Archive for Games
April 14, 2007 at 7:15 pm · Filed under Games, Lifestyle, Music
I’ve been sitting on my duff, these past few days. It really isn’t that different from any other weekend. This is how they usually go. However, I’m waiting for some individual to email me. (More on this later…maybe.)
In the mean time, I’ve been playing Zelda: the Minish Cap all day. It’s got that retro RPG gameplay that I love. It’s basically Zelda: A Link to the Past, but with a new story and a few new twists. It’s simple and fun.
The new Nine Inch Nails album comes out this week. I’ve been listening to it since it was first made available streaming on the NIN website. I probably like the progressive marketing that has been surrounding it’s release more than the album. First, a viral marketing team created a few websites to reinforce the underlying theme of the album, and they leaked a few songs. The album includes an ANTI-RIAA anti-piracy warning. The CD, also, supposedly has a heat sensitive face, which changes color when hot and cold. While I was following all this hype about Year Zero, it got me thinking about another concept album and band.
A concept album is one which is unified by a central theme. Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon is probably one of the most notable concept albums. It explores the nature of the human experience with themes such as birth, time, greed, conflict, travel, mental illness, and death. But, the group I’m thinking of is The Mars Volta.
In 2003, The Mars Volta released their first album De-Loused in the Comatorium. The album is an hour-long tale of Cerpin Taxt, a man who tries to kill himself by overdosing on morphine. The attempt lands him in a week-long coma during which he experiences visions of humanity and his own psyche. Upon waking, he is dissatisfied with the real world and jumps to his death. The story of Cerpin Taxt is based on the death of one of the musicians’ friends.
Back in the day, I had this album and only listened to Televators (This is the song in which Cerpin Taxt commits suicide. Listen Here.) But now, I really have to hear the album from beginning to end. It’s perfect for the commute to and from work. If you’re a lyrics person, this band really isn’t for you. They make little sense and are difficult to decipher. Albeit, the music is monumental. The Mars Volta have two follow-up albums, which are equally great but not as epic as De-Loused in the Comatorium. Give it a listen, if you can.
Now, please excuse me while I check my email.
October 6, 2006 at 3:38 pm · Filed under Games, News Events
The geek/kid in me thought this was a neat idea.
Though, the $7.99 price is a bit much for something you can pick up at the dollar store.
~via the Lego Shop
November 22, 2005 at 3:22 pm · Filed under Books, Games, Lifestyle
I arrived back in Chicago today. Just a reminder to CJ and Claire on your computers. When you see a yellow shield in the bottom right corner, that means you have Windows updates. Install them. Ughh…derr…CJ. I also use McAfee Anti-virus, with Ad-aware, and Spybot Search and Destroy. Anytime you run these, check for updates on them too. Firefox 1.5 now has an automatic update feature, so upgrade to version 1.5 if you’re not using it.
After getting back, I went on Amazon and bought an Anime DVD, QOTSA-Through the Woods…, and Dragon Quest VIII for the PS2. Typically, I dont agree with paying $50 for a game. I got all my XBOX games for free with a mod, but I cant do that with the PS2 (or could I?) I’m just going to plan on putting it on ebay after I’m done. I’ll see how much I can get for a used game when I’m done. But, I’ve read the reviews and I have some high expectations for this game. That’s why I thought the price was worth it.
I had finished Slaughterhouse Five before we met for the weekend. I wasn’t sure what to make of the book, so I didn’t really talk about it. I read the Sparknotes Themes and Symbols. That helped piece the story together for me. The book is supposed to make a statement on the destructiveness on war, and question “the illusion of free will.” Overall, it was kind of a depressing read, and not as forward as Fahrenheit 451. If you didn’t notice, I’m now reading a biography on Warren Buffet. I’ll try “Kim” after that.
…and now a little Calvin and Hobbes.
November 8, 2005 at 2:34 am · Filed under Games
I dont know why I just thought of this now, but I did. Somehow I saw the word “Risk” and remembered the board game. (I dont think I’ve ever played Risk, but it got me thinking about that board game that I played at Grandpa Barnett’s.) I couldn’t rember the name for the life of me, so I did a google search for “board game flag bomb general.” Miraculously, it found what I was looking for. The game in question was Stratego, the classic game of battlefield strategy. Google directed me towards this page, Ed’s Stratego Site.
The site has a history of the board game, and just about everything you wanted to know about it. In its present form Stratego appeared in Europe before World War I as a game called L’attaque. It was also patented in 1908. Apparently, Grandpa Barnett had one of the first editions by Milton Bradley, which came out in 1961. It included the horses on the box, wooden pieces, and a colored map. There were many later versions and even a PC game, which I guess wasn’t too challenging or good. The site has some names for particular strategies. I remember my set-up always included the flag surrounded by bombs. There are now some newer multiplayer online game versions. I should try these out, and see if it was really as good as I remembered it. But, I wonder what happened to that game or if it’s still in the closet. Hmmm…
