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" Genre: Action & Shooter / Suitable for 15 years and over / Release Date: 2007-12-07 / Published by Sony "
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In 2007, a games studios called Naughty Dog created a masterpiece that both the critics and gamers a like agreed, it was simply a game you had to buy. As a console exclusive, the PS3, near the start of its journey, showed what wonderful things could be achieved. This game set a huge standard and still today, reigns tall in the history of video gaming.
Story: Off the coast of Panama, Nate Drake is searching for the coffin of his ancestor, Sir Francis Drake. Using the coordinates of a ring he believes to be Sir Francis, Nate, with the help of journalist Elena Fisher, finds his coffin in the sea and brings it up to the boat. When it is opened they are shocked to find it is empty, with only a diary in there. Sir Francis Drakes diary! In it they discover Sir Francis has located what he believed to be the fabled city of gold, El Dorado. Before there's a chance for reflection, pirates, who have been following Nate and his partner, Victor 'Sully' Sullivan, attack and destroy the boat. This is how the adventure begins. This is how the search for El Dorado turns into a battle between foes and a race to stop a nightmare being unleashed. There is only one path for Nate to reach his goal, but there's so many unexpected moments, so many unexpected guests! This story will keep you guessing and is so well written, you will want to keep replaying. I played it through 4 times in a month on varying difficulties and I never got bored. I still get that same feeling from when I first saw it on my brothers tv screen, complete shivers down my spine as I knew this game was going to be special, completely unique and incomparable.
Visuals: The crispness, the colours, the vibrancy. Just everything visually about this game is stunning. The water, whether sea, waterfall or fast flowing rivers, are so realistic. I mean if you go in the water, Nate's clothes get wet and glint in the sun. The rich greenery of the jungles and the beauty in which the plants and shrubs invade the ruins dotted around the jungle. It really is like you are watching a film and not a video game. One of my favourite parts is when rounding a corner of the jungle, you stumble upon a massive waterfall with a Nazi U-boat stuck underneath it. It really is breathtakingly beautiful the detail they go into to create it. Once you reach the U-boat, you can walk out to the bow of the sub and just stand there looking out at all the jungle in front of you with the sun setting. I would say, this is easily the best game graphics I have come across even though this game has been around since 2007. It's a testament to the great work of Naughty Dog studios, it showed what could be achieved back in 2007 and in affect, threw down the gauntlet to other studios. In my opinion, this really is the best game visually you can currently play. Naughty dog used a technological process which allowed for natural movement to be captured and relayed in the video game. The actors and actress who voiced the characters, acted out each scene so there movement was exactly the same for there characters. It added to the whole realistic feel and created one of the most lifelike games out there.
Audio: As with any blockbuster game, you need a soundtrack that works perfectly with the story and environment. This soundtrack is beautifully done, having that swashbuckling feel at the beginning without feeling cheesy. But also has that empowering feel at exactly the same time. The way the tempo and beats rise when the story livens up. It all adds to make a fantastic scene even better. You feel yourself becoming more and more like your in the jungle with Nate, ready for the action. Yet when the games hot the sad moments, the slower music has exactly the same powerful feel. It really is a beautiful composition.
Gameplay: The smoothness and ease of the way you control Nate is slick. The grappling and climbing add to the excitement of the situation as you battle with the enemies whilst trying to hold on. The platform style of Uncharted, adds to the adrenaline rush and allows for that exploration of the ruins to have that extra satisfying feel to it. The action in this game never stops, whether physically or mentally. You have to work out a way out of every situation. There are mental puzzles involved, which are solved with the help of Sir Francis's diary. There are weapons, but you are only allowed one rifle and one pistol at the same time which have limited ammo. Nate can take cover behind corners or walls and shoot blind or aim at the enemy. The aiming and whole gun gameplay, is done really well and allows for that mood of being in a real battle. Do you try and blow them away or play tactically and wait for the opportunity to hit them. You can mix it up with some melee or combo attacks at close quarters to save ammo or if you want to go for that stealth kill. There is use of multiple vehicles in the game, on water and land. You find yourself at one stage bombing through the jungle in a Jeep, whilst shooting at the enemy with a grenade launcher, mixing the beauty of the scenery with the death and destruction. The controls are really freeing for you to explore everything at your pleasure and make this game really user friendly. There are collectibles in this game in the form of artefacts dotted around the environments.
Conclusion: In 2007, I happened to be walking past my brothers room when I heard the main theme of Uncharted blaring from his speakers. I stuck my head in and asked what he was playing, to which he replied 'this demo of a new game'. I sat there and was blown away by the beauty of this game. I was instantly in love with what I saw and I knew that this game was going to be special. My brother let me play it and then I understood that this game was more than special, this game was going to be remembered as a great and also visionary.
Now what my brother still doesn't know to this day is, when he was at uni back then, I used to play this one level that was the demo, over and over again. I lost count how many times I did play it but I did not care. If my brother found out I was using his PS3 without his permission, I would have been dead. But this game, well this demo was worth it. This is the first game that, to me, had it all. The story, the soundtrack, the fantastic voice acting, the action and most importantly, the breath taking enchantment of the world you are playing in. If you have never played this game, you will definitely regret it and don't think because it's just over 6 years old means its old. This is a classic and will never age.
OK. I first started playing this game after my friends had been begging me to do so for weeks. My initial thought were that it sound like Indiana Jones and would be a rubbish remake sort of thing.
I don't normally like shooter games, but this is one that I can really get on board with. The complex yet enjoyable puzzles. The mystery surrounding some great treasure. And of course the evil nutter trying to take it for himself. So far the game seemed alright.
Then came the parts when it started getting things like monsters into the story. Here was the kind of thing that I liked. Being this awesome fortune hunter type-guy who fights monsters and loves treasure was looking pretty cool. The action never seemed to be ending and then of course you would come across some mystical puzzle that you have to whip out your journal to solve.
I also liked the fact that you could climb. It seems a little strange to get excited over such a small thing but have you ever played a game when there's been climbing in it, and it hasn't been an enjoyable one? Hmm?
The graphics as well. They're fantastic. The attention to detail on every little thing and considering this game was made a good few years ago now. It's like HD!
Overall, I like the concept of this game, and thought that I could really get into the swing of it. Especially since I played 6 hours straight playing one day. I know right, I have no life!
Seriously though, definitely worth a shot for any gamer. Puzzle, Shooter, Fantasy. It's got them all. I have too say it's been one of the best games I've ever played. It's really hard to find games like this.
I could keep this review short, summing it up with one sentence;
If you own a PS3 and have never played this, buy it.
Ok, thats more of an order than a review. But this game is that good. I have never heard a bad word about it - its a truly brilliant game.
I acquired a PS3 just before Christmas 2011 and only had one game, Skyrim. When I mentioned to a workmate I didn't exactly have many games to play (although Skyrim has so far given me 70 hours of play) he told me he would lend me Uncharted. That was a few weeks ago, hopefully he's forgotten who he lent it to as I still have it and plan on playing it many more times - save me from buying it which I'll do in the next few weeks. Not that buying it will give me that much trouble, going for an absolute bargain price of about £10 on Amazon at the moment.
Uncharted: Darkes Fortune is the first in a series of three Uncharted games - the most recent, Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception (that I recently bought with my dooyoo miles!) came out late last year. Its safe to say, Uncharted was released among a great deal of fuss. Expectation was high, and if Drakes Fortune is anything to go by, its understandable.
Drakes Fortune came out in 2007 - and is a PS3 only title. Being previously an Xbox user - I missed this game upon its release and for the subsequent few years. How I didn't notice this game is beyond me, I am actually ashamed.
The series follows Nathan Drake as he hunts for various artifact of high value in your typically action packed environments - from cities to deserts, ships - on planes and, where we the action set in the first game - on a mysterious island.
The second and third games would take Nathan globe trotting, but the first game is set in one place - an island. Nathan moves around the island, under and above it - so the setting never feels that restricted, but it does get a slight bit samey - just slightly.
The Uncharted series have often been described in a very simple way - like playing a movie. This is fair to say, but even as an ardent moved fan - even the greatest film would struggle to keep me glued to the screen for the 12 hours Uncharted: Drakes Fortune did.
They style of gameplay offered here are of two very distinct types: Its a linear game and its a 3rd person shooter.
----Linear gaming------
Some games are linear, some are sandbox. Others are Fifa. Sandbox gaming is an open playing experience, with no set path being set out that strictly. Whilst most sandbox games can be 'finished' there is usually no real ending to the game. The player can freely move around environments and have a lot of choice (depending on what the game is) on what they get up to. They can play the game at their own pace, explore and how you experience this game can be very different to many people. GTA and Skyrim are both sandbox games, and this type of gaming really appeals to me. I do like games you can pick up and play, like multiplayer COD, but I really like sandbox games that are opened ended and not restricted. I like playing beyond the end and exploring it further, and I like spending hours leveling up characters.
