'52'

Well, when I first heard of DC Comics' idea to publish a cohesive story in the style of TVs '24', I was a big sceptical to say the least. The plan was for DC to put out a weekly comic (called '52') for one year that would take place in real time in that the series would cover an actual year of comic time.

Cool idea, but I had already been burned too many times by late shipping comics. I had decided not to get it -- not a very dificult thing to do since I already didn't get very many DC titles. Then I walked into the comic store to retrieve my regularly held titles, and the damned comic store guy had put the first two issues in my box. I gave him a dirty look. He assured me that I would like them. So, I got them, took them home, and read them.

Sixteen weeks later, I'm still reading 52, and it has yet to ship late. Not only that, but now I'm reading more DC titles than ever before. Don't get me wrong, I'll always be a Marvel Zombie at my core...I'm just a Marvel Zombie with a little DC around the edges.

All I Want From My Video Game System

Yeah, it's been a long time since my last post. Sue me. Anyway, I've been thinking, and although I've been a hardcore gamer since Atari and Intellivision, there's always been something missing from my gaming life. Seamless gaming at home and on handheld. Sure, the technology hasn't always been there, but I think it's here now. For instance, 'Tomb Raider: Legend' is basically the same game on the PSP as it is on the other consoles and PC. That's all fine and good, but it's time for the next step

Here's what I propose: Make a game that I can start on my home console (PS3, X360, Wii, whatever), and continue on my handheld from where I left off. Now, I understand that now all gamers may not have both the handheld and the home system, so the game would have to be available seperately for both platforms. What the game companies need to do is offer the game at full price, and include a '60% off' coupon for the same game on it's sister platform. Additionally, they need to include some type of 'crosstalk' feature (similar to what Sony did with 'SOCOM 3' on PS2 and 'SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo' on PSP) so you could swap game save information back and forth.

Just imagine...sitting at home, playing the latest RPG on your PS3 when you look at the clock and remember that you have a plane to catch in 3 hours. You save your game, download the save data to your PSP, and run out the door secure in the knowledge that you'll still be able to make progress on that 60+ hour monster of a game while you're at the airport, on the plane, and even in the hotel at your destination. And then, when you get home again, you can download the save data from your PSP back to your PS3 and continue the adventure.

Will everyone be willing to buy the same game twice (even if there is a deep discount on the second copy)? Probably not. But since most games have a handheld port anyway, they might as well throw in the crosstalk feature for those of us who would entertain having seemless gameplay. A true "Play Anywhere" experience.

Standard Game Length

As gamers, we need to make sure we set forth the expectation to the video game publishers that we expect our games to be of a certain length. This shouldn't be news to any of them, because they used to adhere to these previously unwritten rules back in the day of SNES and Genesis. We need to make sure they know that pretty graphics do not make up for a 10 hour game (I'm looking in your direction, 'Onimusha'). In the PS2/Xbox/Gamecube generation, games ran about $50 each. In the PS3/X360/Wii generation, we're most likely looking at games going for $60 each. We need to get our moneys worth, people! Stand united!

The rules are as follows:

• An action game (defined here as a running-and-gunning game with minimal puzzles; e.g. Metal Gear Solid, Devil May Cry, any FPS) must be at least 25 hours long. Not counting the cinematics.
• An adventure game (defined here as a puzzle solving game sprinkled with spurts of action; e.g. Resident Evil, Prince of Persia, Tomb Raider) must be at least 35 hours long. Again, not counting the cinematic sequences.
• An action/adventure game (defined here as an adventure game where the '"puzzles" involve a more action-based solution -- sandbox games fall into this category; e.g. The Warriors, Mercenaries, the whole GTA series) must be at least 35 hours long to complete the main storyline, and at least 45 hours long to complete all of the side quests. Not counting the cinematics, of course.
  
• An RPG (defined here as any story-heavy game that, for the most part, does not rely on quick reflexes; e.g. The Final Fantasy series, The Xenosaga series, the Dragon Quest series) must take at least 60 hours to complete the main storyline, and at least 70 hours to complete all of the sidequests. This time, of course, should not take into account any cinematic sequences (I'm looking at you, 'Xenosaga'...)

Of course, fighting games, racing games, sports games, and MMORPGs should all have unlimited play time due to the replay value. Stand strong; demand more play time and less BS.

"The next generation begins when we say it does."

