Connections (wez no haz them)

Wassup World? I've been busy busy busy on every social service I have with the exception of this one. I'm likely gonna move my dev blog from my tumblr( http://thegreatdame.tumblr.com/) to here as I can write sitting down at a computer, I mainly use tumblr at work.

S0 yeah connections... I no haz them, gonna be doing this on my own like a boss. Gonna take forever too, hopefully it's all worth it in the end.

DCUO Hero of the Day: Lighter

So I was supposed to keep this thing kinda daily with my exploits in the world of DC Universe Online... the problem is that of course I became addicted and couldn't stop playing. BUT, that doesn't mean I can't come back here and show off what I've done in those 30 days.

As for reviewing the game... I'll leave that for a little while later as I wanted to do spotlights on the characters I've created. Up first is the first character I created to experiment with this grandiose game; allow me to introduce Lighter.

Name: Lighter

Age: Uh... ?

Height: Not too tall?

Weight: Not fat

Mentor: Superman

Abilities: Wields the sheer force of fire.

Weapon: Channels energy through his hands.

Bitten by Exobytes, Cal Martin burst into flames. Realizing he had the potential to do something, he was stopped abruptly by the legion of Braniac and soon found himself in stasis on a Braniac transport ship. Breaking free he ravaged the ship with the help of Oracle and Superman and knew he would fight for the power of good. After helping the Titans, Supergirl, Wondergirl, and others, Cal(now Lighter) helped the man that had helped him out, Superman, in stopping Lex from killing the Man of Steel. Now a full fledged member of the Justice League, Lighter helps those in peril, and stops those who wish to prey upon the weak.

I wasn't really thinking character creation when I bought the game, atleast not in the DC Universe. I have ideas for Marvel characters, but until Gazillion puts that MMO out, I'm creating chracters out the whazoo for this game. I knew fire was going to be the first powerset that I used as I wanted to not have to think about what I was doing for my first MMO in ages. Though described as a Tank ability, Fire is much better suited for Damage as there aren't too many abilities in it's power trees that support defense. So as you see him above is pretty much how he started out, the color scheme being very different from the yellow/green I gave him to begin with. The name... well I realized that at the create-a-name screen, all fire related names I could think of were all ready taken by actual comic book characters. I mulled it over for a while and though of FireStarter and realized that a lighter is a fire starting device and thus he came to be known as Lighter.

The Burrito Returns!

Yeah no one reads this and you know what I'm fine with that. Incognito Burrito has become for me a digital backlog of ramblings that when I forget how to use my newfangled thought controlled space computer I can get on an old computer and see that I too had things to say about topics that intrigued me. Then I'll look back on them and say you know what, I see why no one ever read this blog.

But all that aside, I thought to come back here for a reason. I'm predominantly... nay PREDOMINANTLY a console gamer. Been that way since I was a tot playing the 7800. I love computers, but using them to play anything more than solitaire has never really... you know that's a lie. I recall hours at a time I would spend playing Wolfenstein and Doom. I played flight simulators and Oregon Trail. However games got beyond the limitations of my computers and being young, I never had the money to upgrade. But now that I'm a big boy with my own money I'e created a rig capable of playing big time games. Will it play Crysis? Eh doubt it. Hell it'd probably explode trying to play Duke Nukem Forever, but I don't know if that's the limitations of my rig or the once anwesomosity of Duke Nukem.

As a result of being a console gamer, I never got into MMO's. I used to thank my lucky stars that was the case but as I've grown older I see that people can play them responsibly and not leave their children and dogs to starve just to get that one item. So I've decided that for my first PC Game since Counter-Strike would be an MMO. No it's not WoW, I thought it would be, I've got a workmates that play. Me? Well I've chosen DC Universe Online. Grinding has never and I mean never been big on my list of gaming ideas. After the main story of an RPG, if I could beat the boss at level 40, screw it I'm not playing it. I'm hoping the mad, raging comic nerd in me will allow me to block my hatred of grinding, and it's level cap is currently at 30 so I'm hoping I'll be fine. I am concerned I'll just shoot through it though and not have much else left to do as it is in it's early stages. We shall see, it is the reason I'm writing here after all. I hope to keep this thing updated on what I'm doing as a character in this game, note whether I'm getting highly addicted or whether the game is not worth it. And hopefully after all of that I can play self-psychiatrist and analyze my patterns and truly see what kind of person I am.

Cheers,

The Burrito

Twitter?

As obligatory as a post to say it's been a while comes a post to conversate on the next social networking phenomenon Twitter.

