Another News Story

Sorry, forgot to cheek with the trusty TeamXbox...

Annual 2004 Top 10 Video Game Titles, Ranked By Units Sold
-------- ----
1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
2 Halo 2
3 Madden NFL 2005 (PS2)
4 ESPN NFL 2K5 (PS2)
5 Need For Speed:
6 Pokemon Fire Red W/Adapter
7 NBA Live 2005
8 Spider-Man: The Movie 2 -
9 Halo
10 ESPN NFL 2K5 (XBX)

Total sales this year was close to 10 Billion...thats a lot. Note that GTA did beat Halo2...but its been out longer as well. Also...note that Halo 1 was in the top ten...that an amazing feat for a game made all the way back in 2001!

Daily News Round-Up

Lotta news today, so I thought I'd sum it all up in one post for today...

-EA gets ESPN-This one struck me as odd...I suppose ESPN sold out on VC, the makers of the 2K series of games. EA just continues to gather up all this huge companies and take over the market, like a big fat guy takes over the all-you-can eat bar. I seriosly don't know about this... EA already had the NFL, so I geuss this is only "for the better"

-MSN puts RSS on My.MSN- Nice, a tad bit slow, but nice integration. I alreadly lilke my RSS reader (Pluck), but, for the common man, this should get more people into the whole RSS thing because MS is behind it...they seeem to do that to people.

-Another MS Thingy, the Anti-Spyware-I know its has been out for awhile and really isn't new news in itself, but I DL it today and ran it for the frist time. It didn't pick anything up...

-NFL on youe iPod- This is kinda new news...I know iTunes had something similar, at least last week or so. But I doubt this will catch on. The fact that it isn't live will just hold it back too much to make it even a contender. I can't speak for everyone, but whats the point of listening (not even watching, mind you) a game you probably alreadly know the result of. Untill they can get instant downloads using WiFi (or airport)...radio will remain ahead in this one.

-Lastly, in a late news report-Incubus is playing Halo2 on the "Game with Fame" thing...but its another one of those contests, not a luck of the matchmade game thing...you have to enter, then get placed on their FL.

Did you cheek out VGN yet?

If not, go right now! Their podcast is awsome, and their reveiws are even better. But, best of all, they give free games! This weeks its some PC strat game...go now!

LINK for main site

LINK for podcast

LINK for RSS feed

Thats alotta Nickles

This story stuck me as down-right odd. Read it here.

Where'd they all go? Of coure the driver looks like the guy, but still, why nickels? Quaters would be easier...but then the dollar coin would be the most profitable...imagine if it was pennies!

Whats Up With The Halo2 RSS Feed?

Bungie's had a hard time with stats this month. First the entire Rumble Pit stats get erased at the start of the new year, the now-infamous 2K5 bug. Then the sie goes crazy. Then it shuts done altoghter. Now, the RSS feed is, well, going crazy as well. Here's what its spewing out...every second:

Arranged Game: None on Unknown
Game played at Wed, 12 Jan 2005 22:41:44 GMT
Playlist: Arranged GameNone on Unknown
Gamertag (Team): Score, Kills, Deaths, Assists
hello (0): 12, 12, 1,
0goodbye (0): 1, 1, 12, 0

Thats odd, isn't it? Its not like Im pissed at Bungie, no. But they have had one rough month havn't they. Maybe they are up to something...something on Halo2?

Thanks Guys!

Recieved news today that a free game is in the mail for me!

The cool guys over at VideoGamenews.com have a really cool system set up...just write them a letter about games, and you could win one!

I received Full Spectrum Warrior...this week its Amazing Island for the GameCube. Give it a shot!

Their podcast is also pretty good (R-Rated)

StarDrummer's STAR Awards 2004

Its that time of year...when everyone seems to be making little lists that try to sum up the year in a few awards. It really dson't, but its still fun nonetheless. Here's my 2004 STAR Awards.

Console of the Year
Xbox
Runner-up: GameCube

New Device
Nintendo DS
Runner-up: iPod Photo

Best Online Game*
SC:PT
Runner-up: R63:BA

Best Offline Game*
KOTOR II
Runner-up: Fable

Best Graphics
Halo 2
Runner-up: Ninja Gaiden

Best Gameplay
Halo 2
Runner-up: Burnout 3

Best Controls
Halo 2

Best Star Wars game:
KOTOR II
Runner-up: Battlefront

Best PC Game
Half Life 2
Runner-up: WOW

Best PS2 Game
GTA: San Andres
Runner-up Dog's Life, MGS3

Best Gamecube Game
Metriod Prime 2
Runner-up: None (?)

