As usual, I've got lots to write about, but never get around to it. The Fan part of being a "Fandad" has taken a back seat to just being a dad. Going to class, taking care of the kids, spending time with the family, it's a lot to do and it doesn't leave me with a whole lot of free time. The little free time that I do have is usually spent trying to level up in SWTOR or chasing another prestige level in MW3. That being said, I have neglected our blog, and I'm going to try to do better in that regard. Anyway, where was I?
To buy or not to buy, that is the question. Well, MY question is, should I get the Call of Duty ELITE deal? I do most of my playing on the PC (ahh PC v. Consoles, that's a whole other post I'll get to) and I've been waiting to see if they ever roll out the ELITE program for the PC. However, the 360 version just went down in price and I had an Amazon gift card so I said why the hell not. I can't remember the last time I bought a game on multiple platforms, in all honesty I think it was probably MW2, but I digress. One of the reasons I purchased it on the XBox is because I have a lot more friends playing it on LIVE than I do on Steam. Tonight I tried getting into a game with someone and I didn't have the maps they were using. I immediately went to the marketplace and I was about to download them, but then I started contemplating purchasing the ELITE deal.
I'm usually not a sucker in the sense that I don't purchase a lot of DLC. I did buy the Gears of War 3 season package, it seemed like a good deal at the time, but I haven't even played that game in months. So was it all that good of a deal? Knowing my luck, the minute I purchase ELITE, it'll be rolled out for the PC. Anyway, that's the dilemma, the fifty bucks it costs isn't anything to scoff at, I could buy a whole new game with that. (Granted, it'd be another game I'd have no time to play, but you get my point)
I'd like to hear your thoughts and comments, help me decide! (I'll probably end up buying it, I am a sucker I guess...lol)
-Gil
What Happens When Two Fanboys Become Dads?
Showing posts with label Gil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gil. Show all posts
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Monday, June 6, 2011
Microsoft Announcements
Hey everyone, I'm busy being more of a dad and less of a fan, but I was able to watch the Microsoft special today and I just wanted to touch on a few of the announcements/demos while the little monster angel is taking a nap.
The Kinect demos were quite impressive, the games looked interesting and it actually looked responsive. I might have to cough up the dough and get one this summer. I was especially intrigued about being able to scan in objects and use them in the virtual world. Baby Serafina in a fighting game? Yes please! How would you feel about getting beat up by a ten month old, lol. Throw yourself in Halo and those post victory umm...let's say cups of tea, start feeling just a bit more uncomfortable.
I really liked seeing how the voice recognition stuff worked, the Ghost Recon demo using Kinect was awesome. I'm sold. Modern Warfare 3, Gears of War 3, the New Tomb Raider, lots of stuff was demoed. The new Fable game didn't do much for me, but we'll see how it turns out.
Well, E3 has just begun and if you asked me it started with a bang, can't wait to see what else these brilliant minds have in store for us. Oh by the way, is it a good thing that names like Peter Molyneux, Cliff Bleszinski, and Dan and Sam Houser are like household names to me now?
Have fun with all of the E3 news!
- Kinect
- HALO HD
- HALOs 4 through 6
- MW3
- Gears of War
- Fable (The Journey)
- GHOST RECON
- MISC
The Kinect demos were quite impressive, the games looked interesting and it actually looked responsive. I might have to cough up the dough and get one this summer. I was especially intrigued about being able to scan in objects and use them in the virtual world. Baby Serafina in a fighting game? Yes please! How would you feel about getting beat up by a ten month old, lol. Throw yourself in Halo and those post victory umm...let's say cups of tea, start feeling just a bit more uncomfortable.
I really liked seeing how the voice recognition stuff worked, the Ghost Recon demo using Kinect was awesome. I'm sold. Modern Warfare 3, Gears of War 3, the New Tomb Raider, lots of stuff was demoed. The new Fable game didn't do much for me, but we'll see how it turns out.
Well, E3 has just begun and if you asked me it started with a bang, can't wait to see what else these brilliant minds have in store for us. Oh by the way, is it a good thing that names like Peter Molyneux, Cliff Bleszinski, and Dan and Sam Houser are like household names to me now?
Have fun with all of the E3 news!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Homefront
The reviews of Homefront haven't been too kind. Some people are complaining about the graphics, others are disappointed with the length of the game. I know that it isn't a Halo killer, and it didn't blow anyone's mind, but after playing it through and spending sometime playing it online I have to give it my seal of approval.
For the sake of those of you that haven't played it, I won't spill too many details, but it gets you into the story from the start. I found myself having visceral reactions to what was happening on the screen. The story is good, maybe even a little too hard to watch at times. I feel that Homefront does a good job of pulling you in, I know I wanted some payback early in the game. Yes, the story is short, but is that such a bad thing? Quality over quantity right? Do you really want long, drawn out missions just for the sake of shooting enemy soldiers? I think the story is just right, it gives you some closure, a sense of accomplishment, but it definitely sets things up for a sequel or DLC.
