Sorry – I was having major problems with getting posts up last week.  After a WordPress upgrade and a reboot of my router, hopefully things will be back to normal soon.  That means I’ll resume my regular posting schedule shortly.

Thanks.

No, that’s not a typo.  That’s an example of the high-quality writing you get for free here at the “MAG.”  This post is regarding the Wii version of the game Wipeout, so I just juxtaposed the two words to come up with the title.  Get it?  Clever, eh?!

If there ever was a television show taylor-made for a video game, it’s ABC’s Wipeout.  There are a plethora of zany obstacles, even zanier contestants, ridiculously sick (in a good way) falls and collisions, and timed platform-style events.  The hosts keep it fresh with humorous commentary and animations, which will keep you laughing in between the horrific wipeouts of the not-ready-for-primetime contestants!  Unfortunately, though, like most television/movie conversions, Wipeout for the Wii falls well short of capturing the entertainment magic of its small screen cousin.

It’s apparent that the developers rushed the delivery of this game to cash in on the summertime popularity of the TV show.  Although the game resembles the show, it falls well short of mimicking it.  First, there are only 4 contestants that compete throughout all of the events – no one is ever eliminated.  Secondly, the various obstacle courses in the show are broken down into segments, so instead of completing the whole course against the clock, each player completes a portion until all 4 are done, and then the game moves to the next segment of the course, while the time is accumulated.  That isn’t such a big deal, and it keeps the action moving for all players, except for the fact that when a player wipes out, there is no “swimming” to the next part of the course; instead the player gets 3 tries, and if or she doesn’t successfully navigate the obstacle, 45 seconds is added to their overall time.  With the Wiimotion controls, it would make sense to have the characters swim, like they do in the show.  The better you mimick a stroke (heck, even just waggle the Wiimote!), the quicker you swim to the next obstacle.  Without this, the result is that a player who misses a couple of obstacles during any of the courses is basically out of the running for first (or even second or third) place due to the accumulated time.  It limits the ability for someone to “come back” after a few mistakes on the course, which consequently limits the fun for everyone.

You can pick from 18 total small, medium, or large characters to compete, plus 5 additional unlockable characters (including the hosts).  There are different outfits available for each.  The characters are zany enough, but it would be nice to have at least twice that number to choose from, and it would be nice if there was a little more variety between their abilities on the course.  Every character is rated only in two areas: strength and speed.  I think balance and jumping should be added to give the gameplay more variety, and allow for a little more strategy regarding each character’s approach to the obstacles.  And, at the very least, let us use our Mii’s!

The controls take minimal advantage of the Wii’s motion sensors.  Basically, you use the nunchuk to move, and the Wiimote to jump and duck.  You shake the Wiimote to get up if you fall down (but not off the obstacle), or to climb up if you’re just hanging on.  Finally, when you are not participating in the event, you get to “throw” (it’s more like “shoot”) objects at the competitors by aiming and pressing the “B” button.  That’s it.  The controls are skittish, inconsistent, and pretty limited.  You won’t need to stand up to play – it feels like playing a game on any other system.

Be aware that there are some programming bugs in the game.  On a few occasions, the game “hung up” because it couldn’t discern the winner of an event (usually a computer-controlled character gets “stuck” in a weird spot, and subsequently can win or be eliminated in a multiplayer competition, so the event never ends – until you restart your Wii, that is!).  Others have reported some freezing / lock-up  issues as well.  Also, the synchronization of the audio to the characters when they’re talking is way off.  It looks like a Godzilla movie most times when the hosts and Jill are offering their thoughts on the competition.  And, the commentary is repetitive and occasionally ill-timed.  The limited number of characters, the way the courses are broken up, the wonky controls, the bugs, and some obvious morphing / collision detection problems when characters make contact with the obstacles are clear evidence of a rush-job by the developer.

The game isn’t all bad, though.  Traversing the obstacles is fun and occasionally challenging.  The “dizzy” effect on your player after going round-and-round in one of the spinning obstacles is humorous and well done.  And, the game uses a ragdoll physics engine, so the characters on the screen certainly collide and tumble with a lot of variety.  The morphing and collision detection problems mitigate that effect, though.

The bottom line is that I was very excited to get this game and virtually wipe out dozens of times myself.  However, the implementation is poor, and the excitement went away very quickly when I realized how different the game is from the show, and how limited the controls are.  I would say it’s worth a rental if you’re a hardcore fan of the show, or maybe for kids 8 and under, but don’t expect it to entertain you or your older kids for very long.  The novelty wears off in just a couple of hours, and if you’re like me, you’ll be wondering how on earth this promising game came out so wrong.

