Roderick

Oh, and achievements do sometimes have effects on the game. Some of them bestow you with titles. Becoming Exalted with all your side's factions gives you the truly awesome title of Ambassador. Don't know if that was already the case, but I'm soiling myself with delight here. (Though I'd prefer the title Diplomat, which you get when you reach Exalted level reputation with some very difficult to please external factions like the Timbermaw Furbolgs.)

To be fair, I only got enthusiastic about it once I saw the (admittedly somewhat clunky) interface and looked at all the crazy shit that you had to do. The achievements work to make you do things you wouldn't have normally done, next to more classic astounding feats that you pull. For instance, there's an achievement for /love-ing various critters around the world. It enriches the World of Warcraft gameplay because now you're encouraged to do a lot more diverse things next to killing monsters and levelling up. For a fringe gameplay-searcher like me, it's really cool to see those sort of things rewarded. Zaarin; as for the game tallying all the things you've done before, that's a bit of an unpredictable thing. Some achievements do dig deep in the past, like everything to do with quests, how much you've explored, etc. When I loaded up the patch I had 39 achievements already (out of 750 possible ones; some of which will be virtually or practically impossible because they're server-unique for one person, for instance the first person to hit level 80). Other achievements or statistics are lost, like the most gold you've had, which the game doesn't remember. So whereas I once owned 600 gold (I'm very casual), it only states my current highest; in the 50s.

This one is obvious: because Cthulhu is a very established name, much more so than Shadow over Innsmouth. If it has the ability to better reach even a fraction of the non-Lovecraft-fans it is a step well worth taking. If I were the maker/producer, I might have done the same. Outer appearance is everything when selling your movie. And if you make your film good enough, it'll redeem itself.

There's a Cthulhu movie coming as well. It seemed a bit low budget, but maybe that's just what's needed for a Lovecraft flick. I mean, it's not like there are lotsa explosions. Though you could break a fortune meticulously constructing Innsmouth in a studio, of course. I loved the look of the town in Dark Corners of the Earth, so anything more mundane than that will be a disappointment. I think I'm in for a disappointment.

I'd mainly buy a PS3 for the Blu-Ray movies. I just die a little bit inside thinking about having to buy The Dark Knight and There Will Be Blood in anything less than pristine HD quality. As far as games are concerned, with the advent of LittleBigPlanet (and I can't not think of Little Big Adventure every time I see that name) the PS3 finally has something that caught my attention. I mean, really, if MGS4 isn't your thing, then there was just nothing else that really shone [that wasn't also available on the 360].

It's definitely the most frustrating bit in the game. For my part, I'd have liked a checkpoint after Now that I haven't touched the game in a while, I can safely say I'm a liiiittle disappointed in how empty the world becomes once you finish all the missions. Even though there are still enough cars to steal and everything... there's just little use. And neither is there any use for the money. Why can't I buy up increasingly luxurious apartments all over town? What's my money DOING there all alone and useless near the top of the screen?

I would absolutely keep in the sirens. Could you also do an occasional swish where Batman zips past the window?

Oh, that's a pity. I had to map that maze out as well, but remember it being quite doable as long as you mapped out the bushes with glowing berries properly. But really, Kyrandia gets progressively more awesome as the series continues. The Hand of Fate was absolutely classic, and Malcolm's Revenge is simply hilarious. I often quote it in daily life to this day. What other game gives you 'McGyver points' when you construct some random object? Or the fake laughing track when you trip over a branch. I adore it. Along with Lands of Lore 1 it's the best thing Westwood ever made.

Ohh, that's a shame. As Dylan Moran would groggily exclaim while battling a microphone stand: ,,AHRR... MACHINES...!" I managed to do the 'Horrible' laugh a few times on the convention when people would should 'Doctor Horrible!'. That was fun. AhhhaaAAHHAHAHAHA!

For completion's sake, Westwood also made the Lands of Lore series of RPG's. That sort of rounds out everything they did and was discussed in the podcasts. Kyrandia rocks.

I have to say, listening to Saul Tigh's quaintly rumbling voice could put me to sleep every single night. It might be a worthwhile investment Though of course, Tigh is nothing if he doesn't do fisticuffs with Adama every now and again.

Great work guys! It's interesting to hear the differences between what you're doing and how Spaff and Marek did it back in the day. Hopefully we'll have the same diversity and wacky audio cues. The intro tunes were spot in, in any case. (Would like to hear a guest-appearance by Eggerton-Eggerton Greene in the near future though )

Also, I'm in a picture with BSG's Tom Zarek =D Whii! http://www.captainaugust.com/richardhatch.jpg

Now the nightmare's real, now Dr. Horrrrrrrible is here! (On the Belgian FACTS sci-fi convention last weekend)

I was highly enthused, now scared. Isn't there a torrent? It's not like they'll notice it since it was free to begin with.

Rab's gonna play a muhmorperger over a longer period of time? What is the world coming to! Let's see if he likes this one -and let's remember Warhammer is pretty similar to Warcraft- and proves himself a little biased based on universes But, it's pretty good news, and completely pulls the rug under the split-up rumours. TEAM!

Oh that is bloody brilliant. A gathering of zombies? That's the sort of thing I'd like to participate in at one point. (Remembering Spaff and Rusalka's zombie wedding dress-up, which seemed like awsome fun)

It smells like new podcasts are go!

Can't wait to see what's next. Idle Thumbs: Catering to the same group of people for over three years now

I only learned a while back too. It's easy to fall into the trap! That's why I usually point it out when people do it wrong in a non-deriding way. It's just so easy to get wrong, and everyone's doing it!

It is indeed interesting to see how language evolves. Notice for instance that your use of 'begs the question' is 100% wrong. It's not a synonym for 'raises the question' at all, though it's used as such most of the time. There will be a time when its wrongful use is accepted throughout, though that's no reason not to resist it at this point. http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/begging-the-question.html Also, though the ways this topic is winding is very interesting and fun, I have to wonder when its true purpose will come to the fore. Let's hope soon! =)

HEY! Less QQ, More Pew Pew!

I'll start. Shouldn't it be 'VIDEO and AUDIO games'? The term seems biased.

Yes, that goes for Europe as well. In Europe I'm rather centrist (Social liberalism is sort of my preferred political current of choice), but in America that'd be hardcore bolshevism

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