Passion For Games

The Elite is out and seems readily available

2007-05-01T06:57:00.000-04:00

Happy Elite release day! This is a fairly odd happening in the world of gaming: an updated console coming out around a year and a half after the first version. All consoles go through revisions, but hardware with more storage and added connection options? I'm not sure if that's ever happened before. I showed up at a local big box retailer, picked up the system, noticed no one else in line, and went on my merry way.

Reports coming in from readers indicate that this is how it is throughout most of the United States, although a few of you did have to check more than one store to find a unit. We called around Boston and NYC, and retailers all had plenty of units in those cities, too. Indy, Chicago, and San Diego also seem well stocked. Demand, in other words, is light, but that's not too surprising given that this is a hardware spec bump and not really a new console per se.

Still, I felt all giddy with my new system once I got home. It's fun unboxing a system for the first time. I don't care if this is just more storage and an HDMI port. New hardware is fun.

The black is nice, and while I knew it was going to be matte... it still looks odd to me. I'm so used to the white 360. The black controller is dead sexy though.

So did you pick yours up? Did you have to wait in line? Have you seen one in person and find it attractive/ugly? This is a pretty low-key launch, but there have to be one or two stories out there from the masses more exciting than "walked in, bought, went home."

Virtual Console Releases

2007-05-01T06:52:00.000-04:00

This week’s Nintendo Wii virtual console update brings us two all-time classic games and a “Who?” game.

* Castlevania® (NES®, 1 player, 500 Wii Points)
* The Legend of the Mystical Ninja™ (Super NES®, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points)
* Shockman (TurboGrafx16, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points)

The original Castlevania was a great game for it’s time (even though I feel Castlevania III was the best NES Castlevania). It was such a ground breaking game because at the time, most platformers were cartoony and kiddie. I’m not saying Castlevania was full of blood and gore, but it had more of an “adult” theme to it. Mystical Ninja was a pretty good game too, not a great game, but a good game nonetheless. It had a Link to the Past feeling to it and was released early on in the SNES’s life. As for Shockman….who?

WII-KLY UPDATE: THREE NEW CLASSIC GAMES ANNOUNCED FOR WII SHOP CHANNEL

April 30, 2007

Vampires and ninjas and Shockmen, oh my! This week the Wii Shop Channel takes a trip into the world of ghoulish creatures, mystical curses and professorial abductions. See if you can remember which of these games sparked the whip-carrying craze of the late-’80s! For the best retro gaming around, it’s time to pay a visit to the red-hot Wii™ video game system’s Wii Shop Channel.

The three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

Castlevania® (NES®, 1 player, 500 Wii Points): Step into the shadows of the deadliest dwelling on Earth. You’ve arrived at Castlevania, and you’re here on business: to destroy the curse of the Evil Count, once and for all. Make your way through six monstrous floors filled with bats, ghosts, zombies and every kind of ghoulish creature you can imagine. Use the legendary whip Vampire Killer and a host of deadly weapons to battle your way to Dracula’s chamber and the ultimate duel of good vs. evil.

The Legend of the Mystical Ninja™ (Super NES®, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): In The Legend of The Mystical Ninja, take control of Kid Ying and Dr. Yang in an action adventure through feudal Japan. A curse has stricken the village of Horo-Horo, and its beloved princess has vanished. Together Kid Ying, a daring young mystical ninja, and Dr. Yang, master of the invincible spirit transformation, must overcome 10 levels of the Dragonbeast to save Princess Yuki. Each stage contains intense 3-D and 2-D zones where the duo must perform dozens of attack moves and solve magical problems and puzzles before advancing. Battle humorous enemies like the Carp Meister, who stuns victims with poisonous fighting fish, Tanaka-U-Out, a knockout artist who wallops opponents with a bone-crushing hammer, and the Sumo Tag Team, kings of the unbeatable belly-buster crunch. Collect coins to buy new equipment and to receive clues, spend some time playing minigames in the arcade or try your luck and increase your fortune at the Quiz House and Horse Races.

Shockman (TurboGrafx16, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points): It’s been two years since Arnold and Sonya were made into Shockmen. A message from the professor to return to their bodies has them head to his laboratory, but they are ambushed by a mysterious enemy along the way. After narrowly defeating the enemy, they catch a TV news flash announcing the Ryo Empire invasion. They find that the professor has been abducted and set out to rescue him. Shockman is a side-view action shooter that has eight stages, including Action Stages, where you jump and use special techniques, and side-scrolling Shooting Stages. This game expands on the well-paced story from the previous version and contains cooperative elements like shared life and a powerful Team Shockbeam that can be used during two-player simultaneous play.

If you upgrade into an Elite, your Arcade games have a surprise for you

2007-05-01T06:49:00.000-04:00

It's always fun when you get to test out new hardware: trying to see what works and what doesn't, looking for differences—the whole thing can be exhausting once you get into the details. I moved my Live account from my old system to the Elite easily enough, and then I started to redownload all my Arcade games. This is kind of a process since I have over 20 games and the system only lets you queue up to six downloads at a time. I sat down and played some Geometry Wars, and then I remembered hearing about the problems people had with migrating their games. I rarely have my system away from my home network, so I reached back and unplugged the cable to see if I could play the games without the online authentication.

All the games, all of them, turned into demos that asked me to download the full version. This is unhappiness in the making. I plug my cable back in and get on the phone.

I'm told by customer service that the only way to get the games working is to get my free data migration cable, and then he asks me to register my system to get the cable. Okay, I'm done getting customer service-d and the snow job has begun. I'm a little upset that among the many cables that come with the Elite they don't give you the data cable like they do with the standalone hard drive—and in fact many people online have been talking about their plans to buy the stand alone and return it after using the cable—but I'm even more upset that the cable is reportedly causing the same DRM to kick in with your games. No fun.

Why can't this be something that turns on when you move the games, and then you can call and get them unlocked again? If I bring my Elite to a friend's house that doesn't have Ethernet in the living room, we can't play Geometry Wars? That's silly.

C'mon Microsoft. Those of us who upgraded have spent $880 between the two systems, plus games. The least you can do is allow us to easily play the games we've paid you for. This needs to be fixed.

Clip: Ancient Atari Ad

2007-04-29T12:34:00.000-04:00

This one is truly ancient and believe me, I should know. It's amazing to look back on these ads and remember a time when we thought those giant chunky things were the greatest thing ever. Not to mention how excited I remember being about Adventure on my brand new 2600. That square with an arrow for a sword was the most amazing thing we had ever seen, especially right in our own homes. I can only imagine what games will be like 25 years from now when we look back and say "Man those PS3 graphics sure were crap. How did we ever play that and think it was cool?"

Manhunt 2 Screens

2007-04-29T12:31:00.000-04:00

Website Computer and Video Games has posted thirteen screens for the upcoming ultra-violence fest, Manhunt 2. To say that they are disturbing might be understating thing just a bit, especially first thing in the morning. I've posted a few images after the jump, but for the full gallery, check out Computer and Video Games' site.

I can only imagine what our friend Phantom Jocks (I'm trying not to use his real name if humanly possible) would have to say about these as he sips his morning cup of bitter. As a matter of fact, I think I shall send him a link to this gallery right now...

Australian Games Industry Feels Threatened, Wants Cash

2007-04-29T10:53:00.000-04:00

The Australian games industry is a little concerned. See, the bulk of local studios are outsource jobs; in fact, most of the biggest studios in the country are outposts for developers like Creative Assembly, Pandemic and Irrational. Which means most are on "work for hire" contracts, which will soon be lost as work starts going to places like China and India.

Wanting to, you know...keep their jobs, local devs have gone cap-in-hand to the government to ask for federal funding, without which they argue they just won't have the money to make original games and IP (which would be the only way to avoid "work for hire" contracts). After all, the film and television industries get the same breaks, so you'd think games should be able to get in on that action.

Not if the Screen Producers Association (who would lose some of their government funding should games get some cash) can help it. They argue that they receive government funding because their mediums "have social and cultural value". And games don't:

The extent to which we can say games fall into that category, we think is problematic to say the least

Good to see them approaching this with an open mind rather than a guarded checkbook. This one? Gonna get messy.

Satoru Iwata:"We'd love to have Kutaragi"

2007-04-29T10:46:00.000-04:00

Now, who would have thought it?

According to the German gaming site GameFront, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun has released a report about a press conference which has just been held by Nintendo. As most press conferences go, the Nintendo officials spoke about upcoming game titles, the financial gains of the company, movements and plans in general. However, one simple statement from Nintendo President Satoru Iwata made the event a whole lot more exciting.

According to the Japanese newspaper, Iwata stated that they "would love to see Kutaragi join up with Nintendo".

Now, this may generate a lot of reactions, but then again, how this will all develop would be nothing short of interesting. After all, Kutaragi's honorary position at Sony isn't exactly a very active office, and The Father of Playstation has also stated in recent interviews that his next ventures would mostly be independent from Sony, so there MAY be a good chance that he'll take Nintendo up on his offer. After all, it cannot be denied that Kutaragi has a long history with Nintendo, since he IS the guy who gave the SNES the gift of sound, via the SPC700 chip which he designed.