Yup. Those were the words of the Sony VP when he was questioned about the (scheduled) PS3 launch nearly a year after the XBOX 360 launched. He then went on to say that the XBOX 360 isn't next gen, and that it's merely "XBOX 1.5." Ouch. Yes, this is indeed shaping up to be a console war the likes of which we've never seen.

Even Nintendo is being dragged (kicking and screaming) into the fray. The Wii's main selling point was the unique motion sensing controller...which Sony seems to have not only copied, but perfected (since Sony's version doesn't require and additional external sensors like the Wii does). It appears that Sony just wasn't satisfied simply declaring war on Microsoft, and allowing Nintendo to have it's niche market. Sony seems to have given the finger both Miyamoto and Gates.

The nerve of them. AND they plan to launch at $599 for the good package. Are you kidding me? 600 bucks for a game console? Did they learn nothing from the Neo-Geo debacle? I'd have to say that they did indeed learn, seeing as how the PS3 will be able to play BluRay disks out of the box, in addition to playing games.

Needless to say, I'll be first in line to buy one. Maybe even three, so I can sell a couple on Ebay. I'll also buy a 360 on the same day seeing as how the price is likely to drop just to make the PS3 look like a huge rip-off. Hell, I may even pick up a Wii while I'm at it. With the hundreds I hope to make off of the Ebay sales of the PS3, I just may come out a little bit ahead.

X-Box 360 and Playstation 3

I think it’s time I weighed in on this whole next generation gaming thing.  First off, I really hate the name ‘X-Box’.  It just seems like it’s a weak attempt to play to a certain generational demographic (generation X), and it makes my mouth feel funny when I say it. 

That said, I currently own both an X-Box and a PS2.  The PS2 I bought at the launch, the X-Box I bought about a year after launch.  While I’ve been quite happy with both consoles, I’ve always been a bit more partial to the PS2.  Nothing personal, Gates, I just preferred the controller and the incredible library of games.  And now, there’s a new X-Box and Playstation coming down the line; only this time, the X-Box will be released first.  Way first.  We’re talking 6-8 months before the PS3. 

Both consoles look like they have a lot of potential, and while I’m sure I’ll end up with both of them, I don’t think I’ll be breaking my neck to get the X-Box 360 at it’s launch (which should be sometime in November).  Hell, I might not even get it in 2005.  Money isn’t the issue, it just seems like it may be a smarter move to wait and see what the games look like.  Not to be a hater, but the X-Box 360 isn’t going to be fully backward compatible (at least, the cheaper, $300 version won’t be...gotta spend the extra $100 for that).  It’s probably just a better move to wait until the PS3 gets closer to launch because the X360 will most likely drop in price on the PS3 launch date.

As far as the PS3 goes, I’ll be first in line to get this bad boy.  Blu-Ray, Bluetooth, WiFi...DAMN.  Those Sony folks know how to put together a must-have piece of hardware.

Alex Ross

Most, if not all, comic book fans know who Alex Ross is.  He's an incredible artist who creates photo-realistic images, and he's done it for just about every major (and a lot of minor) superhero out there from the Big 2. 

Waaaaay back when I first started collecting, I had no idea who the artists or writers were; and, quite frankly, I didn't really care.  Then one day I read 'The Uncanny X-Men', and it was so amazing, that I felt compelled to know who created it.  A quite glance showed that it was Chris Clermont (writer) and Jim Lee (artist).  From that moment forward, I would study the credits and loyally follow my favorite creators to whatever book they were working on at the time.  I've followed Clermont, Lee, McFarlane, Campbell, Vigil, Dixon, Grayson, Bendis, and Kirkman just to name a few (a very few, in fact).  I sought them out at conventions, I read their interviews, and I bought hundreds of their books.  Then along comes Alex Ross, and I just about crap my pants.  Holy crap, this guy is good.  Really good.  I couldn't wait to read one of his interviews. 

And then I did.  Then I read another.  And another.  And then I came to the conclusion that Alex Ross is an ass.  Just a total jerk.  Keep in mind that I've never met the man or anything like that, but almost everything that comes out of his mouth is just sheer jackassery.  He comes off like he's some kind of comic god, and everything he says is right --- without question.  We're all just lowly fanboys, groveling at his feet.  The rest of the comic industry?  Feh!  The movie industry?  Bah!  They're all fools when put next to the almighty Ross.  Whatever, man.

Sure, he doesn't like G.W. Bush, and I totally agree with him on that.  Sure, his art is still as amazing as ever --- hell, even more amazing.  But the fact still remains that he's just a comic book artist, and he needs to get over himself.  Just a comic book artist.  That's all.