Merry (belated) Christmas!

Boy what a Christmas it has been. I got a lot of nice things this year, Speakers!!! for my computer, which is wonderful because I have been using headphones for a year now, I got a Pc game called X3, which is a space travel simulator type game. It is very deep and complex, but it suffers from bad camera angles, (your ship POV is just like a camera in space, and when you go for a 3rd person perspective, it is just the back of your ship, so you never get to feel like your in a space ship, and you never get to get a nice look at it ethier, which is a VERY big bummer. I hope there is a mod that can fix it.) and ZERO tutorial. This game is extremely hard to figure out. As a newbie to the game and the genre, I might have made a mistake picking this game as my first foray into the world of space sims, but I am not giving up yet. I am going to give this game a fair shot, because I really want to like it. I learn new things every time I play it so maybe I'll get the hang of it soon enough. I got 3 PS2 games, God of War 2, which I just beat today on easy. Its an excellent game, and I cant wait to go play it again on harder difficulties. I got a strategy robot game called Front Mission 4, and what very little I have played, ( I just did the short tutorial) I think I will like. I love Mech type games, and it pains me to say that I have yet to play one that is any good. Ive tried the armored core games, but the control scheme is so terrible, (it really is, I don't know what kind of creature can comfortably play this game, but it sure isn't human) and the Mechwarrior games never really enjoyed. ( I was young the last time i played a Mechwarrior game, I think it was Mechwarrior 2,) I did actually play a good Gundam game on the dreamcast, but it is nothing near my ideal mech game. ( it was a very short, script heavy single player campaign.) Front mission 4 has gotten mixed reviews, but because I like stratagy games, I think I will like this game a lot. I also got guitar hero 3, which is your regular old guitar hero pretty much. I don't think i like it as much as the old ones, but I will say that this is the hardest game in the series. They did something to the hit detection that really messed me up and I really want to blame the game, but it might be just me as well. ( my friend says the same thing so maybe it really is the game!)With some extra Christmas money I bought a new Sidewinder lazer mouse, and it looks really nice. It has all sorts of different customizable buttons and different weights (!!!) you can slide in and out for your ideal gaming experience! ( at least that what it says on the box, I tried the weights and I don't notice too much difference between the different weights.) I have noticed that with the switch my Tf2 game has gone down the crapper. (I want to blame the mouse too, but it might be me as well.) I have gotten better with it though, most noticeably today, where i was one of the top players in the server! (W007!!1)

As far as Art is going, I finished my breadth section of my portfolio. I met with a person who attended Art Center, and I listened to them talk about the school, and I kind of don't to go there any more. There are some conflicting feelings right now about where I want to go to school. (I think I like the idea of me going there, rather then me actually doing it.) Also I really need to find a internship for my Senior Internship class. I am currently looking at a game development studio, which has really interested me. I know nothing about them, other then the website name, (www.nexusent.com) an email there, and its location. I will probably send them an email to see if they will take me, (its only a 30 min drive from my house) that is of course, this other place doesn't accept me. I believe everyone who might read this ( everyone AKA me) knows of a small time video game development studio that goes by the name of BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT, and, it just so happens that my mom knows a girl whos dating a guy whos friends with a man blah blah blah, any ways I have a connection, and if everything goes to plan, I may just be interning at BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT!! HOLY SHITTTTTT. Just the thought of it is almost too much for me to handle. I know it would be extremely menial tasks, and it would only be as a favor, but I might just have my foot in the door, and of all the places to have ones foot in a door, Blizzard just might be the best door to have a foot in. ( or something.)


Exciting events are currently in motion! Ill be sure to check back as soon as something turns up! maybe with art!

Good Night, and Happy New Year.

Orange Box part 3

FINALLY I AM BACK! and that means that today I review...

