Ladies and gentlemen, I decided it's high time for another list. This one will be about games that are over 5 years old and I still play. So, since this list seems to require no more explanation than that, I shall commence with the list:
5. Diablo II- Fluid animations, incredibly fun gameplay, and an incredibly fun-to-play-through story make this one of the few games from the early 2000's that stands the test of time. If you haven't played Diablo II yet, it's still available in stores- the Diablo Battle Chest costs $39.99 USD. Get it and give this one a try if you don't already know its glory.
4. Star Wars: Battlefront II- This game was incredibly fun, fast-paced, and balanced. Although it technically came out in early 2005, this game is on the list because it's damn near 5 years old and I STILL play it. For its time, the graphics were slightly dated, but still, the gameplay was what kept me playing for hours on end. The insane challenge of staying alive in this game really kept you on your toes and made it truly challenging. If you've never played an FPS before, I'm not sure this game is for you. But if you're an experienced FPS player looking for polished gameplay and easy-to-pick-up-and-play, hard-to-master fun, this is the one of the best FPS's I ever played in my life.
3. Bejeweled 2 Deluxe- Yes, I still play! When Bejeweled Twist gets boring to me, this is always what I opt for. This game had an incredibly visceral soundtrack that sounded absolutely amazing, and the gameplay mechanics were improved so much from the original Bejeweled that this game is still an obvious choice for me to play. The graphics weren't exactly an eyesore, either. As you select gems, they rotate and show their full beauty as they glimmer with the slight nuances of lighting. So many easter eggs I to this day STILL haven't unlocked means this one's definitely a keeper. Bought this one back in 2004 when it came out, and boy, am I glad I did.
2. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy- This game was simply incredible. The nuanced world made it a joy to play, and the voice acting was spot-on with what it should've been- and then some. Sony made every moment in this game either fun, challenging, or incredible as it could have been at the time. Even though I've gotten damn close, I'm ashamed to say I still haven't beaten the game. Besides the main story, there are a plethora of quests to participate in optionally, and you choose which ones are optional and which you do. This game never stayed in one place for too long, and it will always be the most welcome addition to my PS2 collection. If you've never played this game before, you're either clueless about platforming games or you don't have a PS2. If this happens to be the case, you need to play not just this, but all the Jak games (something I still haven't done) on PS2.
1. Star Trek: Voyager: Elite Force- Words cannot describe the awesome. That's the first thought that comes to mind when I think of this game. Beautifully rendered (for its time) on the Quake III engine, this is probably the best looking game you'll find from 2001, and it sports an online multiplayer that is still played fairly extensively to this day, as well as an offline holomatch. If you ever get tired of facing real people, Holomatch will bring you back into the fold. The AI in this game is some of the best I've ever seen in an FPS game. On Captain difficulty, the bots can easily kick my ass all over the map. Of course, since I've been playing CS:S I've gotten a smidget better, but these bots can still quite easily match wits with me. The game's single player was fun, but multiplayer is where it really shines. It plays less like an FPS from 2001 and more like a modern arcade game. This one hasn't lost any of its glory with time. Go get it. NOW.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Five Most Amazing Albums I've Ever Listened To
Okay, I'm going to be truthful (as if I never was before). This is a rather difficult post to write, not because of abundance of material, but because of lack of solid albums that I can listen to in their entirety a thousand times over and not get bored of. Yes, I never thought the day would come when I say this- out of the 1600 or so tracks in my music library, of the approximately 50-75 actual full albums that are by a single band, I have a real lack of albums that stand out from the crowd AND will still be listened to when I've got gray hairs on my head. But I'll try my best in this forray into the wild blue not to list any that I wouldn't be able to listen to at least 10 times in a row. I can think of only three off the top of my head, to be honest, but I'm going to delve deep into my collection to revive those long-forgotten classics, as well.
5. Phobia- Breaking Benjamin
This album comes in last on the list because it's definately the least visceral album on the list when compared to the others. But all the same, this IS one of the few albums I can listen to over and over again without getting sick of it. Why? One reason could possibly be the lyrics, but don't take my word for it, I'm not even a fanboy of BB. Another very possible reason could be that the rhythms and music as a whole carves out impeccable taste (even if in the end the entire album isn't 100% hardcore as it tries to be)
4. All the Right Reasons- Nickelback
This album is awesome. There, I said it. Nickelback was around long before the other bands on this list, and they know how to bring the goods. Canada's most badass band, without a doubt. And this album shows the kind of bliss that a good album should. I could listen to Follow You Home forever, and the rest of the album is equal parts awesome and moving.
