Thrik

Aye.

I think the slim version is thoroughly a rumour though?

I suppose the idea is you organise yourselves so you both specifically aim to get the achievements simultaneously. It shouldn't be difficult to just ask in team chat "Anyone want to go for an achievement?" or something.

I had the same decision to make a few weeks ago, and ultimately went with the PS3 due to the imminent Metal Gear Solid 4. I've little interest in the games the 360 currently has (particularly having played many on the PC), and great games have historically always appeared on the PlayStation consoles. If you look at my third comment here (scroll down) I point out some of the price/value considerations for 360/PS3 buyers: http://www.ryansgoblog.com/2008/04/08/about-time-i-got-a-playstation-3/ Although you've probably already weighed those up. I'm sure there'll be some lingering exclusives I'll want to play on the 360 like Banjo-Kazooie 3, but I'll get a 360 for that eventually — and they'll be much cheaper than too. It's worth noting that if you do have an interest in using the PS3 as a multimedia device, it is extremely good at that. I've been able to just chuck in data DVDs full of AVIs of TV shows I downloaded and it play them beautifully, as well as any other disc-based format you can imagine. Loads of options and niceties too, and unlike most Blu-Ray players the PS3 can continually update to support the latest changes due to its online connectivity (such as the recently added DTS-HD Master Audio output). Before getting it I didn't expect to think much of the media capabilities, but was surprised to find it's a potent replacement for a lot of people's multimedia devices.

Ah right, I didn't interpret "will draw health from" in that way. I thought it just drew it out of them, as when you'd say you draw blood from someone.

Am I missing something or does the 'Blutsaugher' not just sound like the ordinary syringe gun?

It comes free with the game...

Because holding it horizontally feels like shit.

You have to jump over the flag pole and then jump onto it. The later levels really do make the first one look easy, though. It looks like you guys are better than me, but jesus christ. I have now played the hardest game in my entire life.

This game can fuck off. Over 290 lives before I beat all four levels. Towards the end I was actually laughing out loud, although whether that was due to the death ingenuity or sheer insanity I'm not sure.

Edited. I'm at -160 bloody lives after finishing level two. And my hand hurts from hitting my desk a few times.

This second level is taking the piss. ¬

God, this thing is being advertised like a bummer in the UK. It's on on Sunday, for those who like Discworld and shit. ; It's by the Hogfather dudes, which apparently turned out well. Sir David Jason is also in it again.

Interesting — it got very good reviews. I'll have to watch it myself to decide. I can never trust anyone when you have some saying it's ace and some saying it's shit.

Yeah, the wheel is definitely a highlight. I'd like to see that used in some other games.

Looks like a Windows 95 version was released, with some gameplay changes too. Be sure to read the article. ;

Company of Heroes and Dawn of War do play very similarly, making the former a kind of spiritual sequel. Playing Dawn of War 2 will probably be like playing the third in the spiritual series, although technically the second in the Dawn of War series. If that makes any sense. There are some key differences, such as a greater emphasis on upgrade abilities and vehicles in Dawn of War. By and large though, they both feel like they're from the same pedigree and they both have Relic's general philosophy of encouraging field-based action rather than turtling in your base. This combined with the unusual resource/money system was the foundation of both games' success and uniqueness. Chances are if you enjoy one you'll enjoy the other just as much — I know I did. I didn't think I'd like the Warhammer setting of Dawn of War much, but the sci-fi Warhammer is surprisingly cool when put into a game context and indeed feels like it always belonged in a game. Having a sci-fi game with such a rich backstory makes an interesting change from the shallow shit we put up with these days too.

Hahaha. :tup:

It's the end of March. ;

I'm not sure how much merit the opinion of a bunch of city workers (I'm one) has though, Ginger. They are, after all, people who'd probably see spending your evenings watching Eastenders or Big Brother as equally lame/wasteful. I know more people who have utter contempt for those kind of programmes than I do those who dislike games. Some people just see a lot of entertainment as a waste of time — I wouldn't say it's specific to games. My view is that games are no longer some niche fringe form of entertainment that the majority of people have never experienced. The products sell millions, there're big shops dedicated to them in practically every town nationwide, and even the casual players have been won over thanks to Nintendo's marketing efforts. In my opinion the days of expecting to get vibes of "wot an immature dik" when you say you play games are fading fast.

I think it's just those over the age of 50 and dicks (media, politicians, overzealous censors) that constitute the masses you describe to be honest. I'm not going to dispute that games are a much smaller market, but I don't think as many people look at them in a belittling manner as you imply. Manhunt 2 is an example that I'd say was largely the dicks trying to get exposure, and not a representation of how the general public feels. I don't think people as a whole have disdain for or a total misunderstanding of games, and most people will accept the completely reasonable stance that a game rated for adults should be treated with the same protection from kids as a film. They also realise that many games now contain very mature content. I completely contest your assertion that games are seen as a kid format to be honest. With the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 practically being completely teen/adult-oriented, you'd have to be mad to see them as not having any appeal to adults. Perhaps it could potentially be seen as a slightly nerdy pastime by some (although this has also drastically decreased with time), but not a kiddie pastime.

Considered by who? Just these execs?

I understand what you're driving at, but it's just the fact that games are so widespread that baffles me. It's not like we're talking about something you could consider a niche anymore. It seems comparable to a BBC executive knowing nothing about television to me.

Is it actually true that many of them aren't gamers? Not that I'm accusing you of misinforming people, but I tend to not buy into facts based on nothing but someone's say-so. It sounds a bit infeasible to me for someone to be in a high-level position and not have any idea at all about games and what works, is right, etc. Hell, I bet a lot of people here play less games overall than those executives yet consider themselves to be somewhat a voice of gaming culture, to intimately understand the medium, etc.