Wrestlevania

I've just quickly knocked together a fake Twitter account for Idle Thumbs. So whenever a new podcast gets added to the RSS feed, it'll appear there shortly after automagically for the world to see. I'm also thinking of building a "Thumbroll" of all Thumbs-related blog feeds, which I might also feed into the same Twitter account. Let me know what you think. Could I also add that I'm probably the first person (stupid enough) to listen to the podcast over Bluetooth. Hurrah for (slow-ass) wireless technology!

N'yah! That would be why the site dropped to it's knees for few minutes earlier this evening. I was hoping this would be the reason!

Taking the bait: it was called Manic Miner.

I would gladly oblige you - it's a riot with the right people. We should organise a Thumbs GTA meetup. How about next Tuesday, 10pm BST?

I dunno... On second viewing, it looks promising.

Time to "sack up" I think. Look at how difficult to watch and come away from The Dark Knight was, then consider the massive critical acclaim and box office millions it's raked in. People clearly want maudlin and are prepared to pay in their thousands to see it.

FUCKIN RACIST

You're off that fucking soapbox finally then, toblix?

That's class, actually.

I reckon Rockstar shouldn't have bothered with a dedicated site--the Social Club needed to been an app for the major social networks for it to really work I think. Just my £0.02-worth.

That seems to be the mutual preserve of special editions now--see Rab's unboxing of WAR on Consolevania.

That's nifty in itself, but how do you link to your friends to compare achievements in the Social Club? Looks like you can't. It'd be much more meaningful - not to mention actually useful - if you could create a group and then add people to it, regardless of their chosen platform.

Thanks, that's probably the most hateful, cynical piece of shit I've had the misfortune of stumbling into for quite some time. One word: hype. Getting into a beta is like an alliusion to some elitist, hardcore club. And what self-respecting gamer doesn't want to be in right at the beginning? Coupled with the effective psychological smokescreen effect this creates - "I'm in the beta and it's fucking brilliant! (Actually, it's balls, but I'm not telling those that didn't get in that. The morons.)" - works much more effectively, sales-wise, than a straight up traditional demo. It also means you get two stabs at the hype machine; one for the beta, then a follow-up with a demo (if you wish to). Or you can jump straight to release, hopefully with a decent fog of slavering praise from the 1337 'fortunate' enough to get in and try it early. Taking my cynical hat, cape, gloves, boots, socks, underpants and jockstrap all off for a moment, a beta can also be a really consciencious way for developers who care about their game to make it better. Run well, a beta can also dump a respectable chunk of annoying bugs from titles before they're foisted on the unsuspecting buying public. Games have been shipping with bugs - sometimes crippling ones - for years and years now, so having a beta is a way of positively mitigating this while also building fandom. Right, Captain Cynical suit back on!

The key part of EndWar that I find really appealing is the multiplayer co-op play. One of you takes airforce, another heavy armour (tanks), a third could take infantry, etc. You then work together, as a force, to win a battle. In principle, this sounds brilliant. Imagine getting bogged down in a land war, crippled and running out of units, only for your friend's helicopter group to sweep through the are at the last minute and wipe out the enemy. It seems like EndWar has great potential to really grasp the eb and flow of battle.

I got a beta invite back in April and joined immediately... but I still don't knnow what the Social Club is actually for.

TWiT and Audible are giving away the first of a new 5-book sci-fi series, somewhat unfortunately called Metatropolis, for free--and this one's read by Saul himself, Michael Hogan. No credit card required; just a simple, basic login (email and password) and you can have the audio book for nothing. Edit: Urgh, looks like you have to install their software client to actually download the file. Edit edit: Jesus H Gates, their ugly "mobile" software doesn't even support the long-established Nokia N95, nevermind my N96.

Given that these people only buy games they know, fundamentally, their going to play to obsession and then walk away again, I was thinking maybe "smart casual" would be apt..? /me ducks the tomatoes and makes for the exit

But, when you install their software, it only lists as late as the N93 when you're asked to configure the client.

Corey Doctrow, friend of TWiT but long-time detractor of Audible, says their audio books are stuffed with DRM. Which, I guess, is why you have to use Audible's software client(s) to download and manage any books you buy from them.

Much to my relief! I certainly think the "finished gaming projects for the BBC" idea is probably most accurate now--especially after the epic slog it seems videoGaiden 3 had turned into. So pleased they've not burned out, though. Was genuinely fearful that Rab and Ryan had somehow lost their passion for games. Or at least filming their passion for games. PS: I've set up Consolevania on Twitter, if anyone's interested. You'll immediately know when a new episode is published if you decide to follow that account.

I think you might need to clean your ears out--it certainly wasn't that noticable. Remo definitely needs to sit a bit closer to the mic, though. Or turn himself up a bit more.

Arse-biscuits.

Mr Gillen apparently lives in or around the fair city of Bristol, home of gainful employment for one Wrestlevania. I am, however, still a-vexed by having never bumped into this person as I would very much like to. I may begin practising stalking--although KG seems to waft about the globe now on a regular basis. This could become a painfully expensive obsession...

Ah, yes, now that I wouldn't mind some honest Thumbs commentary on.

I would, but all I can think of right now are painfully dull "economic downturn vs. platform war and/or piracy" questions. It's because I've just started watching Simon Schama's excellent repetitive and shite new series (it's also a book) about America.