Procrastinating in the Heat

What would make me get a PS3?

Almost six months have passed since the PS3 was launched and currently struggles against the Wii and the Xbox 360. There have been a lot of reasons from gamers why they haven’t made the jump. Too expensive. No games. And let me think..no games. Yes, that’s it. There wasn’t one launch title I wanted in my room or I was even remotely interested in playing.

It was only good as a Blu-ray disc player. And not that many living rooms in the world have Hi-Def TV sets in their homes. Where was the Metal Gear Solid 4, Final Fantasy 13 (yes they just released 12 last year, I can wish can’t I?), Gran Turismo HD? The only reason why I got the PS2 way back when was the fact that GT3 came out. At the time, that was the most I had spent on a gaming console ever. You got to admit, it’s pretty hard to let go of your $600 cold hard earned cash on something you’re not going to be happy with.

But after GDC 2007 I’ll say only three words. Little Big Planet.

At first it looks like a Nintendo game but it turns out that it’s on the PS3. The music is catchy, I can make my own design levels. Think Pikmin in the real world but with four players and the ability to design levels. Plus the levels that you make can be shared with other PS3 users and you can rate them and download them for FREE without having to PAY for it (can you hear me Micro$oft?).

The same goes for Sony Home, that place (and I do mean a real 3D environment where you can interact with your friends in virtual space and see everything that is available to see and bring back to your home.

Yes Ace Combat 6 will be coming out on the 360. Another big hop from a Playstation exclusive into Xbox territory, and Blue Dragon coming out soon it seems that the Xbox is a better choice at this time. But all the innovative games are with the Wii and now PS3.

It seems that the console wars are just about to begin.

2007: 04/08
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: videogames
TAGS: PS3
xbox360
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Wii rules!!!!

I finally got my Nintendo Wii after weeks and months of waiting. All this time I had been playing over at my cousin’s house to get my fix of Wii sports and stuff. Finally I got one for myself. I even bought my component cables from the Virgin Megastore at the Champs Elysee in Paris last January when I was there.

Anyway, it was breeze to setup and within minutes I was serving in Wii Sports. I downloaded the updates and for while there I forgot the world of my Xbox 360 and was totally engrossed with the Wii.

I immediately created my Mii and finally played the two Wii games I already bought even before I had the console, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Trauma Center: Second Opinion. Having played Trauma Center on the DS, the Wii version was much easier and the storyline was much better.

I now switch in between my 360 and my Wii. While waiting for Besieged in FFXI Online (currently the only MMO I play) I get on Wii Sports and get a workout in boxing, bowling and tennis.

I know for some people, bowling on the Wii is quite boring. On the contrary, it’s quite challenging. The hand movements actually affect the movement of the ball. Much the same in Wii Tennis and all other other sports games. The only thing I don’t like about the game would be Wii Golf. It’s nothing like real golf nor does it try to even guess the swing height. Maybe EA’s Tiger Woods golf will do better.

All in all, I’m very satisfied with my Wii. It provides me with a different kind of game genre that is mostly overlooked by Sony and Microsoft. It’s perfect for the casual gamer or people who are looking more from their DS.

I’ll post more when I’ve gotten far with my Wii games.

2007: 04/06
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: Uncategorized
TAGS: Bowling
Boxing
Tennis
Wii
Wii Sports
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Golden Flowers of Zhang Yimou

Just last weekend, I decided to watch Zhang Yimou’s new movie translated in english, “Curse of the Golden Flower”. Here is re-united with his former muse, Gong Li and showcasing his new skills in Mandarin, Chow Yun-Fat.

I must admit the only thing that made me want to watch the thing movie was the fact that Gong Li was back. After “House of Flying Daggers” I was afraid to go back to the movie house. His style of filmmaking has changed dramtically since gaining western producers/ distributors for his recent films, notably “Hero” and HOFD. He was no longer the low budget artist (low budget by Hollywood standards) who told his story visually without the need of Wire-Fu martial arts and big name Asian actors to star in his movies. His movies had become, commercial. But his last two films, “Riding Along for Thousands of Miles” and “Curse of the Golden Flower” seems to break that streak of Hollywood.

Visibly noticeable from the opening sequence is the amount of cuts he uses, which is consistent throughout the entire movie. We are instantly drawn into the Imperial Palace of the latter part of the Tang Dynasty. We are not intruders, nor are servants to the palace. But the audience is treated like guests. We are there to witness all the intrigue and the ceremonies that surround the lives of the Imperial family of the time. Camera work is precise, not one frame out. Not one image out of place, the movement of every scene is well rehersed as if everything had already been scripted.

