Anyone out there like first or third person action/adventure games? Anyone out there prefer them on PC where you have mouselook? I do. For a long time now I've held off on playing a lot of these games on my PS3 mainly because of the control scheme I'd have to use. I'm no good with trying to aim with the stick. But there are SO MANY fun looking games that are exclusive to consoles that I'm missing out on just because I'd rather play it on a PC....not anymore.

Enter the FRAGnstein from Bannco.

This thing is the best of both worlds. Analog movement, precision mouse aiming (1:1 movement, no acceleration away from the dead zone, just like on a PC), wireless, lag free. This thing rocks my socks.

I played Uncharted today almost all the way through, only stopping once to eat. The experience, coming from someone with an affinity for mouselook, is greatly enhanced with this controller. It works on PC too. If you're like me and can't go without mouselook but want to play some awesome console exclusive games, this thing is THE crossover device.

Just thought I'd tell you guys about it

Later,
Dave

I present to you...

Brutal Legend pumpkin. Took me 5 hours to carve. Easily the most difficult thing I've ever put on a pumpkin. I'll give you a link to the source picture I used as a reference:

Click me

I'd like to know what you think about it.

Later,
Dave

I like to build stuff. I'd say it's one of my things. A while back I built a makeshift arcade machine. I chose an Aqua Teen Hunger Force theme and called it the Quad Laser. I had a blast building it. I love playing it as well but I just can't seem to shake the desire to build another one. One with a dedicated vertically oriented monitor. Something that I can play cIassics and vert shmups on. Enter the NEXUS 6.

I'm going to build a full on stand up arcade cabinet, dedicated vertical in the styIe of the old Bally/Midway machines that housed cIassics such as Ms. Pacman and Galaga. With that body styIe in mind, I'm going to project it 600 years into the future. Total cyberpunk. The name NEXUS 6 hit me like a truck at full speed. It's so Blade Runner (cornerstone cyberpunk film).

This cabinet is going to be for cIassics and vert shmups. Donkey Kong, Galaga, Pacman, Ms. Pacman, Dig Dug, Gyruss etc etc as well as DonPachi, DoDonPachi, ESPra.de., Guwange, Battle Garegga, Battle Bakraid, Armed Police Batrider, Raiden, etc etc. I'm going to be using one of these for the monitor:

That's 24 inches of goodness.

I'm going to be using these arcade sticks:

That's the MAG Stik Plus, made by Ultimarc. It has a couple of really awesome defining features such as a no hassle 4 way to 8 way switch. All you do to switch it is pull it up, turn it clockwise and push it back down. That way you can go from cIassic joystick to modern joystick without needing to fiddle around underneath the control panel. It also uses as magnet to return the stick to its deadzone instead of a spring. This makes the stick very fast. Perfect for those shmups.

I'm using Happ Competition buttons:

They're convex in design just like on a Japanese candy cab.

Since I'm only going to be putting vertical shooters and cIassics on it, I won't need a whole lot of buttons for each player. 3 action buttons plus start and credit buttons. Due to the fact that I actually need very few buttons, I'm going to solder my control panel this time instead of using female disconnects. Yes, disconnects are easier to deal with but soldering with allow me to have a VERY clean wiring job, not to mention there's much less of a chance that I'll have an issue with the wiring. This is what I'm going for with my wiring job (this guy solders as well):

When the machine starts up, it will play the orchestral version of the Deus Ex theme which I think fits right along with the cab styIe Speaking of the styIe my goal is to design it so that when people see it, they'll say "That thing IS cyberpunk" not "that thing is BASED on cyberpunk". As such, I'm going to make it look like something that actually came out of one of those movies. I'm going to put PVC pipes, hoses, loom, conduits, LEDs, circuitry, anything I can find that's mechanical and somehow, make it feel biomechanical at the same time. The plexiglass that I'm putting on top of the control panel will be engraved by me to look like circuitry and will be lit with green LEDs. I'm going all out. This is going to be everything that the Quad Laser was not due to lack of skill/funds/practicality.

I'll leave you with this. The 3rd mock up of my potential marquee. This still may change but right now, I'm feeling really good about this design:

dang GS cutting my images off

Stay tuned for entry #2.

Comments always welcome,
Dave

Pop quiz: What's the deisred result of playing a game?

The correct answer is fun. We also would have accepted entertainment.

I just recently saw a thread in which the topic starter complained that games like Wii fit and "casuals" were "ruining gaming for me".

How?

I watched the video he posted and in it, it showed 2 ladies playing a Wii fit-esque game. You could see the excitement in their faces. They were having fun playing the game.

These 2 ladies know more about being a gamer that this person who professed to be an "expert gamer" because he had been playing games all his life.

But he's so angry at Wii Fit.

The point is that there are more folks out there just like our 'expert gamer' and they'd like to either section off the gaming community into "hardcore" "casual" "PC" "console" or just elimiate all categories that they themselves don't belong to.

Why?

I too have been playing games all my life. I still play my pong machine and atari and I also play my Wii and PS3. What I don't do is worry about is my experience getting ruined by someone else's enjoyment or how that enjoyment is brought about. It's sophomoric.

Be in it for the fun. Without that, what else is there?

As always,
Dave