Welcome to the first post of my new Monday / Friday posting format!  So far, so good, except for the fact that I tried to post this last night for two hours, but the darn WordPress kept timing out, LOL!  Regardless, I wrote it on Monday, but couldn’t post it until now.  Hopefully, Friday will go better…

Being an ardent Cleveland fan, you might think that I’d post a scathing commentary about what LeBron James did to fans of the Cavaliers.  You might think I’d resort to calling him “LeFraud James” or “King Lame.”  Well, that’s not the case.  Although I wasn’t happy with LeBron’s decision, and I was astounded at the way he went about announcing it, credit must be given for what he accomplished in his 7 years in Cleveland.

First, the good…  James took the Cavaliers to unprecedented heights, including its first ever finals appearance in 2007, and the best record in the league for the last two regular seasons.  He gave us many memorable performances, and was worth the price of admission on most game nights.  LeBron has a pretty positive public persona, is seemingly pretty honest, and hasn’t run afoul of the law.  Granted, no one outside his “circle” knows what he’s really like, but he seems to have fun and do a lot of the right things.  He was honest about what he was looking for in free agency, and I do believe he gave at least some consideration to Cleveland.  For the most part, I think he gave his best in his seven years in Cleveland, save that dreadful game 5 performance in the playoffs against Boston this year.  He’s stayed with his girlfriend and mother of his children, and seems like a decent human being.

Now, the bad…  He is an absolutely self-absorbed diva.  Over the last few years, it’s become apparent.  He went from playing on a “team” to playing with “his supporting cast,” despite the fact that he never achieved the greatness he claimed for himself (“King” James,” “The Chosen One,” etc.).  It culminated with his “look at me” free agency saga topped off with a ridiculous hour-long ESPN-driven special where he basically stabbed the Cavaliers and all of their fans in the heart and back simultaneously.  LeBron had the right to make the decision he made, and I don’t fault him for that.  However, he could’ve done the decent thing and least commented to the Cavs and fans regarding his intentions, instead of dragging all of us along for the last 8 weeks just to cut our legs off.  Although I’m not thrilled with the scathing email sent by owner Dan Gilbert after LeBron’s departure, I think there was a lot of truth in it.  Rumor has it that James and his “posse” had the run of the Cavs organization.  Granted, Gilbert must’ve enabled him.  Lastly, and I’m not sure if I can totally blame this on James, the Cavs offense stunk during his entire tenure.  Either Mike Brown can’t coach offense (not likely; I could draw up a pro set, or find one in any NBA video game or on the ‘net), or LeBron had the team run the offense according to his desires, which often times led to him holding the ball for 20 seconds and then putting up an ill-advised shot – at least against playoff teams.

So, in short, even though I may not like it, LeBron certainly had the right to make the decision he made, although the way he did it sucked.  One thing I don’t understand is his logic.  For a guy so concerned about his “legacy,” he must understand that since he switched teams, he’ll never be considered at the same level of “greatness” as Jordan, Bird, or Magic, because they all did it on their team.  He talks about wanting a new challenge, but certainly it was a greater challenge to win in Cleveland.  He promsied to bring a championship to Cleveland, yet failed to deliver.  Instead of staying around to finish what he started, he took the easy way out and put himself on a team with two of the NBA’s top ten players.  Ironically, by all appearances, he will be a member of Dwayne Wade’s supporting cast if he wins a title!  Frankly, I don’t think he has the heart to win a championship.  He carried the Cavs in 2007; he quit in 2010.  I think he got caught up in his mission to become a “global icon” and forgot what it takes to become a champion.  So, he can ride Wade’s coattails to the title, but I think he’ll look back to regret it.  Given his ego, I’ll be surprised if the three of them can work together well enough to win a title, anyway.

I’m thrilled that the Cavs now have a proven winner as a coach in Byron Scott (3 titles as a player, 2 finals series as a coach).  I believe that they will eventually rebuild the franchise to be more competitive than it has been in the LeBron era.  Scott knows what it takes to win, and he’ll build it in Cleveland with a passionate, supportive owner like Gilbert.  There is still some talent here, and with “the King” gone, they’ll be a better team for it.  I don’t know if Gilbert’s prediction will come true, but I think I’ll enjoy watching the Cavs more over the next few years, because I think they’ll look more like the Cavs of the Mark Price/Larry Nance/Brad Daugherty era.  Now that was a team worth watching…

After a very busy and trying 6+ months between work and the usual family stuff, the blog has suffered.  First of all, I don’t game much anymore, so I talk a lot less about gaming.  Secondly, I haven’t had a lot of time to dedicate to the blog, and more significantly, I haven’t made time for it.  I considered finally closing it down, but after thinking about it, I still think it’s something I want to do.  Now that my life has settled down a bit, I’m going to focus a little bit more on writing.

