Savage Cabbage

I rest my case. She can also climb out of TVs (CRT, Plasma, LCD, Projection -rear and front, and DLP).

baconian, I don't disagree with you but my point is that the things you point out are actions of MEN, not of GOD. Yes, men such as the Pharisees put in complicated rules and laws to control people. That is precisely what Jesus was talking about which is why he was crucified. Don' t mix laws of men with those of GOD. There is not a single law of God that controls you to your detriment. I have laws for my son, but they are all there to protect him. Gods law is there to protect us just the same. The fact that individuals use his law as a means to burden others is a sad fact of men. They will answer to God for their actions. We just have to live our lives as best we can and IF you do have a belief and you follow the scriptures accurately, you will find it adds genuine joy to your life. But many knock it before they have experienced it.

The bottom line is this: Don't look at it as 'old' or 'new' testament. It is simply the greek and hebrew testament. Often people look to one or the other to somehow justify something they want to put across or condone such as violent accounts of Joshua or Judges to the non violence many associate with Jesus. Remember this though - It has NOTHING to do with what christian body you belong to if the views and ideals you have are not in harmony with the Creator. As many of you have correctly pointed out, too often so called religious people use the Lords name when they want to go all 'Righteous' and force 'their views' on the masses. - and that's just it it's 'THEIR views' and not necessarily those of God. It is VERY easy to take a bit here and a bit there from the scriptures to say anything from 'You should not kill' to 'Go slay anyone who doesn't bow down and do as you do'. Yes, there are many religious groups who all say THEY are the right one to be with and (give your money to ) but how do you know who to listen to or if you should at all? If you do have an leaning to believing in a creator and you would like to understand his purpose then do study the bible. You will see that it, infact, is perfectly in harmony throughout - and why wouldn't it be? If you beleive that God wrote the bible with the use of faithful individuals inspired by him then don't you think he wuld get it exactly correct and as he wanted it? If you can't get past that first hurdle you will never progress. So let's say for points sake that the bible is completely accure throughout, the next thing you want to know is - what is it exactly about? That again is actually a very simple message and is the basis for why Jesus came in the first place: to restore Gods kingdom. That's it. Adam and Eve sinned. We inherited that sin. Jesus shed HIS blood and died a perfect man so that we no longer have to make animal sacrifices as the priests did and God can forgive our sins through his son Jesus. We just have to be honest in our heart that we want to do better. It does not require a priest or a king to hear your confession - that is what Jesus came for. When he was born it bonded the Priestly line and the kingly line of descendants which is why God told Abraham he would be the father of 'a great nation'. God says very clearly (Psalms 55:22)to throw your burdens on he himself and HE will sustain you. Jesus puts many new points that modern people find conflicting to those of the Hebrew scriptures but they are not. Remember, Jesus could not perform any miracles (raising the dead, healing sick etc) without Gods holy spirit. He looked ONLY to God in all decisions he made - even down to the disciples he chose. He was sent by God as a model for modern man to see that it is possible to serve the Creator and remain true to his teachings. But why do this you may ask. And like many you may feel that the bible is a stuffy views forcing 'don't do this' book. It is, infact, to put it in a way to easily understand, a manual for the human being on how to mantain a safe and healthy body. When you read that you should not drink to excess and sleep around it is for your own good and not a beating stick as to whether you will get through the 'gates of heaven' or burn in hell. (by the way, the bible makes no reference to hell as a place. It does not exist. It is the word SHEOL or HADES which actually just means 'the common grave' - the place you are burried in.) so stop worrying that you will burn in hell! (Or sorry if you were hoping you might ) Armageddon is not the end of the world (or a good film) but it is the 'end of a system run by Satan' ie. the world we currently live in with death and war and al the crap we take seriously when we aren't on Idle Thumbs. Armageddon is simply the coming of Jesus as a spirit King to remove Satan and his demons from the powerhold it has on mankind. So dont think we are going to be destroyed in some catastrophic explosion. Your collection of NES games are quite safe. (except for the demonic ones. And the Sammy corporation.) There is sooo much more but if you really want to know, then read the scriptures honestly. Your heart will tell you 9/10 if you are doing right or wrong. But if you want to know more then go for it. It should only make you a better person and not a judgemental fool like so many are. But how do you know who to follow? Follow yourself. A christian body of people should exist for the sole reason to encourage one another and pick you up when your down. And they will ALL follow the creators teachings for the good of all. The minute you hear a religious group damning someone, or arguing amongst themselves over issues then chances are it is the wrong group to be with. You don't need to 'join' something to understand and be close to God. Those people should only be with you because they encourage you to keep trying to be someone kinder and better. The cabbage has spoken...

