Sky Drive

I just discovered a wonderful and free service from Microsoft. Windows Live Sky Drive. It gives you 5GB’s of data to upload what ever you want to your server space and then you can access it at any PC with Internet. Its really really useful for college work. Not ideal for massive video editing stuff but great for word documents and Photoshop files.

I really like where Microsoft are trying to go with Windows Live and Live search its self which replaces MSN search is improving a lot. It even out preformed google for me today on a few things. Anyway you just need a hotmail account to get going with Sky Drive well worth a look.

Halo: ODST

So Halo: Recon is now called Halo: ODST. I am not sure what to make of the name change. Its very possible that Bungie felt the name was to close to the famous Halo Recon amour. ODST is still a very cool name and it looks like they are going to do a good job of going though Xbox Live Marketplace etc to change all the names on stuff.

Never mind the name I am very hyped for the game its self. I am getting VERY pumped for Halo Wars now its only three months and a bit away now, really looking forwardto it. I should be posting and update with whats going on as far as what I am up to very soon as well.

Halo: The Cole Protocol

The book I have been waiting for along time arrived in the post yesterday. I am the prologue and two chapters in so far and its been really great. I don’t want to spoil anything for big Halo fans like me but it covers loads of back story and Keys is a main character in the book which I didn’t know about until I started reading. Again with out going into spoilers it is also focused on spartan team that where talked about in other books but where very far off, out in the galaxy so we find out what happened there too.

My only down view would be I don’t like the format of the heading for each new chapter. In the other ones it had the date, location etc but this one does not give details on dates and times. Then again I am too early in to know if that’s to do with whats going on in the book or not.

Thoughts On New Xbox Experience

So the new Xbox Experience has been out for a wile and I have been very impressed by it. The best feature for me is being able to install games to the harddrive the 360 hardly makes a sound now the disk is not spinning. The over all design is very nice and very easy to flick though. I really like the avatars, who cares if its a Mii rip off you can do a LOT more with avatars.

On the downside it did freeze on me once but I think that was to be expected and Marketplace was a bit slow most likely due to the massive number of people online. That’s all I have to say on it really, its just amazing how big a change Microsoft made with an update but then again software is there thing. So have fun with it and let me know what you think of it in the comments.

Game Of The Year 2008

Its that time of the year again when I like to award my own personal games of the year. Now 2008 is not over just yet but I have played all the games I am interested in and here is my list for 2008.

Game of the Year: Fable 2
Fable 2 has improved so much over the first one and introduced so many things its hard to think of a game this year that comes close to it. The world, story, combat etc etc etc where all great and I cant think of a game that deserves game of the year more.

Runner up – Crysis: Warhead

Xbox 360 Game Of The Year: Mirrors Edge
Mirrors Edge is a bit of a last minute entrance for me. I was really looking forward to it all along but after playing the demo and getting my hands on the final version its just a stunning title. The gameplay is so new and fresh as well as a ton of fun. The game has some issues on PS3 like anti aliasing so its the Xbox 360 game of the year for me.

Runner up – Gears of War 2

Playstation 3 Game Of The Year: Metal Gear Solid 4
MGS4 made me eat my words, I enjoyed every minute of it. The graphics and production values are just stunning. The stealth elements of the game are very fun and they introduced a lot of new ideas for the final game in the series. Its the only must have PS3 exclusave game this year in my opinion, but what a game it is.

Runner up – none

PC Game Of The Year: Crysis: Warhead
Crysis turned me back into a PC gamer and Warhead just blew me away. The universe of Crysis is a very interesting setting and the developers do a stunning job of building such a rich and detailed world. Crysis can be played in so many different ways its just a must have title for me.

Runner Up – Left 4 Dead

Best Graphics: Crysis Warhead
Very few games come close to the graphical detail in Crysis Warhead. It builds very well upon the original game and just looking stunning at all times. With some of the best snow I have ever scene in a game or any CGI media for that matter.

Runner Up – GTA IV

Best Art Style: Mirrors Edge
Mirrors Edge has a wonderful art direction. Its so simple yet looks so great and different. Everything is so clean at first glance but then you can see the dirt and grime that would be expected. I don’t think any other game this year can top Mirrors Edge for its art direction.

Runner Up – Fable 2

Best New Gameplay Feature: Destruction In Battlefield: Bad Company
Destruction is something that’s talks about a lot in games but battlefield bad company has really started to take big steps forward. Yes its a bit script in the way things blow up but its wonderful to be able to blow up any wall and brings a whole new element to multiplayer. By far the most interesting gameplay feature I have scene this year.

