Good Tuesday everyone!
Today I join you with something that I do not do very often...
I have something to admit, and do so troubles me to my very core.
I was wrong!
*********
For roughly 18/19 months now I've been keeping this blog, dipping in and out of my Geek Dad adventures, and until now I was certain that I was not an anomaly, that my attitude to both fatherhood and marriage was the norm and that those who had major differences were the exception.
Today I came to the cruel realisation that such a thing is far from true.
***********
Allow me to talk you through my attitude towards parenthood and by proxy marriage.
You see, from day one I have done everything in my power to raise my daughter 50/50. Where possible we split the night feeds each alternating who did them, and if one of us desperately needed more sleep then the other took the slack knowing that if the worst came to it, the other would do the same in a heart beat.
When the Moo got older and she stopped needing night feeds, we continued to alternate, I would have Saturday as a lie in while my wife would get up to look after the Moo, and I would do the same on Sunday. On occasion when my wife has been super tired or unwell I have done both mornings, and likewise she has done the same for me.
This routine is still in place, and I think that we share pretty much everything like this.
And I can honestly say that as long as one is aware of what upsets the other and vice verse, then we are happy, we don't argue and we have a magical, happy and playful daughter to show for it.
You see, even when I had come home from a long day in the office you wouldn't find me shying away from spending time with my daughter and the ups and downs that goes with that, the same applied from the first week to now, night feeds, bath time, meals, I do my best to be there whenever possible.
But why? Because I love spending time with my daughter and wife, and I want them to both be happy.
Yes it hasn't always been great and there have been times when I'd love to have been somewhere else, but my love for my wife has meant that I didn't want her going through those hard times alone.
**********
So now dear readers, ask yourself, are you the same? Do you or your partner put themselves before their child or other half? If the answer is no, then you are like me, and let me tell you, we are in the minority.
***********
Just this morning, I found a message from my wife, she had been standing in a queue to get her morning coffee when these two "business jerks" started talking really loudly about their children.
One of these BJs was saying that he has been 'forced' to work longer hours so that when he gets home his personal time isn't 'distracted' by 'baby stuff'.
The other BJ was saying how he is making arrangements to stay in a hotel 3 nights a week purely so that he can get away from his kid who is having trouble sleeping.
Reading this sickened me, and I had to mention it to people at work, and the reactions were incredible. Many men who were near we're agreeing with these BJs, while most of the women were not surprised, saying that their own husbands or friends were exactly the same.
In short, this sort of behaviour is not only present, but it is accepted as normal behaviour!
*********
Why?
Why is this the case? How can this be the case?
Until today I honestly thought that most men were like me, and those who said "I'm not doing a night feed because I've got to be up for work in the morning" were the exception.
*************
I know that this is not my usual type if Geek Dad post, but I just had to make this, I just needed to send my disgust for these selfish and horrid creatures into the world.
If anyone reads this who falls under the before mentioned criteria then know this: you are not a father. You are a rancid example of a man who does not deserve the title that others like me and the few like me wear with pride every single day.
A partnership is supposed to be 50/50, and that's for everything including childcare.
But you know what the worst of this is? (Or perhaps the best) these sorry excuses for men? They are the ones missing out by choosing to pass on time with their kid, all of those magical moments passing them by, you can't ever get those back, and when your kid grows up they will remember you as the self centre red egotistical BJ that you are.
To those who do make the effort, good on you! I realise now how few and far between we are, and the world is a brighter place because we exist!
On that note, good night, stay safe and I'll see you Cryptside!
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Friday, 11 October 2013
Enjoy what you have
Good Friday everyone!
Today I've been off work thanks to some well placed annual leave, and let me tell you; I feel fantastic!
*************
So I had a few things planned for today. Some of them (cleaning my Den for example) I've done with aplomb, others (writing CRYPTS cards) I have not, but that's ok.
*************
You see the past couple of days have been great for me, and it's only thanks to being able to sit back and enjoy the little things that I am able to say that.
*************
Let's start with earlier in the week.
