for any time soon...so none of this makes sense.

Did it sell so bad that they realized they should just cut their losses and haul ass out of Canada, or what?

I started looking into alternatives and thanks to this site found out about a lot of cool and underrated looking players.

The problem is, 99% of the ones on the market these days are 4, 8, 16 or 32 gigs at the most. I know it's because they don't use Hardrives in them and so the price skyrockets on anything larger than that...but truth be told a 32 gig player is absolutely useless to me.

The whole point of having an mp3 player is so that I can have my entire music collection with me at all times. When I had a 20 gig iPod I HATED having to sync only certain albums and playlists.

So what's the fucking point of spending extra money just because a player has a fancy touchscreen. I hate this shit. Give me a boxy looking thing with a clear and large screen and I'm happy, so long as it has enough storage space.

The Zune 80 was perfect for me (and came with those awesome premium headphones the 120 lacked). I waited for months to get my hands on one, and even though it crapped out on me, I liked it so much I was willing to go buy another one, but now I apparently can't.

A few days ago I got a $30 4 gig piece of crap from Wal-mart just so I could have SOMETHING for work, but it really is a piece of slow, cumbersome shit. I'm not just complaining for the sake of it.

So now what?

Either I hit up ebay and pay extra for a Zune that is now "hard to find" or wait for something better.

I shan't be getting an iPod though. How could I live with myself?

Other M

EDIT: This rant is also posted on Nintopia because I thought it would be fun to provide the first update in, like, 4 years. Long live the topia!

So Nintendo decides to partner up with Team Ninja (Ninja Gaiden, DOA) to produce a new Metroid Game.

The Game is shown off briefly at E3 last year, people go pretty crazy.

No new info is available until a Nintendo Media event a few weeks ago. A playable demo is available behind closed doors. Members of the press get to play it. Impressions are largely positive.

What's really known is that this game is a large departure from all the other games in the series. It's said to be highly cinematic, relies on voice acting and a story the likes of which Metroid fans have never seen.

Then they show off a newer CG trailer and the complaining begins.





What makes this so intriguing is that it is SO not like Nintendo. A short teaser with no real gameplay? That's unheard of from these guys...and I love it.

The game is said to be more about Samus as a person, featuring flashbacks, character interaction and so on. During the game she speaks in an inner-monologue, revealing story bits and so on.

People are worried they might somehow ruin the series with this drastic approach.

I don't. I truly think it's best to look at this game as something totally different from all the others before it.

Really, how can anyone not be excited about a game focusing on giving Samus more personality and fleshing her out as a protagonist. In the two trailers alone she's probably got more character than all the previous games combined, and I dig that.

She's also got a VOICE and will apparently speak a whole lot and that also excites me.

Is it possible this game could end up being a steaming pile of shit? Of course. There's always a chance, but you know what? After playing all three of the “prime” games (and loving the shit out of them) I have to admit I am ready for a new take on the series, especially one that focuses more on character development because Samus Aran is one of my favourite characters of all time (right up there with mega man) and I can't help but be exited to see more of her, regardless of what developer is behind it or what direction they take it in.

And anyway, this is still a NINTENDO game, and I don't think Nintendo is going to let anyone fuck up a Metroid game all that much.

People need to calm down, keep an open mind and most of all, just shut up until they can play it.

Or keep complaining about stupid shit, like how her HAIR IS TOO SHORT OMG. Idiots.

Olympics and hockey.

I know it's hip to protest and hate the Olympic games and make a big deal over them, but I'll level with you.

I enjoyed them. I often do. The winter ones, anyway. Don't give a shit about summer.

If you asked me if they are worth all the effort and money to put on, I'd probably tell you no, followed by a "but who cares?"

It's easy to turn on the TV and then end up sitting there for two hours watching I never planned to watch because it is fun, and that's what is cool to me. Here are some facts:

- Ski cross is far cooler than snowboard cross.
- Curling is still awesome despite what anyone says.
- There are a lot of hot women athletes. Especially the Swiss, RAWR.
- Biathlon is awesome as fuck. Skiing and shooting? COME ON, BAD. ASS.
- Speed Skating is incredible because I could never in a million years do it.


Obviously the big draw for me, though, is the hockey.

The entire thing was awesome. I love watching the best players in the world just go for it. I love watching teams like Slovakia defeat the supposedly mighty Russians as much as Canada beating the USA, it's all quality shit to me.

The gold medal game couldn't have been any better. If it had been a blowout either way, it would have been boring. But overtime? YES PLEASE

I've found it funny how people who don't really care about the game suddenly become super fans cheering their brains out.

Is it some weird sense of patriotism that I just don't get?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for more people seeing how amazing a game of hockey truly can be, and it's bizarre (in a fun way) to talk hockey with people who normally despise it...but I just don't know why it has to happen only when a gold medal or the Stanley cup is on the line.

Now, the majority of Americans, despite their team exceeding all expectations, will go back to not giving a shit about the game (aside from the obvious hockey cities), and so will a great deal of people around the world, in fact.

I guess that's just how it is. It's kinda sad though.

Just let it be known that even the most "meaningless" NHL game provides me with an amazing amount of entertainment, and I think a ton of people would agree if they gave it a chance.

I've loved the shit since I was a kid and my parents sat me down and had me watch games with them.

Oilers hockey especially, and yes, even with the lackluster season they've had. It is still very fun to watch, and since the trade deadline is on Wednesday, I hope they make some big changes.

If the team finishes last (they are right on track!), they get a shot at drafting one of the best players in the world, which is a huge step to rebuilding the team with young talent. A process that takes a few years, but many a team have gone through it, and it's about time the Oilers did just that because wow...what a mess.

Short version:

- Yay team Canada/olympics
- Yay the NHL is back after that lengthy break.
- Oilers will rise again....one day!
- Watch more hockey, cunts.

Time for a motherfuckin' nap, yo.