The Wii U WILL make a comeback!

Not much has been going on for the Wii U, but I have a feeling it's going to come "Out of Nowhere".

I was reading about Nintendo's DRM Strategy and it's a lot simpler then you may think, Make a game you don't want to sell. How is this possible?

Here's an example Nintendo gave, you have Super Mario Party and you think "Oh, I'm done with this, time to sell it." But before you do, another thought comes into your head, "What are we going to play when a friend comes to visit?". That then convinces you not to Resell it.

That's the best DRM strategy I have ever heard, and it seems to work really well for them. No one expected them to be at E3 (including me), yet they were there! Showing off a new Donkey Kong Country, new Mario Party, and New Mario Kart.

Nintendo understands that the Wii U is lacking 3rd party support, and the reason for that being the Wii U isn't selling and those 3rd parties want to make games for a system that sells. I think once these games come out the Wii U will start to sell, making 3rd parties develop more games for them. However, Nintendo is a family brand, will they lose that if too many of the "Big games" come over to the Wii U? Or will those 3rd parties make games to fill in the gaps while Nintendo works on making another amazing First party game?

Let me know in the comments!

Did Microsoft find it's gaming audince?

Hey everyone! I'm back! Sorry for the delay, I've been busy with a few things lately.

I was at my bank today talking to someone about the Xbox One, when I mentioned that I wasn't a big fan of it he told me that he wasn't a big Hardcore console gamer. When he games it's all PC, that made me think, did Microsoft just snatch the Casual Gamer Audience? If you think about it (for me at least) Sony and Nintendo have always had a core audience, Sony with the Hardcore Gamers and Nintendo with the Family Gamers, Microsoft never really had a core audience and had to fight for what they have now. It looks like a big mix between Casual, Family, and Hardcore gamers, which could be good but could also be bad. Which one should they focus on? Maybe this generation they will have an audience to focus on.

I know they reversed their DRM policies and they are trying to "reboot" after the massive smackdown at E3, with Sony's conference. I just see more benefits with Sony though.

1. Microsoft offered 2 Free games a month to Gold members until the Xbox One releases, with the first two games being Fable 2 and Halo 3. Sony has already been offering multiple free games a month and discounted prices to PS+ members.

2. Microsoft will release a Kinect free version of the Xbox One, but I feel a lot of the games will require the Kinect to work, thus leaving those without the Kinect to a small amount of games.

3. It looks like the Xbox One controller WILL require you to buy a Play + Charge kit to replace the use of batteries, Sony has never required batteries with any of their controllers.

4. It is argued that Xbox Live is a better online experience than PSN, but I believe that could change with PSN becoming a $49 a year fee to play online, which is $10 cheaper than an Xbox Live Gold Membership.

With all of that aside, there are some franchises that I will miss Forza and Splinter Cell being the main ones. I just don't think those are going to be enough to make me get an Xbox One like it did with the 360.

As for the camera peripherals of the systems, I'm really happy that Sony FINALLY updated the Eyetoy, it looks to have a higher resoulution and it's EXTREMELY small, it looks shorter in length to the Wii Sensor bar, but taller in terms of height.

Let me know what you think in the Comments!

Are games becoming "Too Easy"?

Depends on which game it is.

That would be the obvious and mostly true answer, but there's another aspect to it. There are of course multiple difficulty settings, and even more precise difficulty settings in racing simulators such as Forza. For me racing has mostly been a nice progressive-style difficulty, the more you get into it the longer the races become and the harder the opponents become. However with games like Far Cry 3 they seem to stay on the same level.

I managed to complete Far Cry 3 in a few days, not 100% just the storyline, while there are other games I have where I've been stumped on a mission/level forever. The Ninja Gaiden series for example is pretty difficult, but could that be from the camera angles? 

I heard terrible comments of the Ninja Gaiden Series' camera angles which kept me away from the series for quite sometime. Then one day I was browsing PSN and I came across a demo, still intrigued by the gameplay and ninja-esque moves I started the download process. Once the download was complete I started to play the game, to find out that the reviews were spot on. Sometimes you couldn't even see what you were doing because, the camera was stuck behind a car. A lot of games have fixed this by mapping the camera controls to the right thumbstick, and from what I remember the Ninja Gaiden game I played did as well, the only problem was it was a very little amount of control.