Last Saturday I had the latest of my accounting exams, and as many of you will know I was shit scared over this. I felt like I wasn't prepared and didn't really know what to expect. But I sat it anyway and managed to walk off with a 100% success grade for that exam.
As a reward for that I decided to buy myself a treat from my FLGS Leisure Games.
This treat was a starter Demon force for the game Hell Dorado.
Since then I have been trying some new basing techniques and began painting them: my current example of a WiP is
Later on in the week on Tuesday evening, me, Will and Vicky met up over Skype and recorded Episode 19 of New Fairbank Radio (you should be able to stream that through the embedded player in this blog).
On Wednesday I was scheduled to record with a member of the development team for the upcoming MMO City of Titans, but sadly due to a family emergency on their side that was postponed and should be done tonight.
Then yesterday me and Andrey met with Bill Anderson of the Gamer's Lounge to record episode 4 of Hobby Sofa. I am aiming to edit that either tonight or tomorrow so it is available to download.
*********
So today I started off in a lazy way, slept in till about 0930, before getting up, having breakfast, cleaning my Den (apart from a few large boxes that need to go in the attic but I can't do that by myself) then doing a small bit of shopping and coming home.
Now I'm laying in a nice warm bath enjoying what is left of my day before I get to see my youngling after her day in nursery and my lovely wife who's been at work.
But you know what this day off has allowed me to do? I've been able to sit back and see all the lovely little things in my life, the fun times spent with paints and games, the great chats and discussions that I've been able to join in, and how even when people are on completely oposite sides of the same fence, be it about miniatures, religion or any of it, you can still exchange thoughts and opinion, be respectful to one another and walk away better friends with a better understanding of just what makes them tick.
*************
Now really, what is wrong with that? And this is what I love about living in today's world and in the place that I and those I care for live in. We have the technology to remove the effect that distance has, to take friends from the other side of the country, or even the other side of the world, and have the freedom to agree and disagree with their opinions.
I mean really, how great is that?
************
Anyway, I think I've rambled on for a little too long now, plus my bath is beginning to get a little chilly, so I'll leave you for now.
So please friends, stay safe and I hope to see you CRYPTside!
PS: stay tuned for Episode 4 of Hobby Sofa and an exclusive chat between me and Missing Worlds Media!
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
Today I've been off work thanks to some well placed annual leave, and let me tell you; I feel fantastic!
*************
So I had a few things planned for today. Some of them (cleaning my Den for example) I've done with aplomb, others (writing CRYPTS cards) I have not, but that's ok.
*************
You see the past couple of days have been great for me, and it's only thanks to being able to sit back and enjoy the little things that I am able to say that.
*************
Let's start with earlier in the week.
Last Saturday I had the latest of my accounting exams, and as many of you will know I was shit scared over this. I felt like I wasn't prepared and didn't really know what to expect. But I sat it anyway and managed to walk off with a 100% success grade for that exam.
As a reward for that I decided to buy myself a treat from my FLGS Leisure Games.
This treat was a starter Demon force for the game Hell Dorado.
Since then I have been trying some new basing techniques and began painting them: my current example of a WiP is
Later on in the week on Tuesday evening, me, Will and Vicky met up over Skype and recorded Episode 19 of New Fairbank Radio (you should be able to stream that through the embedded player in this blog).
On Wednesday I was scheduled to record with a member of the development team for the upcoming MMO City of Titans, but sadly due to a family emergency on their side that was postponed and should be done tonight.
Then yesterday me and Andrey met with Bill Anderson of the Gamer's Lounge to record episode 4 of Hobby Sofa. I am aiming to edit that either tonight or tomorrow so it is available to download.
*********
So today I started off in a lazy way, slept in till about 0930, before getting up, having breakfast, cleaning my Den (apart from a few large boxes that need to go in the attic but I can't do that by myself) then doing a small bit of shopping and coming home.
Now I'm laying in a nice warm bath enjoying what is left of my day before I get to see my youngling after her day in nursery and my lovely wife who's been at work.
