Malik
(10/18/10)
It was a great weekend
for Seattle sports. I mean the Sounders FC got their first goal, in
MLS play, against Chivas USA. Then they proceeded to get another one
before giving up a single goal late in the game for a win. Yes, it's
not a meaningful win, since Sounders FC clinched the playoffs a week
earlier. However, it's great for Seattle to keep up their momentum
as they get ready for their first playoff game, probably against LA,
in Seattle on the 31st. If the momentum can be maintained, this will
be a great post-season. While the Sounders don't have the best
record, they sure as hell are on the hottest game right now in the
MLS.
Too bad the ref was
pretty much all over the place with his calls. Then again, with a
final meaningless game before the post-season, it's fine to see
Montero get pulled on a fifth yellow card before a worthless final
MLS season game. Even though the yellow was as appropriate as the
Huskies beating a ranked opponent...
It all continued with UW
beating a ranked opponent. I'm not sure if UW versus Oregon State
was a great game or a bad game. I mean the start of play saw 21
unanswered UW points. Then came 21 unanswered Beavers points. Then
came a dull stretch of nothing. Then came a win in double overtime
when Oregon State was stupid enough to go for a two point conversion
to avoid anymore overtime. However, since the Beavers could not
manage any real quality plays on short-must-make-it situations, the
two point conversion was basically conceding the game to UW.
However, the true
highlight of the weekend was watching the Seahawks in
Chicago...making the Bears look like the Seahawks. Seattle started
with a definite presence on defense on the running game. It was bad
enough that the Bears almost entirely abandoned their running game
for the entire day. It's not often you can see Seattle dominate
someone's run to this level. Of course, the secondary is not that
solid, so this gives a free and open pass attack for the Bears. Or
it would if not for the defensive line smacking around Cutler like
he was a tackle dummy. So many sacks! Seattle has not taken on
anyone on defense like this for a good few years, and to see it
happen on the road was amazing.
Of course it only gets
better when Hasselbeck was playing his A game. I mean Hasselbeck was
like his old form yesterday as he completed pass after pass. It
helps that the Seattle running game was brilliant enough to get
Chicago in a place where they really couldn't just guess on what
side of Seattle's attack they would defend based on which side was
the least dominated.
I thought with the
addition of Marshawn Lynch that Pete Carroll would either go
entirely with Lynch, or go entirely with Forsett. Carroll did the
opposite by making a hell of a two headed beast on the rush. Lynch
would power through with Robinson blocking for him, and then Forsett
would come in a dance around the defense. This gave Seattle, for
once, an offensive attack that was beyond all low expectations. In
fact, it felt like Seattle was playing three different offensive
games. Run and pass? No. Run, bulldoze through the defense, and pass
is more like it.
The only thing that
Seattle did that was less than amazing was the choice of how they
handled a couple of kick/punt scenarios. First they watched one get
returned for a touchdown early in the game, only to be saved by a
holding call near the Bear's end zone. Then, with only a few minutes
left in the game, they go with another one right to the
returner...for a quick and easy 89 yard touch down return. The Bears
and Seahawks both played conservatively on kicking, and the 'Hawks
were mostly conservative on punting (the Bears didn't need to since
they owned Golden Tate whenever he tried a return). I mean the
returners on these two teams are amazing, with double digit returns
for touch downs between the two teams. I just don't see why the ball
was ever kicked or punted near a returner the entire game. It's like
playing with fire right next to a gas station.
Anyway, this was the
first road victory for Seattle since 2007. It was also the first
10AM (for Seattle) game they have played their A game for since
2005...or earlier. Seattle is bad, normally, on the road, and is
even worse at 10AM (Pacific). However, this game was a true show of
why Pete Carroll has earned the trust of the 12th Man. He and
Schneider may have made so many moves with the roster that Seattle
could be called an expansion team, but these moves were for the
best. Seattle may not be the ultimate team in the NFL (or even
close), but they can win in the NFC West. Better yet, they can win
next week at home against the Cards, to take full control of their
shared 1st place position.
Malik |
Malik
(10/19/10)
I was glad to see
yesterday (I've been less than observant lately with this) that Rock
Band is getting a six pack of Stone Temple Pilots today. For me it's
fitting, since it's about two weeks from today when I play the wacky
game of "How Wasted Is Wieland?" It's a strange game. You pay $20+
to see a concert which is either made up of STP or a concert of most
of STP with some wacky drugged out zombie muttering into a
microphone. Actually, I think that may be backwards in the current
day and age. You either see STP or you see STP with a clean and
sober frontman who is ready to sound like the singer on the STP
studio releases.