Multiplayer is fun, nothing to write home about, but in my experiences it isn't as full of glitchers or campers as some other FPS are. I'm not the greatest FPS shooter, which frustrates me in most games when playing online, but Homefront is actually fun and I can hold my own. The points you can accumulate also add another interesting dimension to online play. Even if you haven't been pulling your weight, you can always save them up for something big and help out your team in the clutch.
Overall, Homefront is pretty much what I expected, hopefully this is the beginning of a new franchise, if for no other reason than finding out how this story ends. That's why I think you should check Homefront out, if for no other reason than finding out how the story begins...
-Gil
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Home is Where the War Is.
I'm not a fan of horror movies. I'll watch some for the hell of it, for the fun factor, but I think most people watch them because they like to be scared. I guess that's why I'm not a fan, other than the occasional jump scene, they don't scare me much. Really, I'm more afraid of having to get up in the morning than possibly encountering a machete wielding murderer. The only movies that could give me a scare were the ones that seemed plausible. The Day After, Red Dawn, even films like The Road, told the type of stories that I could get into.
That's why I've been eagerly awaiting Homefront by THQ. First off, the game is written by John Milius, who co-wrote Apocalypse Now and wrote Red Dawn. They had me at Red Dawn, but then they worked with ex-CIA intelligence officers to work on a plausible storyline. Without getting into too much detail, Homefront basically takes place in the late 2020's, and a unified Korea is invading the country. (Can you say "Wolverines!") A lot of things had to happen in order for this to occur, including gasoline hitting $20 a gallon, but the more I read about the fictional story and timeline, the more I find myself thinking that this could happen.
IGN put up a good article about the game today and the Wikipedia article does a good job of summing the game up. I can't wait to get my hands on Homefront, I'm totally sold, the only question I have now is what platform to get it on.
That's why I've been eagerly awaiting Homefront by THQ. First off, the game is written by John Milius, who co-wrote Apocalypse Now and wrote Red Dawn. They had me at Red Dawn, but then they worked with ex-CIA intelligence officers to work on a plausible storyline. Without getting into too much detail, Homefront basically takes place in the late 2020's, and a unified Korea is invading the country. (Can you say "Wolverines!") A lot of things had to happen in order for this to occur, including gasoline hitting $20 a gallon, but the more I read about the fictional story and timeline, the more I find myself thinking that this could happen.
IGN put up a good article about the game today and the Wikipedia article does a good job of summing the game up. I can't wait to get my hands on Homefront, I'm totally sold, the only question I have now is what platform to get it on.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Thoughts of an Evolving Fandad.
"I ain't no perfect man, I'm trying to do the best that I can, with what it is I have." Mos Def
It's a new year. It's that time where everyone makes resolutions, promises or lists of the things that they want to accomplish in the new year. That time of year where everyone wants to start fresh and feel like they're actually doing something positive in their lives. That time of year where we all want a new beginning.
It's a new year. It's that time where everyone makes resolutions, promises or lists of the things that they want to accomplish in the new year. That time of year where everyone wants to start fresh and feel like they're actually doing something positive in their lives. That time of year where we all want a new beginning.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Say It Ain't So
I know I've been slacking on the blog, I hope to sort of "relaunch"it in the new year, we'll have to come up with something. We're getting as bad as TV, a season ends and you don't get new content or episodes for months, sometimes for a year. I know, I know, that's the definition of a season, still though, sometimes you don't ever get new episodes.
Case in point, they canceled Terriers, it was a great show with a good cast. But the ratings sucked and the advertising campaign was just kind of confusing. It sucks, you spend so much time following a show, getting to know the characters and then it's gone. FlashForward, Heroes, Deadwood, Firefly, and many more left us way too soon. There have been some stories of shows coming back from the dead, Futurama and Family Guy for example, but those are rare exceptions.
It makes it kind of tough for people to give new shows a chance. Comedies are different, they're either funny or they're not. There aren't any cliffhangers and you can miss an episode or two and jump right back in. However, when you're investing time into a thriller or a drama and they leave you hanging, it feels like you've wasted a lot of time watching something with no conclusion.
As bad as most reality shows are, at least you get a winner at the end of every season. I don't know, maybe I'll stick to watching movies, heh.
Speaking of disappointing decisions in regards to television, why G4, why? Nothing against Candice Bailey but I'm on team Haislip.
Gotta run, I can hear my little monster starting to wake...
- Gil
Case in point, they canceled Terriers, it was a great show with a good cast. But the ratings sucked and the advertising campaign was just kind of confusing. It sucks, you spend so much time following a show, getting to know the characters and then it's gone. FlashForward, Heroes, Deadwood, Firefly, and many more left us way too soon. There have been some stories of shows coming back from the dead, Futurama and Family Guy for example, but those are rare exceptions.
