tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63377965612784928252024-03-08T10:03:59.884-08:00The Wright Stuff (version 2.0)Technology, Geekery, and Life through the eyes of Darrin WrightDarrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-78153401782159734972012-10-19T05:01:00.003-07:002012-10-19T05:10:16.561-07:00NHL: The "No Hockey" LeagueGrowing up, I was a big hockey fan, and the St. Louis Blues were my team. This was likely due to the fact that the St. Louis Cardinals were terrible, and we didn't have an NFL team yet, but still, hockey remained close to my heart after both of those facts changed (although my NFL allegiance has switched from the Rams to the Chicago Bears).<br />
<br />
That is, until the NHL hired Gary Bettman as commissioner. There have since been three lockouts, one of which resulting in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004%E2%80%9305_NHL_lockout">cancellation of an entire season</a>, and this one's <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1376558-nhl-season-in-trouble-as-thursdays-cba-meeting-produces-no-results">not looking good either</a>.<br />
<br />
Now, I understand wanting to be paid what you're worth, and I understand the owners wanting to get an even piece of the pie, but when the 2004 lockout cost the NHL a bunch of TV contracts and a whole lot of fans, and many fans are now saying they won't be back if this season's cancelled, you would think both sides would be doing everything they can to return to work.<br />
<br />
I'm not too optimistic. At least there's the AHL, CHL, and so on... because, I fear, if this lockout does indeed lead to the second cancellation of an entire season in a 10-year period, the NHL may never recover.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-19412312019253191622012-10-07T07:12:00.004-07:002012-10-07T07:15:26.133-07:00Judge Not...If a man who identifies himself as a Republican says he supports slavery, and another makes asinine statements about rape, I will see many posts from friends that it must be what ALL Republicans believe.<br />
<br />
Is it fair, then, since JFK (we all assume), Bill Clinton, and John Edwards all cheated on their wives, for me to assume that all Democrats are unfaithful to their spouses? No? Then why is it fair to make blanket assumptions for either side?<br />
<br />
Is it fair, due to monsters like Benito Mussolini, for me to assume all atheists are fascists and evil? Obviously not. Does one assume that, since 9/11 happened, all Muslims are evil terrorists? Of course not; every person I've met who practices Islam has been a wonderfully generous, caring, and friendly individual. Then why is it fair to assume that all Christians were in support of the Crusades? <br />
<br />
I like Chick-Fil-A. It's delicious. I do NOT support restricting any person's civil rights, though, as many would lead you to believe I would due to my love of chicken sandwiches. One shouldn't automatically mean the other.<br />
<br />
Politics tend to ignite us in so many ways; they stir up feelings of patriotism and duty, sure, but unfortunately online they also tend to stir up bitter rhetoric, hurtful language, and more. I've personally had to block/unfriend people just for how they'll react to opinions they already knew I held. <br />
<br />
As a reporter, I am charged with the task of seeing things from a neutral perspective. I must keep stories balanced, taking into account both sides. And I know that asking that of everyone is just impossible; (a) because we're all human, and nobody is completely unbiased, and (b) because it would, again, be expecting my personal beliefs about something to be shared with/applied to all.<br />
<br />
Basically, I believe Jesus said it best (bear with me, those of you who don't believe He ever existed): <span class="text Matt-7-1"><span class="chapternum"></span><i><span class="woj" style="color: red;">“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.</span></i></span><i><span style="color: red;"> </span><span class="text Matt-7-2" id="en-NIV-23319" style="color: red;"><span class="woj">For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.</span></span><span class="text Matt-7-3" id="en-NIV-23320" style="color: red;"><span class="woj"> Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?</span></span><span style="color: red;"> </span><span class="text Matt-7-4" id="en-NIV-23321" style="color: red;"><span class="woj">How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?</span></span><span style="color: red;"> </span></i><span class="text Matt-7-5" id="en-NIV-23322"><span class="woj"><i><span style="color: red;">You
hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will
see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."</span></i> ~ <i>Matthew 7:1-5</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Matt-7-5" id="en-NIV-23322"><span class="woj">We all hold very passionate beliefs. We all want everyone to see things our way. But please try to remember that the actions of <i>some</i> are <u>not</u> equal to the beliefs of <i>all</i>, regardless of which side of the room you're on.<i> </i></span></span>Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-56355210273295585452012-07-20T06:47:00.001-07:002012-07-20T06:47:54.706-07:00Tragedy in ColoradoThe town of Aurora, CO is still in shock after a gunman, wearing body armor and a gas mask, came into a theater showing the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises, threw a can of tear gas at the crowd, then started shooting. At the time I write this, 10 to 14 people are dead, and over 50 injured. This kind of senseless violence is inexcusable.<br />
<br />
What's also inexcusable is the knowledge that the media will eventually settle upon blaming this man's actions on comics or video games. You think I'm reaching here? Just wait. It'll come out that he played Call of Duty or Halo once... which pretty much everyone can say they've done at some point in their lives. Then it'll turn out that since he was at a Batman movie, perhaps these comics are too violent or perhaps their movies are warping our children.<br />
<br />
I make this prediction because I've seen it before, and am certain we'll see it again. I pray for the victims, and I pray that my colleagues in the media will call this what it is: a senseless act of violence, with likely no reason or cause other than the fact that this man is obviously evil.<br />
<br />
Let's not blame what's not responsible. Just this once, let's blame the man for his actions, instead of trying to figure out what "made" him do it.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-41889763839400846332012-05-31T07:47:00.001-07:002012-05-31T07:47:14.173-07:00E3 2012: The Pressure's OnSo to start off, I'd like to say thank you to <a href="http://shirtasaurus.com/">Shirtasaurus</a> for sponsoring my <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/thegeekcave/id330172886">podcast</a>. Head on over and order some stuff from them, and use TheGeekCave as your coupon code to save 10% off your entire order. Do it NOW.<br />
<br />
Cheap plug out of the way, let's talk something nerdy, shall we?<br />
<br />
E3, one of the biggest gaming industry shows of the year, is coming up (June 5 thru 7, to be exact) and there are suddenly a lot of things I desperately need to buy once again. There's the <a href="http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-brief/63733-official-wii-u-page-promises-launch-game-reveals">Wii U</a>, which will propel Nintendo into the HD generation. I can't wait to see what games will be announced, as well as find out whether or not the Wii U will upconvert Wii games to 1080p. Think of a Zelda, Metroid, or Mario game in full-HD. It's mind-blowing.<br />
<br />
There's also the updates/reveals of several already-announced games, including a brand-new <a href="http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/5/31/3054453/injustice-delivers-dcs-injustice-league-into-a-mortal-kombat-arena">DC Comics fighting game</a>, more info on Assassin's Creed III, and obviously the latest bevy of first-person shooters.<br />
<br />
However, what I'm most excited about are the surprises. We know the Wii U will be talked about, so what will Sony and Microsoft do to steal Nintendo's thunder? Will we see a PS4 or NeXtbox? Sony and MS both say "no" be we know they've lied to hide their cards before. Plus, every year, there is at least one show-stealing mystery game announced that blows everyone away and comes entirely out of left field.<br />
<br />
Naturally, The Geek Cave Podcast will be talking about all the big news from E3 on our podcast at the end of June, so be sure to listen in for that, but it's safe to bet I'll be geeking out considerably next week. Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-43118217614084031532012-05-21T07:54:00.002-07:002012-05-21T07:54:21.243-07:00Joplin: One Year Later<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
One year ago, the Missouri
cities of Joplin and Duquesne were changed forever, as an EF-5 tornado carrying
winds over 200 miles per hour tore through, killing 161 people and destroying
thousands of homes and businesses. For weeks, people dug out, finding what was
left of their lives underneath rubble. In the months that followed, we rebuilt.