However, considering the fact that Kutaragi was also once badly slighted by Iwata's predecessors (think: Hiroshi Yamauchi, CES 1989, and a botched Play Station announcement... note the space in between "Play Station"), one can't really tell what Crazy Ken will do next.

Your First Look at Call of Duty 4

2007-04-29T10:02:00.000-04:00

Say Goodbye to World War II

Many have been waiting for Infinity Ward to finally take the Call of Duty series out of the overused World War II era and into the modern age, and today they premiered the first trailer for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and confirmed these suspicions.I don't need to tell you how amazing this game looks -- see for yourself. Please, Infinity Ward, show us more.

Championship Gaming Series Announces $5 Million Annual Player Payroll

2007-04-29T09:59:00.000-04:00

First Draft in Gaming History will take place June 12 at the Playboy Mansion[/I]
The Championship Gaming SeriesTM (CGS), the first global professional gaming league, today announced that worldwide salaries and bonuses for the 2007 season will exceed $5 million, a new benchmark for professional gaming.
CGS has also announced the official games and schedule in its North American region for 2007. Qualifying for North American league play will begin April 28 and the first draft in history will take place on June 12 at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles.
“This is the moment the gaming world has been waiting for,” said CGS Commissioner Andy Reif. “We will be paying salaries and bonuses to our players in excess of $5 million dollars during the 2007 season. The time has come for a new era of professional gaming as sports entertainment. Your chance to be a part of history starts on April 28.”
Valve’s Counter-Strike®: Source® and EA’s FIFA 2007 will be official PC games for 2007. For the Xbox 360, CGS will feature Tecmo’s Dead or Alive® 4 (DOA4) and Project Gotham Racing® 3 (PGR3) from Microsoft Game Studios.
The official CGS 2007 event schedule will feature online and live qualifiers where players will battle to reach the Regional Combine, scheduled to take place at the legendary Fox Studios in Los Angeles from June 8-10.
Players from the Regional Combine will then be drafted onto one of six city-based teams at the 2007 CGS Draft on June 12 at the Playboy Mansion. CGS online qualifiers for the North American region begin on April 28, 2007 with the first live qualifier to be held at The Bridge Cinema de Lux in Los Angeles on May 11-12.
Each CGS team will feature a total of ten athletes per team, each of whom is a specialist in one of the official league games. Five of the ten players will comprise a Counter-Strike: Source squad who will compete in five-on-five matches. The soccer title FIFA 07 will be played one-on-one. Each team will have a mixed-double team of two DOA4 players, one man and one woman, who will play against other teams in one-on-one matches on Xbox 360. The racing game PGR3 will be represented by two players on each team and matches will be played in a two-versus-two format.
Soon-to-be announced dates for the full global slate of 2007 CGS events in the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia, Latin America, and the Middle East will yield regional representatives for the CGS Grand Slam and World Championships, to be held in Los Angeles this October.
CGS events will be broadcast in North America on DIRECTV’s The 101.
For more information, please go to here

Halo 3 Details, New Rides, Weapons!

2006-10-31T07:18:00.000-05:00

Yes, the new vehicles, new weapons and a Legendary edition that comes packaged with a Spartan helmet all make us giggle in anticipation of Halo 3, Bungie's upcoming epic sequel on the Xbox 360. But of all the new details swirling from multiple online sites today, it's the new Brutish Spike Grenade that has us trigger-happy. "Spike Grenade." We are not sure what it is, but the images it conjures in our minds mean that someone is going to get hurt. Hurt bad.

As revealed today on 1Up.com, in the December issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly Bungie will reveal a host of new gameplay details, as well as the news that Halo 3 will have not only a collector's edition but a legendary edition as well. Along with bonus DVDs of content, the package will come with a replica Spartan helmet. Starting to sweat? We haven't even started on the weapons.

The Brutes will be armed with Spike Grenades and Spike Rifles. The grenades are said to stick to walls and explode into a vicious blast of sharp projectiles. There's also word on a new Spartan Laser, a difficult-to-control but powerful attack that can disable vehicles in a single hit. Pwned!

The Mongoose will also be included, the two-man vehicle that was originally slated to be included in Halo 2. The Mongoose has no weapons, reportedly, and it is designed for speed. That doesn't mean the passenger can't wreak havoc with the newly designed assault rifle, though. Or maybe it does.

Halo 3 will obviously feature new multiplayer maps. New maps Valhalla, Snowbound and High Ground are being compared to Blood Gulch, Zanzibar and Frostbite, respectively. Halo and Halo 2 enabled 16 players to vie on System Link and Xbox Live, respectively. But we still don't know how many players will be able to jump online at one time. We're hoping Bungie has plans to compete with the PS3's Resistance and 40-player action. Just imagine.

In terms of control, the X button is said to change the way you play Halo. Mum is the word from Bungie. We only know that the bumpers are now used to reload, and the left bumper will reload a secondary weapon, if equipped.

There is also said to be a kind of cannon that will shoot players across the map. You can shoot enemies in the air and they can shoot you. This should put to work the new movie maker that allows you to capture clips of you shooting newbs in the head. We'll have more details on Halo 3 soon.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

2006-10-31T07:08:00.000-05:00

Hello all!! Happy Halloween today is one of my favorite days! WHY because all day is scary movie day! Which I enjoy alot. Well I have promise you all some pictures of what has been happening in game on FFXI so check them out!!!

FFXI has been really fun lately which had made more into the game and wanting to lvl up. Today is my day off which is a important day for me because today will be my last day off for a long time. Which will cut my gaming down a hole lot.

So today will go by so fast because the Halloween movies will be on all day and night and gaming in FFXI. So today is going to be those days that I wish will tick tock away in a slow pace.

So I will not hardly be on as much as I like. Well I hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween!

Take it easy!!!

Day four of Ubuntu Linux

2006-10-16T08:54:00.000-04:00

This is day four of my new Operating System Experience which I'm running Ubuntu Linux. So far everything has been fine. Just have very confuse lately with OS and all these terms that Linux uses. Which I'm working on getting use to. I just had some major problems getting Java Running right. Which has been a nail in my head these past two days. I just wish whenever Ubuntu does another upgrade of there OS they put it in there. So you wouldn't have to go through no hassles of getting Java and the other browsers working. Also I cannot believe that Flash does not work!!! Well other than those two things I have been very please. It has ran great on my computer and I dont have to worry about any security issues or any major viruses out there. Which is a great two thumbs up!! If you are looking for a great and so far I have to say this Stable Operating System Ubuntu Linux will be for you!! Check it out. Or even run the Live CD which you download. Until next time I talk to you all later. Going to play around with the Themes and listen to some podcast segments I listen to on a daily basis. Talk to you later.

The new E3 date and locations of the show.

2006-10-16T08:53:00.000-04:00

The revamped Electronic Entertainment Expo will be held July 11-13, 2007 in Santa Monica, California, where a number of hotels and the Barker Hangar will host press conferences, smaller meetings, and gameplay demos, the Entertainment Software Association announced today.

In late July, the ESA stirred game developers, press, and gamers alike when it announced that E3 -- a massive yearly games convention which had become an institution in the industry -- would be overhauled. Rather than the boisterous, crowded, Vegas-like affair it had become, the ESA said it would now offer a significantly more intimate, invitation-only event. The new E3 focuses specifically on game developers, retailers, and the press.

Today's announcement is the first official word on where and when the new E3 will be held.

In addition to conferences and play time, the new E3 will offer a daily luncheon session with executives and analysts; time for evening parties; and events like the Serious Games showcase and "Into the Pixel" art exhibit.

The nearby Barker Hangar, where companies will set up games for hands-on demonstration, will accommodate display areas ranging from 100 to 400 square feet.

"By combining suite-based meetings with the software showcase in a controlled and business-like environment, we believe we will successfully fulfill our primary objective of giving high-level media the best of all worlds -- the chance to engage in highly personal, one-on-one dialogue with leading game company executives, as well as the chance to demo games on their own time and to check out offerings from both the best known and emerging game publishers and developers," said ESA president Douglas Lowenstein. "It will also provide an excellent opportunity for meetings with retailers, developers and other audiences."

Participating hotels are within walking distance of each other, and the ESA will provide shuttle service between hotels, the Barker Hangar, and off-site press conferences.

New FFXI Update

2006-10-16T08:42:00.000-04:00

Crafters and collectors alike have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming version update. New synthesis recipes, weapons, and armor are on their way!

New Synthesis Recipes

The next version update will feature a number of new enchanted items that can be used at low levels and synthesized at a comparatively low cost using lambent cells.

Also, culinarians will soon be able to make the new item "angler stewpot," which will affect all party members within a certain radius.

New Equipment:

Here is a taste of the equipment to come in the next version update:

Besieged Adjustments

2006-10-16T08:39:00.000-04:00

The next version update will bring several changes to Besieged, including level 6 forces, temporary items distributed at the outset of battle, and increased experience points and Imperial Standing credits.

Changes to Besieged

Since the July version update that strengthened the beastman forces, Besieged battles have become longer and the benefits of participating decreased. In the next version update, the following measures will be introduced to provide more balance to Besieged:

Level 6 Forces

The enemy forces will soon be able to increase to 160, and level 6 Besieged will be added. Level 6 Besieged will include notorious monsters that lead the enemy forces and other new enemies.