It makes it kind of tough for people to give new shows a chance. Comedies are different, they're either funny or they're not. There aren't any cliffhangers and you can miss an episode or two and jump right back in. However, when you're investing time into a thriller or a drama and they leave you hanging, it feels like you've wasted a lot of time watching something with no conclusion.
As bad as most reality shows are, at least you get a winner at the end of every season. I don't know, maybe I'll stick to watching movies, heh.
Speaking of disappointing decisions in regards to television, why G4, why? Nothing against Candice Bailey but I'm on team Haislip.
Gotta run, I can hear my little monster starting to wake...
- Gil
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Ten Weeks
A couple of days ago.
This morning.
-----
Ten weeks.
Ten weeks until what? (I may have been watching the World Cup, or hunting down a member of the bandito gang at the time, I don't remember)
Umm...until BBC is born. (B.B.C. stands for baby babycakes, long story but it's a cutesy nickname we came up with for our baby, I mean what do you call your baby before you know whether it's a he or she? It? Sounds mean, doctors kept saying "baby", that sounded generic)
(Beat) Oh $#!%
This morning.
I couldn't sleep last night.
What's wrong?
I had a little panic attack I guess.
(At this point I go on about how much we have to do, visit the hospital, take classes, etc. I freak out just a little bit)
What about when we have to walk the dogs and I'm all by myself and the stupid dogs have to go out and no one is around whatamIgoingtodo??
You can leave her sleeping and just swaddle her...
What the f@$% is a swaddle?
(now she's just laughing at me, I'm half sobbing at this point, and I'm half-kidding about it)
You're worried about swaddling? That's the last thing you should be worried about.
(She says something like that, or it's the least I should be worried about, which doesn't make me feel any better. She's laughing at me at this point)
-----
So, I'm going to be a father in about ten weeks or so. To my daughter I'd like to say...
Good luck kid.
-----
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Video Game Week on Late Night
I know I've been horrible about updating, but this will be quick and cool news. Next week Jimmy Fallon is going to have a "Video Game Week". They're going to show Microsoft's (360) Kinect, Killzone 3, and Call of Duty: Black Ops, along with some other games. For more details click here.
-Gil
-Gil
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Ultimate Geek Dad Giveaway!
It's doesn't have anything to do with us, but we thought that if you're reading this blog, you'd probably be interested in Think Geek's Ultimate Geek Dad Giveaway. Follow the link for more info and good luck!
PS-Think Geek is an awesome store and is a great place to buy dads and soon-to-be-dads *cough* *cough* cool gifts.
PS-Think Geek is an awesome store and is a great place to buy dads and soon-to-be-dads *cough* *cough* cool gifts.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Get Your Game On.
I guess the Fan Dads took the weekend off, but rest assured, we are back and better than ever. Or at the very least we're back.
If you're reading this blog I think it's pretty safe to assume that you like the Internet. Odds are, you like games as well, so I thought I'd write up a quick post about some of my favorite online games. All of these are free to play, but some ask for support or have ads. Support the ones you like if you can. Without further adieu, let's play!
A great site to start with is Neave.com. Not only do they have awesome versions of Frogger and Space Invaders, but they also have Snake. Do you remember snake, or games like it? It used to be on older cell phones, it is simple, but it is addictive. Canabalt is another game that has will have you hooked. It's like PK or Parkour meets prison break, 8-bit style. If you feel like slowing things up a bit, try your hand at Uncle's Old Times. It's a strange game, but something different to check out if you've got a bit of patience, and possibly a strange sense of humor.
Looking for something a bit more...existentialist or Kafkaesque? Try Before the Law, it'll only take you a couple of minutes. Small Worlds is another fun game. I played a while ago and recently stumbled across it again, and I'm glad I did. Oh and how could I forget Bloons? My wife and I were hooked on that a long time ago. For those of you on Facebook, there are tons of games, but the one that I spend my time one is a Risk clone called Attack. Check it out if you're a fan of Risk.
One more site I'd like to mention, although it isn't game related per se, is Stumbleupon.com. It is a great site/service that's completely free and gets better the more you use it. I've come across a lot of great sites by using it. Look for me on there if you decide to give Stumbleupon a look.
Well, I think I'm done for now, I see some 'bloons that need to be popped!
If you're reading this blog I think it's pretty safe to assume that you like the Internet. Odds are, you like games as well, so I thought I'd write up a quick post about some of my favorite online games. All of these are free to play, but some ask for support or have ads. Support the ones you like if you can. Without further adieu, let's play!