Half Life 2 Episode 2

Im going to finish this stupid series of mine quickly because honestly I'm not really sure what to say about this game. Its Half Life 2, its pretty amazing, it is kinda short, not much else to it really. If you have played Half Life 2 then you pretty much have to get this, some of the ways they introduce characters i find a little strange, people ether act like you have know them the whole time, or if there is a particularly interesting character, you don't get to have them around long enough for them to be awesome. Alyx is a great companion to have and she is one of the only AI controlled partners that I find to be truly of help, at least in combat that is. The series staples are starting to wear a little thin I'm afraid. i find that i get a little bit annoyed when i am presented with a section that i have to go it alone, because for one reason or another my partner has to stay behind. Every Half life 2 game has had this and while the experience is still fun, Valve put so much work into having these big battles with really interesting and smart AI companions, only to ditch them and have you go it alone. I understand the fact that they have to mix up the game play every once in a while to keep things fresh, but I find that it really isn't keeping it fresh, its tedium. You have to do this at least 3 times in the length of Episode 2, and I don't really like those parts. If this game wasn't half life 2, but had the same structure as another game i don't think it would be nearly as good as it is. But it isl half life 2, and that means it still has the great characters, wonderful environments, and interesting physics puzzles, and engaging story. The introduction of a few new enemies is nice. I especially like the new hunters. The new weapon they put in I find was a big waste, because you never got to use it until the very end, and while that section of the game is seriously intense and great fun, I feel that Valve could have done something to introduce it earlier, so the player could get to use it more, and get the hang of using it. The graphics are pretty amazing for an engine that is much older then those of the newer games like crysis. The source engine is great because it is very adaptable and you can hear all about that in the developer commentary, which is present in episode 2, just as it is in the rest of the Orange Box. Again, for game enthusiasts, the developer commentary is really great and it sheds some light onto how much work has gone into the game, and it makes you appreciate it on a whole new level, plus there is replay value because of that, and you may take your time and discover new things rather then rush through it trying to get to the end as some gamers do. Overall I find that Episode 2 is a great addition to the half life 2 series, although it is starting to show some age. If Valve can break away from the formulaic game play experience they have been releasing so far, and actually answer some of the series burning questions, Episode 3 could be an amazing game.

Drawing Schism

Ive been looking at some Silent Hill V screenshots today. Im really excited to see how this new game will turn out, as it is not being developed by its regular developers. First thing I noticed is how different all the monsters look. Im not sure I like how they are looking to be honest, but it is way to early to be judging that type of thing I feel. One screenshot did catch my eye, and that is this one.
http://silenthill5.net/silent-hill-5/screenshots/shv_sept_10.jpg

To me, that looks like an awesome Silent hill monster. I only know its name, which I believe is called Schism. Looks awesome. I cant wait to see more screens. I decided to draw it because I think it looks so cool.


You can learn more about Silent Hill V over here

also I will try to get my review in of Hl2 ep2 soon! I have been kinda sorta busy. Good bye!

Robot update

Ive been working on that robot drawing and I am liking it, which is surprising, because I usually hate everything. This month is crunch time, I have to finish up my portfolio, and I have a lot of work to do. I should stop wasting time posting stuff on this lame blog, but at least this time this is art related.


I have to get back to work now. PEACE OUT!!!111

Orange Box part 2

If you like poorly written game reviews by some nobody from southern California, your in for a treat! It's time for another installment of the Orange Box review! Today I am reviewing...

PORTAL

Portal is an interesting take on the puzzle genre, as it melds the first person shooter with a puzzle platformer type game. Based on the developers old student project, Narbacular Drop, the gameplay of Portal consists of using blue and orange portals to navigate through different puzzles to reach the exit. The concept is simple enough, but as the game progresses, you will see that solving these puzzles are definitely not as easy. You are often required to use the portals to propel yourself over walls, to drop boxes onto switches, and to avoid sentry gun fire.
The game is short, but in this case it is not a bad thing. If it was just different iterations of the same puzzle over and over this game would quickly become boring, but due to its length, it doest really ever outstay its welcome. It feels just about right and for those who still need more after they are done, they can look forward to playing the advanced puzzles, and downloading the community made maps. The only problem I have with the homebrew maps is I will miss the robotic voice that accompanies you in your travels throughout the game.
The robotic voice is really one of the standout qualities of the game. It is a perfect blend of cold hearted detachment and humor. The comments that she makes throughout the game are what make this game surprisingly hilarious. Whether she is informing you about the different tests you are about to take, or chastising you for escaping her evil death trap, she always has something entertaining to say, and you will always look forward to hear her chime in during your progress.
The story is worth noting not only due to the fact that there is a story at all, but it is an interesting one that will keep you wanting to see where it ends. In most puzzle games, if there is a story it is exceedingly bare bones, but this one not only has some interesting connections to the Half Life universe, but it has one of the most satisfying conclusions to any game I have ever played. This is one game that you will truly have to play to the end to appreciate all the things it does right. One thing I should add, is that once you play through the game once, you unlock the Developer Commentary. Not only does it double the lifespan of the game, but it is exceedingly interesting. If you are interested in video game development at all, then you should play through it again with the commentary on. It is fascinating to hear the developers talk about all the different aspects of the game, and chances are you will appreciate a lot of the smaller details in the game that you never really noticed.
Portal is going for $20 on steam right now, and although it is a bit pricey, I feel it is worth every penny. Even if you play through it once, it will be worth every cent, and if you get it with the Orange Box, all the better.
It may not keep you hooked for months on end like Team Fortress 2, but it is a gem of a game that you may find yourself coming back to every once and a while. and is defiantly money well spent.