my wife, no really. Clearly I win with the RINGU type shot.

You just can't argue with that sort of wisdom. Hideo-san is like, such an uber gee-ni-ousssss, don't you think? Like. I for my part enjoy a breaded mushroom in garlic creme as a starter. The salad is best served with buffalo cheese....Or horse.

I have a huge respect for Rockstar and their abilities within the industry but they just seem to pick the most unpleasant material in the world to build games on. I'm not interested in subject matter like this.

Not at all. She tells me you are quite the Casanova. But I still have to kill you. MUhahahahahahahhaaa

She looks like my mum, actually...

You'd think with a bad back I would have time to sit down and play some of those games I never get round to. Turns out it is more fun eating my own legs than trying to lean forward and engage myself with Gran Turismo Prologue. So I'm left to lay flat, instead, and ponder that which is the games magazine. I have TONS you understand. All formats all generations. Which brings me to a certain magazine of shortlived greatness - MAXIMUM Born in later 90's it lasted but a few short months but left behind a legacy (not the Subaru estate) that is unmatched to this day. Think of a cross between EGM, EDGE (in the days it rocked), and 'gamestm' - then times it by a billion and you can begin to see the wonder that was this publication. So why is it no longer with us? Well, that takes a bit more digging, but the answer actually lay in the quality. The brighter you burn... This was the ultimate multiformat magazine ever produced. CVG was missing the target by a continent and EDGE - well EDGE is EDGE like HOVIS is bread. It focused on THE best titles of the time covering the editorial as vital to the game as the game itself. These guys finished games and it was evident in the screenshots - no level one shots in these pages. They got you endgame captions. Every aspect of the magazine was painstakingly created from the cover art to the individual screenshots. You can see the colour correction in the transition from RGB to CMYK was handled lovingly - Sonic was 'blue' blue and not purple. The edges of characters were shaved pixel perfect. The artwork sourced was of the highest standard I have ever seen in a magazine. There were double spread screenshots of Gungriffon for crying out loud! Nothing looked rushed. There was just no junk in these pages. I'm talking 180 pages of sheer sex. Well, gamesex. And not like the pornadverts I so HATE in magazines today! No 1-800-burstinmyeartartline that plagues our magazine backpages these days... But I digress, for the acheivement of MAXIMUM was done by a team of no more than three or four! (no doubt the reason the magazine couldn't sustain output to quality input.) You would wait for an issue for weeks over deadline - but it didn't matter. You knew it was like an indicator to something grand coming. Alas that doesn't factor as good business sense. Issue 1 sold well, but for some reason 2 and 3 did nothing. I think i bought the only copies that sold in my designated store that the mag was shipped to. Then came the Soul Blade cover. Now anyone who is a skunk above a mongoose in games will remember when they stood around the shop monitor and gasped (yes) at the intro to that beauty. I don't think it has been beaten to this day. Well MAXIMUM had that game on the cover before most people knew that the PlayStation even existed, I kid you not. But again, the issue did not shift units equal to EDGE or even CVG which was not shifting big numbers at all. For issue 5 they went to town on the Tekken arcade and the sales jumped. Sadly, it was already too late. One key player had to accept facts and moved onto Official Nintendo and the publisher just wasn't providing the vital aid. Though to be far they do have to see the moneyline (but i can't forgive them). The others moved on to try their fortunes in the US. It was over. The final issue said it all when they awarded Super Mario 64 a score of 6 out of 5. Yes. But I have only fond memories of the magazine. It gave me the wonderful Panzer Dragoon Zwei and made me lust for and complete Gungriffon on the Saturn (far superior to the PS2 version). The demented Loaded and Project Overkill. Guardian Heroes, Final Fantasy, Illusion of Time, Front Mission, Chrono, the Shining series, Vagrant, SNK anything, Silent Hill, Gunstar, Raiden Project, Einhander, Detana Twinbee Delux, Thunderforce V, Silvergun, NiGHTs, SEGA, Namco, Treasure, Japan oh kick me in the crutch fantastic!. Maximum, I salute you.

