Edward's June 2013 Mix

 

 

Ah, the throes of summer! Why brave the dangerous sunrays, the engulfing showers of lawn sprinklers, and the blinding views of white people with white legs wearing shorts? Just stay in and read or play computer games like I did this month. Well, I did get some good saddle time on the bike, and I would be a liar if I didn't admit at least a little bit of fondness for these wonderful summer days. I guess, in reality balance is where it's at, huh? The ability to get out there away from the computer and the books to get some good old fashioned vitamin D. I tried.

1. Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. on PC

I tried to tackle this game way back in 2009 when it first came out. It's as about an arcadish game as you can get, where the flight stick is eschewed for a simple Xbox 360 controller (and makes complete sense when you are using it.) It's as hokey as stories can get, set in the future you are part of an elite flyboy squadron created to protect the interests of big corporations, a sort of highly mobile security force. You are ordered to assist the US Navy against a large terrorist force, and then when the Navy is down and out final blow pending, your leader goes rogue and orders you to deliver the coup de grace so your squadron has total power. And like all good guys, you turn against your leader and your own squadron. I progressed relatively far in this game, all the way to mission 12 of 19. And then the game ramped up to one of the biggest difficulty escalations I've ever seen in a game. Uggh! I hate investing time and effort into a game and it finally defeating me. Anyway, I'm done with it. Took it off the hard disk. It's going on eBay. I will not be buying H.A.W.X. 2.
 

2. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne on PC

I've not actually started this game yet, but I will have by the time you read this. I beat the first one years ago, and I really want MP3 on Steam. (The summer sale is just around the corner. Ha!) But in order for me to play the third one, I just won't feel right without having played the second game in the series. Here's the thing, though: MP2 is unplayable in its present state on modern PCs. Yes, I know, it is rather ludicrous that Rockstar can't come out with a patch that lets one of their fairly modern games play on a modern system. But then this is Rockstar. I honestly think they hate PC gamers. I was telling someone the other day it would be hilarious if they didn't release GTA V for PC and the new Saint's Row game outsold GTA V on the consoles. But we both know that's not going to happen. A year from now they'll release GTA V on the PC, and a gazillion fanboys will slip in their own drool to get it onto their PCs as quickly as they possibly can. Oh, by the way, in order to get this game to work on my Windows 7 64 bit system I had to download a NO CD crack. But hey, it worked!
 

3. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin in paperback

Had someone approached me and asked me to read a book about political intrigue any other time I probably would have made the suggestion they take a long walk off of a short pier. This book, though, the first in the series, has me captivated. I'm taking it slow, maybe too slow. I'm only page 350 or so, but man, it's brilliant. If you call yourself a fan of fantasy and you've not read this, hmmm . . .then I don't know about you. Purists say it's better than LOTR. So far, I have to wonder if there's not some truth to that. I found a family tree depicting the hierarchies in the back of the book as an appendix. It's almost required because this book has more characters in it than the DC and Marvel universe put together. I honestly look forward to going to work so I can spend time with the people in this book.
 

4. Mass Effect 2 on PC

This is the most fun I've had in a PC game in a while. (Catching up to my friends' ranks in BF3 might run a close second.) This game plays much like the first one, except faster, slimmer, and more cut to the chase. The game feels easier by far than the first one as well. I'm thrilled to be playing this, the second in a trilogy, and look forward to beating it and moving on to ME3. But then, no, I'm almost not wanting this one to end because it's such a good time. Cutting the lights, donning the cans on my head, fingers on the mouse and keyboard, I actually feel like I'm lost in another universe. If you've not played this series, you owe yourself. People hate on EA for good reason, but this game series compels tolerance for the evil empire.
 

5. Manny's Search by Edward C. Burton on paperback and Kindle

It still feels quite strange to type that, the title of my novel by . . .me. Heh. It's all done, bound, printed, and sold. . . well, selling anyway. It won't make me rich by any means, but like Shakespeare was reputed to have said, he wanted to write so he could be immortal. I've left my scratch on the planet. It really was a labor of love, but now that it's done it's such a relief. I've lifted the sack of rice off my shoulders. But there is no rest for the wicked. I have a second novel I completed years ago, and now I need to get it ready for its journey to Amazon.

6. Knights of the Old Republic on PC

Like I've said before, I didn't get very far with this game back in 2003, despite it's been hailed as one of the best RPGs ever made. I'm trying a different approach this time, however. I'm actually playing a Sith character. It goes against my very grain to play an evil character, but so far it's working out okay. I'm a consular, and I live for the day when I level up to be able to chokehold enemies and toss them across the room like rag dolls. I have a way to go. I'm still a mere level 6, but I'm turning into a badass with my critical strike ability with swords. Ah, just wait until I trade it in for a light saber, bwaahaaahaa! I guess I passed my baptism as a bad guy when I had to chase down some ancient tomes that would fulfill the hopes and dreams of a prophet set on delivering his people from oppression in the sewers and undercity of an area controlled by Sith. I rounded up all of the books and sold them to a black market profiteer for a hundred credits. You should have heard the speech the prophet gave me explaining how I made the world of he and his people crumble like a house of cards. Yes, I have to admit, I did feel bad. For about two seconds.
 