3. City of Evil- Avenged Sevenfold
I was going to put Meteora in the number 3 spot, but I just got it, and the true test of an album is the number of plays it gets in preference. This one's gotten quite a few- and nine times out of 10 I listen to the entire thing (or as far as I can get before I'm interrupted by something). Avenged Sevenfold is an incredible band, and this album is probably the single greatest work ever produced in terms of pure solidity. So why does it only get to number three? The main reason is because some of the songs tend to linger a bit, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't listen to the whole thing a few times over.
2. Hybrid Theory- Linkin Park
Without a doubt, their greatest album. If you don't know who Linkin Park is, or have never listened to this album, and are a metal fan, you've been living under a rock your entire metal-listening life. LP brings an incredible amount of energy on this contribution, which is their greatest album, without a doubt. The first and best of its kind, this album will resonate across generations.
1. Believe- Disturbed
I've only had my copy a few months, and it's already risen to the status of being my favorite album. Oddly enough, unlike my previous favorite, Hybrid Theory, I didn't warm up to this one as soon as I listened to it. Maybe it was the mood I was in. This is the only album I've ever caught myself looping through 5 full times (which happened while playing Halo 3, and considering I've even been known to change music in the middle of a match (while getting shot at), that's no small achievement). This album has the badassness of Chuck Norris with none of the compromise. All while having nothing to do with him. This is, without a doubt- gotta say it here- the most amazing album I've ever listened to.
And that's the list. Hope you enjoyed!
5. Phobia- Breaking Benjamin
This album comes in last on the list because it's definately the least visceral album on the list when compared to the others. But all the same, this IS one of the few albums I can listen to over and over again without getting sick of it. Why? One reason could possibly be the lyrics, but don't take my word for it, I'm not even a fanboy of BB. Another very possible reason could be that the rhythms and music as a whole carves out impeccable taste (even if in the end the entire album isn't 100% hardcore as it tries to be)
4. All the Right Reasons- Nickelback
This album is awesome. There, I said it. Nickelback was around long before the other bands on this list, and they know how to bring the goods. Canada's most badass band, without a doubt. And this album shows the kind of bliss that a good album should. I could listen to Follow You Home forever, and the rest of the album is equal parts awesome and moving.
3. City of Evil- Avenged Sevenfold
I was going to put Meteora in the number 3 spot, but I just got it, and the true test of an album is the number of plays it gets in preference. This one's gotten quite a few- and nine times out of 10 I listen to the entire thing (or as far as I can get before I'm interrupted by something). Avenged Sevenfold is an incredible band, and this album is probably the single greatest work ever produced in terms of pure solidity. So why does it only get to number three? The main reason is because some of the songs tend to linger a bit, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't listen to the whole thing a few times over.
2. Hybrid Theory- Linkin Park
Without a doubt, their greatest album. If you don't know who Linkin Park is, or have never listened to this album, and are a metal fan, you've been living under a rock your entire metal-listening life. LP brings an incredible amount of energy on this contribution, which is their greatest album, without a doubt. The first and best of its kind, this album will resonate across generations.
1. Believe- Disturbed
I've only had my copy a few months, and it's already risen to the status of being my favorite album. Oddly enough, unlike my previous favorite, Hybrid Theory, I didn't warm up to this one as soon as I listened to it. Maybe it was the mood I was in. This is the only album I've ever caught myself looping through 5 full times (which happened while playing Halo 3, and considering I've even been known to change music in the middle of a match (while getting shot at), that's no small achievement). This album has the badassness of Chuck Norris with none of the compromise. All while having nothing to do with him. This is, without a doubt- gotta say it here- the most amazing album I've ever listened to.
And that's the list. Hope you enjoyed!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
The Five Best Bands/ People Leading a Band Ever
Okay, so today's post is heavily music based, and you should be aware that that was (and still would be) a tough list to write. Through my wide tastes, I've discovered a great many good artists, but I can't say as any of them really deserve a spot on the top five compared to another. A top five list may even be a bit of a farce, since numbering them and putting one band over the other really isn't my style, but I think you all deserve to know. I've decided not to number these due to the fact that any one of these bands could easily take the number one slot. So without further ado...