The singleplayer isnt the greatest FPS or game as a whole ever experienced, no. But to be fair to Bungie they did create an engaging and at times really intense title. I once heard someone say that any game is enjoyable. It just depends on your frame of mind (surely a discussion all of its own). I don't judge Halo as a console or PC game. Just as a game. There are sections that are very alike. Call that the architecture of the world, or lazy game design. but it also allows for time to let your imagination run free. Maybe I am on my own but when i play games - or read novels - i see more than the game/book has provided. I use the setting as a platform for which my mind drifts in a story or my ideas of an area or the situation expands. I thoroughly enjoyed Halo - be that down to the game being excellent throughout or an aid to my imagination - I think is neither here nor there. I think the important thing is did you as a player come out of a game with a pleasurable experience. Maybe we are becoming lazy as people and want our joy spoonfed to us. As a child it was my thoughts that propelled my playtime. No one enjoys a book the same way because we are forced to use the minds eye to see further. Why not the same with something visual. I do it. I see more in thought though. In what's behind a story. The possibility of how something came about. Is anyone the same? Or is it irelevant? Can it be that Halo is the Emperors Clothing? gasp! No! Nay even!

Ah, try a 42 inch plasma screen and 6.1 dolby digital from a real amp and not some gimp PC wannasound. Oh, HALO, you lovely thing. But seriously, there really cant be any real difference unless you are actually playing on the above. It just creates an incredible booming visual experience when run through a home cinema. That is how Bungie intended it, i'm sure. Just play the Flood level in the dark with the big screen and you will never doubt the game again.

Exactly, Marek. Magazines need to go more indepth. I would much prefer to read an indepth review from a respected panel in print form than online. An interview with Jamil Dawsari, or Tetsuya Nomura. Magazines can completely compete with online. There was an excellent magazine in the late '90's called MAXIMUM. It was a stunning magazine - a cross between EDGE and GAMEStm. The articles were indepth and genuinely warranting of your attention. Today I am sicked by the lobotomy articles editors seem to think I want to read. If I wanted funny I'd go to the comedy club. I want intelligent sharp journalism. A real look into how ICO was put together and influences etc. But what I hate and I mean HATE is the new mass increase in filling the rear pages of my mag with "phonetext slags" offering me a " fast cum in a minute" call for just £2.50!!! Is this a magazine for adults (confused and sad) or kids? KIDS? Do you really think I want my son looking at images like that? Who greenlights this stuff? I must say, I do still read EDGE and I enjoy GAMEStm but pretty much everything else is made up of PlayStation generation idiots who wouldn't know an ATARI 2600 from a clothespeg. Idiots. "How to get your girl to let you play games all night and cook dinner?" WHAT? I'd rather eat my legs than read this nonsense!

If the patent covers games to cover from their current console or Xbox2 then there is no reason why this patent will be rejected. If developers factor these possibilities into future games it will make for exceptionally interesting possibilities for RPGs and such. I will look to Japan to come up with some rather clever backwards forwards type ideas. Considering they filed for this idea since '04 then it is possible that they have already begun building this forwards/backwards system into current games, as long as the developer in relation signed an agreement which ensures they dont make void the patent based on discussing an idea with an outside party which would nullify said patent. Possibly Where's SEGA to show you what I mean?