NEXT UP...
HALF LIFE 2 EPISODE 2!!!

Orange Box part 1

I have been playing Orange Box for a while, so I figured its about time I review it! Ill have one review each day for all the games in the box. It probably is pointless but who knows! Maybe this will come in handy some day. So lets get started shall we? The first game on the list is...

TEAM FORTRESS 2

Team Fortress 2 is an amazing game. The visual style is great because it truly sets the game apart from all the others. It feels just like a Pixar movie, and rather then going for photo realistic graphics, it brings a sense of fun into the game by having a cartoony look.I feel this games visuals will hold up much better in the long run due to its stylistic graphics. A game with goes for photo realistic graphics will look bad in a few years, but a game with a particular style will look just as good years later as it did the first day you saw it.
Graphics are an important part of the package, but game play is where it truly is important. Lucky for us, this game delivers in spades. The game play is great because of the class system. There are 9 total classes, and each one has there own strengths and weaknesses, such as the Heavy Weapons Guy, who is a walking tank, he can take a lot of punishment, and dish it out as well, but is very very slow. The Scout on the other hand, is quite the opposite. He is very nimble, and very dangerous in close combat, but he has the lowest health of all the classes. Its because of these classes that the game is so easy to pick up. A new player can easily recognize what class does what, and can choose something that would fit his or her playing style, and can leave the more complex classes for later.
There are a few flaws in the game, such as the relatively few amount of maps. As of right now, there are only 6 official maps, and 5 of them are capture point maps, where 2 teams face off to capture each others points, and 1 capture the flag map, which is my personal favorite. there are other user created maps, but most of them are not nearly as well designed as the official maps. I wish they could have taken out one capture point map and put in another capture the flag map. The good side of this is that the maps that are there, are pretty well designed, and they have lots and lots of different strategies.
Something that I feel is worth noting is the sound in this game. Now there is no music really playing during the game, but the anthem that is playing when you start up the game is a really great one, and it makes the player feel like they are really in some sort of 1960s spy film. The in game voices, are what really help bring these characters to life. Each class in the game have many different lines of dialog that can be used to taunt other players, point out spies, give orders, etc. Its these voices that are the personalities to each class, and they fit wonderfully. I love how the Pyro's voice is always barely intelligible due to the mask he wares, and the snarky comments the scout makes after he bats some other player in the head. The voices are truly great and they add a whole level of immersion to this awesome game.
Overall this game would be worth buying at full price by itself. It has great visuals, deep, engrossing game play, brilliantly designed maps and a wonderful cast of characters to wreck havoc with. It does have a lack of maps, but if you don't mind playing custom maps, then you should be satisfied with what the community has to offer. As long as you have friends to play with, this game will have you coming back for quite some time.

TOMORROW!!
PORTAL

The Little Tokyo Experience

Last Sunday, I went to little Tokyo in Los Angeles and went to a few galleries. I saw Takashi Murikami, and the Giant Robot magazine exhibit. The Murikami exhibit was amazing, they had so many neat things, They had Huge, HUGE sculptures, and HUGEEEE paintings. His art is something of a combination of anime and fine art. He also had some pretty gross sculptures of giant anime dudes with big boners and having seamen shoot out of their cocks, and a giant breasted anime woman shooting milk out her tits. That part was pretty weird. Any ways, the paintings were giant and It was a really great exhibit, I enjoyed it a lot. After that me and my family ate some Japanese food, I had a teriyaki beef bowl. It was quite delicious. Later I went down to the Giant Robot magazine cover show. I have to admit I was a little disappointed. It was a lot smaller then I expected, but that may be because I just came from a giant art show. What was there was interesting, Not very many artists I knew, just Gary Baseman, and David Choe. Choe did this amazing mural which was done in spray paint and had these ninja stars stuck in the wall. That was the best piece in the show. I wish I could have posted pictures, but cameras were not allowed, so use your imagination! (YAY!) It was small but still worth visiting. I wandered around Japan town for a bit, looked at all the shops around, they have a lot of weird stuff. I love the engrish there. That was the high lite for my weekend. Again I wish I had pictures to show, it was pretty amazing. I have been drawing a picture on the computer, its pretty much an Ashley wood ripoff, but he is awesome so I'm ok with it. Still learning to live without my dog, its hard, and reading a book called Demian, by Herman Hesse. It's pretty interesting.
Not much else going on. here is that picture I was working on. ITS A WIP!

One last thing, I am really excited about the new Scott Pilgrim comic that is going to be released soon. It's supposed to be early this month, so that will be awesome. I want to check out the new Radiohead album, and maybe next post Ill do a quick review of the orange box! Exciting times my friends! Good night.