We recovered. We persevered. We overcame.<br />
<br />
One year later, this community is not the same. There is a lot of work still
to do; for those who lost friends and family in the storm, this anniversary is
a painful reminder of the briefness of life and the finality of death. It's
something we don't want to dwell on, but we must. There is a lot of pain left
to heal. There are a lot of buildings left to rebuild. There is a lot of empty
space where there were once homes.<br />
<br />
One year later, this community continues to inspire. Help -- and hope --
continues to pour in from all over the world, but the people here leave our
helpers in just as much awe as they leave us. They are amazed at how far we've
come in the past year. There are many who said we'd still be digging ourselves
out; instead, we're holding groundbreakings and commemorations. There are many
who said we'd never get the schools open on time. Instead, the class of 2012 started,
and graduated, ON TIME. There were many who looked at the devastation and
wondered how any hope could be found in the destruction. Instead, we have not
only found hope, but faith, unity, and strength in each other and in things
that are far bigger than ourselves.<br />
<br />
A little over one year ago, my wife and I had just moved to Joplin. We were outsiders in every sense of
the word; we knew very few people, kept to ourselves, and had come to Joplin more out of
necessity than seeking the community out. Now, we feel a connection to this
city and its people. We have shared in the hurt, in the struggle, and in the
joy at seeing the progress and restoration taking place. One year later, I can't think of anywhere else to put down my roots than the most courageous city I've ever laid eyes on and had the privilege to call home.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
One year ago, we were shaken. One year ago, we were knocked down.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One year later, we're back on our feet. Standing tall, standing together... and as the world watches, we will show you all that we will continue to rebuild, revive, restore, and remain. Stronger than ever. </div>Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-50059685288483780962012-04-10T04:11:00.000-07:002012-04-10T04:11:14.591-07:00When Ownership Isn't OwnershipIf the rumors are true, Sony and Microsoft may do what growing up and getting a career could not: make me quit video games.<br />
<br />
You see, both Sony and Microsoft's next consoles are heavily rumored to have some pretty restrictive anti-piracy (DRM) and anti-used game (B.S.) measures, including requiring a constant internet connection to even play a game, as well as locking each specific game disc to a user's account (so long, GameStop, Gamefly, and rentals in general). The studios that make the games you and I play say measures like this, as well as the already troubled "online pass" measures on consoles and DRM measures on PC, are to protect themselves: they don't receive money from the sale of used games, therefore they believe it's hurting their business.<br />
<br />
In other words, they've never spoken to car manufacturers. Or book publishers. Or Hollywood in general... all three have their work sold used, borrowed, and so on, and yet they're all fine. In most cases, thriving, actually.<br />
<br />
The truth is these measures are part of an increasingly disturbing trend of anti-consumer practices being pushed by game studios and supported (apparently) by Microsoft and Sony. These practices are even apparent in both console manufacturers' latest terms of service agreements, which (as we pointed out on an episode of <a href="http://thegeekcave.podbean.com/">The Geek Cave</a>) basically say you don't own the games you've purchased -- what you own is a <i>license</i> to play them that can be revoked at a company's choosing.<br />
<br />
They argue that used games mean people playing on an online server they haven't paid for. True, they haven't paid for it, because the person who bought the original copy of their game <i>did</i>. They're just taking that person's place. The company has already received the money for that spot on the server, they just want to double-dip.<br />
<br />
They argue that if something's not done, used games will continue to snatch profits away, making them less likely to have enough spare cash to try taking risks with future (and unproven) IPs. Too bad that used games have literally been around for as long as console gaming has, and yet, the market didn't die when people started borrowing and loaning NES games. Or SNES, Genesis, PlayStation, Saturn, Xbox, N64, Dreamcast, PS2, and Gamecube games, for that matter...<br />
<br />
What's especially troubling with the trend of "online passes" is that for those who actually do go out and buy a game new, glitches and problems on the companies' end can sometimes keep those "legitimate" customers from actually being able to access the content they paid for, while the pirates that these companies claim to be fighting with these restrictions are already playing, online, on the very companies' servers, because these measures DON'T. STOP. PIRATES.<br />
<br />
When Nintendo announced the Wii, Sony and Microsoft didn't take them seriously. Who would? A childish invention, with lower graphics, and a lower price tag? That didn't have all the bells and whistles as the PS3 and Xbox 360?<br />
<br />
Yeah, we know <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Console_wars#Worldwide_sales_figures_6">how that turned out</a>.<br />
<br />
And if these practices continue, the only system that's not being mentioned in the rumors -- Nintendo's Wii U -- may be primed to repeat history.<br />
<br />
It also may be the only place gamers can turn to if they don't want to be suspected of thievery every five minutes.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-77684132588630377462012-01-10T10:43:00.000-08:002012-01-10T10:43:15.353-08:00Misdirected FameSince the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Joplin_tornado">May 22nd tornado</a> hit Joplin, MO, my life's been fairly busy.<br />
<br />
I've been interviewed by my peers (and people I consider well above me in talent levels) from New York City, to St. Louis, to New Zealand, to London.<br />
<br />
I'm part of a staff that's been honored by city, state, and <a href="http://rturner229.blogspot.com/2012/01/kzrg-honored-for-its-work-during-joplin.html">federal</a> governments with proclamations, plaques, declarations, and the like.<br />
<br />
I, personally, have been called a hero.<br />
<br />
And you know what? I don't deserve a bit of it.<br />
<br />
All us folks at KZRG did the night of May 22nd and the days and weeks later was our jobs. True, we went above and beyond the call of duty to provide what help we could to our communities, but isn't that all we ask of anyone who has the opportunity to do so? We, as broadcasters, did what our craft calls us to do: inform the public.<br />
<br />
We also did it all because Joplin is not just a city we serve from a business standpoint: for so many of us, it's our home. We, too, had friends and neighbors who lost everything, including their lives. For us, it was personal... so many of us lost possessions, homes, whatever, and we not only worked to keep the public informed, but to keep ourselves from going crazy.<br />
<br />
These accolades are all nice, and I don't mean to imply we didn't earn at least some of the attention, but I think if anyone should be honored, it's the REAL heroes: the police and fire teams that worked intensely and desperately to save lives, the officials who coordinated and calmed a terrified public, the volunteers from across the world that gave their time, money, and sweat to help this community not only dig out, but rebuild.<br />
<br />
You want to call someone a hero? Those are a few, more worthy examples.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-89096649677866050052011-12-06T09:27:00.000-08:002011-12-06T09:27:58.298-08:00Christmas All Year"We should remember to show the spirit of Christmas every day."<br />
<br />
That's not an unusual or rare sentiment. Many people, I'd imagine, wish we as a collective human race would treat people with the kindness and friendliness that we reserve for the Holiday Season<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(TM)</span> year-round instead. And everyone usually agrees with the thought: Peace on Earth, every day. But nobody seems willing to follow up on that.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