7. Computer Games Magazine 2003

I always feel nostalgic reading through these old magazines, and yes, a little proud, too. I feel honored to be a part of the PC gaming world, and even moreso because I got my start way back in 1989 and have played consistently since. Through the evolution of game engines, graphic improvements, game innovations, radical hardware changes and the ever ringing death toll, "PC as a gaming platform is dying!" Hmph! Tell me something new. What's really strange is how much modern consoles are becoming more and more like the PC. Shoot, all they need now is a mouse and keyboard interface and the total transformation will be complete. But ten years ago, 2003, let's see. I had a Pentium 4 2.4 gHz rig powered by a Geforce 4200. Doom3, FarCry, and Railroad Tycoon 3 loomed on the horizon. It was an exciting time to be a gamer.
 

8. Boards of Canada: Trans Canada Highway on CD

I can never get enough of this duo, two brothers who migrated from Scotland to Canada and took old music from 1970's TV documentaries and resampled it with synthesizers and serious drum and bass. This music always takes me back to Saturday morning cartoons, the ponds and woods of my grandparents' farm in Indiana, and the splendor of being a kid in the '70's. These two guys simply nailed that bittersweet nostalgia for me quite unlike anything else has. Give them a listen on Youtube. Look up "Heard from Telegraph Lines" and try not to think about Kindergarten and milk and cookies, and sunshine streaming in broken sunbeams through tree branches.

9. Magic: The Gathering-Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 on PC
I've been a fan of Magic: The Gathering since 1995 when I was introduced to it. And getting to play this game on the pc is like getting to play against a 24/7 buddy, except you can play in your pajamas! The only thing I don't like about the game is not being able to build decks from scratch, but this is a fun series, and if you can't find people to play with this serves as a great standby. Beating an opponent is no small feat, and always feels like an accomplishment.

Edward's May 2013 Mix

    

Aha! And you thought May was going to get away without my monthly mix post? No way, Jose! Still enjoying the new mighty machine atop my desk. Loving the Steelseries cans. I've recently added a Creative SoundBlaster Z board, and as I mentioned in last month's post, I anticipated the sound was going to be incredible and it is truly amazing! Microsoft and Sony are leaking out (and proudly pronouncing) specs for their new consoles coming out at the end of the year. It's wonderful to be able to sigh and gloat in the fact the two consoles' hardware specs still won't touch my PC. Microsoft's big hook is, guess what? You can access Skype on your Xbox One! I've been doing that on my PC since 2003. Ah well, I know I'm personally prejudiced, but seriously, will you be able to play Rome: Total War 2 on any console? Battlefield 3 with 64 man servers? How about all of those mods for Skyrim and FarCry 3? Just goes to show, there's still no comparison.
     It's been a quite busy month, tons of games, and I've been watching the telly, (for a change.) All of this, despite the incredible amount of work to get my novel to fruition. Oh well, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!
    

1. About Schmitt on DVD

When Warren Schmitt (Jack Nicholson) retires and looks forward to the "next chapter" of his life by traveling around with his wife in their new Winnebago, his plans go awry when she immediately passes away. He attempts a life of normalcy at home, but decides it's too difficult. He drives out to his daughter's in Denver to attend her wedding (and convince her she's marrying the wrong man.) He meets with several mini-misadventures along the way and confides them all in letters to a six year old Tanzanian boy he's sponsoring in a Feed the Hungry program. His portrayal of a man obsessed with orderliness and routine whose life is suddenly everything but, is spot on. And as he looks back on his life he thinks he's the same mere common star stuff we're all made of, nothing really significant; he will leave the world without leaving his footprint in it. But then something happens to make him realize he has made a difference, much more than he could imagine. This bittersweet comedy is one of Jack's best.

2. Lost 1st Season on Blu-ray

I've finally traveled back to that lost island near the equator that is so reminiscent of an adult version of Gilligan's Island. I'm still in the first season, I'm slow I realize, but each episode is a real treat. I'm extending it out for as long as I can. Strange things are happening: Said has been conked on the head and captured by the lost French woman, we discover the Korean woman speaks fluent English, and Sawyer is coming around as not only a conman and a conniver, but also a man with a heart. The Blu-ray looks beautiful, and commercial free makes it even moreso.

3. Placebo Once More with Feeling -- Singles 1996-2004 on CD

I didn't discover Placebo (actually Brian Molko "guesting" on The Alpine Stars) until I heard a song on a PC game I was playing, Test Drive Unlimited. There I was, cruising in my Saturn Sky convertible trekking through rural roads in Oahu, the shadows of the trees gracing the cool pavement ahead of me and this song came on, sung by Molko. It was called "Carbon Kid" and it was so fitting for that game. I researched it and discovered Placebo. Amazing a trio can capture this much angst, dissatisfaction, and depression with so much energy. Shoot, this album depicts feeling down as something fun! And there is true profundity in such things as "Special Needs" and "Every You Every Me."

4. Mass Effect 2 on PC

I finished the original Mass Effect way back in 2009. I was discouraged to try out ME2 because since it had been so long I thought I was going to have to replay the first one just to get caught up to speed. Fortunately, this game's intro refreshed my entry rather elegantly, and now here I am again, lost in this wonderful and exciting universe poised to try to save Earth again. The environments are so dazzling I play this game with the lights off, despite the high resolution of my HDMI monitor, and the NPC's in this game have more personality than, well, probably any other game I've ever played. Who needs to go to Hollywood to become a movie star? Play this game, and you'll feel like you're outshining anything Tinsel town has ever produced. I'm serious.

