FredEffinChopin

Sketch Online - It's Pictionary online. What else is there to say? I can't stop playing it. Chess.com - It's pretty similar to the site Gameknot, where you have several games going at a time (the amount depends on your subscription, I believe on both sites you get 5 simultaneous games with a free account), with set intervals between moves. There is no Gameknot app, so I picked this up and I must say I'm impressed with the interface and features. Their subscription fee is a bit hefty, but the most expensive one gives you access to their entire collection of chess videos and tutorials. I'm gonna wait a bit and see if Gamefly releases an app since I already pay them, but if not I may find myself making a switch in the future. For now I play this on the phone, and GK on the PC. Always up for new consistent people to play with if anyone on here uses either service. Chess.com - GordonLiu Gameknot - Pristinesneakers

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but it's possible someone still might give a dam. I only recently got my first Android phone, and one of the first things I searched for was the emulator I used to use on PC, SNES9x. It was there, free, and works like a charm. Customizable, ad-free, and with my favorite feature intact, the ability to slip into fast-forward mode, which is invaluable when grinding away in a JRPG. Also for what passed for cutscenes back then. It would be nice if you could choose to set the FF key to hold/toggle, but I'm sure that'll come in a future update. I should also mention that the product description claims that SNES9x is what SNESoid, Tiger SNES, and "many others" are using commercially, under different names. It notes that SNES9x has a non-commercial use license, and should not be sold or used to show ads. Seemed relevant, given Dean's comment above about one of the paid emulators being taken away in the future. I don't know much about how/when the use of these licenses is enforced, but this seems relatively safe from being snatched from you before you can finish Secret of Mana yet again. And if not, there is no money lost at least.

Come on, don't quote me out of context so that you can spark the discussion you feel like having. If you want to talk about something bring it up on your own, but I never called out Luke or that article as being particularly sensationalist, though at very best the article was premature, given the fact that it had to be edited fairly quickly after it was posted. My comments about sensationalist journalism in regards to the comment I quoted were pretty clear if one reads them, and I admitted not having much knowledge or interest in this particular story. I'd disagree slightly with your view of what constitutes sensationalist journalism though. I see sensationalist writing from Kotaku and other game sites as more like {headline} "Microsoft is now tracking your every move on the internet!" with a picture of Big Brother, while the article is about anonymous user statistics being collected on XBL the same way they are by countless programs that people use on a daily basis. To sensationalize is to blow completely out or proportion. This has become standard procedure for many game sites, Kotaku included (especially even). What's worse than the sensationalism alone in my eyes, is the fact that they will drag that nothing of a story on for days or weeks with their followups to something that was never worth mentioning in the first place. Also, I'd be hard pressed to recall an ARG that wasn't used for marketing. I'm not sure why people are acting like they're pulling the curtain back on the Wizard with this one. Not to de-rail, sorry.... I really don't have any kind of stance of Valve one way or the other, which is likely the reason why my agreement with that comment may come off as strange to those following this story. Since I'm more or less ignorant on the topic though, and since it's a de-railer, I'll keep most of my opinion on it to myself.

I don't visit Reddit, and I don't even really visit Kotaku anymore, with the exception of an occasional link click from this thread for a chuckle. My knowledge of this Valve ARG has been only peripheral, which is to say I've caught snippets from headlines while browsing game news. I thought the comment was a good one though, not just for this particular story (or at least my limited knowledge of it), but for non-stories that get reported on that people only talk about because of how hard gaming sites push it as a story in the first place. I often feel like sites take the smallest rumors, run with it, blow it out of proportion, and then write articles later on about how the rumor was false and why, or in Kotaku's case 8 follow-up editorials. Huge whoop over literally nothing. While the Valve ARG was going to be relatively big news regardless of how or whether or not Kotaku posted it, I do think there is something to be said for all the people who got hyped on the possibility of early Portal 2 because of the article mentioned in the comment I quoted, and other articles like it. Again, I don't know much about the story or the article, but I found a truth in the comment that I found pretty satisfying when applied to other articles I can recall that are results of the type of sensationalist journalism Kotaku seems to favor more and more as time moves on.

Great reply here by thesinginghatchet: "I'm sorry Luke, but being upset over this is preposterous. Nobody put a gun to anybody's head and made them play (many pretty awesome) games. As far as I can tell, it was sites like Kotaku hyping the idea that people would get the game early. Can you really complain that "... people bought ... games... in the belief that in doing so they'd really get to play one of the biggest games of the year a day or two early" after Kotaku ran the headline "We Can Unlock Portal 2 Early"? I know you didn't write that article, but acting like this is all Valve's fault for misleading people and torturing and manipulating them (GLADOS's specialties, I might add) with (simply amazing) games like Defense Grid and Amnesia is nothing short of ludicrous. The goals of the promotion were never defined, and people went with it anyway - totally bolstered on by gaming media. If you're looking to point the 'manipulative' finger - which I think is misplaced in any scenario - then it should be right back at Kotaku Tower. I love you guys, but that's a totally off base accusation." Right in the fucking balls. Are you completely unaware that Kotaku does stuff like this purely for hits and heated discussion (which equals more hits) ? Yeah, I am. Any particular reason you bring it up? *edit am aware

Great reply here by thesinginghatchet: "I'm sorry Luke, but being upset over this is preposterous. Nobody put a gun to anybody's head and made them play (many pretty awesome) games. As far as I can tell, it was sites like Kotaku hyping the idea that people would get the game early. Can you really complain that "... people bought ... games... in the belief that in doing so they'd really get to play one of the biggest games of the year a day or two early" after Kotaku ran the headline "We Can Unlock Portal 2 Early"? I know you didn't write that article, but acting like this is all Valve's fault for misleading people and torturing and manipulating them (GLADOS's specialties, I might add) with (simply amazing) games like Defense Grid and Amnesia is nothing short of ludicrous. The goals of the promotion were never defined, and people went with it anyway - totally bolstered on by gaming media. If you're looking to point the 'manipulative' finger - which I think is misplaced in any scenario - then it should be right back at Kotaku Tower. I love you guys, but that's a totally off base accusation." Right in the fucking balls.

