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Di5a5terp13ce BlogDi5a5terp13ce Bloghttp://www.gameinformer.com/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/atom.aspxCommunity Server2012-01-12T16:19:00ZPlaying defense on the Battlefield./blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2013/09/05/playing-defense-on-the-battlefield.aspx2013-09-05T15:29:00Z2013-09-05T15:29:00Z
Run and gun. Whenever it involves a multiplayer shooter, these words are usually what apply to them. It doesn't matter if it's Call of Duty, Battlefield, Killzone, or any other shooter out there, running and gunning seem to be how many gamer's play these games. While games like Socom and Americas Army took a more strategic approach to the digital Battlefield, Most players prefer the fast and frantic firefights of their counterparts.

 I,like most gamer's, have played most of these games. And I admit that leveling up and unlocking weapons as I go was the most clever feature to include in a multiplayer shooter. But since these games hold an arcade feel to it, realism takes a back seat.

 While the gameplay is still top notch, there are problems I seem to have when playing these games with other people. Mostly concerning the option of playing defensively over rushing the enemy every time I see one. And this is one trait that has caused a lot of arguments in between me and my friends.

This may not come as much of a shocker, but I prefer the three Modern Warfare games over Black ops 2. My main reason was the quality. I personally feel that the Modern Warfare games have a bit more quality over the Black ops games. I like Black ops because it has bot's for multiplayer modes, and comes in handy if you don't like playing with other people.

 Modern warfare doesn't have that feature, but makes up for it with the same leveling and prestige as the online game. So that made it a natural choice whenever me and my friends decided to get together for a gaming session.

 All usually seems normal at first: We chose the mode, which always turns out to be Free for all, modify our guns and killstreaks, and start the match.

Everything play's out like normal, until I take the defensive stance. That's when the accusations fly.

Before I go into detail what happens next, these are the settings for our multiplayer sessions:

.1 Fast health regeneration

.2 We only posses half of our normal life over the normal value.

.3 Time is unlimited

.4 100 kills

.5 Radar always on

 I never figured out why my friends like to down our life meters to half of what we're supposed to have, but I got used to it after a while. The problem is that weapons kill much quicker. This is why i decided to play a bit more defensive.

The session

 The map of preference is Dome. Since we were only three players, Dome is a small map that makes finding players a simple task without having to cover much ground. And with the radar always on, it becomes even easier.

 Weapons don't matter. Sometimes we suggest the occasional sniper battle, but SMG's take the center stage.

 The scenario play out's in this fashion: As the game starts, we start searching for each other. Since the radar is constant, it's just a matter of following the red dot around.

 I manage to kill a few times, but the death's start to pile more than the kills. That's when I start to play defensively over the occasional run and gun.

 Walking into a hallway, a few bullets whiz by me. I quickly duck back behind a wall, watching the red dot on my radar closely. As the dot moves in on my position, I already have my weapon ready. He tries to counter me and jump around the corner. That tactic fails as I predicate his next move correctly. I kill him and then move to another position as I see another enemy close to my position. And proceed to do the same.

 After the 5th or 6th kill, the infamous accusation is thrown at me:

  CAMPER!!!!!!!!

Despite the fact that I was only standing in the corner for about 3 seconds before he turned the corner, I get accused of this a lot. It doesn't matter if I was there for a split second, if I killed the guy while standing still, I was camping.

 Ignoring their claims for the time being, I continue the strategy since it's working and I'm catching up. With each kill however, things start to get annoying, with my friends either tsking, or mumbling under their breath.

Things start to get tense when my friend has the nerve to ask : Do you do anything else but camp?This annoyed me, since I knew that camping meant staying in ONE spot for the whole game. I was moving from place to place depending on the situation, and posting myself accordingly. I looked at him and asked:

 Do you do anything else but complain?

This was where the tension really started, While he was complaining about my so-called "camping" habits, I told him to stop complaining over the fact I was OUTSMARTING him.

 The session ended sooner since I just put down the controller and left. And later that night, I reviewed what had happened.

Defense over offense

 Whenever I play a FPS, I usually pace myself and try to find the situation that would give me the high ground over the enemy. And the main reason I don't run and gun that much is because I usually end up dead.

If I was camping, I would have remained at one spot for the duration of the game. But I didn't. Instead, I watched the radar, watched the enemy dots, and found a location that gave me the advantage.

 And it's the one thing I play by: Engage the enemy when it's to my advantage. If I try to run and gun to much,I might as well put a "free kill" sign on my back.

 I'm pretty good at taking covering to. In all truth, my friend is really good at the game, so he spots me before I even knew he was there. So I keep myself close to cover. And if he shoots and me and hits me, or the bullets miss and I still can't see him, I can duck back into safety. I guess that's what annoys them the most. I like to outsmart them. Nothing is more satisfying than catching my friends off guard or foiling a plan. When it does happen, I get a bad look. But I just smile back and say:

  Problem?

Jokes aside, The usual problem I have is their complaining. If I was online, it wouldn't be a problem. Just press the mute button and be done with it. But what happens when your sitting next to each other? The answer is simple: you have to listen to every single complaint. Similar to a teacher who likes to criticize even though you obviously got the answer right.

 One or two complaints usually slide without any other than the cold shoulder. But when it happens with every kill, then your asking me to throw the controller in your face.

 You see Di5a5terp13ce, this is your weakness. When playing games like this, players will do anything to get in your head or throw you off your concentration.This includes insults and excuses as to why you killed them.It's in situations like these you have to block out whatever the other players are saying. When playing fast paced games like Call of Duty,most gamer's are usually used to responding with reflexes over a good defense plan. Those who use their minds over their reflexes are sometimes shunned or accused of cheating when they haven't. This is the situation with your friend. The best thing to do is ignore him and continue to play to your advantages not him.

 My other reason is that I like to have a plan. Is the enemy aware of my presence? Is he distracted enough for me to assault him? Or is it best to just stay put and wait for him to come to me?

 I like to wait because it gives me time to react. Things in Call of Duty get frantic and I sometimes do not have time to react to the events that are happening around me.

By observing the battlefield, I should have a better understanding on how to react when someone charges me.

Playing conservative is not cheating

No matter what my friend says, playing conservatively isn't cheating. And I think that they do not like being outsmarted. I realized that running and gunning wasn't working for me. So I asked myself: How can I play or what can I do that will give me an advantage? Turns out one of them was paying close attention to the radar.

 Whenever you play a game, it's up to you how you decide to play it. And if someone can't take the heat, then they should just go play something else. And I bet there are plenty of gamers who can relate to this story.

 I don't play conservative to cheat or to annoy anyone. I play that way because it works best for me. I don't camp either, but if the situation call's for it, then so be it.

Because, at the end of the day, sometimes a good offense is a really good defense....

Question: Have you ever had similar experience while playing split screen with your friends?

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxA scary story: M.L.P:Cupcakes/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2013/08/19/a-scary-story-m-l-p-cupcakes.aspx2013-08-19T15:26:00Z2013-08-19T15:26:00Z
Another day,another scary story to share. Going over some of my old blogs, I rediscovered my long forgotten "scary story" series. These post's consisted of me searching the internet for a scary story(mostly creepypasta's) and researching them. Noting the facts about the legend, if it's real or not, and how it affected me.

 Even though I only wrote 2 post's, the last one being about the infamous "smiledog.jpg" legend posted 2 years ago, I guess it was a matter of time before my interest in the next creepy story peaked again, sending myself off to the farthest reaches of the internet in search of a new story.

Today's story deals with a creepypasta that's become notorious for it's dark and gore-filled story. It's been talked about in forums, blog post's and internt community's. A simple tale that has no qualms about describing the heinous acts committed in vivid detail. Cementing this as one of the most disturbing and horrifying fan fics I've yet to read and see.

What your about to read is a very twisted tale. And if your a fan of this series, I suggest you exercise caution, as this may affect your perception of a certain character of this series.

So, got out your popcorn and sit around the campfire as I present to you this creepypasta....

  My Little pony:Cupcakes

What is M.L.P Cupcakes?

Created by user "Sargent Sprinkles,My Little Pony Cupcakes is a fan fiction that takes place in the M.L.P:Friendship is magic universe. The comic tells the story of character Pinkie Pie turned serial killer, and her "quest" to find the perfect recipes for the titular item.

 Which leads to horrendous acts being committed against fan favorite Rainbow dash.

How did you find out about it?

I found out about this while browsing creepypasta videos on youtube. Titled "Top 22 non-gaming creepypasta's" the video listed the top 22 most frightening pastas on the internet. And believe it or not , M.L.P Cupcakes was one of them.

 I've never watched M.L.P before, but this caught my eye since the video seemed a bit legit. At that moment , it ignited my curiosity like a forest fire burning in dry air. And a few moments later, I began my research into the forebodding tale.

Not just on youtube, but on any site that talked about it. And the reactions seemed to differ for each person.

 Like always, my search once again led me to creepypasta, where the story is located. I started reading the story. And what I read sent shivers down my spine....

The story...

 Warning: What your about to read is the Cupcakes story. It's gore-filled and pretty much sadistic and violent. If you do not want to read this, then skip this and the video that follows and just say what you think. But if your brave enough, then read on.....

The air was warm, the sun was shining, and every pony in Ponyville was having a glorious day. The town square was bustling and crowded and busy ponies filled the streets. All the pony folk seemed to have somewhere specific to be. All except Rainbow Dash; her place was in the sky. She tore freely through the air, speeding one way and the next, buzzing the tree tops and racing the wind. The blue pegasus swooped over a schoolyard, much to the delight of the children, then climbed several hundred feet and dove, streaking downward as fast as she could. Seconds before hitting the ground, her wings flew open and she pulled up back into the clear blue. Rainbow felt alive.

Suddenly, Dash remembered that she had somewhere to be; she was supposed to meet with Pinkie Pie in five minutes. Dash had gotten so caught up in her exercises that she'd nearly forgotten that Pinkie had asked to meet her at Sugarcube Corner at three. Pinkie hadn't said why or what they'd be doing, but Dash knew that with Pinkie, it could be anything. Dash wasn't sure if she really wanted to go, though. She was so engaged with her stunts that she thought about blowing Pinkie off to continue flying. But Dash's conscience got the better of her. She knew that it would hurt Pinkie's feelings; after all, Pinkie had said it was going to be something special just for the two of them. Dash considered it and thought "why not?" What did she have to lose? Heck, it might be more pranking. Pinkie might have found a bunch more fun stuff to pull on folks, and they'd had so much fun the last time. Dash kicked into overdrive to make up for lost time, and sped to her appointment.

When Dash walked into the store, she was immediately greeted by her host, who was bouncing in excitement. "Yay, you're here! I've been waiting aaall day," said the jumping pony.

"Sorry if I'm a little late, Pinkie. I was doing my afternoon exercises and lost track of time," Dash apologized.

Pinkie giggled and responded in a gleefully reassuring tone, "Oh that's ok, you're here now. What's a few more minutes? I've been sooo excited thinking about all fun stuff we're gonna do, I haven't stopped bouncing since I woke up. I mean, I almost forgot to breathe I've been so happy."

Dash gave a slightly uncomfortable laugh. She had always appreciated Pinkie Pie's friendly, outgoing way of life, but Pinkie's overabundant enthusiasm almost creeped her out. Dash maintained a polite expression, however. If Pinkie was this worked up, whatever she had planned must be good.

"So, you ready to get started, Rainbow Dash? I've got everything all ready," the pink pony said.

Dash psyched herself up. "You betcha, Pinkie. So what do ya got planed? We gonna prank somebody? I got a couple of good ones I've been thinking about. Or maybe you've got some stunts you think I should try? Or perhaps…"

"MAKING CUPCAKES!" Pinkie happily announced.

"Baking?" Dash was disappointed. "Pinkie, you know I'm not good at baking. Remember last time?"

"Oh, that's not a problem at all. I only need your help making them. I'll be doing most of the work," Pinkie explained.

Dash thought for about it for a second. "Well, alright, I guess that's OK. What exactly do you need me to do?"

"That's the spirit. Here you go." Pinkie handed Dash a cupcake.

Dash was puzzled. "I thought I was helping you bake."

"You will be. I made this one just for you before you got here."

"So, is this like taste-testing or something?"

"Sorta," Pinkie said.

Dash shrugged and popped the pastry in her mouth. She chewed a bit and swallowed. Not bad.

"OK, now what?" Dash asked.

"Now," Pinkie informed her, "You take a nap."

Puzzled, Dash opened her mouth but felt instantly light-headed. A wave of dizziness washed over her, the world spun, and seconds later she collapsed to the floor.

When Dash regained consciousness, she found herself in a dark room. She tried to shake her head but found that a taut leather strap held it firmly in place. She struggled to move, but braces around her chest and limbs glued her to a rack formed from a series of sturdy planks, which spread her legs wide apart. Dash's wings were the only part of her not tied down, and they fluttered frantically while she struggled to escape. As she writhed, Pinkie jumped suddenly into her line of sight.

"Goodie, you're awake. Now we can get started," Pinkie stated gleefully. She bounded into the darkness, and quickly reappeared pushing a small cart covered with a cloth.

"Pinkie, what's going on? I can't move!" Dash said urgently.

"Well, duh, that's because you're tied down," chided Pinkie. "That's why you can't move. I didn't think you'd need to be told that."

"But why? What's happening? I thought you said I was going to help make cupcakes."

"You are helping. You see, I ran out of the special ingredient and I need you to get more."

"Special ingredient?" Dash was now breathing heavily and starting to panic. "What special ingredient?"

Pinkie giggled and responded "You, silly!"

Dash's eyes widened, and her face contorted in fear. Then she started to laugh and said, in a voice bordering on hysteria, "Woo, you really got me there, Pinkie Pie. I mean, tricking me into thinking I'm gonna get made into a cupcake? I gotta tell you, this the best prank yet. You win, you're the best."

Pinkie only giggled even more. "Aw, thanks, Dash. But I haven't done any pranks today, so I can't accept your praise."

Dash was struggling again. "Pinkie, come on, this isn't funny."

"Then why were you laughing?" Before Dash could answer, Pinkie grabbed the cloth and whipped it off the cart. On the cart was a tray containing various sharp medical tools and knives, carefully organized and wickedly sharp, as well as a large medical bag.

Dash was now in full panic mode. She was starting to hyperventilate. Her mind raced as she tried to reason with the pink pony. "You can't do this, Pinkie! I'm your friend!"

"I know you are and that's why I'm so happy that I've got you here. We get to share your last moments together, just you and me." Pinkie was skipping again.

"But, the other ponies will wonder where I am. When the clouds pile up, they'll come looking for me and then you'll get found out," Dash cried in desperation.

"Oh, Dash," said Pinkie. "Don't worry, there are plenty of pegasus ponies to take care of a few clouds. And besides, no one will find out. I mean, how long do you think I've been doing this?" And with that ominous statement, the lights suddenly came to life and revealed the rest the room.

"Oh, no." Dash reeled in horror at the image presented to her. The room was decorated with a typical but twisted Pinkie Pie flair. Colorful streamers of dried entrails fluttered around on the ceiling, brightly painted skulls of all sizes were attached to the walls, and organs done up in pastels filled with helium were tied to the backs of chairs. The tables and chairs were made of bones and the preserved flesh of past ponies. Dash cringed upon seeing the center piece of the table nearest to her. The heads of four foals, their eyes closed as if they were sleeping, were wearing party hats made from their own skin. With a thrill of terror, Dash recognized one of them as Apple Bloom's classmate Twist. Dash's eyes darted back and forth and then fell upon a patchwork banner hanging from the rafters. Made from several tanned pony hides, the words "Life is a party" were scrawled on it in blood red.

Dash's attention was brought back by a party horn unfurling and tickling her nose. She gaped at Pinkie Pie, who was standing right in front of her. The party pony was wearing a dress quilted from dried skin, emblazoned with cutie marks. On her back fluttered six pegasus wings, all of different colors. As the earth pony skipped in excitement, her necklace of severed unicorn horns clacked together loudly.

"Like it?" Pinkie asked. "I made it myself."

Desperately, Dash pleaded with the smiling pony before her. "Pinkie please, I'm sorry if I did anything to you. I didn't mean it. Please let me go. I promise I won't tell anybody."

"Oh, Dash, you didn't do anything. It's just that your number came up and, well, I don't make rules. We can't turn back now."

Dash was tearing up. How could this be happening?

"Aww, don't be sad, Dash," said Pinkie. "Look, this'll cheer you up. I brought you a friend."

Seemingly out of nowhere, Pinkie produced a brightly painted blue and yellow skull. It was about pony sized, but it had a very defining feature: a beak.

Dash gaped in shock. "Is... is that... is... that?"

"Hey, Dash, let's hang together. These ponies are lame-os. Dweebs dweebs dweebs," Pinkie mimicked. "I caught her right before she left town. Remember when I left the party for about twenty minutes? That wasn't enough time to play with her of course; I had to wait till after the party to do that. But boy am I glad I did. It was worth it for the flavor alone. Griffons taste like two animals at once, it's amazing. I know she didn't have a number like everyone else in Ponyville, but when was I gonna get another chance to try griffon? I probably should have asked where she came from so I could have gotten more, but I forgot. I'll tell you what though, she was quite the fighter. She lasted a long time, which was a lot of fun for me. I got the chance to play with somebody other than a pony and try new things. It's too bad she had such a meanie mouth. She said so much bad stuff I just had to take her tongue out. You know, bad language makes for bad feelings, Rainbow Dash."