Why put a storyline with War Based FPS games?

You can only tell the same war from so many perspectives, no matter how many times you try to re-invent the storyline the end result will be the same, I honestly think that Battlefield 3 didn't even need a story, I was stuck on the multiplayer 99% of the time. More fictitious FPS games obviously need a storyline to keep you interested, such as Bulletstorm, but other then that the War Based ones are basically getting graphic enhancements, and different soldiers. I think it would be really interesting to play a game, and see soldiers from previous games in the series.....but then again that might fail miserably because it would be the same story, from a different perspective.

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Knock Off Systems

Since it's almost Christmas

I figured this may help the previous generation when buying gifts for us gamers. 

The Following list are ACTUAL systems, not wannabe's 

1. PC

2. Xbox 360

3. PS3

4. Nintendo 3DS

5. Nintendo DS

6. PSP

7. PS VITA

8. Nintendo 3DS XL

9. Nintendo DS XL

10. Nintendo Wii

11. Nintendo Wii U

KNOCK OFF'S REALLY IRRITATE ME!

Why trick unsuspecting buyers into buying a make believe system? The real thing that irritates me is why aren't these systems being regulated and banned from being sold. There should be some type of world law put in place to prevent this from happening, Don't you agree?

All the gamers of course can't be tricked, but parents and grandparents can easily be led astray if they see a Make-Believe system for cheaper then the actual console.

Do you Agree?

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Multiple Perspecitves

Will this be a new step in gaming trends?

I don't know what to say about this, as you may know GTA 5 will give you the ability to play the game from 3 perspectives of three different protaganists. I know there was a game that tried this once, but it didn't turn out so well. What ended up happening was you were redoing some of the same situations just as a diferent character, which become VERY repetitive.

It will be interesting to see how GTA V pulls this off

Will we see more animals in open-world games?

I think Far Cry 3 really opened that possibility up. That's the first time I've seen fully rendered, huntable, interactive, environmentally aware animals in an open world game ever! 

Dogs in GTA V

Yes, there was a dog in the first trailer, but do you believe there will be more varied animals or will Rockstar think it's too risky? I hope they push the envelope a little bit, it would be a very pleasing addition to the GTA universe.

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Late Post

Sorry for the Late Post!

I've been playing Far Cry 3 since Midnight on Dec. 3rd. I went to a midnight release at Reset Games, and played for about 5.5 hours once I got home. I turned on my PS3 and awaited the glory as the main menu showed up, just waiting to be played in all of its glory!

The Terrible

Now, the PC version is far more superior in terms of graphics, but the PS3 version isn't bad either. The PS3 version does feel kind of thrown together, with quite a few glitches such as; The character you're supposed to follow freezes causing you to restart the mission, the game chugs at times, some AI characters get stuck having "Seizures", Multiplayer is just kind of there, and the Dialogue isn't too varied.

The Incredible

The map is HUGE! Just look at the picture below, the skills system is set-up pretty well, the takedowns never get old, hunting is always fun, letting lose a tiger or bear inside an enemy encampment to get rid of the last few guys is ALWAYS fun to watch, Weapon customization makes it feel like your own, and you never run out of guys to kill.

Just Last Night

I was taking over an enemy camp, I thought I disabled all the alarms but that wasn't the case. Reinforcements came charging at me, so I took cover in the bushes. I found a cave and went through to the other side of the hill, sneaking around the hill I came out behind everyone undetected. As I was trying to find a way to get rid of them, they found me and I booked it back into the jungle. As I sat there, waiting I heard a tiger and was instantly alerted. I stayed still as enemies were all around searching, all of a sudden I heard shooting from everywhere, but their were no bullets close to me. I then found out that they were shooting at the TIGER! The tiger was ripping through everyone, and before I knew it everyone was gone and I took over the camp.

Another time I was sneaking around a camp, remaining undetected and I saw a cage that was housing a bear, so like any survivor would do I pulled out my silenced sniper rifle and sniped the cage opne. Unleashing the bear on EVERYONE in the camp rendering them helpless!

I'm not too far into the game yet, I just met Citra and Buck, but so far I'm having a great time. I've still got some fire and explosive tip arrows to use on any unlucky pirate that comes my way.