I'm sure everyone and their and their shooting instructor has blogged about the network. Many are on board, and many are adamantly against it. Myself? Well I'm not so much on the fence as ignorant of it. Having seen a few, I don't see the interaction that's supposed to take place, it was just a list of what the person was doing at any given point in time. Is that what Twitter is? Can't I do that on FaceBook, MySpace, SendMeAnnoyingWebcamRequestsCuzIMadeAFakeProfileToAppearToBeAYoungAttractiveGirl.com

?

Doubt many people read this but if the infinite webs of the internetwork, teh internets if you will, bring you here, can someone answer me what it is so I can makes a more intelligent response to it?

Be Creative!

 

Two words that when applied to the gaming world can mean apparently a lot of different things. When we, the consumer, look at NFL Madden '10, or Oneechanbara 15, we say c'mon game companies, Be Creative! We applaud games like Assassin's Creed, Skate, or Prince of Persia for following those two words, becoming new IPs in their time where all we see are loads of FPSs coming from American Developers, and RPGs from Japan. And then Little Big Planet comes along and we finally think someone there truly got the idea Be Creative!

No this isn't a review, it seemed like it would become one the millions for the game that exist, but it isn't. It's a possibly small piece about the term creative and it's implications in not only games, but the gaming community. Recently, well recently for me as that pertains from last week to today, Media Molecule and Sony have been put under the hypocritical spotlight for suddenly deleting Little Big Planet levels, without warning, without getting them back. Still having my Lucha Libra level, I've not been so quick to cry bloody murder as many of those that have worked tediously for days just to now have nothing to show.

Oh wait, right, this isn't really about that part, it's about creativeness. Seems a great deal of those levels have had some sort of non-Sony copyright in them, heck some of them have had clear Sony copyrights in them. To jump on the side of logic for a moment, Mm and Sony should've realized quite a few things, the Beta should've shown them that. One, give a person the ability to take a picture of something and place it in a game, they are gonna rip some thing off. Second, give the gaming community the ability to create something(oh so everlovingly coined user-created) and at least 75% of the things created are gonna be recreated from gaming's past. It could be Bubsy 3D, Lemmings, or the even more obvious ones Mario, Sonic, and Megaman, it will happen, it's like a law or something.

And that segues into my point, the title, and a favorite phrase of mine, Be Creative! I've been playing around on Little Big Planet for some time and Mm seemed to have gotten the creative idea down, a lot of the users online have gotten that idea down, so why can't this 75% seem to? I've talked about this on a few forums and the answer to myquestion seems to be that we're game players, not game makers, but aren't game makers game players? And as a user willing to create something, especially in this game a level, does that not make you a game maker? So in essence, do you not have the right to talk about game makers? So why not be creative... I'm sorry Be Creative! and make some levels of idea you have to have in your head. If you came into the game thinking I can't wait to make a level, here comes Level 1-1! Then I'm sorry but you came into this game thinking the wrong thing. Now I'm not complaining, sometimes they are fun to play, those recreations, but much like shovelware on a Wii, most of the levels I've run into contain some form of copyright infringement. Now some of those have been with a little tweaking, able to become great levels on their own accord without the need for the copyright, so why not just do that? When the game came out, there was a great God of War level that came out, the level really would've been just as good without the God of War IP in it, so why did it have to have it?

I hear tribute and parody should be considered under the Fair Use Act, however user-created content is the money maker for this title, it makes the money for Sony and Mm and in that sense isn't the infringement suit therefore justified? Take Activision's Guitar Hero: World Tour, it allows you to create tracks and already GH Tunes has been flooded with notelists for songs. You praise a group, and then simply make their songs... is this tribute, parody, or simply lack of creativity? I wouldn't say it lacks intuition, or work-ethic, but if you can recreate Paradise City, your sense of musical timing seems to be in check, why not just create your own song?

So Be Creative! Words that can apparently mean many things when together. Mm's given catchphrase, Be Creative!, can apparently mean do whatever you want, it can mean create a level of ingenious levels, to simply recreating Dig-Dug. In the world of gaming, it can mean giving me more game options or simply the ability to look down in an FPS and see my feet. Perhaps it doesn't just mean make something new, but isn't that what we as gamers have been whining for?

The Burrito Reviews: The Force Unleashed

I remember there was a time I said I'd be reviewing Super Smash Bros. Brawl.... yeah that fell apart but it's all good because I'm flexing my reviewing muscles, testing my keyboard's might against a game I wanted to play ever since hearing about it a couple of years back. That game is LucasArts possible hurrah(other than Fracture but don't get me started on that game.), Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.