Linear games are the opposite of this, and since the original Tomb Raider game, have never really appealed to me. A linear game has a clear path. You run, shoot and jump and generally do what the developers want you too. There isn't much choice and most players will have the same gaming experience as everyone else. Thats something that put me off, until I Uncharted smashed my misconceptions.
Drakes Fortune is a very linear game. You have little choice as to how you play it, they only variation coming when you choose how to take on one of the many waves of enemies. Even this though is limited: hide behind this box, or that one. Don't be put off though - this works very well for this game. This game isn't about choice, its about being taken on a rollercoster of a gaming experience.
The game starts as it means to go on, with a bang. Your thrown into a manic situation and have to simultaneously learn the very straight forward control set up and figure out what to do.
Playing as Nathan, you're right in the middle of a shootout on a boat - under heavy fire. Run, duck and dive behind cover whilst trying to shoot at the hoard of bad guys trying to take you down. This opening scene is really fun, and its really fast paced. This sets the tone for the game - from here on it will rarely let up. If nothing the pace gets more and more.
Control wise, its a mixed bag. In a timely fashion, instructions on what buttons to press pop up when they need too. The first time you need to duck for cover the game will pause as it tell you how to do it. This makes the learning curve barely exist but you feel a little out of control of the game - at first it feels a little like 'press this' and 'press that' and the game is somewhat playing itself. An hour or so into the game you forgive this as you understand just how fluid the game play is. Drake does exactly what you wan't, goes where you want and shoots who you want and this is important due to the pace of the game.
As I mentioned, the pace rarely stops. Its very fast and the adrenaline soon starts pumping. Its a gaming buzz I'd not had for years, and thankfully I didn't have to think about the controls too much - it always seemed to do what I wanted.
As the story progresses Nathans enemies and allies are made apparent, as is a little back story and the plot races on. Its a great story - and whilst a little predictable if you've seen any blockbuster action films in that past forever, the last few hours of the game will come as a surprise in both story and pacing as it really revs up.
There are lots of great things about this game you could talk about forever. Voices and acting are great - the characters affable and fun, you can't help but get behind them. This game has a script and that helps you just love Nathan and his team, you really feel for them and get totally engrossed in the plot. The script is worth shouting about, yes - but its the graphics that are worth screaming about. Considering this game was released in 2007 - its stunning, even up against 2012 games. Your action takes place on a lush island, crammed with detail - making it ever absorbing. The graphics really come to life when your involved in one Nathans high-flying climbing exercises. A particular section will find you traversing over a huge waterfall with the ocean expanding behind you and a sheer drop below you. Times like this, and many more, I just sat in awe and took it in. Something I've rarely had happen in a video game.
Some gamers might find the prospect of Uncharted frustrating. Its plays in a very straight forward way, and you having very few choices - but this is easily forgiven, given just how rapidly it will have your heart racing at.
There are lots of shoot outs in this game, but for me it never got boring. You enter a room - its clear you're about to get into a gun fight; ammo is around the room as well as lot of things for cover - its only a matter of time before the room fills with henchmen. After the 20-30th time this happens you might worry its a bit repetitive, but instead I found each one super fun. The shoot outs get much harder during the game, and despite having to restart some 10-20 times in a row, the feeling of finally beating a room is brilliant.
This game is advertised as having about 8 hours of game play to finish the main campaign. I'm an average gamer, I had it set to 'normal' and it took me 12 hours - about an hour of play for a couple of weeks, give of take. Considering this game is quite short - its worth the £40 price tag it no doubt came with in 2007.
As soon as I finished the game I didn't want to pick it up right away - I was drained after a crazy final chapter. A few days later I was more than happy to get back on it, specifically to try and find many of the hidden treasures in the game. Literally, little treasures are hidden around the game and Nathan can collect them. This aspect of the game is secondary to the main game and serves as a way as extending the game beyond playing through mains story. Some are hard to find, some easy - do date I've found about half and the other half are seemingly impossible to find. As much as I would not like admit it, I think help off the internet might be order to help figure out where they are.
I'd happily play this game though a few more times - however luckily for me I have the second and third game to play though yet.
This goes for about £10 these days if you don't mind a used copy, or retails at £14.99 new on Amazon at the time of writing.
Its an essential game that is an incredible amount of fun to play - I can even see the most picky gamer having a hoot playing this. This is one of those games that affirms just how much fun gaming is and how nice it feels to just get sucked into a thoroughly engrossing game.
The team at Naughty Dog had a lot to live up to with the release of Uncharted with similar games like the Tomb Raider franchise already dominating the market. Uncharted brings tomb robbery bang up to date with witty dialouge, motion captured gameplay and a quality line up of actors including the likes of Andy Serkis. The story follows Nathan Drake, a fortune hunter out for lost treasures with some twists and turns thrown in along the way.
For someone who has never really been into action games I found Uncharted had a pick up and play value that also made it hard to put down. The pace is unrelenting and its difficult to find fault with a game that is one of the best loved exclusive titles on the PS3. I suppose if I had to find fault it would be with the enemy AI where in some cases in can be impossible to be stealth, no matter how sneaky you are. The gun fights make it more than worth it with a variety of weapons at Nate's disposal.
Drake in his stylish Topman attire leaves Lara Croft looking more than a little tired and outdated. If you are looking for a top quality action game that you'll play again and again, buy Uncharted!
Uncharted is a PS3 exclusive game made by Naughty Dog. Drake's Fortune is the first in the Uncharted series. Usually I find that graphics and gameplay are greatly improved as a game series goes on, but having played Uncharted 2 first I have to say that I'm rather impressed with how good Drake's Fortune is as it didn't really feel like I was playing a game released 2 years before Uncharted 2.
"There must be a beginning of any great matter, but the continuing unto the end until it be thoroughly finished yields the true glory"
Sir Francis Drake, 1587
The story starts on a boat where Nathan is opening up the coffin of the explorer Sir Francis Drake and Elena, a journalist, is there to film it for a documentary. Instead of a body the pair find a diary by Sir Francis Drake and it's at this point things take a turn for the worst when they see pirates heading their way.
Luckily they are saved by Sully who is Nate's friend. The two then leave Elena behind and head off to find treasure, but once again, it's not long before they end up in trouble. Nathan is attempting to find El Dorado, but his quest becomes rather dangerous and he has to fight for survival. Gabriel Roman is a treasure hunter who will do anything to get what he wants, including sending mercenaries after Nathan. It's not as simple as just going and getting the treasure though as Nathan has to work out what happened all those years ago with Sir Francis Drake. The story follows him on his dangerous journey to find the treasure.
The game is a mixture of genres; action, adventure, platform and a shooter. It combines them all really well. In some ways Uncharted is similar to Tomb Raider and Prince of Persia as you have a lot of free-running, puzzle solving and fighting. While I like all these games, Uncharted stands out because I couldn't state one thing that feels like it was focused on more.
For example, in Tomb Raider her movements aren't always totally smooth and this affects both shooting and running and jumping around. However, generally the puzzles seem quite well thought out. In the Prince of Persia you do a lot of free-running and generally the Prince moves smoothly and you can have a lot of fun running up walls and dodging traps, but sometimes the fighting wasn't quite as well thought out. With Uncharted everything feels well thought out and it all works and runs smoothly.
I'll play any game, but I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan of shooting games. What has always drawn me to games such as Uncharted and Prince of Persia is the ability to free-run, complete puzzles and explore. I suppose I just like being able to do a variety of things and I've never minded some fighting or shooting in between other things. Uncharted is the opposite way round with lots of shooting and the other things in between, which usually would involve me playing the game so far then getting bored or annoyed. However, I like the shooting element in Uncharted as you get a range of weapons and you can usually find ammo by the people you've killed so you're not struggling to find ammo and it's not stupidly easy to get it either.
Nathan can carry two guns (a handgun and a rifle) and grenades. He can also do hand to hand combat, although often you'll find someone else is shooting at you as you're hitting a guy and by the time you've killed him the other guy has shot you to death. Still, it's nice to have the option to just go up and hit someone sometimes rather than taking a gun and shooting them.
You can get various different weapons such as the 9mm semi automatic pistol, Desert 5 semi automatic pistol and Wes 44 Revolver for handguns. For rifles you get guns such as the AK47 Assault rifle, M4 Assault rifle and MP40 Submachine gun. Chances are you'll find two which you prefer to use most, but at times you may pick up another to use for a short time.
There is no health bar, but it's easy to tell when you are seriously injured as the all colour in the game starts draining away, giving the impression you're about to pass out. To get the colour back again you just have to avoid being hit for a certain length of time, which is sometimes easier said than done when you have people shooting at you from various angles, throwing grenades or shooting down the wall you're behind (though luckily not all walls will break down). Health bars can be very useful as they give a more exact idea of how much health you have, but if you keep glancing at it it can distract you where as this way you don't have to focus your attention anywhere else.
The puzzles are logical and, in my opinion, don't require much thinking about, but it's still a nice change to do a puzzle rather than fighting or jumping around. Even if you work it out you still have to make a bit of an effort to complete it, which usually means more free-running and jumping so if you make a mistake or accidentally jump the wrong way it can take more time than it really should.