A great site to start with is Neave.com. Not only do they have awesome versions of Frogger and Space Invaders, but they also have Snake. Do you remember snake, or games like it? It used to be on older cell phones, it is simple, but it is addictive. Canabalt is another game that has will have you hooked. It's like PK or Parkour meets prison break, 8-bit style. If you feel like slowing things up a bit, try your hand at Uncle's Old Times. It's a strange game, but something different to check out if you've got a bit of patience, and possibly a strange sense of humor.
Looking for something a bit more...existentialist or Kafkaesque? Try Before the Law, it'll only take you a couple of minutes. Small Worlds is another fun game. I played a while ago and recently stumbled across it again, and I'm glad I did. Oh and how could I forget Bloons? My wife and I were hooked on that a long time ago. For those of you on Facebook, there are tons of games, but the one that I spend my time one is a Risk clone called Attack. Check it out if you're a fan of Risk.
One more site I'd like to mention, although it isn't game related per se, is Stumbleupon.com. It is a great site/service that's completely free and gets better the more you use it. I've come across a lot of great sites by using it. Look for me on there if you decide to give Stumbleupon a look.
Well, I think I'm done for now, I see some 'bloons that need to be popped!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Marvel's Always Trying to Keep a Brother Down
The Punisher is and pretty much has always been my favorite comic book character. I've never been a fan of the "leaders" or the really super powered heroes. I mean what's the point? Is it really bravery or heroic if you're bulletproof, can fly, blow stuff up, throw cars into the air, and shoot lasers out of your eyes? I don't know, I've always been more into the more "realistic" heroes. Batman, Punisher, Spider-man, I know, I know he's got powers but he also has a lot of real world problems and shit just never seems to go his way.
I also know the Punisher's more of an anti-hero, and in some stories and according to some heroes, he's a straight up villain. I just think his reasons, his motivation, is second to none. His methods can't be argued against, well the results can't be argued against, I mean why lock up the Rhino for the 100th time, you know he's just going to get out again. But I digress...I'm here to tell you all about the greatest, and by greatest I mean worst, issue of The Punisher ever. Maybe.
I know Marvel and DC, hell comics in general love messing with characters. Retcon-ing storylines, killing characters and bringing them back to life, but has anyone been f'ed with as much as poor Francis Castiglione. First off, they throw him into Vietnam, then after going through that, he comes home only to see his family murdered in front of his eyes. Okay, so we needed that for him to become the Punisher, fine. He kicks ass for a while and then they kill him off. Or he kills himself off if I remember correctly. He comes back as a weirdo angel and that doesn't last long. He's back to being himself for a while again. Now in the last year he gets sliced and diced by Wolverine's son only to be brought back to life as a friggin' Frankenstein...err...Frankencastle monster. (That storyline is actually pretty good)
Anyway, in the middle of all that, this might be the worst thing that they've done to the Punisher.
No, it's not that they made him black you jerks, it's that they put him in this story. I mean, the whole pigment thing is pretty stupid but whatever. If I remember correctly a few issues later it kind of just wears off or something. Oh before this he was cut up by his buddy Jigsaw and somehow a junkie in a first aid station fixed him up, but let's just move on...
Before this particular issue Frank had been blackmailed by the Kingpin, thrown in jail, and cut up by Jigsaw. He escaped, but went on the run, Microchip hooked him with some ex-junkie/hooker/plastic surgeon who fixes Frank up. However, the Kingpin is still after Frank so he decides to head to...as he puts it...to "Chi-town."
Ugh.
Really Marvel? Okay maybe he would have called it Chi-town even if he was still white or an angel or whatever. Moving on...
So Frank drives about nineteen hours straight to get to Chicago. The hooker/junkie/doctor gave him some speed if he needed it, but do you think that the Punisher is going to use trucker's speed, hell no, he's too hardcore for that. However, he's not hardcore enough to keep from dozing off and getting pulled over by...Alabama's finest?
Now remember, this is supposed to be Chicago. Granted this takes place about twenty years ago, but it's still Chicago. In 1991.
Although 1991 was the year Rodney King got beat down, hmm...maybe the writers were trying to make some kind of point?
I think my scanner is also trying to make a point, the most racist parts got edited out, but basically the cop pulls Frank over for swerving and asks him for his ID. Frank doesn't have any so he just keeps quiet, at this point the cops says, and I am not joking:
What's the matter, boy? Cat got your tongue?
Maybe the coon's got his tongue!
Answer me when I'm talkin' at you son!
You know the Punisher isn't going to take that crap from anyone. He gets into a melee that he's not going to win, but as luck would have itPower Man, Luke Cage...er...I mean Cage shows up and saves the day.
They get the hell out and head to the South Side. Frank passes out for a while, I guess major plastic surgery, driving for nineteen hours, and getting beat down by cops can do that to you. He wakes up, tells Cage that he recognizes him, and then makes him an offer he can't refuse.