Crocodiles are UNPREDICTABLE! I was walking along a swamp, when I saw a cave so I decided to go through it, It was very quiet, almost eerily quiet, when all of a sudden I was in the crocodile's grasp, stabbing a machete through it's skull, then I preceeded to skin it to see if I can craft anything from it.

Crafting

Crafting is done using animal skins and plants. plants create Syringes and Animal skins create equipment, extra hoisters, extra ammo pouches, etc.

I haven't found much use for the Syringes yet, but they have some unique effects. Such as being fire resistant or being able to hold your breath a lot longer.

Missions

I love the missions so far. They feel pretty varied, and action packed. Just last night I was escaping a currently sinking ship, with explosions all around. I was in the front of the, underneath the deck, and had to swim my way back in order to escape, it was a little tough and disorienting but it morst definitely was fun.

I'm not too fond of the drug sequences though, they just seem annoying and not as fun.

FIRE!

I love the fire effects used in this game. The fire spreads a lot more then it did in Far Cry 2, and it's fun to watch stuff just keep burning.

Recommendation

BUY IT! IT'LL BE WORTH YOUR TIME!

Buy Far Cry 3 for Xbox 360

Buy Far Cry 3 for PC

Buy Far Cry 3 for PS3

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Far Cry 3

Just a Little Longer

There are only 6 days left until the release of this AMAZING looking game. I have yet to play it, however I have seen a Livestream of the game through IGN and it really looks like it'll entertain you for hours. I've read a few reviews as well, from IGN, Kotaku, and Polygon, I was extremely satisfied wiht what it was getting.

Stealth & Action

All in one game, include that with 3 MASSIVE islands, a Psychopath, Gliders, Boats, a Wingsuit, Parachute, Trucks, Weapons, Weapon Customization, and of course ANIMALS! Yes, you can actually hunt animals in this game, from Komodo Dragons to Great White sharks. It adds a unique element to the game as well. You can have a pefect plan put in place, then get mauled by a tiger, let a beer loose on an enemy encampment, not to mention certain animal skins can create things such as new hoisters and more!

Weapon customization looks like it'll be a blast to use, make any gun your own! With sights, suppressors, bipod stands, and more.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer hasn't gotten the best reviews, so it kind of make seems like it was added because they could. Which is kind of a shame, but honestly the past Far Cry games have felt perfect without multiplayer, the only thing I wish they had was split-screen Co-Op. Luckily, Far Cry 3 addressed this and added it into the game. Rock throwing also returns to Far Cry 3, which is one thing I loved about Far Cry 1. I'm really hoping the Split-Screen Co-op is as open-world and sandboxy as the single player will be.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS BELOW!

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Will Touch Controls Replace Button Controls?

I'm In The Middle On This One

I love Touch Screen controls, however they can definitely be a hassle. Especially if you're dealing with Analog Sticks, touch analog sticks have never worked for me in the past. I guess I'm just stuck in my controller way of things. I love using triggers instead of having to touch to shoot.

However, touch controls are the future to an extent.I don't think they will completely replace the controller, but prepare for more touch controls VS. button controls. 

I'd be completely fine if every controller just had an LCD screen installed for important stats, like ammo count, or health, or weapon selection. That would also clear up clutter on the HUD in the game.

Just think of GTA IV with an LCD screen in the controller for car stats, or the mini-map. Mission objectives for Halo, Power-Ups accquired in Mario Kart, you get my point. I know the Dreamcast had an screen embedded into the controller, unfortunately I was never able to see it in action.

Would You Like to See Screens Embedded Into Controllers?

Share your ideas in the comments!

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GTA 5 NEWS, PS ALL-STARS BATTLE ROYALE, AND DEAD ISLAND!

The Second Trailer Has Been Released!

There has been a TON of news all over the web about GTA V. Just like for the first time ever you have 3 playable characters, which are interchangeable during a mission in order to get 3 different perspectives of what is happening. I'm sure that will add a lot of replayability. 

The Economy system is said to be a lot more useful, it's not going to be like GTA IV where after you beat it, money is pretty much useless. You won't be able to buy real estate, so I hope this system delivers. 