But you know what this day off has allowed me to do? I've been able to sit back and see all the lovely little things in my life, the fun times spent with paints and games, the great chats and discussions that I've been able to join in, and how even when people are on completely oposite sides of the same fence, be it about miniatures, religion or any of it, you can still exchange thoughts and opinion, be respectful to one another and walk away better friends with a better understanding of just what makes them tick.
*************
Now really, what is wrong with that? And this is what I love about living in today's world and in the place that I and those I care for live in. We have the technology to remove the effect that distance has, to take friends from the other side of the country, or even the other side of the world, and have the freedom to agree and disagree with their opinions.
I mean really, how great is that?
************
Anyway, I think I've rambled on for a little too long now, plus my bath is beginning to get a little chilly, so I'll leave you for now.
So please friends, stay safe and I hope to see you CRYPTside!
PS: stay tuned for Episode 4 of Hobby Sofa and an exclusive chat between me and Missing Worlds Media!
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
Wednesday, 9 October 2013
More Podcast Plans
Good Wednesday everyone!
Last night me and the rest of New Fairbank Radio (sans Sarah who couldn't join us for work reasons) and our last game of MaliQuest was played.
From Episode 20 we will be switching over to the game CRYPTS, and we will also be moving to a new format: Fortnightly episodes!
The game was fun, long but fun and I am looking forward to getting that out later this week.
**************
Tonight I will be recording with a member(s) of Missing World Media about their new MMO City of Titans. Really looking forward to that.
Tomorrow me and Andrey will be meeting to record Episode 4 of Hobby Sofa, and we will be joined with Bill from the Gamer's Lounge podcast.
As hinted at before, our forward plan with Hobby Sofa is to have me and Andrey as regular hosts, with a 3rd Guest every episode.
**************
Sorting out episodes might be a problem for Hobby Sofa right now, when I put up Episode 3 i was greeted by a lovely announcement saying that I was only able to put up one episode a month with my free account - this is not good at all as I want to release the MWM Interview and our chat on Thursday as 2 separate episodes, mainly because it's not fair on our wargame listeners to listen to an MMO interview if they are not interested, and the same for MWM.
Another option for Hobby Sofa is a paid for account, but for that we would require sponsorship, so if you or someone you know would like to sponsor the cast please get in touch hobbysofa@gmail.com
- yeah shameless request...
*********
Anyway, that is all from me for today, not very much to say, so on that note, stay safe and I'll see you Cryptside!
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
Last night me and the rest of New Fairbank Radio (sans Sarah who couldn't join us for work reasons) and our last game of MaliQuest was played.
From Episode 20 we will be switching over to the game CRYPTS, and we will also be moving to a new format: Fortnightly episodes!
The game was fun, long but fun and I am looking forward to getting that out later this week.
**************
Tonight I will be recording with a member(s) of Missing World Media about their new MMO City of Titans. Really looking forward to that.
Tomorrow me and Andrey will be meeting to record Episode 4 of Hobby Sofa, and we will be joined with Bill from the Gamer's Lounge podcast.
As hinted at before, our forward plan with Hobby Sofa is to have me and Andrey as regular hosts, with a 3rd Guest every episode.
**************
Sorting out episodes might be a problem for Hobby Sofa right now, when I put up Episode 3 i was greeted by a lovely announcement saying that I was only able to put up one episode a month with my free account - this is not good at all as I want to release the MWM Interview and our chat on Thursday as 2 separate episodes, mainly because it's not fair on our wargame listeners to listen to an MMO interview if they are not interested, and the same for MWM.
Another option for Hobby Sofa is a paid for account, but for that we would require sponsorship, so if you or someone you know would like to sponsor the cast please get in touch hobbysofa@gmail.com
- yeah shameless request...
*********
Anyway, that is all from me for today, not very much to say, so on that note, stay safe and I'll see you Cryptside!
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
Monday, 7 October 2013
CRYPTS: Extract from Doctor Loxley's Manual of Monsters - Others
There is more to fear in the Dark Below than simple beasties.
There are bugs that crawl into your brain and take control of your body.