Temporary Items

When Besieged begins, all participating players will be given temporary items, of which there are 15 varieties. The temporary items correspond to the 15 NPCs that can be taken prisoner during Besieged.

For example, when the Skyserpent General Rughadjeen is participating in battle, the temporary item "carnal incense" will be distributed to all players in the area.

Unused temporary items will disappear when Besieged ends.

Experience Point/Imperial Standing Changes

- Rewards for Participation
The amount of experience points and Imperial Standing players receive for taking part in Besieged will increase, and a bonus will be given to all participants at the end of Besieged for defeating the notorious monsters that lead an enemy force.

The higher the level of the enemy forces, the more experience points and Imperial Standing players will receive.

- Retaking the Astral Candescence
The battlefield to retrieve the Astral Candescence became more difficult after the rate at which archaic mirrors appear increased. To encourage more players to tackle the battle, experience will no longer be lost in the event of KO in the battlefield to retake the Empire's greatest treasure.

The Harvest Festival! (10/16/2006)

2006-10-16T08:37:00.000-04:00

The Harvest Festival will begin on October 19, and a new event named "The Dark Lilies" will be introduced along with the usual costumed fun!
Bring your friends and join the festivities!

Event Details
This event is scheduled to commence on October 19th at 17:00, and will last until November 1st, 0:00 (PST).

Event Locations
The Harvest Festival will take place in the following areas:

Southern San d'Oria/Northern San d'Oria
Bastok Mines/Bastok Markets
Windurst Waters/Windurst Woods

Event Stalls
Special stalls selling Harvest Festival goods will be available in the following locations:

Northern San d'Oria (D-8)
Port Bastok (L-8)
Windurst Waters (G-10)

Special Event: The Dark Lilies
Talk to the exorcist NPCs in the following areas, and help them discover the secrets of the spirits terrorizing the towns.

Northern San d'Oria (D-8) Gertrude
Bastok Markets (G-8) Brian
Windurst Waters (F-5) Roger

*Please note that after completing a request from one of the exorcists, you will be unable to undertake another request until one Vana'diel day has passed.

Costumed NPCs
Trade treats to the NPCs in monster costumes and see what happens!
You might be transformed into a beastman, or even receive a special item!

*In general, "treats" are any sweets that can be made with cooking. Please note that there are some types of sweets that NPCs will not accept.
*While in costume, you will be unable to use items or magic, or open doors.
*To take off a costume, simply cancel the costume status icon or change areas.

Bomb Decorations
During the Harvest Festival, you will see decorations resembling the bomb monster.
See what happens when you approach these decorations in a party of two people wearing a certain combination of costumes...

*Try talking to the Moogles that appear in town during the event. They might have some clues for you!

Well this is going to be my first Harvest Festival which I'm looking forward to right now. I have joined the 4th of July one and let me say WOW, I enjoyed the Fireworks and the Music which was so fun. Also it was great because I just relax and hanged out with other FFXI players out there and just did fun quest and missions and gather up on Special Items we collected in the game. So being that I have a lot of friends that have played FFXI for a couple years now. They really enjoyed Harvest Festival. So I'm looking for to October 18 to begin. Also I must say WOW October is big month for updates for the game. I could see Square Enix is working really hard and being that the game is 4 years old they are still enjoying it.

This is so great to see!

Just installed Ubuntu Linux

2006-10-10T20:44:00.000-04:00

I have been wanting and trying to get a Linux OS, and Finally I ran into a Linux Distro called "Ubuntu" and this is the first Company and Operating System where they sent me a CD by the mail. So bascially a couple of weeks later I got my copy! WOW!!! Then what I did was I looked at the cd and figured out what to do. Should I install this Linux Distro and give it a shot or should I have the cds sit in my desk and not put it to use. The reason why I wanted to use Linux so bad because I heard so many great things about Linux and how great it was to work with. Also with the open source part of it as well. Also how much it has been growing up and working so well.

So I deceided after a week later of thinking and reading site after site. So I made the choice and decided to put in a Windows Machine that runs Windows XP. Now I was not scared for one reason I dont mind reinstalling the operating system of Windows. YES!!! I know it is time consuming but I dont mind. But besides that all I have to say is the install of Ubuntu Linux went well, and my Windows XP was still there so there no effect at all. So I was surprise and happy about that.

Well after the Linux install, I said what is next because I was in shock that I have not ran into any problems with the Distro so far. Until I could not get my Wireless Internet working so I decided to just plug it in my router and BAM!!! It was online in a heart beat. So that was out of the way.

In conclusion so far Linux has been great!! Just hoping that my job will come out with a version of Linux or if I could get it working on Linux being that I have read on Forums and sites that you could run Windows Applications on Linux with no problems with the right commands and tools. So I have to really look into that. So I will keep you up to date with my Ubuntu Linux experience. Being that this is my first time using Linux and I have to say I'm pretty addicted to it. I guess the reason is because it is something new and it looks nice. Runs Great as well.

If anyone that reads this post, if you are interested in running Linux do some homework and see if Linux will be right for you. As I said before I just started so I have not ran into any major problems yet. I have a feeling eventually I will when I start expanding out my Applications I want use and start making my way through the OS.

Talk to you all later and I will keep up to date!

Day one "ChaCha"

2006-10-05T22:57:00.000-04:00

Today has been my first day of ChaCha as a Search Guide and all I have to say is WOW!!! Things have been great so far, faxed over all my paper work and so far everything has been flowing right.

Also I woke up today and felt that I should think of something new. So I decided to bring my blog in to the Internet and try to expand my Blog and site to people all over the world. So I decided to put on Google Ads. Now I have read serveral sites on how to bring money and content to your site and they say they watched it grow in matter of months. So I found it interesting and will like to give it try. So you might see some minor changes to site where I will have some ads of serveral things from Video Games to Apartments for Rent. Hope it does not bother you any of you. I will like to see how this works and see when I have it up for the next four months. Also being that I have been on top of my blog and site will it bring some content and money in. I dont know! But alot of people said it has. So lets see. LOL

Also if you dont watch Good Morning America but the company ChaCha is growing, Yes it is growing!!! So you might want to check that out!! I'm a search guide so I please let me know and I will send you a invite to become a search guide, It is easy and fun and yes "ADDICTING!!!"

More Job Adjustments

2006-10-05T22:38:00.000-04:00

The next version update will feature adjustments to several jobs. Building on the previous notice regarding the samurai job, we would like to take this opportunity to describe the changes in store for dark knights, dragoons, and ranged attacks, which are used mainly by rangers and corsairs.
Adjustments to Ranged Attacks
As a result of adjustments to make ranged attack damage differ according to the distance from the target, jobs that specialize in ranged attacks have suffered a decrease in performance. In the next version update, we plan to reassess the adjustments made to accuracy and attack power according to distance from target.

[The Distance Calculation and Added Effects]
Ranged attack damage and accuracy are currently adjusted by a calculation based on the distance of the player from the enemy target. However, we plan to decrease the values for ranged accuracy and ranged attacks used in this calculation. This will ensure that the calculation will no longer largely eliminate the enhancements given by meals and equipment. Instead, the effects will be added directly to the player's attributes.

For example, if a player eats sushi, he will be able to largely compensate for the accuracy adjustment, and if a player eats meat, he will be able to compensate for the damage adjustment.

[Changes to Distance Adjustments]
We plan to slightly widen the range in which players can deal out maximum damage using bows, crossbows, and other distance weapons, as well as ease the decrease in accuracy and attack power that comes the farther the player is from the target.

Job Adjustment: Dark Knight
Timing will soon be more important when using the Absorb-TP spell, which was added in the July version update.

[TP Absorption Amount Adjustment]
Currently, the amount of TP an enemy possesses has little effect on the amount absorbed by the Absorb-TP spell. We plan to decrease the amount of TP absorbable from enemies with few remaining TP so that players will have to consider the timing of the spell.

Job Adjustments: Dragoon
Dragoons will receive adjustments to jump abilities and will be able to copy the Stoneskin effect to their wyverns.

[Job Ability: Spirit Surge]
The recast time for the Jump, High Jump, and Super Jump job abilities will be reset when using Spirit Surge.

[Job Ability: Super Jump]
The recast time for Super Jump will change from 5 minutes to just 3 minutes. In accordance, the merit point Group 1 category "Super Jump Recast" will allow players to shorten recast time by 6 seconds instead of 10.

[Job Trait: Empathy]
Players who have acquired the Empathy job trait will be able to copy the Stoneskin effect to their wyvern when using the job ability Spirit Link.

In addition to the above adjustments, the next version update will also feature changes to the summoner job. Keep checking the main page for details in the next few days!

5 months and going strong!!!!

2006-10-03T10:06:00.000-04:00

Here is my baby Pics! Its a girl!!!

No Attempt

2006-09-27T16:58:00.000-04:00

Please forgive me for putting up this information, I know this is a gaming blog but I'm just a big fan of Terrell Owens and was really worried. He is a great player and one of my favorites right now. It is good to see that he was fine in his press conference and that he did'nt make that attempt. So it was good and hope he recovers.

"It's very unfortunate for it to go from an allergic reaction to a suicide attempt."
-- Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens

2006-09-27T13:42:00.000-04:00

Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.

