Scrobbs

Four Lions is fucking mint! Not as dark as Blue Jam/Jam, loads better than Nathan Barley (which I wasn't a big fan of). If anyone wants a meet, PM me for phone number.

The last time I went somewhere, it was a saturday afternoon and The Marquis of Granby was pretty empty all day. Not a bad pub either, and seemed to be reasonably priced. I imagine it won't be too packed of a weekday evening.

Not sure yet I'm afraid. I said I'd pay flights/accommodation for both of us, so will take at least month to build up funds. Then will have to fit it around other plans. Incidentally - any recommendations for places to stay?

They've just announced that the PC version will not be delayed after all but there will be no dedicated server support for the forthoming Modern Warfare 2. So here's a bit of internet theorycrafting. I imagine this means that they were lagging behind with the server code (hence the PC version being pushed back) and that there has been an executive decision to not bother with that section of code after all, and just deliver the Xbox Live version. Now, despite assumption being the mother of all fuckups, from a development point of view this makes perfect sense - less dev time = lower costs, and there is a working MP model as evidenced on Live. Unfortunately, PC players are well used to a much richer experience than that can be delivered on such a closed model. As you may imagine, this has caused a massive internet outcry™, with petitions, forum threads and what have you, none of which are likely to make a blind bit of difference. I think IW have also been deleting all the whinging threads on their forums about this. So, my question to you all - is this maybe a continuation of a trend to maybe dilute the development of PC titles to bring them more in line with consoles? A statement of intent from IW, that if the 360 didn't share a code base with the PC, we wouldn't get a version? Or (and this is the more likely), a simple cost saving measure?

Kotick Statement: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/kotick-comments-on-infinity-ward-firings

Not knowing the history, I was startled to see the previous guy depart abruptly too. Is there something nasty in the woodpile?

Off to see it tonight! Followed by 'Introducing' a band playing note-for-note the 'Entroducing' album. Should be blinder!

Just scored a job down there, so will be around during the week. Could be fun! I only know london a little bit, and work in Holborn, so a pub in central would be good. Youngsters would still be good for that too, I guess.

Contract is finally here, start monday. Been a long old fucking road. Will be in London most weeks now, so if anyone fancies drinks...? Also, will be visiting Boston for a weekend imminently as well, as soon as I have paid a few bills etc. I know there's a t least 1 person from there on here, if you fancy a beer or 10 at some point?

Was well looking forward to this. The EG review makes it sound pretty boring. No sale. Feel sorry for those guys after all that time.

Four Lions. On general release May 7th. http://www.four-lions.co.uk/

I wouldn't class it as stolen. It was more found. Be that as it may, apparently Californian law forbids the sale of found goods as well as stolen ones, which I think is why the warrant was issued. However, there has been some eyebrows raised about the speed of the police's reaction - normally it would take weeks. Apple has some clout in the legal sphere...so....hmmm. Lawyers acting for Chen are also disputing the right of confiscation, as the warrant is only to be served in daylight, and it was night time when they kicked his door in. Yes, stupid to buy it, yes stupid to publish it, yes, deserved to get done for it, but Apple have perhaps overstretched themselves to teach future tech bloggers a lesson by pulling some strings, and the police were maybe a little too eager.

Contract arrived this morning, start next tuesday. All the legal issues have been cleared up (to my satisfaction), so job is a good one. After spending the last 12 months living on savings (I think I've survived on around 10 grand), let the bounty flow.

Kind of Ok. Bit hamfisted and longwinded as mentioned above; the only reason I'm being so harsh is that they read remarkably similar to my own wincingly bad attempts at satire on The Spoof.

Hm. I don't buy the reconstituted stuff. It's pretty expensive as ham goes - nearly 4 quid sometimes for 4 slices. Is it still true with that? That isn't to say it's not been grown on ABs though! Otherwise all of our meat and poultry comes from t'local butcher from t'local farms. Pricey, but tastier and it keeps money in the local area.

Clubroot. *very* good.

Beats and pieces I think. Ba-dum-tish. In other news, I usually go for a decent ham. Wiltshire, or Yorkshire, whichever looks the least fatty/nicest on the day from the deli. Is quite expensive though.

Yeh, I agree. I think they were trying to edge company E's Red Team out of the picture...the Red Team in question that has just recruited me

I used to look after my precious Doom disks...I think it fitted on 3 or 5, zipped up, with the 'span volumes' flag.

You're right of course. Although the Agency ( have run it past their lawyer, and reckon I'm ok, I think I'm going to have to take independant advice. Just to make sure. Company C have also come back to say that they wouldn't put any more work my way. Not that I got that much anyway. 2 months out of a possible 6 that they were talking to me about! Fuck 'em.

So, the contract that I thought was in the bag may or may not have hit a snag. Both a legal and ethical snag. I'm fairly sure that the legal one can be overcome, but the ethical one, not so much, but it is something I can justify to myself because my financial situation is so dire. That sounds really bad - I'm not a complete mercenary. Some background info: The contract chain goes like this A (me) - B (agency) - C (client) - D (supplier) - E (main). The contract I signed is between A, B and C to supply services to D who in turn supplies to E. D & E are not mentioned in my contract, only A, B and C. C is a company I contracted through a month or two ago to provide services to a supplier (D) (and C have been promising me work for 8 weeks now) have been sideswiped by the main client and cut out of the loop. Current chain is now A - F (new agency) - D - E. Now, none of the names that appear on the contract are involved in this new one - but the main client is still the same. So, legally OK, ethically, not so. The company I used to contract through are pissed off ©, but at the same time have been unable to supply me with any work. So financies dwindle (nearly at 0 now), while I twiddle my thumbs. The main client (E) phoned me up the other day, asked for my CV, and within a week I've had an interview (with D), offered a job, and the contract arrived. Who wouldn't take that? Bit more background: In the last 12 months I've worked for just over 2. So since march last year I have lived on savings (apart from 2 fat months this jan), including a pre-booked trip to Canada that I wasn't going to skimp on cost wise. My savings have been totally wiped out. So why is this company I used to contract through so annoyed? And do they have a right to be? Well, I suppose they do a little, but I have every right to be annoyed at them I feel. There are also political implications with the company I used to contract though and the main client - in that they were trying to supplant a team already in place at the main client, and I think they ruffled some feathers. If none of this makes any sense, I apologise, bit of a brain dump really. But I am fucking sick of it tbh.

Just twigged: Special editions are maybe becoming a facet of the solution to deny resale value. If this is obvious to everybody, I apologise.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/three-more-infinity-ward-devs-heading-out-article 3 more leave. Total of 21 have left.

Ah apologies. I thought you lived in a house. I mean, you obviously do, but it's different to living in your own house with kitchen lounge, dining room etc. There's loads of opportunity and space to store more gear. I do, and am trying not to

Awesome. Why aren't you down the pub?