Cash money? Umm...is it me? Maybe it's me, I don't know, maybe I'm reading these lines with some sort of bias or prejudice, but I don't know. There are a few more in this issue, Frank starts out every other sentence with man. Man, I just want to keep them away from the gangs. Man, this used to be a fine hotel. Or maybe Frank is just trying to act or talk the way he thinks he needs to or perceives...hmm...I don't know. Anyway, moving on...
The deal is, Frank knows about a stash at some hotel. Full of guns and money. Cage gets the "cash money" and Frank gets the hardware. Cage reluctantly agrees, they battle some El Rukens or El Rubens, depending on who you ask or what page you're on, and they make it to Frank's stash. Problem is that the money is long gone, but the guns are still there. Cage got played and he's not too happy about it. However, he needs some backup cleaning up the 'hood and I guess the A-Team is too busy or whatever so he makes another deal with Castle.
Let's rock. I don't know what else to say, oh notice how there's like duct tape all over where his skull usually is. I'm speechless. I know that I bought this comic when it originally came out so I must have the next issue somewhere. The only reason I read it this week is because it was one of the free comics my dealer gave out on Saturday. Well, I think I've wasted enough of your time but I'll leave you with another doozy from this issue.
-Gil
I also know the Punisher's more of an anti-hero, and in some stories and according to some heroes, he's a straight up villain. I just think his reasons, his motivation, is second to none. His methods can't be argued against, well the results can't be argued against, I mean why lock up the Rhino for the 100th time, you know he's just going to get out again. But I digress...I'm here to tell you all about the greatest, and by greatest I mean worst, issue of The Punisher ever. Maybe.
I know Marvel and DC, hell comics in general love messing with characters. Retcon-ing storylines, killing characters and bringing them back to life, but has anyone been f'ed with as much as poor Francis Castiglione. First off, they throw him into Vietnam, then after going through that, he comes home only to see his family murdered in front of his eyes. Okay, so we needed that for him to become the Punisher, fine. He kicks ass for a while and then they kill him off. Or he kills himself off if I remember correctly. He comes back as a weirdo angel and that doesn't last long. He's back to being himself for a while again. Now in the last year he gets sliced and diced by Wolverine's son only to be brought back to life as a friggin' Frankenstein...err...Frankencastle monster. (That storyline is actually pretty good)
Anyway, in the middle of all that, this might be the worst thing that they've done to the Punisher.
Before this particular issue Frank had been blackmailed by the Kingpin, thrown in jail, and cut up by Jigsaw. He escaped, but went on the run, Microchip hooked him with some ex-junkie/hooker/plastic surgeon who fixes Frank up. However, the Kingpin is still after Frank so he decides to head to...as he puts it...to "Chi-town."
Ugh. Really Marvel? Okay maybe he would have called it Chi-town even if he was still white or an angel or whatever. Moving on...
So Frank drives about nineteen hours straight to get to Chicago. The hooker/junkie/doctor gave him some speed if he needed it, but do you think that the Punisher is going to use trucker's speed, hell no, he's too hardcore for that. However, he's not hardcore enough to keep from dozing off and getting pulled over by...Alabama's finest?
Although 1991 was the year Rodney King got beat down, hmm...maybe the writers were trying to make some kind of point?
I think my scanner is also trying to make a point, the most racist parts got edited out, but basically the cop pulls Frank over for swerving and asks him for his ID. Frank doesn't have any so he just keeps quiet, at this point the cops says, and I am not joking:
What's the matter, boy? Cat got your tongue?
Maybe the coon's got his tongue!
Answer me when I'm talkin' at you son!
You know the Punisher isn't going to take that crap from anyone. He gets into a melee that he's not going to win, but as luck would have it
They get the hell out and head to the South Side. Frank passes out for a while, I guess major plastic surgery, driving for nineteen hours, and getting beat down by cops can do that to you. He wakes up, tells Cage that he recognizes him, and then makes him an offer he can't refuse.
The deal is, Frank knows about a stash at some hotel. Full of guns and money. Cage gets the "cash money" and Frank gets the hardware. Cage reluctantly agrees, they battle some El Rukens or El Rubens, depending on who you ask or what page you're on, and they make it to Frank's stash. Problem is that the money is long gone, but the guns are still there. Cage got played and he's not too happy about it. However, he needs some backup cleaning up the 'hood and I guess the A-Team is too busy or whatever so he makes another deal with Castle.
Let's rock. I don't know what else to say, oh notice how there's like duct tape all over where his skull usually is. I'm speechless. I know that I bought this comic when it originally came out so I must have the next issue somewhere. The only reason I read it this week is because it was one of the free comics my dealer gave out on Saturday. Well, I think I've wasted enough of your time but I'll leave you with another doozy from this issue.
-Gil
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
My mind has been blown.
"But it’s the gameplay that’s really changed. First, you’re asked to don a headset, almost as if you’re playing Modern Warfare 2. It’s unsettling and weird, at first. But then you get it. You’re the quarterback and what’s coming through the headset is similar to what comes through the helmet of, say, Jets phenom Mark Sanchez. The offensive coordinator is suggesting a play given the situation on the field."