Dash didn't have anything to say. She just sobbed and writhed in her tight bonds.

"Well" said Pinkie with an air of finality, "that's enough reminiscing. It's time to begin."

Putting down Gilda's skull, the pink pony gripped a scalpel in the cleft of her hoof and walked over to Dash's right flank. Without any flair, Pinkie placed the blade an inch above Dash's cutie mark and began a circular cut around it. Dash shouted in pain and tried desperately to pull away, but the braces held her still. Finishing the incision, Pinkie grabbed a curved skinning knife from the tray. Screwing up her face in concentration, she worked it under Dash's skin and sliced the hide away from the muscle. Dash ground her teeth as she tearfully watched her flesh peel off. Pinkie then moved to the other side and repeated the process on Dash's left flank. Once she had finished, Pinkie held up both cutie marks in front of her friend and started waving them like pompoms. Dash just whimpered. Her thighs burned like nothing she had felt before.

Placing the ragged patches of skin down, Pinkie selected a large butcher knife and walked behind the blue pegasus. "Hope you don't mind, I think I'm gonna wing it now," Pinkie laughed. She grabbed Dash's left wing in her mouth and played with it for a few seconds, yanking it back so the sharp pain reignited the fire in Dash's flanks. Then, stretching the wing out, Pinkie brought the blade down hard at the base. Instantly, Dash screamed and thrashed her appendage. The movement threw off Pinkie's aim. She tried to hit the mark again but missed, and carved a huge slice into Dash's back.

"Dash, you gotta stay still or I'll keep missing," scolded Pinkie as her friend howled.

Pinkie took another whack and hit her target. She swung again and again. Blood sprayed into the air, but Pinkie realized she wasn't getting anywhere. The blade just wasn't going through the bone.

"Hmm, I guess I forgot to sharpen it. I'll try something else," stated Pinkie matter-of-factly as she tossed the knife over her shoulder, embedding the blade in the table. Through the haze of pain and tears, Dash heard the sound of a metal box opening and closing.

"Got it! Say Dash, why do they call it a hack saw? It doesn't hack; hacking is what I was doing with the knife. This is a saw. I don't get it."

Pinkie placed the tool over the mangled flesh of the last attempt. Standing on her hind legs, she worked the saw back and forth with her front hooves. It sliced effortlessly through the bone and skin. The feeling of the jagged teeth grinding into her made Dash want to vomit. She watched numbly as her wing flew over her head and landed with a fluff on the table. Pinkie moved to the next wing and started sawing. Dash didn't struggle this time; she'd given up trying to fight and focused on choking back screams of agony. Abruptly, the sawing paused. Pinkie was only half way done, the wing hanging off by a sliver.

"Hey Dash," Pinkie piped up. "Think fast!"

Suddenly, Pinkie yanked the wing as hard as she could. The bone snapped but the blue pony's skin held, then tore away. The pull ripped away a long strip of flesh all the way down Dash's back to her rump. Her body seized at the unexpected trauma. As her pelvis tensed up, Dash felt a warm release between her legs, and her loud, unending melody of pain filled the room. Unable to catch her breath, she blacked out.

Dash awoke with a gasp. The stench of her urine filled her mucus caked nostrils. As her vision swam into focus, she saw a very pouty Pinkie Pie removing a large adrenaline needle from her chest. Stomping her hooves, the frustrated Pinkie lashed out at her helpless victim.

"Didn't anybody teach you any manners? It's very rude to fall asleep when somebody invites you over to spend time with them. How would you like it if I came over to your house and went to sleep? 'Oh I'm sorry Dash, you're so boring I think I'll take a nap.' You think I like always doing this by myself? I told you how excited I got when I found you were next. I was excited to have a friend be here with me while I worked. But NOOOOO! You've got to be inconsiderate. You know, I thought you were tough. I thought you could handle anything. I've had foals stand up better than you! Do I have to baby you? Huh? Is that how you want me to remember you, as a baby?"

As Pinkie stopped to catch her breath, Dash blinked and sobbed softly. Her back was in agony, her sides were on fire, and there was an intense pain in one of her legs. As she blinked again, she saw Pinkie pop something red into her mouth and began to chew. Noticing Dash's stare, Pinkie quickly gulped the morsel down.

"What?" Pinkie asked. "Oh, this?" She held up another piece. "Well, while YOU were asleep, I got a little impatient and helped myself to a small sample. I got it from your leg; you're not bad. Wanna try some?"

Without waiting for a response, Pinkie shoved the strip of meat into the revolted pegasus pony's mouth. Dash gagged, and immediately spit it out. Pinkie frowned, and picked up the chunk of flesh. "If you didn't want it, you could have said no." She contemplated the discarded snotty morsel, then gulped it up. "It's not like you haven't had my cupcakes before."

Swallowing, Pinkie turned her attention to a small can on the tray. She removed the lid, revealing that it was filled with red-hot coals. Lying on top of the coals were several large nails. As the adrenalin filled her veins, Dash began to panic again. Picking up the can, Pinkie walked over to Dash's left. Holding some tongs with her mouth, Pinkie carefully picked up a nail and positioned it at the seam between her victim's front left leg and hoof. She then grabbed a hammer and took careful aim.

"No Pinkie!" Dash screamed. "NO! NO!"

The hammer came down and the nail punctured Dash's skin. The white hot burning was too much. Dash screamed as she pulled and thrashed at the braces, causing her raw skin to rub and tear. Pinkie tried to line up another nail, but couldn't find her aim, and let out a frustrated grunt. When Pinkie brought the hammer back to take a wild swing, Dash burst out crying and begging.

"PLEASE STOP! PLEASE, PLEASE STOP!"

Pinkie rolled her eyes. Putting down the hammer and tongs, she walked back in front of her friend and stared pensively at the broken pegasus. Gilda didn't even cry this much when she had a live parasprite stuffed down her throat. Pinkie thought for a minute about what to do next, then had a sudden spark of inspiration.

Rotating a wheel on the rack, Pinkie laid Dash on her back, then moved to Dash's hind legs, bringing the can with her. Picking up her tools, Pinkie drove a searing hot spike of metal directly into the bottom of Dash's hoof. As Dash yelled in pain, Pinkie moved around and drove a second nail into the other hoof. Next, Pinkie went back to her cart and located an enormous battery and controller, which she dragged over to where she was working. She tied copper wires between the terminals and the nails driven into Dash's hooves, then gave Dash a wink and flipped the switch.

Electricity rocketed through Dash's body. The blue pony reacted immediately; her body seized, and her muscles snapped taut. Dash's hips thrust skyward, her eyes rolled back, and she let out a deep, throat shredding cry. Pinkie giggled and danced in place, then reached down and turned up the juice. Dash convulsed uncontrollably, and her bladder emptied once more.

After about five minutes, Pinkie shut off the power. Wisps of steam rose from the singed fur around Dash's hooves, and the area reeked of cooked flesh and burnt enamel. Pinkie rotated Dash upright again and tried snap the drooling, delirious pony back to attention.

"Dash? Dash! Rainbow Dash, wake up!" Dash moaned and managed to give a modicum of weak acknowledgment. Pinkie studied her handiwork, then reached into the medicine bag and produced a large syringe. "Alright, time for the last round."

Dash focused blearily on the needle, which Pinkie took as a question as to what it was.

"This is a little something to take the pain away," Pinkie informed Dash as she walked around to her victim's ruined back. Dash flinched as Pinkie jabbed the needle into the lower part of the blue pony's spine. Moving in front of her friend again, Pinkie leaned down and elaborated.

"In a few minutes, you won't be able to feel anything below your ribcage. Then you'll be able to stay awake to watch the harvest."

Dash started to cry again. "Pinkie?" she choked out.

"Yeah?"

"I want to go home," Dash sobbed.

"Yeah, I can see wanting to do that," replied the party pony. "Sometimes, I just wanna give up, just say 'I'm done with this mess' and go to bed. But you know what? You can't shrug off your responsibilities. You got to pull yourself up and meet the challenges head on. That's the only way you're gonna get ahead in life."

Dash hung her head and cried.

Minutes passed as the drug took effect. Eventually, Dash was completely numb from her chest to her flanks. At this point, Pinkie approached with a scalpel. Glancing at Dash and smiling, Pinkie made a long horizontal cut across the pegasus pony's pelvis, just above her crotch. Moving up Dash's body, Pinkie made a similar incision under her ribs. Finally, Pinkie made a long vertical cut down Dash's stomach, connecting the first two.

"Looks like I got my 'I' on you, Dash," Pinkie giggled.

With a moist, gooey sound, the flaps of skin opened. The sight of her own organs and the lack of feeling caused Dash's breathing to intensify. Pinkie carefully sliced open Dash's abdominal sac and grabbed her large intestines. As she separated the organ from the rest of the digestive tract and pulled it out of the new cavity, Pinkie grew jovial. Laughing as she gutted her friend, Pinkie began to make jokes. Dash, growing weaker from this new source of blood loss, tried desperately to shut out the macabre comedy act.

"Look at me, I'm Rarity!" Pinkie laughed, slinging the intestinal tube around her neck and spraying blood in all directions. "Isn't my new scarf soooo pretty?"

Reaching back inside, she sliced the smaller intestine off from the bowls. Squeezing out the excess excrement, Pinkie filed the slimy organ through her teeth and dragged it back and forth. "Dentists say you gotta floss every day, Dash."

Dash was barely aware of what was going on anymore. The shock was causing her to fade. Disappointed, Pinkie dived back into the blue pony's guts, ramping up her routine.

"Aw, don't go yet Dash." Pinkie started pulling out the rest of Dash's organs, pausing with each removal. "I know I can be a real pancreas, but you know I'm just kidney with you. You really got to learn to liver it up. Boy, these jokes are getting bladder. Guess ya gotta develop a stomach for them."

Pinkie placed the discarded body parts into a bucket, keeping the last one for bit longer. "Ooo, bagpipes." she said, placing the end of Dash's esophagus in her mouth and the stomach in her armpit. She squeezed, and a spurt of acid hit her tongue. "Eww! Oh hey look, there's your cupcake, Dash!"

Dash didn't hear her tormentor. She had slipped from conciseness minutes ago. Pinkie, not yet satisfied, hit Dash with another adrenaline shot. Dash woke up for the last time, her heart pounding. Warm blood flowed out from the wound in her chest in great spurts. It wouldn't be long now.

Pinkie brought Dash around onto her back again and straddled the blue pony's chest, scalpel at the ready.

"Ya know, Rainbow Dash, I'm disappointed. I thought you would have lasted longer. I really wanted to spend more time with you before we got here. But I guess it's my fault; I should have taken it a little slower. Oh well. It was really was nice knowing you, Dash!"

The blade sunk into the blue throat and worked its way up to Dash's chin. Coming back down, Pinkie's scalpel then circled Dash's neck. The last thing Rainbow Dash felt was her skin being cut away from her skull, and the metal of the blade scraping her teeth.

Then she was gone.

Pinkie Pie stared into the mirror. She had done a really good job, even keeping the eyelids. She winked, and Dash winked back. Pinkie smiled.

But still, she was sad that her friend was now gone. Dash had only lasted fifty minutes, not nearly as long as Pinkie had wanted. She looked back at the cadaver hanging in the center of the room, the last of her friend's fluids draining into a pan. Yup, no more Rainbow Dash.

As she looked, Pinkie cocked her head. She began to take notice of the fact that there really wasn't much damage to the corpse. "In fact," the pink pony mused, "I think…." An idea exploded in her head. She was good at sewing and she had all the pieces, all she had to do was put them back together. Yeah, she just had to get some stuffing and bingo, she'd have Rainbow Dash forever. In fact, thought Pinkie, that's what she'd do for all her best friends when their numbers came up. She was so excited, she skipped right over to the body with her skinner to get started. The cupcakes could wait; Pinkie Pie had a friend to make.

Reaction

I'm usually used to seeing people getting mutilated(I watch anime after all), but this story raised my brow. And the only thing I said after finishing the story was....

 What in the serious F**K?!

Pinkie's actions against Rainbow Dash might as well be similar to what Joseph Mengele did to the Jewish kids at Auschwitz.Lured in with candy and sweets, tied down, and them mutilated. I may not be interested in this show, but the minute by minute torture of Rainbow Dash was hard to read at times. Mostly since I have a pretty good imagination when it comes to reading manga, so the comic, for me, was like watching a video with voice over. But in any case, Dash suffered a cruel fate. One that she did not deserve.

The videos

Believe it or not, this fan fiction has it's share of videos as well. And not just dramatic readings of the comic, but small clips of the torture session. Even though the character's mouths move like they're talking, the clips take place over music. Viewer discrection is advised...

(Please visit the site to view this media)

A possible link...

 Despite the gruesome narrative, there is a possible link between Cupcakes and one of the M.L.P episodes. During the episode "Party of one" Pinkie Pie's friends ignore her party invitations, making excuses to avoid attending. Thinking that no one want's to be her friend anymore, she becomes depressed and arranges her own party "guests. It's here that she begins to display various traits of insanity. She gives her "guests" various voices, her eyes open wide, she smiles wickedly, and her eyes become derped. But what was weird was that her hair went from the usual curly, to completely straight and her color became a bit paler, possibly suggesting a split personality.

 Most fans decided to use Pinkie Pies real name for this version of her: Pinkamena Diane Pie. And she is usually treated as a separate character from Pinkie Pie. Her Alter-ego...

 Knowing the Pinkie Pie has a screw loose, the events in Cupcakes makes sense. A what-if scenario should Pinkie snap completely, even though it is never gonna happen.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

  I guess Pinkie pie watched Soul eater

The Final verdict:

At the end of the day, Cupcakes is just a fan fiction. It has nothing to do with the actual storyline and Pinke Pie is not the monster that the comic potray's her to be. It is dark, twisted, sadistic, and gory,and it's powerful enough to stay with you after finish the final page. Not only that, but change your perspective of a character that seems like the kind to never stop smiling. But guess it depends on who reads it...

  Sure it didn't Rainbow Dash... I'm sure it didn't.

So before i go....

  Enjoy the Cupcakes!!!

And now for the quick question. What's you opinion on this story?

 If you made it this far, then I salute you. Join me next time as I pull another creepypasta out for obseravtion...

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxDi5a5terp13ce's anime reviews:Strike witches/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2013/08/07/di5a5terp13ce-39-s-anime-reviews-strike-witches.aspx2013-08-07T16:15:00Z2013-08-07T16:15:00Z

Name: Strike witches

Created by : Humikane Shimada

Publisher : Gonzo

Release date : March 30 2010

Rating : TV-MA

What is Strike witches?

Strike witches is a mixed media project created by Humikane Shimada via a magazine illustration column. It was then adapated into three light novel series, manga, an OVA, an anime t.V series, a movie and various video games.

 Strike witches tells the story of humanity's fight against the Neuroi, a black alien creature that appears out of nowhere and destroys nation after nation in a fictional recreation of World war 2. Most of the battles featured are fictional recreations based on real ones.

And last but not least, the titular Strike witches are young girls with high magical ability's who are recruited by the world's military organization to fight against the Neuroi. Wearing units called "Striker Units" in order to bring out their potential and lift certain weapons that are to heavy for normal people and to defend against enemy attacks. Making them the trump card in a war against an enemy that's unpredictable.

What does is bring to the table?

Strike witches brings the following three to the table : Sci fi Action, comedy, and fanservice. It's not hard to see it's influences either. Sometimes I think I see a summary of shows that have been done before. Like Neo Genesis Evangelion( young pilots fighting aliens) and Gunslinger Girl( young girls with big guns)

Di5a5terp13ce's dissection

 As mentioned earlier, Strike witches takes place in an alternate world war 2 universe. Instead of facing Hitler and the Nazi regime, the world fights against the Neuroi. That being the case, everything(well, ALMOST everything) holds a reference to something from WW2. For example, the series references:

   Real life ship (This one being the Akagi)

  Locations

  Plane characteristics

 Other references include: events, political figures and even the real pilots themselves. Most of this should be easy to notice for anyone with a passing knowledge of military history. For example, Sanya Litvyak's character design is drawn after Lydia litvyak's nickname "The White Rose of Stalingrad" and Charlotte Yeager's back story,personality and personal events seem to reference her real life counter part Chuck Yeager.

 What may surprise some, the characters design have plot relevance. Somewhat of a rarity when an anime has fanservice. The girls striker units have WW2 plane elements built into them and to help enhance their magic ability. Combine that with their ears and tail, and they become an anthropomorphic aircraft. a concept that is executed well and without problems, making the battle scenes fun to watch and visually stunning.

The real stars of this show are the characters themselves. Whether it's the main character, or any other of the girls, these girls take center stage in humanity's fight with the Neuroi. But what makes these character's great is not the pilots there based off of, but their different personalities and voice acting.

Main character Yoshika Miyafuji is highly spirited and energetic, Lynette bishop is shy and timid, Sakamoto is strict while at the same time having one of the most unique laughs I've heard so far in anime(The next being Laharl), and Lucchini seems to cause trouble for everyone.

It wouldn't be possible without the voice actors. And it does not matter which language you watch it in. The voice actors fit their roles perfectly. Regular V.A Cherami Leigh voices the highly evergetic Yoshika, Kate Bristol voices the shy and timid Lynette Bishop, Trina Nishimura voices the childish Lucchini and veteran V.A Kira Vincent Davis and Anastasia Munoz voice Major Sakamoto and Minna Deitlinde Wilcke.