Disturbed- Visceral music is the name of the game here, and Disturbed delivers in spades. The tension in any one of their songs is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and in this case that's a good thing. Throughout any one of their four albums, they may let up ever so slightly, but they NEVER lose sight of the ultimate goal- shock and awe. These guys have the right idea, and so long as they keep their style they're likely to churn out four more excellent albums.
Alter Bridge- This band is incredible. Between the lyrics, the emotion, and the music, there's enough awesomeness to wrap around the Earth twice. So far they only have two albums out, but it still sounds like they have incredible tenure in the music industry (partially due to one of the band members being of former Creed fame). Watch out for them, they'll make a bang (and already have) in the music industry.
Linkin Park- My god, what to say about this excellent band? It's only some of the best music I've ever heard in my life. With every lyric, every song, every album even, Linkin Park continues to churn out incredible music (and I do mean churn) that's rough-and-tumble yet ever so incredibly visceral, and makes it all fit neatly into an amazing piece of art. Hybrid Theory had almost all of its songs turned into hits on the radio.
Pantera- It may be a matter of taste, but Pantera is quite possibly the greatest band of the 90's. They single-handedly revived the metal industry at a time when it was unpopular with Cowboys From Hell in 1991 and Vulgar Display of Power in 1992 (both of which I own; I have their entire discography, which is the only band besides Disturbed and Creed I do of). It's a brand of music all its own, and yet it still sounds incredible and awesome. Props to Dimebag Darrel for making his mark on the music industry, for which the previous three bands wouldn't exist without. Cemetary Gates is most likely one of the most moving songs I've ever heard in my life.
Ozzy Osbourne- Both as the lead singer of Black Sabbath and in his solo endeavor, Ozzy blazed circles around the rest of the competition. Ozzy wasn't the first to be awesome- The Beatles took that award many times over- but he was simply too good to be ignored. Sparking controversy wherever he went, he's most definately one of my favorite artists altogether. Three songs of EXTREMELY good caliber to note are No More Tears, Flying High Again, and Fire in the Sky. Yes, I could've said Crazy Train, but that's lost its touch due to being overused. These three never stop being emotional to me no matter how long I listen to them.
And that's my list of the five best bands/ people leading a band ever. Hope you enjoyed reading it!
Disturbed- Visceral music is the name of the game here, and Disturbed delivers in spades. The tension in any one of their songs is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and in this case that's a good thing. Throughout any one of their four albums, they may let up ever so slightly, but they NEVER lose sight of the ultimate goal- shock and awe. These guys have the right idea, and so long as they keep their style they're likely to churn out four more excellent albums.
Alter Bridge- This band is incredible. Between the lyrics, the emotion, and the music, there's enough awesomeness to wrap around the Earth twice. So far they only have two albums out, but it still sounds like they have incredible tenure in the music industry (partially due to one of the band members being of former Creed fame). Watch out for them, they'll make a bang (and already have) in the music industry.
Linkin Park- My god, what to say about this excellent band? It's only some of the best music I've ever heard in my life. With every lyric, every song, every album even, Linkin Park continues to churn out incredible music (and I do mean churn) that's rough-and-tumble yet ever so incredibly visceral, and makes it all fit neatly into an amazing piece of art. Hybrid Theory had almost all of its songs turned into hits on the radio.
Pantera- It may be a matter of taste, but Pantera is quite possibly the greatest band of the 90's. They single-handedly revived the metal industry at a time when it was unpopular with Cowboys From Hell in 1991 and Vulgar Display of Power in 1992 (both of which I own; I have their entire discography, which is the only band besides Disturbed and Creed I do of). It's a brand of music all its own, and yet it still sounds incredible and awesome. Props to Dimebag Darrel for making his mark on the music industry, for which the previous three bands wouldn't exist without. Cemetary Gates is most likely one of the most moving songs I've ever heard in my life.
Ozzy Osbourne- Both as the lead singer of Black Sabbath and in his solo endeavor, Ozzy blazed circles around the rest of the competition. Ozzy wasn't the first to be awesome- The Beatles took that award many times over- but he was simply too good to be ignored. Sparking controversy wherever he went, he's most definately one of my favorite artists altogether. Three songs of EXTREMELY good caliber to note are No More Tears, Flying High Again, and Fire in the Sky. Yes, I could've said Crazy Train, but that's lost its touch due to being overused. These three never stop being emotional to me no matter how long I listen to them.