Things I Loved:

I loved a lot of things about The Force Unleashed. I'd put them in a list form, but I'm trying really hard not to bite any other site's style. The thing I loved the most about the game was obviously it's story. I feel people resort to being idiots whenever they speak about episodes 1-3. Yeah okay the first sucked big time, but hey I feel Lucas made up for that one with the other two. Say what you want, but it's his story, you can't go tell a man he's telling his story wrong. When you write something and other people like it and you want to take it in another direction, see how many people tell you off and you'll get the idea of how he must feel. Enough of that tangent though, TFU tells a very... well let me put it this way, the game, comic, and book tell a very complete story that expertly ties together the threads of the first three with the other first three. (Never EVER told in-game so SPOILER) Galen Marek is a very likeable character as are the others involved in the story. The enviornments, sounds, look, and feel of the game are ripped right from the universe of Star Wars and never once are you doing or seeing something that feels out of place... well perhaps Starkiller shows a renowned power and sense of the force, but it flows very well for a game.



Another big thing the game pulls off is the feeling of the force. This was something I remarked upon to my friends when I first played the demo. The game gives you a very visceral feel of the force, of being a sith. I expected it to feel like being Dante or Nero, yeah you can do all types of flying and crazy stuff, but deep down you don't get a feel for what it is you do. This game gives you the same feeling playing as Kratos gives, a visceral feel of death and destruction. When you can walk into a room and blow everyone away, you realize you feel powerful and not simply controlling someone who is.

Things I Hated:

I'd never call a game perfect and trust me when I say The Force Unleashed is nowhere near it. The game, having come out in a box and one I payed money for mind you, is full of bugs, glitches, and scallywags. For every smart enemy I see, there are a handful simply stuck in a hiding animation behind something I threw off the level some minutes ago. One can find several invisible barriers that come out of nowhere, as if saying you haven't jumped in a while, don't let that button not get used. It's easy to pull off a combo and go flying through the level to your death, as well one can find themselves stuck in a standing animation, unable to move.



For a game called The Force Unleashed, it leaves a lot to the imagination when it comes to the term in the game. I said how much I loved the feeling the force gave you, but that's really only in certain times. The idea of force grabbing is a novel idea for solving puzzles, but it's application in fighting is lacking. Forced to stand still while you move something around with nary any bit of real accuracy and you'll find yourself a swiss cheese and laser sandwhich in no time. And speaking of those on the other ends of those blasters, where in the world did the Emperor find force fields that can block the force? Oh I get it, Force Field... no if that is the pun that describes this event I'd break my copy of this game. Where are all of these Storm Troopers when Luke becomes a Jedi?

But to Conclude:

Despite the tongue lashing I just gave the game, I still find it incredibly fun. I've played through twice and am currently on my third and fourth play through on two different difficulty levels. For a GoW clone, it does a good job of trying to seperate itself. Despite it's gameplay and camera flaws, the lure of being a Jedi is indeed great. Come for the story, stay for the fun.


Don't own the copyrights we all know that jazz, upps to Lucasarts for that one. Availiable on anything that plays video games... sure I saw it out on the Colecovision.

Hey You Consumer: Top Consumer Wrongdoings

Long time no see. I thought I would do this little list which is in no order. Originally it was going to be a top 1, but I wasn't sure if I would either have too many or not enough. Having been in retail all my working life, I've come across many a customer, and I'm certain lists like this exists, but it's my blog so I can write what I like.

"This costs how much?"
-This one I just don't understand. Especially now with the economy the way it is, why in the world would you think everything would be cheap? No ink doesn't cost a few bucks. No you can't get a laptop at 200 dollars. Printers aren't 50 bucks and webcam isn't 99cents. I know you came into the store to spend money, so don't look at me like an idiot because you're paying for it regardless, I'm not lowering the price of toner because you didn't think it cost so much.

"Well I'm never coming back here again!"
-Thank you! That's really what I want to say when you tell me that, because that means I don;t have to put up with you ever again. You seem to leave thinking I've been the unpleasant one, but when you come at me with an attitude and a largely intentional decision not to hear me out, understand that YOU are being the unpleasant one. YOU are the person we laugh at when you leave. YOU are the jackass the other customers are glad is gone when you slip through the doors. They aren't ever backing you up because they see that you are being the unreasonable one. And besides, this ain't an election, companies don't give a rat's ass about a single person's dollar.