Best Console Add-on
Donkey Konga (GC)
Runner-up: Xbox Media Extender, PS2 HDD

Best Xbox Game
Halo2
Runner-up: Burnout 3, SC:PT

Game of the Year
Halo 2
Runner-up: Half Life 2

Best Developer
Bungie (for Halo 2)
Runner-up: Valve (For Half-life 2)

Best Publisher
Microsoft (For Halo 2)
Runner-up: LucasArts (For KOTOR II)

Best DLC
PGR2 Maps
Runner-up: R63 Maps

And now, the bad awards
Worst Developer
Tie: UBIsoft/Atari (For SC:PT and Driv3r)

Biggest Flop
Driv3r

Worst Add-on
Xbox Live Arcade

Worst DLC
SC:PT

(Note: Halo2 was not included in best online game or best offline game because it was winner of the GOTY award. It recived higher marks then those that did win that catagory, but, I didn't want Halo 2 to win everything, so the GOTY award now superceeds all other awards...so it comes in like 0 place in all applicable ctagories...lol)

Tomorrow: The STAR awards for all non-videogame stuff, including:
Best TV Show
Best Movie
Best new Blog
Biggest News story of the year
Best Book

...and more!

SC:PT Content Now Free

The previously Permuim DLC for Splinter Cell:PT is now free.

This is good news to all of you who never paid the 5 bucks for the maps.

For those of us who did (myself included), this is just another way UBI is ripping us off. I used to like UiSoft...they used to make good games. Now, I really don't. The release a game full of bugs, and then never ever fix it.Same with Black Arrow. They try, sure, but n the end, they do a half-ass job of "trying" as the real problem is never fixed.

This is why people love Bungie so much!

My Game List

Being its been like 5 months since I last posted this...and I now have a totally changed collection, I thought you all could use an updated list.

Heres what they are, from most played to least.
Halo2
Burnout 3
SW Battlefront
Call of Duty: FH
Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow
Splinter Cell: PT
Bicycle Casino
PGR2
MechAssult 1
XIII
NASCAR 2005
ESPN NBA 2K5 (and 2K3)
--------------------------------
SW: The Clone Wars
SW: JO: Jedi Acadamy
RTCW
Trival Pursuit Unhinged
Counter-Strike
Rainbow Six 3
NFL fever '03 and '04
Unreal II
Unreal Championship
Whacked! (retail and demo)
Moto GP (demo)
(KOTOR)
(Xbox Music Mixer)
(Driv3r)

--This list order, now that its done, is actually only sorta correct...games before the lines I play, ones below I have but don't really.
(Not really a game)

WTF? Stats Wiped Out?

Apparently, there was no Y2K bug. No, it wanted to wait five years...and become the much cooler Y2K5 bug and instead of invading PCs... it wanted Halo 2.

Apparently, something happened to the Bungie servers and the entire stats for Rumble Pit are gone. Wiped out. I'm now a Level 0 (which isn't much bad news, since I was only a measly 10...but still)

What is bad about this is now all the Halo Godz are now ranked about the same as me...which means my ass is going to be getting wooped for a few weeks by Level 30s who appear as only Lvl 1s...that sucks.

All I want to know is...what the hell happened Bungie?

The Bomb?