No matter who's talking,and despite the lack of heavy accent of the Japanese voice over, no one feels out of place. While some anime's dubbing seems like a hit and miss, this series has no problems with the voice acting....

The sounds of war

 It's not rare when I'm interested in a certain song, but it was a matter of time before I decided to listen to Strike witches O.S.T. The O.S.T for this series was really good. Strike witches contains a booming symphony to go with the high flying action. Not just the action, but scenes like the appearance of a new enemy, a sad memory, a bad situation, and even the funny moments have their own tune. Since some of these tunes can't be heard very well when the action is happening, I was surprised at how some of these songs sounded.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

(Please visit the site to view this media)

But Strike witches has it's cons as well:

 The main criticism of the show was it's fanservice. While I was expecting to see some panty's as the girls, the main fact that people point out is the frequency of it. Sometimes there are right, as some shots get right up in your face, that is something I can't deny. But there are times when it happens so fast you might not even notice it.

 One episode seems focused on character interaction and fanservice comedy, with the infamous episode 7 being a humorous adaption of a real life event involving Luftwaffe pilot Erica Hartmann. Believe it or not, the episode is quite fun,with the nudity thrown in as a decoration. If you enjoy fanservice, then this episode will make you smile. even if you don't like it that much, it's still funny enough to warrant a watch, which includes a lecture on discipline and a domino like effect of incidents that occur after that.

 But it could also send people running the other way if they weren't into the show that much in the first place. That's where it's use of nudity could end up being a double edge sword. Not much of a problem if you don't mind it, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who hates the latter.

My main criticism is the series length and a lack of deeper character development.

 No matter the medium, games, movies, or anime, character development is important. And at 12 episodes, it's not enough to fully develop all 11 strike witches. And since this series has such great characters, this was a major letdown for me.

 The series isn't completely devoid of character development. Some of the witches will let an occasional story slip, but they mostly interact with each other during their everyday activities and battles. Don't expect a deep in depth story of these witches. But there personalities even this flaw out a bit, even if I was wanting to hear their back story's a bit more(except Yeager, who gives a quick summary of what she did before the war).

The Verdict:

Animation : Character's are drawn great and move smoothly throughout the series without it looking jarring. The neuroi are modeled well and have an otherwordly appearance that doesn't seem out of place. But for some reason. Lynette's running animation seems a bit awkward.

Sound: Voice over are well done and the orchestra sounds great underneath the action.

Plot: Battle are well researched and plotted well. A deeper character development would have been good to flesh out the plot a bit more.

Di5a5terp13ce's final grade: B-

Strike witches is an anime that you either love or hate. It's not perfect by any means, but it does not fall out of the sky completely(2 seasons and a movie? your doing something right).

Some may dismiss it after the first episode. But if taken at face value, providing you have a patience for fanservice, Strike witches provides an enjoyable view that will have you chuckling at some of the girls high jinks and paying attention when the series decided to get serious.

 It not's for everyone, but it provides a rich, fanservicy war story that doesn't dissapoint(if your patient).And fortunately, there's much more to this show that the lack of pants.

 So at the end of the day, these girls just might have "all the right stuff"......

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxA story of a long forgotten tragedy.../blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2013/04/03/a-story-of-a-long-forgotten-tragedy.aspx2013-04-03T16:16:00Z2013-04-03T16:16:00Z
Another day,another blog, and another story to tell. Since I don't have any ideas for anything related to gaming as a whole, I decided to take a detour and talk about something different. I'm not sure if this is gonna get many views or comments for that matter, But I'm gonna take the time to tell everyone a story. And not just any story, but a story of a long forgotten tragedy that occurred on the night of November 10th, 1975. And it's the loss of one of the Great Lakes biggest Ship :The Edmund Fitzgerald

  The SS Edmund Fitzgerald

What is the Edmund Fitzgerald?

 The Edmund Fitzgerald was a 726 foot long taconite ore carrier and one of the largest American Ships on the Great lakes and also the largest to have been sunk there. During her 17 year career, she carried taconite ore from mine in Minnesota, to the iron works over in Detroit.

 Besides being very large, she was also fast. She set seasonal haul records at least six times, most of the time beating her own records.

How did you find out about it?

In case anyone was wondering, I hadn't been born yet when the "Fitz" sunk(I was born in 89, the Fitz sunk in 75). When I was still a child, my mom signed us up to participate in some kind of project fare.

 I remember I did mine of pirates, and my sister did hers of New Mexico. And a few feet from where I was, there was a child who's project was about the Edmund Fitzgerald. The project was well done, but I had trouble remembering the song he was playing on a small radio.

Time passed before I started trying to remember the name of that ship. Last year, I stayed over at a friends house. Since he had recently bought Resident evil 6, he wanted me to watch(I think I just wanted to watch), so I was on his cell phone using the internet like always.

 While he was gunning down zombies, I was asking myself: What was the name of that ship? I remember the last name was Fitzgerald, but what was the name before it?

 I was wracking my brains for hours before I decided to just google it. At first, I just wrote "Fitzgerald" but I got something else. So I decided to write ship to. That;s when I saw the name: The SS Edmund Fitzgerald. After reading the information, I knew I found what I was looking for, thus set me off on a research binge.

Career of the Edmund Fitzgerald

 During her career, The Fitz transported taconite ore from Minnesota, to Detroit, and to other ports in the area. Since most people dubbed her as a record setting "workhorse", she set and beat her own milestones at least six times.

The vessels load record for a trip was about 27,402 tons(30,690 short tons; 27,842 t) during 1969. Loading her with the ore took around 4 and a half hours, while unloading took close to 14 hours. If she took a round trip between Lake Superior, Wisconsin,Detroit, and Michigan, she would take at least 5 days to complete the voyage. Not only that, she averaged at least 47 trips per season.

 Even though he destinations were between Superior, Wisconsin, Detroit, and Michigan, her port destination would vary.

 By November of 1975, the same month of her sinking, she had traveled more than a million miles and had logged an estimate of over 748 trips on the Great Lakes.

The Fitzgeralds final journey

  The route of the Anderson and the Fitzgerald

On November 9th, 1975, The Edmund Fitzgerald left Superior,Wisconsin at 2:15 pm under the command of captain Ernest Mcsorley. Her destination was the mills located on Zug Island near Detroit, Michigan, with a load of taconite pellets weighing in at 26,116 tons. Despite the weight, she managed to reach her full speed of 16.3 mph.

 Around 5:00 p.m, Mcsorley linked up with the Arthur M Anderson, under the command of Captain Jesse B. "Bernie" Cooper, who's destination was Gary, Indiana, outside of Two ports, Minnesota.

Even though the weather wasn't unusual for a November afternoon, The National weather Service predicted a storm would pass over south of lake Superior at around 7 a.m on November 10.

 The NWS altered the forecast at 7 p.m, and issued a gales warning for ALL of Lake superior.

 Both the Anderson and the Fitzgerald both altered course, heading north to try and seek shelter from the coming storm. But, at 1:00 a.m , they encountered a winter storm. Captain Paquette of the Wilfred Sykes, which departed 2 hours after the Fitzgerald, reported hearing Mcsorley saying that he was slowing his ship down due to the increasingly rough conditions the storm was producing.

 He later said that this shocked him, since Mcsorley "was not known for slowing down.

 One hour later, The NWS upgraded their forecast from gales...to storm. That meant that the storm had become something similar to a hurricane, with winds clocking in at 40-58 mph.Up until then, The Fitzgerald was able to follow the Anderson, who kept her speed at 14 mph. But the Fitzgerald, clearly the faster of the two,pulled ahead at 3:00 a.m.

 Things went from bad to worse as the storms center passed over the two ships. Both ships were battling shifting winds and changing wind direction.

at 1:50 p.m, The Anderson reported winds of at least 5 mph. One hour later, however, the wind speeds began to pick up as it began to snow, reducing visibility. It was about the same time that the Anderson lost sight of the Fitzgerald, which was traveling at least 16 miles ahead of her.

 At 3:30 p.m, the Anderson received a transmission from the Fitzgerald that she had lost two vents, a fence railing, and was taking on water. Not only that, she was starting to develop a "List". A list is the balance of the ship, so this means that the Fitz was starting to tilt.

Captain Bernie asked " Do you have your pumps on?". Mcsorley replied that he did. So this means that both of the pumps were working to discharge the water the the Fitz was taking in. Mcsorley later told the Anderson that he was gonna slow down so that she could catch up. Shortly after that, the Coast Guard reported that Soo locks had been closed and they needed to seek a safe place to drop anchor.A few moments after that, Mcsorley reported a radar failure and asked the Anderson to help keep track of them. The Fitzgerald, blinded by the storm, slowed to let the Anderson come within 10 miles of her location, so that way she could receive radar guidance from the Anderson.

For a time, The Anderson directed the Fitzgerald to Whitefish bay. At 4:39 p.m , Mcsorley asked the coast guard if the whitefish bay navigational beacon and point light were functioning.They replied by saying both were inactive. It was then that Captain Woodward of the Avafors received a transmission from Mcsorley telling him that his "list" was getting worse, he had lost both his radars and was taking on seas over the deck in one of the worst seas he's been in.

 Things seemed just as bad in the afternoon of November 10. The Anderson was sustaining winds around 67 mph with wave heights that reached close to 25 feet(the perfect storm in a way). The Captain of the Anderson also suffered a scare when he was struck by 80-86 mph gusts and rogue waves that reached over 35 feet. With conditions like that, I can't imagine what the Fitzgerald was going through.

At 7:10 p.m, The Anderson notified the Fitzgerald of an upbound ship. It was then that Bernie asked Mcsorley how he was handling his problems. Mcsorley replied : We're holding our own". And 10 minutes after that, the Fitzgerald vanished off the Anderson's radar and could no longer be raised on the radio. That meant she sunk after that final transmission. No call for help was ever received.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

The search for survivors

 An oil slick, some debris and half of a life boat was all they found

At 7:39 p.m, Cooper called the Coast Guard using channel 16, a channel which is used for distress calls.The Coast guard responded be telling him to call back on channel 12. This was due to the fact that they wanted to keep their emergency channel open and they were also having difficulty with their communication systems due to some of their antennas being blown down by the storm.

Cooper then made contact with the saltwater vessel Nanfri, and told her how he couldn't raise the Fitzgerald on radar.

At 8:25 p.m, Cooper again tried calling the Coast Guard to express concern over the Fitzgerald and at 9:25, reported he missing.

 Since the coast guard didn't have enough manpower or vessels to respond to the Fitzgerald disaster, The Anderson was givin instructions to turn around and look for survivors. At 10:30, the coast guard asked all vessels anchored in the area to assist in the search, with the initial search carried out by the Anderson,and a second freighter, The SS William Clay Ford. Many more vessels took part in the three day search, with the Canadian coast guard aircraft joining the search and the Ontario Provincial Police maintaining a beach patrol along the east side of Lake superior.

 After an extensive search, all they found was debris. Half of a lifeboat,rafts, and debris...no survivors. The storm had swallowed the Fitzgerald along with her crew of 29 men.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

What caused the ship to sink?

 Alot of theories exist to what caused the ship to sink like it did. Some think that the waves drove the ship under. And with all the weight she was carrying, combine that with the water she was taking in and there exists one possibility.

 Others think that she sunk due to improper hatch closure. And some think the ship could have broken in two(mostly due that the wreck of the ship is in two pieces)

There are so many theories, that I guess we eon't know the true cause at all. Only ones who know went to the bottom of lake superior...

The Legend lives on...Through a song

It only took me a quick search on Youtube to discover the song that I was looking for all this time. The song that child played with the presentation of his project.

 The song, titled " The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is a ballad made by Gordon Lightfoot. The song tells the story of the Fitz through artistic rendition. When I heard the song, I was hooked on it.

The way Mr. Lightfoot sings the song, combined with footage of the ship and wreckage, combines to make a song that's not only beautiful, but also haunting. I suggest you listen to the song and hear it for yourself.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

 I found this tragedy to be an interesting one. Not only did the ship vanish, no survivors were found. This comes to show that the great lakes aren't something to take lightly, since the Fitzgerald wasn't the first ship to sink there.

 But my amazment comes from the fact of how many people have never heard of this. Every person I asked gives me the same answer: Never heard of it. This was what gave me the motivation to write this. To make this a little bit more known.

 There are plenty of things I would have loved to cover. Such as how the sinking changed the regulations for Great lake ships and the theories for the sinking, but I think it would make this a bit longer than expected.

But at the end of the day, may those men R.I.P........

Question: Have you ever heard of the Edmund Fitzgerald before reading this? If you did not, what do you think of the story?

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxPlatform preference:Don't care! Play games!/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2013/03/26/platform-preference-don-39-t-care-play-games.aspx2013-03-26T21:35:00Z2013-03-26T21:35:00Z
 Playstation, Xbox, Wii, Gameboy, PSP,Nintendo DS, PC, platforms that are very different from each other, but are used for the same purpose:to play games. Even at the very beginning, when consoles used floppy disks(Commondore 64, I'm looking at you) instead of cassettes, gamers used to have different preferences when it came to their console of choice.

 Even when arcades offered gamers experiences that may have been far superior to their home console counterpart, I imagine that there were some who prefered one over the other.

 Even today, in an age were games have become cinematic experiences, the gamer community argues constantly over which platform is better. And it has become something that I,as a gamer, have come to despise.

  I wish i could have all of this...

When I was a child, I was introduced to my first console: The NES. I had no knowledge of the arcades or P.C gaming of the time. But for me, those 8-bit graphics were the PS3 of my time. I sat in front of the living room T.V for hours on end, my little hands wrapped around the rectangle controller, helping a 8-bit mario rescue the princess from a turtle that I threw into the lava more times than I can count.

 The simple premise of that game opened up my path to becoming the gamer that I am today. As I grew, I was introduced to gaming in many different ways.

I wasted my dads money trying to get first place in Hydro thunder, Played Tetris on the first GAmeboy, Pokemon on the Game boy color, and even my first experience of P.C gaming with a simple submarine game on my dads computer.

 It was a simple objective, take control of my fleets submarines and sink the enemy's ships before they sunk mine. Even though I can't remember the game's name, I remember the gameplay as if I had just played the game a few hours ago.

 Switching between subs and sinking those pixelated ships was the main reason I sat at my dads computer for hours of the day. But, that was as far as I could go when it came to BUYING games on the computer. Since my dad had emulaters for different games, my P.C game selection was enough to keep a 8-year old me busy whenever my sisters decided to use the Playstation 1.

 But, what happened when my dad had to use the computer to work? What happened when he needed to use the computer to help prepare my school work(I was homeschooled till 6th grade)?

  After all these years... I still have my first SNES

 When Christmas came around, I got a surprise: The SNES. When the console first hit the market, I told my parents that I wanted one. Since I did good in my school work, my families decided to get me one. Nothing can compare to the happiness I felt when I opened my present to see the SNES box. I was the happiest kid on the planet.

 The SNES, in my opinion, was my console of choice before the PS1. Not only were the graphics superior to the NES, it had twice of the classic games. Games like Super mario world got of playthroughs, and games like NBA jam, NFL Quarterback club, and Super bases loaded were the reasons I paid attention to sports in the first place. Every night, I'd play my sport games till I knew every strategy like the back of my hand. In a day when sports games aim for more and more realism, NBA Jam reminds me of just how fun when things can be when fast paced and high flying.

 And even after all these years, I still have that SNES. The console doesn't work anymore, but I refuse to get rid of it. Because it, like the Genesis, hold memories in it's worn down plastic and bitten cords. And it's something I'll hold onto till the day I die.

 Gamer preference: a war of words

 I guess it was bound to happen, but when you join the gamer community, you might as well be joining a war. A war that isn't fought with weapons, but with words. The reason I say so is because I see so much of it, even on this sight. People arguing back in forth over which platform is better, which platform is more powerful, which has more features. The list seems to go on and on as gamer's everywhere divide into sides over which platform is superior over all. and when they start giving each other the evil eye, I can't help but frown, since I know it's not gonna end well.

  This ain't gonna be pretty....

 Most of the time I think it's over a mere disagreement. If one person can't agree with something, or acknowledge the pro's of their platform and exagerate the flaws of the other, the tension starts to build. Since both think their platform is better, they start throwing remarks about why the other platform is bad. It's an exchange that, despite the fact their supposed to be having a "friendly" conversation, can build up into a flame war over a simple preference. And it's something that can be truly...explosive, as gamers join the argument to defend each side.

  Over a simple disagreement and preference

When it comes to these type of arguments, I play the "man in the middle". This means that I do not like taking sides when it comes to these type of arguments. It's a feature that I maintain when it comes to these type of situation. It's not only because I think such arguments are pointless, it's also because I think that each platform, despite their flaws, has something unique to offer me.And it's something I've heard over and over: The whole mod support for P.C, the cheaper prices for consoles just to name a few.

' What I do not understand is why some choose to deny it. Is it necesary to deny the other just because you pronounced loyalty to another?

 No platform is completly perfect and will have their own share of problems. But I know these arguments can sometimes be caused by a certain group: The elitist.

Stop being an elitist!!!

 I remember those words like it was yesterday. Today, I'm gonna tell you the story of my encounter with and elitist.