No, seriously, why? Is it apathy? Is it an eventual lack of interest in doing good deeds?<br />
<br />
I find myself at this time of year thinking in more charitable terms: wanting to do more, to help people more, to - for example - donate to things that will help people have a "Merry Christmas" when they otherwise would not.<br />
<br />
Why don't I do this year-round? Why should one day matter? Wouldn't I be doing more good if I was willing to give of myself <i><b>at all times?</b></i><br />
<br />
The thing is, for many of us, the Holidays remind us that there's more to this life than just living, and we try and balance our spiritual checkbooks (for lack of a better term). I'm guilty of this too... since we associate this time of year with good feelings and (for Christians) the birth of the Savior of mankind, we think we should go out of our way at this time of year to show love to our fellow man.<br />
<br />
I say we're wrong.<br />
<br />
I say it shouldn't matter what time of year it is; we should <b>constantly</b> go out of our way <i><b>each and every chance we get</b></i> to show love to our fellow man, regardless of his or her's beliefs, race, sexuality, whatever. We don't have to agree with them; we just have to love them.<br />
<br />
This is something I feel Christians are failing to notice, and is a reason why some don't feel comfortable choosing to believe. After all, Jesus didn't only do good works on His birthday (which Christmas may or may not be, but that's when we choose to celebrate it, so drop the issue). He did them non-stop, and ordered His followers to do so... can you imagine what people would accomplish if the Church (not buildings or organizations, but the entire group of believers) would actually do that?<br />
<br />
So this Christmas, I challenge you to, indeed, live as if every day is Christmas. Because if we can do so, if we can show love and peace to everyone else every day, who knows what may happen?<br />
<br />
Maybe through such actions we can convince others that He whom we believe in really <b>is</b> who He says He is. Maybe they'll see that He really can change lives, and that He <b>is</b> real... because the best way to tell if something's real is to see <i><b>what it does</b></i>, not hear about <b><i>what it says it can do. </i></b>And maybe believer and non-believer alike can find a common ground, so each doesn't have to worry about what to say around the other without fear of being misunderstood or judged.<br />
<br />
Peace on Earth? Maybe not too crazy a concept after all.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-4384527616730075282011-11-22T18:26:00.000-08:002011-11-22T18:26:52.658-08:00Six Months LaterSo today was definitely one for reflection. Six months ago an EF-5 tornado tore through Joplin and nearby Duquesne, leaving thousands suddenly homeless and killing 161 (somehow, only that many died). As I look around Joplin as it is today, it's still obvious something came through, but the devastation is hidden by progress now. Stores have re-opened, homes have been rebuilt and are in the process of being rebuilt, and the community has moved from reacting to looking ahead.<br />
<br />
There are still those who dwell on the devastation, and I can't say that I blame them. There are those who see themselves as more of a victim than others; you can see one of my previous posts about those kind of people. But the majority of them are optimistic, even though rebuilding will take another year or so.<br />
<br />
What happened on May 22nd, 2011 was a tragedy that I hope will never be reproduced. What happened in the days that followed were a miracle that I wish I could see more of, with strangers looking out for each other and neighbors coming together.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure just how to feel about this 6-month mark. Perhaps I'm too close to the story; I've become somewhat callused toward it, but I would imagine you'd have to to keep from going insane. One thing I am sure of, though: I'm proud of the people here, of their spirit, and their dedication to both each other and their community.<br />
<br />
I've only been here just under 8 months, but I feel like I'm a part of it too. They are Joplin, and so am I.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-7172207785582103362011-10-28T08:44:00.000-07:002011-10-28T08:44:45.900-07:00Survivor's GreedI've been noticing a disturbing trend recently on Facebook. I'll see a good story posted about a Joplin tornado victim getting a donation, or a similar blessing, there will be several "likes" and such, maybe a positive comment here and there, but then a certain type of person shows up.<br />
<br />
You know this person, although it's not just one or two people. It's the "but... but... but..." type of person. The comments are immediately noticeable:<br />
<br />
"That's fine, but what about the other families?"<br />
"So how about that donation be put (insert their place of choice) instead of (actual place) because (reason)?"<br />
"I can think of many other people that deserve this over (name of family this poster doesn't like)."<br />
<br />
But usually it starts with "but what about X?" "What about Y?"<br />
<br />
Let's be honest, people. We're all adults here. What you MEAN is "But what about <i><u><b>ME?</b></u></i>"<br />
<br />
You see, I've been working in, around, and with the public long enough to know when someone's just jealous, and jealousy is seemingly rampant online, as the not-picked get all uppity about the "chosen" while at the same time trying to sound like they're only interested in the greater good.<br />
<br />
"I lost my place in the tornado too, and it'd be nice to have some of that money, but don't worry about me, I'm more interested in (random special interest group even Satan wouldn't say anything bad about)."<br />
<br />
Let's edit the above phrase into what the poster really means:<br />
<br />
"I lost my place in the tornado too, and it'd be nice to have some of that money<strike>, but don't worry about me, I'm more interested in (random special interest group even Satan wouldn't say anything bad about)</strike>."<br />
<br />
Ah, there we go.<br />
<br />
Now, maybe it's just the cynical side of me acting up, but NEWS FLASH: these people were chosen. They didn't do anything special to get whatever special honor/donation they're getting, and I'd be willing to bet they'd rather have NOT lost a home/family member in order to get it. Heck, chances are, they'd be more than happy having not been affected by a friggin' tornado, and let someone else get the blessing.<br />
<br />
I lost MY home in a tornado, too. You don't see me crying about it every time someone else has something nice happen to them.<br />
<br />
Bottom line: stop whining. Someone else got something you didn't. If you're jealous, be jealous, but don't drag these people down in the process. You're the equivalent of a child whining because someone got a lollipop but you didn't.<br />
<br />
Grow up. Joplin's survivors deserve better than that, and survivors that get jealous over someone else's good fortune are a disgrace to how the people of this city have represented themselves.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-2265713326458620432011-10-13T08:09:00.000-07:002011-10-13T11:37:06.498-07:00The Problem with Christian GamesAs many of my friends know, I'm a gamer. As all of them (I hope) also know, I'm a Christian.<br />
<br />
One should not have to be separated from the other, yet plenty of times I've heard criticisms from both sides... gamers who think Christians are "stuffy, narrow-minded, ignorant, weak-minded, delusional, etc.", and Christians who believe games are "of the world, full of temptation, cause laziness, too violent, a waste of time, childish, etc.", you get the idea. And I know I won't change the minds of members of these two extremes.<br />
<br />
That's not why you're here today. You're here to engage in a discussion with me about so-called "Christian Games" and why they, frankly, suck. And don't worry, the paragraph above will come back into play soon.<br />
<br />
Let's start by looking at some of the most recent releases in the "Christian" gaming market: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Praise-Digital-Mac/dp/B001D0ITA4">Guitar Praise</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_Behind:_Eternal_Forces">Left Behind</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bible_Game">The Bible Game</a>. These are the three most well-known and highest-profile releases from strictly Christian developers. All three also share one crucial detail: they're pretty bad.<br />
<br />