5. Sid Meier's Railroads on PC

Sid Meier and Firaxis Games tantalized us back in 2006 with what seemed to be a beautiful sequel to Railroad Tycoon 3. The release proved to be a failure. They took the appeal of RRT3 and dumbed it down to appeal to the more casual gamer. And now there will probably never be a Railroad Tycoon 4. Still, I played through this game and enjoyed it. I'm running through another play through and having just as much fun. I'm disappointed in that the game came out in 2006 (it was actually released just after Windows Vista) and yet the game wouldn't work on Vista at all. That's inexcusable. It is, however, running on my Windows 7 system, albeit with occasional crashes to the desktop.  

6. Battlefield 3 on PC

You always hear me extolling the virtues and my amorous love for Battlefield 2. Well, Dr. Ruth once said a man only falls in love one time in his life. I think she lied. I've traded in BF2 for the newer and younger BF3 and I'm not looking back now. The last week of May rewarded players with double XP, and I've taken full advantage. I'm now a Major (level 43) and I worked up through 4 ranks in two days. That's pretty intense, if I say so myself. My kill/death ratio still sucks eggs, just like it did in BF2, but my weapon accuracy is accurate than most, so I guess that's something to write home about. BF4 will be out for Christmas, of course EA is already bragging about its release for the consoles. (How irksome--the Battlefield series was born and raised on the PC). But if BF4 is anything like BF3 I may just become a polygamist.

7. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

I put off beginning this series for a long time. I'll admit I was a little bit intimidated by the series' length, but man oh man, this is great stuff! I'm surprised at how engaging Martin's writing is. I'm not a big fantasy fan, but of course I've read TLOR. I mean, it IS basically the shrine for any fantasy fan. But I think this series may just have it beat. Royal families deceiving each other to gain control on the eve of a terrible winter season that will last decades. There are so many characters in this book, and each chapter is told through the viewpoint of one of them, that I have to use a piece of notebook paper to keep tabs on everybody and their lineage, their squires, their servants, their stableboys, etc. But I've not been engrossed in a series like this since the first two books of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.

8. Manny's Search by Edward C. Burton

Ah yes, after just mentioning A Game of Thrones I can now put away the huge limelight and break out my cheap boy scout camp flashlight with the el cheapo Eveready batteries in it. But hey, it is my book I created and I'm pretty proud of it. I've made all of the corrections, and my editor suggested I rewrite the last quarter of it, and guess what? She was right. It was a ton of work, and I think I must have worn off a few more letters from my keyboard, but I feel so much more confident with it now. I just ordered another published proof from Amazon. Hopefully, this one will be ready to fly and next month I can begin selling. Fingers crossed.

9. The Munsters 1st Season on Netflix

This show came out in 1964 and I remember watching it in syndication a few short years later. Gee, I'm really dating myself here. But it exuded a certain charm to it I still find appealing to this day, despite its camp. I thought Yvonne De Carlo who played Lily was to die for even back then. Hard to believe she was actually a year older than Grandpa Munster, but still played his daughter. And on another trivial note, the house used as their homeplace of 1313 Mockingbird Lane still exists. And you've seen it! It was featured on nearly every episode of Desperate Housewives.

10. Amnesia - The Dark Descent on PC

I recently finished Doom 3 on a fluke. I was just wanting to see how it held up on a modern system being that when it came out in 2004 it pushed such technological envelopes. It holds up nicely. The game's sound design (and the immersion it encases you with on a good 5.1 surround sound speaker system) is nothing short of remarkable. Of course I had to cheat through some of it. Ugh! Hate when I do that, but I've talked to a few people recently about a survival horror game called Descent - The Dark Descent, and only one of them was able to finish it. It's supposedly that scary. I've started it; I'm about three hours into it, and yes, I've got to admit, the hair on the back of my neck and the goosebumps have flourished a few times. I haven't jumped out of my chair yet, (not done that since System Shock 2, actually) but they tell me that moment's coming. I picked up the game on a really cheap Steam sale. Add it to your wishlist and you do the same when it goes on sale again. Then we can tease each other about finishing it.

Edward's April 2013 Mix

Still enjoying the new mighty machine atop my desk. Just picked up a set of Steelseries Siberia V2 headphones. What an amazing pair of cans! I'm using the onboard Realtek sound chip which is . . . hmmm, okay. But my next acquisition will be a Creative Z board. I'm just too much of an audiophile to not have a discrete sound card. Not being disrespectful to those of you who think sound is sound, to my discerning ears, yes, there is a massive difference. I remember installing an X-Fi card and getting accused of cheating in Battlefield 2. I heard my enemy's footprints in leaves, behind a building. I realized then and there I truly had a legitimate advantage. Finished a few games this past month that tested my tolerance and toyed with my patience. Portal, Mirror's Edge, and Titan Quest. All of these games were more difficult than they had a right to be. But then maybe it's just me. Maybe I really don't have any natural ability to be a gamer. Could I be the victim of a life misspent? Maybe so, but I'll fake it to my last breath. Can't stop now, been doing it too long, since 1989. But I mean, come on, 100 hours into Titan Quest, get to the final boss and he one shots me and my elemental? That's supposed to be fun? That's not even a challenge. That game is going on eBay. I don't even want it in the house anymore. And Mirror's Edge, yes it was fun, but there are some levels I loaded 30 times to get through. I'm either crazy or a masochist. Both? Okay, on to the good stuff for this month:

1. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy 

Last year I read The Road by McCarthy and in my review said it would break your heart. Well, I'm paraphrasing here from my own review on Shelfari, but Blood Meridian has to be the cruelest book I've ever read. And this is no Clive Barker Books of Blood goo, this is harsh black writing that floats down as light as a feather and settles into your stomach like a farrier's anvil. It's a rare thing that I'm so put off by a novel that I stop reading it, but in this book I came close. There are moments I had to close the book and take a look around me as if I was looking around the room laying claim to my own sanity. A band of cowboys ride down to Mexico to loot, pillage, and scalp Apache indians. Sounds like the stuff of a 1950's Saturday serial. Despite McCarthy’s poetic, dark and dismal tone, this book is fatally fascinating. And now I can't help myself. I want to read more of Cormac McCarthy.   

2. Homefront on PC

This was a very short romp put out by THQ a few years ago. I picked it up at Half Price Books some time ago, and just got around to playing it. Penned by the same man who wrote the original 90's cult film, Red Dawn and Apocalypse Now, this game had a great storyline. Unfortunately, that may have been its most disconcerting attribute. I never felt like I was playing this game so much as I was being led by the hand to see a great and terrible tour of a North Korean invasion of our American homeland. I'm not saying this is a bad thing; I'm not sure I would want every new title from this point forward to be this kind of game, but it was interesting nonetheless. I have heard that The Walking Dead game is portrayed the same way. Yet it involves a fair amount of soul searching and grave decision making. It's an interesting mechanic and I'll keep my eyes open for more of this type of gameplay.  

3. Mirror's Edge on PC

I picked this game up way back in 2009. Running it on my Intel E7200 with its (at the time) uber 9800GT card I couldn't even use PhysX because it turned the game into a slide show. I recently reinstalled it on my new rig and 1080p. The difference was totally remarkable. I get accused of saying every game I play is the most gorgeous game I've ever played up to that point. In that defense I will say this much: this game has the cleanest, brightest, clinically perfect geometry I've seen in any game. Ever. It's a short game that can easily be played over a couple of evenings that involves a girl who uses parkour to send messages and thwart an Orwellian neo government that is way too corporate for its own good. Oddly, this game feels like a blend of Final Fantasy (at least the 2006 movie) and a pinch of Cameron Crowe's excellent Vanilla Sky.

 

4. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

 

I'm about to embark on a great crusade, that is, begin this serial tome that purists say rivals Tolkien's revered Lord of the Rings. We shall see. I have not watched the HBO series, nor will I probably, especially while reading the books. This book had a hand in the story of Bioware's Dragon Age. The first book alone is 800 pages plus. I can't wait to dig in.

 

5. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho on Blu-Ray

 

Lauded by many to be the scariest movie ever made, I can see it. And with this perfect transfer to Blu-Ray I can see it at nothing less than perfect. At the expense of sounding almost arrogant, this movie was the original master all horror movies have since been cut from, and sadly, not very well. This movie was the original splatter movie less the blood, sex and gore. Yet, if you watch it you'll swear you saw all of these elements (which have since become worn clichés.)  But all of this is trite compared to the real reason this movie is so horrifying. It was so easy to watch a Universal Dracula or Wolfman movie and implement an almost "keystone caper-esque" mindset in how fantastic and unreal these movies were. Psycho shattered that mindset. It ruined us in a sense. Norman Bates could have been any one of our neighbors. A simple shower skewered our imaginations afterwards.

 

6. Battlefield 3 on PC

 

On my deathbed when I look back at the hours, days, and minutes I spent on Battlefield 2 I will probably shed one last tear. It's one of the few games I ever preordered. And it was the first game I bought on DVD. It's my 2nd most hours played game on X-fire. Any regrets? Nope. I loved the game. It's one of my top favorite games of all time, and probably always will be. But now, BF3 steps in to take its place on my new rig. The first weekend I played it I hammered out 35 hours. This level of commitment frightens me. Could it surpass my passion for Battlefield 2? I don't know. With EA shoving Battlefield 4 promos and ads down our throats I may be kidding myself trying to max out ranks/achievements in BF3, but then, hey, that's what I get for showing up so late. My old rig just couldn't run it. Well, okay, had I turned the graphics settings down, but you already know I just don't do that. And speaking of, this game in all its glorious muddy, runny, gritty graphics looks amazing at 1080p. Coming back to Wake Island and Karkand was like being the prodigal son showing up at the park pavilion right at the moment the family reunion cleanup commences. But it's okay. I'll be playing for a while, and this time, when Battlefield 4 comes out I'll be the first one in the serving line.

 

7. Knights of the Old Republic on PC

 

I tried to play this when it came out years ago, but got bored, misguided, frustrated, etc. Former Computer Gaming World editor, Jeff Green cited this game as the best RPG ever made. I've decided to give it another go on my laptop. Interestingly, it runs great on my i5 processor fitted laptop with integrated graphics. I'm (for once) playing an evil character, a Sith Consular, a dark crust of a man who specializes in chokeholds and mentally throwing victims against walls and ceilings. Ah, good stuff. I'm at level 4 so the fun is just beginning. I have one problem, however. I'm finding it hard as hell to be a bad guy. It just goes against my grain. Who would have known games can bring out our very cores?