 Last November, I was invited by one of my friends to one of the yearly gaming conventions held here in Puerto Rico: The Gaming explosion fest. I was very excited for this opportunity since it was my first time attending one of these conventions. Little did I know that it would also be my first encounter with an elitist(my friend who invited me) that would ruin my day.

 Entering the arena, I was greeted with lots of different booths. Showing games like Dance central, Sony's All star battle royal, and booths hosting Call of Duty LAN matches. There was even a SNES with Killer instinct running on it. Outside of that, This convention didn't live up to what I was expecting(maybe I expected to much). Anyway, after another match in Modern Warfare, I wanted to check out the P.C section. So After I finished, me and my friend headed over to the P.C section. As expected, the gamers there were playing Call of Duty as well. But that wasn't what annoyed me. My friend then had to gall to turn towards me and say: See this? This makes your consoles look like S**t! I clenched my teeth and glared at him.

 DON'T... YOU...START!!!!!

After hearing that, I knew where he was going. And I did not like it one bit. i told him to stop, but he persisted. He kept saying that consoles could not compete with P.C. It wasn't until I yelled at him to stop being an elitist that he backed off, at least for the moment. But he kept saying the occasional "P.C" chant every now and then. While I ignored him, that little cherade messed up the day for me.

 I don't know where the term "elitist" came from, but I know it's an annoying feat that gets on my nerves ever time I hear it.

 I've always been intrigued what usually causes someone to act this way, but I know it's mostly from the strong feelings they have for their platform.

I understand that, I can get that gamer's love the platform they play games on. What I don't get is why some have to act all high and mighty about it, especially some P.C gamers.

  I do not like this view from certain P.C gamers

If there's one thing I hate, it's when gamer's from both sides think that their higher and mightier than there peers due to their preference. And it happens with P.C gamer's. The vision that console gamer's are somehow lower than P.C gamer's is a view that I strike down.

Because in reality..Neither side is better. P.C gamer's are NOT better than Console gamer's and console gamer's are NOT better than P.C gamer's. We're all the same! We are gamer's no matter the platform. And these silly labels hold no meaning except to simply separate people with certain likes.

 But there are people who would say otherwise. But in my point of view, why does it matter so much?

I always considered gaming as hobby. Whether it's P.C, or consoles, it doesn't matter your preference, we all want to have fun.

I, like everyone else, love to game. But I'd never think of taking that passion, my passtime, and turning it into ammo to attack others. Attacking others because of platform preference is not only disgraceful, it's unnecesary.

 And sometime's the fighting get's so bad that I just want to close my eyes, open my mouth and scream:

  STOP FIGHTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The one question I ask is this: Why can't we just play games on our preferred platform, without arguing which is better? Why can't we just enjoy games were we most feel comfortable?

 We are gamers. It doesn't matter if it's P.C or consoles. We are a community that should be united by our love of the media, not divided by it.

 Games are meant to be enjoyed, and taking sides means your denying yourself the opportunity to play such games.

We don't need to argue about which platform has the most power because, in the end, we're all playing games to be entertained.

But, in the end, as long as there are elitist and extremist, that fact will be the black eye that prevents us from being one truly understanding community......

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxRunning out of time....for gaming/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2013/03/18/running-out-of-time-for-gaming.aspx2013-03-18T17:55:00Z2013-03-18T17:55:00Z
 Sometimes I wonder were the time goes, but I can't believe so much time has passed since my last activity. Minutes turned to hours, hours turned to days, says to weeks, and weeks to months. And with each passing day, I find myself lacking more and more time to play the games I used to love playing. It's not that I don't want to play, it's just that I don't have the freedom I used to.

  Tick-tock, tick- tock.Your time is running out Di5a5terp13ce

Every time I wake up, I ask myself the same question(well..almost always): Where did my free time go? It seems like it was only yesterday. I was in school, had my tight group of friends, and was able to game the night away till the next morning.

 Instead of waking up at 6:00 a.m, I would wake up at 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Only to start playing again from where I left off. For me, each day was another marathon session to get further into that new RPG game I had bought.

 When I got the .hack games, the only thing I left m,y room for was either to shower or eat something. Once that was done, it was back to my room for another 15 plus session. And it continued that way until I had finished ALL 7 games. It wasn't just that one either:Resident evil, Okami, The Legend of Zelda, Mario, all those games weren't safe from me. I had all the time in the world....until now.

  Off to find work!!!

I guess it was bound to happen, but I decided that it was time to find a job. After I turned 21, my dads pension stopped, so it was up to me to help out with the household. So,after some thought, I ventured out into the world to look for employment. Which,with no surprise on my end, enede being a bit of a hassle. With the recession being a complete pain in my @$$, finding employment was next to impossible if you didn't have experience.

 I guess it was the golden rule for companies over here: Hire the employees with experience and turn away the ones who don't have it. It may seem like something normal, but it becomes a nightmare for people who are in desperate need of a job. Since companies don't want to waste time training a new recruit, they just hire the first one with experience and decline another a chance to obtain it.

 I was furious when I got turned away from a job since I didn't have experience. "You don't have experience" they said. "Of course I don't" I said."No one wants to give me work". How do you expect me to have it when no one wants to give you a chance to learn?

I left angry and sad at the same time. And left with the impression that there is lot's of discrimination in the employment world. But I got my break...well, sorta.

 2 weeks after I moved to my new home, I got a call from my cousin. He told me that the supermarket next to my home was looking for "baggers", so I ran over there faster than sonic hyped up on red bull.

And after a brief interview, I got the job, but it wasn't what I expected though. First off, there was no payment at all. That meant that my income consisted of only tips that the customers gave. Second, was that it was our job to pick up the shopping carts that they left in the parking lot. It didn't seem that hard, so I accepted.It was the perfect job... at least that's what I thought.

 As the months passed, treatment of the baggers started to take a turn for the worst. It felt like we were the whipping boys for the employees whenever they were having a bad day. even though we did our best, each day felt like one when everyone wanted to blame there mistakes on you.

And the rules went from simple, to something that would not seem out of place in a boot camp. Some baggers spoke out, and some lost there jobs, and some even quit.Me, I was holding on to that job with both hands. It continued that way for at least 11 months.

One morning during mid August last year, I got a call. I t was from a supermarket employee telling me not to come back. I jumped out of bed,got dressed and ran over there. Why did they just fire me for no reason?! was the question that went through my head as I rushed over to the market. I knew I was a good employee: I was always on time, worked my shifts to the end,never got into trouble, and even only took 1 day off. So this was a slap in the face.

 When I got there, I learned that ALL the baggers had gotten the boot,me included. So all my effort was for nothing as I walked out the door. I haven't visited that place since. And that was almost 8 months ago.

  Great...Unemployed again

I was never the same after that day. I felt sad, so sad that I wanted to cry. Each day that passed only added to the despair as I signed more papers for employment. Each day was another to turn in resume's that were doomed to never get answered. I thought that I might have fallen into a pit that might be next to impossible to get out off.Night after night, I looked over my options and places I haven't visited yet. And that list seemed to get smaller and smaller. That only brought the realization that I was running out of options.Or at least, that's how it was for the next two weeks.

 One day, I was walking down from the job department, and I ran into someone I hadn't seen in a while: my old boss from the flea market I used to work with during my high school years. At first, I thought that it wasn't him. But after looking at him for at least 15 seconds, I saw that it was indeed him. So I yelled a greeting as I approached him. we talked friendly for a while and he offered me a ride home.

 Things took an interesting turn when he asked me about my old job as a bagger. I told him the story about what happened. everything went silent for about 2 minutes before he asked "So, do you have free time?" "Of course" I replied. "Great" he said, he began to explain that he was about to move his shop to a new location and that he needed help. He asked if I was willing to help him.

 I din't think twice(Punch first, and don't bother asking later), I accepted his offer.

A few days later, we were throwing cement and painting. Working on a job that would take up 2 weeks to complete. Things got better, I was invited back to work with them again. I've been there ever since. But it came at a price....my gaming time

  Another day, more work to do.

Ever since I started working there again, my gaming time started decreasing rapidly. Those 15 hour gaming session's did not exist anymore. It became at least 1 or two hours. My extended time with my favorite games gave way to playing some casual games on my bosses tablet.

 And when I got home(at about 9 p.m) I was so worn out that i only thought about sleeping. So I maybe watched a few episodes from my favorite anime and then it was light's out.

 And the process applies for all 7 days of the week. Since I can use the laptop while I'm here, I basically gave up my free time in exchange for this. But when I had so much to help out with, it was a sacrifice that had to be made.

 But all this hasn't made me forget thinking. And I can't help feel like my status as a gamer has started to slip through my fingers. I have enough time to draw( I take my binder with me to work) and watch a few episodes of anime. But to game...almost nothing.

My boss told me "When you grow up and have responsibility, you won't have the time to play like you used to" Looking back, he was right.

My time is now filled with work and different tasks that must be completed, so my gaming schedule has literally evaporated. Since I'm at the flea market 7 days a week, I just can't pick up that controller like I used to.

 When I was younger(I turn 24 this year), all I ever wanted was to play games. Looking at me now, I guess that it just isn't possible. We all have to grow up someday and once we get our jobs and start families, the controller takes a back seat. but, at the end of the day, it's high time I accepted the fact that I grew up. I had to, I couldn't stay a kid forever, living happily while mom and dad kept me fed and bills paid. There comes a time when we have to venture out into the world. when we spread our wings and fly.

 Though I did not want to see it, or admit it, my time as a gamer is running out, whether I like it or not. And it's something that troubles me each day.

 Even though my consoles aren't going to go anywhere, they won't get the same use as they used to. Who knows...maybe I'll be able to make more time to relive the good old days when the premise for me was so simple: just me, my controller, and another game to conquer........

Question: Has your daily responsibility's cut your gaming time in half?

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxBack to hell - a journey of Doom/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2012/10/13/back-to-hell-a-journey-of-doom.aspx2012-10-13T19:36:00Z2012-10-13T19:36:00Z
 It's been a while GIO. But it's finally time for a new blog. We've all played it. Whether it was on the P.C for the first time or on the SNES, every gamer has to have played(or at least known about) the original Doom at least once. Despite the technical limitations, Doom defied the FPS genre and basically laid the groundwork for the genre that we all love to play online these days.

 Your objective was simple: Gun your way through the legions of hell and stop the invasion before it reaches earth. With that objective in mind, players assumed the role of the Doom guy and began their journey. Combine that with the introduction of player deathmatches and you have a game that endures the test of time. And with the Doom 3:BFG edition, I hope to see this game introduced to a new generations of gamers.

 But enough of that, with fellow GI member(and my real life best friend) Mike, we're gonna talk about our journey to hell and what it has meant to us as gamers.

  Hell awaits: The first Doom

Di5a5terp13ce says: Believe it or not, my first experience with ID software's infamous and groundbreaking FPS title wasn't on the PC or the SNES, it was on the Xbox 360. Although it's kind of hard for me to believe that a game this fun would elude me during my childhood, I guess I'm not surprised. I didn't have that much freedom, let alone money, to purchase the games that I wanted. Like most kids, I had to rely on the holidays to get the games that I wanted. And for some reason, Doom avoided me until high school.

 During our mid high school term, I went to Mikes house for the weekend. Everything went in their usual manner: Me and Mike playing games till 3 o clock in the morning or competing for scores in Guitar hero.

 When the weekend ended, it was time for me to go home and prepare for another school week. While I was packing my stuff, Mike asked me a question: Have you played Doom?

 At first, I wasn't sure what he was talking about. Even after he told me that the game was on the SNES, I have never played the game at all. Mike gave me a shocked look.

 "How is it possible that you haven't played it"? Mike asked me. I told him that I was a kid when that game came out and I guess I didn't pay much attention to games the way I do now.

 Hearing this, he turned on his Xbox and fired up the demo version. I hesitated at first, but Mike was determined to show me this great title. The only thing he told me was: Just play the game. If you don't like it, then I'm sorry for wasting your time.

 So I decided to give the game a chance and judge it after I played it. Little did I know that this was the beginning of a brief obsession over this simplistic game. The graphics, while outdated to modern gamers, looked crisp and smooth and the gameplay was tight and fast.

 Despite Doom being a retro shooting gallery, I had the time of my life gunning down imps,cacodemons, and hell knights. Hours passed quickly as I played the intro level over and over again. Of course, the sun was going down and I had to walk home. None of that mattered to me as I gunned my way through the first level for the 20th time. At the end of it all, Mike had to pry the controller from my hands and send me home. It might have been only one mission, but I walked home feeling like this was a game that I could not miss. My opportunity came a few weeks after that moment.

 One day, I got 20 dollars from my dad as a gift. Since I did not have any games in mind at that moment, I saved it...until that day.

Mike and me were at lunch, and we were talking retro like we always did. And out of nowhere, Mike brought up Doom. I told him how I wanted to play that game again, but Mike said he only had the trial version. I asked if he had money to buy the points card, but he shook his head. There was a brief moment of silence between us, until I remembered something: I had $20 in savings.

The next day, I brought the money and gave it to Mike. Needless to say, we left school early that day. After purchasing the points card, we walked to Mikes house to begin our adventure. The game did not take to long to download and we were soon gunning down demons in co-op. The fun wouldn't last though, a friend of ours from school showed up and wanted to play Halo instead, so our planned Doom marathon was cut short.

 Ever since that day, I've maintained a solid love for Doom. It's amazing how a game with such a simple concept can remain as addicting now as it was back then. Even playing the slightly laggy SNES version didn't stop me from purging Mars of hell's forces.

 Say hello to my boomstick!!!!!!

While most FPS games today can be compared to blockbuster rollercoaster rides, Doom had almost no story what-so-ever. You usually can't do that today, gamer's would cry foul over it. But it warped me back to the time when games didn't need flashy explosions or heavily scripted scenes to be good. It was you, the demons, and your shotgun. It didn't even matter that the doom guy didn't even have a name.

Even the guns seemed to have an identity of their own. Who could forget the first time we chainsawed an imp, blew a demon into a meat pile with the rocket launcher, or pulled the trigger on the B.F.G? Shooting those guns was a joy for me and I smiled as cruelly as the doom guy each time a new gun made it's way into my arsenal.I'll never forget the first thought that went through my mind when I picked up the berserk power up for the first time....

  Let's punch some demons!!!!!!

Let's not forget about the secret locations either. Each map was littered with hidden rooms to be found. So each level had me searching for more than just a key card. And that meant that each secret door opened could have given me a new weapon...or a demon waiting to attack me.

But...if there was a feature I had to con Doom for, it would be the map system(I played the Xbox version). Let's be realistic, we can't move on to the next level if we're stuck and don't know where to go next. And sometimes the map didn't help to much. I found myself running in circles for more than 20 minutes before I managed to find the door that I had to go through. Outside of that, the game was a great time.

If I had to choose a FPS that I hold in high regard today, it's the original Doom. Everything about it, plus the last moment descent into hell, means that this journey is one that I will remember for years to come....

Mike says: My first experience with DOOM wasn't really in the PC, but in the SNES. I once went to Kmart with my aunt to buy some stuff for her, and since my grades were good at that time, it was the time to get a game. Problem was, I wanted a Mario game, and there was none. Only DOOM and Bazooka were in display, and Bazooka needed a peripheral to be played.

While my aunt didn't want a game with guns or violence, she had no choice but to get me a game, regardless of it's genre and it's contents, as long as it's not too strong or have cursing. And since I didn't have the peripheral to play Bazooka, my choice was to buy DOOM. I was a kid, and the cover really didn't help me since it sort of scared me a bit.

After a week of not playing it, I gave it a first try. E1M1, as the fans of the game refer to the first stage, was a blast, but I always was scared to know what's next in store. And after I finished the first stage, I just kept hitting Reset to start that level again. After a few times, I thought "I'm ready for what's next". Believe it or not, I ate my words.

I couldn't pass the second stage, due to that I never knew what a keycard was. My first language wasn't English, so imagine my struggle. After picking up various items across the stage, I started to pick up on what's what. And days later, it was an instant favorite.

  One of my favorite stages

Despite the gameplay that everyone loved in the SNES days, DOOM made quick room for my heart. And I did learn from this game a lot: Gameplay is the most important thing, and that it doesn't need a story to complement the game at all. I agree with Jason's comment: If done today, people will cry foul. I like stories in games, but if there wasn't, it wouldn't bother me.

And even though it lacks a great amount of weapons comparing it to today's games, it was just about enough to survive Hell and finish the deed. My main pro about this game is one huge and simple concept: it was never easy to get to the Exit.

Unlike games from the past, like Mario, getting to the final part of the stage was pretty simple(Unless you're counting Battletoads, Zombie Ate My Neighbors and some other games). One could easily take less than 3-4 minutes to reach the end of t he stage, but DOOM in Ultra-Violence and Nightmare were just brutal.

I could easily say that this game's difficulty isn't for those who dislike hard challenges, and I wouldn't blame them. But if you are a person who likes challenges, look through the lack of today's graphics and immerse yourself into what I could call Hell. And add "Thy Flesh Consumed" if you're up for it.

 Too bad SNES didn't have this(Thy flesh consumed). I enjoyed it.

My only con about this isn't the Map, but the lack of surprises. I mean, sure, we didn't have the technology to literally place random enemies, but it is my only con. And even though there is a fixed location for each demon, I sort of enjoy it's journey.

  Going to hell...again

Di5a5terp13ce says: The original Doom was something phenominal for me, so it was obvious that I was going to play it's sequel: Doom 2: Hell on earth. Knowing that the limited edition of doom 3 came with Doom 1 and 2, I tracked down a copy at my local Gamestop.