"Can you help me find X, Y, zzzzzzzz "
-I generally like helping people when they genuinely need it. Don't understand all this new-fangled technology, I'll gladly help you. But don't ask me where something is when you clearly know where it is and have indeed come out of said aisle to ask me about it. Sure you make up the lie about not having seen it, but be honest with yourself, did you really just want to make conversation with me? I honestly had a lady, when I worked at Hell-Hole..eh I mean Wal-Mart, ask me where light bulbs were when we were standing directly next to them. That's not being thick, that has got to be being lonely.

"I've done the research and "
-Blah blah blah. You haven't done the research, you're making up a list of bullshit and expecting me to complete the bullshit circle to sell you something for either a lower price or a better deal. Working at Staples, I get more "Pro's" come in and bullshit me about how they researched all the HP printers and... look, I know you haven't, had you done so, you may have come in with some papers. I'm tired of the "I did some research online, and it seems you don't have the model number here... oh dear me I've forgotten it, 4o something" That tells me you didn't and you tried to come up with a number by looking at the nearby numbers. Then you attempt to tell me its the model between the two on display and that's the one you want. Only for me to potentially embarrass you around your kids or other customers by calling you out on it and letting you know that there is no model number in between.

"Plan? No thanks, if it breaks I'll just by another"
-That's a dumb and irrational philosophy to go about in life. Working again at Staples, we're not forced, but encouraged to offer protection and replacement plans on our electronics. That would save you the hassle of having to buy something all over again. I repeat, that would save you the hassle of having to by something ALL OVER AGAIN. I don't know what ballin' world you live in where you can blow 300 bucks on printers all the damn time, but I know if I'm putting that money down on something, I'd spend an extra forty to insure I don't have to spend 300 all over again. It's my belief customers think we as a business try to get them on everything and they think they're being the smart ones... yeah right.

-I'd give this one a line above it, but no customer has verbally told me they believe they're the right one because "The customer is always right". Truth is that is some bullshit. You customer are not always right. Thankfully you aren't because stores would be scary places. You always have your best intentions in mind and not the intentions of everyone who comes into the store. I've had customers who heard I was putting something on hold for someone try and coerce me to give it to them instead. Very very greedy customer, very very greedy.

"Do you have it in the back?/Could you check the back?"
-I honestly wish customers never learned of the back room. I'm not entirely sure what you think the back is, but I can tell you what it isn't. The back room is not a magical wonderland where fairies, pixies, and satyrs hand me exactly what it was you are asking for. It isn't a world of perfect harmony where I simply think up what you want and it appears. The real deal? The place is a messy maze of pallets, boxes, and plastic. Even on a good day it is impossible to tell one thing from the other and if what you want is back there? I'm not about to waste 20 minutes diving through a pallet of shit to find what you want when other stores exist, that buck of yours is not powerful enough to have me doing that. Half the time the shit is right above you anyway, just look up.

"Will you sell me the display for a discount?"
-Number one at Staples, and typically Office Depot. We don't do discounts on shit that is out already. We'd clearly be losing money on that proposition, so no it doesn't exist, go to Wal-Mart for that crap. Number two, why the hell would you want something that has been in a store, out on display for all order of people to touch, poke, prod, and possibly have already broken? It has no box and typically comes with what you see which is nothing so why bother? You bother because you think you're getting it half off and then are all sad and pissy when I tell you we don't. Even if we took money off, WHY would you want it? It may function, but not at the zenith of it's potential like it did when it was new? I wouldn't want to sit in a chair every ass in the town has had to have sitten in. I wouldn't want a printer techs have been printing demos on for months before now.

"I'm looking for this thing, if you show me where it is I'll remember it."
-There's actually two different categories with this one. The first one goes out to everyone who thinks they can play charades and perfectly explain to me something they have only half an idea of what it is. I'm not Google, don't go about giving me dimensions like I know exactly what the hell you're talking about. Don't go about telling me it's like this but not this, when either it clearly is what I've shown you or something completely different. A lady gave me dimensions of a safe and she wanted a file folder. The second part typically involves not remembering what you wanted, but expecting there to be some amazing list of pictures you can look through to jog your memory. It doesn't and has never existed. Don't remember that printer for your ink? Too bad, go home and come back, because I can't go off of "it's one of the older models". I'm not clairvoyant, I can't guess what printer it is based off of that.

And lastly
-The Easy Button is not fun, it's not funny, and it's not useful. Had an old lady harrass me, claiming that on a commercial the Easy Button made things cheaper. It doesn't, and if one more kid comes in there and hits that button till it's about to break, I'm gonna break it and then break them. It's almost like having someone come up to your ear and shout "HIT ME" twenty times in a row, but you can't because they're incased in armor.