LetterT

My parents bought my brothers and I a TRS-80 II. We had Megabug <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZIKyqZRlDc&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZIKyqZRlDc&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> and Bust Out. (couldn't find a link to the specific game.) We also had some sort of Taxi game and Peanut Butter Panic. I'm trying to remember exactly, but I think they were on cassette tapes and we had a special tape player that plugged into the TRS and the TV to play the games. Wonder if my parents still have that stuff or not. . . hmmm. Another classic we played at a friends house on their Apple II was Captain Goodknight. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hapg2Y1KplU&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hapg2Y1KplU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

This thread is fantastic. It's nice to know there's other like-minded individuals who find this stuff as fascinating as I do

You mean there's more to Battle Toads than the one level where you're swinging like a wrecking ball as the level scrolls down? Who knew? As for Bit-Trip. Beat, I know I've posted before, but I love the game. It's only $6 and it is multiplayer. It doesn't look like it when you launch the game (because there's no way to choose), but if you have more than one Wiimote on, you'll get a "paddle" for each active Wiimote. From there, it's basically just co-op play to get through the stages. I've made it through the first stage both on my own, and co-op with my wife. We haven't made it to the end of stage two yet. There might not be a lot of "lengthy" play, but for $6, it's fun to sit down for 20 min or so. And you could almost consider it a rhythm game. . . it's possible to match the patterns of the "bits" with the music behind and sort of memorize the stage.

Fantastic Pub! If only our paper were put together with such care for layout, it wouldn't be a sinking ship. Definitely going to print it at home. Might even get creative and roll out a few copies with my "printer."

Bit-Trip. Beat. Win. Grabbed it the other day. For $6, it's definitely worth it. My wife even likes it, and loves the music and rhythm of the game. It would be awesome if there was better sound quality from the Wii. Listening to Bit-Trip. Beat through my receiver in digital sound would only make the experience that much better. All in all, fantastic coverage of GDC. Any plans to offer a ThumbsDetoxCast as we get back to the regularly scheduled once a week cast?

Good cast. I will be checking out Rom Check Fail! This weekend. There seems to be a lot of good discussion coming out of GDC. Between Thumbs and Bombcast, I'm in cast heaven. Work is flying by.

Truly only time will tell. I signed up for the Beta. Hopefully I'm considered to be enough in the sticks or at least in a relatively low "gaming epicenter" that I'll be accepted. Definitely a service that will need to be tried before making any sort of purchase.

If it gets that big, they will have the money needed to support the hardware issues I would imagine. I would like to see some video of someone actually using the service. I really like the idea. There's games I would like to play, and that my wife would like to play, but our current PC hardware won't push them. To be able to play them without upgrading would be sweet. . . Especially when traveling with her laptop. Not sure how the TV setup would work. . . and I'm not so sure about the controller design. I would like to see an reference image of someone holding one.

Another great cast. I'm glad the Mirror's Edge DLC was talked about. I just borrowed the game from a friend. I was excited by what the demo proposed; I just didn't feel it was worth $60, and used prices aren't dropping very fast. For $10, the DLC might just be worth it. It costs anywhere from $8 and up to rent a game, so in essence, I can spend my "rental money" on the DLC and still come out ahead. Total War is one I'll probably skip. It would be my luck to be the 1% who get to experience 100% of the bugs in all their glory with my PC.

Another good cast. For a while there, I couldn't believe IGN was actually paying people to write such hilarious call-outs. . . but then I took another look at the ads I design, that I'm getting paid to do, and now I can totally believe it.

This game will punch your face off forever. -IGN.com

Pagosa Springs Meh. Just completely generic and simple. I'm guessing whoever is in charge of the site is doing it on a purely volunteer basis.

"No. I will not make it pop. If I make every thing on the page pop, then guess what, nothing pops." Backstory: I'm a graphic designer at our local newspaper (which translates: production monkey). I worked hard for my B.F.A. and it appears to be all for nought. I build stupid garbage ads all day (mostly car ads). It seems to me, that to be successful here, I have to purposely forget how to design, cobble some garbage together and present the trashiest ad possible. I'm curious as to whether there are other graphic designers on the forum and what your story is. Are you locked into drab, uninspiring garbage design also? How many times per project do you hear "make it pop"? It seems to be the current buzzword and it was old the first time it was used.

If we could print that in the paper, they'd run it every week!

All this HL2 talk makes me want to go back and finish it. I'll add that to my Que in spot #3 behind Gears2 and Assassin's creed.

Classic! And it continues! Proof #7, which is actually another go-round on proof #5 from yesterday. So really, after having to redesign the ad, I had to go back to the previous design. (our company policy is 2 proof maximum mind you. Of course, it would help to have that sort of thing written down, no?) Here's the garbage as it currently stands: The fantastic thing about this one is, they had me modify National Nissan artwork. That sort of thing always goes over well.

I've watched that a few times. Has the full movie been released yet?

I have to ask... How did you get that stuck in your head? The song I've had stuck in my head for the longest time. . . Zelda.

Behold! The Pinnacle of "Good Design"!!!! (Going for Round 5 on Proofs in a business that is extremely deadline oriented. That's a good way to make money ) And I've already been chastised at least 3 times for the "Look Closer" not having enough pop and focus. Of course, the Double Rebates is a big deal too, so let's make that stand out. Oh yeah, the payments definitely need to pop, make them as big as you can.

Imagine a podcast without mention of Far Cry 2

"So hardcore, it will tear your face off" - IGN.com In reference to the new Wii title, House of the Dead: Overkill No seriously, at 48 seconds in. . . It Will Tear Your Face Off

We call this thumbprint syndrome. They see a perfectly acceptable ad, but it "needs" their thumbprint so they can claim it as their doing. On the occasion we sneak in a truly good ad, the advertiser freaks out after it fails to triple their business in one day and pulls the ad. They don't realize people need to see things a few times before it registers. If it wasn't so against corporate policy, I would post some of my garbage for you all to laugh at and ridicule. Who knows, maybe I'll take out the "identifiers" and do it anyway. Glad to know I'm not alone

Gears 2. I finally broke down and bought it after borrowing Gears 1 and playing through it. Only played for an hour though, so my opinion is still out.

Interesting take on RE5. I've only played the demo, and for maybe 15 minutes at that. I just couldn't get into it. Sure, it looks pretty good, but I guess I'm not down with the RE4 mechanics. I found it very frustrating because the character just didn't do what I was thinking he should. On an interesting tangent, I was listening to the RebelFM podcast to fill the time between thumbs, and they have a completely different take on RE5. According to their playthrough (Ryan Odonnell, I believe) RE5 is all about co-op play and the dynamic completely changes when played co-op as opposed to single player. Either way, I will probably skip RE5. Too many other games I need to catch up on/finish first.

My wife and I find them pretty enjoyable (albeit the camera in Batman sucked in a few places). My wife isn't a huge "gamer" but she does enjoy some video games, of which, the Lego Games fall. We don't have a lot of time to sit down and play and grind through games; the Lego Games are great to sit down and button mash through a few levels before having to get back to real life. She's not a big platformer, and there's just enough to keep it from being frustrating for her (though Indiana Jones has it's awkward moments). She also enjoyed achievement hunting in Batman and Indiana Jones, which is awesome for me because it keeps her into gaming. Their simplicity is their appeal for most people. Jump, smash, collect. Jump smash, collect. Not everyone is a seasoned gamer that's made it through Gears/Gears2 on Insane in one sitting. For people who are trying to connect with their kids/wives/significant others through games, the Lego series are a decent option to go with. Sure, they aren't for everyone. . . but what game is?