Wireless Hobo

Corralling Media: Overview

You may or may not know that I am really into media center stuff as a hobby.  I just hate putting a DVD or CD in the drive.  I want it all on demand.  Additionally, I hate paying big bucks for it.  I love Front Row on the Macs for simplicity and think Media Center on Vista Home Premium is current best of breed in Home Theater PC software.  I love watching Netflix through Media Center.

A new application, Plex at http://plexapp.com, has captured my heart at the moment.  The more I work with it, the more I just love its features and most importantly, it’s aesthetics.  I did have this D

ell server at the core of my home theater at one point, but have since swapped it for a Mac Mini.  (The Dell is going to do much more important work for webslingerz.)  I have now switched back from Vista to Mac OS running this new Plex.  Wow.

I am currently building a low budget, small footprint, and low power media system.  I have put together the Apple Extreme Wireless Router, Mac Mini, Sony Soundbar, Drobo, XBox 360, Playstation 3, and Toshiba HD-DVD all controlled by the Logitech Harmony remote.

I am still deciding between Windows Media Center, Plex, and Front Row.  Each clearly have their strong points and each have significant weaknesses.  The screenshot on the right is Plex showing the list of movies I have stored on my network hard drive.  I prefer to rip my DVD’s to disk and then store them safely away.  Every movie I have, I own!  Music, is the same way.  Either I bought it through iTunes, Amazon, or CD and stored it digitally on the Drobo.

I am going to publish this tonight, just to get me jump started as this is going to be quite a long series, I believe.  I will go through and add links into this article over the next couple days.  Good night.

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Controlling Game Content

Go read this at Slashdot.  I’ll wait.  Follow the link from that article too.

Done?

Ok, I am a bit torn on this.  As a gamer and lover of freedom everywhere, let them publish whatever the heck they want!  Yes, it is an art AND a science.  As a parent, I want games like GTA to be branded with a bright letter “A” for Adult.  The lockout feature is nice, I suppose, but I think I already have that on my 360 — my son requires the password to play just about anything Teen or above.

What I want to see is developers provide us a way to “dumb” down the experience.  Let the parents themselves drop a Teen or Mature rated game down by locking out bad language, overt violence, and sexuality.  Yes, I know its your baby.  Yes, I know you worked for six months sleeping under a desk while you crunched to get the game out.

But, “darnit” all to “heck” let me control finishing moves, foul language, head explosions, etc.  Then maybe I can make it more Power Ranger like and play Gears with my son… until he tells Mom, “I just shot Dad with the shotgun!”  Ok.  Maybe that won’t work after all?

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Game Essentials: Grand Theft Auto IV

Anyone that I have ever discussed this game with knows that I would never, ever buy any of the GTA games.  The premise of the game just doesn’t allow you to be the good guy.  When GTA4 came out for the XBox 360, I could not help but rubberneck at the reviews.  Critical reviews of the game consistently put it at the top of the food chain.  Still, not my type of game.  I like games where it you play good over evil.  One character against overwhelming odds.  In the previous GTA games, you were clearly the bad guy.  In GTA4, you play quite the anti-hero.

This is clearly an adult game, despite thinking the ESRB is a joke.  I have blogged before how I think the game rating system is not the most accurate, but in this case, the title alone should clue you.  You may do good things to help your family out, but when you are a part of a “family” that is into all types of criminal enterprises, the definition of good becomes tainted quickly.

Other than the content, I have found nothing about this game that I haven’t liked.  Like Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, you are running around Liberty City (aka New York City) dealing with a who’s who of colorful characters, listening to some of the most twisted radio stations, performing some of the most distasteful missions, or hanging out with your in-game friends.

This game truly blurs some of the lines of reality versus gaming. When a storm hit the other night during play, it absolutely blew my mind at the intensity.  The way people interact.  Cops chasing down perps.  Playing pool or bowling on dates?  Watching a standup comedy act with your cousin.  I could go on and on.

Technically, the game is the most impressive game I have ever had the pleasure to play.  Content-wise, I would never play this in front of my son.  Ever.  Maybe after he heads to college.  Maybe.

(Sorry, no links on this one.  You will have to go find out more information for yourself.)