The free-running elements are done really well and you can see Nathan scrambling up onto ledges after only just making a jump which makes a nice change as characters often make jumps and pull themselves with ease, which would never happen in real life. It's really easy to control him and usually pretty obvious where you are expected to go, although you can explore a bit and this may lead to finding a treasure, which is a cool feature.
So long as you are facing the right way you'll make the jump most of the time, but I have noticed a few parts where the camera won't move and it just doesn't feel in quite the right place to see where you're jumping to. Sometimes you can move the camera all around and other times you can't. The other thing is a couple of times I've jumped and for some reason he just keeps missing. Luckily it's never been a massive drop or I've died and started back in the near enough the same place, but it's still meant repeating odd parts and trying again. If you've dropped down it can sometimes be quite a trek back to the start of where you need to climb up then you have to make your way back to where you were.
There was one point where I thought I must be going the wrong way even though it seemed there was no other option. Nathan just refused to jump to a ledge a short distance away and annoyingly it was one of the times when the camera wouldn't really move. I lost count of how many times I dropped to the floor below and had to run back through an archway, climb up some rocks and jump back to the place I was at before. I tried a couple of different ways before deciding it had to be the way I was originally trying. I've no idea what was wrong, but eventually he did jump properly and made it and I hadn't done anything different.
As frustrating as little things like that are, every game has its odd flaws or glitches. I haven't had any major problems that have made me regret buying the game or made me think it's not as great as I first thought.
Nathan "Nate" Drake is voiced by Nolan North. Drake is the main character in the game and the one you control. Drake believes he is a descendant of Sir Francis Drake. He has a habit of finding himself in trouble and even though he realises how serious it is he tends to make jokes about the situation.
Elena Fisher is voiced by Emily Rose. Elena is a journalist who is filming Drake's quest for a documentary. She's tougher than she looks and doesn't give up easily.
Victor "Sully" Sullivan is voiced by Richard McGonagle. He is Drake's friend, although he causes problems for Drake as he gets in debt and mentions about the treasure Drake is after to the wrong people.
There is great interaction between the characters and they are very believable.
The game has great voice acting that suit the characters, making them seem even more believable.
Sound effects like the guns or even just the water also sound really good and add to the game.
The graphics on this game are pretty impressive, although I actually thought the graphics during the game looked better than the cut scenes as there were sometimes parts where you could see the graphics flickering slightly in areas. The cut scenes do give you a chance to sit back and admire just how good the graphics do look though.
There's also a large amount of water in the game and, unlike many other games, it looks very realistic and whether you are swimming through it or just standing nearby it's easy to forget that it's not real.
There's lot of small details that have been added to the game which make it stand out from other games.
This is a pretty amazing game and worth buying even if you have played the second game already. It has everything you want in a good game; fantastic storyline, great gameplay and amazing graphics. There are games that have been released much later that don't have the graphics or gameplay of Uncharted. Recommended.
Plot: You play as Drake who is on the hunt for the lost treasure of El Dorado. This leads him to a forgotten island where he becomes stranded. Along with Elena and Sulley (who I won't say anything about in case of spoilers), you then have to fight for your survival as you uncover the secrets hidden within the island.
This game made me feel like I was actually playing a Hollywood movie rather than a PS3 game. The characters that were in it get you to react in all the right ways from such a great script. You really care what happens with your characters which I can't say happens with many games. Another thing that made this game great was the constant twists and turns throughout making you constantly keep guessing what's waiting around the corner.
Graphics: Some of the little things like your shadow moving depending on who's holding the torch, the gradual drying of your clothes after getting out of the water and the water splashing depending on where a bullet hits it. Nothing I can fault. Like I mentioned before, it's more like a movie then a game.
Sound: There's parts of the game where Drake speaks to himself trying to work out a puzzle or when Drake and Sulley chatter to each other as you play. Little touches like that really add to the game making it feel much more realistic.
Controls: As a third person shooter, obviously the shooting matters a great deal. One of the best cover shooters I've had the chance play. Easy for people who aren't used to shooting games or if playing on a higher difficulty, can be complex enough to give someone a challenge. As soon as you load up the game, it's easy to pick up and there's nothing new or hard to learn along the way.
Lifespan: In my opinion I would of liked it to of gone on for a bit longer but nothing was missed out and nothing useless was put in so can't really fault this either. Just I didn't want it to end seeing it was such a great game.
There is the option to go back and collect certain items throughout the game for the keen players but other then that, I wouldn't say there was much replayability factor once you've done it once.
Overall: Only one thing I could find that's wrong with the game (and I had to really look for something to comment on) is that sometimes if your with another character they can get behind a wall that you want making you have to wait until they move while shooting awkwardly at the enemies or you have to run and find somewhere else to shoot from making you open to fire. However, this wasn't a common problem and probably only happened a maximum of four times throughout the game.
Now that bad bit is out of the way, I would really recommend this game for anyone considering it can cover such a huge audience. For how cheap you can get it nowadays is a real bargain. Even though it's getting to be a bit of an old game now (this generation wise), it is still one of the best on the PS3 and I reckon it will continue to be so for quite a while longer.
Its official, in terms of quality at the moment, Nathan Drake easily beats Lara Croft in terms of quality with adventure games. While the new Lara is in development, Nathan Drakes adventures take him all over the world!
Story: Nathan is on the hunt for treasure on diary handed down to him from Sir Francis Drake. You and your friend Sully accompanied by an annoying photographer have to go round the world looking for treasure in different places.
Gameplay: while the game is pretty linear, you have to make some well timed jumps between platforms, however the majority of the gameplay is a cover shooter with a multitude of weapons to choose from! It is really accomplished as a cover based shooter however!
Graphics: Simply beautiful. The game provides you with large vistas and well detailed character models. The environments really do look beautiful! This ranges from the aerial heights to the German submarine that you find early on!
I have never really many offline PS3 games, however, I am glad I bought this. It really pulls you in from the beginning, getting right into the story.
I had bought the second game of this but upon doing some research I noticed that most people suggsted playing the first one before the second. The reason being that the Uncharted games have a story and therefore you will understand the characters, their personalities, and their co-existent relationships much better, keeping you in the loop. Plus, this game isn't too expensive now so well worth it!
I wasn't sure what to make of it at first, but I am really enjoying the story and the character building. The characters begin to grow on you almost as if in a movie. And you will never be short of guns in this game. It takes a while to get things rolling in this game, but once you do, it's really quite good. There's also a bit of romance in this game, although not made too obvious, you can sense some attraction between Elena and Drake.
You get a selection of guns, an AK47, a Moss shotgun, grendaes, and an M9 pistol and also a rapidfire secondary weapon. You get to keep a primary weapon such as an AK47 or shotgun, and also a secondary weapon such as a pistol, then you can have up to five grenades. The way you keep your ammo levels up is by pressing triangle when it appears on the screen. This way, you can swap your guns, or take ammo. Obviously, this being a game, it isn't exactly realistic as it does take quite a few bullets to kill someone, but headshots are pretty achieveable and result in instant death.
For those of you, like me, who want a little more than to go around shooting the bad guys, you get to drive a car, use turret guns, drive a water-jet, and then of course there's the story and mini-clips of movie throughout.
I'd highly recommend this! This game is definitely under-rated. Now that the third one is available for pre-order at the end of 2011, I'd definitely recommend starting off now!
This game is what Tomb Raider should have been on the PS3, but with a guy. It is very old-school tomb raider but nowhere near as confusing which is a bonus if you're anything like me!
The story line hooks you in straight away and it turns into one of those games you just can't turn off until you've completed the whole thing. Great stuff! The graphics aren't the best I've seen on the PS3 but good all the same. The main thing I loved about this was the environment they've created. So many new games are very dark, both literally and in general feel. This however is the complete opposite, lush green forests, bright colours - no turning up the brightness on your tv so you can make out where you're going.....just really, really colourful and nice to look at. The controls are easy to get to grips with and movement of your character is accurate and responsive. Lots of cut scenes which can get a little annoying when you're just desperate to play but they add to the overall feel and storyline which can only be a positive. Thumbs up from me!!
I barely know where to start with this game, the fact that there is so much to do and the story-line is so detailed and in depth, is amazing.
The length of the game, was really a shock to me, because i didn't think they could have such good graphics on a game and still make it so it lasts for about 12+ hours.
And that 12 hours is just for the main story, if you were wanting to get every achievement and find every hidden item your looking at well over 20 hours of gameplay.
another thing i like about uncharted, is the rewards system you get for completing tasks. a lot of people prefer the xbox 360 to the ps3 for the achievements on it, however, although uncharted is a ps3 exclusive, there are a number of in-game achievements that gain you points when you complete them. these points can then be used to buy a number of abilities or weapons and even costumes. i just think it is a really good way to make a game.
Now, the story-line of this game, can be confusing at times, especially near the end, however it is none the less amazing.
Not many things i can fault this game on to be honest, but it is very hard at some parts, but extremely addictive.