Wow! I don't think I've been this excited about a Madden game for a long time. Do yourself a favor and read the article and then come on back!
See! What did I tell you? It sounds sweet, the team getting off the bus, (off the bus running if you're the Bears according to Lovie) and the stadium progressively getting filled. *drools*
Madden is one of those games that has a special place in my heart, and my wallet. Yes, I am one of those suckers that gets it every year, regardless of how much I've been warned. Some years it has failed, but it's Madden, you have to get it. I mean, Madden day should be a holiday, for reals. Surprisingly I can't find any examples of them at the moment, but some of the ads for Madden Day have been awesome. If I remember correctly some were about missing husbands/boyfriends and people missing work, heh.
It's not only that I'm a huge football fan, but I've got a lot of history with Madden. In high school we'd all would rush to my cousin's house after school or practice to get some games of Madden in. Everyone had their teams, I had the Bears, my cousin was always Detroit, and we had friends who were the Falcons, Eagles, Broncos, Raiders, and Buffalo. We'd have tons of people playing at my cousin's house and it was always a blast.
In later years it became a staple of Sunday mornings. Everyone would watch football at another cousin's house and most of us would get there a bit early and play Madden before the weekly NFL games. Some of these contests would get amazingly heated, I remember one game where one of our friends demanded a rematch and anted up a hundred dollar bet. Playing two on two was especially interesting. "What the hell are you doing!" "Noooooo!" "Mother#$%!$@!"
During the holidays we'd play a tournament to see who would be the family champ. I even got a trophy made one year, the magnificent "Hoyne Street Cup". (It's like six inches tall, heh) In the last couple of years we haven't been playing as much, this past year I think we busted out the Magic cards but that's a whole other story. That being said, if Madden 11 lives up to the hype, I think Thanksgiving and Christmas just got a little bit more interesting.
Madden 11 is set to release on August 10th for the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PSP.
Wow! I don't think I've been this excited about a Madden game for a long time. Do yourself a favor and read the article and then come on back!
See! What did I tell you? It sounds sweet, the team getting off the bus, (off the bus running if you're the Bears according to Lovie) and the stadium progressively getting filled. *drools*
Madden is one of those games that has a special place in my heart, and my wallet. Yes, I am one of those suckers that gets it every year, regardless of how much I've been warned. Some years it has failed, but it's Madden, you have to get it. I mean, Madden day should be a holiday, for reals. Surprisingly I can't find any examples of them at the moment, but some of the ads for Madden Day have been awesome. If I remember correctly some were about missing husbands/boyfriends and people missing work, heh.
It's not only that I'm a huge football fan, but I've got a lot of history with Madden. In high school we'd all would rush to my cousin's house after school or practice to get some games of Madden in. Everyone had their teams, I had the Bears, my cousin was always Detroit, and we had friends who were the Falcons, Eagles, Broncos, Raiders, and Buffalo. We'd have tons of people playing at my cousin's house and it was always a blast.
In later years it became a staple of Sunday mornings. Everyone would watch football at another cousin's house and most of us would get there a bit early and play Madden before the weekly NFL games. Some of these contests would get amazingly heated, I remember one game where one of our friends demanded a rematch and anted up a hundred dollar bet. Playing two on two was especially interesting. "What the hell are you doing!" "Noooooo!" "Mother#$%!$@!"
During the holidays we'd play a tournament to see who would be the family champ. I even got a trophy made one year, the magnificent "Hoyne Street Cup". (It's like six inches tall, heh) In the last couple of years we haven't been playing as much, this past year I think we busted out the Magic cards but that's a whole other story. That being said, if Madden 11 lives up to the hype, I think Thanksgiving and Christmas just got a little bit more interesting.
Madden 11 is set to release on August 10th for the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PSP.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Music Review - Rise Up
Wow what a coincidence! It's April 20th and both the new Cypress Hill CD and Cheech and Chong DVD dropped today! Amazing. That's right, the new Cypress Hill CD, Rise Up, hit shelves today. Being a long time fan of the Hill, I immediately picked it up. It's been a few years and I was looking forward to giving it a listen.
Let me start by saying that a lot of the songs had a "lo-fi" feel to them. It works on some songs, on others, not so much. There are a lot of great guest artists on the album. Tom Morello, Mike Shinoda, Everlast, Mark Anthony, and Pitbull just to name a few. I wasn't aware that Evidence and the Alchemist were also on the record and I was pleasantly surprised to see them on the fourth track, "Pass the Dutch". If you're not familiar with them, stop reading this and pick up some Dilated Peoples records, right now.