Zhang Yimou brings out the life of his characters by their mere eyes and hand gestures. This is most apparent in Gong Li’s performance. Her contained passion and anger is effortlessly portrayed on screen. Most of the film is on her anyway. But that is not to discount Chow Yun-Fat, who in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” had to memorize his lines since he was fluent in Cantonese, but not in Mandarin. That is not the case here. Here he pulls off probably one of his best performances all the while combing his beard.

I can’t say anything more about the movie without giving away the plot details, but it is a must see. Maybe we can see a glimpse on what the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics will look like.

2007: 02/12
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: movies
TAGS: asian cinema
Review
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YouParkLikeAnAsshole.com

site where people can post pictures of people parking like assholes. Check out the asshole SUV taking up 3 spots!

I love this site!!! it has happened to you before. The one and only empty parking space has been hogged by someone who cannot park right. This is long overdue. I’m printing out those forms and start tagging all those cars whose owners can’t seem to park or even have the decency to park right. Parking is a privilege.

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2006: 12/20
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: stuff
TAGS: rants
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Gears of War and the Xbox

I finally gave in last weekend and bought Gears of War for the Xbox. It seemed like a nice game. But I was a bit hesistant to cough up the $60 to buy the game. I had gotten so used to the usual $50 with previous consoles so the price seemed a little bit steep for me.

Just to give a little perspective, I’m a Japanese console fan. I own both the PS2 and the Gamecube, PSP and the DS I didn’t give the original Xbox my time or my money. Until Final Fantasy XI Online came out for the Xbox.

I had been playing the game for around 2 years now and solely on the PS2. I started to think, “What would I do if my console suddenly broke down?”. That scared me into buying an Xbox.

My search for an Xbox is another story, let’s just say I was playing FFXI the whole time since May until December. I did buy Oblivion and Project Gothan Racing 3 along with it but it didn’t really earn my time on the console other than FFXI. That is until GOW came out.

I had read the reviews and heard my cousin raving about it but I coudn’t really see why. I never liked playing shooters on the console due to it’s lack of control compared to a mouse and keyboard. I played Halo on my Mac and it was satisfying enough. But not enough to convince me to get it on the console.

I checked the reviews again and listened to my cousin and since there was no Wii in stock that I could buy, I finally gave in and flopped the cash for what could be “The Game of the Year.”

I must say it is awesome. Console shooters require a little more help with the controls and GOW does it. It’s quite easy to get into the game and the difficulty is just right for people who aren’t used to console shooters. If anyone had any resistance (no pun intended PS3), buy it now and you wont be disappointed. Just as long as they don’t release it as a greatest hits version in the next year or so. It’s worth the console and it’s worth the game.

Now to see if another Xbox game comes along that will stop me from playing my FFXI and GOW. Until the Wii comes out, I’m out fragging.

2006: 12/11
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: videogames
TAGS: ffxi
gears of war
xbox360
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Universal to seek money for each iPod sold

And so it begins. Universal Music Group exec Doug Morris told the Reuters Media Summit that his company is interested in receiving a cut of the profits from each iPod sold.

I know it’s been a really long while since I blogged so here it goes. No content maker should charge the very medium of it’s products for a “cut” of the profits. I mean Why???

Do movie studios get a cut off each DVD player or TV sold? Do TV networks get a cut off each TV or VCR sold? This is ridiculous. The “tax” is based on the assumption that every iPod or portable media device is purchased for the sole purpose of pirating music. Microsoft seems to admit to that fact since they started the whole thing of giving Universal Music a cut off each Zune sold. Doesn’t that also imply that everyone who buys their products will pirate music. I would feel insulted that people already imply that I pirate music. Wait a minute, it’s not even implied, not even suggested, it’s a given fact. You can have your Zune. And your “cut”. I’m not going to be insulted by greedy music companies who don’t know what change is.

That is a sad thing. Where the music industry has gone. It’s one thing to go after pirates. It’s another to start taxing a product that has reinvigorated the entire music industry. I mean, where were they? I ditched my cassete tape since the quality was lousy. I went to CDs but the thing skipped when I played it in the car or when I go walking. The only place where I could listen to my music was at home or in my computer. Then the iPod came along. Now I carry all my tunes in my iPod and more. I am more inclined to buy albums online than in retail stores since it’s too far and the computer is right there.