TeamXbox reported this yesterday...
Halo 2.5 will be an Xbox 2 launch title and is going to run in HDTV resolution with new, improved textures and graphical effects. All the stuff that people expected from Halo 2 but didn’t make the cut will be there.”
Although our source didn’t specify which HDTV resolution the game will run at, HDTV’s lower spec is enough to get excited. Can you imagine Halo 2 running at 1280x720?!!! We also wonder what was meant by “all the stuff people expected from Halo 2 but didn’t make the cut.” With this kind of top-secret info, you don’t ask; you simply listen. We cross our fingers that this will include online co-op, more multiplayer maps, and the final conclusion to the Halo 2 story. “The technology that powers Halo 2 has been designed from day one to take advantage of the next generation hardware,” the insider added. “In Halo 2, the Xbox was pushed to its limits but now the game will reach new heights with the advanced hardware.” But that is not the only info our insider had for us as soon after he dropped the bomb: “Now, here is the twist. Halo 2.5 will come preloaded with the optional HDD. It’ll be one of the two reasons to get the Xbox 2 that comes with a hard drive. The other reason… well, you’ll just have to wait” Sounds crazy to us but that’s what we have been told. Interestedly, if this is true, the rumor confirms the existence of, at least, two editions of the Xbox successor. Last month, we reported about the supposed Microsoft plan to release three versions of the Xbox successor. Although never in console history has an add-on sold enough to represent a large percentage of the install base, the inclusion of Halo 2.5 would probably sell millions of hard drives and/or other peripherals that includes this special edition. And supposedly, there’s still one other reason…what could that be?

I geuss I was right...a Halo 2.5 indeed! Lets just cross our fingures we get a better ending!

Holiday Game Overload

I have too much gaming to do...so many games, so little time. My "collection", for lack of a bettter term, has been extended to now include:

Call of Duty, Finest Hour (XBX)
KOTOR II (XBX)
Burnout 3 (XBX)
ATV 3 (PS2)
Dogs Life (PS2)
Mario Cart Double Dash (GCN)
Metroid Prime 2 (GCN)

Earth to end in 2029

But thats about twenty years too soon...the Covenant doesn't land untill 2054!

LINK

ASOUF, Not that Bad

ASOUF (aka Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfourtunate Events) is actually not that bad of a movie. Acting was great, Jim Carrey was funny, and the adaptation was perfect. The movie totally mathces the sad, weird but funny in-an-odd-sick-kinda-sense the books manage t do so well. I'd be willing to bet that, beisdes the Incrediables, this is one of the best movies this Holiday (I'll say Holiday, lol), unless you wanna include the three-hour long Aviator, which seems good, but I just don't want to sit through another bipic this season. Ray, which, altough good, was enough to last me.

In all seriousness, ASOUF os a good moive. I'd see it. Again. Also, if you like this movie, try the books. They are even better, and they last longer. Not much longer, but, taken all togther, they last longer (each book is only abou 200+ pages, but small pages and large text)

On a side note, the movie IS NOT called Lemony Snicket. Its ASOUE. Not Lemony. Thats the author, who plays a role in the story, but not the title.People will go into this movie under the wrong mindset if they are thinking that Lemony plas some huge role, he dosn't. Well, not yet anyway...

At least its Coming

J.K. Rowling released the ah release date for the sixth Potter book early today...July 16, 2005. Yes, I do read these books, and yes, they generaly are good. This book is entitled "HP and the Half-Blood Prince" and is the next to last book ever.

LINK

If I only Had a real Rocket Launcher...

EA deserves to go down into history as the worst company, ever. As if owning the NFL wasn't bad enough, now they want my Rainbow Six and Midtown Madness.

In a story still unfolding as I write, EA purchused 20% of UbiSoft today, and extended their offer to buy-out DICE (maker of MM3). UBI then declared hat the 20% was hostile (what the hell differance that makes, I don't really know)

EA is tkaing over the world, and briging us their crap! I will never, ever, ever buy an EA Tom Clancy game as long as I live. And thats a promise.

EA needs to die. Now.

Spanglish--OK Movie

Cheeked out this movie over the weekend and I liked it...about 3 outta four stars for me. The cast was great, and most of the writting was good as well, but there are just some holes in the plot that the movie dosn't cover up.

Offended By Warm Wishes?

It really is beyond me why people get so worked up over a simple "Merry Christmas"! Its just a holiday greeting! Even if you were of a totally differant relgious sect, how the hell is that offensive to ANYONE? I wouldn't care if someone came up to me and wished me a "Happy Kawanza", so why do people care if I wish them a Merry Christmas? Its my belifs, anfd I just choice to show them. This is not offensive...a do not see why some people will get worked up over being so god damn PC...come on, its not offensive!

The Winner

Kelly!! I was right!

Xbox in TA

Xbox was in TA (as MN previously hinted at). Jen kinda screwed them over though...I mean, Halo2 without power? Give me a break! I would be screaming at them! Just plug it in, right? Simple, yet, they missed the point completly. Man, that sucks.