And that's my list of the five best bands/ people leading a band ever. Hope you enjoyed reading it!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Three songs that make me cry. Guaranteed.
So far, I've listened to tens of thousands of songs, and found only three that can actually make me cry. Here they are, along with the why.
Changes by Black Sabbath
This song is so emotionally moving. There really isn't much less than I can say about this song except it sounds incredibly moving.
Janie's Got a Gun by Aerosmith
This song gets me every time. There's not a single time that I've listened to this song and NOT cried, except for maybe when I was extremely young and not able to understand the lyrics.
The last track from the Bejeweled 2 Soundtrack
Yeah, yeah. Say what you want. But if you've played this game long enough for it to move on to the last track, you'd know just how beautiful it sounds. The entire soundtrack is absolutely stellar, but this song shines above them all.
Changes by Black Sabbath
This song is so emotionally moving. There really isn't much less than I can say about this song except it sounds incredibly moving.
Janie's Got a Gun by Aerosmith
This song gets me every time. There's not a single time that I've listened to this song and NOT cried, except for maybe when I was extremely young and not able to understand the lyrics.
The last track from the Bejeweled 2 Soundtrack
Yeah, yeah. Say what you want. But if you've played this game long enough for it to move on to the last track, you'd know just how beautiful it sounds. The entire soundtrack is absolutely stellar, but this song shines above them all.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Skills any person should learn how to do.
Okay, so quite a while back, I can across a list of skills every person should learn to do. Honestly, some of them were quite mundane. So I figured I'd assemble a more practical list. I got up to 14, intending for 25-50, but some of them seemed cliche, so I just decided to delete the post and start over. So, without further ado, I shall begin over and start anew the list that was to be.
1. Learn to adapt yourself without bitching about it.
Why is this first on my list? There is a major reason, and the reason is, this one is quite important. You'd be surprised how many people fail this one on an epic level. Maybe it's just 90% of the people I've met, but I have yet to meet more than a couple people who could gracefully adapt to a given situation without complaining. I am among those who cannot, and I'm still trying to master it. The first, and most difficult part of things, will be to understand that your situation can and will change. In fact, it does so more frequently than you realize, but every once in a while, you actually get into a situation where you have to change in a major way. Not fun, I realize, but to do it gracefully means you've realized that it happens and that griping about it won't change matters. However, also learn your boundaries, and where not to change. Which brings me to define...
2. Learn what is meaningful to you.
Learn what has REAL value to you. Stick to it like glue. Give it the time of day. I could go on and on with facsimiles of roughly the same phrase, but that doesn't change the fact that some things are worth it in life. Learn what they are before they're gone. Which brings me to...
3. Learn that money is merely a means to an end.
Money is not your God. Nor should it be. As the title for this thing goes, it's merely a means to an end, and you should only let it go that far. At the same time...
4. Learn to be frugal with your money.
This is one of my pet peeves. If I have money, I'm very liable to spend it. But I do realize that it's ridiculous to do so. I'm starting to save it (or at least, try to, as is very difficult in my current situation). If you don't a decent proportion of money saved up (based on your situation, of course), things may go horribly awry. Call me a hypocrite, but someone has to say it.
5. Learn to balance family with self.
You're going to need a certain bit of alone time in proportion to family time. I understand that. Just don't let the alone time consume you. I try to spend time with my mother when I have the chance. With her new job, that's ever difficult, so I fully intend to get in any time with her that I can. In fact, we just went camping recently, for the uniformed. A bit of a hard day since she didn't reserve, but overall time spent with her is more than worth it.
6. Make a dream. Stick with it.
You know how we all had dreams as a kid? Mine was to be a pilot. I've sacrificed that for owning a computer business eventually. But have I given up on my dream? No. It's just shifted in perspective. I realized that I probably wouldn't like being a pilot, so I wanted to do something better suited to me. Which brings me to...