Wow, really? Considering the fact that they write a story every time someone uses Kinect to make a fractal image in a screen-saver change color, I'm surprised they're badmouthing it.

Ok, that's the last straw. I've been debating that game for a while. Reviewers were generally not crazy about it, but the more I hear from people on the internet who have played it, the better it sounds. *shoots over to Amazon*

My current rotation is Rock Band 3 (demolishing the pro-drum leaderboards, if I may brag for a second), Killzone 3, Tomb Raider: Underworld, and Yoostar 2. 3D Dot Game Heroes and Auditorium HD are on the backburner, along with several others that went on the "I'll get back to it soon" list a long time ago. hopefully I'll get back to them eventually. I think I've already emotionally resigned from the final Vanquish challenge. I tell myself I will try it again and beat it, but I'm lying. I should give it back to Gamefly already.

A tech demo technically, but still. I've never been floored by a trailer the way I was by this thing. The fact that the game was actually awesome when it came out (4 years later) was a totally unforeseen bonus. Plus, she got the role!! That made the trailer amazing all over again when I realized that.

This is one of the more annoying timed exclusives. An HD re-release, really? How fucking petty can a bloodsucking corporation get? ....Nevermind that question.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCz8PNvABO0 The whole thing of course.

That's a rough one to answer. As I moved through the story mode I did a whole lot of bitching, mainly about the controls and how they often didn't seem to work quite as intended. While I loved the visual setting, enjoyed the characters, and wasn't repelled by the storyline (though not exactly roped in either), I'd have to say that the game at times came off as more of a cautious endeavor, not quite as robust as I'd have liked, but rather a promise of a strong future to come, sort of like the first Assassin's Creed. There were definitely some memorable moments, some from repetition, though several just from being exciting from a presentational and gameplay standpoint. While the controls sort of clicked for me at some point while going through the (sometimes mercilessly frustrating) time trials/speedruns after the game was complete, I can't say that they will ever click for most people who don't have the patience to sit and struggle with the game like the way I did. People shouldn't have to work that hard or rely on chance for basic functions to perform as they are supposed to, this was a serious shortcoming on the part of the game. Anyway, to answer simply: I enjoyed it a lot eventually, but I can't say I recommend the game to just anyone, or that I even think it's that great. A bit of a flawed execution, but still worth it if one is willing to put the work in.

The article linked in the OP indicates it. Also some time in 09 it was announced that a small team was working on it. M'sE? No, that doesn't look right either. MxE? For all you straight-edge people?

If that's the case then color me thoroughly fooled. My hats off to one of the most successful and concise troll attacks I've ever seen. Wow.

My apologies if those posts linked are to people on here or friends of theirs. I also understand that people may agree with one or more of those comments, but the point is to show what type of interaction this setup promotes.

I'm not proud to admit it, but I've still been popping in every couple of days or so, and I've noticed an interesting side effect of their new design. Some of the most insensitive and ignorant replies to an article are often featured, and they are often made by Kotaku's hand-picked team of internet moderation specialists (starred commenters), trained in the fine art of deciding which types of comments are suitable to be shown on an article so that readers don't have to sift through garbage. The irony is so complete that I don't think it could be written better, the whole thing is a recipe for internet slapfights. That redesign really is a bad look, in more ways than one. I'm sure this has something to do with it too. I feel for the guys who are trying to stick with it.

Vanquish. I thought the hard mode was brutal, there were definitely moments that seemed impossible.... It's nothing compared to the challenges though. Not all of them really, challenge 4 is what I'm getting at here. For the first time in my life I've been stuck in the same exact spot of a game for three straight days. It's so tempting to let this platinum go, but I'd never forgive myself for being defeated that way. *sigh* Tonight will be so frustrating.

Woops, haha thanks for the heads up, not sure how I missed that. I'm glad that it isn't 100% official yet, even though it doesn't sound terribly promising. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I love this

My vote is going to VI for sheer quantity of memorable moments (considering I first played it like 20 years ago), but it's really nearly a draw between VI and VIII for me as far as how much I enjoyed the first play-through. VII and X follow those very closely. Believe it or not, in terms of combat XIII is the one that truly won my heart. I'm gonna go duck for cover now.

*pours out some malt liquor* What a crying shame. People told me not to get my hopes up for this, but back when I heard the sequel was already being worked on I felt that it was a pretty certain we'd get it. I mean if it seemed like a worthwhile endeavor at the time, .... Not that much has changed in the industry since the first game released. If they publish any military FPS this year I'm going to be annoyed.

*Reserves spot for when Beyond Good & Evil 2 gets cancelled* I know it's been said several times that it's in progress, it's just been so long with so little news... I guess I'm getting myself prepared for the worst. Ouch, I just noticed the "Mirror's Edge 2 is canned" thread. God dammit, I had a feeling that was going to happen. I had a lot of fun with the first one, it only needed some tweaking. I had hoped for part 2 to do what Assassin's Creed 2 did for that series. Oh well, guess I'll have to deal.

I've cried at games a little more than I'd like to admit.... Except I'm admitting it. I actually can't recall which have done it off the top of my head though. The only one I remember was the FFVIII ending, when Squall encounters himself as a child. I'm such a sap.