The map will be bigger then Red Dead Redemption, GTA IV, and GTA San Andreas COMBINED! THAT"S HUGE! I just hope it doesn't have a lot of bland areas and hopefully there's a fast travel system so you don't have to drive, fly, or boat from one end of the map for every mission.

I have to be honest, this trailer made me take a DOUBLE-TAKE! That has never happened to me for a game trailer, I thought it was a live action shot when the couple was fighting, but as I looked closer I could tell it was gameplay. That's the closest I've ever seen for indistinguishable!

Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale Releases November 20th

Will you be picking it up? I know I will, but probably not on day one. It's not that kind of game for me, I figure it'll keep me entertained for a few weeks, start gathering dust, then occassionally being popped in for a nice change in my gaming cycle.

Dead Island

I've been playing a lot of lately, I forgot how fun this game is. I love being able to cut off/break limbs, create new weapons, and just have an Open-World, Unlimited Time, Zombie playground. The trucks are pretty much useless, with terrible handling and physics. But, that's not where the game is, it's focused on the zombies and the damage dealt to them. When you see a giant zombie walking towards you, with no arms, trying to bite you, there's nothing you can do but laugh. Even funnier, is when their arms are broken and they just flail them about with no control. In case you haven't played it yet. It's an RPG-type game but not at the same time. You can Upgrade stats, upgrade weapons, gain experience, have a ton of slots to carry items, yet it feels like an action game. 

Kind of imagine an FPS, only with Melee weapons and VERY few guns. The money is ALWAYS useful, because over time your weapons lose strength and you must repair them to deal all the damage you can. Even though I beat the game (Theoritically) I still find myself scouring weapons to sell, and searching for money or spare parts. Because I don't have enough to repair my weapon or create ammo. 

The reason why I theoritically beat it is, once you have the option of going to the prison, you can't come back. I went to the prison with my first character and got bored with the game pretty fast, that is until I restarted, now I just have fun ruining Zombie's second chances at life.

It's definitely worth a pick up, it should be pretty cheap since it's been out for awhile as well.

Buy Dead Island on Xbox 360, PS3, or PC

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The Cost of A Game

IT'S A LOT MORE THEN IT USED TO BE!

I'm not just talking about graphics or technology. I'm talking about the Marketing behind it all. Back in the N64 days all you had were a few commercials and magazines for the hype. 

Now you have Special Pre-Order packages, Big budget websites, online communities, and more recently...

Live Action Series!

I've seen this with two upcoming games so far; Hawken and Far Cry 3. The budget is MASSIVE, hiring actors, directors, building sets (or traveling to sets), makeup artists, props, the list goes on and on. 

Hawken is going to be an intense live-action mech battle, while Far Cry 3 is going to be more focused on surviving an island full of Psychopaths. 

I wouldn't be surprised if the next GTA 5 trailer (which is scheduled for 11/14/12) would consist of a teaser for a Live Action Series. 

THE WEBSITES

Have been SO much more complex over the years, not only do you have millions of players logging on, but you have to manage the stat uploads/game progression, heatmaps, interactive features, the community, not to mention the customizeable player profiles; that's a lot to manage.

Not to mention all of the people who are working behind closed doors to keep the network live, site live, fixing site bugs, on top of that you have animators, programmers, etc. working on the DLC content.

Quite awhile ago I heard that each game takes AT LEAST $1 MILLION to make! That's a pretty big hit if the game sells way worse then expected.

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GTA 5 CONFIRMED RELEASE WINDOW!

BIG NEWS!

If you have been one of the MANY that have been searching Google/Bing/The whole internet for farther GTA 5 news, filtering through all the fake videos using GTA 4 and an Ice Enhancer mod, look no farther!

This official announcement from Rockstar states that it will be taking place in a Re-imagined modern-day southern California, as well as Pre-orders starting NOVERMBER 5th, 2012! That's way more news then we have become accustomed to. They are also saying there's LOTS more info coming in Novermber.

Hurricane Sandy Shutdown Midnight Releases of AC3

Hurricane Sandy has been quite a troublemaker lately, so bad that GameStop shutdown ALL Northeast locations, resulting in no Assassins Creed Midnight release for the Northeast. I'm pretty sure all gamers understood though, I mean I wouldn't want to die getting to a Midnight release. That doesn't mean that their won't be MANY dissappointed gamers though.

Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale

Many fans of the Super Smash Bros. Series, are extremely skeptical of this game, mostly because they call it a direct ripoff of Super Smash Bros. 

I have a different outlook, I've played the Super Smash Bros. series and enjoyed it quite a bit, I just hated playing with my friends because they were way to good, I never really got above Rookie Status, I did have fun playing as Kirby though. Anyways, I had a great time playing the beta, instead of using a health system, they use a "Kill System". You can get hit as many times as you want, but once someone activaties their "Super" you better watch out! You have 3 different levels of Supers, each level more powerful then the last, each super is also tailored to each individual character making you want to try each character's super on every level of power. 

The two levels in the Beta were pretty fun and entertaining to watch and play in. The only characters that I played were Kratos and Colonel Radec. Kratos was fun because, he was a really fast character, he was pretty devastating too, because he used his whip to grab people in mid air and continue to juggle them.

Colonel Radec was also extremely fun to play, however he is a little cheap. He has Sniper that he can pull out, that blasts whoever he hits across the level. He also has a few other weapons of amazing destruction. 

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!

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The Freedom of the Internet is Disappearing as we Know it!

SOMETHING THAT WILL CHANGE THE INTERNET FOREVER IS COMING!

What am I talking about? The Six Strike System, is set to come out this fall. appeals are going to cost you $35 and you will only be refunded if you win, that's not even the worst of it. 

If they suspect you of Illegally downloaded something, they will notify whoever has the Copyright, then the Copyright holders can choose to press charges. Goodbye internet freedom, youtube downloaders, file-sharing sites, sharing music with friends, etc.

This is something I want STOPPED dead in it's tracks, how else are you going to get gamesaves, Nostalgic games from your childhood without spending hundreds of dollars? I'm actually scared about this system, I'm sure everyone else will agree. It even says "we will be going after Joe Consumer, not sophisticated pirates" That doesn't sound right. Go after the people who aren't complete geniouses. The only way around it that I can see, is exchanging flash drives with each other, or will they invent a system to track those too? Where will it stop? Are we going to let them control us like this?

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Video Game Marketing

I'm cutting it close this week!

So, here it is 10 AM on a wednesday, no post in mind whatsoever. This week flew by, but as I was writing a post for another blog I post to I started thinking about the Marketing of games.

Some games I've played were INCREDIBLE but there wasn't much marketing, so not a lot of people knew about it. Just Cause 2 is a great example of this, It's like GTA in a way but with the missing gameplay elements fixed. 

GTA 4 failed to include planes, and only had about 3 or 4 different helicopters, however Just Cause 2 has about 4 or 5 different planes, not as many car variations, 4 different helicopters, and what I think is the best of all: Dual Hook Grappling Hook and The 24/7 Parachute. 

The rag doll physics aren't anywhere near GTA 4's, The driving isn't even close to realistic, but that's not what this game is about, it's all about fun and destruction, kind of like Saints Row in a way.

Another one is SSX, I personally haven't played it but have played the demo a number of times. I thought it was great with bringing back the series in a new way, however even with following it closely, It was released before I know it, I found out it was released when I went into GameStop to look around. 

Alright, enough of that. Some Marketing techniques I've seen lately are really impressive. You've got GTA 5 with one trailer over a year ago, A fictitious Twitter Account being reactivated, and "Leaks" from RockStar Employees. Hawken has it's own Mini-Series to promote the game, it's like a Live-Action Mech Mini-Movie all for one game. Far Cry 3 has been releasing bits and pieces of the game through different themed videos called "The Island Survival Guide", not to mention being EXTREMELY secretive of the Map Editor.

What Strategies have you seen among different games/companies?

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Could replaying games relax you more then playing a new one?

Is it true?

I saw an article last week about a study involving TV reruns, Group A watched a bunch of reruns of TV shows they were familiar with, while Group B watched shows that they were unfamiliar with.

THE RESULTS

Group A reported having LESS stress then Group B, they say because Group A already knew what was going to happen, their mind didn't have to work as hard as Group B.  That lead me to ask the question, 

Can the same be applied to certain games?

