Ain't no 'Me' in team.
When I bought Halo 2 (H2), I wasn’t interested in how well it played. I was interested in how well its multiplayer aspect worked. GWJ forum members had suggested it was excellent from a usability point of view. They were right.
H2 is the easiest game to play online that I’ve found. When playing the single-player campaign, one can receive H2 LIVE game invitations. One can join parties hosted by players on your friend list, or people in your H2 clan. One can see friends and clan members, along with detailed statistics about one’s games, on Bungie.net; a great example of systems integration. In public games, H2 even matches players based on how good they are.
Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. Why aren’t I happy, then? Because, though Bungie’s system’s great, it’s not quite good enough.
IDgaf on 11.26.04 @ 12:48 AM GMT [link]
If music be the food of love, play on.
There's been some gnashing of teeth on the GWJ forums recently. It happened when a post about Halo 2's music was put up. Apparently Halo 2 was forgoing a score in favour of using songs from alt-rock bands like Incubus. ( "Incubus?" the GWJ members said incredulously, "but they're even worse than Hoobastank. And that's a made up word!" )
It came to light that the inclusion of the music was being handled gingerly. The bands are to appear on soundtrack albums, contributing songs inspired by the game. This news placated the GWJ lollygaggers, but it piqued my curiosity.
While I liked the music from Halo (particularly it's bodhran-like drums), I understood what the developers were trying to do by modernising its sequels soundtrack, even though I didn't necessarily agree with them. This got me thinking about what makes good video game music. I've written my thoughts down here. There's nothing conclusive to be read, just my meanderings. Let's see if we meander the same things.
IDgaf on 11.26.04 @ 12:45 AM GMT [link]
Rumbled.
In the office today, while having a chat:
Colleague: "Have you ever written wanting to commit suicide by jumping out of a plane with a weight tied to your back, so that you couldn't see the ground coming towards you?"
IDgaf (looking perplexed): "No, I don't think I have. Though it sounds like something I might say. I have had suicide fantasies about only looking up as a I fall. Don't remember writing that though. WHy?"
Colleague: "It's something I saw on the internet. On a forum. The guy who wrote it had the same [unusual]initials as you and said they were into martial arts and games. I began to think, that sounds just like [IDgaf]."
*IDgaf is starting to get worried*
Colleague: "You're not called as.." *booming voice over church organ, waving vampiric cape* "IDGAF are you? Stands for 'I Don't Give A Fuck?"
IDgaf *fear*: "No, not me. How odd! Yes."
Colleague: "Yeah, very odd considering the initials of the writer's name matched yours and all."
Shitshitshitshitshit.
IDgaf on 11.25.04 @ 05:20 PM GMT [link]
Film Review: Bad Santa
If you like eccentric and dark humour that's well observed, go and see Bad Santa. I think releasing it at Christmas was a mistake; it shares very few sentiments with the season, thank God.
IDgaf on 11.10.04 @ 12:46 AM GMT [link]
Film Review: Ju-On (The Grudge) [Jap' Version]
The Grudge is ponderous, nonsensical and boring. Occasionally it's stupid the point of amusement, but never so much that it becomes worth watching. Save your money and time; or better still, go and see the Japanese version of 'The Ring'.
IDgaf on 11.10.04 @ 12:37 AM GMT [link]
"Too fucking right mate, too fucking right."
BW Gush was, and is, the once and future president. Again. The BBC listed some comments about Bush from around the world; I've posted the best one below. All the others were the usual 'fight terrorisim and work together' shit.
"I am a little bit apprehensive because the first term of Bush, he had come in as a lame duck.
Now it appears as if he is winning very convincingly. To me, I think we are going to see more dictatorship on an international scale. We are going to see more extremism come out of there.
We are going to see even more isolationism where America will not bother about the United Nations. To me that is a very sad affair."
- Moody Awori, Kenyan Vice-President
IDgaf on 11.03.04 @ 09:23 PM GMT [link]
Text message.
My father and mother are on holiday in Rome. He sent me an excellent text message. I've recreated it for you. The spelling and grammatical mistakes are due to the medium:
'Toasting u with a
tuborg at caf run by
romanians next to
vatican Only east
europeans in sight
and gypsies with
guita'
IDgaf on 11.01.04 @ 02:42 PM GMT [link]