This game will need no introduction to PS3 owners up and down the land. It was a land mark game that earned rave reviews from all the critics. As I got my PS3 a while after Uncharted had been released I had missed the kafuffle first time round. Uncharted first came to my attention in the build up to the sequel being released and I was fortunate enough that a friend of mine lent me his copy to play. I was fortunate because without this intervention I would have missed out on one of the most stunningly beautiful games I have ever played.
The game is an adventure game played in the third person and is set in jungle ruins. You play the charismatic Nathan Drake who is a skilled treasure hunter who can certainly handle himself in a fight. Whether this be hand to hand combat or a high pressure shoot out Drake is the man. Drake is not alone on this adventure however and is joined by his trusty sidekick Sully and a female News reporter Elana. The story starts out as a simple hunt for treasure but as in all good stories this soon develops into a battle for survival. There are other treasure hunters after this treasure and they are prepared to do anything to get there first. The island is also not all that it seems!
The plot for the game is like a good film and this is probably why there are rumours abound that there will be a film released. The characters manage to suck you in so that you actually care what happens to them which adds to the games playability. Embarrassingly I was so absorbed in the characters that when a pivotal moment in the game occurred I found myself screaming NOOOOOOO!!!!! at my screen. This only happens in the middle of dramatic 24 episodes so when it happened here I knew I was onto a winner. As with 24 there are twists and turns aplenty and these certainly keep you on your toes. Another great thing with the plot is the comedy. Even in times of strife you will often hear your character mutter something that makes you chuckle and anybody that does not think Sully is a legend needs their head testing.
The gameplay is absolutely out of this world and from the minute you pick up your controller it is difficult to put down. The controls are intuitive and pretty soon the gun fights become second nature to you. I completed the game in around 10 hours so seasoned gamers could probably do it in about 7 -8, I imagine. This is plenty and I think is the perfect length for a game of this type. You could spend even longer on this if you choose to find all of the hidden treasure scattered around and unlock all of the trophies. There is no online mode on this game but I don't think this hinders it too much as the single player is such a joy to play.
The icing on the cake for this fantastic game is the graphics. I can honestly say I have never seen graphics like this. The PS3 must be being stretched to its limits as I can't see it being able to release anything as stunning. You start of on a boat that comes under attack and you are thinking the graphics are good. You then move into the jungle and this is where Uncharted really steps up to the plate. I'm not ashamed to admit that on numerous occasions I actually stopped mid game to admire the view. Classic examples are that when you reach the top of some ruins you get a view over the jungle and out to sea. If you can imagine the best view you have seen on a postcard or one of them travel programmes that is trying to sell you a holiday then you get an idea of what these views are like. That being said with the bad guys that knock about in this particular jungle I think I would rather take my chances visiting somewhere that Judith Chalmers recommends.
The only downside to this game and believe me they are barely noticeable is the screen tears that you get throughout the game. To those that are unaware what a screen tear is it is when the screen flickers for a brief second. There is a technical explanation behind this but as a bit of a Luddite I will not even try to explain it here. If you are desperate for answers though just type in screen tear to Google and there will be a lot of answers there. I had to research this as I got paranoid my PS3 or TV were on the blink. Once I knew it was nothing to worry about I got back to enjoying the game. To put the screen tears into perspective they are barely noticeable and only really happen when there is a lot of action on the screen and last literally a second. Also a few of my friends who played the game through did not even notice the screen tears.
Overall an exceptional game that in my eyes deserves a place among the all time greats. It can now be picked up for a bargain price so there really is no excuse not to get lost in the jungle with Drake.
Review also on Ciao under same username
Just to warn you, this review contains spoilers, not ones that'll ruin it but it's a warning nonetheless. Okay, this game has been hailed as a 'must play' and I'd agree, for the most part. The game is beautiful, it really is, the scenery is lovely and it's one of those games that's a joy to play and makes wonder in awe at the designers ability to write a code that produces that array of beauty. The characters are likable and again well designed, when Nathan swims his clothes are noticeably wet, a nice touch that other games ignore. The gameplay is original and innovative. The lock on system with guns is good, and Nathan is a beast with any weapon, head shots become second nature, and he's not half bad an run and gunning either. The enemies are tough and plentiful, you have to think and use the scenery, which is destructible, to help you. The story is great all the way through until those (spoiler) crazy spanish demons turn up which, while the toughest, are totally unrealistic, which breaks away from the rest of the game. It seems weird to me that they show up and just stop the game short of mastery across all elements. Overall though, its worth buying, playing, and loving.
A new series for the ps3 Uncharted follows Nathan Drake on his quest to uncover the forune Drake left behind years before. The series takes elements from the Tomb Raider series as you explore dungeons and climb obstacles to progress, with plenty of puzzles mixed in to keep the experience engaging. The experience is breathtaking and you will find it hard to stop playing as the game is perfectly paced never leaving you with a dull moment.
Gameplay is a mix of climbing, exploring and gunplay utilising a cover system during firefights. This is simple to use and fits the game perfectly with the 3rd person perspective. The characters will also make you laugh and are endearing meaning you care about them to the end. A lthough the game is only 8-10 hours in length there are more difficulty levels and with trophy support now added plently to keep you comin back.
This is one of my favourite games for the system and should not be overlooked by anyone, plus you can pick up the sequel once you are done and will have two fantastic games as that is even better.
Since buying my Playstation 3 there have been very few games that I've seen or heard about and decided I really need to play that game but recently I stumbled across such a title in Naughty Dog's Uncharted. This is the first game in their latest Playstation franchise having created games for both previous Playstation editions. I was shown this game on a recent visit to family and having played a few minutes of it decided to invest £14.99 in buying it from Amazon.
The game is set in the present day and you take control of Nathan Drake an adventurer and treasure hunter who claim's to be a descendant of Sir Francis Drake. Determined to prove his claims Drake sets about trying to find his Great Grandfathers coffin hidden at the bottom of the ocean and find his journal, which he believes will lead him to one of the world's greatest hidden treasure's El Dorado. To finance his mission Drake has sold his story to a journalist who proves a lot more determined to find the answers and get the full story than Drake had imagined. Also along for the ride is Drake's oldest friend and smuggler Victor Sullivan. Between the three of them they set off to find out the truth about Drake's treasure, whilst trying to stay alive as thy face large numbers of hostile individuals intent on getting to the loot before them.
My first question about Uncharted was answered straight away and almost instantly I knew it was going to be a game I would enjoy. From the opening scene with crystal clear graphics and very well produced cut scenes the game looks impressive and that really drew me in. The realistic look to the cut scenes and some rather impressive opening levels make the graphics on this game look a lot better than a lot of the previous games I've played since getting my PS3. In truth the graphic capabilities of the system are now at such a point that the developers are making the best use of them for games such as this.
Of course there could have been slight improvements within the game play itself, but Naughty Dog have really got the graphics and feel of this game spot on. There is a fluidity to the game that I felt seemed to be missing from the likes of "Assassin's Creed", there were no points when the screen froze or skipped because the graphics were trying to do too much for the processor to keep up and for that I think Uncharted has shown where the future of games on the PS3 should be looking graphically. Ok there are a few slight niggles such as the enemy all looking like 7 or 8 different people even though there are hundreds, nay thousands of them but I felt that didn't detract in any way from the overall graphical effects of the game.
The story to the game is also very good and is told very well. As you progress further into the game and solve certain puzzles you learn a little more about the lead character Drake and the story of the treasure. This is good in two ways in that it informs those that don't know about the legacy of El Dorado on what it is they are looking for and at the same time doesn't reveal too much detail about the plot all in one sitting, getting the player more involved in uncovering the story.
Whilst a good story and graphics are always a bonus the real factor that makes a good game is always the game play and Uncharted really doesn't disappoint. There is a good mixture of puzzle solving, platform jumping and armed combat mixed into the game offering a little something for fans of all types of action adventure games. It's not that Uncharted offers you anything new or particularly original, it just does what its meant to do in a well-constructed way.
The Platform element sees Drake making the use of everything around him. It's not just a simple jump from here to there, the developers have made use of cliff edges, hanging vines and Window Cills to make the Platform elements a lot more interesting. Even better is the fact the correct route isn't always highlighted and you control your character to find the correct way through each level. The controls for this part are by and large quite simple but the range of actions Drake can perform makes the getting from puzzle to puzzle and gun fight to gun fight all the more interesting.
Likewise the puzzle element of the game is excellent and really get you involved in the story and game play. As you would expect the puzzles get harder the further into the game you get and some of them really get you thinking about what you are doing. As well as the straightforward puzzles the developers have also hidden 60 pieces of treasure at various points throughout the game giving you something to hunt for along the way. This side game provides a nice distraction from shooting at people and really makes you focus on each scene even if nothing appears to be going on. Even if you miss them all the first time the game keeps track of which ones you've picked up so once the games completed you can go back and try to find the rest.