ESPN's Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told ESPN.com's Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.

Publicist Kim Etheridge also said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that the police have gotten the story wrong. She said she was with Owens, who was having trouble because he'd mixed his pain pills with supplements. She said she called for help because he was becoming unresponsive.

The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"

The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.

The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.

Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.

The friend mentioned in the report is Etheridge, according to reports. She told The Fort Worth Star-Telegram and The Dallas Morning News that reports of an attempted suicide were false.

Additions and Adjustments to Chocobo Raising

2006-09-27T09:11:00.000-04:00

Soon you can expect more from care plans and experience a variety of new chocobo colors and appearances! Chocobo raisers have a lot to look forward to in the next version update!

More details can be found here

Action Taken Against Third-Party Tool Users

2006-09-27T09:05:00.000-04:00

Today, a number of accounts confirmed to be in violation of the user agreement through the use of unauthorized third-party software tools within FINAL FANTASY XI have been suspended or permanently terminated.

Click here for more information on this matter!!!

Everyone that plays this game, come on lets all put our thinking hats on right now. Dont you get it!! Square Enix is not messing around with the third party tools. They are taking serious actions with this. You are just making it worse and worse. I'm glad Square Enix has terminated more accounts and I hope they continue too. So everyone out there that plays Final Fantasy XI think before you start using any third party tools to try to CHEAT!!!

Or not you will be terminated and banned from the game maybe forever or just alittle while. Why do that???

Let me know how you guys feel!!! About this matter!

Tracking the Elusive Beast

2006-09-27T09:03:00.000-04:00

This just in: Mysterious tracks have been discovered in the lands of the Near East! Professor Clavauert, the man responsible for the find, claims that the tracks are from an unconfirmed ancient race of beastmen. His assistant Atelloune seeks to uncover the truth in her new article!

Click on the heading for more additional information on the Playonline site.

2006-09-25T16:33:00.000-04:00

Xbox 360 HD DVD Player and 1080p Support

Microsoft announced pricing and availability details for the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player in Japan. The accessory will launch on Nov. 17, 2006, priced at ¥19,800 (ESRP), and will come with the Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote.

"Xbox 360 and the HD DVD Player together deliver the most powerful and affordable game and movie system for Japanese consumers," Moore said. "The freedom to choose their entertainment experiences is extremely important for consumers as they enter the next generation."

In addition, Microsoft announced that its fall software update, scheduled for release later this year, will allow Xbox 360 consoles world-wide to output game and movie content in 1080p resolution.

2006-09-25T15:38:00.000-04:00

Lost Odyssey

We finally got a chance to check out Mistwalker's much-hyped Lost Odyssey on the floor of TGS 2006. Studio boss Hironobu Sakaguchi had given us a glimpse at the first 10 mintues of the 40 minute demo, and it looked pretty good. With some extended hands-on time on the show floor, we were able to see what lay beyond where the previous presentation cut off.

The story follows a character named Kaim, sentenced to live for 1000 years. When we were playing through the demo, getting killed meant Kaim automatically revived with a small fraction of his health. No menus or mini maps were available in the demo we played, so the heads up display was pretty bare. In a press briefing a little while after the show floor opened, Sakaguchi said two major gameplay elements were not included in the demo. In other words, the Lost Odyssey demo apparently doesn't give a very good representation of the whole thing.

This would explain the rather basic battles we sliced through until we were told to stop playing. Starting off on the fiery field after the sky meteor thing burped lava everywhere, we went off in what we hoped was the correct direction. Running around the ashy plain felt a similar to Final Fantasy X, especially when we ran into our first random Battle. Honestly, running into a random battle was a disappointment. With Blue Dragon's system of putting enemies on screen, and actually letting you do damage and affect their status, it would have been great to see LO adopt a different type of system. Instead, it appears LO is headed down the well-trodden road of random enemy encounters. Hopefully one of the unrevealed gameplay devices changes this up.

This is something you want to look out for! I know it is going to have great hopes in Japan and hopefully it will do even better here in the United States!! Check it out and I will be bringing more information as soon it develops!

2006-09-25T15:19:00.001-04:00

Gears of War Impressions

Though Gears of War wasn't on the floor at TGS 2006, it was being shown behind closed doors. We snuck in for a peek at the single player demo, a single chapter of the solo campaign. The story centers on Marcus Fenix, who starts the game off in jail for disobeying orders from a superior. Don Santiago, one of Fenix's buddies, breaks him out as the game begins. The level we got to see takes place very soon after getting out of jail. Marcus, Dom and some other squadmates are on their way to a battlefield, riding in a chopper. They arrive at a ruined town square in front of a cathedral-like structure, and are informed Alpha Squad who'd headed in before them had gone missing.

This mission was part of the single player campaigns first act, called Ashes: Trial by Fire. In the game there'll be five Acts total, each broken up into chapters. Apparently the game will be around 10 hours long for the single player, though a number of multiplayer modes exist. What exactly those modes are, beyond the standard team deathmatch type we played at E3, representatives weren't saying. The game will support play over Xbox Live, through system link, and via split screen. Only two players can play split screen on any one TV, we were told. Setting up an offline two on two match would require two Xbox 360 units connected via system link, with two players going split screen on two televisions. Representatives were unsure if two players could play online split screen on the same console. Cooperative play for two players will be supported for the entire single player campaign, with Dom and Marcus as the controllable characters.

Getting back to the mission, Marcus and three others stormed the church's stairs after getting their orders. Though squad movement command can be issued, it wasn't possible in the demo as Marcus wasn't the squad leader. Tapping Y at any time directs Marcus' attention to any points of interest in the area. Near the start he would glance up at the chopper as it departed. At the end of the mission players had to use Y to spot Alpha Squad's brutalized corpses. If there's nothing particularly attention worthy in the area, Marcus will look over at the squad leader.

As has been the case with all the other Gears of War demos, the emphasis was again on taking cover. Marcus can sprint to get behind cover ahead, vault over short walls, and spin from cover point to adjacent cover point. He can also peek around corners to fire on enemies with bursts from his SMG. At close range, a chainsaw can be revved up to shred an enemy to bits. That's not recommended, however, since enemies will be taking cover as well.

While firing from behind cover can work to blow up enemy heads, using flanking maneuvers seems to be more effective. For instance, if you sprint up on an enemy position and pepper them from one side, they'll respond and adjust their cover. Ideally that would allow your teammates to take advantage and get some open shots. Moving out from cover is dangerous, however. In Gears of War, there's no real health bar or gear logo. Instead, a gear icon pops up in the center of the screen as Locusts drill you with firearms. With more damage, the logo fills in with red. If you move away from battle the logo will eventually flicker away, indicating you're back at full health. Should it completely fill in, you die.

To prevent death, killing others works best. Marcus can carry four armament types at a time: a pistol, grenades, and two larger weapons. In the demo he only had an standard issue COG SMG, but was able to scrounge some Locust guns after their brains were sufficiently stuffed with bullets. Ammo crates left behind by previous squads can also be found, replenishing numerous ammo types. When it comes time to reload, there's a choice. Either reload in the traditional fashion, or attempt an active reload. By hitting the right bumper, a minigame starts up. By stopping a moving bar in a specific place on the ammo display at the screen's top right, players can earn bonuses. A perfect stop gives players bullets with extra damage. A good stop gives players an instant reload. Poorly stopping the bar jams the gun, so there's a risk.

Using giant stone pillars and tarnished stone planters, Marcus and crew made their way through the church and various courtyards. Locusts spawned into areas via emergence holes, which were yawning gaps in the ground. Lobbing in a grenade closes up the hole, preventing more Locusts from spawning into the area. At one point a teammate went down, causing an icon to pop up in the top right of the screen. By heading over to him, Marcus was able to perform a revive. Should teammates die in the single player mode, the game doesn't end. However, progress will become more difficult with less guns beating back the enemy.

Players can also revive in the cooperative and multiplayer modes. In coop, players must ensure only one of them goes down at a time, since if both go down at once it's game over. There's a checkpoint system in place to let killed players continue their game for both coop and single player, and it generally seemed to start off near where the death occurred. In multiplayer, opponents have the opportunity to curb stomp a downed player's face, preventing revival.

From what we saw, Gears of War is one of the prettiest Xbox 360 titles out there. It's got great animations, nice explosions, and unnecessarily messy blood effects. The frame rate seemed more stable than the last few times we've seen this one, which is definitely good to see. Though there are plenty of cover options for Gears of War, we're hoping the gameplay manages to stay interesting over 10 hours. We'll see more of this one at X06 in Barcelona, where designer Cliff Bleszinski will be on hand with some single and multiplayer content.

This game is going to be the bomb, Cant wait for it to be release!!!!

2006-09-25T13:39:00.000-04:00

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Here is what they offer!!!

About Ameriplan

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1) US News & World Report

2) The New York Times

3) Wall Street Journal

4) American Medical Review

5) American Business Review

Here are some of the things we do offer

* Daily Pay

* 401k benefit package

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* FREE Dental, Vision, Prescription and Chiropractic Plan (for entire household)

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*Residual Income - this is where you get paid over and over for work you did once. Right now, most people earn "linear income" which is basically the income you receive working a typical job. You get paid once or twice a month for work you did in that time frame. That's it - one payment - one time. Our business allows you to continue earning over and over for work done onceJ

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Or
Email: Evazquez@ameriplan.net

Hope to hear from you soon.

