DeaconBlade over at Unscripted360 wrote up a nice little article about being an Xbox MVP and some common misconceptions about it.  If you didn’t know, I myself am an Xbox MVP, so this sort of plays into things on this site and others I run.

  XMVPs are paid by Microsoft to spread Xbox love across the interwebs - Although I could use more money with the pay increase, the truth is that this is a myth.  We’re not employees of Microsoft so we don’t get to collect a check.  There are former XMVPs that have ended up gaining employment within Microsoft but that’s a different animal.  Being selected doesn’t bring any bacon home to daddy.

Be sure to head over there and read the full list.

Ting Ting Ting.   Thwump thwump.  Chata-chata-chata.  Ah the sounds of pinball.  It’s like sweet, sweet music; as the sound draws you into an arcade or corner of the bar.  While Pinball can date as far back as the 1800’s, modern day pinball had a boom in the early 1970s.  One of the leaders in table manufacturers was Williams, who also created such popular arcade games Joust and Robotron.   Now Wii owners can experience all the classics from the comfort of their own couch with Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection.

The game sets to emulate the arcade experience right down to the interface, with your character able to walk around a virtual arcade choosing a machine to play at.  With Wii-Mote in one hand, and nun-chuck in the other it’s like you are standing at a pinball table.  Each controller’s button will operate the flipper, and each controller’s motion will bump the table.  So if you need to hit that ball a little to the left simply push the wii-mote in that direction.  The machines are all accurate recreations of their real life counter parts; every bumper, graphic and sound effect is here.  In fact the game includes a digital version of the original arcade flyer for each machine, which used to lure prospective buyers.

Some of the machines offer free play, but others will be asking for your virtual quarters.  How do you fill your fantasy pockets with these coins?  By completing goals on the tables and competing in the Williams Tournament.  These tasks can range from successfully unlocking multi-ball on a table to achieving a certain score or hitting a specific marker.  The Williams Tournament will have you competing in successive tables to achieve certain scores.  The tournament isn’t for the weary either, while the first 2 tables or so the scores are fairly easy - the last bunch will have you pounding on flippers for hours.

Pinball is the original button masher, with many people simply content to keeping the ball out of the bottom of the machine.  Truly skilled players know there are certain targets and goals used to achieve maximum score.  Every table in the game offers a detailed walk through of every scoring location and goal to help get the most out of your pinball experience.  This is a very welcome addition to the game as I know I never have any idea what to do in a pinball game.

With 10 tables and up to 4 players you’ll have plenty to keep you busy in the virtual arcade.  A game of pinball is something that never gets old, it’s something you can always go back to.  I found Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection strangely addictive, almost entrancing and  it’s hard to argue with a $30 price tag for something with mostly infinite replay ability.  Just don’t tilt the table.

Score:  4 out of 5

I recently got to spend almost 2 hours playing Grand Theft Auto 4.   Now…I give you my impressions.

We bounced up and down as the ferry hit the wake of another boat.  As we were skimming across the water, I tried to see NYC while crossing the harbor between New Jersey and Manhattan.  I realized that soon the city I see before me would be my playground of destruction.  However, the city I would play in is called Liberty City, and the game I’d be playing is Grand Theft Auto 4.  It’s the series that put Rockstar Games on the map, and it’s the game that basically prints money for their publisher, Take 2 Interactive.

I’ll be honest and say that after GTA 3 I was pretty well burnt out on Grand Theft Auto games, only investing a few hours here and there in the game’s sequels.  The story of GTA IV has you taking control of Nico Bellic, a character of eastern European decent, as he comes to America to work for his cousin Roman.  You’ll start the game doing various small missions for Roman’s cab company.  As you begin to make friends and network through these missions your in-game cell phone will be updated with contacts that you can use for future missions.  In fact, the cell phone is your central hub for organizing what’s going on in the game.  Due to the complexity and depth of certain missions, the use of the cell phone is crucial.  For instance, you’ll be given the task to kill a major corporate head of a local company.  The problem is getting to him because he’s not just roaming the streets of Liberty City.  So if you check the in-game internet you’ll notice there’s a job opening at the company.  One quick email and a call later from the company and you’ll have a job interview.   This appointment will be added to your phone, and when the time comes you’ll be reminded it’s time to go.  It’s possible to miss this appointment due to being busy with another mission, but not to worry as you can call back and reschedule for one of the other 7 days of the week the game infinitely runs through.
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See…this is what happens when you have SEBS (Sudden Electronic Buying Syndrome).

I guess I know what I need to buy.

The first project from Kaos Studios (creators of Desert Combat), Frontlines: Fuel of War is very much influence by the aforementioned mod.   The story revolves around the time the world’s oil begins to dry up, and involves the nations who must fight for the last remaining territories that have the precious resource.   In the single player game has you taking the role of a soldier in the Western Coalition (the United States and the European Union) to face off against the Red Star Alliance (Russian/People’s Republic of China).  The multiplayer on the other hand plays out like a Battlefield 2 match, though there’s a few unique twists.

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I’m a big fan of Google’s tools.  I use everything from GMail, Google Calendar, Google Search, etc etc.  I’ve also been using the Google RSS Reader now for some time.   Today though, they’ve managed to amaze me again with another great feature.  Shareable items and customizable pages.  Wanna see an example?  Here is my shared items page.

With one click I can add items from any RSS feed I’ve read to that page.  What’s even cooler?  I can generate an RSS feed from THAT feed.  Recursive RSS feeds FTW!