It is perhaps the biggest aspect of the game, but unfortunately it is also the most flawed aspect of the game. I am of course talking about the fight sequences both armed and unarmed combat. The biggest problem is perhaps the lack of an aiming button. This means that as soon as you pop your head out to shoot you can be dead by the time you've found your target. It would obviously help if you could aim behind cover but that doesn't seem to happen leading you to be shot at whilst trying to find your target. Whilst it isn't something that ruins the game it does detract from all of the other elements that have been done well and in one particular level near the end it makes it a little too hard to tackle certain opposing forces.
Once you get the hang of the aiming function against wave after wave of bad guys it does get easier but it doesn't make it any less irritating. That said it is a minor annoyance in comparison to how good the game actually is and one that can be lived with and adjusted to. There are certain aspects of the fight scenes I also really like such as the limit on the number of weapons and ammunition your character can carry. It means you can't have an endless supply of bullets and this adds something more realistic by making you look for weapons and ammunition to kill the next hoard of bad guys.
Overall I have to say that Naughty Dog have excelled themselves here. It is a game that really suits the graphic capabilities of the PS3 and with some rather clever game play they have created a game that will become one of the classics for this platform and genre. As with every successful game there is already a sequel to Uncharted and it looks even better than this one. I think it's fair to say my expectations for PS3 games has been raised by my experience with this game and I am thoroughly looking forward to trying the next one. If like me though you enjoy a good platform game, with a few puzzles and gun fights along the way then you will love Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.
Amazon.co.uk: £14.99
Amazon Marketplace: £11.49
A really addictive game! To be honest my expectations werent all that great, however, within minutes of playing I found myself absolutely hooked. I have always been a fan of the Tomb Raider style action games but rarely have I come across one where I am literally physically unable to remove the controller from my hand as I am glued to the TV whilst playing.
Every scene was varied and challenging, there is nothing worse than buying a game and completing it within a day, this game was challenging enough to provide longevity of play whilst not being so ridiculously difficult that after a week or so on the same level you give up never to return to the game again!
Would definitely recommend this game to anyone who wants hours of thoroughly enjoyable game play. If you are a fan of Tomb Raider and Call of Duty you will love this game!


text:
Just a general question, is there anyway to
prevent a user from
visiting porn websites (Not FHM, Maxim type sites) with Zone Alarm Pro 7? More along the sites of like www.xxx.com.
I know Zonealarm with web filtering had this feature before it was discontinued.
Operating System:Windows XP Home Edition
Software Version:7.0
Product Name:ZoneAlarm Pro

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Board of Educational Examiners
2 Up 2 Down Rule Eliminated
Prior to 2007, the Board of Educational Examiners provided authority for individuals to teach beyond the scope of the grade range listed on their teaching licenses. An individual who held a K-6 content endorsement was authorized to teach 2 grade levels higher than the grade levels listed on the license if their local school board approved. For example, a person with a K-6 reading endorsement could teach reading in grades K-8 if the school board approved. An individual who held a secondary content endorsement was authorized to teach 2 grade levels lower than the grades listed on the license. For example, an individual who held a 7-12 math endorsement was authorized to teach math in grades 5-12 with the local school board's approval. This authorization was commonly called the 2 Up 2 Down Rule.
In 2007 when the teaching licenses were listed on the public website, it was determined that this authority did not show on the public website and could create confusion as to whether the teacher was properly licensed or not for his or her assignment. To rectify this situation, rules were created to change the grade ranges for endorsements to show the authority on the teaching license. The need for local school board approval was dropped. The rule that allowed the authority to teach two grades higher or lower was no longer necessary so it was eliminated.
The licenses were updated to show these grade levels so the public website showed this information immediately. When the person renewed his or her license, the new ranges were shown on the license. For example, the person who held the K-6 reading endorsement would have the K-8 reading endorsement listed on the renewed license.
The 2 Up 2 Down rule did not apply to the general elementary classroom endorsement. The K-6 general elementary classroom endorsement is only valid in grades K-6. The 2 Up 2 Down rule did not apply to the middle school endorsement. The 5-8 middle school endorsement is only valid in grades 5 through 8.
The teaching licenses issued after 2007 show the specific grade levels on the license. There is no 2 up 2 down rule in force so there should be no confusion as to the grade levels a person may teach.


text:
copyright the Chronicle August 20, 2014
What Makes Vermont Special, by Greg Carpenter. Published by Shires Press. 134 pages. Paperback. $24.99.
Reviewed by Tena Starr
Greg Carpenter, a teacher in Swanton who summers on Echo Lake in Charleston, says the idea for his recent book, What Makes Vermont Special, came from a student. He worked on it for three years, traveling around Vermont taking the photographs himself, and doing the research.


text:
Three areas in Richardson ranked in the top 10 best places to live for adults age 45 and older without kids in the home in the Dallas Morning News' list published Friday for the Richardson, Lake Highlands and Far North Dallas areas. Southern Collin County ranked at No. 6, while Richardson, Dallas County and Richardson, Collin County placed at No. 9 and 10, respectively.
The survey looked at safety, quietness and level of maintenance, affordability and rising home values as factors in determining the rankings.
"While Richardson is a wonderful place for anybody to live, the city is proud to offer a variety of amenities that appeal to empty nesters, such as top-notch public safety, peaceful neighborhoods and an active Senior Center," Richardson Mayor Bob Townsend said. "Many of our empty nesters moved here with young children, and after the kids grew up and left home they wanted to continue living in Richardson and enjoying all the benefits the community has to offer."
City officials anticipate that Richardson will also appear in the Top 10 rankings in the "Best Places to Live for 18- to 24-year-olds" and "Healthiest Places to Live" categories that will be published in the April 19 and May 29 issues of the Dallas Morning News.
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| Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities call, 972-744-0908 or Email email@example.com


text:
This may be a Poe, but this morning someone called Alan Webster wrote us with the subject line "Seeking an interview."
I have been challenged by some of your co-hort's to contact you and challenge you belief's.
are you willing?
So I write back…
What would you like to ask us?
And he's all…
Meet me in a global public televised & recorded forum and I'll let you know then.
(one without a dump-button or a profit in mind)
Bitch, please. Why do people think we're rolling in money from this little cowtown cable access show? Would that it were true! So I write back…
Well, we don't profit from our show, if that's what you're hinting at. It's a volunteer effort. You are welcome to call in if you like. On the other hand, if you know of a different show that meets the strange criteria you suggest, tell us what it is.
But it seems to me that you're simply more interested in taunts than discussion. I mean, if you have questions, present them. It shouldn't be hard.
The "Demonstopper" name is cute. Do you have a cape?
So I guess I'll let you know if this goes anywhere. But It looks like it's shaping up to be one of those weekends. How's yours so far?


text:
Summon Perfect Warlord Spell
Proposed Canon
The Summon Perfect Warlord Spell summoned Parson Gotti to Erfworld. The original Spell package, including both spell and casting, cost 500,000 schmuckers. Stanley, finding that the spell alone cost 350,000 Schmuckers, decided to disregard the support plan consisting of a Findamancer casting worth 150,000 Schmuckers; he instead ordered Wanda Firebaugh to cast the spell.Erf-b1-p013 It was cast by Wanda Firebaugh with interference by Stanley the PlaidErf-b1-p017.
The majority of qualities that Stanley demanded for his Perfect Warlord may have been received:
- Big - Parson is large compared to ErfWorlders.
- Powerful - Due to his size, Parson is capable of carrying much larger and heavier things than native men. This might also have been added through the "Combat" in the sword, which has been destroyed.
- Dashing - Energetic/spirited; Parson gets like that when he's winning.
- Handsome - Wanda may have an odd sense of what is good-looking, or bypasses the "dashing" and "handsome" requirements when Stanley asks to "just make him big".
- Heroic - May have been added through the "Ruthlessness" quality of the sword. He is willing to risk his own presence on the battlefield at the most vital junctures at the end where he was needed. He stands up to Erfworld itself at the end of the Battle for Gobwin Knob, declaring his opposition to what just occurred.
- Inspiring - May have been added via the "Leadership" quality of his sword.
- Perfect military mind - Enhanced by the Mathamancy Bracer, if not already present.
- Strategic genius - Erfworlders are traditionalists. Parson creates strategy that they never will due to knowledge of less traditional warfare.
- Obsessed with war - Cannot stop considering the military uses of anything he sees.
- Eats marbits and gwiffons - Marbits are marshmallow bits in breakfast cereal. Gwiffons are shaped like peeps.
Looks like they got what they paid for.
The spell's results were more than unusual. After pulling Parson, the spell created a number of magical items on the following days to equip him and transform him into the true Perfect Warlord:
- A pair of [3D glasses] that gives him the Erfworlder's natural ability to see other units' stats;
- A strange bracer that attaches to his calculator watch, allowing computation of combat probabilities;
- And finally, a three-piece sword, with the enchantments of "Leadership", "Combat ability" and "Ruthlessness".


text:
Just good friends
Long before When Harry Met Sally hit cinemas, the question of whether or not men and women can be platonic friends has been argued back and forth.