2006-09-23T21:39:00.000-04:00

First Impressions of Sony's PlayStation 3!

Although Sony's PlayStation 3 has already been shown in prototype form at various trade events for more than a year now, most sightings have been of development kits only. We finally got a look at the console in action at the Tokyo Game Show today.

In Sony's own booth, about a dozen home-spun games were playable, with several more on display for eye-candy value alone. The standout titles drawing most attention from the huge first-day crowds of journalists, exhibitors, and assorted hangers-on were "Gran Turismo HD"--a racing game being demoed in mock-ups of sports-car cockpits--and "Minna No Golf 5" (Everybody's Golf 5), a fun golfing game that looked remarkably similar to the versions already available for other platforms.

The game console is due to go on sale in the U.S. on November 17, but Sony has already announced that it expects to ship far fewer PS3s than originally announced due to component shortages.

High-Definition Gaming:

Away from the games at the Sony booth, it appears that Sega has the best lineup of PS3 games. The outstanding title there was clearly "Power Smash 3," a tennis game that is presented in full 1080p high-definition resolution, which makes it appear closer to a simulation than a traditional game.

Hi-def gaming may take some getting used to, however. For example, close-ups of tennis star James Blake's shaven head that were shown between points were more than a little off-putting. Scratch beneath the glossy hi-def surface, though, and actual game play was surprisingly simple and easy to grasp. That caused a traffic jam of players so engaged that they had to be ushered along to keep the line moving and allow someone else a turn.

Other Sega standards were also out in impressive force. These included "Virtual Fighter 5" and "Sega Golf Club." The former game could hardly fail to impress, with detailed renditions of blizzards of sakura cherry blossoms falling from background trees and realistic-looking Japanese temples. Sega's golf title, on the other hand, looked slightly dated, especially when compared with the Sony golf offering.

Finally, not all PS3 games on show were complete. One of the most interesting games still on the drawing board, but available to lust over, was previewed under the working title of "Lair" and is surely the first high-definition fire-breathing dragon-riding game for any console.

I will have the list of all the next upcoming games that will be releasing on the PS3 in the next day or show. Just want to make sure I dont miss out on any games. So you might to be on the look out for that. Stay Tuned!

2006-09-22T09:50:00.000-04:00

Nintendo Could Beat Sony in Game Console Race, Experts Say!

A low price and an innovative controller could push Nintendo's Wii console to the top spot in Japan's multibillion-dollar video gaming market, two industry watchers said today.

The Wii goes on sale in Japan on December 2, a few weeks after the November 11 launch of Sony Computer Entertainment's PlayStation 3 console. The Nintendo Console is expected to go on sale in the United States on November 19.

The PlayStation 3, which is expected to go on sale in Japan on November 11 and in the United States on November 19, oozes with powerful, cutting-edge technology. It's based on the Cell Microprocessor, which was custom-developed for the console and promises to deliver graphics that are unprecedented in consumer video games. It also packs a blue-ray disc drive for playing back high-definition movies.

It is going to be very interesting this x-mas and the next couple of years to see who will take control of the console war. If you have living under a rock for the past 5-7 years the Sony Playstation has been the console to beat. So lets what happens, but Sony has alot of work to do with the Xbox already have been out and doing very well in its first year and Nintendo making a console that is going to be fun and the least expensive price of the Xbox and Playstation consoles. So lets see what happens.!!!

2006-09-20T20:55:00.000-04:00

2K Sports announced today that NBA 2k7 the latest iteration in the company's pro basketball series, has officially gone gold; the game is considered code-complete and will enter manufacturing to reach stores next week.

For the new year, NBA 2k7 adds "Signature Style" player motion -- 300 unique animations for jumpshots, dribbles, dunks and the like -- to match real-life NBA players. The game's presentation is also enhanced with better lighting, 3D crowds, and 30 new gameplay cameras.

As far as actual play, NBA 2K7 adds a Streetball story mode, a new Create Player system, and a complete franchise mode. Players can also take their game online to compete against live opponents.

NBA 2k7 will be arriving in stores next week, I have a feeling it will be on tuesday for all the major consoles, and Yes the Xbox 360. So If you a big fan of basketball and like games you might want to check this out. Also I will have a review in the next week or so.

2006-09-20T20:50:00.000-04:00

Xbox 360 Gets Platinum Hits

Project Gotham and Perfect Dark lead a first batch of discounted games!!!

In the last generation of consoles, the most popular games (or games getting on in age, depending on how you look at it) were rewarded with a reduced price and a sparkly designation -- whether Platinum, Player's Choice, or Extra Chunky. The programs let players save money on big titles -- so long as they're willing to wait a while after release.

Inaugurating the same idea for the new generation, Microsoft today announced a Platinum Hits series for the Xbox 360. The program begins on October 15 with four titles -- Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo: Elements of Power, Need for Speed Most Wanted, and Project Gotham Racing each of which will carry a new suggested price of $29.99.

Of course, these won't be the last games to get Platinum treatment. Microsoft plans to add another batch of titles to the program in spring of 2007.

I figure that was going to happen soon or later.

2006-09-20T20:44:00.000-04:00

Prepare to experience the continuation of the Treasures of Aht Urhgan storyline, as well as numerous exciting new quests, in the upcoming version update!

Aht Urhgan Missions:

In the continuation of the Treasures of Aht Urhgan storyline, new missions will be available that will reveal new monsters, new challenges, and the machinations of a certain famous Windurstian personage.

New Quests:

Several new quests will be added that focus on the areas released with the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion disc. Some of these quests will utilize the Assault system, and introduce a new series of battles aboard the Ashu Talif.
These Assault-style quests will be unlocked for those who have progressed to a certain point in the Treasures of Aht Urhgan storyline (Aht Urhgan missions), regardless of mercenary rank.
Gather your adventuring companions, and discover what new challenges lie ahead!

- Level Restrictions and Member Requirements
In the current Assault missions, it is possible to impose a voluntary level restriction on your mercenary party. However, the new quests based on the Assault system will all be unrestricted, with no option for setting level limits.
Member requirements will remain the same, with 3 to 6 mercenaries required to undertake these quests.

- Rewards
Much like the current battlefields, a treasure chest will appear upon the completion of the quest, giving you the opportunity to obtain new and wondrous items.

2006-09-19T21:19:00.000-04:00

2006-09-19T20:47:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since console gamers have been able to enjoy their racing games the way real fans of the genre should -- with a first-party racing wheel peripheral. Microsoft is bringing them a Wireless Racing Wheel for the Xbox 360 on November 1 packaged complete with a force-feedback version of Project Gotham Racing 3 for the retail price of $149.99.

You have the option to rest the wheel in your lap or attach it to a table. The wheel itself is weighty enough not to feel flimsy, but not so heavy that it was uncomfortable in our laps. It is balanced enough, and wide enough that it didn't want to tip. Naturally, the wheel feels a lot more stable attached to the table. It cranks on to fit the table quickly and easily. The wheel has 270 degrees of motion and feels comfortable and solid. Considering that the Forza Motorsport 2 team has helped with the design we're looking forward to taking it for a spin with a real game (once Microsoft lets us have a few quarters).

Any racing wheel superfan has probably killed a few flimsy pedals during heated races. During especially suspenseful moments it is natural to tend to STOMP a lot. I kicked these pedals pretty firmly and they didn't complain. Pedal systems have long struggled with a design that won't slide around on whatever surface you happen to be using. Microsoft has solved this problem with a new design which has a cutaway frame at along the base of the pedals that comfortably accommodates a player's heel where you naturally would rest your feet. It helps to keep the pedals from doing much sliding around. The pedals also have tiny foam feet to protect hard floors from any damage.

The wheel uses the same batteries as the X360 controllers and can be quickly switched out. Microsoft said they expect the batteries to last about 20 hours on average. We asked what sort of warranty the wheel will come with, but they were unable to answer. I'm pretty it will have a good enough warranty for any problems that will accure.

So be on the look out on November 1 of this year when the pedals will be release. If you a hardcore racing fan you will really enjoy this wheel, feels great, looks great what more can you ask for. A car???

2006-09-19T20:28:00.000-04:00

Xbox Marketplace Is Now a Game Showcase!!!

Following its multimedia blitz at the Electronic Entertainment Exposition 06, Microsoft plans to host game show footage, demos, and downloads on Xbox Live marketplace for Xbox 360 fans during Tokyo Game Show and X06 with its "Bringing It Home" campaign.

From Wednesday, September 20, to Friday, September 29, Microsoft will reveal to Xbox-Live enabled gamers highlights from the press briefings at TGS and X06 (Microsoft's annual European game show), daily news updates, and on-the-floor video footage. Microsoft admitted most of the content will appear 12 am PDT, September 29.