7. Learn your limits. Expand them constantly.
If you don't know your limits, you don't know what you can't do yet. And if you don't know what you can't do yet, you don't know how much more you can do. Not only does this one give you a sense of humbleness and respect for yourself, but also, if you're in any sense of the word human, it'll most likely make you want to expand on it and better yourself. And a word of advice: it doesn't matter what your age is. Which brings me to...
8. Learn how to hide your age without beauty products and lies.
I mean this with a sense of duality- both young and old. I'm 21 years old, but I have much more wisdom than quite a few people I've seen, because I listened, believed, and questioned. On the other side of the coin, never grow old mentally. Keep your brain aloft no matter what- it's one of the things that will keep you alive longer, and let you accomplish more in that time.
9. Discover something new every day.
It doesn't matter what it is. So long as it has meaning to you. Let me repeat that: learn something every day that has meaning to you. Only be a master of trivia if it means something to you. Personally, I prefer to learn a large amount on a specific subject rather than 100 facts about 100 different things.
10. Never stop questioning.
It's part of the tool that you use to develop yourself. Never, ever stop questioning. But also...
11. Learn where some things should just be accepted for the sake of time.
You can't learn everything in your lifetime. It's as simple as that. There's just too much to know. Learn what's really important to question and what's not. When dealing with the media, question. When dealing with the computer guy, question. When dealing with something life threatening where questioning could kill you, don't question. This does not include religion.
12. Learn how to keep track of things... in your head.
I have a horrible memory. Some people this comes to naturally, but honestly, there are some things you just have to know. Learn to manage the myriad of life, but don't overdo it, or you might lost track of what's truly important.
13. Learn when to rely on others and when not to.
This is an extremely trial-and-error thing, and there really is no one-size-fits-all definition to it. But that's life.
14. Learn to laugh and smile more often.
You can never do this one enough. If you're a serious person and a realist like myself, you don't get in nearly enough laughs. But it's contagious. Spread it.
15. Learn to eat healthy.
Most Americans don't know what true healthy is. Most Americans couldn't follow true healthy. I don't think anyone truly has this one 100% right.
16. Learn to work well with your niche.
In my now deleted previous draft, this came in the form of "learn to group with a specific niche of people". I then went on to define niche. What I realized is that it was pointless. We all have a specific niche of people we work best with. Get to know the ins and outs of that, because life is too short to try to adapt to everyone.
17. Learn to balance all of these.
Finally, no one part of life is going to present itself perfectly. Learn to do all of these, but learn to run the balancing act of life instead of devoting yourself solely to one or the other. All are important. Some more than others, but still, all of them.
1. Learn to adapt yourself without bitching about it.
Why is this first on my list? There is a major reason, and the reason is, this one is quite important. You'd be surprised how many people fail this one on an epic level. Maybe it's just 90% of the people I've met, but I have yet to meet more than a couple people who could gracefully adapt to a given situation without complaining. I am among those who cannot, and I'm still trying to master it. The first, and most difficult part of things, will be to understand that your situation can and will change. In fact, it does so more frequently than you realize, but every once in a while, you actually get into a situation where you have to change in a major way. Not fun, I realize, but to do it gracefully means you've realized that it happens and that griping about it won't change matters. However, also learn your boundaries, and where not to change. Which brings me to define...
2. Learn what is meaningful to you.
Learn what has REAL value to you. Stick to it like glue. Give it the time of day. I could go on and on with facsimiles of roughly the same phrase, but that doesn't change the fact that some things are worth it in life. Learn what they are before they're gone. Which brings me to...
3. Learn that money is merely a means to an end.
Money is not your God. Nor should it be. As the title for this thing goes, it's merely a means to an end, and you should only let it go that far. At the same time...
4. Learn to be frugal with your money.
This is one of my pet peeves. If I have money, I'm very liable to spend it. But I do realize that it's ridiculous to do so. I'm starting to save it (or at least, try to, as is very difficult in my current situation). If you don't a decent proportion of money saved up (based on your situation, of course), things may go horribly awry. Call me a hypocrite, but someone has to say it.
5. Learn to balance family with self.
You're going to need a certain bit of alone time in proportion to family time. I understand that. Just don't let the alone time consume you. I try to spend time with my mother when I have the chance. With her new job, that's ever difficult, so I fully intend to get in any time with her that I can. In fact, we just went camping recently, for the uniformed. A bit of a hard day since she didn't reserve, but overall time spent with her is more than worth it.