Guitar Praise, probably the best of the bunch, is a Guitar Hero clone featuring all Christian music. Not a bad idea, and it was actually pulled off rather well, with one glaring exception: most of the gamers the developer was trying to reach prefer consoles to PCs when it comes to rhythm games, while this was strictly a PC/MAC release. Perhaps they were unsure they'd get permission to release on the consoles, what with the "controversial" messages of peace and love and hope? Doubtful, since Rock Band actually features Christian music as downloadable content. It was also apparently much easier than the secular games, and lacked the polish they had, but not bad, overall. In fact, the type of game GP is actually makes it the best "Christian" game out there; it's not trying to turn a real-time strategy game into a witnessing tool, it's not trying to force religious learning experiences into being fun. It's just a game, with a fake guitar, playing Christian music. The simplicity in the idea really helps its cause.<br />
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Not so for the other two of my examples.<br />
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The Bible Game (which I think should've just been named "The Old Testament Trivia Experience" since the New Testament is nowhere to be found and this just barely resembles anything that's an actual GAME) suffers on several fronts, but the biggest is the fact that it seems the developers actually forgot why they were making the game. Many of the mini-games that pop up between trivia questions actually have very little, if any, to do with the actual biblical content they're based on. It's a disconnect that doesn't help their already bland presentation and the fact that many of the questions are actually what I'd consider to be too hard for anyone except a full-on biblical scholar. And the fact that they never touched the New Testament, which in my opinion, actually makes the Bible... well, THE BIBLE. The Old Testament, or at least a large amount of it, is made up of the Torah, which is the Holy Book for Jews.<br />
<br />
And finally, the worst for last.<br />
<br />
Left Behind: Eternal Forces is a real-time strategy game in the vein of Civilization, Command and Conquer, etc, where you face off against the armies of the Antichrist. It's based off the Left Behind novels, which I love. But I cannot stand this game... the pacing is way too slow at the start, frustrating scenarios (protect a church without firing back at a tank that's... you know... attacking the church), one of the enemy types is "rock musician" (because surely, someone such as myself who enjoys rock music must be evil), the ability to kill people who won't convert (very Christ-like, you know) -- and I'm not talking about violent enemies on that last one, but neutral folks too.<br />
<br />
So we've got three vastly different games... you'd think the only link would be their affiliation with my faith. Nope. The other link? None of them were willing to truly be like Christ... they're far too exclusionary, not nearly bold enough. I'd go as far as saying these games (Guitar Praise largely excluded) are videogames' equivalent of the Pharisees.<br />
<br />
Let's look at Jesus for a second. Who'd he hang out with? Sinners. Prostitutes. Liars. Cheats. The general scumbags of society... and He didn't get corrupted, didn't forget who He was. <br />
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Who were the Pharisees? Religious folk who didn't want to associate with anyone else... they wanted to do nothing more than stand at a distance from the non-believers and simply shout at them that they were going down the wrong path, without being bold enough to walk WITH those people and bring them the understanding that they apparently so lacked.<br />
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Now let's look back at these games: made exclusive for a religious audience, to the point that they can feel judgmental to non-believers (especially Left Behind). When you want to learn more about something or get into something you're new at, do you want the people who know about it to welcome you or let you know right from the start that you're an outsider?<br />
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A lot of Christians -- especially talking heads in conservative circles -- believe that those who enjoy secular games are wicked, depraved, and surrounding themselves with sin and violence. They believe that the only way Christians can enjoy a video game is if it's "family friendly." NEWS FLASH: THE BIBLE IS NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY. It features murders, wars, sex (go ahead, read Song of Songs), and, oh, yeah, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifixion">executions via torture</a>. And as I said before, Jesus HIMSELF, who is to be Christians' example, was willing to surround himself with sinners so He might reach them, just as the Apostles did after His resurrection. Last time I checked, the best way to get people to learn about Christ? GOING WHERE THEY ARE AND TALKING TO THEM. You can't do that when you're in an exclusive club, or playing games that are only geared toward believers.<br />
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Let's look at some games that are doing it right: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dante%27s_Inferno_%28video_game%29">Dante's Inferno</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darksiders">Darksiders</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Shaddai:_Ascension_of_the_Metatron">El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron</a>. All three made by secular publishers, for the general gaming crowd. All three feature (gasp!) violence, but also stories with spiritual references and themes. Heck, with the exception of Darksiders (which features a more general apocalypse story than a Biblical one except for the names of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse), they all feature content directly referencing or pulled from THE BIBLE. This is GREAT... it opens discussion between believer and non-believer alike, it plants a seed (you know, something <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Sower">Some Guy once talked about</a>), and they're all good. I mean, <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/darksiders">really</a>, <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/dantes-inferno">really</a>, <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/el-shaddai-ascension-of-the-metatron">good</a>. Even Mass Effect, especially Mass Effect 1, dealt with discussions about such hot topics as God and abortion in a mature, responsible manner, and somehow also managed to have awesome combat and an epic story. IN SPACE.<br />
<br />
The big difference between the first three games and the second three? The latter group is willing to let everyone experience their message, willing to take chances, and willing to deviate a bit into fiction while still containing messages that Christians wish to get across: that God is real, that Jesus saves (seriously, Dante's Inferno is a great example of having Christ in a game without ever referencing Him by name) and that these are themes that everyone can understand and process. Christian game developers need to be willing to come out of their shells and take some risks -- including possibly making games that aren't completely squeaky clean, and Christian leaders need to understand that believers can be trusted to play these so-called "wicked" games; if they're really believers, then fictional experiences won't shatter or shake their faith, and if a believer loses faith after playing a video game, then there should be questions over the legitimacy of their belief in the first place.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-56369555520992155372011-10-12T04:24:00.000-07:002011-10-12T04:24:18.061-07:00October 18 is Batman Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.reflexstock.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/batman/2840125224_2e798fd264_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://blog.reflexstock.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/batman/2840125224_2e798fd264_o.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><br />