The company will continue its weekly Xbox Live Arcade game updates (for September 20 and 27), and plans to announce a new franchise for XBLA. To keep your attention, Marketplace will offer some new (but not announced) playable demos as well as HD video. The video footage will feature:

Call of Duty 3 (Activision)

Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (Tecmo)

Forza Motorsport 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)

Kayne & Lynch (Eidos)

Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (Microsoft Game Studios)

Need for Speed Carbon (EA)

Project Sylpheed (Square Enix)

Shrek 3 (Activision)

Viva Piñata (Microsoft Game Studios)

Other downloads will feature picture packs and themes for Alan Wake, Fable 2, Mass Effect and Forza 2 and a free picture pack, theme, and exclusive scene from the upcoming Battlestar Galactica season premier (for US only).

2006-09-19T16:37:00.000-04:00

2006-09-19T16:08:00.000-04:00

Microsoft hasn't told us how much the Xbox 360's HD-DVD drive will cost, but they do promise it will be the most affordable way to enjoy high definition DVDs this year. My guess is that we'll see the add-on on shelves in December for about $200. Microsoft's X360 HD-DVD drive is simple, compact, and well-designed. It attaches via a mini-USB to the X360 which is where all the processing for the drive will happen. This should keep the little drive from generating heat. Although Microsoft wouldn't plug in the drive and show us it working for this demo, they told us it is going through QA and being sent home for real world testing with various MS employees now. On the back of the drive are two additional USB ports, so the drive will act as a hub rather than just occupy a valuable USB port on your X360. It also features a tab to add the X360 Wireless Network Adapter. The drive sits either horizontally or vertically which should make adding it to your entertainment center incredibly easy. Right now there is a big question of HDMI connectivity -- an alternative to component connections it's an all-digital audio/video interface capable of transmitting uncompressed streams -- Microsoft said they have nothing to announce, but are considering the possibility.
Until we are actually able to plug it in and power it up that's all we know about this handy little add on. If you're an X360 owner like myself and want to play HD-DVD movies this winter Microsoft seems to have designed the smartest and cheapest way to do just that.

2006-09-18T16:27:00.000-04:00

If you dont want to wait for the full game to be release in a week, head over to the marketplace right now and download the demo for the game. So you could try it out before you buy it. So check out the demo and see the next-gen basketball game for the Xbox 360. I will have a full review in the next couple of weeks. So please stay tuned for that.

2006-09-18T12:29:00.000-04:00

Hey guys if you will like to Subscribe to my Blog to get all the to date information of what is going on in FFXI or even in the gaming industry. So please click on the icon below. Also let me know what you will like to hear about. Leave some comments and let me know what you will like to hear or any suggestions.

Also check out my new site that I have going on right now. Which I will be updating as well. So check it out at Vanadiel News

Thanks alot guys, Hope to see you guys soon.

2006-09-18T09:30:00.000-04:00

This is me running around into the Dunes of Vana'diel, pretty much looking for a party to gain more on Experience Points. It has been a really good weekend, now that I have made it to level 12 in a day and half of work. Things so far are shaping up pretty good, I'm trying to make lvl 18 before I start getting busy with work again and then there will be no time for that. So lets see what happens in the next couple of days. Also back to running in the Dunes, After like 10 minutes into te Dunes and heading deeper in the Dunes running away from Mobs that are aggro me. I finally got a invite to a party. Now the start of the party was great, we were getting exp chain and doing really good. So with us attacking and killing the Lizards I guess the leader got to cocky with the hole point, and wanted to go after the Goblins, now that was a bad and really bad move. Because then we got destroyed what was confusing was we were doing pretty good but everyone kept on rushing and our tank was provoking one after the other and really threw us off. So with me being a Red Mage and my first time being a party were I have really no experience at all using Magic and Cure, My MP was getting to low so I really could'nt handle the situation to well. So with that going on the leader and another character was complaining with my performance. Now I kind of upset but did'nt let it get to me, now this is where the plot thickens. The leader of the party dies and now he goes back to his Home Point which was in the Dunes already but the thing is when he gets back to our camp he throws me out of the party. Now I got upset, because I figure what the heck did I do. I feel if you would have slowned down he could have been still alive and we could have been still having a great party going on. The last thing that got me upset was, I was so close to next lvl and he had to do that to me. Well Oh well, I just headed back to Bastok and just from there on went and did my own thing for awhile and just hanged out and talk to my friends in the Linkshell. Ahh I hope today will be a better day for me when I get on FFXI and head back to the place I dont like the Dunes. You all have a great day.

2006-09-17T13:49:00.000-04:00

Today I woke up in a nice mood to play some classics, So you know what I mean as you see this picture. So when I woke up which was very early on a Sunday. I decided to cough up 12 bucks and purchase Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting. Now you may ask where you got the game from? Well all I have to say is system to offically my new baby, LOL Wow The xbox 360 and the marketplace works great, and playing Street Fighter this long time classic and favorite of mine to be played in HD just makes everything so much better. What a great game this is and for 12 bucks you cant go wrong with it. When I mean 12 bucks if you dont know Microsoft has a thing called Marketplace Points, and you have a couple of package points to choose from. Which it turned out Street Fighter was 800 points, and the Marketplace has a price for 1000 points for $12 and change. So basicially set it up and paid for it. Bam! I was ready to go and start playing. On my website I'm going to list some features and alittle review of what I thought about it, but for 30 minutes of playing so far it is great. Lastly a great experience than playing a new gen game, where you want to relax and sit back and play some of your classic games. So check out My Site!

PS. I'm also going to have some information on the Marketplace and what it has and what soon will have. I have been putting alot of information together about the xbox 360 but so much is here, It is amazing the work the xbox team has done. So Also look out for that as well.

2006-09-15T21:10:00.000-04:00

Well being that we are still in the middle of September but Square Enix and Playonline have warned us that there will be a update sometime in October. Expect all-new Assault areas, missions, quests, and enemies, not to mention even tougher Besieged battles and a plethora of other new content! So we will be looking forward for that update and see what else Playonline and SE has under there belt for this next update.

2006-09-15T20:57:00.000-04:00

As alot of all of you know in FFXI they has been a great update PlayOnline release which is Chocobo Raising, which it allows the players raise there own Chocobo and by doing that, you will have to purchase a egg and it takes about a month (earth time) for the egg to hatch if it is properly treated right. I have a couple of information to mention of my little guide on how to obtain a Chocobo Egg and what steps and locations of NPCs and information.

Beginning Chocobo Raising

The process of chocobo raising begins when you trade a Chocobo Egg obtained from a shop or battlefield to a VCS chocobo trainer (located in the stables of the three starting nations). You won’t be able to tell the attributes or coloring of your chocobo until the egg hatches.

Note that you cannot trade another egg to a chocobo trainer once the chocobo raising process has begun. Also, the process of raising a chocobo must be continued in the nation where the egg was traded.
The Vendor NPC that sells Chocobo Eggs is Dabih Jajalioh in Ru'Lude Gardens at location (F-9) by the Auction House.

VCS Chocobo Trainers San d’Orian stables: Hantileon Bastokan stables: Zopago Windurstian stables: Pulonono

There are new NPCs in the chocobo stables known as “chocoguys” who will help you understand the process of chocobo raising.

Chocoguys

San d’Orian stables: Arvilauge
Bastokan stables: Gonija
Windurstian stables: Kiria-Romaria

The links that highlighted blue will lead onto Wikki Site of FFXI, which is a great resource of information you could gain on the Chocobo Raising or even anything that is related to FFXI.

I will provided some more information on what next procedures is going to go on FFXI and the Chocobo Raising. So Stay Tuned for more information on that. Lastly check my site for more update information as well. "My Website"

2006-09-15T17:08:00.000-04:00

Just like a Busy Bee!!!

I have been so busy with gaming and trying to make my site and this getting some type of traffic which I have not gotten this past 2 months. Which I have been very frustrate with the out come of it. I have found several tips and tricks on how to make a success blog and site, but still no hits. So now I'm doing Google Adsense which hopefully bring some hits and traffic. Now yes I know to bring the traffic you need content and content is what bring the people to my blog and site. Also word of mouth, so I'm asking all of you check out my site and blog and let me know what type of content you want me to put in. As you know by looking at my blog you will see a lot of FFXI gaming and a lot of gaming news and information. Well if you haven't put 2 and 2 together "Yes I'm a gamer" and I devote my time to gaming and love to talk about games. Especially about FFXI which has made a lot of big changes in my life and also really enjoying myself and talking to other gamers in FFXI. So check out for updates on FFXI if you really like it. Also always check out the blog and site because there will be a lot of gaming news from reviews, previews to the lastest news that I feel will be interesting to talk about. So check it out and my next entry will be about the Chocobo Raising on FFXI and how my experience is on game and what I have been doing lately. So by for now and in the next couple of hours check for updates. Bye!

2006-09-15T13:46:00.000-04:00

This is a great site I found not to long ago, where they will pay you for your content that you enter. Check it out and Sign up!!! I think it is a interesting site and a new way to get paid for you content and information you put out there.

Associated Content

2006-09-15T13:45:00.000-04:00

2006-08-22T15:50:00.000-04:00

Well this weekend was kind of rough, FFXI did'nt appeal to me at all this weekend, that does not mean I'm getting bored of the game. I just did'nt have a rough weekend. Last thing I did was chilled with my homeboy name Steak and we took a picture and bascially bugged out in the wonderful nation of Bastok, but other than that nothing really has made a big impact. Keep tuned cause I will making a update on FFXI and the Chocobo Raising that has been finally released yesturday during the update. Stay Tuned for more information on that. Also be sure to check out Bethegamer. For the FFXI and Gaming related forums which I have been started by all of us, also check out the Pet Food Alpha Podcast for all FFXI related news and personal gaming experience we all have on FFXI. Check it out and you wont be disappoint in the work they do. Check it out and we are looking forward into joining the site.