6. Make a dream. Stick with it.
You know how we all had dreams as a kid? Mine was to be a pilot. I've sacrificed that for owning a computer business eventually. But have I given up on my dream? No. It's just shifted in perspective. I realized that I probably wouldn't like being a pilot, so I wanted to do something better suited to me. Which brings me to...
7. Learn your limits. Expand them constantly.
If you don't know your limits, you don't know what you can't do yet. And if you don't know what you can't do yet, you don't know how much more you can do. Not only does this one give you a sense of humbleness and respect for yourself, but also, if you're in any sense of the word human, it'll most likely make you want to expand on it and better yourself. And a word of advice: it doesn't matter what your age is. Which brings me to...
8. Learn how to hide your age without beauty products and lies.
I mean this with a sense of duality- both young and old. I'm 21 years old, but I have much more wisdom than quite a few people I've seen, because I listened, believed, and questioned. On the other side of the coin, never grow old mentally. Keep your brain aloft no matter what- it's one of the things that will keep you alive longer, and let you accomplish more in that time.
9. Discover something new every day.
It doesn't matter what it is. So long as it has meaning to you. Let me repeat that: learn something every day that has meaning to you. Only be a master of trivia if it means something to you. Personally, I prefer to learn a large amount on a specific subject rather than 100 facts about 100 different things.
10. Never stop questioning.
It's part of the tool that you use to develop yourself. Never, ever stop questioning. But also...
11. Learn where some things should just be accepted for the sake of time.
You can't learn everything in your lifetime. It's as simple as that. There's just too much to know. Learn what's really important to question and what's not. When dealing with the media, question. When dealing with the computer guy, question. When dealing with something life threatening where questioning could kill you, don't question. This does not include religion.
12. Learn how to keep track of things... in your head.
I have a horrible memory. Some people this comes to naturally, but honestly, there are some things you just have to know. Learn to manage the myriad of life, but don't overdo it, or you might lost track of what's truly important.
13. Learn when to rely on others and when not to.
This is an extremely trial-and-error thing, and there really is no one-size-fits-all definition to it. But that's life.
14. Learn to laugh and smile more often.
You can never do this one enough. If you're a serious person and a realist like myself, you don't get in nearly enough laughs. But it's contagious. Spread it.
15. Learn to eat healthy.
Most Americans don't know what true healthy is. Most Americans couldn't follow true healthy. I don't think anyone truly has this one 100% right.
16. Learn to work well with your niche.
In my now deleted previous draft, this came in the form of "learn to group with a specific niche of people". I then went on to define niche. What I realized is that it was pointless. We all have a specific niche of people we work best with. Get to know the ins and outs of that, because life is too short to try to adapt to everyone.
17. Learn to balance all of these.
Finally, no one part of life is going to present itself perfectly. Learn to do all of these, but learn to run the balancing act of life instead of devoting yourself solely to one or the other. All are important. Some more than others, but still, all of them.
Monday, September 21, 2009
The surprising comparison between the social networking industry and the gaming industry.
While talking to my friend Beau today, I realized an incredible parallel. The rise of the gaming industry and the rise of the social networking industry are practically era-for-era extremely similar. I'm about to walk you through the how's and why's of it.
First off. Be aware that I'm talking about the rise of the first major console from Japan, not the Atari 2600. The reason for this is because while the Atari 2600 was the first true gaming console, there was no competition at the time, at all, for something that didn't double as a computer. Thus, I'm starting with the first console that had competition, the Nintendo Entertainment System, hereby abbreviated NES.
Also, the comparison with the social networking sites' rise is being made to myspace and facebook, for obvious reasons (as will become apparent later). If you think something should be changed or don't agree, I have done fairly extensive research on the topic, and at times used both, so I can vouch for what I'm saying.
Now then. Shall we begin?
1st parallel:
The rise of the NES: 1986 (USA)
Once it got going, it never really stopped. Millions upon millions poured into it to play the awesome games that were on it. There were hits and misses, but for the most part was a solid console.
The parallel with Myspace: 1999 (USA)
It was the first, and at the time the best. Millions upon millions came onto the Myspace scene because at the time, it was new and awesome.
2nd parallel:
The SNES versus Sega Genesis: 1990 (USA)
Albeit, the Genesis was out a year earlier in the USA, It was clear there was competition. Sega and Nintendo was one of the greatest rivalries for all time at this point, and there really was no clear-cut contender for best.