 But, unlike Doom 1, which kept me hooked after the first mission, Doom 2 didn't have that same effect on me. Picking up were the original left off, Doom 2 took me through another infested base on earth(if memory serves me right). As I played the game, everything felt the same to me.

 The controls felt the same, I was still searching for card keys in order to advance to the next level, and I was still searching for weapons throughout each level.

 I only noted a few small changes: There was no level select, some new demons appeared, and there was the inclusion of a double barreled shotgun, which made gunning down demons even more joyful than before.

 I didn't get far in Doom 2 though. Unlike the first one, the inclusion of new demons made this one a bit more difficult than the last. Even though I had the new double barreled shotgun, I was constantly getting killed by hordes of demons as the game threw wave after wave of monsters at me. If i wasn't overrun by demons, then my gun kept running out of ammo. Which meant that there were just to many demons to kill and running wasn't an option for me( not like I'd get far anyway).

 But, at the same time, no game has had to change so little and keep a formula so addicting. But Doom 2 felt nothing more than an expansion to me......

Mike says: Since I love the first DOOM, I thought I should give DOOM II a try. Even though I enjoy the journey of DOOM II, the fun didn't last for very long. DOOM II has not so many levels in the game, as much as DOOM I, and even though I did enjoy new stuff and levels, I had problems immersing myself as DOOM I. But, it doesn't mean I didn't have fun.

Gameplay was the same, some sounds stayed the same, and there were enemies with the same sprites and movements. While a little of me complained, most of my gamer side said "It was never broke to begin with, so why fix it?" And after that, I was saving Earth.

The game is fun and enjoyable, but I guess not a lot of people like the addition of new stuff to the same formula. I got fond of it, managed to beat the game, and enjoyed it, even the Master Levels.

  The forgotten side of hell

Di5a5terp13ce says:Whenever I talk about this game, I'm usually surprised at the reaction that I get from people regarding this forgotten piece of the Doom franchise. Every time I ask about this game, people either haven't played the game, or not have heard of the game at all.

 I haven't finished the game though, so I can't say much about this one. I played through the first few levels and the puzzles felt more complicated than the original Doom and Doom 2.

 I couldn't get used to the map system either. Maybe I was just used to exploring or I was to lazy to look at the map every 5 seconds to see if I was going the right way. But the game had a few great quality's to me.

 One for starters, was the graphical upgrade. The pinky demon looked more better than in the other 2 games, and the HUD was more clearer and kept the details to the side, giving me a better view of the battlefield. But, at 47 levels(if it was that exact amount) the game was long.

 But what I can't understand is why this game was forgotten the way it was. Every time I listen to the history of Doom, it seems that this game always get left out. While watching the G4 special on Doom that was included in the Doom 3 limited edition, I noted the game wasn't mentioned at all. This puzzles me as I felt that the game deserved a mention since it felt like a worthy edition to the series.

I might have not played through the game, but Doom 64 may be a forgotten trip worth experiencing, despite of history's reason for forgetting about it.

Mike says: DOOM 64 is a forgotten game alright, but I can see why. At the 64's era, we had Perfect Dark, Goldeneye and Quake, which do defeat DOOM 64 in aspects of Gameplay. So little people talk about this gem, but it wasn't a game that could immerse me as the DOOM I or II.

While the game's enemies do received an upgrade in visual aspects, it didn't made much of an impact, rather than a chore at best. It was fun, but like DOOM II, the fun only lasted for a limited time.

And I can't really say much about it rather than it wasn't all that bad, but just like most games, it only lasts for oh so long.

  One final trip to hell.....

Di5a5terp13ce says: I may have fought through hell more than once, but as the old saying goes "there's no rest for the wicked" and I was once again suited up and sent to Mars, this time in the next chapter in the Doom saga.

 Technical upgrades and a new console generation brought an overhaul to this legendary shooter, but what I deemed interesting was that there was now a story...antagonist and all.

The new engine meant that demons had more texture in them and the surroundings weren't just blocky rooms anymore, this time it was an actual base...pedestrians walking around, and even soldiers standing guard made this feel a bit more lively that the retro Doom.

But this game was more linear, and there weren't many secret rooms to discover either. The keycards were replaced with PDA's and the game tries to evock a feeling of fear. A fear which is dependent of cliche style jump scares and lot's of darkness. Not to forget the flashlight, which your forced to holster in order to shoot. But this Doom maintained the feeling of the other games: I shot through level after level, picking up weapons, PDA' s, and ammo, while making my way to the switch to transport to the next section of the base.

All the classic demons got an overhaul as well: The pinky demon wasn't walking on two legs anymore, the cacodemon doesn't smile at me,the cyberdemon was more huge than ever, and the zombies looked more like the zombies I've fought in Raccoon city.

The guns remained the same. Except for the inclusion of the machine gun and the soul cube, the guns were the same and many of the familiar power ups made a return.

 While most of the levels in the original Doom were forgetful, Doom 3 was different. And if I had to pick one part of the game that left a mark in my mind...it was the moment I was sent to hell. Don't get me wrong, I remember the time I've spent with the original doom, but I don't remember the levels that I enjoyed the most, but I constantly name the hell levels from Doom 3 as the most memorable. Before Dante's Inferno, this game made me feel like I went to the devil's domain. And each step taken felt like I was in a living nightmare. And it all comes to head when I face the guardian in a battle(and an easy one) for the soul cube.

 Even after transporting back to the base, and heading off to the dig site to seal off the portal, the hell part will always strike me as the most memorable. Regardless if the ending was a bit of a cliffhanger. But the story didn't strike new grounds with me, nor did it give me any memory moments, so I didn't pay much attention to it.

 But this game struck a cord with me. Not as much as Doom 1, but not as little as Doom 2. So this game is in the middle. The game was a great time and I've played it multiple times, and the system link option brought some classic Doom to the fray as I gunned through legions of hell with a friend while collecting the card keys.

 Whether or not you liked this game, I feel like it was worth the time...even if I did the same thing I've done in the other games....

Mike says:The 4th installment of the DOOM franchise, despite of the number 3 since DOOM 64 came out in between this and DOOM II. While I did enjoy the trip to hell and back, save Earth from demons and w/e DOOM 64 took place(I do not remember), my journey in DOOM 3 was exceptional and memorable. I gladly enlisted to go to Mars once again, and to finish business with the demons. When will they ever learn?

Obviously, everything in the game changed, as it moved on to a new dimension in gaming. Gamplay, graphics, enemies... everything got an reboot of sorts, but for the best. After DOOM 64, I believe that DOOM 3 picked up with a strong fist to get me back to the franchise. And boy, was it worth it.

But to be honest, I don't know what else to add that's not been said already about this game by Jason. He pretty much took the words right out of my mouth.

  Expanding hells reach

 Di5a5terp13ce says: After closing the portal on mars in Doom 3, I expected the story to end after I bested the cyber demon guarding the portal. But the ending said otherwise, and I ended up buying the expansion pack: Doom 3: Resurrection of evil. As the photo says, this game wasn't a proper sequel, but an expansion.

Like Doom 2, this game included a double barrel shotgun, the flashlight was now attached to the pistol, A gravity gun that allowed me to attack with different items on the field, and an artifact that slows down time and helps me solves different puzzles.

 The story picks up three years after the 1st Doom 3 ended. Your new space marine is dispatched to Mars to investigate a beacon. Which leads to the discovery of an "artifact" that hells demons are looking for. After seizing the artifact, the adventure begins.

  This is the "artifact"

Since this game was an expansion, the story itself wasn't that long. But the most exciting part was when I returned to the base from Doom 3. It wasn't hard to notice my surroundings. Some rooms remained stained with blood and the parts where demons popped out remained. But the demons supremacy of the base remained obvious.

 Outside of the simple tweaks, Doom 3:Resurrection of evil felt like a trek down memory lane. A few new weapons,new story, and a new character(well sorta), but the surroundings felt as familiar as ever. I had a decent time with this game, but this expansion didn't do much for me.

Mike says:After finishing DOOM 3, I came across something new: an expansion. And while I was still playing other games at the time, I made space for this game. And it was no surprise that I didn't really finished the business in DOOM 3. I felt someone was still missing.

While I had the inclusion of the Soul Cube(or something similar), everything else was just the same, just with a few more concepts. A few...

The game wasn't all that long, but the journey was worth it. While I had the opportunity to shoot some demons to their respective place, I felt great that I came back to the base and finish the deed. I don't do unfinished business.

  Hell regroups for another assault on mars

Di5a5terp13ce says: I thought it had ended. I thought Mars was safe, that the invasion had ended and the demons were sent back to hell were they belonged, that the nightmare was over....we were wrong. After a long time on hiatus and Doom 4 in development, Doom 3 is making a comeback in the new Doom 3: BFG Edition.

It's not just the game either, The BFG edition comes with a lost version of Doom 3. A story that took place while you were blasting Demons on the other side of Mars. While Doom 3 story wasn't groundbreaking, this should provide something interesting to look forward to, especially since it happened at the same time as Doom 3.

What also interest me is what they're gonna upgrade. If there are gonna be any new features and if the game is more than just a re-released game with a new coat of paint.

 But I can't really say much until I get my hands on the game. And only after I played it can I judge whether my re-visit to mars was worth it or not.

Mike says: With DOOM 3 BFG Edition just around the corner, I'm stoked to go back and finish the deeds... again for the "I-Don't-Know" time. And with the inclusion of 7 new levels, I think there's still that side of me that asks for the pleasure to destroy the Demons again. I mean, this only happens once in a lifetime. Well... maybe.

 The final verdict....

Di5a5terp13ce says: It's a shame that a FPS as legendary and fun as Doom has lost so much ground over the years. And I guess it was bound to happen. Games like Call of Duty and Battlefield have founds new ways to innovate the multiplayer shooter with customizable classes and RPG-like elements.

 When compared to FPS games of today, Doom has lots of catching up to do. But I don't want to think that Doom will be left in obscurity. And with this new edition of Doom, I hope that the new generation will come to realize why Doom is name checked by gamers who grew up with the shareware version and played deathmatches with each other.

Doom is an important part of gaming history and I don't think FPS games would have turned out the way they did without it(or the games before it). So it you haven't played Doom yet, this is a great way to experience one of the greatest FPS games in gaming history......

Mike says: I'm not too surprised that today's FPS players don't like DOOM or any other sort of gamer at that. But it is kind of sad to just judge the game because it lacks a decent story and more modes that today's genre came to upgrade with. I wouldn't mind DOOM with a sort of Horde Mode. That's a must see in my books.

My final comment on this: Gameplay will always defeat the Story, and the Journey of the Challenge will always matter than the end, same I could say to Mass Effect 3.

Final Comment: And with that, this blog concludes. Anyway, how did Doom affect you as a gamer?

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Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxRage against the reviewer/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2012/09/15/rage-against-the-reviewer.aspx2012-09-15T20:22:00Z2012-09-15T20:22:00Z

It's something the gamers look forward to every month : the arrival of our new issue of Game Informer. Whether it's a digital copy or a paperback one, gamer's everywhere enjoy reading each new issue that arrives in our mail boxes or e-mail account. And why shouldn't we be excited? Game informer, like any other gaming magazine, is packed with the latest news on what's happening in the game industry today. Like everyone else, I keep up to date with the new games that are about to be released, and my time with each magazine usually means that I'm gonna have to read the most important part of the whole magazine: the reviews.

 It's no doubt that this section is where most gamers skip to, which is why I call it important. The review section is where most gamers decide what they're gonna buy based on the opinions and ratingsof a professional reviewer. A games appeal, as well as it's image with people, are usually in the hands of these people. If a game goes sour with reviewers , then it's possible that people won't pay any attention to the game either.

 But not every review is accurate, at least in the eyes of some people. And some games get scores that many people disagree with. But, what happens when certain people find out that someone gave a game they like a bad score? What happens when one opinion doesn't sit well with others? What happens when the situation get's out of control?

  He gave Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 a 9.5?! How dare he!!!!!

In this economy, reviews have become more important to consumers. People turn to them to see which games are worth buying and which aren't. In other words, a reviewer could possibly hold a games fate in his or her hand. With a low score and some slightly negative feedback, a reviewers opinion can change a consumers perspective of a game that he or she was once interested in. But, at the same time, a normal or high score and positive feedback can spark people's interest in a game even further.To put it simple, a reviewer can help and hinder a game.

 We all seen games come and go over the years. we've seen complete game series grow, end, and die off. And we've seen those games get good, average, and bad ratings, which has led to to some interesting "controversy" over the years. I'm not talking about controversy to the developer either, but towards the reviewers themselves. And it's something that is to be expected, especially on the internet.

 From one point of view, let's take a look at the reviewers job.

 Whenever a game comes out, these men and women do more than play the game. When we play a game, we just play based on our expectations. Or maybe we just jump right into multiplayer. A reviewer on the other hand, has to do more while playing a game. They have to check ever singlew aspect of the game, and ask themselves a few simple questions (at least in my opinion) :

How good are the graphics?

Does the soundtrack add to the experience?

Are the controls tight and responsive or laggy?

Is the game worth another playthrough?

These questions are what reviewers take to heart when they are tasked with reviewing a newly released game. And once they've found the answer, they give the game a score from 1 to 10. Then they write where the game shines and falters.

 This process applies not only to one game, but multiple titles that span the many pages of the review section. So not only do the men and women of Game informer obtain an opportunity to play a newly released game, but they only have a limited time between magazines to analyze a game from every possible angle and write a review that states their opinion on it. And it's a process that repeats itself month after month.

 And on the other hand, we have us: the gamers and consumers.

 Unlike reviewers, we don't have to worry about the pressures of writing a detailed report for a game magazine. All we have to do is head to our local game store and pick up our reservation, head home, open the package like a 6 year old on Christmas day, and play until the credits roll.

 What makes us so important is the fact that we spend our hard earned money on games that companies spend millions making. We eagerly await a new title and plop $60 on the table without thinking much about it.

 The developers checks, and even the reviewers for that matter, possibly get their checks from the money that gamers spend on games,consoles, and accesories.

 Since gamers buy games, I think that gives us the right to voice our opinion on a game. Whether we enjoyed it or not, EVERYONE has a right to say whats on their mind. Something that the reviewers do monthly.

But just because you voiced your opinion, be it good or bad, doesn't mean that everyone is gonna agree with what you say. There is also a possibility that a simple difference in opinion can spark a debate with other people. Something I've seen first hand and had to deal with in the real world and on the internet.

Let me tell you a story:

 A few months back, right before I left GI, I was browsing the news section when i ran into the review for the new episode for Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Like always, I clicked the review and I guess I wasn't suprised that the game got a low review. I took my time reading it and just went to read something else.

 15 minutes later, I decided to return to the review and read the comments section. The only thing that went through my mind was " Tim is gonna get flamed for the review". Boy, was my prediction right on the money. Tim's profile, along with the comment section for the Sonic review, was full of angry Sonic fans taking potshots at Tim for what they felt was an inaccurate review.

One user even went as far as to write a counter review of why the game was good, all the while insulting Tim.

I could accept a difference in opinion, but wasn't that taking it a little to far?

I could agree with one thing, I don't agree with what Tim says about some of the games. And his review of Sonic Generations shocked me cause I was sure that the game would get a great score(it did with IGN though). But it never crossed my mind to take my dissatifaction out on Tim. I simply brushed it off as an opinion and nothing more.

 Ever since I began reading Game Informer, I've come to accept the fact that me and the reviewers don't always think alike. I may think that a game is great, but the reviewer may have other ideas. It's a natural thing. What good would it be if every person shared the exact same opinion?

Just like every other American these days, I believe in freedom of expression. And the reviewers are no different. They have the exact right to say what they want about a game.

But what I can't understand is the lack of reasoning from the fans themselves. Every time a game gets a score they don't like, they either write in to complain or take their anger out on the guy who reviewed it. And if you've been reading GI over the past few years, I know there have been at least one or two letters like that.

 Why can't we take these things more lightly and just say "I disagree"? It's okay if you disagree with what someone said, but flaming someone isn't gonna change what they think about said game. I'd like to think that there are fans who don't act so childish when responding to an unpleasent review. For example, if I was to write a counter- review, i would much rather say why I disagree and keep much tone firm, but pleasent. Instead of saying " Your review sucks", why not say " I disagree with your review" then list off the reasons and explain why you think the game is good. Avoiding the strong language and insults that I've come to see from angry fanboys. I think we're all mature enough to do at least that!

 Now don't get me wrong, I understand why fans act the way they do when it comes to their favorite game franchise. They love their franchises, and buy every single installment that's released. I'm sure that we all hold those kind of feelings for at least one or two game franchises. And I guess that we want our favorite games to get the scores they deserve. But that's not always the case. Because that would only result in people giving every game they like a perfect 10.

I think we'll know if a comment isn't legit. But if multiple reviewers highlight the same problem, then that means they're on to something, thus making the complaint legit.

But, on the other hand, it's not like they're telling you to NOT buy the game, they're just trying to help people make conscious and correct decisions on what to spend their money on. Even if a game gets a "average" score, it's not the end of the world.

 Gamers don't take reviews as guide lines. But it helps us when we're in doubt. But I know that not all fans are the same.

 All I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't take every review seriously. Do what I do, take it with a grain of salt and realize that you should play what you want and not to ridicule others for their opinion.