2006-08-22T15:47:00.000-04:00

JUST FOR TODAY

I will give myself a quiet half hour to relax alone. During this time I will reflect on my behavior and will try and get a better perspective on my life.

JUST FOR TODAY

2006-08-18T09:04:00.000-04:00

Thought for the day

"In Control"

There are things you can control and things you cannot control. If you focus too heavily on those things you cannot control, it can lead to an overwhelming amount of frustration and anxiety.

Choose instead to focus your thoughts and efforts on those things upon which you can have a positive influence. There are plenty of those things, and by giving your energy to them you can quickly and significantly improve the quality of your life.

Stop worrying so much about what others are doing wrong. Instead, put your time and effort into discovering what you can do right, what you can dl well, and in using your unique abilities to create excellence.

Whenever you feel yourself getting anxious or frustrated by something that's beyond your control, stop and take a fresh look around. There's something you can do, right then and there, that will make a positive difference in the world.

The more you make use of the positive power that you have, the stronger that power will grow. There is always something you can do, and it always beats complaining or worrying about those things you cannot do.

Do what you can, when you can, where you are, with what you have. You'll find that it can make an enormous difference.

By: Ralph Marston http://www.greatday.com/motivate/

"Read it carefully, and also visit this site if you ever want more Thoughts of the Day" Very powerful and great to read in the morning and night.

2006-08-18T09:01:00.000-04:00

Ninety-Nine-Nights finally hits stores and I got to get a taste of it in E3 2006 and loved it but after playing the final game of it, I have alittle upset the game did not live up to its height as I would have thought it would have been. Can it be maybe I rush through it?? Well also reading different Video Games Sites look like they gave the same answer as me, Now these guys are experts now. The guy was good and was differnt from games I usually play. If you are looking forward to play this I would say rent it first and check it out before you start going all nuts and spending 60.00 and then say to yourself I dont like it. So rent and check it out! I have to play it again and pace myself and hopefully I could have a change of heart. Come again!

2006-08-18T08:58:00.000-04:00

Xbox 360 Consuming All

For anyone that really loves spending their hard-earned cash, Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace is like a dream come true. For example, having blown your wad once on your original game purchase, the obligatory follow-up content expansions offer infinite opportunities to splash even more dough. Sometimes, this actually works out quite well - see Oblivion's run of quality stuff like the Thieves Den swash-buckle-a-thon. Sometimes, it's a bit of a gip - see Oblivion's utterly rubbish horse armour pack. Microsoft is set and to release the exact date of when the Consumables is announced at Gamerfest 2006. I will learn more about this, sounds interesting. I have to look more into detail with this. If anyone knows anything about this please let me know. I will find more in depth detail with it.

2006-08-18T08:54:00.000-04:00

Yes you head right! Prey 2 will be coming out, I have not played Prey when it landed on the Xbox 360 but I played the demo and I have to say is WOW!!! Game looks amazing, I know for a fact if I was not playing FFXI and putting time and effort into this game I would have played it or still be playing now and trying out the online play. Hopefully I could play it and enjoy it before the Prey 2 comes out, LOL I will be playing it soon. So yes Prey 2 has been announced and it will be coming soon. When? Who knows! But I will be on the look out for more information on the title. Stay Tuned.

2006-08-18T08:41:00.000-04:00

I have started a new Character in FFXI a couple of days ago. Ask me why? Did you do such a thing? Well bascially it all started where I started to listen to a Podcast Call Pet Food Alpha which bascially the Segments are all FFXI related news. Now a good number of them are in the Kujata Server now since listening to this show I have been on a other server bascially meeting new people and in a Linkshell but I wanted to make a new character and hang out with these guys in the Kujata server and if everything went well and fun I was going to make it my home. Now I finally got the World Pass and headed there, It was great! I started a new race which is Hum for some reason I just liked there Style and Appearance. Next I started in Bastok Nation, which I found great! It is nice and different from where I began in the Ragnarok Server. Now I'm saying to myself this is going to be a great Adventure in the server that everyone in the show talks about and maybe I could be in one of the Segments??? LOL Funny! Well I finally got to see online the person that sent me the World Pass, so he was online for a long time but he could'nt really do to much cause he is so much in a higher level than me, but I figure one day he will get to power level me and I could be close to his level, Well he started me off with a Linkpearl to PhatChocobo which in the show everyone is on. The he gave me some gil, now I was excited but I was soon to find out I was wrong. No one is on this Linkshell it is only me and him and someone else. I'm like ........? Yes .......? I was confuse and thinking what happen??? Then days have past by, and still he is not online people are on not on the Linkshell so now I'm confuse. All I said to myself this past week is Eric thank god you did not delete your main character cause I would have been really BUMPED OUT! Well I just hope people will start coming on this weekend cause I'm pretty sure alot of the people that do play the game are in school of some kind. As for myself I work at home so I have time to play and stay up late and etc. Can this be a big disappoint in my FFXI experience or will things shape up and turn out to be the best experience??? Now my question to anyone here that reads this? What you think I should do? Stay in my old server where I have friends there and a pretty good Linkshell but has been kind of rocky lately? Or Start leveling up and putting time into the new Character which you are enjoying play and start all over again and maybe the Linkshell will come back to live again. I think I have kind of made my mind, but who knows!

2006-08-08T13:31:00.000-04:00

Greetings everyone,

After the Chocobo Raising announcement was made recently, we received many comments and requests about Chocobo Racing. This surprised us, so we decided that we'd use this space to ask for more input about Chocobo Racing from all of you, so that we can make this feature as good as possible. Like Chocobo Raising, this is a new feature developed completely from scratch, unlike the job and battle features which have been our main focus until now. Therefore, we want to include your hopes and dreams in order to make this feature meet everyone's vision as closely as possible.

At the same time, there are many of you who might say "We haven't played it yet, what are we supposed to suggest?!" Therefore, we have decided to include some of the mechanics of this new feature, outlined below. Please use them as a guide to imagine what Chocobo Racing could be like.

Currently Planned Specifications:

The ability of raised chocobos will be reflected during Chocobo Racing.
Chocobos will not be controllable by players during Chocobo Racing.
It is possible to give orders (i.e. sprint ahead, come from behind, etc) to riders before the race.

While posting your comments onto the forum, we would appreciate any ideas related to "gambling" for example, as well as any other opinions or concerns regarding Chocobo Racing.

We look forward to hearing from you on the forums. Let's keep those ideas rolling!

Well It looks like Square Enix is back at it again, trying to expand this game even more and add more features into the game. I just can't believe how well Square Enix so hard at work to come up with more ideas and being able to get it working. Well that shows that YES! there is some compaines out there that do listen to the players and take there feedback and use it the right way. I like how they release a letter and being able to head to the forums and make your voice heard on the topic. Also a great thing just to show you FFXI and Square Enix development team still has alot of ideas and more updates to come. I think FFXI has been a great game from the past to now and it will be one of top MMORG games in my list. Well we just have to see what is next in store and what will be happening in the next couple of weeks until it is finally release. Stay Tuned.

2006-08-08T13:26:00.000-04:00

2006-08-08T09:25:00.000-04:00

Apple Declares War on Microsoft and Windows Vista.

As usual, Steve Jobs keeps a tight secrecy before every major event. But when he finally decides to reveal his plans, you’d better take your heart pills. This year’s WWDC is no exception.

Even before the official opening of Apple’s biggest manifestation, there were clear indications that Microsoft and Windows Vista are targeted. PR managers (or some other guys at Apple with a lot of courage) have thought at dubbing Leopard, the next upgrade for Mac OSX, exactly…Windows Vista 2.0! An occasional photographer captured this picture of a banner from Moscone Center. Moreover, a slogan written on another banner says “You’ve come to the right platform” a clear shot at Windows platform.

Apple has begun surging into Windows’s market share from last year, after the announcement concerning the shift from IBM-produced processors to Intel-produced ones. The increase in performance was obvious and financial results started to go nuts. This shift, which is nearly complete, has helped propel Mac sales, which grew nearly 20 percent to $1.9 billion in the most recent quarter. "It'll mean they've turned around the entire line in nine months and not one year," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis for the NPD Group, a research firm.

From the exclusivist and restraint area Apple had until a year ago in the PC domain, the Cupertino-based company moved to a broader and more popular brand, and thanks to Intel they managed to gain a lot of positive reviews from IT technicians and end-users.

Apple’s “leap ahead” is now completed by the new series of high-end desktops Mac Pro, which are destined to replace the PowerMacs. The new Mac Pro with Dual Core Xeon 5100 should be the end for all IBM-powered Macs. Xeon 5100, previously code-named Woodcrest, will probably offer a dazzling speed for the high-end desktop, but for a price which could make anyone think twice: $2,499, standard version.