 

8. Computer Games Magazine 2002

 

Revisiting these great old magazines that kindle a sense of nostalgia in me (unless you count my shelves full of old PC games) quite like nothing else can. 2002 was a great year, Bioware's Knights of the Old Republic, Rome Total War and Blizzard's World of Warcraft were all announced. I was utilizing a Pentium 4 1.8 gHz to ply my craft of murder and mayhem on the virtual fields and halls of my FPS's at this time. And what a glorious time it was.

 

 

 

 

 

Edward's March 2013 Mix

Winter is refusing to let us go. But that’s okay. I have a new computer, (and boy is it a rig!) I went from an Intel E7200 to an i7-3770K. And I went from a loyal old Geforce 9800GT to a Geforce 670 GTX. I can’t believe the difference. I’ve been immersed in a few  new games that are not only robbing of me sleep, but also making me laugh at the cold outside. Why would anybody in their right mind go outside and brave these wintry elements when there is so much gaming goodness indoors? Winter, retain your clutches my dear, keep me inside as long as you can. Make my lawn mowing chores something I don’t have to look forward to for a long, long time.

1. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy 

I read a Pulitzer Prize winning bittersweet little gem two years ago called The Road. And if that wasn’t enough to remember this man, well, he also penned the brilliantly chilling novel No Country for Old Men. McCarthy sets this novel in the old west. The story is about a Tennessee farm boy who heads south to stake his claim in the fortunes of a boy becoming a young man, and he meets up with a band of evil gringos headed down Mexico way to kill and plunder. The band is raided by Comanches and the youth is left for dead. He is captured and thrown into a Mexican jail where he awaits judgment. McCarthy’s tone is poetic, dark and dismal. His words are sun bleached buffalo bones laying on the desert scrub, and glistening under starlight. If you like Larry McMurty you’ll love Cormac McCarthy.

 

2. Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood on PC

I’m about two thirds of the way through this venerable Gearbox action/strategy/shooter. The level of research involved in the creation of this game is manifested in the painfully authentic atmosphere we share along with our brothers in the 502^nd Airborne as they capture French strongholds. Not for the squeamish, this game takes patience to a whole new level. If you enjoyed the HBO series, Band of Brothers, or you’ve watched Saving Private Ryan multitudinous times you'll feel right at home in this game. Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox, wasn't lying when he said their aim was to make this game as authentically as possible.

 

3. F1 2012 on PC

Picked this up on a Steam sale. Playing this on a new 27” WS HDMI monitor with 5.1 surround sound speakers is nothing short of amazing. Through the years Codemasters has evolved their products from arcade racers to nearly full fledged simulations. Their not on the level of Papyrus, but they’re getting there. Graphically, this game blows away anything Papyrus has ever produced. (Which is a given considering their last great number was Nascar 2003 Season.) The cars handle convincingly enough to make me feel a part of the genuine Formula One World Circuit, and the detail of the tracks give me an appreciation for what these guys do in real life. This hasn’t happened to me since I first played computer golf and went out and bought a set of clubs, but now I want to buy a “Dummies’ Guide to F1 Racing,” and start watching it on TV. 

4. Boards of Canada The Campfire Phase on CD

I shall forever be mesmerized by the efforts of these two Scottish brothers who take drum and bass and intermingle them with childhood memories that are seemingly impossible for them to have recollected. Their sounds are pieces of nostalgia from MY generation, not theirs! Plop this in your car’s system and don’t be surprised if people roll their windows down at stoplights and ask who you’re listening to. This is music to drive by, and music to write to. It’s music to sleep to, and it’s music to lie on a car hood with as you stare at a star filled sky and think back on watching Saturday morning cartoons in your pajamas and eating Lucky Charms.

 

5. Railroad Tycoon 3 on PC 

I believe this game holds a record for me. I bought it in 2003 when it first came out, and it’s been on every HDD I’ve owned since. And though I’ve had a concurrent campaign going, I’ve never finished it. I bought this game before I ever installed Xfire so there’s no telling how many true hours I have on it, but I’ve recently ignited a spark of desire to come back to it and get serious about finishing the string of campaigns that comprise the game. I even forsook this game to play Sid Meier’s Railroads! when that game came out in 2006. But now I’m back again to lose myself in this experience that is reminiscent of a virtual ride on an electric train.

 

6. Simcity on PC

World War 2 Online, Anarchy Online and Diablo III. These were some of the worst launches in the history of PC gaming. Despite a lengthy development and intense beta testing EA dropped the ball on this one, causing it to join the ranks of the aforementioned games with another debacle launch. I made a wise move (for once) and waited two days before I bought the game, and man oh man, what a difference it made. I was able to install, sign in, and play just fine. I had no idea I would find this game so charming. And I had no idea I would be so lionized as a virtual mayor. I’m currently riding high on a 76% approval rating, despite the three sewage outflows on the north side of my metropolis are beginning to make my Sims sick due to the surrounding ground pollution. I just need 2,000 more residents to move in so I can upgrade my city hall with a Department of Utilities and install a sewage treatment plant. 

