Roderick

Does that LA Noire trailer have the best lip synch I've ever seen, or what? Don't know anything about the game yet, I'm hoping it's a step up from the tried-and-true GTA/Red Dead formula, but we'll see.

Due Date: it's Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but then 20 years later! (And also less good). But it's forgettably amusing for what it's worth.

Wait a minute, that would mean the game actually made some money! That can't be right. Psychonaughtier

Douche chiiiiiill

Now this is what I call a hot scoop!

Schafer recently put it like this in an interview: he never really had a thing against sequels per se, it's just that he'd rather do something original. The way he used to put this to clamoring fans was: if he'd done a DOTT sequel there wouldn't have been Grim, if he'd done a Grim sequel, there'd have been no Psychonauts. Of all his games, Psychonauts is the one that has the most sequel potential, since so much of the story is linked to innovative gameplay that just screams for more expression.

Psychonauts grows better and better over the years, it really shines through as such a wonderful, creative game. I'd love to see a sequel, if it manages to reach the same high standards as the original!

I think it's a pretty valid concern, especially with social games and MMOs pushing the boundaries of 'exploitation'. Part of this will be inevitable: a lot of these games have a 'freemium' model and to generate revenue for the company there simply has to be some model for micro-transactions in preferably as diverse a way as possible. The line between offering free (or non-gambling) gameplay versus models to get a cashflow running is a delicate one. I don't know where the balance point is. I guess it all depends on when people start getting the feeling they're being exploited, and then go just below that.

Well, this is fucking horrible to do, but the company I work at made a pretty cool whack-a-mole style game called Jungle Stew. The object is to hit Livingstone explorers who try to escape the cannibal stew. Classic timewaster, obviously nowhere near the bang-for-buck a Monkey Island would give you.

I'm having a hard time understanding why people are so upset with Starcraft 2 using an -in their eyes- archaic model of gameplay. Why should this matter in the first place? It seems to me you're placing Starcraft 2 in a deliberately unfavorable context, but more than that, it's based on an assumption that's not entirely logical. Why is something that is old necessarily something bad? I can fully support an opinion that says that you don't like SC2 because you don't like the gameplay for whatever reason. But it seems such an artificial construction to knock it just because it uses a style of gameplay that's been around. That in itself says little about its quality.

Kingz, I'm so psyched for this idea. I'm trying to figure out what the practical application of it would look like. It's obvious that a trickle-down governmental approach might be really difficult. But any such research must be backed by some organisation with influence. So what might be best is to establish an independent scientific institute charged with finding exactly these sort of universal properties regarding successful states and failed states, and then giving free, no strings attached, advice to all the countries in the world specified to their respective cultures and/or problems. This is a highly idyllic idea of course, as any such attempt would be met -especially and ironically by the failed states- with extreme suspicion. Imagine an American institute telling Iran that niqaabs aren't the best way to treat ladies. Virtually impossible to establish, but could be worthwhile nonetheless. The validity of Harris' argument is something I do not dispute in the slightest, but its practicality is fraught with troubles. Perhaps there's another way?

About the Sam Harris video: That's really great (and I love TED), but this idea of a universal standard would in practice be impossible to achieve. How would you ever get to this standard? Would it be a purely scientific endeavor with scientists and historians looking at all the societies in the world to see what works? And wouldn't that very quickly lead you into a utilitarian state where the greatest boon is the happiness of the majority, even if it comes at the cost of the happiness of the individual or minority? I love what Sam Harris is saying there, I'm just concerned about the application of this fantastic notion. You can't force (or enforce) culture, that sort of thing grows and mutates with a will of its own. Really, at times it's more like the roll of a dice where you end up, and not so much the will of some individual (a rather Tolstoy-esque notion, I am aware).

In lieu of video I'm listening to the audio version again and again. It really grows better with age, like a good... weinhändler! (god I really need that fucking Merlot!)

May I give enormous thanks to Thunderpeel for making me laugh out loud with that Masterchef movie?

That's what I always shout at the podcast, but they don't seem to hear me.

Goddamn Nick is having a lot of fun in these podcasts

It is a pretty great show overall, but I'm having a hard time listening to that opening, with all the supercool radio effects. It's... kinda douchey. The actual podcast is quite interesting, even if there's way too little Remo in it for my comfort. Please butt in more often with stories about ceramic teapots, Remo! It's a panacea for Thumbs withdrawal.

I dreamt I was getting the Snooglebum Idle Album with all the remixes past and future.

I'm buying several cartons of tissues.

Starcraft jacket? Haftosee!

The Curious Village by a very long way!

Sounds like quite a scare! I had a similar experience last year, when, not used to wet weather biking, I braked for a tunnel way too late and crashed into the fucking wall, luckily only grazing my hand.

At least Jay Mohr was there with more Christopher Walken impersonations.

It occurs to me that Blizzcon this year 'round was pretty fun for those actually present (people breaking legs on stage, Tenacious D), but didn't really spawn any great things for people at home who may have bought a virtual ticket. The only big announcement was the Demon Hunter for Diablo 3 (mmmmmmmeh). And that was pretty much it. I was expecting a bit more bombdropping to occur.

Nope It was a lazy copy of Phantom Hourglass with less interesting mechanics and less bold design choices (say what you will about the temple of the ocean king, I thought it was very memorable and interesting!).