The parallel with Myspace versus Facebook: Early 2000's (Worldwide)
At the time, it was really hard to tell which one was going to win. Both had features very distinct of themselves and it made a clear-cut better impossible to tell for.
3rd parallel:
The N64 versus the Sony Playstation 1996 (USA)
The N64 saw Nintendo losing quite a bit of steam, as Sony emerged on the scene to be the best contender.
The parallel with Myspace versus Facebook: Mid 2000's (Worldwide)
By the mid 2000's, Myspace has lost quite a bit because of Facebook and its ever-expanding arsenal.
4th parallel:
The GameCube versus Sony's Playstation 2 (USA)
By the time the Playstation 2 came out, Nintendo had lost much face in the industry. They were seen as unoriginal, for the most part, and lack of solid titles plagued the console for the first several years. In addition, the Gamecube had the lowest overall fanbase of any console made by Nintendo. Quietly refusing to admit this, they lost face because of it. Playstation 2, on the other hand, may well have been one of the biggest hits in gaming history.
The parallel with Myspace versus Facebook: 2007 (Worldwide)
Frequent usership dropping rapidly, Myspace added many of the features Facebook had from launch. They were not as well-rounded, and so they lost much of their fanbase for trying to be an imitator. Facebook continued to rise in usership due to this. It may well never have a rival in total usership.
5th parallel:
The Wii and Playstation 3 versus the 360 (Current)
Yes, the Wii is a fairly solid console. But let's be honest. How many of the original Nintendo fanbase is left? Not me. There are so few solid games on the Wii it's ridiculous. When compared to the plethora of excellent games on the 360, it makes the Wii look like a flaming piece of crap. Compare feature bases, and there literally is no comparison to the 360. However, at this point, there is no clear way to tell who will win THIS era's console war. Nintendo may just pull out some incredible bag of tricks just yet, Sony may address the numerous issues with not getting good features and mostly not getting good games, as well as the mandatory installs, or Microsoft may remain the clear-cut leader for this era.
Facebook and Myspace versus... TWITTER?
Yes, the more I think about it, the more Twitter may be the clear-cut leader for social networking so far. It has almost a bigger base than Facebook now. And facebook is losing users, as is myspace. However, in this case, I interpret this as more of a trend. On the console side of things, it was more obvious. But here's where the distinctions drop a bit. There are three social networking sites in a battle for supremacy, yes... but the numbers are far more even than the console wars.
First off. Be aware that I'm talking about the rise of the first major console from Japan, not the Atari 2600. The reason for this is because while the Atari 2600 was the first true gaming console, there was no competition at the time, at all, for something that didn't double as a computer. Thus, I'm starting with the first console that had competition, the Nintendo Entertainment System, hereby abbreviated NES.
Also, the comparison with the social networking sites' rise is being made to myspace and facebook, for obvious reasons (as will become apparent later). If you think something should be changed or don't agree, I have done fairly extensive research on the topic, and at times used both, so I can vouch for what I'm saying.
Now then. Shall we begin?
1st parallel:
The rise of the NES: 1986 (USA)
Once it got going, it never really stopped. Millions upon millions poured into it to play the awesome games that were on it. There were hits and misses, but for the most part was a solid console.
The parallel with Myspace: 1999 (USA)
It was the first, and at the time the best. Millions upon millions came onto the Myspace scene because at the time, it was new and awesome.
2nd parallel:
The SNES versus Sega Genesis: 1990 (USA)
Albeit, the Genesis was out a year earlier in the USA, It was clear there was competition. Sega and Nintendo was one of the greatest rivalries for all time at this point, and there really was no clear-cut contender for best.
The parallel with Myspace versus Facebook: Early 2000's (Worldwide)
At the time, it was really hard to tell which one was going to win. Both had features very distinct of themselves and it made a clear-cut better impossible to tell for.
3rd parallel:
The N64 versus the Sony Playstation 1996 (USA)
The N64 saw Nintendo losing quite a bit of steam, as Sony emerged on the scene to be the best contender.
The parallel with Myspace versus Facebook: Mid 2000's (Worldwide)
By the mid 2000's, Myspace has lost quite a bit because of Facebook and its ever-expanding arsenal.