Anyway, I decided
to kill some time before Fable 3 and Rock Band 3 both release next
Tuesday. I couldn't find much on my current budget (free), so I went
back to Shadow Complex. I think this is the only game, still, on the
360 Arcade that I can call truly worth the price. I mean Braid,
Winterbottom, Limbo, Sonic 4, and a few others are great games, but
I'm not sold on their total price. Meanwhile, a year after playing
through Shadow Complex, I could go back and enjoy it all from the
start (new game+, so I keep my levels and my golden guns) almost
like my first time playing. There is just so much goodness in this
title.
It's rare when a
game can leave me saying something like "I honestly only have a
couple of complaints about this game," but Shadow Complex does that.
I mean beyond the obvious one (I wish it was longer), my only issues
would be that I wish there was a sequel or a spin-off, and that the
timing of the end game power-ups felt too close to the end credits.
I mean it's great having missiles, the hook-shot, the triple jump,
and all that...but it's lame that you face so little left in the
game by that point. When you compare this to the obvious similar
title of Super Metroid, you see far better spacing of end game
weapons on Super Metroid. Instead of being "end game", they are just
later powers you obtain.
Anyway, tonight I
will finish Shadow Complex for the second time, and then be left
with another dose of nothing I want to play between now and next
week. Makes one wish Fable 3 had a semi-fun mini-game like Fable 2
did for pre-orders. I wouldn't mind the pub games about now, with or
without the exploits.
Malik |
Malik
(10/21/10)
To kill some time
between now and next Tuesday (Rock Band 3 and Fable 3), I picked up
Super Scriblenauts a couple days ago. I didn't play the first one
since it offered two issues I didn't want to face; short game length
and touch screen movement controls. Super Scriblenauts handles both
issues fairly well with buttons or cross-pad usage for movement
(touch screen is still there for those who want it), and the length
is a little better than I expected.
If you need a
quick pick-up-and-go puzzle game, I fully recommend this title.
However, if you need something long lasting for your DS, I would
wait for Golden Sun 3 or maybe grab Professor Layton 3 (which I'm
still waiting on due to personal funding issues). Still, with most
levels offering a reason to replay them (four times total, at
least), due to advance mode (beat a completed level three times in a
row without reusing words), there is some length to the game.
As someone who
didn't play the original, I can't comment on if the game is improved
much, but I imagine the use of non-touch movement and adjectives is
a good level of improvement as it stands. I can say the game is
addictive if you do have a good enough of a vocabulary and somewhat
accurate spelling ability (there is a slight spell checker in game
that helps). I do have to say the S1 and S2 worlds, which are based
more on action than puzzle solving have to be the highlights of this
game. While the normal puzzle stages are interesting and fun, the
added element of danger and action in the S stages are beyond
compare.
Anyway, being
incredibly tired and out of sorts, I'll just leave this post here.
Sleep deprivation spread over a one month span is not something
anyone should experience...and it's something one's brain cannot
begin to compensate for.
Malik |
Malik
(10/23/10)
After spending all of
last night dealing with Windows 7 failing to epic levels, I will
keep things short today. Well, I'll keep things short after I add
one of my old observations; Windows 7 upgrade only allows you to
install Windows 7 from within Vista or XP. Unlike old upgrade
editions of Windows, which allowed you to make a fresh install, but
only after you prove ownership of an old version through inserting
an install disk...but you can actually fully install from a Windows
7 upgrade edition, but you will fail to activate with your "upgrade"
activation code.
While the new
method may be less apt to lead to piracy (well, scheming discounted
full installs from upgrade disks), it still is bullshit for someone
who has to rebuild their system, like I have done twice now with
Windows 7. It means installing Vista, which is the slowest pile of
crap installation Microsoft ever made (assuming you've misplaced
your old XP disk, like I did). Then after a couple of hours, you
need to update enough to reach Service Pack 1. Then after another
hour or so with SP1, you finally can start the relatively quick
Windows 7 install. I say "Windows 7 install" since I cannot upgrade
from my version of Vista to Windows 7, and am stuck with making a
"custom" install of a full install. So, after wasting about five
hours on Vista, I wait 1 hour for a full Windows 7 install.
I swear, if I lose
my Windows OS again, I will probably lose it. The saddest part is
that my OS died when I was watching a video file on Media Player
Classic and the system froze. After resetting the PC, I was left
with no Windows 7 and a broken copy of Vista that could not be
repaired. All this hell from a simple video file. At least I now
have FrontPage and SmartFTP back so I can post.
Anyway, I just
want to say that I'm glad to see the first Rock Band 3 designed DLC
for Rock Band is coming next week, on the launch day of RB3. Better
yet, it's a bad that's long overdue on the game and will take
advantage of the keyboards nicely. Yes,
The Doors are coming via a greatest hits album. While I'm not
the most diehard fan of The Doors (I do love a few of their songs,
and am less than impressed by others), they are a band long called
for for Rock Band, and it's good to see such an influential group
finally making it to virtual instruments.
Malik |
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