Billy Crystal's character Harry was adamant: "Men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way."
Well maybe that's just the bloke's perspective.
Research has shown that women are perfectly capable of having a platonic relationship with a man. In fact a recent study by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in America, shows these cross-sex (that's the scientific term) relationships are more difficult for men, as they are the ones who tend to blur the line between attraction and friendship.
But it's never black and white. New York psychologist Linda Sapadin's research shows how much men value having women in their lives, beyond their wives or partners, to talk to about personal issues they would never share with other men. She believes this teaches men to be more in tune with how women tick, and can only be a positive influence on their external relationships.
Meanwhile one issue women some women face in platonic friendships is when a "new girlfriend" enters the scene and jealousy leads to a showdown to rival Alexis and Krystle in Dynasty.
When the "new girlfriend" comes on the scene, she fails to understand the concept that if the female friend wanted her man, she would have had him by now. These women seem to miss a very simple and obvious point, the female friend is just not that into him and isn't about to start now.
Acclaimed Australian relationship veteran and author of The Sex Diaries Bettina Arndt says both men and women need to accept that platonic friendships are valid and viable. "It's nonsense to suggest men and women can't be friends. It's really insulting to all of us who have good friends of the opposite sex and it simply creates trouble in our relationships!
Most of us spend our working days with the opposite sex, often establishing very close friendships with some of these workmates. Yes, sometimes there will be sexual attraction but most of us have the sense to realise it's not in our best interests to "get your honey where you make your money".
Arndt says, "Suggesting sex will always rear its ugly head, just creates trouble, by creating jealousy and disquiet in our own relationships."
Many women have never even had the slightest thought of sleeping with one of their male buddies (sorry boys) and have never found issue with keeping these friendships purely platonic.
Cross-sex, platonic relationships offer us a myriad of experiences, support and lessons that enrich our lives. Surely that can only make us better, stronger, wiser individuals for those we do choose to "be" with.
Get the Morning Edition
Sign up for our daily wrap of the news you need to start your day.


text:
A man accused of stabbing his younger brother 11 times on New Year's Day was released Thursday from a hospital and booked at the Marion County Jail.
A man accused of stabbing his younger brother 11 times on New Year's Day was released Thursday from a hospital and booked at the Marion County Jail on a charge of attempted murder.
The Ocala Police Department did not release the names of the victim or the defendant because the case is considered to be domestic violence.
Jail records, however, show that Kervens Dorsonne, 29, was booked on an attempted murder charge at 1:30 p.m. and is being held at the jail with no bond.
Dorsonne was reached at the jail, but declined an interview request from the Star-Banner.
In his report, OPD detective Lenny Uptagraft had noted that two brothers got into an argument and the younger man, age 26, was stabbed 11 times, with wounds to his head, arms, chest and back. He was taken to a hospital, where he later told the detective his brother was upset about money problems and blamed him.
He told the detective his brother went to a car, where he appeared to retrieve something, then took a swing at him. He said his brother continued to swing at him and he realized he had been stabbed. He said he ran to an antique shop across the road seeking help.
A dealer at the Ole Cracker House Antique Shop at 1734 N. Pine Ave. said Wednesday that the injured man ran inside and the store owner and another woman held the door closed, which prevented the other man from entering.
Officers apprehended the older brother and also took him to a hospital, where he was interviewed by Uptagraft. The older brother told the detective his brother had a knife during a confrontation and he grabbed the knife to protect himself. He said no one was there during the struggle and that his brother did not stab himself. He said he chased his brother because he had his car keys.
It was not known Thursday if the younger man was still in the hospital.
Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or email@example.com.


text:
Submit News
Nissan CEO Admits Company Won't Hit Leaf Sales Mark of 20,000 for 2012
Tiffany Kaiser
November 16, 2012 9:26 PM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
Nissan Leaf
So far, Nissan has only sold 6,791 Leafs for the year
Nissan has been shooting for 20,000 total sales of its all-electric Leaf in 2012, but the automaker has finally admitted that it just
won't be able to reach that number
Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn reported yesterday that the company will not reach its goal of 20,000 Leafs sold in all of 2012. Nissan was pretty confident throughout the year despite declining sales, and refused to give up the notion that it could double last year's sales until now.
"The forecast we have given ourselves for the year will not be reached," said Ghosn.
For all of 2011, Nissan sold 9,679 Leafs. After nearly achieving 10,000 sales, it declared a new sales goal of 20,000 in 2012 -- doubling the previous year's.
While Nissan had its best sales month in October 2012 with 1,579 sold, the overall year was pretty disappointing. So far, Nissan has only sold 6,791 for the year, making it impossible to even reach last year's 10,000 mark let alone doubling that.
Nissan has even tried to
lure customers in this year with price cuts
It took $3,250 off the price tag of each 2012 Leaf model starting in August. This is a considerable jump from the $850 discounts it was giving back in January. The 2012 Leaf starts at $36,050.
In addition, Nissan reduced lease costs of the 2012 Leaf from $249 per month to $219 per month with $2,999 down for 32 months.
Despite this failure to meet the mark, Nissan isn't giving up. In a video last month, Nissan said it now aims to sell 1.5 million EVs cumulatively by 2016.
While the Leaf seems to be withering in terms of sales, its competitor, the
Chevrolet Volt
, is doing quite well. In the first seven months of 2012 alone, the Volt was already at 10,666 sales. According to
Plugin Cars
, the 2012 year-to-date sales for the Volt is at 19,309 units -- nearly hitting Nissan's goal of 20,000 for the year.
General Motors (GM) recently said it plans to start
building 500,000 cars with electrification technologies annually by 2017
. It also developed a new way to use Volt batteries (which have been retired from the road) to power homes during blackouts.
GM partnered with automation and power technologies company ABB Group as well as Duke Energy to find useful applications for EV batteries after they've been exhausted in vehicles.
The end result was a unit that contains five
Volt lithium-ion battery packs
that can provide two hours of electricity to three to five U.S. homes during a blackout. According to GM, the unit can provide 25 kilowatt hours of power and 50 kilowatt hours of energy.
The Detroit News
"We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk." -- Apple CEO Steve Jobs
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Sales of Chevrolet Volt Surge as Nissan Leaf Sales Wither
August 2, 2012, 9:43 AM
General Motors Rings Up Better Sales for Volt in June 2012, Nissan Leaf Sales Plummet
July 5, 2012, 9:20 AM
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text:
*throws chocolate*
If you could be from any era in history, which would it be?
Hmm ... this is hard. I'd probably either want to be from the Civil War era or the World War II Era. I love learning about the Civil War (no idea why) and the generation from the World War II era was just ... wow. They were so selfless.
If you could be from any HP era, which would it be?
As much as I love Next Gen, I'd want to be in the Hogwarts Era. I want to know what I'd do in the war, and I want to be in the thick of the action.
If you were an actor, which role would you most want to play from any film or book you wanted?
Oh goodness. It would be really fun to play Annabeth in Percy Jackson, or one of the Potter women.


text:
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So go ahead KO members - post your comments for JC to readWhat's up Knicks fans? It's been a busy offseason with some positive steps taken by our team. I'm working out here in Seattle getting myself prepared for what I hope will be the start of something great for the Knicks. I can't wait for the first day....
But I know there is a lot of curiosity out there about our team and I know there are also a lot of skeptics...I feel the same way, too. I am feeling a lot of things this summer and I wanted to find a way to get these feelings off my chest. I hope you don't mind me jumping into the blog world. I admire how Gilbert Arenas has developed his blog into a place he can talk about things openly - and not just basketball. I think some people get the wrong idea about me because of the way I talk to the media....I don't say a lot of controversial things and I don't criticize people....but I have my thoughts on things that I usually keep to myself. Until now!
Ha..ha, just kidding. A little.
First off, let me start off by admitting that I do read the blogs every now and then. Maybe I shouldn't, but I like to know what our fans think and what people are saying...And not just always the positive stuff that they tell me when they see me in person (lol).....so let's address some topics head on that I've seen on Alan Hahn's Knicks Fix blog with fan comments and their complaints about me.....
THAT I'M NOT A WINNER: First off, you win as a team and you lose as a team...but I do understand that the better players and leaders on your team have to provide more then a younger player would. No, I've never played on a winning team since college. BUT this year I'll be playing for my ninth coach in nine seasons.
I've had a few disappointments along the way in Chicago and New York and also bad timing with injuries. I thought my best chance was two years ago, but then injuries to myself, David Lee and Q-Rich happened. What other team could lose basically three starters at one time and still have a chance to get to the playoffs? Then last year was a total mess. We never recovered from all that off the court stuff that happened! And that's not an excuse, that's just a fact. I still tried to come to play every single night. I didn't always play without making mistakes, but I was there every single night.
I know I have this label and I don't want it. I don't think I've ever been the kind of player who looked satisfied with losing.
DEFENSE: This is one of the biggest knocks on my game and this is an area that I want to and have to get better at. That's why when I play ball in the summer I always try to guard all the best offensive players that I can find because that, along with watching tape, is the only way I will get better at it.