7. Titan Quest on PC

It took me roughly four years to read the complete Darktower series by Stephen King. And it took me four years to read the King James version of the Holy Bible, and that was reading a single chapter a day. I know long quagmires when it comes to media. And now I’m meeting it in another form. I’ve been playing Titan Quest since September of last year (in small pinches of time, mostly an hour a shot.) I just entered the last land where the last boss resides. I’m level 35 now, and I have over 1 million in gold. I’m glad it’s finally over. 

8. Rise of Flight  on PC

I bought this game back in 2009, but whenever I got into the air in the presence of more than one enemy plane the whole experience turned into a 56K slideshow. I uninstalled the game and shelved it in frustration. I reinstalled it a week ago, and maxed all of the visual settings. My mouth dropped open. All I need is a fan blowing in my face and a scarf wrapped around my neck and I’d feel like Manfred von Richthofen or Werner Voss. This World War One aerial combat sim is the real deal. There hasn’t been one this great since 1991’s Red Baron released by Dynamix. And graphically, this one is the best there has ever been (and quite possibly will ever be.) 

9. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 on PC

Despite EA’s refusal to fix the flight controls in this game (and ignobly offering end user .ini fixes) I’ve always enjoyed this game although I’ve had to dumb down the graphic settings. Recently returned to this one on my new system. I actually laughed out loud. The difference is complete enough to feel as if I’m playing a different game. I’ll be picking up Battlefield 3 very soon, and probably retiring this game, but it’s been a mighty fine ride I won’t soon forget.

 

10. Computer Games Magazine 2001

At one time I subscribed to all three computer game magazines, PC Gamer, Computer Gaming World and Computer Games Magazine. I have to admit, CGM was the most maturely written. Steve Bauman also has my most revered respect for publishing two of my essays in this esteemed publication. A silly MySpace lawsuit forced the magazine to shut down, but rumors abound it may be making a return. I hope the rumors are true, and soon.

Edward's February 2013 Mix

Someone once said the only thing constant is change. This has surely been a month of changes. I switched Internet providers after six years of loyalty. The sad thing is, I would have stayed with Comcast, but when you treat your customers like doggie dung, and they wake up and realize they are being treated that way, well, I had to let them go. I'll spend my money elsewhere. Obama's tax fiscal cliff thingie kicked in. My pauperous paycheck is now $20 less--something I needed like a shotgun blast to the chest. I'll just have to look at the brightside. I now save $75 a month with my new Internet provider, so that makes up for the extraneous government dip into my paycheck and still gives me an extra $35.00 a month. I'll never stop griping about my invasive government, but at least their increased taxation isn't affecting me this time around. Oh, something else, too. I became a grandfather for a second time. And I'm not just saying this, the boy is the most beautiful little baby I've ever seen. Welcome to the world, Eric Cruz. I'm glad you were born. Despite all of the busy-ness as of late I've still been able to dedicate myself to my geekdom, here I'll show you.

1. Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson 

Still continuing the adventures of Hiro Protocol, pizza deliverer by day, badass hacker ninja by night in the Metaverse (the inspiration for the virtual environment, Second Life) this book is filled with huge nuggets of trivial information, and some not so trivial. And I’ve never read a book that correlates computer viruses and their proliferation with the spread of ancient religions. This is definitely science fiction for nerds. Why did God bestow man with the ability to talk in tongues? Simple really, it was all that much easier to mingle with the jungle natives and convert 200,000 people when they could instantly understand you.   

2. Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood on PC

Gearbox released this game a mere seven months after the release of the venerable Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 back in 2005, and they took some flak for it. The environments aren’t that changed, and the game even has the same characters. Shoot, even the story overlaps the original game, but this time you step up to the plate as one of the minor characters who has suddenly taken charge and is in command. This game is still brutally difficult even on the medium setting I’m playing it on. But each mission is historically accurate, and I can’t help but feel as if I’ve really stepped into a time machine and parachuted into the shrubs and backfields of Normandy in 1944. If you enjoyed the HBO series, Band of Brothers, you'll feel right at home in this game. Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox, wasn't lying when he said their aim was to make this game as authentically as possible.

3. Lost on Blu-Ray

You always hear me bragging about how great Battlestar Galactica was. Well, I think Lost has stolen the title of the best writing on television away from my beloved BSG. Yes, I know, I know, the ending is garbage, but so far, though I’m still in season one, I have to say I’m hypnotized. Just finished watching “The Moth,” where Charlie kicks his nasty habit and we find out that Sawyer may be a bad man, but he’s not inherently evil. If you were to ask me, I’m not a JJ Abrams fan. I know his endings are weak, and how could he even accept the reins of both Star Wars and Star Trek? This was a pretty arrogant gesture as far as I’m concerned. But Lost could make me a real fan. Stay tuned for further details.

 

4. Interpol Antics on CD

I must have heard “Not Even Jail” late one night on Pandora while playing Second Life, or when I was writing several years back. I’m not sure how they ended up on my plate, but if The Joy Division hit a time glitch and ended up in the here and now this would be them, well, maybe if the angst were glitched out as well. This band sounds very much like them, from Paul Banks’ vocals to Daniel Kessler’s shoeglazey guitar work. The background synthesizer in guise of an old church organ that suddenly sung and danced itself out of a funeral service nails my love for this CD.  Holy hello, you know what? Their live band pictures even remind me of Joy Division. Hmm . . . do you believe in time glitches?