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Game Essentials: Lego Games

Um, yeah.  No, really.  You got kids?  No?  So?  Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga and Lego Indiana Jones: The Video Game are simply two of the best games out today.  It’s the graphics?  Chicks dig the graphics?  No, not the most advanced graphics.  Really, not the most advanced anything.  The short list:

• You play all six Star Wars movies and the first three Indy movies.
• Available in some format on anything that will turn on.  (iPhone Lego Indy anyone…whip the phone to whip Indy’s…whip.  Yeah, I can see it now…)
• A tremendous amount of humor.  Oh, come on, they break apart when you beat up a bad guy — how is that NOT funny?
• You can play it with your kids or your Mom.  Did I mention that there is no swearing or blood?  Take a break from GTA4.  Mom can only off so many hoodlums before it gets old, right?
• Easy to pick up.
• Easy to put down.
• Heavy on the fun factor.  Frankly, that stupid grin at the end of a level.
• Two player cooperative play is a blast.

Ok, I am unlikely to ever work for Gamespot reviewing games.  You want that kind of review, go to Gamespot Star Wars or Gamespot Indy.  I can recommend this game on any system for anybody and any gender.  Have fun!

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Game Essentials: Call of Duty 4

My friend Shawn told me to get this game nine months ago.  Over and over.  And over.  I bought it on sale for the 360 from Target.  Then he told me I should play it.  Over and over.  And over.  I finally did about a month back.  Really, it was tough for any game to follow in the footsteps of Bioshock (see here and here).

Story-wise, if you are into straight-up modern warfare, you will find nothing better out there.  Nothing.  Gameplay, nothing.  Fun, nothing.  After pondering this for a bit, this game is easily in my top 5 of all time, up there with Halo, Bioshock, Knights of the Old Republic, and Infocom text adventures (yes, I am THAT old).  Now, I could do like other sites and write multiple pages of review on the games I play which would prevent me from pulling a paycheck, getting my butt whupped by Dylan in Lego Indy (another excellent game, BTW), or examining the insides of my eyelids; but I won’t.  Try it if you can, then buy it.   I think it is still up on XBox Live.  It is even out for Mac (yes, Mac does get Triple A titles when the moon and stars align).  On second thought, just go buy it already.

Call of Duty 4 PC Demo

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Monkey Lemonade

We all wanna be big rock stars. -Nickelback

It’s true.  Follow the link to find out about Monkey Lemonade rocking a living room near YOU!

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Halo 3, ESRB Ratings, and Our Son

How many folks reading this awful blog know that I am a fairly unapologetic gamer from way back? Hands? My first game was loaded on a TI-99/4A with a cassette recorder. It was character symbols for monsters. Pipes, dashes, and the plus symbols made up corridors. We are talking an easy 20-25 years ago without carbon dating myself.

There is more after you click the link below…I know you just can’t wait…go on, click it.

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Halo 3 in 6 Hours or Less

The Stancil House held its first “LAN” party this last Saturday. Shawn, Philip, and Skip joined me for some Halo 3 Cooperative play about 3 pm and wrapped up about 10:30. The game is really, really, really, really short. Ridiculously short. Insanely short. In its defense, four people playing on the normal level cut through Covenant and Flood alike with ease, but we wanted it to be a good experience for n00bs Skip and Philip. Still. . . 6 hours with breaks, food, and some of Dylan’s bedtime ritual?!

Ok, I’m focusing on the one negative aspect, the brevity of the single player game, Bungie! So I will stop that. What was good? I like XBox Live network play; however, sitting next to folks — being in the same room while trying to reach a goal — trash talking — hitting a friend with the backend of your rifle when they act stupid — all very, very satisfying. Bungie gets this very right. Four player cooperative, futuristic, military action in the same household when the odds are really against you, priceless.

Big thanks to Shawn for lugging his 360 all the way from Apalachicola to help us all groove on the same network to a Covenant beat and carrying us most of the game. Thanks to Philip and Skip for showing up and completing the foursome.

So…is this golf for the Digital Age? Instead of yelling “Fore!”, we yell “Demon?” I could see this becoming a regular event. If we could only get a few more LCD screens and 360’s in the house… “Demon!”

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