It helps to have a scheme or set way that you play defense, as well. Bruce Bowen is such a good defender, not because he's the best one-on-one, but for the simple fact that he knows where to push you to on the court. He knows where his help is. That's what he's good at. No good defender can stop a good offensive player. They can try to make things tough, but let's be honest they can't stop them. But, again, this is something I WANT to be good at and, with the work I'm putting in, I WILL get better at!
SHOT SELECTION: This is the biggest area that I HAVE to improve on and where I'm criticized the most...and for good reason. I HONESTLY feel like I can make every shot that I take. You have to understand that's how I feel when I play. Some nights it happens but a lot of times it doesn't. And I believe this along with WINNING is the difference in me being a good player and a great player.
I'm going to continue to get better at it...I know you're probably thinking, 'he's in his ninth year, if it hasn't happened already, it won't.' There's some truth to that, but to me, I don't believe it. Like I said I'm going on my ninth coach in nine years and each had a different philosophy on how they wanted to use me. But through it all I've gotten better each year I've been in the league. And the best is still yet to come....
COACH D'ANTONI: I was really close with Isiah and didn't know who would be coming to coach us and was pretty nervous about that. When I found out it was Coach D'Antoni, I didn't know what to do. I was so excited because that's the style of ball I like to play. This is the best chance I may ever have at proving I belong as an elite player.
I went out and met with him in Vegas and we hit it off right away. Talked about our team, plans for the future and just talking to him you can tell that he really believes in his system and his coaching abilities. He's a straight shooter, I liked that.....
KNICKS FUTURE: I don't want to make any promises or guarantees because, personally, you guys have heard that every year and you have to be tired of it. I know I am.
Atleast he acknowledges the weaknesses in his game though! lol


text:
Photographer's Note
Where do I start with this story?
If you search on the internet you'll find many photos of 1 paticular old woman in Havana with a HUGE Cigar sticking out of her mouth. She has strange eye glasses, strange clothes, and pink/red lipstick that looks like it was put on while blind folded!
Needless to say, that woman is a Character!
She poses for people to have her photograph taken, and yes, you do have to pay her a tiny sum of money...but its all in good fun.
So we found out where she 'hangs' out in Havana and searched for her. We searched and searched...but couldn't locate her.
We talked to a few locals, asked some questions.
Turns out the Old lady died only a couple months ago, she was in her 90's.
Well, wouldn't you know it...by pure luck or genious
(i prefer to think it was genious haha)
as we were walking away in disappointment of the news, i walked right passed this local.
I turned to my girlfriend Tosca and said...should I go up to that man and just ask for a photo? He was proud to do so. I asked him to stand in front of the Cathedral in the bg, not only because its a great bg subject, but also to block out the bright sunlight.
Guess you never know how things will turn out!
Thanks for looking
snunney, siudzi, rigoletto, Gigidusud, Romano46, PaulVDV, No_One, ourania, cornejo, worldcitizen, adramad, jjcordier, trevormoffiet, ikeharel, jcpix, InasiaJones, delpeoples, Cricri, tyro, annjackman, COSTANTINO, Didi, tatadalou, fritzi007 has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
snunney (115513) 2014-01-26 1:59
Hi Craig,
I have never seen one that size before! Superb capture of this man with a very expressive face and an enormous cigar. The cathedral makes a great backdrop and nicely complements his attire. Perfectly exposed and with excellent colours and sharpness. Thanks for sharing. Have a great Sunday.
rigoletto (34279) 2014-01-26 2:25
hi craig. i opened up the TE gallery today and bang! even didn't know from whom it came from, just rushed in. this is sooo good, my favourite in your gallery so far. i know many pay photos which turn out to be full crap, but this, my friend, with its pose, its worshipping low POV, its well selected BG and beautiful light, and not the least, its charismatic character, is shining out of many many pay-photos. a timeless classico. congratulations for this achievement.
siudzi (34141) 2014-01-26 2:27
Hi Craig,
An impressive portrait pic this! Absolutely unique and original shot taken so perfectly at the right place and in the right moment. Bravo! Like it a lot!
Have a nice Sunday!
Gigidusud (21669) 2014-01-26 2:30
Hi Craig,
It's a typical Cuban shot! Impressive cigar and excellent portrait, very nice shades of brown also. Well done!
Have a nice Sunday my friend!
krzychu30 (15512) 2014-01-26 2:52
Hi Craig,
so,I think size does matter in this case:)right?:)
Great portrait!I like the way you composed the scene.A little bit lower perspective looking up works here really excellently.
Have a nice sunday
nagual2 (1173) 2014-01-26 2:56
Great picture.,thanks for sharing.
emka (117249) 2014-01-26 3:45
Are you sure you are Craig avoiding people in shots?? haha. Isn't it fun to do something unusual? At once I googled Havana woman with cigar and I found a lot of photos of her. And even if you found her, would you post such a standard photo? This is much better, original, so you were very lucky. The cigar is huge and he is posing with nice background. There are sometimes such persons, in Istanbul walks Hodja Nasreddin, somewhere in Vietnam is an old man without teeth but with big cigarette. I do not like paying photos so I avoid them.
i also think it was genius :).
have a great Sunday
Romano46 (18472) 2014-01-26 3:52
Ciao Craig
una cattura straordinaria alla quale si addice anche la particolarità del colore tutto basato sui toni bruni: una cosa casuale ma che ha inserito perfettamente il bizzarro soggetto nello sfondo di una Cuba dal ricco passato coloniale.
Ciao e buona domenica
pajaran (73453) 2014-01-26 3:53
Dobar dan.
Interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Lep pogled na gospodina sa velikom cigarom ...
Dobar snimak i kontrast, lepo pokazano mesto i trenutak, lepe boje.
Imajte lep dan za odmor, sve nabolje.
Good afternoon.
An interesting and good text ...
Nice view of the gentleman with the big cigar ...
Good footage and contrast nicely shown the place and moment, beautiful colors.
Have a nice day to relax, all the better.
PaulVDV (37986) 2014-01-26 3:58
Hello Craig,
Wow, what a cigar! This one is surely for a whole week.
Very well taken with the cathedral on the background.
Maybe this guy will become the new star on internet ...
Best regards, Paul
Fis2 (117429) 2014-01-26 4:20
Witaj Craig!
Wow, super!!!
Good frame and colors.
Excellent portrait.
Very impressive cigaro!
Nice sunday
Sergiom (98948) 2014-01-26 5:17
Bonjour Craig,
J'ai eu le plaisir de photographier la vieille dame à quelques occasions.Ses affaires étaient florissantes et elle avait plusieurs jeunes gens autour pour faire sur qu'elle reçoive son du.Cet homme pourrait surement la remplacer. Je crois que son cigare est encore plus long et cette barbe blanche est très avantageuse.La cathédrale est un superbe arrière plan.
Bon dimanche
No_One (4) 2014-01-26 7:08
hi Craig,
Whoa, now that's a cigar! I don't think I have ever seen one like this before, its ginormous! Its sad to hear the famous old woman died, but I think you may have given rebirth to the idea, and I can imagine plenty of people may seek out this man now instead. He creates a fascinating image, and I love that he was so happy to pose in front of the cathedral, as it makes such a beautiful image.
All the brown tones look beautiful together and the cathedral itself looks wonderful too. Brilliant post, and congrats on approaching the man, something I am not very good at.
All the best
ourania (51103) 2014-01-26 7:38
Hello Craig,
wonderful arrangement of perspectives in this portrait, there's great depth and interaction among all the elements and details included in this composition. I love all the details and textures, the chromatic harmony, the integration of the gentleman in the environment you chose to place him in. I also enjoy his smiling eye and intense gaze. Very fine and effective work, congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a lovely day,
cornejo (52260) 2014-01-26 11:32
Hi Craig, excellent portrait of the great cigar sir, very well composed and captured in this interesting image with good sharpness, light and color. Excellent and interesting job well done, congratulations my friend. Thanks for sharing this beautiful work.
Good evening and happy start to the week.
Best wishes from southern Spain.
worldcitizen (10318) 2014-01-26 12:10
Hello Craig,
Cool photo! This man looks happy to pose, and you managed to create a great scene, with all of the brown colors on both him and the cathedral. That really is some cigar!! I like the chosen angle and POV, too. It's too bad about the old lady - I certainly have seen lots of photos of her - but she lived a long and colorful life.
npecanhuk (79319) 2014-01-26 13:05
Hello Craig!
What a story!
What a portrait!
Wow! A giant cigar I had never seen before!
Your talent for portraits is getting giant too!
I really enjoyed it without any exception!
I have never been to Cuba! Could you answer me a question? Brazil is happily traveling towards its destiny similar to Cuba! I always wanted it to travel towards Norway, Switzerland or Canada! Do you think we're in a good way?
Enjoy your week,
boa (7721) 2014-01-26 13:18
Hi Craig,
it is sad news to hear about the lovely world famous lady. Maybe this cool gentleman will be famous also:) Neat composition with pleasant brown color tones. But his enormous cigarr and impressive beard steals the show, tfs!
