Apple Corrupt?

Bottom line - Apple sucks. More and more, Apple computers have just so coincidentally started to fail all around the US. No no, not the computers under warranty, but instead those that are out of warranty. Isn't it also coincidental that after you purchase a Macbook, for example, you aren't allowed to later add on a warranty...not even 5 minutes after you take it home? In order to purchase an extended warranty, you have to do it online before the computer is shipped to you.

more...

The most common - and still to this day unsolved - case is the infamous Superdrive firmware update 2.1. Since mid 2007, when the firmware launched, loyal customers have been noticing that their CD drives were failing. The most common symptoms included putting a CD in the drive, hearing the CD spin for a few seconds, and then spitting it back out. This isn't just a coincidence, because thousands of people across various forums have been talking about it. Take this following Apple Support forum for example:

Apple Support Forum - Superdrive Support

Although may people have contacted Apple directly about this common problem, there is still no official word on the matter. On the above forum, one user even exaplained how he ended up getting an Apple service rep to admit the "faulty firmware update" to be the cause of the problem...but still nothing was done about it.

Can't open iPhoto anymore? Let it be known that this series of faulty updates are the leading cause of that problem. Know that you are a customer that - after already being ripped off in the beginning - is continuously being taken advantage of.

Whatever you use, don't use Apple. Boycott them.

Left 4 Dead Steam Dedicated Servers...WTF?

For those of you as addicted to Left 4 Dead on the PC as I am, you are probably having the same problem with Steam.

There are two choices a lobbly leader has in choosing servers. They can either choose Local or Dedicated. Local will host via lobby leader's connection. So unless the lobby leader can upload at least 3 mbs, this isn't a good idea.

The other option, Dedicated, is what most people are complaining about in the L4D community. Lag, Bugs, and all other sorts of connection problems persist.

more...

This is coming from Steam, who hosts all the dedicated servers for Counter-Strike, Half-Life, and Team Fortress multiplayer. In case you haven't noticed, Valve loves producing games that are multiplayer and co-operative based, so laggy servers should not be an issue...but it is. And no one knows why it's not fixed yet.

When I am trying to get my achievement for all expert levels beaten, the last thing I want to happen is being disconnected from the server on the last rescue mission. It's happened to me plenty of times; enough to the point of me being sick of even trying.

FIX YOUR SHIT STEAM.

Killzone 2 Demo Impressions

If you are anyhow related to the Playstation 3, you know that Killzone 2 is on its way. On February 5th, at about 5:00 PM Eastern Time, Guerilla Games released the exclusive demo on the PSN. By exclusive, it means you have to have acquired a special redeemable code by pre-ordering the game at Gamestop. If not, you'll have to wait until the 27th.

Below is the review (that's right, I'm reviewing the demo!) based on a few categories:

more...

Graphics: 5/5

Stunningly beautiful. The textures are amazingly detailed, and the animations are spot on. Noting that this is purely a demo, there were a few hiccups here and there, but then again these will all be fixed by launch date. I can just tell this is going to be a a piece of eye candy.

Content: 4/5

With an understanding of Guerilla trying to make this as small of a file as possible, they only gave us about 10 minutes of game play. They were still generous in giving us two different environments, but I would have liked to see multiplayer and/or some more enemies. They give away 4 different weapons though, which is great.

Game Play: 4/5

This seems like a game that I WANT to get into and practice, because it requires a much changed control set. From the trailer and preview impressions, before the Demo launched, I though it was going to play out a lot like Call of Duty 4 & 5, to which I was greatly mistaken. The controls are best described as "mushy" because they are a bit delayed. It malkes the game look nice, but your reaction time will be slowed down greatly. There are a bit of control customization, though.

Sound: 5/5

Please do yourself a favor and get at least a true 5.1 surround sound. I have a Logitech Z5500 5.1 set and the game sounds phenomenal. You can hear every little detailed sound effect exactly where it is on your screen. This game scares me to think about 3D gaming and sound! Spine tingling! From the sound effects on the battlefield to the echos inside, your ears will bleed.

Now I understant that it seems a little redundant to review a game demo of a game that's already been reviewed in its entirety, but this is something tangeable and from a true gamer's perspective. You all have the chance to demo this as well, as I have, so this is something different than mainstream media. I recommend that you preorder this game from Gamestop, because the 5 dollars down alone is worth a sneak peak at the demo.

DRM Law. What It Is, and What It Should Be.

Is it Piracy? Or is it Fairness?

Ever since file sharing became popular, which is about the same time after the dialup 56K era bit the dust, copywrite laws have been deemed a joke. Case by case, judges have been changing up their strategies on how to rule each particular case. First you can't have backups. Then you can have backups with having proof of purchase. Then there was no way to prove a proof of purchase in order to charge anybody without beyond reasonable doubt.