There are notorious vermin which will devour your body in minutes, bones and all.
There are even even creatures that will rip your very soul from your body, leaving the meat behind for whatever those more insidious may desire.
Then there is the Dark itself.
Some say that the very air of the Crypts are alive, that if you listen hard enough you can hear and feel the Dark Below breathing.
I know that as nonsense and superstition. The Dark Below is no more alive than my trusty revolver.
But that is not to say it does not have energy, magical and cruel energy that twists and warps those who reside in the Crypts for too long.
Some call them the Damned, others Lost and even the Wretched. I've come to know them collectively as 'Others'.
Some of the more common ones are the Wretched, hunters who have been turned to rott, undead shadows of their former selves.
On occasion you may glimpse a Lost, with bodies consumed by fire, and footsteps of thunder.
If you see the Damned, then may whatever deity you pray to watch over your soul. With minds as twisted as rabid dogs, and covered in wounds that would kill a normal man. I have seen these creatures slaughter whole posses by themselves.
Yes my friend, be wary of the Dark Below. It has it's ways of creeping up on you...
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
There are bugs that crawl into your brain and take control of your body.
There are notorious vermin which will devour your body in minutes, bones and all.
There are even even creatures that will rip your very soul from your body, leaving the meat behind for whatever those more insidious may desire.
Then there is the Dark itself.
Some say that the very air of the Crypts are alive, that if you listen hard enough you can hear and feel the Dark Below breathing.
I know that as nonsense and superstition. The Dark Below is no more alive than my trusty revolver.
But that is not to say it does not have energy, magical and cruel energy that twists and warps those who reside in the Crypts for too long.
Some call them the Damned, others Lost and even the Wretched. I've come to know them collectively as 'Others'.
Some of the more common ones are the Wretched, hunters who have been turned to rott, undead shadows of their former selves.
On occasion you may glimpse a Lost, with bodies consumed by fire, and footsteps of thunder.
If you see the Damned, then may whatever deity you pray to watch over your soul. With minds as twisted as rabid dogs, and covered in wounds that would kill a normal man. I have seen these creatures slaughter whole posses by themselves.
Yes my friend, be wary of the Dark Below. It has it's ways of creeping up on you...
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
Spoilt for choice
Well where do I begin?
Depending on how this week goes I will with hope be able to report on each of these separately later in the week, but for now (with my tired Monday brain) I will cover them all together.
**********
Missing Worlds Media & City of Titans.
Do you play MMOs? Do you like superheroes? Did you play City of Heroes/Villains back in the day?
If the answer to any of these questions are yes, then you will want to tune into the next episode of Hobby Sofa!
I have managed to wrangle an interview with the volunteer dev team at Missing Worlds Media which is due to record this Wednesday for publishing at the end of the week. We will be talking about their new kickstarter project: The Phoenix Project their work to build the ultimate Superhero MMO; City of Titans.
*************
I am also hoping to record alongside Andrey and with hope we will have a guest host in the form of Bill Anderson from The Dead Tau Project and Gamers Lounge podcast.
*********************
New Fairbank Radio is also due to return this week (oh my god that is going to be a lot of editing) where we will either be starting a whole new campaign using the WIP CRYPTS rules, or we will be finishing off co-host Will's campaign.
***************
On Saturday I sat my latest exam for my AAT Level 2 course, Working Effectively in Accounting & Finance, or WEAF for short.
Let me tell you I was anxious as hell, I realised that i didn't really know what to expect, and that I may have prepared completely wrong! Turns out everything was fine and I walked away with a score of ~100%!
*****************
As personal reward for doing so well I took a trip to Leisure Games where I got to catch up with my two favourite Hobby Store workers, David & Mike!
Whilst there I also picked up the Hell Dorado Demon starter box, and I am going to have to do a proper write up on this, it's only for small points, but there's something about this purchase that just feels great!
I order to try and make these a little different to my other models I decided to try out a new basing technique and for it I pulled up lots of resources including one from the new owners of the game itself: here.