At least, that seems to be what DC Entertainment may be framing 10/18 up to be. While <a href="http://bluray.ign.com/articles/109/1096031p1.html">Batman: Year One</a> is available now on iTunes and Amazon on-demand, the physical release of the DVD/Blu-Ray is 10/18. Same day as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman:_Arkham_City">Batman: Arkham City</a> for the PS3 and Xbox 360, which is the followup to one of (if not the) best superhero games of all time. Apparently Game Informer, the magazine belonging to GameStop, is <a href="http://gamingeverything.com/interstitial.php?url=http://gamingeverything.com/10356/game-informers-batman-arkham-city-review-is-in/">pretty high</a> on the game.<br />
<br />
Let's just assume that, while DC Universe Online's <a href="http://www.dcuniverseonline.com/free/">Free-to-Play model</a> hasn't launched yet, it may happen on 10/18 as well. After all, DCUO features Batman pretty prominently. You know. Because he's Batman.<br />
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I also wouldn't be surprised if we got a new Dark Knight Rises trailer. <br />
<br />
So, I encourage you, celebrate Batman Day with someone you love. Or, if you want to go the extra mile, celebrate it while desiring vengeance for someone you love who was wronged while completely ignoring the possible physical and <a href="http://thecriticalthinker.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/batman-personality-disorders/">psychological ramifications</a> that show up when you dedicate your life to terrifying criminals.<br />
<br />
As for myself, I plan on playing Arkham City while propping my feet up on a <a href="http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/65/81/29/16/0065812916996_180X180.jpg">Batman ottoman</a>. While wearing <a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lcepv2msBS1qz8sgpo1_500.jpg">one of these</a>.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-58039413592931748532011-09-21T13:36:00.000-07:002011-09-23T08:15:18.817-07:00Geek Cave Episode 12: DC's New 52 and Breaking Star Wars<div><a href="http://thegeekcave.podbean.com/2011/09/21/geek-cave-episode-12-dcs-new-52-and-helping-george-lucas-destroy-star-wars/">http://thegeekcave.podbean.com/2011/09/21/geek-cave-episode-12-dcs-new-52-and-helping-george-lucas-destroy-star-wars/</a></div><br />
Yeah, the title says it all.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-55893853898032905582011-09-15T08:27:00.001-07:002011-09-15T08:27:21.276-07:00Bear Survival<a href="http://theoatmeal.com/quiz/bear_balls"><img src="http://theoatmeal.com/img/quizzes/generated/2_49_seconds.jpg" alt="How long could you survive after punching a bear in the balls?" /></a><br />
<p>Created by <a href="http://theoatmeal.com">Oatmeal</a></p>Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-13078728951467635762011-09-09T13:37:00.000-07:002011-09-09T15:36:43.072-07:00I Smell T-R-O-U-B-L-ESome of you will recognize the title of this post. It's the name of a Travis Tritt song.<br />
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Hopefully, you've seen <a href="http://www.facebook.com/notes/travis-tritt/joplin-mo-911-event/256242861065714">this</a>. If not, go read it now. I'll wait.<br />
<br />
OK, ready? And for those of you who didn't read it after all, I'll sum up events. Travis Tritt was scheduled to perform a concert in Joplin this Sunday (the tenth anniversary of 9/11), partially as a morale booster for tornado victims, and the concert was to be "free." I say "free" because, let's face it, nothing's free. Everything has a cost, especially throwing a concert for a country music superstar.<br />
<br />
Mr. Tritt just happened to find out where that money's coming from: <i>donations to help with Tornado Relief efforts.</i> And he did what any honorable person would've done: he backed out. Good for him.<br />
<br />
Bad for whoever the "City Official" is that offered this money for Tritt to come in the first place.<br />
<br />
I understand that there was the hope/expectation that through sponsorships, the cost of bringing Tritt to town would've balanced out. But as he said himself, that "hope" isn't good enough, especially to those who lost their homes/loved ones in the storm.<br />
<br />
I've only been in Joplin 5 months or so, and I'm ready to come down on someone like a Georgia thunderstorm. I can't IMAGINE how angry longtime Joplin residents must be right about now.<br />
<br />
Let's face facts: I'm a reporter, so it's a duty of mine to be as clear and unbiased as I possibly can. It also behooves me to try and keep up a friendly rapport with officials. However, I'm also a citizen of Joplin, and I wish to express the following as a member of the public:<br />
<br />
I'm <b><i>outraged. </i></b><br />
<br />
Donations to tornado victims are supposed to go to -- wait for it -- TORNADO VICTIMS. Not for entertainment. Necessities. Food. Clothing. Shelter. Things that, almost four months later, people are still doing without.<br />
<br />
Would a concert have been nice? Of course. I planned on taking my wife to it. But not under these circumstances. This is at best a mistake that misuses these funds and at worst <b>flat-out disrespectful</b> to the survivors of the May 22nd EF-5.<br />
<br />
Now, the City has responded to this whole mess: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 15px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“Money from Community Fdn (Foundation) of the Ozarks was used as investment & necessary to secure entertainment for the event. Community members have been seeking sponsorships & it’s anticipated these donations will cover 100% of concert cost. In addition, Text to Give program will be associated with event and proceeds will go directly to the Fdn (Foundation). This event is meant to bring community together as a positive force in moving forward. Our efforts remain solidly focused on rebuilding this community and helping our citizens.”</span></i></span><br />
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While I get what they're saying, I still don't think that makes it right. <i><u>Secure the money BEFORE spending donated dollars, and you won't have this kind of problem.</u></i><br />
<br />
There are even some criticizing Tritt for making this call, saying if he were a "Real American" he'd come and do it for free regardless. I've got news for those people: a REAL American does things legit. They don't participate in things they don't believe in, and don't take advantage of others. Travis Tritt is a REAL American, and I applaud his showcase of morality and wisdom in an age where many performers and "artists" would just turn a blind eye to it.<br />
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If you want to be angry, be angry at whoever made the call to try and pay for the event using DONATED FUNDS.<br />
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God knows <i><u>I</u></i> am.<br />
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**EDIT** The City of Joplin's Facebook page is <a href="http://www.facebook.com/CityofJoplin?sk=wall&filter=1">ON FIRE</a> right now with upset people.<br />
<br />
**EDIT 2: THE SEQUEL** The City's announced that while they did request a loan from the fund, they already had $85,000 to put back into it. Which makes me wonder why they didn't just plan on using that money and not even bother with the loan.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-20478275031110048452011-09-07T05:21:00.000-07:002011-09-07T05:21:32.602-07:00Sweatin' To The GraphicsOK, this may come as a shock, but I'm a bit overweight.<br />
<br />
Really? Nobody's surprised? <i>Huh.</i><br />
<br />
Anyway, when Lori and I saw EA Sports: Active 2 on sale at Wal-Mart for $25 last week, we figured <i>what the heck, it's $25. If it doesn't work, at least we'll have a nifty strap-on heart monitor to show for it.</i> So later that week, I finally got around to setting up a workout program, putting on the three motion sensors (one for each arm and one for your right thigh) and fired it up.<br />
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Oh, man. I was almost dead by the end of the first workout.<br />
<br />
The game provides some specific workout programs, or you can custom-build your own. I went with the 9-week strength builder at first (have since gone with custom workouts for a reason I'll go into later), and I gotta say, I'm impressed. Of course, even Wii Fit has the ability to make one sweat, but the difference here is <i>fun. </i>I was sweating, I was sore, and I was having a good time in the process. The workouts are predictable but move quickly, and the activities (workout games such as basketball, boxing, etc) are varied enough to not get repetitive quickly (unlike Wii Fit Plus's boxing program, which I could practically do blindfolded by the time I gave up on that game).<br />
<br />