Say no to this “tax”. Go ahead and pull out of the iTunes Store. Let’s see who’ll buy your music now. Probably pirates.

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2006: 11/29
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: gadgets
TAGS: apple
ipod
nbc
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Schumacher announces retirement

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher will retire from Formula One at the end of the season.

The end of an era. No matter what anyone says about him, he has still made his mark in Formula 1 and in autoracing history. No other driver has ever been as sucessful as him. There are a few who made their mark in their sport. There’s Michael Jordan, Pete Sampras, Tiger Woods, Richard Petty, Mario Andretti and one Michael Schumacher. It’s quite sad when a sporting great retires but they have to someday.

Another driver will come along and win championships and win races but they will always be measured by those who have come before him (or her).

I can still remember the day when Ferrari finally won the Driver’s and Constructor’s championship in 2000 in Suzuka, Japan. The races when Michael came back to win the race from dead last. His signature leap on the podium when he wins a race and the joy of the faces of the “tifosi” when he wins in Italy. The emotional moments when he chose to race and won even when his mother just passed away. The time when he passed Aryton Senna for the most wins, a press conference where he spent most of the time crying and Mika not wanting to talk to the press. And of course, the day when he announced his retirement.

Just as he did today.

Next year will be a new chapter for Formula 1. Kimi will be in red. Alonso will be in the silver car. A new season of possibilities. But for now, we have to savor the moment while he’s still in the car. Beacuse it will be a very long wait for someone with his talent to come along once again.

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2006: 09/10
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: stuff
TAGS: racing
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Can we finally get back to work?

Congress has finally dismissed the second impeachment complaint against Philippine President Arroyo with a unanimous vote of 173-32-1.

This was the first major issue Congress tackled since it was formally opened by the President just last month.

According to the Philippine Constituition, another impeachment case cannot be filed within the same year the first one was cast.

Now the opposition has a year to file another one. Can we finally get back to work?

But on the eve of an election year, I seriously doubt that would happen. We are about to see all of the grandstanding and publicity moves up until the elections next year. And we’ll never get anything done. I wish congress will prove me wrong.

Prove me wrong for once. I want to be surprised that they will pass the anti-terror bill. I want them to start debating about digital security, copywright and internet privacy. That they will finally pass laws that will matter.

Stop with the bickering and media grandstanding. File those claims of election fraud in the proper venue. That is why we have the courts. That is not the job television.

There’s a lot of work to be done. The president has started. Now can congress?

2006: 08/24
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: Uncategorized
TAGS: rants
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Games Industry is ‘Failing Women’

The videogames industry is continuing to fail women by not producing suitable content, a senior executive at Electronic Arts (EA) has said.

EA meet Nintendo. It seems that Nintendo has the pulse of women when it comes to games. The Nintendo DS has brought more women to gaming than EA. I will admit that I do not have exact scientific figures for it but it brought my sister to gaming. She was a gamer when the games are there. But she never really caught on the Sims or Sim City or any other game for that matter. I’ve had a lot of the modern consoles, PS1, PS2, Gamecube, PSP, Xbox360 and DS but she didn’t play as much as I did until Nintendogs came out. She bought her own DS and games. Now she has her own collection of DS games apart from my own. Who says women are not into gaming?!? They just haven’t made the right game.

Game developers have been too busy with “trends” and the “in” thing and have completely forgotten about being innovative and fun. Which in the first place games are supposed to be. Nintendo has never been afraid to do that even if they did lose out big to Sony in the past. But apparently it’s paying out now. DS sales are higher than PSP sales everywhere. Most of my friends who went out and bought PSPs are switching to the DS. For me, games have to be what they’re meant to be. Fun. As long as it’s fun, you’ll get the sales and women will digg it too.

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2006: 08/22
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: videogames
TAGS: rants
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Electronics import tariffs in 5 ASEAN countries to be abolished

Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand will soon enjoy low prices on electronics.

It’s about time. For years they have put taxes on imported electronics, basically everything. So the prices that US consumers enjoy are not necessarily passed on to other countries. The Philippine government puts as much as 25% tax on computers on top of the local tax. Take Intel processors for example. These chips are made in Malaysia or in the Philippines, it is prohibited to sell these chips locally. So what happens is that these chips leave the country and come back and sold at a higher price.

I applaud the ASEAN for doing the right things. They’ve already lost a lot of ground to China and India in terms of IT development and sales. I hope this boosts the industry and I’ll expect a cheaper iPod in the near future. Like really near.

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