The Mac Pro will include Intel’s Dual-Core 64-bit Xeon 5100 series processor (which by the way, was meant to regain from AMD’s Opteron’s the king’s crown in the servers area); it will run at speeds of up to 3 GHz with 4 MB of shared L2 cache. Each microprocessor will have independent 1.33GHz Front Side Buses (FSB), with 21 gigabyte per second (GB/s) processor bandwidth. The processors are fed by four-channel, 256-bit 667MHZ fully-buffered memory, up to 16GB—twice as wide as the memory bus in a G5 and faster.

“It’s an amazing processor to put in our products, but in every Mac Pro we’re going to put two of them,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product market.

source: http://www.playfuls.com/news_03848_Apple_Declares_War_to_Microsoft_and_Windows_Vista_at_WWDC.html

As for my input on this looks like Apple and Steve Jobs is back at it again and going to bring more surprises into the Computer Industry. I just cant believe I thought a couple of years ago Apple was dead and PC and Windows was going to rule everything. I have always been a Apple fan, I owned Windows Computers before for my gaming but now Apple is coming back strong and realizing there Operating System is so much more stable and right out of the box you are ready to go. Now for the new Intel Core processors on the Macs and powerbooks it is amazing how they pull it off by running the OS X operating system and the Windows XP operating system, Now I wonder if you will be able to run the Windows Vista Operating system on it as well. Which I'm hoping so cause I know Windows Vista is going to be 64 bit. We will find more info on that on the next couple of days or weeks, but it is going to be interesting. Which I have to say I'm really excited about.

2006-08-08T09:01:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone I'm back once again giving you the updates of what is happening in gaming and in the world today, As you see there is a new banner up on this blog entry. Bascially it is a new program which I discover and bascially they could help you out in level up your character in FFXI or in other games they have listed in their website. The reason why I posted up FFXI is because thats the game I play all the time and why not join and help out and generate sales at the same time. You going to see alot of changes in this blog and also in my personal website as well. So look out for that as well. Also I will be settting up a Podcast for FFXI which I will try to have some special guest for the Pet Food Alpha Podcast they have for FFXI which could me all into it. I see things shaping up to be really good right now for myself just trying to put in the time and effort and also pace myself so I could have time for myself as well. Well be on a look out for new blog entries in the next couple of hours just adding some finishing touches to the news I have gathered in the weekend from FFXI and the War that is going on in the Middle East. I'm gone for now keep a eye out!

2006-08-02T13:13:00.001-04:00

Hey all, I have spent most of my day just pretty much working on a website I am building for a client of mines. It has taken longer than I expected. I just want to finish it already, LOL The reason why I'm posting this is because I just have been on and off with the project but at least I have a dealine. So that will give me time to relax and chillllll. Lets see what happens in the next days so I could finish this project and get paid. Yes!! It is one hot day as well today here Newport News, VA lets say it is about 102 degress. LOL I dont like the heat I use to when I was younger but I dont know since I'm getting older I can't stand it. Well I see ya later, going to finish my work and finish correcting some coding, I will talk to you guys later.

2006-08-02T13:13:00.000-04:00

2006-08-02T10:29:00.000-04:00

World War 3?

Has anyone been following up on this War that is going on as I write this blog entry to you? It has been crazy lately with rockets hitting homes and killing women and children. As I read about this more and more everyday and watch it on TV. It hurts alot cause people have been fighting for years and years, I never think it is going to end. The United Nations has not made any progress at all, but just been saying remarks to the Prime miniter of these countries. I did some thinking. I want to say I feel in my time there will be World War with what countries I dont know. I have a feeling it is going to be terror groups and Allies. They are big and yes they are more different groups out there but for all in one mission Destroy. Like how they say "For the holy God". I dont know what is going to happen in the next couple of days or months or years. They has to be some stop this war or it will be a start of a begining World War. All depends what happens next. Just wanted to express some thought on that. When I come up with more news, I will inform you guys. Bye for now.

2006-08-02T10:27:00.000-04:00

This topic is alittle different from FFXI but it is about the Xbox 360 and rumors going on for a price drop. Read more for additonal info.

Despite repeated denials from the Microsoft, an Asian tech business website states that sources at Taiwanese Xbox 360 component suppliers know of a $100 price drop this fall; two lead analysts tell Next-Gen, "not likely," and explain why. It¿s the rumor that won¿t die.

DigiTimes.com reported yet another rumor today that Microsoft would be reducing the price of its premium Xbox 360 pack from $399 to $299, this time citing unnamed sources at Taiwanese OEM component makers. The publication¿s sources claim that Microsoft has negotiated reduced Xbox 360 production costs ¿to prepare for the price cut,¿ in order to better compete against the PlayStation 3, which launches in fall.

Microsoft officially denied a fall price drop in late May, and again in late June. Even in the same DigiTimes.com article today that reports on the rumor, the site said that Microsoft called the claims ¿misinformation.¿

Our sibling site ComputerandVideogames.com also quoted a Microsoft rep today, who said, "We do not have plans to lower the price of the Xbox 360 before the end of the year."

Next-Gen went to Wedbush Morgan Securites¿ analyst Michael Pachter, and Lazard Capital Markets¿ Colin Sebastian to get more background on why a price drop simply wouldn¿t make sense for Microsoft at this point.

Pachter noted that Microsoft brass has informed the Xbox division that it must turn a profit or at least break even in fiscal 2007, which ends June 30 next year.

He explained, ¿That means that price cuts on the Xbox 360 will come only if the box costs less to produce, ship, and market than the wholesale price. Our best guess is that the box currently costs around $400 - 450 to produce, and it's likely that the company can get that down to below $400 later this year.¿

Pachter continued, ¿The retail margin is around $10 - 15 per box, so the wholesale price of the $399 SKU is around $385 - 390. In other words, Microsoft doesn't make any money on the hardware.¿

He did concede that a price drop prior to the PS3 release is ¿possible,¿ but it would put the Xbox division in an even tougher position in terms of turning a profit in fiscal 2007. Pachter exhibited the potential challenge with some fundamental math.

¿¿The company plans to sell 10 million Xbox 360 hardware units over the next year, so a price cut in November would likely impact 8 million of these, costing the company $800 million. At a software royalty profit of around $10 per unit, the company would have to sell 80 million incremental software units in order to be in the same place as without a price cut.¿

He added, ¿Our model has Microsoft selling only around 60 million total units of software this fiscal year, so in order to break even on a price cut, they would have to sell 140 million pieces of software. Remember, we're talking about profitability for FY:07, not over the life of the 360.¿

Pachter also said that a software bundle from Microsoft would be the more likely route the company would take in order to create perceived value among consumers, and avoid further hardware losses.

2006-08-02T10:26:00.000-04:00

The update of FFXI has been nuts lately, Summer Festival is going on right now as we speak. The update that I finally got to download yesturday was almost about 1/2 hr long. Things seem to be flowing smoothly, for Xbox 360 owners and players of FFXI they finally got to fix the Screen Resolution. Also making the map more flexiable in reading the legends and where you have to go. I have been playing this game for about 2 months stright, before that I really never got the chance to play it as I would like to cause of my busy work. Now things are running smooth in my life and I'm finding time to make everything fit in my daily time. FFXI right now owns me and I mean for the time I wake up I start my work on my website that I'm working on type a couple of text in my blog and I'm ready to go. FFXI is a other world and it has bought me more into the gaming industry than ever before. Dont get me wrong Video Games has been my daily task since I was 5 years old and I dont think I will be stopping at anytime soon. If anyone of you have any questions with FFXI please let me know, I will try anything in my power to help you out. Also get tuned for my Podcast that I'm working on in releasing just have to gather some information and see who will be my special guest. Keep Tuned!!!

2006-08-02T10:25:00.000-04:00

Well let me tell you some experience I have been coming across on this MMORPG game, which trust me it is nothing bad just has been getting more and more intense. I finally got my Chocobo Liscense in Jueno and finally got a ride back to San D'Oria for the Summer Festival which it is going to be my first. Wow the music and the goldfish hunting is fun, and also being that you could buy fireworks and been able to see it at use it is great. I just wanted to show you my screenshot of 22 lvl Warrior and my Chocobo check it out. It has been a great and differnt experience I have been going through FFXI. Also I just listend to a Podcast which is called Pet Food Alpha which is a great Podcast if you want the lastest on all the FFXI news and updates. Things are shaping up really great on FFXI and I dont see anything ending soon. Which has caught even more of my attention because this came has been out for almost 3 years and still Square Enix and Playonline have been doing a awesome job on making this game more fun and updated and bring in major new ideas. I thought I would share this with you guys

2006-08-02T09:44:00.000-04:00

Well let me inform you guys on how my experience has been going with FFXI. Things have been getting really exciting, this is my first Summer Festival so I have been really excited about that. I never realize how big a game can be when they could sit there and come up with great ideas. I could just imagaine when I get into a higher lvl job and being able to explore higher mobs and zones. When I say this game is BIG! "It is Big". So much is pack into this game it is amazing how they do it. Right now I have a lvl 22 warrior and a sub job of a lvl 7 mnk. The population to me has grown or it might just be the Summer Festival that is going on in my town. By the way I started off in Sandy. Things have been good and I'm just looking forward to gaining more experience for my character but also for myself. Well keep on coming through this blog and check for updates on this game and news and bits that is going on the world around us. This is Eric Checking out!!! PEACE!!!