Another big selling point is that the game doesn't force you to be humiliated daily by a piece of plastic. Weighing yourself daily is the only way to get a mark for your progress in Wii Fit; that means every time you workout, you stand on the Wii Fit board, it tells you you're fat, you eventually get discouraged at your lack of progress, and you give up. Active, however, pretty much ignores that part. You can enter your weight on a weekly basis, if you choose. You can also ignore it completely, and still get credit for actually using the product.<br />
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Custom workouts are another plus. Yes, this is technically possible in Fit Plus, but it seems to work better in Active 2, at least for me. As I said earlier, I went to building a custom workout after trying the strength building program. Mostly it was because the program wants me to run and jump; two things I'm not necessarily allowed to do since I live on the second floor of an apartment building (and my neighbors wouldn't appreciate a lot of thumping on their ceiling). The variety is very nice, and the fact that you can use music stored on your hard drive (for PS3 and Xbox 360 users) is a big plus... especially when you have hard metal playing during warm-up and cool-down workouts; it just feels MORE AWESOME.<br />
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So as a whole, I like what I see. I'm only a little over a week in, so of course this could just be the honeymoon phase, but I can see myself sticking to this more than Wii Fit, partially because we lost our board, and partially because I don't remember enjoying myself as much with that game.<br />
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Score: B+. Only way this could've been good enough for an A would be if it supported the PS Move for PS3 users; the game does support the Kinect for those Xbox fans out there (again, uncertain on the Wii version's features).Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-36242542637724187952011-09-01T11:39:00.000-07:002011-09-01T11:39:56.945-07:00The Geek Cave Podcast #11: Captain America, GameStop, and DC's "New 52"So... the latest Geek Cave podcast is live. Listen to it now.<br />
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http://thegeekcave.podbean.com/2011/09/01/comics-games-geek-culture-movies/<br />
<br />
You can always download on iTunes using this link right <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/thegeekcave/id330172886">here</a>. (link may not be active yet; give it a day or so if it's not)Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-66759396697706716792011-08-08T06:39:00.000-07:002011-08-08T06:39:17.968-07:00Turning 29 and How to Not Fear 30So I turn 29 tomorrow. Yippee. Truth be told, 28 can go right to Hell. I had an unbelievable amount of stress during my 28th year on Earth, some of which you know of, some I won't get into, so I'm more happy than usual to see my birthday approach.<br />
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I mean, who doesn't like their birthday? People who dislike presents, that's who. Also communists.<br />
<br />
Now, that's not to say I'm particularly thrilled about turning 29. My wife won't be celebrating with me as she's over 5 hours away on a business trip (we celebrated a couple of days ago, but of course it's not the same as having fun on the actual day). I'll be working on my birthday (I know, cry me a river, almost everyone has to). And last but not least, I'll be one year closer to 30, and even further into the supposed threshold of adulthood.<br />
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But I'm not worried about 30. Heck, 30 should be worried about <i>me.</i><br />
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You see, someone wise once said -- or wrote in a webcomic, I forget -- that now that we're the adults, <i>we</i> get to decide what adulthood means... and for me, maybe adulthood means not taking adulthood so seriously.<br />
<i> </i><br />
C.S. Lewis once said <i>"When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up,"</i> and you know what, he's right. We want to be grownups when we're kids, until we find out what that means. And true, being an adult means several things: paying your bills; taking responsibility for yourself, your actions, and those who depend on you; getting a job that allows you to support yourself at least a little; etc.<br />
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But adulthood doesn't have to be all work and no play. Heck, it doesn't even have to be boring. If there's something from your childhood you still enjoy -- be it cartoons, comic books, board games, whatever -- I say keep enjoying it. You're an adult. YOU can decide if you're too old to do this or that (within reason... I'm pretty sure adulthood means no longer sucking your thumb or wearing diapers... unless you're pretty far into adulthood, that is).<br />
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Sometimes people have told me I'm childish or even called me a "man-child" for enjoying comics and video games. Heck, Kathie Lee Gifford <a href="http://www.omega-level.net/2011/07/12/kathy-lee-gifford-says-adult-gamers-are-weird-she-is-a-bastion-of-dumb/">says I should stop playing video games by this time next year or I'm a freak</a>. And you know what?<br />
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I don't care. Because I'm an adult and above name calling. You doodie head.<br />
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So 30 doesn't bother me. It's a number that will soon define how many years I've been providing a daily supply of <u><b>AWESOME</b></u> to the world.<br />
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May there be many more.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-61017200380889912732011-07-28T05:52:00.000-07:002011-07-28T05:52:44.189-07:00The 3DS is in Trouble 2: Price Drop BoogalooSo apparently those 3DS sales are troubling Nintendo more than I originally thought, because they <a href="http://kotaku.com/5825495/nintendo-3ds-gets-sudden-massive-price-drop">just dropped the system's price</a> by $80. <br />
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This also includes 20 free games (10 NES, 5 Virtual Console, and 5 Game Boy Advance) for those who bought the system before August 12th (price cut takes effect then), so early adopters don't feel quite so ripped off. Though they still should, since this shows Nintendo was gouging those most loyal to the company (and thus bought the system when it launched).<br />
<br />
So the question is: why? Well, a couple of reasons...<br />
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Obviously, sales are not what Nintendo wanted to see. They were hoping by now to see the 3DS setting the world on fire, while the actual results are a <a href="http://kotaku.com/5825489/nintendos-hardware-sales-arent-looking-so-hot">little more lukewarm.</a> This price drop, coupled with November and December releases for Super Mario 3DS, Mario Kart 7, and Kid Icarus, could give Nintendo the sales boost they're looking for. <br />
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Secondly, the PS Vita is coming out this holiday season, (then) matching the 3DS' price at $250 and offering a PS3-like experience on the go. Nintendo's move means their system is cheaper than Sony's, and we all know <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Console_wars#Worldwide_sales_figures_5">how that worked out last time.</a><br />
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Thirdly, the drop off of third-party support the 3DS has suddenly been seeing (see my last blog) means Nintendo needs to not only revitalize interest from a consumer perspective, but give other companies reason to want their software on the 3DS. A possible sales surge could do just that, as some developers could be jumping ship because of the current size of the customer base.<br />
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I don't know if it'll work out, but they certainly got my attention (I'll be getting the 20 free games since I bought this bloody thing at launch), and they've gotten the attention of a lot of other people. Only time will tell if the house that Mario built can continue the success they've had in the handheld market since the first Game Boy, or if the 3DS will become the next <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy#Reception">Virtual Boy.</a>Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-71920461064857657992011-07-19T04:16:00.000-07:002011-07-19T04:16:17.637-07:00The 3DS is in TroubleOK, let's look at a few things:<br />