I thought I would give this a go, and the end result is as follows:
I'm not convinced the pictures really do them justice, but I think the 'slabs' came out great, with lovely layers present just waiting to be painted up!
The plan for these is to use reds into greys creating a nice Hell look. How that will turn out I have no idea, but I'm really looking forward to finding out!
***********
And on that note I leave you for now.
Take care, stay safe and I will see you CRYPT side!
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
Depending on how this week goes I will with hope be able to report on each of these separately later in the week, but for now (with my tired Monday brain) I will cover them all together.
**********
Missing Worlds Media & City of Titans.
Do you play MMOs? Do you like superheroes? Did you play City of Heroes/Villains back in the day?
If the answer to any of these questions are yes, then you will want to tune into the next episode of Hobby Sofa!
I have managed to wrangle an interview with the volunteer dev team at Missing Worlds Media which is due to record this Wednesday for publishing at the end of the week. We will be talking about their new kickstarter project: The Phoenix Project their work to build the ultimate Superhero MMO; City of Titans.
*************
I am also hoping to record alongside Andrey and with hope we will have a guest host in the form of Bill Anderson from The Dead Tau Project and Gamers Lounge podcast.
*********************
New Fairbank Radio is also due to return this week (oh my god that is going to be a lot of editing) where we will either be starting a whole new campaign using the WIP CRYPTS rules, or we will be finishing off co-host Will's campaign.
***************
On Saturday I sat my latest exam for my AAT Level 2 course, Working Effectively in Accounting & Finance, or WEAF for short.
Let me tell you I was anxious as hell, I realised that i didn't really know what to expect, and that I may have prepared completely wrong! Turns out everything was fine and I walked away with a score of ~100%!
*****************
As personal reward for doing so well I took a trip to Leisure Games where I got to catch up with my two favourite Hobby Store workers, David & Mike!
Whilst there I also picked up the Hell Dorado Demon starter box, and I am going to have to do a proper write up on this, it's only for small points, but there's something about this purchase that just feels great!
I order to try and make these a little different to my other models I decided to try out a new basing technique and for it I pulled up lots of resources including one from the new owners of the game itself: here.
I thought I would give this a go, and the end result is as follows:
I'm not convinced the pictures really do them justice, but I think the 'slabs' came out great, with lovely layers present just waiting to be painted up!
The plan for these is to use reds into greys creating a nice Hell look. How that will turn out I have no idea, but I'm really looking forward to finding out!
***********
And on that note I leave you for now.
Take care, stay safe and I will see you CRYPT side!
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
Thursday, 3 October 2013
Tears in Rain
Good Thursday everyone!
This is a post that I've been thinking of writing for a while now ever since I had a chat about similar with my father and good friend Tom.
The topic at hand is the emotional attachment that we men/geeks/people feel for inanimate objects.
You see this every day everywhere, grown men naming their cars and referring to it as a she. I believe that this started back in Ye-olde days with galleons, and it is my belief that the same attitude exists with modern geeks and the use of computers, and to a lesser extent mobile phones.
************
So why do we do this? Why do we feel it necessary to humanise these tools?
I can not explain for other people, only myself and with hope see if the same explanation applies to others.
You see, I'm guilty of this just like many others. My computer is named, and I refer to it as a she (and from this point on will do so in this article), and I do have an emotional tie to her. If she stopped working and needed to be replaced (note, replaced, not upgraded) then I would feel like i had lost a friend and a part of me.
But why? It's crazy isn't it?
Perhaps not...
**************
Hundreds of years ago knights rode a favourite horse, they often had many, but always one that was their favourite. This horse they would trust with their life, and likewise the horse would trust in the rider not to put it in unnecessary danger.
Together the rider and mount were unstoppable against all manner of foe and the armoured cavalry was a truly fearsome sight.
***************
I don't ride a horse, I don't own a suit of armour nor a sword to slay my enemies.
What I do have is my computer.
Together my computer and I have seen many amazing sights and done deeds that bards sing of.