Essentially, attorneys and judges have tinkered around with the copywrite laws so much, the average citizens are confused as to what is right and what is wrong. Something needs to be done.

Here are a few senarios as to how people take advantage of this situation, including both athorities and offenders:

more...

Nintendo Wii Backup Launcher

With the release of WiiGator's Backup Launcher v0.3 Gamma, nothing could be easier than installing, downloading, burning and playing almost any Wii title on the market. Nintendo even had tips from annonymous users on how the launcher is programmed and how it could be stopped. Nintendo refused to comply and ignored all pirating threats. Bad move on Nintendo's part, because next to PC, the DS and Wii are the most pirated and hacked consoles in the history of gaming.

There may be a reason why Nintendo doesn't bother filing suits against individuals who pirate their software. Let's take Tony, for example. Tony recently installed v0.3 via Twighlight hack in order to launch his downloaded games. According to modern law, you may have as many backups as you want, as long as you have purchased the original. When the authorities knocked on Tony's door, they told him he was being held in custody on charges of copywrite infringement.
In the coutroom now, Tony defends himself by saying that he had bought all 50 titles that he had later downloaded for backup purchases. The day before, he exclaims, his car was robbed and all his Nintendo games had been taken along with it. All receipts had been discarded as well.

As the judge, of course you can't believe that is what happened. However, it's not up to the judge - it's up to the law. Since Tony made that statement, and no one can prove beyond a resonable doubt otherwise, Tony is free from all charges. The only side that loses is the prosecution.

Playstation 3 and Xbox360 owners think twice about hacking their systems why? First of all, Microsoft and Sony know hardware much better than Nintendo does, so programmers are trained to make it very difficult to hack, via firmware updates. Both PS3 and Xbox 360 owners are forced to update if they want to continue using their online networks. Nintendo provides firmware updates, but they are programmed so poorly that the next day after the firmware release, it is already hacked by someone else.

Nintendo also does not have a great network unlike PSN and XBL, so there's no loss for Wii hackers anyway.

DRM Widespread of Software

The biggest offenders of software developers is indeed gaming companies, especailly Microsoft. Noth only does Microsoft produce software games, but more obvious and important, software programs. This includes the very pricey Office and Operating Systems.

What is fair - and our government needs to fix this - is that once you purchase, ie, Office 2007, you should be able to install it on as many computers as you'd like; but of course this isn't how it is. Same goes for Vista. You should only have to buy software once.

On the gaming side, there are the multiplatform games. For example, if Tony purchases Dead Space on his PS3 and his PS3 breaks, shouldn't he be allowed to download Dead Space on his PC free of charge? Why get charged for the same .iso file twice?

Hackers aren't all that bad. Good ones anyway... They use their knowledge to practice rightful behaviours in this mess we call American Law.

Nintendo, Where's the Old-School?

Vgboxart.com shows his agreement by posting this mock-up box art for DKC4

What made Nintendo classics like Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario Brothers, and Star Fox so great? It was no secret to see that these successful series continued to pull fans aboard because they stuck to their roots. Mario Bros and Donkey Kong Country, for example, knew what they were good for - platforming. Mario Bros wasn't anything elaborate, in fact the idea if you really think about it is completely bogus. Plumber brothers? Turtles? Mushrooms? Again, nothing elaborate to story design, instead 100% attention and detail to side-scrolling and platforming beauty.

more...

The same goes for the Donkey Kong Country. In each of its three installments, the great mechanics did not change, instead features were added. These included updates on artwork, level design, and styles such as adding the parrot in Donkey Kong Country 2.

The last installment of these franchises was with Donkey Kong Country 3 in 1996. Nintendo, where are your classics?

There is still New Super Mario Brothers for Nintendo DS, which proved how badly we needed classic Mario back on our side. Using 3D sprites and colorful worlds, Nintendo stuck to their roots with purely gorgeous sides-crolling platform gameplay. Where are the others?

We see the entire rest of the gaming industry following suit, with additions to classic genres like Mega Man 9, Bionic Commando Re-armed, Street Fighter HD Remix, Prince of Persia Classic, and Contra 4. If you ever had the pleasure of playing any of these games in addition to their originals, you would see what I mean.

The only problem is Nintendo, who doesn't seem to get it. They were the founders of classic side-scrolling. Mega Man, Bionic Commando, and Contra were all originally released on the NES, so it is obvious they have created masterpieces that are now being remade on PS3 and Xbox 360 more than their own Wii and DS!

Here, Nintendo, is a reference of games you NEED to make to get your oldschool, hardcore, and loyal fans back on your side. No change in design, just MORE, MORE, MORE of what you already know how to do best:

1. Donkey Kong Country 4
2. New Super Mario Brothers 2 (or Super Mario Brothers 4)
3. Kirby's Nightmare Land (following Dreamland on the NES)
4. Star Fox (Seriously, the Wii and NDS have been out for over 3 years now...)

...and that's just the beginning.