 By doing so, I think we'll become an even better community and avoid all these meaningless disputes over a difference in opinion....

Question: What's your take on the subject?

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxThinking outside of the controller and a gamer with multiple hobbies/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2012/05/29/thinking-outside-of-the-controller-and-a-gamer-with-multiple-hobbies.aspx2012-05-29T17:52:00Z2012-05-29T17:52:00Z
 It;s been pretty much a shock to me that it's been more than three months since I last blogged. Time certainly passes quickly, and a lot of things have happened since then and now. During the month of November last year, I found a job. So that meant I was able to continue buying games. But that wasn't all. During the months that followed, I picked up a new hobby (one that I'll explain later). Even though it doesn't stray to far from the so - called "nerd" culture, it's something that really caught my interest and really got me to invest a good deal of money into(which I'll explain later).

 Multiple hobbies was something that I never paid much attention to over the last few years. Even though card games like Yu-Gi-Oh held my interest in high school, I didn't have anything outside of gaming. I did not have a reason, or anything that diverted my attention long enough, to put down my controller. I used to skateboard when I was in elementary school. Grinding rails, jumping down stairs, and performing death defying jumps was something I loved doing. Feeling the breeze as I skated toward a ramp at high speed and flew off it despite the risk off a bad fall didn't worry me, it made me feel alive. A few years later, I quit skateboarding. I shelved my board and walked away from the ramps, never to touch a board and grind another rail again.

Sometime in high school, I once wanted to be a pro wrestler. Even though we knew the bouts were planned out, I I enjoyed watching the guys beat the living tar out of each other.

 Not only that, I played the Smackdown series like crazy. I finally got my break in high school when Mike got me a gig at the independent circuit he wrestled at. It wasn't big time, but it was incredible feeling to step into a wrestling ring. It was a dream for me. But wrestling, even as entertainment, has it's risk and an accident lead to me leaving the ring behind and saying goodbye to those dreams.

Different types of hobbies have come and gone over the years, but only 3 are worth being called my favorite...

 #1: Gaming

 I've said it so many times and I've made myself VERY clear : I am a gamer. Ever since I first picked up a controller as a child, gaming has been apart of my life for as long as I can remember and will continue to be for as long as I live.

 Growing up alongside the industry, there is nothing greater than playing a new release game that just released to the market. But that isn't what makes gaming awesome: it's the game themselves.

 Developers have made some pretty epic adventures over the years. If it wasn't wrecking Olympus in God of war, it was saving Japan as Amaterasu in Okami. Saving Princess peach for the 100th time, defeating Ganandorf and saving Hyrule, Going to hell in Doom, living a rock star life in Rock BAnd and Guitar hero( R.I.P), the adrenaline of Need for speed, the fear of survival horror games like Fatal Frame, and even some time with your friends in online deathmatches, the list goes on and on.

 Gaming has provided me with some great memories over the years. And these experiences only seemed to get better as tecnology evolves and our gaming rigs got more and more powerful. A feat that enables developers to give us great stories that bring us tears or a multiplayer focused game that we can enjoy co-op or online.

Unlike movies, games are known for their interactivity( no S**T Sherlock). So basically, we hold a characters fate in our hands as we control their every step. Let's not forget a games challenge. Most of us like to play for fun, but there are others who like challenge and the whole risk and reward ordeal.

 And for good reason, finally cracking that puzzle or defeating that boss gives us a sense of accomplishment and a feeling that we truly achieve something great.

For all the flak gaming has received over the years, it's something that has been more of a lifestyle to me than a hobby. I've spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on gaming machines and games. It's something I can identify with. To say "I'm a gamer" loud and proud and not let anyone take that away from me. All those gaming memories are something I hold onto. And for that, and I hope it's that last time I say it, I'll always be a gamer...

 #2 : Drawing anime

This one was something I never thought I would be able to get into. But where there's a will, there's a way. Back in high school, I used to take art classes, but only because it was part of the schedule.

 The only one I did was a church that I saw in one of my class books. That was also where I got the habit of drawing while looking at the picture. Even though I did not think it was THAT good, my teacher was impressed. So he asked me to frame it to hang in the classroom, so I did so. After I graduated, my time with art was over... or at least for the time being.

 Last year was the year it all changed. One night, I was sitting in my room playing Resident evil 4. It was a night like no other: The usual set of marathon gaming session that spanned into the wee hours of the morning. But something odd happened.

 After an hour of gunning down "Ganados", I got a sudden impulse to draw. I couldn't say where it came from or what caused the sudden impulse, it just happened.

 After finishing the chapter I was playing and saving the game, I picked up a pencil and notebook and got started. But, instead of drawing anime like I do now, I started with Sonic. I pretty much stuck with it for quite some time, but like most things, it was time to move on to something else. So I started drawing other videogame characters : Sly Cooper, Link, Midna, and Megaman just to name a few.

Then,one night, I decided to draw a few anime characters after hitting a block on what to draw next, and it has stuck with me since. I was so enthusiactic that it also gave birth to my now-defunct art blog.

 After one year of drawing, I have accumulated more than 120 drawings in my binder.Closely watching myself get better and try more difficult pictures, and always giving it my all. But what is great is watching the picture come to life as I give it color.

Out of the 3 three hobbies, drawing comes down to dedication. You can't draw great pictures when you first start, but with practice, it can happen...

 #3: Collecting anime

 How did this happen? That's what I asked myself once. Drawing anime was one thing. But watching the actual series for the characters I drew so much was another. While I've seen bits and pieces from different anime over the years, I haven't really watched them in their entirety. So far, the only series I saw from beginning to end was Dragonball Z and GT. I knew the series from top to bottom. To the point that I was able to say the lines before the characters even said it. But that was the only anime I REALLY enjoyed for the time. That changed a few months ago. When a friend of mine decided to start buying anime...and ended up dragging me into it a while after that.

 At the beginning of the year(or a little before that), a friend of mine said that he was gonna start collecting anime. I was a bit puzzled, mostly since that he has a computer. So I asked if it would have been easier to just watch it on his computer. But he told that his internet was slow and that the episodes would stop loading, so he decided to buy them. I understood his decision, after all, it was his money. I didn't pay much attention to it...at least for the time being.

A week or two passed when it began. My friend called me to say that he had bought his first series: Soul Eater. HE didn't buy the whole series though, just the first season. But he told me that the series was action packed and that I should watch it. As soon as Tuesday arrived, I traveled to his house to watch the series.

 It took me a while to get through the 1st season, but I enjoyed it a lot, and thus I began to think about buying some anime for myself. That thought remained until November of last year. As soon as I landed my job, I began to save a few dollars to start my anime collection. I saved over $300 dollars over the next 2 and a half weeks and just like that, my collection got it's start.

 Bringing the bag home, I began to sort through the boxes and began to decide with one I was gonna watch first. After all, I bought six different series that day, spending $218 dollars, which was reflected on my status. If there's one thing I learned, is that buying anime is expensive, more expensive than what I normally pay for a new release game. The prices for anime range from $60, all the way to $80. So at the same time, it was a good idea to bring all the money. But the buys were worth it.

 I chuckled at some, and felt bad for others. Some anime had great endings and some left me with questions. All in all, collecting anime is no different than when I go video game shopping. I buy the stuff I'm looking for and take a chance on something random from time to time. And it feels great to have a lot of favorite series to watch now. Which also means... Money well spent.

 I may be getting started, but I look forward to hunting down some great anime in the future.

But, as most people with multiple hobbies know, there comes one thing that we must know how to do: Multitask. Let's be serious, have you ever asked yourself : What am I gonna do today? I ask myself that a lot. My walk home from work gives me a bit of thinking time. even though I have my ear phones on, slowly moving my head to the sound of heavy metal, I ask myself: What am I gonna do when I get home? But the question that I also ask myself is : what do I feel like doing?

 Do I play games like I always do? Do I have any drawings that needs to be finished? Or do I settle down and watch the anime I bought?

These questions run through my head during my walk home. But if I manage to handle the time I have, then I can do a little of each and have time to spare. Maybe I'll play games for 2 hours, then dedicate another 3 to a drawing or two ( the most recent ones took me close to 5), then dedicate 4 or 5 to anime. Or I'll just spend an entire day on either one of the three. Either way, multitasking comes with it's difficult points.

  Can someone help me please?!

 I can't really multitask when I game. The best I did was read a magazine while playing a game. The hard part is equally dividing your attention so that you can do two things at once without becoming to distracted by another. There were times when I was working on a drawing while watching anime. Even though I was trying to focus on what I was doing, I kept peering up at the screen every time something interesting happened.

 Keeping my attention span at an equal 50/50 was difficult since I felt like doing different things at once. I may be playing a game for half an hour than suddenly feel like watching an anime or vice versa.

 So trying to keep these urges in check is really all about time management and patience. Not to mention dealing with the time you already have on hand.

 But a few hardships don't really spoil the overall picture, that I enjoy these new hobbies of mine. My game consoles take a lot of beatings with my gaming sessions. And this gives me the opportunity to put down my controller, and discover a new interest in things that never caught my interest in the past.

 I'd never replace gaming, but it's good to try something new every now and then.........

Question: Do any gamers here have hobbies outside of gaming?

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxGuilty pleasure - Is enjoying "mediocre"games a bad thing?/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2012/02/08/guilty-pleasure-is-enjoying-quot-mediocre-quot-games-a-bad-thing.aspx2012-02-08T23:34:00Z2012-02-08T23:34:00Z
 First of all,I, like many gamers, enjoy picking up a new game at launch. If it's not the now famous "Midnight launch" that accompanies each new Triple A title like Call of duty and Halo, then maybe it's the yearly version of Madden or NBA. Truth to be told, picking up a just released game is a blast. You never know what to expect from that sealed game box you hold in your hand...until you open it and put the game into your console.

 But sometimes, not everything comes out as expected. Maybe the game wasn't what gamers expected or maybe it just isn't as fun as some has hoped. It's moment's like this that critics begin to take note. Thus giving the possibility of the game being written off as "mediocre".

 If a well known critic, like Metacritic, gives a game an average rating, than it's most likely that said game will either be ignored, or by the gamers who bought it, sold off for another purchase. After that, it would seem that the game would forever be destined to be forgotten, or at least that is what it would seem.

No matter the game, there will always be gamers like myself, that will buy a game just out of curiosity. We put aside what the reviews say and buy the game. Once that happens, we play the game, and to our suprise, we actually enjoy the game. It's happened to me more than once....

Let's be realistic for a minute here, these games were far from being succesful. Star fox was once(maybe he still is) the pinnacle of space shoot em ups, leading with the acclaimed Star fox 64.

 Fast forward to Gamecube and it would have seemd that Star fox took a bit of a dip. The first game, titled "Star fox Adventure", was actually a game called "Dinosaur planet". The reason for the sudden inclusion of the Star fox crew was that Nintendo gave the rights to use the characters because the developer believed that the game wouldn't sell enough with what they had planned.

  Does this look like the Star fox we all know?

Let's get realistic, this is a far cry from the Star fox gamers came to love on the SNES and N64. The Arwing gameplay and space combat were pushed to a side for an adventure game that resembled The Legend of Zelda. And by playing the game, it's not hard to make the comparison to Nintendo's legendary series.

 Everything about this game, from the gameplay, to the weapons, and even the temples, told me that I was playing a Zelda game under the guise of a star fox game.

 I came across this game when I was at my local GAmestop. The store was still selling Gamecube games back then, so I was browsing like I always do. I wanted to buy Star fox assault, but I did not have enough, so I bought this game.

 Getting back home, I put the game into my Gamecube. I had heard the reviews for this game a while back. Most of which weren't really all that good., but I wanted to play it myself, I wanted to see what this game had to offer.

 Fresh from a playthrough of Wind Waker, I figured that my playing skills would pass over easily, ehich they did with no difficulty what so ever. The game opened up with Fox's love interest Krystal, it wasn't until a half and hour later that i was in control of Fox. The game then threw an Arwing mission as I played a classic style Star fox mission on the way to the planet.Once that happened, the plane was abandoned for the on foot missions.

 Each step I took, each attack, spell, and dungeon, screamed Zelda. I could have simply turned off the game and played Wind Waker again, but I didn't. Something kept me playing the game. and at the end of the day, I enjoyed my time on Dinosaur planet. From the moment I stepped on the planet to the final battle with Andross, the game somehow struck a chord with me. And that lead to at least 5 different playthroughs.

Star fox assault was a different story....

 It was hard to track down the game. Was a game that was supposed to be "mediocre" be that hard to find? The answer...was yes. But I was able to track it down.

 Just like the old days

 Unlike Star fox adventures, Star fox assault tries to return Fox to were he belongs... the cockpit. The game opens up with a level that would make any star fox fan happy. And from the perspective, it seems like a slam dunk.

 I for one, liked the idea of being able to jump back into the cokcpit with fox for the first time in a while. And at first it seemd like the old days, at least until.......

 I was yanked out of the cockpit once again and the game turned into a third person shooter. I expected this, since I had read GI's review, but I wanted to play the game. While the on foot missons are a far cry from what Star fox fans like, it somehow became a fun experience for me.

 Running and gunning was something that I love doing in games, and in Star fox assault was no different. It took some getting used to, but the combo meter, plus the score, had me replaying levels to just get a better score or get through an entire level with a full combo.

 The landmaster was criticized for being clumsy to control, I made those sayings look null and void with the way I handled the landmaster.

 The game's story was pretty short(passed the game in one sitting) but the medals and score had me coming back for more. And it didn't stop until I had gold medaled each game on every difficulty.

 For all the gripe some gamers gave this game, Star fox Assault gave me a great time and reason to jump into the cockpit with Fox again. even if it was far from perfect, I'l do it again soon...

  We'll be waiting Di5a5terp13ce!

 See you in space Fox....

Let's get realistic again, this game wasn't the hit I was expecting. In fact, Gi's Tim Turi stated the game to be a "Mario Galaxy rip-off" in certain areas. Although Sonic used to be Marios rival, I guess I wasn't suprised to see such a comparison. But I wasn't sold, I wanted to try it myself.

 It's no doubt the Sonic has been on the down low for some time, but I refused to believe what reviewers said, so one day... I bought the game. Surely enough on the way home I read the manual and looked at the back of the box when something suprised me...The game could be played with the Gamecube controller.

 After getting home, I popped in the game and begun my next adventure with Sonic.

Surely enough, I connected my Gamecube controller and ehat followed was the most fun I've had since the Sonic Mega Collection. Not only did the Gamcube controller save my Wii remote batteries, it made platforming alot easier.

 I was able to agree that Sonic's pyschics were floaty, but a after a bit of adjustment, I was platforming through those levels like there were nothing. I hadn't even noticied the so called "difficulty spikes"that the reviewers were talking about.

 For all the grip this game got, I enjoyed the game alot. while me and Sonic have parted ways again, I can't help but give him a thumbs up for the great adventure he left me with. Sonic colors proved that maybe Sonic still has some fight left with him after so much time on the down low....

Okay...3 games that got average to below average reviews and I enjoyed them. Most people would either look at me weird, or say I'm not a gamer. In reality....

 Playing "mediocre"games isn't a bad thing at all. I've never judged a game based on what a reviewer says because their opinion is just that...an opinion. GAmes, by their very nature, are meant to be played. And such games feel like a child that doesn't have the chance to prove themselves.

 A game doesn't need a 10 rating to be good. If gamers look past a games flaws, and focus on what the game brings to the table, then it has a chance to entertain us more than we expected. But people labeled this as "guilty pleasure". A sort of act of enjoying games that aren't all that.

 I ask you, what is wrong with enjoying a game that entertains you? Isn't that what games are supposed to do? Theres no shame in saying that *insert game name here* entertained you and that you enjoyed the game.

 Games like Deadly preminition and Alpha protocall bombed on ratings. In fact, GI says that they hate playing as the main character Michale Thorton. But there are gamers, my best friend Mike included, who actually had fun playing the game. Were's the shame in that?!

 We are all gamers, and our hobby is to play games. It doesn't matter if the game didn't get an above-average rating, the game has potential to give me something to enjoy. Like Mike said, every game is worth a playthrough.

 Now I understand to that a bad game is a bad game. No amount of simpathy will help me play Superman 64 or Et. Some games are just that bad. But I get the feeling that some reviewers are giving us the slip, especially how some gamers actually had fun with games like Alpha protocall.

 So remember GIO, theres no shame is enjoying a "mediocre" game! Just keep on playing!!!!

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxDi5a5terp13ce's blog of rock and metal. /blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2012/02/07/di5a5terp13ce-39-s-blog-of-rock-and-metal.aspx2012-02-07T17:23:00Z2012-02-07T17:23:00Z
 Ahhhhhhh..the only thing I love more than a great game is a great rock song. Nothing makes me feel better than the sound of flying guitar solos, pounding drums and screeching vocals. It's also something like this that helps me focus when the going gets rough in my games.

 I took a little inspiration from GI member Apozem for the title. So what I'm goona do is present my favorite songs that I listen to more than once in a day.

#1 Megadeth - 44 minutes

 Album name: Endgame

Let's get something straight- I'm not into the whole "Megadeth vs. Metallica" thing, Each band plays great songs and I give credit to both of them. This songs falls into the latter. Coming from Megadeths album "Endgame" the songs tells the story of the robbery at the BAnk of America in California.