We have free dived from the outer atmosphere in MDK2, brought down the Strogg Empire in Quake2+4, killed an Alien Queen with cunning and wits in virtually every AvP game made, travelled to a tropical paradise and lassoed crazies to cacti in BulletStorm, ventured into the frozen wilderness of Skyrim, grown a legion of monsters in Dungeon Keeper 2, saved the world in Mass Effect, slain the Lich King at the seat of the Icecrown Citadel and hidden from Alma in F.E.A.R.
All of these events may not have been real, but the emotions they brought out of me were real, the excitement, the awe, the courage and fear! And at every stage my computer has been there, my steed, my rifle, my sword.
None of this would have been possible if not for my computer.
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
This is a post that I've been thinking of writing for a while now ever since I had a chat about similar with my father and good friend Tom.
The topic at hand is the emotional attachment that we men/geeks/people feel for inanimate objects.
You see this every day everywhere, grown men naming their cars and referring to it as a she. I believe that this started back in Ye-olde days with galleons, and it is my belief that the same attitude exists with modern geeks and the use of computers, and to a lesser extent mobile phones.
************
So why do we do this? Why do we feel it necessary to humanise these tools?
I can not explain for other people, only myself and with hope see if the same explanation applies to others.
You see, I'm guilty of this just like many others. My computer is named, and I refer to it as a she (and from this point on will do so in this article), and I do have an emotional tie to her. If she stopped working and needed to be replaced (note, replaced, not upgraded) then I would feel like i had lost a friend and a part of me.
But why? It's crazy isn't it?
Perhaps not...
**************
Hundreds of years ago knights rode a favourite horse, they often had many, but always one that was their favourite. This horse they would trust with their life, and likewise the horse would trust in the rider not to put it in unnecessary danger.
Together the rider and mount were unstoppable against all manner of foe and the armoured cavalry was a truly fearsome sight.
***************
I don't ride a horse, I don't own a suit of armour nor a sword to slay my enemies.
What I do have is my computer.
Together my computer and I have seen many amazing sights and done deeds that bards sing of.
We have free dived from the outer atmosphere in MDK2, brought down the Strogg Empire in Quake2+4, killed an Alien Queen with cunning and wits in virtually every AvP game made, travelled to a tropical paradise and lassoed crazies to cacti in BulletStorm, ventured into the frozen wilderness of Skyrim, grown a legion of monsters in Dungeon Keeper 2, saved the world in Mass Effect, slain the Lich King at the seat of the Icecrown Citadel and hidden from Alma in F.E.A.R.
All of these events may not have been real, but the emotions they brought out of me were real, the excitement, the awe, the courage and fear! And at every stage my computer has been there, my steed, my rifle, my sword.
None of this would have been possible if not for my computer.
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die."
- Roy Batty, Blade Runner 1982
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
Alien Rage - Unlimited: A Second Opinion
Good Tuesday everyone!
So yesterday I got the opportunity to sink my teeth into the recently released game Alien Rage - Unlimited
Now for those interested in the game you may have read the review on Destructoid that seems to be doing the rounds, and I would like to add my own thoughts into the pool.
**************
So to start off, what is it? Well Alien Rage is a 'classic' First Person Shooter (FPS) available on PC, PS3 and 360, and the version I got to play was on PC.
Now, first and foremost, Alien Rage is pretty! It is very pretty!
I have to be honest, I can't play it with everything on full, but with a lot of settings cranked to max and some others turned down slightly it plays to a decent degree, and that's running a 5 year old graphics card!
From what I have read it is an Nvidia heavy game, and if you've got a suitable card it should run like a dream, mine is an old Radeon, so I put my minor graphic problems down to that.
**************
But anyway, what about gameplay? AI? Animations? Everything else the game has been criticised over?
Honestly? There are 'issues' with the AI, the aliens are far from intelligent, but that's beside the point. In fact, I believe that in tackling these issues I am doing the game a disservice.
You see there are three games that I regularly have installed on my computer that I enjoy booting up and playing every now and then, the first and least played is Unreal 2, next and middle played is Doom 3, and last but most played is the truly awesome Quake 4! Games that I believe have yet to be properly challenged in the sci-fi FPS genre. I've played the competition that's come about since, and a few (AvP, A:CM etc) have even come close to being as good, but there's always been a problem.