Have a nice evening/
carlo62 (63229) 2014-01-26 14:40
Ciao Craig
mi dispiace per l'anziana signora, ma l'hai sostituita con un soggetto altrettanto interessante, ripreso da un pov originale e con uno sfondo molto bello.
Diciamo che la fortuna ha accompagnato il tuo genio.
Complimenti per il nome della tua ragazza :)
Saluti dalla Tosca..na
adramad (53568) 2014-01-26 14:47
Hi Craig.
Wow ... yes sir, that if it is a pure Havano, enough to last an entire evening, and the character is quite an attraction with that huge white beard, as background the facade of the cathedral, complete a masterful portrait of great originality.
Very good management of both the brightness and the sharpness.
The color is great, very well balanced.
Very well done. I love
I wish you a happy start to the week.
Best wishes.
Corry (4508) 2014-01-26 20:36
Bonsoir Craig
Excellent portrait de ce vieil homme et de son énorme cigare. L'angle de vue a été bien pensé. Bien fait. Salutations.
jjcordier (79297) 2014-01-26 21:49
Le fumeur de havane que tu as trouvé vaut bien la célèbre vieille femme. Cadrage original en contre-plongée pour ce bon portrait dans les tons....tabac!
mesutilgim (99532) 2014-01-27 0:44
Hello dear Craig,
I wonder how does his lungs look like !!
It's a nice capture with many interesting notes. For me a good start into the new week.
TFS and best regards
adidas5nb (5743) 2014-01-27 5:13
now thats some smoke.great pov and angle.really like the architecture in the bg.great flavors of cuba in the frame.
trevormoffiet (3112) 2014-01-28 1:02
Hello Craig,
Good story and great result. Love the colours. The man is positioned perfectly. Great angle to lift the cigar above the railing and contrast the beard against the door.
ikeharel (86614) 2014-01-28 8:35
First noticed how many tones of brown can be in one shot, Craig.
Wonderful moment taken, the bearded guy with his big cigar, Common-Cuban scene on the streets of Havana, I suppose.
The background with the church's facade is a great complamentary to the main subject.
Nice small advanture with the man told on your note, made me smile now.
My best regards,
InasiaJones (31566) 2014-01-28 18:02
Hi Craig,
I guess he became the new official figure of Havana, after the old lady died. His name is Ermenejildo Arencibia Griñan and I have him in my gallery as well. Lonely Planet have bought this photo when I came back from Cuba, so he might have appeared in one of their guides since then.
I like your version, which I found original, but was he posing for someone else? If you took him from this angle, it must have been to put emphasis on the big cigar. I also like the church in the background, creating a monochromatic image.
Well done!
jcpix (14024) 2014-01-28 18:04
Hi Craig,
First off, awesome title! :)
Secondly, my word...is that a cigar or a tree branch? Holy crap, that's a monster stogie! So, did you follow the old adage...you know, "When in Cuba, do as the Cubans?" :)
Great story too...had you not mentioned it, I would only assume this was a completely candid shot, doesn't appear staged at all. I love that you not only had the courage to ask him for a photo, but that you were keen enough to understand the best option for lighting. I bet most people would have snapped a quickie and been on their way, but this has so much more appeal by carefully choosing the right circumstances and composition.
Like with most things in life, sometimes you just need some luck on your side to get these beauties. This oozes character and the local scene, sweet shot!
Enjoy the rest of the evening. Take care.
Cheers from Az.,
abmdsudi (65585) 2014-01-29 5:53
Hi Craig
A superb, very well exposed with all the detail. I love the way you composed this shot, what an obliging model! I think it would have been great if he had lit the cigar. But it's a super portrait as it is. Fantastic advert for Cuban Cigars, Congrats
Best regards
delpeoples (60240) 2014-01-30 3:15
As Crocodile Dundee would say: "Now THAT'S a cigar!" I can't stop laughing at this beautiful photo, because the guy seems so regal whilst he's smoking the hugest bunger I've ever seen. I love that look on his face, he's absolutely loving himself sick and enjoying that cigar like it's his last. The definition, skintones and depth of field are stunning. I love the characteristic old architecture in the BG, which I have now read is the cathedral in your next photo. Fantastic shot, one of your best.
Thanks for sharing this one
Cricri (135658) 2014-01-30 9:50
Hi Craig
Ah punaise quel cigare :-)) c'est super en plus il est assorti a sa tenue, sa peau brune, en somme beaucoup de variétés de brun dans cette image , seul le blanc de sa barbe contraste, j'aime le cadrage, un excellent portrait, compliment
Belle soirée
tyro (26496) 2014-01-30 13:11
Hi Craig,
Geez, that's what I call a cee-gar! I think I'd need two hands and all my strength to hold that thing in my mouth and I'm sure it could last this guy a week even if he puffed away on it constantly!
Funny, though you've "shied away" from photographing people in the past, I think your trip to Cuba has really given you both the incentive and the confidence to approach people and take their pictures. And I think a lot of that was also because you probably found the Cuban people so friendly and approachable.
This really is a stunning picture and you have captured this man close up with some beautiful (and well preservrd) archiecture in the background. Gee, you must have been up real close too looking at your exif data and seeing that you took this at a focal length of 14mm!
Kind Regards,
wolf38 (30) 2014-01-31 6:18
Hi Craig, Yes, that is the typical Cuba as we know it. Especially the huge cigar should not be missed at such a photo. But now, in Cuba everything changes. Let us hope that the people feel better soon.
Rgds, Wolfgang.
annjackman (21903) 2014-01-31 9:02
Hello Craig,
I know the character that you refer to through the many pictures of her. However, I prefer the one that you found here. Excellent low view point makes a lovely 'environmental' portrait. I love the warm brown colour of the shiny cathedral door. Brown tones through out make this a charming shot of a real character.
Superb work - TFS.
Kind Regards, Ann
interesting portrait of this old man
I liked your story really but I
liked this shot too
no more comments
one shot is one thousand words
have a nice new week
Didi (61221) 2014-02-02 9:58
Hi Craig
Very nice scene, impossible for me to smoke such a big cigar :)
I think it was possible to use a wider apperture to isolate the subject from the background
Kind regards
tatadalou (7459) 2014-02-03 18:54
Hi Craig,
This man is proud to be the subject of your picture and we can see it in a little rictus he has on his face. The size of the cigar is really amazing ! I particularly like the low POV and the few number of colours in the picture, just grey and maroon. Excellent sharpness on th man. Good job !
icesurfer (574) 2014-02-06 14:52
Hello Craig,
What an amazing and unusual portrait you did create here! The guy really seems so proud, looking sidewise while enjoying the massive cigar. The POV stresses his pose and look, and the white beard is simply striking between the brown tones of the cathedral, the cigar, the vests and his skin.
Good choice of DOF, with the cathedral in the BG sharp enough to add lots of details but without stealing the scene to our hero.
fritzi007 (13720) 2015-02-02 9:26
Hallo Craig,
little man and an incredibly big cigar, very good photo quality and sharpness!
kind regards
Photo Information
- Copyright: craig macintosh (macjake) (78915)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2013-12-08
- Categories: Humorous, Decisive Moment
- Camera: Pentax K7, SIGMA 8-16mm
- Exposure: f/6.3, 1/320 seconds
- More Photo Info: view
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2014-01-26 1:44
- To InasiaJones: the man (2)
by macjake, last updated 2014-01-28 08:08


text:
August 25, 2009
Alex Meraz Ripping His Shirt Off During Tyler Shields Photoshoot
W-o-w. Nice. :-)
See more pics from Tyler Shields' Alex Meraz photoshoot via Just Jared.
Thanks, Renesmee!
12 comments:
The video is so hawt!TCA-How do you upload the video?ReplyDelete
- CharismaAugust 25, 2009 at 8:47 PM
That still makes his face look so old. Gross.ReplyDelete
hi renesmee...you mean put it on a blog? email moi and we can chat. :-) email@example.com
if he was green............ think comic..... :)ReplyDelete
I'm honestly floored that TCA was physically ABLE to post that!!ReplyDelete
I was prepared to offer the virtual smelling-salts I typically reserve for Juju and Jacob to you, TCA! :)
Haha! IDK why but this is really funny! LOL! Probably because he's in hulk mode.ReplyDelete
good choice for him to play paul since he can do that kind of like.. anger i suppose? LIKE WOAH!ReplyDelete
- Lorabell
LOL- this was funny to me, but awesome bod:))!!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 26, 2009 at 3:57 AM
it has become so boring watching this man do the same thing over and over again...so much for trying to grab attention..geezReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 26, 2009 at 4:08 AM
okay you are going to have to help me out. is he from one of the newer movies? who is he?ReplyDelete
That's Alex Meraz!! He is going to play paul!! Wow, i can see why they chose him for Paul, he looks like he wants to murder someone!! i was honestly scared, a lill. heheReplyDelete