The North Hollywood shootout was an armed confrontation between two heavily-armed and armored bank robbers, Larry Eugene Phillips, Jr. and Emil Matasareanu, and patrol and SWAT officers of the Los Angeles Police Department in North Hollywood, California on February 28, 1997. It happened when responding patrol officers engaged Phillips, 26 and Matasareanu, 30 leaving a bank which the two men had just robbed. Ten officers and seven civilians sustained injuries before both robbers were killed. Phillips and Matasareanu had robbed several armored vehicles prior to their attempt in North Hollywood and were notorious for their heavy armament, which included automatic rifles.

Local patrol officers at the time were typically armed with a 9 mm or .38 Special pistols on their person, with some having a 12-gauge shotgun available in their cars. Phillips and Matasareanu carried fully automatic rifles, with ammunition capable of penetrating police body armor, and wore body armor of their own. Since the police handguns could not penetrate the bank robbers' body armor, the patrol officers' efforts were ineffective. SWAT eventually arrived with weapons that could penetrate and they also appropriated several semi-automatic rifles from a nearby firearms dealer. The incident sparked debate on the appropriate firepower for patrol officers to have available in similar situations in the future.

 Mike told me that Dave Mustaine almost got in trouble for making this, but this delas with something that actually happened, so I don't see the problem. It's hard to be mad after hearing the result....

(Please visit the site to view this media)

#2 Rammstein - Ich tu dir weh

 Album name : Liebe ist für alle da

This is one song that I haven't been able to get out of my head for quite some time. The song opens up with a bang and with a riff that's perfect for wrecking you neck. The song translates to "I hurt you"in english and has caused a bit of controversy in Germany over the lyrics, which talk about sexual sadism. Or at least that's what I think, but when a song sounds this awesome, I don't really care.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

# 3 Slipknot - Disasterpiece

Album name : Iowa

 Is it ironic that a Slipknot song would be here. And to tell you the truth, it's not hard to see that my gamertag is based off this very song. Slipknot was one heck of band in their prime, something that seems to be missing today was the chaos that their shows were known for.

 I used to listen to the song alot, which is mostly the reason why I chose it as my gamertag. My Slpknot fever wore off a long time ago, but this song will remind me of why I used to love the band...

(Please visit the site to view this media)

#4 - Metallica - All Nightmare long

 Album name - Death Magnetic

 What would a blog about rock be without Metallica? I've listened to dozens of Metallica track back in high school. From Kill em all to the much lauded St. Anger. But Death Magnetic seemed like a comeback for a band that was in turmoil for quite some time.

If there's something I like about the song, its the speed. And once again does Metallica show that they still got it after all this time...

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#5 - Cradle of filth - Nymphetamine

 Album name - Nymphetamine

 Nothing like a little extreme metal to listen to every now and then, and this one was a change in tone. I'm not talking about the tonguie twisting name, but the song itself. I've listened to plenty of Cradles songs thanks to a friend I used to know in school, but this almost sounded relaxing in a way, thanks to the female singing with Dani.

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#6 - Yngwie Malsteem - Caprici di diablo

Album name - Perpetual flame

 I always said I love a good solo, and this one burns my ears just right. The first time I found this song was in rock Band. Interesting enough, I played the song tilll my hands burned like crazy.

 If you want some solo without any lyrics, you can't go wrong with this.

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I wanted to add more... but my time was a bit short. Anyway, this helped a bit while my other blog is being finished. Anyway, if you have any other songs that rock, don't hesitate to tell me.

Anyway...Tell me what you think and CHEERS!!!!

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxBeginning the adventure...again - When one playthrough isn't enough/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2012/02/02/beginning-the-adventure-again-when-one-playthrough-isn-39-t-enough.aspx2012-02-02T22:58:00Z2012-02-02T22:58:00Z
Another day, another adventure. Whenever I play a game, be it RPG, FPS, or adventure, I always pay close attention to the story. Like any other game I play, it always begins at the end of one playthrough. I watch(or skip) the credits and wait for the game to reload the main menu. If the game prompts me to save, then I'll do so. This is do to the fact of a possible " New Game +" option, but instead of turning off the game, I select the "load game" option, and erase my save data. In that instant, all my progress to the end of the game are erased. Instead of turning off the game or selectiong a harder difficulty, I create a new profile, select a diificulty or new game + option, and start from scratch. My last adventure came to an end...by I waste no time in starting another one, thus beginning another playthrough.

 Multiple playthroughs is something that I have always done as gamer. Something that I sometimes took pride in when a game really strikes a chord with me. For as long I remembered, from the arcades to the comfort of my home consoles, I always played my games more than once. If it wasn't playing the first MArio Bros on NES, it was trying to collect every single chaos emerald in Sonic 2. Despite what most people think, I have my reasons for playing a single games so many times. I mostly keep what I felt for a game to myself, but when it comes to playthroughs, there are some games I can't get enough off. And that has led me to playing certain games until the discs went bald....

 Forget Resident evil: Operation Raccon city or RE6. Even though those games are must plays for me, they won't get as much attention, let alone playthroughs, that I have given to Resident evil 3:Nemesis, which is possibly my most favorite Resident evil game off all time.

 When I had the game on PS1, I played it nonestop. That CD almost never left my PS1, until a tragic day when someone stole my copy. I was able to get over it, by my yearning to escape Raccoon city once more got the better of me. I knew all to well that my only chance of playing the game again was to track down a Gamecube copy. So I picked up the phone, called my dad, and asked him to see if he could track down a copy, which he did. The game arrived in the mail 2 weeks later, and I wasted no time in jumping into my next attempt to escape the infested city once more.

 While everyone was celebrating New Years, I was hard at work in the mercenaries, unlocking unlimited guns for the next time I played. Not even the hard mode was safe from me, which I passed like nothing.

 Hours went by and days passed as I played the game over and over again. I got so good at the game that I literally ran circles around Nemesis, making him look like a fool as I gunned him down with my shotgun , and even then I kept playing the game.

 There was nothing I didn't know about the game. I located all the files, every piece of ammo,herb,gun...nothing was safe, I had the game memorized from top to bottom. And it was that obsession that led me to passing the game more than 200 times. even though I gave alot of games multiple playthroughs, none have ever come close to Resident evil 3, which is the ONLY game I will ever be able to pass that much...and keep on playing.

Ahhhhh...Okami. Where do I begin with you...The water-color style graphics, The Legend of Zelda Style gameplay, or the heart wrenching story, Okami is one of the games I'm proud to have been able to experience.

 If you talk to any gamer who's play this game, there will not be one who won't tell you to play this game. Before I had the chance to play this game, I was trying to track it down. The irony was that every time it DID turn up, I didn't have the money to buy it. But one day, I went to a friends house like I always do. During my stay, we played the usual round of games we always played.

 A couple hours in, he took out Okami and handed it to me. Saying that he did not want the game any more, he gave it to me. I was shocked and shaking with excitement, now was my chance to experience what I call one of the games you must play as a gamer.

The game has SOME Zelda traits, like the life bar, but the game was very unique to me. Combining Japanese style music with a awesome story, Okami was a smash hit with me the moment I put the disc into my PS2, which led to more than 4 playthroughs( I'm currently on my fifth or sixth)

 Even after finishing the game, I wasted no time in jumping into another adventure with Amaterasu and Issun. My first playthrough took me over a week, mostly due to the fact that I was doing side quests. But the finally, as well as other factors, led to ths game being more than a favorite for me. Which led to me buying the game on Wii when I bought it.

 Even though Okami failed on the market, I can't recommend this game enough to any gamer. Okami shows that games can be art and have a touching story combined with great gameplay. Just like Shadow of the colossus and Ico before it......

Awwwww yeah. Even though I had a great time playing Ocarina of time, nothing could have prepared me for my next adventure into the lands of Hyrule, or what I was going to expect. Still playing a bit of catch up with the Zelda series, I asked my friend to lend me the Ocarina of Time/ MAster Quest combo on Gamecube.

 Even though I was motivated in playing the game, I was thinking about Twilight Princess. I wanted to play this game first, but I had ti finish Ocarina of time in order to do so. This led to me marathon gaming the heck out of Ocarina in an effort to finish the game as quickly as possible( I even passed the water temple in under an hour on my first playthrough).

I was overjoyed when I finished Ocarina. Even though Ocarina is a phenominal game, I wanted Twilight Princess. After giving my friend back his game, he lent me Twilight princess. I think the only thing he saw after he handed me the game was my smoke silohuette as I bolted home to play faster than Speedy Gonzalez hyped up on Red bull and Cyclone energy drinks.

 After getting home, I popped in the game and begun. Twilight princess was a little slow at the start, but my efforts were repaid when the game got a head of steam and Midna was finally introduced.

 Making my way through the fields of hyrule were a treat and the dungeons were a blast to play. Everything about the game was just magnificent: the soundtrack, the graphics, gameplay, and story all contributed to a game that I hold in high regard. Ocarina of time is great, but Twilight princess in my most favorite Zelda game of all time.

 At the end of the day, I played through Twilight princess 8 times(currently on my 9th). That's seven times on my GAmecube and once on my Wii.

It also a mention that Midna has become my favorite character, even more than Sonic and Link. No to mention she is one of my most drawn characters....Go figure.

 I could go on and on about different games that I played more than once, but I have other thing to talk about now. Even though I love to enjoy my games more than once, not everyone views this the same way as I do. And this has led to some rather wierd and bothersome moments.

 Every time I play a game, I take into account on how well the stroy mode is. How well did it affect me? Is the soundtrack engaging and fit well with a certain type of situation? Is the character development good enough that I start to care for the characters?

 All these facts are what decides if I'm gonna play a game over again. Games like Indigo Prophecy have strong storys and believable characters. But theres very little reason to play the game over once you finish it.

 But that's not what bothers me... What bothers me is the attitude some people take when I tell them that I"m still playing said game. They look at me and ask: You finished that game already! Why are you still playing that game?

 What kind of question is that?!

Midnas expression mirrors mine whenever I'm asked such a question. Not only because it's a pretty dumb question, but also because the answer is so obvious: Because I loved the game. Whenever I play a game multiple times, it's because I loved the game. Sometimes I might play again to finish unlocking extra features or to play on a harder difficulty( a bit rare), but I always play again because the game struck a chord with me.

A game, in my opinion, is not a throwaway experience. I can't play a game just once and shelve it. Not when the story nearly made me cry, or when it threw curveballs at me that I did not expect. There are times when I finish the game and want to do it all over again. That means that the game was just that dang good.

 Games, by their very nature, are meant to be played. And I should have the right to play a game as long as I want, and as many times as I want. It's no different when I listen to a song over and over again or watch a movie more than once. Sometimes there are moment in games that I want to live over and over again. And I shouldn't be criticized for it!

 YOU TELL THEM Di5a5terp13ce!!!!!!

Is it so hard for people to accept the fact that I like playing games more than once? It's no different when you prestige in Call of duty. You reset and do it all over again. The game is mine and I should be able to play it as many times as I want to.

 Why would I deny myself a second playthrough if I feel like playing again? It just doesn't make any sense to me. And in reality, in may take more than one playthrough for me to completly burn out of a game. Even then,after I shelve the game, I may end up popping in the game for more adventures.

Just because a game ends, doesn't mean that the adventure has to as well. I always look forward to another adventure with Link and Midna, and even though I finished the game multiple times, the adventure seems as fresh to me as the first time I played the game.

 That means that the game, the adventure, and the games way of telling it's story had a big affect on me. And is something that I would want to experience again and again. Alot of games have the power to do that, so why limit myself to one playthrough?

 At the end of the day, I guess it comes down to peoples opinions of the different games we play. Not everyone has the same way of thinking that I do, but there are many who definitly do. But, it all comes down to opinion. If you don't play games more than once, then that's fine.But I'll play my games until I can't do so any more....

Like always, a question for the community: Is there a game that you play with an obsession and still can't get enough of ?

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxBreaking the controller - Is playing on the hardest difficulty worth it?/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2012/01/26/breaking-the-controller-is-playing-on-the-hardest-difficulty-worth-it.aspx2012-01-26T16:28:00Z2012-01-26T16:28:00Z
12:00 a.m... After a couple days or weeks of adventuring in my favorite RPG or action adventure game, I finally reach the final boss and defeat him. In that instant, my adventure, not to mention my playthrough, comes to an end. After watching the credits roll, I'm givin the option to save my game, which I do.After that, I recieve a message from the game telling me that I unlocked the "very hard" or "hard" setting. Once I return to the main menu, I should have turned off the game, but I don't. Highlighting the new game option, I look at the difficulty settings. While I usually choose the "normal" setting, I stare at the very hard setting.

 I always know what to expect when selecting that mode: Brutally hard enemies, one shot kills, weaker hits from my character, and enemies that take more hits to kill. while I know that finishing the game with the difficulty turned up earns me bragging rights, I've wondered if, at the end of the day, it's worth playing games on the hardest difficulty.

  A pretty good take on difficulty levels

 There's no doubt that selecting difficulty levels has been around for a very long time. From the "game B" option on the Atari, to the "Nightmare" setting from Doom, developers have been adding features fro us gamers to tweak the difficulty to our liking. But it wasn't always this way...

Compared to today, where some games cvan be won without really trying, games from yesteryear were an excercise in punishment and brutally hard difficulty. Before developers actually began to implement difficulty setting in the games we play, games had the difficulty turned up to max by default. If I wasn't getting beaten down for the 700th time in the original Ninja Gaiden, I was getting knocked out with one punch by Mike Tyson. If it wasn't having to use the Konami code to pass the original contra(I dare you to try and pass that game with only three lives), it was having to memorize every level and enemy pattern in the original Mega man games.

GAmes used to have us fighting for our victory, all the while having to watch the game mock us in the background.IF you don't believe me, ask any old time gamer who played this game in the arcades...

IF you want an example on how hard games were back in the day, look no further than this. This game, dubbed the hardest coin-op ever made, subjected the player to brutal difficulty every time you popped in a coin.

Every time you make a jump, you make a commitment. The game takes joy in watching you suffer. If it's not spawing enemies behind you, it's presenting you chests that MIGHT contain an item(which might just spawn another enemy). The game teases you over and over, letting you NEARLY reach the end before striking you down again. If your jumps are a milipixel off, then you'll most likely fall to your death. Looking at the game now, it's not hard for me to think this game as the inspiration for games like Super meat boy...

 Looking back on this game, I begin to understand why the game industry abandoned(well sort of) such game design decisions.

 Time to buy another one.....

While I haven't really thrown my controllers that hard, theres no doubt that I've been on the verge of doing so. While dieing over and over on the same boss might appeal to some, it wanes my patience and really makes me want to throw my controller out the window.

I shouldn't be suprised when I die on my first playthorugh. That's gonna happen. But when I'm forced to endure death after death with a sudden difficulty spike with the "very hard"setting, odds are that the controller will end up on the other side of the room.

 Even though games are hard in there own way, I think developers stoped making games so brutal because most gamers nowadays don't have much patience.

 While I love a good challenge every now and then, most gamers don't and just want to play a game without having to grind the same level or boss over and over again. When games like Ghost and Goblins were still being around, that wasn't possible. Retro games refused to handle you with kid gloves and started beating you down the moment you started playing. And I possibly think that such designs could be disastrous for certain types of games.

But developers are encouraging us to play on the hardest difficulty by the most simple means possible .

 With the implementation of achievements and trophies in our gaming experience, developers are basically encouraging us to play on the hardesy difficulty. The reason for that is if you manage to do so, you'll unlock the achievements for the lesser difficultys. That encourages us to turn up the challenge and grind our way to the finals. But that doesn;t convince me.

 Whenever I play a game, I like to have the odds even out. Which is why I play my games on "normal". I do not like having to grind the same level over 20 times before managing to complete them.Since I just recently upgraded to a Wii, I'm trying to finish as many games as quckly as possible.

 But that doesn't mean I haven't played a few games on the hardest difficulty. I've finished the first God of War on Very hard, finished all the Guitar hero and Rock Band games on expert, played all my Resident evil games on Hard, became unstoppable with Scorpion in Mortal Kombat deception, and more.

While playing games on the hardest difficulty is something I rarely do, my skills at the game tells me to give it a shot. But I have my reasons for deciding not to do so.

 As I said before, playing games on hard or very hard can be a fustrating experience. Whne I weas close to the end of the first God of War, I got to the part were you have to defend Kratos's family. The brutality that ensued turned the session from a playthorough, to a whirlwind of swearing and anger. I don't want to forget that it took me over a month to beat "Through the Fire and Flames"on expert, not to mention the anger of exiting the solo and then failing.

 I also like to mention that in order for me to play the game on the hardest difficulty, I have to have REALLY enjoyed the game. If my first playthrough of the game was enough, then I won't bother. And if I do play again, it will be on the normal difficulty.

So after all I said, I'll answer the question: is pkaying on the hardest difficulty worth it? From my point of view...not really.

 While gaming is all about challenge, I like my games evened out. And while I like a challenge every now and then, some games just aren't worth the fustration, no matter the gamer score or trophies.

I firmly believe thast a games challenge shouldn't be to hard or to easy. If it's to hard, you risk players putting the game down before ever reaching the end. But if it's to easy, them I'll probably stop playing out of boredom. It took me 1 week to pass Guitar Hero 2 on easy when I can pass it on expert in one day.

 But if you like the macho feeling that the very hard setting gives, then that's okay. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing.

 I'm all to familiar with the feeling of accomplishment that I feel when I pass the game on very hard. When I managed to finish playing the first God of war, I literally threw my controller out of celebration.