<br />
1) Most expensive handheld Nintendo's ever released? <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nintendo-3ds-do-consumers-have-sticker-shock-2011-3">Check.</a><br />
2) A launch described as "lukewarm" at best and "botched" at ... well not worst, but on average? <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nintendo-3ds-launch-what-happened-2011-3">Check</a>.<br />
3) A series of big-name games suddenly being cancelled? <a href="http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-brief/55765-saints-row-3ds-game-is-canceled">Check</a>, <a href="http://kotaku.com/5822462/mega-mans-3ds-game-bites-the-dust">Check</a>, and <a href="http://kotaku.com/5821445/the-assassins-creed-3ds-game-is-dead-but-some-parts-live-on">Check</a>.<br />
<br />
So... just what's happening to the Nintendo 3DS? The little handheld system with the guts of a Gamecube that all those game makers were gaga over just a half-year ago? True, systems go through low spots all the time, but this is rivaling what happened to the PSP: developers are excited about it, then promptly forget about it once they realize making games for handhelds aren't as easy as they originally thought it'd be. What's left behind were a relatively small collection of great games, and a mountain of crap. The PSP was supposed to beat the DS.<br />
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Looking at the 3DS, I think the PS Vita has a legitimate shot, unless Nintendo turns the tides quickly. Public opinion is the machine's too expensive, many people (including my insurance agent) confuse the 3DS for just another DS (it's not. It's at least twice as powerful), and most people just aren't compelled by the software available and coming up (except for Zelda, Starfox, and Super Mario, two of which are remakes).<br />
<br />
Do I regret my 3DS purchase? No. Mostly because it also plays DS games... but I'm hoping the strong third-party support that WAS promised actually shows up.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-54046001133361413992011-07-13T12:02:00.000-07:002011-07-13T12:12:45.274-07:00Geek Cave Episode 10: New Sound, DC Relaunch, and Green Lantern<div><audio controls="controls" id="auidoplayerhtml5podbeana04c769b957130415732f16cbf33434a"><br />
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<a href="http://www.podbean.com/" style="border-bottom: none; color: #2da274; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; padding-left: 41px; text-decoration: none;">Podcast Powered By Podbean</a><br />
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The new Geek Cave podcast is up. Hey! Listen!!<br />
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Download links:<br />
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<a href="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-download?b=178221&f=http://thegeekcave.podbean.com/mf/web/jky2mk/GeekCave10.mp3">Podbean</a><br />
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<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/thegeekcave/id330172886">iTunes</a> (may not be immediately available, but you can subscribe to the rest while you wait!)</div>Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-24709026355423564842011-07-13T04:17:00.000-07:002011-07-13T04:17:28.982-07:00THIS is How to Get Nintendo's Attention<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/c-_yZvmzLOQ/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/c-_yZvmzLOQ&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/c-_yZvmzLOQ&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><i>Genius.</i>Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-87584516726037794522011-07-12T10:00:00.000-07:002011-07-12T10:00:17.782-07:00Netflix's Gain, Your LossGo read <a href="http://blog.netflix.com/2011/07/netflix-introduces-new-plans-and.html">this post. </a><br />
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Done? OK then. Let me explain why this is a bad thing, no matter how Netflix justifies it.<br />
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I get that companies need to make money. Fine. It's called capitalism, it's something that's a part of doing good business.<br />
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I also understand that sometimes costs go up for businesses. Again, fine.<br />
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I don't get, however, how a company that has been able to provide such services, with few changes and <a href="http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/04/netflix-profit-up/">massive profits</a>, can decide to suddenly slap existing customers in the face by not grandfathering in their most popular plans and instead forcing people to pay more for the exact same service as before. <br />
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Would I be this upset if I weren't already a customer? Probably not. But then, if I weren't already a customer, this would influence my decision on what plans to get.<br />
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Can't I just change my current plan? Based on my tastes, no. A lot of stuff I like isn't available to stream.<br />
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Based on my internet situation, also no. I do enjoy me some streaming. However, I now have a bandwidth cap of 50gb per month, which would be obliterated quickly if I went to streaming-only.<br />
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It's bad enough my utility company continues to do outrageous things (like raising electric rates <a href="https://www.empiredistrict.com/DocHandler.ashx?id=5219">right after a devastating tornado</a>. And thinking about <a href="http://www.newstribune.com/news/2011/jun/09/empire-district-seeks-tally-tornado-costs/">doing it again</a>.)<br />
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It's bad enough that cable and satellite TV just cost too damned much.for little payoff (I'd maybe watch four, five channels. So $50 or more per month for my area, for just basic service, is a little nuts.)<br />
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Now what <i>was</i> one of the best values for entertainment is about to get a little less awesome. I highly doubt their bottom line will suffer much, but I know there are many already considering canceling.<br />
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I wish I could afford to be one of them.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-836003987500732442011-07-07T08:30:00.000-07:002011-07-07T08:30:53.288-07:00The Joplin Tornado, Us, and You<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix"><div>[The following blog was written by both Darrin and Lori, and originally appeared on Darrin's facebook page. Darrin's thoughts are in <b style="color: #6fa8dc;">blue</b>, while Lori's are in <b><i style="color: #e06666;">red</i></b>. When we're both speaking, it's in plain text.]<br />
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<br />
What a difference a month makes, right?<br />
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Never in our lives would we have thought we'd be a part of one of the biggest national stories of the year. And truly, though 158 now have died from the deadliest US storm in 60 years, the aftermath has been nothing short of inspiring. If it's not a story about a miraculous survival, or thousands of people (representing 24 states!) showing up to adopt the hundreds of animals that were left homeless (and they all found new homes, way to go, people!) it's an offer of help, an offer of prayer, an offer of comfort, whether it be from a stranger or a friend. Here we are over a month after a devastating EF-5 tornado that changed everything for a lot of people, including us.<br />
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The night of the storm, we were on our way home from seeing our friends Mel, Justin, Chad, and Elizabeth at Mel and Justin's home in Jefferson City, MO. We were about an hour away from Joplin when we turned on the radio, expecting to hear some of the typical programming, and instead heard News Director (and all-around good guy) Josh Marsh talking about catastrophic damage caused by a tornado. Naturally, we listened more intently.<br />
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Then he mentioned Joplin. We got worried.<br />