Runner Up – Combat In Fable 2

Best Story: Fable 2
A decision I made at the end which was not evil all most made me cry. It made me play though the game again so I could do it in a different way. That’s why Fable 2 has the best story this year. You are never taken out of the experience and the voice acting it wonderful helped along by Stephen Fry. Nuff said.

Runner Up – Metal Gear Solid 4

 First Person Shooter Of The Year: Frontlines Fuel Of War
It didn’t get 10/10 all round or sell Millions of copy’s but I loved it! The gamplay was fun, the graphics where nice and the story was interesting and quite griping at times. I look forward to future installments in this series.

Runner Up – Crysis Warhead

One To Watch For 2009: Halo 3: Recon
Being a massive Halo fan of both the fiction and gameplay I was over the moon when Halo 3 Recon was announced. Its by far my most wanted title at the moment and I cant wait to check it out next year.

Gears of War 2 Has A SPAM Button!

OK I am going to go of on a fucking rant now. The invite all friends button in gears 2 is total bull shit! It just fucking is, I get invites from people now who didn’t intend to invite me and my inbox always has a few when a log in every day its just so fucking annoying. Gears has what 10 player slots at the most and often less if you are going into match making. People know how to invite people Epic, you did not need to add this feature at all so please remove it via a patch as it effects everyone, even if you don’t have gears 2.  

Its just pisses me off a lot over the last wile.

“What Have You Done!”

So I played the shit out of Gears 2 over the last few days and finished the singleplayer. What a great game it is, so many improvements over the last one. Horde mode has been a blast when played with friends and I am just starting to get into the multiplayer. Its just such a wonderful game and I was not hyped up for it at all. A quick interesting story is, it arrived a day early and they also sent me the limited edition when I only payed for the normal.

I am getting back into the swing to 3D Modeling and have worked my self out a much faster work flow that I have just started to try out. From now on I plan to model and texture in no more than three days. This is for Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday mostly as I am off those days. My current model is on page 5 of my sketchbook topic at GA.net. I am also working hard, faster and longer at mapping and am very excited about the current one I have in development. It should turn out very nice.

O I all most forgot the camera I am getting for Christmas arrived and I had a quick play around to make sure its all working etc. Its fab a lot smaller than I though but at the same time has all the power and extras of a larger and more expensave camera. I am working on the new version of www.gearsofgames.net, its going to be a lot more original and I will work my photos into it as well. It will be updated very often as well and am looking forward to getting it out there.

Why Yes That Is Gears Of War 2 On My Gamer Card

Gears 2 arrived a day early in the post so I am very happy. They sent me the limited edition as well and I only payed for the normal version. So I am very very happy, I love it so far the campaign is a lot of fun. I have not tried multiplayer yet but I did spend a few minutes on horde mode which looks like it will be great with loads of other people.

Anyway just though I would let you all know, working in Unreal at the moment but after that I will jump back into it.

US Election

Yea I don’t live in America so I don’t get to vote but I love politics and this whole thing is very exciting to me. The first results are in and McCain and that mad woman are in the lead but its still very early and you can’t take any notice of that. I am really hopeful that Obama wins because I think he can do great things for America and its position in the rest of the world. I would not mind McCain so much if it was not for his running mate.

The BBC have got great coverage for all of us in the UK and I intend to sit up for a wile yet to see what happens. I will want to post about this more but I don’t want loads of new posts so I will update this one as events go on. Updates will be at the bottom.

Update 1

Great news that Obama won, I think he will do great things for the world. Loads of good coverage for this on the BBC even though I didn’t sit up to watch it all. Who did you want to win, are you happy with how it went down? Let me know in the comments.

New Camera This Year, And Other Stuff

That’s right this Christmas I am getting a new camera the Fujifilm FinePix S1000fd no less. It looks like a really nice bit of kit for a very good price too. 10MP and a 12X optical zoom which will be very useful. I love taking pictures and I will be doing it a LOT more once I get this baby. I am also in the process of re-designing, gearsofgames.net. Its OK at the moment but I want to change its style and bring photography into it as well as level design.

That should launch some time in December and I will keep you updated. Its starting to get dam cold here and it gets dark around 17:30-18:00 another few weeks and it will be dark at 17:00 or so! I love this time of year though, I was out for a walk earlier around dusk the fog was really thick but on the way back down it had really moved off, the lake that was covered was totally visible again in the space of 20 minutes. Looking out into the dark I think the fog is back. Its now actually early Mondaymorning for me, so time to get some sleep. Got some college work to finish off tomorrow and plenty of level building in Unreal, then back to college on Tuesday, with new startgate that evening of course.