Yes, there are references to marijuana on this record. There are also sketches by Cheech and Chong. If you've heard a Cypress Hill album before you know what you're getting yourself into. The Morello songs are good ("Rise Up" and "Shut 'Em Down") but nothing special, it's like they really wanted them to be these epic, kick ass songs, but they kind of just fall flat. Besides they've done it before on Skull and Bones, and they did it better.
"Carry Me Away" is one of the better tracks on the album, it works. "Armanda Latina" seemed like a bad idea at first. It's the song that's been playing on the radio, so you may have heard it. Marc Anthony, really? Well, it might be the best song on the album. B-Real flows on it, the hook works, and it's catchy. A bit pop-ish, sure, but Cypress Hill has always been right on the edge.
I'm not a music critic by any means, so take this all with a grain of salt. I'm also a little bias as Cypress Hill is one of my favorite bands, so I'm going to have to give it...wait a minute. Stars won't work, that's played out and it's not the Fandad way.
So, as much as it pains me, I'm going to give Rise Up, 2 four sided dice out of 4.
-G. Real
Let me start by saying that a lot of the songs had a "lo-fi" feel to them. It works on some songs, on others, not so much. There are a lot of great guest artists on the album. Tom Morello, Mike Shinoda, Everlast, Mark Anthony, and Pitbull just to name a few. I wasn't aware that Evidence and the Alchemist were also on the record and I was pleasantly surprised to see them on the fourth track, "Pass the Dutch". If you're not familiar with them, stop reading this and pick up some Dilated Peoples records, right now.
Yes, there are references to marijuana on this record. There are also sketches by Cheech and Chong. If you've heard a Cypress Hill album before you know what you're getting yourself into. The Morello songs are good ("Rise Up" and "Shut 'Em Down") but nothing special, it's like they really wanted them to be these epic, kick ass songs, but they kind of just fall flat. Besides they've done it before on Skull and Bones, and they did it better.
"Carry Me Away" is one of the better tracks on the album, it works. "Armanda Latina" seemed like a bad idea at first. It's the song that's been playing on the radio, so you may have heard it. Marc Anthony, really? Well, it might be the best song on the album. B-Real flows on it, the hook works, and it's catchy. A bit pop-ish, sure, but Cypress Hill has always been right on the edge.
I'm not a music critic by any means, so take this all with a grain of salt. I'm also a little bias as Cypress Hill is one of my favorite bands, so I'm going to have to give it...wait a minute. Stars won't work, that's played out and it's not the Fandad way.
So, as much as it pains me, I'm going to give Rise Up, 2 four sided dice out of 4.
-G. Real
Monday, April 19, 2010
C2E2
I spent all of Friday walking around visiting vendors and artists. I met Max Brooks and got him to autograph my copy of World War Z. I also talked to one of my all time favorite artists/authors/creative geniuses, David Mack, for a while. I ran into a few familiar faces and saw pretty much everything there was to be seen. I was there all day and I left exhausted. I parked over a mile away, I figured that I could spend the $19 it cost for parking on better things, but on the way back to the car I started to regret it.
Saturday afternoon I met up with Victor and some of his friends. He also had his baby Sofia with him. That was an interesting experience and a glance of sorts into my future. Not that he was the only one pushing a stroller through the traffic, I was happy to see a lot of people and couples carrying babies, pushing strollers, and chasing toddlers. Unlike other venues or events, no one looked twice and none of it seemed out of place. Strollers and Stormtroopers side by side.
I was also planning on playing Magic on Saturday. A new set of cards, Rise of the Eldrazi, is coming out next week and there were prerelease events going on everywhere including C2E2. I registered and our event started about 1:00. I wasn't too excited with the cards I ended up getting, but I made a playable deck and entered the fray. After everything was said and done I did not fare too well, I ended up with a 1-3 record, but I did win a booster pack of cards and I got to see and play with the new set. So overall, I really couldn't complain. That was enough excitement for one day and I headed out for dinner with the wife, I kept smelling Connie's Pizza all day Friday and Saturday so we went there for dinner. I wasn't going to pay nine bucks at the con for a slice and a pop!
The next day was going to be interesting. I was bringing my wife Melissa and my nephew Rex along with me. It was Kid's Day at C2E2 and they had events lined up especially for kids. Kids could take pictures with their heroes, learn to draw, and make comics, along with other activities.Once again, I was getting a taste of what lies ahead for me in the near future. My nephew was very excited, he called his grandma (my mom) the night before to tell her he was going to meet Spider-Man. He was telling his parents that he was going to say "Hello Peter Parker!" (I was wondering why he'd want to reveal Spider-Man's secret identity and put him and his family in danger, but I guess a three year doesn't look at the big picture) Rex was even up at six in the morning ready to go. Of course as soon as we got there he changed his tune. He's kind of shy at times and I think the masks scared him at first. We ran into Thor, some Stormtroopers, and Darth Vader at first. Admittedly, to a three year old, those could be a bit scary. It took us a while but we finally found Spider-Man and it made his day. He loosened up and started enjoying himself as the day went on.