 

5. Incubus Light Grenades on CD

 

This band had a pretty loyal underground following for quite some time. I had heard of them, but not listened to them. The slight exposure I had to them reminded me too much of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, a band I dislike. And then I picked up this CD. Brandon Boyd’s voice rings perfectly in “Dig,” (supposedly, it was his voice that caused Sony to pick them up) and not to mention the glittering guitar sound that reminds me of leaves flickering in sunshine under a steady breeze. And Ben Kenny’s amazingly tight bassing is the true ear candy that sold me. Go for a stroll with these tracks loaded up on your mp3 player. It will be a walk to remember.  

6. Civilization V on PC

This game still makes me cry. Well, not tears of grief, but tears because I stare at the screen so long and forget to blink. An hour later my eyes are stinging because I feel like I’ve been staring at the sun. I get so engrossed I forget to take eye breaks from the screen. And not to mention, having six hours to go before having to get ready for work, and then hoarsely mumbling, “Just one more turn, all I need to do is send my army into this single city-state that’s been a thorn in my empire’s side then I’ll save and go to bed.” Ha! Three hours later, not only has my army went in, they’ve conquered and the city-state is now a member of the proud Burton empire. Ah, so much for sleep before work, who needs it anyway?!

 

7. Titan Quest on PC

Edward Pyro is a force of nature to be dealt with, and his fire elemental is almost as formidable. He is level 33 now, and he’s been alive for almost 37 hours. He only comes out an hour or an hour and a half at a time, but he’s roamed this Earth since September of last year. That’s a long time for a computer game. In all of his fire mage ferocity he’s trekked across ancient Greece and crossed the Great Wall of China. He believes the final boss is around the corner, he has to be, and he's dreading it because he knows this will be the ordeal that will add another unnecessary six hours to his pixelated life. But oh why oh why? Because game designers are cruel beings. He'll have to aggressively ignore the dark steely whispers, "go ahead, ragequit, it's okay, you're not a failure, just quit . . ."

 

8. Manny's Search by Edward C. Burton

Got the “dummy” back from Amazon. It was definitely a hallmark moment, opening the parcel and plucking my book out of the cardboard and holding it up to the light of day. Flipping open the pages and seeing all of the words is a feeling I shall not soon forget. The novel is with an editor friend of mine now who’s giving it a going over, and then I’ll make the final corrections before it goes out into the world. Will it become a bestselling indie novel that gets picked up by a major publisher? Will it be a flop that sells twenty copies and carries twenty one star reviews? I don’t know, but I do know it’s inspiring me to stop being lazy and get my second novel reformatted for Amazon. Maybe this was the kick in the seat of the pants I needed.  

 

9. Portal on PC

Finally got around to playing this game. I’d always heard the cake is a lie. This is a supposed 3 hour game. It took me 9 hours to beat it, and I hated it. I almost ragequit three different times. Even after looking at Youtube vids and reading walkthrough cheats I couldn’t get past certain areas without trying thirty or more times. This is just not fun to me at all. I finally struggled through it, and of this, I have to say about it. The cake is not a lie is a lie itself. There is a cake at the end, you just don’t get the chance to eat it. And furthermore, I will not ever play Portal 2, nor will I see JJ Abrams Portal movie if/when it comes out. Forever. Most frustrating game I have ever played. Done with all things Portal. (Okay, I do have to admit I'd love to pick up one of those sentry bots on Amazon. Those things exude hella coolness.)

 

10. PC Gamer Magazine 2011

PC Gamer was truly on its own in this year with Computer Games and Games for Windows mere ashes in memory, and the publisher could have cheapened things down, but instead it began producing the magazines on heavier paper, and bragged how each one would become more collectible. Good on them! Yeah, reading reviews/news on Internet sights is good, but sometimes you just want to be able to carry a magazine around with you, you know, to show friends and read at work. And as far as 2011 in particular: a great time to be producing a computer game magazine. Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dragon Age 2, Crysis 2, Diablo III. Now you know.  

 

 

Edward's January 2013 Mix

It's the throes of winter here in the Midwest. It's supposedly going to be 2 degrees F next week. I feel like a reincarnated German soldier who died of exposure in the Russian Front in 1941. But then maybe that's what makes the summers here so wonderful. Perhaps it really does boil down to there can be no good without there being bad to accompany. I just know I'll be happy when spring is sprung upon us.

I'm about to have a new PC built. I've built all my own systems the past twenty years, but this time I've decided to do something different. I've researched all the custom build places, and that's been its own special bit of stress. I thought I had one all customized through nifty pull down menus on their site at CyberPower PC, but then I popped into their forums and was overwhelmed with horror stories consisting of two month back order on parts, PCs arriving with the shit kicked out of them from less than attentive UPS drivers and return shipping required to be paid by the poor sap who bought the PC, and my personal favorite: rigs arriving and being dead on arrival. I looked at IBuyPower but they just don't have the combination of components I want. And then I happened to stumble on a tiny place here in the Midwest called Ironside PCs. I live chatted with them and explained my confusion when they didn't pop up in my Google searches, and their rep said, "Well, that's okay. We like it like that. We don't want a high volume of PC builds. We'd rather concentrate on a much lower volume thereby letting us concentrate on quality." And not to mention a full 3 year warranty. I was pretty impressed to say the least. And free shipping to boot, can you beat that?