 So, while playing games on the hardest difficulty is fustrating, it's also a rewarding experience. But I'll keep to playing on normal......

 So, do you think playing games on the hardest difficulty is worth the fustration or not?

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxTop characteristics of a gamer/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2012/01/17/top-characteristics-of-a-gamer.aspx2012-01-17T22:17:00Z2012-01-17T22:17:00Z
 The definiton of "gamer"- one who's passtime or hobby revolves around videogames. A person who enjoys videogames. While that defintion is not far from the mark, I can't help but wonder.

 Every now and then, I always think to myself "What defines a gamer?" or "What does it mean to be a gamer". Most people tell me that you need to play games or just enjoy them, some say that you need a pretty good history,while others don't really bother getting into this argument.

I've always relied on my history and passion for games when people question my status, but I began to realize something...

 Is my passion really enough? Is being able to talk about gaming history for over 6 hours(my current record with Mike) really all here is to it? Or, is there more to this puzzle than meets the eye?

Over the years, I've watched most gamers in my area. Not just the games they play, but how they act, the way they interact with other people, games, defeat, and so on. So what I'm gonna do is write down some caracteristics for what I think it means to be a gamer.

QUICK NOTE: This is just my own personal opinion. So, naterally, I'm not gonna force anyone to agree with me.Nor am I gonna trash any generation. Anyway...

1- Lot's of love for the retro...

Nothing makes me happier than this subject. Being able to talk about the games that made our industry what it is today still makes rounds between me and my close group of friends. But, what about the new generation? How do we show the new generation of gamers how these 8-bit games help shape the online matches we play today? That's a difficult question.

 In an age where the only thing that matters is the next big COD entry, it has become difficult to talk about such games nowadays. While it pains me to no end, Retro games don't resonate with many gamers like they did with us, the way games like Doom and Link awakening resonated with gamers on the SNES won't exactly have the same effect on the gamers who began with the PS2.

I, like many gamers here, were raised on the NES. Mario and his adventures captivated us without much effort and hold special places in the hearts of gamers who first bought the NES.

But things change. While the new generation holds tons of great games to play, older stuff seems to fade out. With the rise of online gaming, retro games seem to fade out. I mean, who wants to play old games when we have HD and oline deathmatches? I may sound harsh, but that's the way it sounds,at least were I live at.

During my talk with some "gamers"from were I live at, I noticied alot of ignorance toward retro games. Things like "Those crappy games"made rounds here and then. I just shook my head. I've said it so many times that it's gotten boring: respect the retro.But my request falls on deaf ears. So is all hope lost for this generation? I don't think so.

In reality, I'm in no position to tell people what to play. I can't force someone to play a game they don't want to. But, don't you ever wonder why we hold those games in such high regard? Why we always name those games in our "favorite games"list? It;s because there great games, HD or no HD.

Sometimes I know what most people say : Hey Di5a5terp13ce, you said this game is great, but it looks aweful, the graphics don't look good, should I still play it?

 In reality, I mostly ask people if they want to play it. If the answer is yes, then I give the go ahead. Even if they say no, I encourage them to give the game a chance. And most of the time, that's all they need for a marathon session or two.

 Not all gamers in this generation are just Call of Duty fanboys. Under the endless war between FPS games are a few gamers who started from the PS2 or PS3 generation, but are fascinated with retro games.

By playing retro games, not only are you playing games that us gamers played in our childhood, your playing a piece of the puzzle that helped make our industry what it is today. Since there are way to many retro games for one to play, I guess one can only play as many as you can. But in understanding the history of games and how they helped shape the game we play today, one can truly appreciate the triple A tiltes that are released each year.

2- Across the world of genre's

When I was still new here, I wrote a blog about how I though gamers were to obsessed with FPS game. It seems that it's the only type of genre that most people wait for nowadays. And games like Call of Duty and Battlefield get alot of coverage from the press.

During my "study"of gamers in my area, most of the ones I questioned about their favorite genre mostly answered FPS. And I wonder, What about the genres? While there have been great coverages of different genres, why doesn't the same happen with gamers?

In an economy that pretty much resembles the pennys that I find in the street, many publishers play it safe. Since the FPS genre's popularity has inflated with the release of COD 4, the FPS genre is where the most money can be found. And that's a shame, since every genre, from RTS,RPG,racing, and so on, can offer a supreme experience to the online death matches we play each day.

Whn it comes to me, I have no favorite genre, I play anything. Even though I do not like sports games, I still wasted hours on games like NBA street,NBA jam, and Super bases loaded.

Why should I restrain myself to only one genre? I mean, there are other great games out there that are just waiting to be played. And I personally think that a gamer shouldn't restric themsleves to only one genre.

In my opinion, a gamer should be able to enjoy any type of game, be it RPG or FPS. FPS may be a great multiplayer experience, but it doesn't provide the same character development as an RPG. RPG games have great stories, while fighting games provide a tournament like atmosphere.

And if you take a better look, theres something for every gamer to enjoy. Shooting your friends online is a fun experience and theres no doubt about that, but it get's boring after a while. Leveling up in a FPS is an very addicting experience, but how long can you do the same thing over before going into "franchise fatigue"?

By playing different genres, not only are you playing a different game, your playing a different experience that may as well define your gaming experience from here onb out.

So all I'm trying to say is this: Don't restrict yourselves to one genre.

3 - The spirit of competition

 I've always wondered about this one, mostly since I'm not that competitive. But I believe that a gamer should have that competitive spirit. Anyway who was raised in the arcades shgould know what I'm talking about.

 The rivalrys that are sparked when two gamers meet at the Street Fighter 2 machine or when the 2 best players in the world at one game face off head to head. It moments like these that really make our gamer spirit burn brightly.

When gamers get competitive, it sets off an atmosphere like no other. As both players gun for each other, the crowd screams and cheers, it basically encourages a gamer to play and to try harder. Pushing themselves and their skills beyond their limits as they try to reach for victory.

And when it all climaxes, theres no feeling like it. But i don't think online can provide that same feeling as someone who's sitting next to you.

While I'm not much into tournaments and prefer to play alone, I've gotten into friendly rivalries here. When I was at my prime in Guitar Hero, I had an intense rivalry with my friend Mike. Each day at school or over the phone, we compared scores and tried to break our own records. All the while having tons of pro face-off matches when we met up at each others houses. You could pratically hear the Guitar's strum bar clicking in the back ground while we talked on the phone.It was that which pushed me to get better.

While I don't compete much anymore, I think a friendly rivalry helps us get better at the games we love to play. And pushes up to get better. And each gamer should have at least a little bit of that but.....

4 - Accepting defeat

This one is a caracteristic that most gamers don't really have. And in reality, it's one that makes most of them seem like a group of sore losers. While we play to win, we cannot win ALL the time, and accepting defeat is the hardest thing for most gamers to do these days.

 Gamers, by nature, always play to win. It's the nature of the beast. We play to be #1, to be the best, and to win. But what happens when we don't have our way? What happens when there is someone better than us and they beat us? Do we make up excuses, which might make you look pathetic, or do we accept defeat?

 In an age when competition matters, gamers do whatever it takes to win, be it fair and not. It may have been that obsession that has caused many to become sore losers. I mean, why is it so difficult to accept defeat and move on?

When I lose, I have to accept it, no matter the cost. I can't rewind time or undo what I did. When I lose, I have no one to blame but me. So I'm not gonna take the easy way out and blame someone else for my mistake. That's not the way I am. I lost and that's it, there's nothing I can do about it.

A gamer should be able to do that. To be able to say "I lost" or "great game, lets play again" and walk off with a hand shake. That also gives the feeling of sportsmanship.

So rememer this: If you lose, accept it and move on. Don't belittle the one who beat you fair and square. Just say "great game"and move on....

5- Curiosity is never a bad thing

 I'm always suprised at how many gamers respond to this. Because in reality, not many gamers have this. So let me ask: Have you ever bought a game out of curiosity?I have

A year ago, a storm hit Puerto Rico. I stood at Mikes house the day before the storm hit, so the night was spent with No electricity what so ever. 2 days later, I went to Gamestop to buy some games. And guess what I picked out of curiosity:

I've known about Vanillaware. If you played their Wii GAme Muramasa:The Demon blade, you should know what to expect here. While Disgaea was on my "must- have"list, I wanted a second game. So I chose this one.

Taking the games home, I decided to play this one first since Disgaea was gonna suck up alot of hours of gametime. And I must say, the game was somethinjg else. Something that lead to over 60 hours of gametime.

With the constanst battle between company's, one being Activision and the other EA, games like this tend to go unnoticied. And that's truly a shame. While it's great to see games get the attention they deserve, what about the ones that don't?

Are they destined to fade as quietly as they came? HELL NO!!!

Every gamer shouldn't be afraid to buy a game out of curiosity. while it's a great feeling to buy a game that has just released, what about finding that under appreciated gem. Nothing beats the feeling of buying a game that no one noticed and saying"Hey, this game is Awesome!!!"

So if you just buy anticipated games or let reviews drive your purchases, if you don't have a bit of curiosity, then you'll never know the feeling of finding that game that no one paid attention to....

When it all comes down to it, a gamer should be more than someone who plays games out of boredom. I think a gamer should be someone who plays games no matter their rating,genre or year.

Someone who plays to win, but accepts defeat when he or she loses.

Someone who respects others, no matter their race, religion, gender, or preferences.

One that never gives up when games get tough, and keeps trying no matter how long it takes.

One that isn't afraid to hide their passion from anyone. Who says"I'm a gamer" with pride and doesn't let anyone's comments diminish that passion.

So I hope that by reading this,you'll understand some of my gamer spirit....

Closing comment: I could go on and on, but my time is short( my friends pestering me for the laptop). If I feel like it, I'll publish the rest in a second part. So I'll leave it here. Now for a question:

 What caracteristics do you think a gamer should posses?

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspxDi5a5terp13ce's blog of unique games/blogs/members/b/di5a5terp13ce_blog/archive/2012/01/12/di5a5terp13ce-39-s-blog-of-unique-games.aspx2012-01-12T20:19:00Z2012-01-12T20:19:00Z
 Helo GIO and fellow gamers. It's been some time since I last blogged about games, but alas, I have decided to do one. In between my art blog, and the now running "scary story" series, I forgot how much I loved to talk endlessly about games. So, for this entry, I'm gonna talk about,you guessed it, GAMES! But not just any game, I'm gonna put together list of "ünique"games that I have managed to experience.

 During my down time here on Gio, I managed to get myself a Wii. I finally managed to upgrade. It may not be an Xbox 360 or PS3, but it's a start for me. Anyway, I wasted no time in expanding my collection of Wii games. While I still picked up games like Twilight Princess and Okami, not everything was "mainstream".

Being the gamer that I am, I still believe in curiosity. Looking past games like Call of Duty and Battlefield, steeping away from hyped games and taking a look at what lays beneath. While some of these games won't ever crack the top 10 or earn a game of the year award, they've earned a place in my game collection and memory for their "unique"gameplay. So without further due, let me introduce you to my picks.

I know what most people are thinking. If most people ever laid eyes on this box, then theres no doubt alot of you thought the game fell into the "shovelware"category. I mean, let's look at the facts: We got an FPS game that looks cheap, has no blood and gore, no story, and you have to shoot cardboard targets. Sounds lame doesn't it? WRONG!

 It takes a pretty good effort for a game to catch my eye, So i have to give this game a bit of credit for that. When I picked up the box at Gamestop, I felt like this game deserved a chance. Feeling like I was holding a Hidden gem in my hand, I bought the game and took it home. And for a cheap looking game, it was fun.

Reload takes a different direction than most FPS games. Instead of trying to cash in on the same old formula, Reload's gameplay is based off of training drills from the military and such. Instead of shooting live people, your shooting human cardboard targets,pumpkins,bottles,flying disks, and more. What may look like a boring experience turns out to be pretty dang fun.

Reload's "career"isn't really a story mode. Theres no story to latch on to anyway. What the game does is take you through multiple drills with different guns. Pistols, shotgun,sniper rifle, and mounted machine guns make an appearance at certain times in the game.And the task is a simple one: shoot as many targets as possible to earn a score high enough to make it to the next level.

 What seems like a simple task turns out to be pretty dang addictive.

Reload uses a system similar to something you see in a Call of Duty match. You don't level up if that's what your thinking, each target shot earns you points varying were you shot the target at, with headshots earning the most. As you shoot targets in succesion, you earn a combe meter that mutliplies the points you earn. If you miss, the the multiplier resets, so earning the highest score takes a pretty good amount of precision, especially to maintain a high multiplier. That makes it a tense moment to go for a perfect run.

After you finish a level, the game tells you how you did with medals. But what I liked was that the game has a few ächeivements"to unlock. They may not increase your gamerscore or anything, but they provide a satisfying challenge. Some may be as simple as getting bonus 20 times, and others will tell you to clear all shoothouse levels without shooting civilian targets and eliminating ALL bad guys.

The game has a multiplayer mode, but the good part is the leaderboards. When you finish the carrer mode, you total score across each mode is tallied and uploaded to a score board. So each playthrough has that Ï can do better"feel to it.

But what really intrigues me is the absent of violence in the game. It may seem like a bad idea, but this game turns it into an advantage, thus crafting a game that you and your kids can play. Theres no swearing,blood or gore in this game. If your looking for a family friendly FPS game for your Wii to play together, you can't go wrong with this.

Don't ask. I guess I should admit it: I love anime based SRPG games. Ever since I played Disgaea, I've been playing SRPG games like theres no tomorrow. If your a fan of Nippon Ichi, you'll notice there mark on all of their games, but this one really stood out from the pack. Somehow I knew, as I picked this game up, I had a feeling that this game was gonna be VERY different from the other SRPG games I've played from the same company, and was I right.

 Sakura wars is VERY different, and not just in it's presentation. Instead of the usual sprites the company was known for, the game uses full blown anime characters. But that's not all. Everything from the way the game is played, to the way you gain strenghth is different. and I'd say the game is divided into 2 different scenarios: Adventure and battle.

During the "adeventure" scenario, you basically interact with different characters. Instead of having to listen to the same old "kid out to save the world"story, you just play as Shinjiro Taiga, a japanese boy who comes to America to join the New York STAR Avenue.

 During this scenario, you mostly do things like every other person would do. In this case, you start as a janiter, then you work your way up. As you do so, you'll encounter sub characters throughout the story and intereact with them. Heres were things get even more unique.

Whenever you talk to a character, chances are that this will come up. Like MAss Effect, you can choose what you say to a character. Depending on what you say, the story will advance along, with the characters either liking you or hating you.

 Wait till she hears he likes Justin Beiber.....

While it may be funny for some to be a total jerk to everyone, I think that's not such a good idea.

Unlike most RPG games, there are NO levels in this game what so ever. I know what most of you are thinking: How is that possible? or How can this be an RPG without it? The answer is simple: you get stronger depending on how well the other character trust you. During the interaction scenes, what you say will cause this to rise or fall. The thicker the lines, the more they trust you and the more damage they'll do when they fight alonside you. Speaking of which......

This is what we call the "battle"scenario. I felt a bit better when I finally got some action.Instead of turn based actions, you control all of the characters on your team. The blue bar represents the stamina, which also serves on how far you can move your mech, green represents health, and red is your magic.

Everything here is pretty basic though. You move around, attack enemies, and beat the boss, occansionally unleashing special attacks and double team moves. That's were the skill tree comes into play. By increasing the friendship between the main character and another, they become more powerful and their attacks do more damage. So having a high trust is VERY important once things start to get rough.

I can't recommend this game to EVERYONE though. Me? I like to see characters bonds build, so it makes me feel good that I can be apart of that, but that's what you'll be doing for most of the time. The game doesn't focus on leveling or gaining equipment, it focus's on character development. By building the bonds between you and your team, this game gave me a chance to bond with the characters I was interacting with. The battle scenarios break it up, but if you doný have the patience, then you'll get bored.

If any game has the right to be called "unique"it is this one. I had heard of this game, but I didn't pay attention to it. In reality, I had forgotten about it. That changed when I stumbled across the box in my local GAmestop. This game is unlike any RPG game I've played. Instead of turn based battles or interaction, it's like playing a different version of Bejewleled with RPG elements.

Like the name says, gameplay revolves around puzzles. I can't say to much since I only started the game, so I'll say what I know.

What makes this game unique is the way the gameplay revolves around the puzzles. Similar to Bejeweled, you match colors on the screen and make them dissapear. Buy doing so, you build up your power for special attacks, and if you match sword icons, deal damage to the enemy. The more combos the better.

Like any RPG, theres a world map. Instead of free roaming, you try and take over rival kingdoms. Your csatle no only serves as a homebase, but also a place to replenish fallen troops.

I'd have to play the game a bit more before I say anything, but the game promises me plenty of wasted hours and late night marathon sessions.

All in all, everyone has their own opinions of games. These games might not be known well, but I think they at least deserve a chance. In my opinion. these games were worth every penny I spent for them. and I intend to see them to the end.....

Closing comment: Anyway, my art blog has been canceled for a while. But I got the new "scary story"series to write. After positive reviews from the last one I wrote, I'm gonna start to look up some creepy tales that will chill you to the bone. So stay tuned next time for another freaky tale and sleepless nights.

A scary story....

A scary story: The legend of smile.jpg

Till next time...

CHEERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Di5a5terp13cehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/Di5a5terp13ce/default.aspx