I work much better on a schedule and deadlines.  Instead of writing on the whim or when I have time, starting July 12th, I’m going to start posting every Monday and Friday, except on rare occasions that I might be out of town, or something similar.  Since I don’t game as much, the blog is a bit of a misnomer, but I’m still going to cover hobby and “play time” type of topics, for the most part.  In no particular order, I’m still going to cover:

• Video games
• Tabletop games (board games and RPG’s)
• Programming
• Writing
• Music
• Sports
• Scale modeling
• Family stuff
• Anything else that strikes my fancy

So, based upon whatever I’m involved in with my free time in any given week, there will most likely be a corresponding post or two about it on the blog on Monday or Friday.  I’m going to try this for a while to see how I do, and go from there.

Since it’s been a while, here are a few blurbs regarding what I’ve been up to and what I’m thinking…

• Now that I’m back to work, I’m starting to settle in to my new role.  After some work and some meetings this week, I am beginning to feel like a real programmer
• My wife and I are off to Disney next week for some “alone time” for the first time in 6 and a half years!  I’m so excited to get some significant “quality time” with my wife, and to see the parks from an adult perspective for a change (although I truly love being there with my kids, too)
• I’m happy with the USA’s performance in the World Cup, although I’m disappointed with the Ghana result.  That aside, the USA played some of the best attacking football I’ve ever seen them play.  I really feel like this team is up and coming, especially if they shore up the back line and develop a legitmate striker.  I wasn’t happy with all of Bradley’s selections for the roster (Chad Marshall should’ve been there!) and all of his first eleven’s (why not try Buddle?), but I think he deserves one more go due to the improved performance over 2006
• I’m not real concerned if LeBron stays or go.  He really disappointed me with his game 5 effort.  I’m not sure he cares as much about winning as he does his image.  Sure, I’d love for him to stay, and he seems like a decent guy, but life will go on in Cleveland if he leaves.  (My prediction – he goes to Chicago.  He’s known for a while, which is why he announced he was changing his number to 6 a few months ago)
• The Crew are back on track.  Here’s to another deep run in the MLS playoffs
• My son is almost 300 points ahead of me now in gamer points.  I got him Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for a reward for his grade card, and he completed the game in two days!  I don’t think I can keep up anymore, LOL

Finally, Happy Birthday (tomorrow) to my sister!  Best wishes for a happy day and prosperous year!

Left Hilton Head on Saturday…  Had a great time!  It was different than the Outer Banks, but just as fun, if not moreso.  Plus, it’s new, which makes a difference.  We liked it so much we’ve reserved two weeks for next June!

We’re in Washington DC now.  We went to the Washington Monument, Lincoln Monument, and the World War II, Korea, and Vietnam War memorials.  There were some moving moments, indeed, especially since it was father’s day.  One thing I have to say about my visit today is how clear it was that Lincoln truly served the union.  Today, it seems that 99% of our representatives serve themselves.  I hate to be cynical, but where have the great men like Lincoln gone?

Afterwards, we visited the Smithsonian museums of American and Natural history.  The Natural History museum was clearly trying to push evolution at every turn.  I don’t want to get into that debate, because I think it’s fruitless.  As a Christian, I believe that God created the heavens and the earth, and man in His image.  The Bible doesn’t say how, and frankly, I don’t really feel the need to speculate.  What frustrates me is that I don’t think the science surrounding evolution is objective.  It’s science with an agenda, which is oxymoronic.  There are many holes and unanswered questions that have been morphed into assumptions in Darwin’s theories for the specific point of trying to disprove God.  The science – and it in this case, the THEORY – should have to stand up on its own merits.  I’m not really suprised, though, because that book that everyone doesn’t want to believe accurately describes how people would feel about God in these days.

Enough preaching – that’s not the point, here!  Forgive my indulgence.  That said, we have a few more cool places to visit tomorrow.

Happy Father’s Day to all of you fathers out there!  I’ll be back next week…

I haven’t been posting much this year, and that trend will worsen here in the next month.  We’re off for two weeks, then come back for a week, and then we’re gone again for a week after the 4th of July.  It’s a much needed break.

For now, I leave you with this parting thought…  “Bleep” you, Kerry Wood.  If you ever wondered what an $11 million dollar piece of crap looked like, just watch this loser blow game after game for the Tribe.  They’re a young team that fights hard, and this veteran closer who’s supposed to finish out the game comes in and loses one out of every two.  I can’t stand him!  He sucks so bad there’s no way we’ll be able to trade him with his astronomical salary.  I’d just eat his salary and cut him if I owned the team.  He’s killing the confidence of the young pitchers and hitters.  I fear they won’t be able to shake a losing mentality because of this clown. 

Hopefully, I’ll feel a little better after my vacation.  I know I will if the U.S. performs well (or at least plays hard – are you listening, Landycakes?) in the World Cup.