4th parallel:
The GameCube versus Sony's Playstation 2 (USA)
By the time the Playstation 2 came out, Nintendo had lost much face in the industry. They were seen as unoriginal, for the most part, and lack of solid titles plagued the console for the first several years. In addition, the Gamecube had the lowest overall fanbase of any console made by Nintendo. Quietly refusing to admit this, they lost face because of it. Playstation 2, on the other hand, may well have been one of the biggest hits in gaming history.
The parallel with Myspace versus Facebook: 2007 (Worldwide)
Frequent usership dropping rapidly, Myspace added many of the features Facebook had from launch. They were not as well-rounded, and so they lost much of their fanbase for trying to be an imitator. Facebook continued to rise in usership due to this. It may well never have a rival in total usership.
5th parallel:
The Wii and Playstation 3 versus the 360 (Current)
Yes, the Wii is a fairly solid console. But let's be honest. How many of the original Nintendo fanbase is left? Not me. There are so few solid games on the Wii it's ridiculous. When compared to the plethora of excellent games on the 360, it makes the Wii look like a flaming piece of crap. Compare feature bases, and there literally is no comparison to the 360. However, at this point, there is no clear way to tell who will win THIS era's console war. Nintendo may just pull out some incredible bag of tricks just yet, Sony may address the numerous issues with not getting good features and mostly not getting good games, as well as the mandatory installs, or Microsoft may remain the clear-cut leader for this era.
Facebook and Myspace versus... TWITTER?
Yes, the more I think about it, the more Twitter may be the clear-cut leader for social networking so far. It has almost a bigger base than Facebook now. And facebook is losing users, as is myspace. However, in this case, I interpret this as more of a trend. On the console side of things, it was more obvious. But here's where the distinctions drop a bit. There are three social networking sites in a battle for supremacy, yes... but the numbers are far more even than the console wars.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
I will experience the majesty of nature...
And on today's agenda... I'm going camping!
That's right, sportsfans. I'm communing with nature for once. Deal with it. My mother and I are going to go spend some quality time together up at The Dells, at we like to call it. Most South Dakotans know it as the campground not too far down the road from Jesse James Gulch, the place were Jesse James dropped to his very doom (the western legend, mind you, not the bike maker). Despite the ominous presence of that fact, the area is beautiful, and I've been to both the campground and the gulch a good many times.
Sadly, this also means I'll be taking time off from blogging (for the few if no people who read it). Don't expect another blog entry for about two to three days (though it's not likely to be longer than that, as I'll certainly blog about the experience when I get back from this 50 or so mile round venture.
A new feature for every daily blog entry! Daily Stumbles I found interesting:
Snow geese stopover at wildlife refuge en route to wintering grounds -Incredible photography in the spirit of the series "Planet Earth". These photos will literally take your breath away from the sheer scope of it.
Rare tongue-eating parasite found -This left me absolutely speechless. What if something like this exists on land? Better keep your tongue in check- literally!
Obama calls Kanye a jackass -I had to laugh at this little clip.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have roughly an hour to pack. We leave at around 1:30 and I don't intend to be late because I got lazy.
That's right, sportsfans. I'm communing with nature for once. Deal with it. My mother and I are going to go spend some quality time together up at The Dells, at we like to call it. Most South Dakotans know it as the campground not too far down the road from Jesse James Gulch, the place were Jesse James dropped to his very doom (the western legend, mind you, not the bike maker). Despite the ominous presence of that fact, the area is beautiful, and I've been to both the campground and the gulch a good many times.
Sadly, this also means I'll be taking time off from blogging (for the few if no people who read it). Don't expect another blog entry for about two to three days (though it's not likely to be longer than that, as I'll certainly blog about the experience when I get back from this 50 or so mile round venture.
A new feature for every daily blog entry! Daily Stumbles I found interesting:
Snow geese stopover at wildlife refuge en route to wintering grounds -Incredible photography in the spirit of the series "Planet Earth". These photos will literally take your breath away from the sheer scope of it.
Rare tongue-eating parasite found -This left me absolutely speechless. What if something like this exists on land? Better keep your tongue in check- literally!
Obama calls Kanye a jackass -I had to laugh at this little clip.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have roughly an hour to pack. We leave at around 1:30 and I don't intend to be late because I got lazy.
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