Obviously this will only work with a very small amount of games, ones that have a linear story with only one path to go on throughout the game. Will two different groups have varied stress levels like in the TV experiment? The game for group A would have to be a game that has no plot changes, no gameplay changes, every play through has the same result every time. While Group B could play any game they want, such as a Sandbox or an FPS. I'm interested in what the results would be.

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So long gamer mags :(

Old News

      This is old news, but in case you haven't heard: Nintendo Power is no longer being published! This saddened Nintendo Power fans across the world, which got me thinking............

Are ALL Gamer Mags Going to Disappear?

      I don't mean disappear as in completely be nonexistent, but disappear as in no more hardcopies, no more magazines. Game Informer is definitely pushing that way, every time I go to renew my Powerup Rewards card at GameStop, they try their hardest to persuade me toward the digitalized version. I know the digital version is better; instantly delivered, updated throughout the month, clickable links, etc. Only one problem, there is nothing physical to look back on. Ever since I got a GameStop card, I've kept every issue and every now and then it's fun to look back at all the years, all the issues that I have acquired. Even the covers are incredible!

Are Gamer Mags a Part of YOUR life?

      Should EVERYTHING be digital? I don't think so, like I said before I love having the physical merchandise after, it's like actually getting something for the subscription vs. a bunch of webpages. 

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Video Games are HEALTHIER than watching TV!

WHY?

How many times have you sat down to watch a movie or TV show and suddenly got all of these cravings for chips, soda, popcorn, candy all within 10 minutes of watching? I can say that I'm guilty, it's just so much easier to sit back and chow down. 

The Gaming Difference

Gaming on the other hand is a little different. Sure those cravings will come up every now and then, but what's the difference? 

ACTIVITY

That's the difference, you are constantly gliding your fingers over the face buttons, twirling those thumbsticks, and mashing those triggers/shoulder buttons. Your eyes are constantly scanning the screen, looking out for any danger that may present itself at any moment in time. Your mind is actively analyzing the situations, planning for the next move, deciding which weapon to use, which path to take, which character to sacrifice, etc. 

TV

However, with TV you are sitting there, watching the images be projected. There are very little things that go on with your mind while sitting there, I can only think of 2. Which show/movie to watch next and what to record.  Sure, your mind may wander into things you have to do in your life, but for the most part you are sucked into that realm doing nothing. At least with gaming there's more activity.

Where's the Proof?

As far as I know there is very little or no proof. It'd be interesting to see a study for the results though. 

What results will you be expecting?

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Why I converted from COD to BF3

Level Playing Field (to an extent)

      When I was playing Black Ops and MW2 (can't speak for any of the others) I noticed there were a TON of people that would either camp or appeared to have a mod such as Dropshot or many others. I'm not saying that BF3 doesn't have any campers, but I have noticed campers don't survive as long as in the CODs I've played. I've noticed BF3 campers often get flanked by the opposing team rather quickly.

Virtually NO mics, but WAY more organization

      Even though there are far less people with Mics on BF3, every team seems a lot more organized, friendly, and strategic. Occasionally you'll run into a terrible team, or an overpowering one. That doesn't ever mean you will never get at least one kill though. Through my COD rounds, I never had a chance, I think it's because of all the campers on EVERY single map. I'm very big against campers (unless you have  a sniper), it just ruins the game.

Just more fun!

I don't play the big rounds that much at all, I mostly play Gunmaster but the big rounds provide a nice break for when the game starts to get boring. There are players who are way advanced, or have bought the instant kit unlocks, but it's just so much more fun. I've found that BF3 isn't extremely heavy on being the best player, it feels like what COD was intended to be. Each class has a role, from healing to ammo supply to vehicle repair. COD does have Killstreaks, which sounds cool when you hear about the possibilities. What happens when someone camps and repeatedly gets Chopper Gunners, Care Packages, and tons of others. I mean sure they have to die to reset the killstreak count, but how many kills will he get with those streaks compared to how many times he dies? It just doesn't add up nor does it keep me coming back to play again. 