It was also nice to expose my wife to the madness. It's always a little scary to bring someone into your world, obviously my wife knows who and what I am, (nerd!) but comic book conventions can be a little...unique. That being said, she enjoyed herself. She especially liked Artist's Alley, there are such talented artists out there, and she was really impressed by their work.
After a couple of hours all of the excitement and walking started wearing us down. We took a look at a few more things, I snapped a couple more pictures and we started our journey home.
C2E2 was a great weekend and a fun event. I was reminded of great memories from the past, and gave me a glimpse of my future. It made me think, and inspired me to write some more, but I'll leave that entry for another day...
-Gil
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Genesis of Fandads: Origins
"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." - 1 Corinthians 13:11
There are tons of inspirational quotes out there, just Google inspirational quotes or type in "words to live by" and you'll get over half a million results, but this passage from the bible is one of my favorites. If I'm not mistaken Cereal Killer even quotes it in Hackers. (which if you haven't seen, you should, at the very least just to check out Angelina Jolie)
I guess it resonates with me because I'm not sure if I've ever been able to "put away childish things". I may interpreting it too literally but I still derive a great deal of joy from video games, comic books, movies, and other kinds of gaming. I also know that I am definitely not the only one. Being a "geek" has definitely become more mainstream. Lance Briggs of the Chicago Bears is an avid comic book reader. The Big Bang Theory is one of the most watched shows on television. Several movies based on comic books are made every year and most are quite successful at the box office. I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this, maybe I'm still trying to rationalize why I spend time and money buying books about a monkey hitman. (from the pages of Deadpool in case you were wondering)
I know what you're thinking, well you might be thinking; did he mean a hitman who only kills monkeys or a monkey who happens to be a hitman? (it's a monkey who is a hitman, btw) Sorry I'm rambling now, what you really might be thinking is what is this all about? It's about an idea, to start a blog about geeky stuff and about being a dad. Raising a child and working on this whole being a "adult" thing without forgetting how to have fun. I know it's been done, there are tech blogs and geek blogs, and geeky dad websites, but what the hell, everything's been done before. Maybe we can do it a bit differently.
We? You noticed, good for you. Along with me for the ride is Victor Aragon, he's my Obi-Wan, I'm his Padawan learner. I'm Peter Parker to his Uncle Ben, or something like that. He's already entered the realm of fatherhood, and is a fellow geek. He's also been working on a comic and some other things that will fit in nicely on our little website. Along the way we'll have polls, forums, photos, comics, reviews, and a whole lot of other content.
I think that about wraps things up, except for something I sort of hinted at. I too will soon be a daddy. My wife is due in August. Wish me luck, I know my kid's going to need it, his dad's kind of an idiot.
-Gil
There are tons of inspirational quotes out there, just Google inspirational quotes or type in "words to live by" and you'll get over half a million results, but this passage from the bible is one of my favorites. If I'm not mistaken Cereal Killer even quotes it in Hackers. (which if you haven't seen, you should, at the very least just to check out Angelina Jolie)
I guess it resonates with me because I'm not sure if I've ever been able to "put away childish things". I may interpreting it too literally but I still derive a great deal of joy from video games, comic books, movies, and other kinds of gaming. I also know that I am definitely not the only one. Being a "geek" has definitely become more mainstream. Lance Briggs of the Chicago Bears is an avid comic book reader. The Big Bang Theory is one of the most watched shows on television. Several movies based on comic books are made every year and most are quite successful at the box office. I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this, maybe I'm still trying to rationalize why I spend time and money buying books about a monkey hitman. (from the pages of Deadpool in case you were wondering)
I know what you're thinking, well you might be thinking; did he mean a hitman who only kills monkeys or a monkey who happens to be a hitman? (it's a monkey who is a hitman, btw) Sorry I'm rambling now, what you really might be thinking is what is this all about? It's about an idea, to start a blog about geeky stuff and about being a dad. Raising a child and working on this whole being a "adult" thing without forgetting how to have fun. I know it's been done, there are tech blogs and geek blogs, and geeky dad websites, but what the hell, everything's been done before. Maybe we can do it a bit differently.
We? You noticed, good for you. Along with me for the ride is Victor Aragon, he's my Obi-Wan, I'm his Padawan learner. I'm Peter Parker to his Uncle Ben, or something like that. He's already entered the realm of fatherhood, and is a fellow geek. He's also been working on a comic and some other things that will fit in nicely on our little website. Along the way we'll have polls, forums, photos, comics, reviews, and a whole lot of other content.
I think that about wraps things up, except for something I sort of hinted at. I too will soon be a daddy. My wife is due in August. Wish me luck, I know my kid's going to need it, his dad's kind of an idiot.
-Gil
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)