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Then he mentioned the intersection where we lived, and how it had been wiped out. THAT hit us. Imagine being kicked in the gut, then forced to run a mile uphill. We sped the whole way home, forced to take a 15-mile detour that cut through some police barricades, avoided others, until we got about two blocks from home and were forced to walk the rest of the way due to the sheer destruction all over. We parked by the School District's offices, which were standing but severely damaged.<br />
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Once we got out of the car, all remaining breath was taken away.<br />
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<div style="color: #6fa8dc;"><b>It was like a bomb had gone off. The sky was red, and angry. Fires smoldered in the distance, and a landscape that just three hours earlier had been filled with beautiful homes, businesses, and landscaping was now leveled. Nothing left. No stone stood upon another. </b></div><div style="color: #6fa8dc;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #6fa8dc;"><b>We trudged up Connecticut Street, moving through what was left of people's homes, over downed power lines, past the odor of gas escaping into the air. When we reached our apartment building, we broke down. It was all gone; the brick base still holding, but two floors above having been torn to shreds and collapsing onto our floor. We knew our home was a total loss, but we had a bigger priority: our cat was still inside.</b></div><br />
<div style="color: #e06666;"><i>After frantically calling for her, searching each side of the building, finding that one corner of the apartment had completely caved in upon itself, Darrin dove headfirst through a shattered window into what was left of our bedroom and somehow made it into the living room, where Kairi was hiding behind a chair, in a soft "cube" we had gotten her. She was dirty, terrified, and completely unharmed. </i></div><div style="color: #e06666;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #e06666;"><i> Darrin shouted to me "I've got her!" I was shocked and managed to yell "You've GOT her?!?" and began to sob as I ran around to the busted out kitchen window. Darrin handed Kairi out the window to me and made his way out. We hugged and had a good cry. Our family was still whole. Darrin soon went straight to work at KZRG, getting information out to those who were in more need than us, doing whatever possible to help, not stopping for a moment to contemplate all that had happened until much later. </i></div><div style="color: #e06666;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #e06666;"><i>That's when the help arrived. </i></div><br />
<div style="color: #6fa8dc;"><b>Mel, Justin, Elizabeth and Chad offered to come down to Joplin instantly... the night of the storm, once hearing we were OK, they had bags packed and were ready to come. They hit town the next day, flanked by Justin's amazing dad J.D. With their help, we were able to save a few items from our home, got temporary shelter for Lori and Kairi, and had the first assurances that it would be OK. They even had a care package prepared for me, with comic books and Superman DVDs (the essentials, of course). </b></div><div style="color: #6fa8dc;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #6fa8dc;"><b>Co-workers I had barely known before were now united, standing side-by-side with me, offering whatever they had to spare. </b></div><div style="color: #6fa8dc;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #6fa8dc;"><b> News organizations from across the world - from NYC to England, from New Zealand to Canada - reached out to me as well as several others on our staff. Yes, they wanted the story, but they also wanted to know two things: 1) "Are you OK?" and 2) "How can I help?"</b></div><br />
<div style="color: #e06666;"><i>There is no easy answer for the destruction and lives that were lost. We don't always understand why God allows terrible things to happen. But when asked where God is we can answer that God is here and His hand can be seen through the many miraculous stories of survival, sacrifice, help, and love that is being shown to us and numerous others who were impacted by the tornado. Seeing God's hand when we experience good times is easy. When faced with loss and destruction it takes faith to keep seeing Him. </i></div><br />
We have received generous gifts from friends, former co-workers, and complete strangers. We have felt the power of tons of people praying for us. A nationally syndicated radio show that our group of stations carries personally sent each staffer who had lost a home cash. They didn't know us; yet they showed us love anyway. Friends organized efforts to donate to Joplin rebuilding, as well as our personal replacement of all we had lost. Chad's church collected a LOT of stuff to donate, and I know many of you also did the same. They - YOU - didn't have to help, yet did anyway.<br />
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This is the definition of hope. This is the definition of love. This is the definition of humanity. When tragedy strikes, we prove that deep down, it's not about politics. It's not about who has more and who has less. It's about us. It's about helping one another. Loving your neighbor. Doing unto them as you would have done unto you.<br />
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It's love. It's hope.<br />
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<i><b>And it's all because of you.</b></i><br />
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From the bottom of our hearts, you have done more for us than we ever thought possible. More than we could ever repay. Whether you prayed, donated to the relief efforts, or gave to us personally, you are eternally in our thoughts and prayers, and we will NEVER stop being thankful for you.<br />
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You're the reason we can move on with our lives. And you're the very first thing we thank God for every day.<br />
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<i><b>Thank you.</b></i></div></div>Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6337796561278492825.post-25958126651497642852011-07-06T07:31:00.000-07:002011-07-06T07:31:02.812-07:00Sometimes, Whining WorksWas gonna save this for a <a href="http://thegeekcave.podbean.com/">Geek Cave</a> recording this weekend, but can't help myself... I HAVE to go into more detail here.<br />
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As you were probably aware, the PlayStation Network was taken down by hackers a while back. Once Sony restored everything, they threw out <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/06/03/welcome-back/">some free perks</a> for customers that were (rightfully so) miffed over the loss of online play for around a month. Those free perks included a free month of PlayStation Plus and your choice of up to 4 free games (two for PS3, two for PSP).<br />
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The only catch? You had to claim these within 30 days. Heck, they even <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/07/01/public-service-announcement-claim-your-free-games-now/">reiterated the date</a>. Surely, that was enough time, right? Who'd be stupid enough to wait until after the deadline passed to claim so much free stuff? <br />
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<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/07/01/public-service-announcement-claim-your-free-games-now/comment-page-4/#comment-612081">Oh.</a> <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/07/01/public-service-announcement-claim-your-free-games-now/comment-page-3/#comment-612051">Right.</a><br />
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So after gamers who were paying NOTHING to play online complained about their OWN failure to download FREE content, Sony <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2388026,00.asp">extended the deadline</a>, catering to those slothful, wimpering few who didn't have ten free minutes over the past 30 days to at least log in and claim the rewards (they could be officially downloaded later).<br />
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Sony, I think that was a mistake. Like a cranky two-year-old in a grocery store that finally does get that candy after making a scene, those gamers have received the same message that kid's parents send to it:<br />
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"Make a big enough stink, and we'll give you whatever you want so you'll shut up."<br />
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Mark my words, this will come back to bite you, Sony.Darrin Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00903346736314629954noreply@blogger.com0