Next week is it.  I go to Corporate for my big presentation in front of the executives.  It’s mostly a developmental thing, but still, there’s pressure and stress.  That’s what they want, actually.  We’ve been working on this project for 5 weeks.  We lost one member half-way through (no, the stress didn’t kill him, he just bailed out on the project).  Our topic is healthcare reform.  Nothing too big to worry about there, right?!

Regardless, we’re going to push through, shake the right hands and smile, and then go home.  And when I get home, I have one day to tie up some loose ends, and then I’m off on vacation for two weeks!  Woo-hoo!  I return for a week, and then the wife and I have our first getaway alone in over 6 and a half years.  Yep, we’re going to Disney!  For once, we’re not going to be chasing the kids all over the parks; we’re going to enjoy the resort and other amenities while spending a leisurely two days in the parks, doing what we want to do.  We haven’t done this in Disney since before we were married, way back in 1992 or so.  We’ll be staying at the Polynesian resort, and for once, I’m really looking forward to enjoying my surroundings, instead of spending 18 hours of the day at a park, LOL.

I have been busier since August than any other time in my career.  I’m more ready for time off than I’ve ever been.  It’s going to be wonderful…

Played some more FIFA 09, and some Galaga, over the holiday weekend.  I now have resumed my perch at the top in terms of gamer points in the household, LOL.  Oddly, I don’t think my son noticed that, either!

Previously with FIFA 09, I had only played in “Be a Pro” mode.  I started a “Manager Mode” season on the Pro level, and man is it different!  I lost my first three games, but I’m showing signs of improvement, so I’m resisting the temptation to drop the difficulty level.  I like a challenge, and it’s no fun winning without being challenged.

In my first match, I gave up two goals while trying to figure out which camera angle to use in the first half, and was horribly out of position as a result.  I settled in to a camera view in the second half and gave up a lot fewer shots, and actually got one myself, but I was dominated 3-0.  I have no camera excuses for my second loss, 1-0, but I had better position, more tackles, and a few more shots, but I was still beat pretty good up and down the pitch.  It’s starting to come together, though, because in match 3, which I lost 2-1 (I scored!  Yeah!), the tackles and possession were about even, although I was still out shot significantly.  I’m making too many stupid controller mistakes, like having the keeper throw it out of bounds, and kicking it into the stands instead of crossing it.  However, as I develop the necessary muscle memory, I think this level will suit me, unless I get fired first!

One thing I’m not liking is how fatigue is modeled.  It seems like guys tire too easily.  Guys like Frankie Hejduk rarely if ever take a game off due to their outstanding fitness, yet two games in I really needed to give him a rest.  Otherwise, I’m really enjoying the game a soccer that FIFA 09 plays.

Well, it finally happened…  My son passed me in Xbox gamer points.  I know he’s been dreaming of this day for a couple of years.  Surprisingly, it occured with very little fanfare.  As a matter of fact, I’m not even sure if he’s aware of it yet, but he’s 5 points ahead of me!

Honestly, the only surprise is that it’s taken this long.  First of all, I have never played games to chase gamer points.  I play for fun, and if the points happen, they happen.  I rarely even look to see how you earn the achievements on most games that I play.  Secondly, my son plays the 360 literally ten times as often as I do.  He ought to be ahead of me!  I will say that I actually played for an hour tonight.  I was watching him play FIFA 09 “Be a Pro”, and it looked fun.  So later on, I loaded up my Be a Pro.  It had been over a year since I had played.  And, you know what, I had fun!  I still enjoy gaming, it’s just time and priorities in my life limit my 360 time significantly.  Plus, the only real time I get to play is late at night, and I don’t like gaming before bed, because then I get too wound up to go to sleep!  Getting old sucks, LOL.

Playing again was a reminder of how much fun video games can be.  I need to set aside a little time more often.  Of course, between work and vacations, I’m hardly around for the next two months, but maybe I can still squeeze in a game or two.  It’s good for the pocketbook, though, because I rarely buy new games anymore!  Part of me really wanted to get Red Dead Redemption, but I knew I wouldn’t get my money’s worth right now.  Oh well, we’ll see how I feel around my birthday in July.  NCAA Football 2011 will probably get me in the mood to game again, like it does every year.

I’ve mostly been into the manage-only type of games lately, anyway.  I seem to waver between all-out control and no control at all in my sports games.  If I do pick up the sticks, I prefer the “be a pro” style of play, where I control one guy and the computer controls the rest.   That’s my favorite kind of simulation, and the one I feel most “realistically” simulates being a pro athlete (on the field at least!).

On a side-note, I start my one-year “trial” as a web programmer on Monday!  I still have a lot of loose ends to tie up before getting into it, but I’ve been doing a little programming for almost the last year, anyway, so it won’t be “all new.”  It certainly feels like a new position to me, though, and I’m excited about it!  We’ll see where the next year takes me…