You see modern shooters have a habit if relying on storyline, tactics and game-mechanics, but these games, some of my favourite games ever, don't rely on anything like that, they just throw monsters at you to let you blast them up, all the while giving a pseudo storyline which has the depth of a 1990's Arnie movie.
But is that a bad thing really? No! It means that every so often I can boot up a game, blast some Strogg and feel like a dreaming bad ass!
And that is what Alien Rage does! It makes me feel like a bad ass with a trusty gun!
- You see, yes the game's weaponry is limited, sometimes very similar, but then why would you want to ditch your favourite rifle? She's been through countless battles with you, slain more monsters than you can count and you've even named her!
This is why in games like this, I always have my trusty rifle, be it assault, pulse or plasma, and together we stick through thick or thin. Countless demons, aliens and rogue mercs have fallen before my barrage of fire power, and those words have never been more true in this game:
**************
So my friends, what should you take from this review?
As always I can't tell you to play this game, because I don't know your tastes, and you may be reading this thinking "Quake4 sucked balls!" But if like me you loved those games, then give this game a shot. It's only about £15 on Steam and is one hell of a ride!
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
So yesterday I got the opportunity to sink my teeth into the recently released game Alien Rage - Unlimited
Now for those interested in the game you may have read the review on Destructoid that seems to be doing the rounds, and I would like to add my own thoughts into the pool.
**************
So to start off, what is it? Well Alien Rage is a 'classic' First Person Shooter (FPS) available on PC, PS3 and 360, and the version I got to play was on PC.
Now, first and foremost, Alien Rage is pretty! It is very pretty!
I have to be honest, I can't play it with everything on full, but with a lot of settings cranked to max and some others turned down slightly it plays to a decent degree, and that's running a 5 year old graphics card!
From what I have read it is an Nvidia heavy game, and if you've got a suitable card it should run like a dream, mine is an old Radeon, so I put my minor graphic problems down to that.
**************
But anyway, what about gameplay? AI? Animations? Everything else the game has been criticised over?
Honestly? There are 'issues' with the AI, the aliens are far from intelligent, but that's beside the point. In fact, I believe that in tackling these issues I am doing the game a disservice.
You see there are three games that I regularly have installed on my computer that I enjoy booting up and playing every now and then, the first and least played is Unreal 2, next and middle played is Doom 3, and last but most played is the truly awesome Quake 4! Games that I believe have yet to be properly challenged in the sci-fi FPS genre. I've played the competition that's come about since, and a few (AvP, A:CM etc) have even come close to being as good, but there's always been a problem.
You see modern shooters have a habit if relying on storyline, tactics and game-mechanics, but these games, some of my favourite games ever, don't rely on anything like that, they just throw monsters at you to let you blast them up, all the while giving a pseudo storyline which has the depth of a 1990's Arnie movie.
But is that a bad thing really? No! It means that every so often I can boot up a game, blast some Strogg and feel like a dreaming bad ass!
And that is what Alien Rage does! It makes me feel like a bad ass with a trusty gun!
- You see, yes the game's weaponry is limited, sometimes very similar, but then why would you want to ditch your favourite rifle? She's been through countless battles with you, slain more monsters than you can count and you've even named her!
This is why in games like this, I always have my trusty rifle, be it assault, pulse or plasma, and together we stick through thick or thin. Countless demons, aliens and rogue mercs have fallen before my barrage of fire power, and those words have never been more true in this game:
This is my rifle, there are many like it, but this one is mine. Without me my rifle is nothing, without my rifle I am nothing!
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So my friends, what should you take from this review?
As always I can't tell you to play this game, because I don't know your tastes, and you may be reading this thinking "Quake4 sucked balls!" But if like me you loved those games, then give this game a shot. It's only about £15 on Steam and is one hell of a ride!
- Your friendly neighbourhood Doctor Loxley
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