the twisted genius of the game llama

Street Fighter Tattoo

The term “epic fail” is thrown around a lot, but I don’t know if it applies any moreso than right here.  Unless it’s meant as a joke/critique on society… but for some reason, I really don’t think so.

From @jaredr’s Twitter.  (It’s not his arm, though.)

But this… is his tattoo.  Looks like it hurt.  Hope he never gets fat.

Jaredr's SF tattoo

New games come out all the time, and we are forced to upgrade.  This especially applies to online games, where the lobbies empty – and stay that way – shortly after release, as gamers move back to their old Halo 3 or Call of Duty standby.  Tattoos last longer than the video game industry has been around.  Seems a little… permanent, doesn’t it?

A world unto itself
By: Nick Simberg | October 27th, 2009

No matter how networked our games and gamers will become with the ever-increasing popularity of Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, every game will continue to be separate from each other – there will never be one all-powerful uber-game, no matter how hard WoW may try.

Each game contains – and is – its own separate universe.  There are ups and down, spectacular features as well as flaws.  Even similar games have their own identity.  Even clones of more popular titles…

You can’t take a step to the right in Halo 3 and then find yourself magically in Halo Wars.  Whereas human cities merge and mesh in ways that keep you from telling where one ends and the other begins, games are segmented.  Fractured.  Individuals.

Like humans.

When I was a mere blogger, I was in my own little world.  True, every word I wrote could be read by people across the Internet, but it never really felt that way, even if an occasional comment was left.  I had my deep, black background and my neon green text.  It was mine.  Occasionally, the outside world would peek its head in to let me know it was listening, but, in general, I felt left to my own devices, my own thoughts, and my own desires.

If there was a news story I wanted to comment on, I did.  If there was a funny video I found, I posted it.  When I wanted to delve into my vast backlog of classic games for a nostalgic moment, that was okay too.  Anything and everything was fair game.  I was my own world.

Now, things are different.  I am no longer an isolated incident, saying whatever I want with no regard for how the universe might react.  I am part of a bigger world – Gamer Limit.  With thousands upon thousands of readers, I have an audience.  It forces me to not only improve my writing, but also to write for them, no longer just for myself.  When I find an interesting news story, I can share it, but in a more informative manner.  No longer allowed are the meandering thoughts of a carefree wild alpaca.  Now, focus is required.

This isn’t a bad thing, just… different.  Better?  If I expect to get an eventual career in this field, then yes, it’s better.  If I want to write whatever I want with no regard for readership, my blog will never become anything more than a hobby.  I am my own world, but Gamer Limit is a spiral galaxy in which I have as much gravity as the next solar body.

Working as a cohesive unit, the galaxy will grow, absorbing lesser universes’ power as it expands to a greater mass with every published article.  Eventually, hopefully, I will be an inhabitable world supporting my own biospheres, life cycles, and food chains.  Until then, I am content to merely do my part, and watch the stars.

In honor of Captain Lou Albano, the finest Mario the world has ever, and will ever, see.

Download Mario Song.mp3 by me.

R.I.P. Lou.

 

I don’t have wireless internet.  The only way I can  download new PSP games is through my computer.  But have you ever tried using your PC to download PSP games?

It.  Sucks.

Using the Xbox Live Marketplace to queue up some downloads for the next time you log your system onto Xbox Live is easy.  True, it’s no iTunes, but the only REAL complaint I can find is that it’s SUCH a hassle to find the “Redeem Code” link.  It should be at the top of the screen under one of the drop-down menus; that’s just how it should be, especially with all the Twitter giveaways and such requiring fast log-ons and redemptions.

Using the PSN’s marketplace, however, is just… dumb.  There’s no “view all games” option.  There’s no way to easily sort out PSP, PS3, PS2, and PSN games.  There’s no quick download links.  Finally, the only games easily accessible on the service AT ALL are the games that just came out this week.  Where’s the backlog?  Come on, Sony.

After a lot of digging (why does this have to be found instead of just presented to us?!), I managed to find Media Go.

Media Go is a downloadable program that acts as an iTunes for the PlayStation Network.  FINALLY.  Something that doesn’t completely eat cow poop.  After finding a few new games I wanted (still no “view all games” button!), I downloaded them to my PC using a relatively easy “add funds” process.

Then discovered that I had to upgrade my PSP firmware.  Oh joy.

More digging, found out how to upgrade with my PC.  Lots of ridiculous folder creation on my memory stick.  Lucky my battery was charged, I might have had this delayed until tomorrow.

Finally (finally!) I managed to get everything moved over to my PSP.  Now I have Prinny, Jumping Flash, WTF: Work Time Fun, and the Half-Minute Hero demo.  Oh, and “Still Alive” for Rock Band: Unplugged.  :D

And all that, in only two hours!  Still can’t play games while I download files…

Now that the PSPgo is out, and people will actually use your download service, Sony, isn’t it time to make it a little more user friendly?  Just a little?  PSN’s been out for quite awhile.  Time for it to get with the times.