Multiplayer FPS Player

The first war FPS I got was MW2, and I loved it. I managed to get extremely well at sniping on Afghan and a few other levels. Then Black Ops announced Splitscreen online play for the PS3, which turned me toward that purchase. After playing it for awhile I figured I was just doing bad because I didn't know the maps very well or was just rusty. I figured out that wasn't the case, after playing for year I noticed the amount of campers I was getting killed by and the killstreaks that would annhilate me. I never had fun playing that, but kept playing because it was the only one I had. After a long time of debating whether to download BF3 or not (I was worried about not being able to find any games) I finally downloaded it. That was one of the best purchases I've ever made. I wasn't completely annihilated, but I wasn't the best either. It just felt balanced, it felt right. Now, I'm never going back to another COD again, I'm completely satisfied with no killstreaks and the level designs. Not to mention the lack of reflection on the Acog scopes, that threw me off way to much in black ops. Knifing is alot more satisfying to perform also, and the destructible environments are a HUGE plus. 

NO CONTROVERSY!

I'm not trying to start a big giant war, or saying that you're wrong if you like COD more. I'm just giving my opinion and insight. As always feel free to comment if you feel so inclined to.

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Are you ready for a new console?

I'm sure not! 

It just doesn't feel time to even think about new consoles yet. I love my PS3, 360, and Wii, I mean sure there will probably be better visuals, more functions, and more innovation. However, if you take a closer look, games that are currently being released are looking better all the time. 

So why get excited for a new system?

If we haven't reached the capacity of the current systems why rush so fast for another one? I think it may be because people get bored with the same system over a period of time, despite the fact that the 360/PS3 haven't reached the graphics capacity yet. I'm not 100% positive on the 360, but I know that's the fact for the PS3. I just didn't want to sound biased toward one system.

One of the cons of having an official system announcement 

With all the GTA V (GTA 5) news overriding the web, if a new system gets announced, what if Rockstar suddenly decided to make the game toward the new system, in order to increase launch sales for the system? I know that's highly unlikely, but if it ever happened what would you do? Would you save money for the new system or would you play on the current system until the new price came down? Speaking of that, there is still talk of annihilating used games.

Used games are what keep gamers coming back 

Sure the publisher doesn't get any money for the sale of the game, but what about all the new copies that the used game companies acquire? What will happen to all the gamers who don't have/have a terrible internet connection? Not to mention the DLC that people are going to download, such as the all the map packs to stay up-to-date, or even the online pass. 

Online passes may not be as bad as you think

Some are worse then others for sure, but most are completely optional. For example; if you buy a shooter and know the online part is mostly dead, why buy the online pass? You can just get DLC additions if you want, or just stick with the game's core elements. 

SPLIT-SCREEN NEEDS TO BE REQUIRED

I miss the days where games weren't focused around an online community, where the community was in a forum or on a website, the days were split-screen was in practically EVERY game, where the back of case said players 1-4, instead of players 1: Online 2-16. I know I don't have the cash to buy 3 additional TVs, 3 additional systems, and 3 additional copies of the game. I also know my friends won't have every game I have. Why are they taking us away from the true social interaction of defeating your friend side-by-side? 

Comment to sign the Split-Screen Petition/ Share your ideas, input, thoughts.

There's probably some stuff I left out, so leave any questions as well.

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Quartz Composer

After getting a random spark of inspiration to  work with Quartz Composer, I searched through my mac, but it was nowhere to be seen.

I thought it was because I updated to Mountain Lion, but that wasn't the case at all. Apparently when you upgrade to the newest version of Xcode, it doesn't include any of those additional tools.

After about a 10 Minute Google search, I finally came across a post in the Apple forums that gave me an almost Direct Link to Quartz Composer.

After going here, you will have to sign up as an Apple Developer if you aren't already. It's free to be a developer, just sign up.

Quartz Composer is Located in "Graphic Tools for Xcode: Late July 2012"

I'd encourage you to search through the other tools to see if anything strikes your interest, I ended up also downloading the Audio Tools package.

Have fun! I'd love to see what you created!

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How long does Mountain Lion take to download?

I've searched for this question for a VERY long time with no results.

So here is the answer, for me it took about 2 Hours.

If you want internet specs and/or computer specs for what I used let me know.

Also, if you haven't started the download.

Mountain Lion is $10 cheaper than Lion was, with over 200 new features.

Including a Siri-Like text to speech system named "Dictation"

It learns and adapts to your voice/accent the more you use it.

UPDATE: I just got it installed which took about 40 Minutes or a little less, minus the reboot time.

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