1. Moonrise Kingdom on Blu-Ray

My favorite comedy director is Wes Anderson. His movies, usually filmed with at least a 28mm wide angle lens have such a late '60's early '70's flair to them. His movies always take me back to my own childhood: trick or treating in a suburb of cookie cutter style houses their only difference being their pastel colored window trims, watching Space Ghost and the Banana Splits on Saturday morning cartoons while wearing my pajamas, my first taste of freedom riding my stick shift 5 speed bicyle to friends' houses who lived blocks away. Wes Anderson rekindles these memories in me and make me realize such moments didn't happen a hundred years ago after all. Oddly, this movie disappointed me. I had followed it on Facebook all last summer when it was released. I was really looking forward to it with its cool cast of Bill Murray, Edward Norton and Bruce Willis. The film takes place in a New England island community in the summer of 1965, and Anderson captured the sense of place/time perfectly. But the dialogue fell flat. Each line seemed to lead up to something profound, but then felt truncated as if there was supposed to be a punchline to follow that didn't arrive. I think Rushmore will still go down as my favorite Anderson vehicle.

2. Lost on Blu-Ray
I'm still in the first season. (I've actually only watched the first disc, 4 episodes.) But still finding this compelling entertainment. It's revealed that Locke was a former cripple who's now found new freedom as a plane crash survivor, and another victim has found freedom from being a fugitive from the law. I like how the episodes are starting to go into each character's background story. I'm hooked.

3. Boards of Canada Music has the Right to Children on CD
It still astounds me how two thirty-something old brothers who originally hail from Scotland, but who lived in Canada for years and fell in love with the place can take old 8 bit synthesizers, drum machines and 8 track recording equipment and produce such beautiful music. This music evokes childhood memories, dusty passages of my kidhood that surface like something passing through spots of sunshine beneath giant shade trees in the summertime. Their warm "organy" tones always make me feel as if I'm standing at a grassy wheat colored field staring out at distant woods on the horizon. And their song titles say it best of all, "Happy Cycling," "Sixtyten" "Turquoise Hexagon Sun." Give them a listen. You'll be caught up.

4. Titan Quest on PC
Yes, I know, I'm STILL playing this game. It's been a long ride, no doubt about that. I'll be glad when it's over, although it has been a blast. Edward Pyro, my esteemed fire mage is now level 25 and soon to be level 26 if I'm not finished the game by then. I have about 35 hours into the game. It I hit the 60 hour mark and I'm still not finished then I'm going to start worrying. I mean, come on! This certainly is no Baldur's Gate or Oblivion. It appears that I have one more city to go into when I've got my current city quested out. It's an important game, some say the only game that ever gave Diablo II any competition. I'm just looking forward now to when I can look back on it and feel accomplished and glad I played it.

5. Sanctuary by William Faulkner
(Stolen from my very own review on www.shelfari.com) In my opinion, William Faulkner was like a GNP of the old South. This man's words flow like honey ingested on cinnamon toast in a breakfast room on a beautiful spring morning. This book, somewhat of a scandalous, dirty read, remeniscient of Peyton Place or To Kill a Mockingbird, or (my personal favorite novel of all time, Carson McCullers' The Heart is a Lonely Hunter) really enchanted me. Faulkner is a minimalist with words like his literary peers, Hemingway and McCullers and Lee. Much is inferred, he leaves what really happens to be extrapolated by the reader, maybe the whole "truth in fiction" concept. I wouldn't call this a great book, but Faulkner's descriptions took me wholly to his imaginary world of Yoknapatawpha County and made me not want to leave.

6. Tron 2.0 on PC
Probably the most complex first person shooter I've ever played. And like I've said here before, with it's unusual art style, it still utterly gleams by today's standards as it did in 2003 when it came out. I've had to cheat occasionally, nothing major just garnering full health in a few levels. It does have a storyline, one that continues after the movie ended, but honestly not one I particularly care about. It's the neon lit vistas and the uber cool light cycles I care about in this game. I should be finishing it up soon. I'm in the 8th chapter of 11 total.

7. Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson
I lost a six month chunk of my life back in 2006 to a player made virtual environment called Second Life. Some participants vehemently defended the game against those laypeople who referred to it as a game. Heaven forbid! I got so caught up in it and ever so reluctantly separated myself from, but finally got it accomplished, that despite PC Gamer magazine awarding Minecraft "Innovator of the Year" in their Games of the Year awards last year I have absolutely no desire to explore it, and I probably never will. I made friends in this game that I have never met physically, but I consider them as important friends as people I went to elementary school that I still hang with. My point is, this book. This is the book that started it all. This is the birthplace of the Metaverse behind everything Second Life. Anybody who plays should read this.

8. Civilization V on PC
"Just . . .one . . more . . .turn!" Are these going to be my famous last words? Never have I played a "God game" that's had its hooks in me so deeply. When was the last time you started a game at 9:00 in the evening, and when you look at the clock it's 1:30 in the morning, and you sigh quietly, "hmmm . .one more quick turn, I have to see what happens." And before you know it, it's 3:30. It's only funny until the alarm rings at 6:00 and it's time to get up for work. I'm more of a real time strategy fan, but this game and its turn based strategy is the end all be all model for this genre. Firaxis should include this on airliners and cruise liners and mark it, "To Be Used In the Case of Crash landings or Shipwrecks on Tropical Islands. To Hell with the Rescue." I've learned my lesson the hard way. I only play this game on weekends.