George B

Murdoc, I was a fan of Braid's look on my PC, but I also agree with most of your analysis. Maybe it was the entire game's forest that allowed me to ignore some of the art-directional trees you've pointed to. I'm curious as to what games of this genre (2d art, small team) have struck you as having really strong art-direction? Does this also mean that Braid2 is no more? Oh, taking a second look I realize the joke was on me.

BYE!

lol, right, ok so I wasn't COMPLETELY wrong... still. I'm not much of a drinker but you all just witnessed my "rock bottom" I'll be back with something worthwhile and will lurk in the interim.

!! I gotta stop drinking wine and trying to be funny... I always embarrass myself. Back in a few months maybe. Quits forum! BYE!

Wait, do you mean watching a 'let's play' is a form of piracy? The only crime I see with an LP would be having to listen to some of the worst commentary out there. I'm especially careful when it comes to games as I work in the industry, and understand how it feels to hear that someone has pirated a game I worked for years on (as a tester or as a designer). However, there is something to be said for trying to experience those games that are regarded as part of a cannon, where that playing experience will inform my ability to further the genre through my own work in some small way. There are lots of games to play out there, and not being able to play one of the thousands is not a problem. I'm currently installing the Deus Ex I picked up on steam a while ago and haven't gotten to play yet in order to satiate my desire to experience some classic fps design. The fact that Irrational has recently been reborn means that it is likely that the game might see a re-release, so I think you were correct to bring that matter up. I wasn't trying to justify abandonware, or question it, it was a term I used lighly and perhaps without enough thought... I was just trying to find a game that (afaik) is out of print. Deus Ex promises hours of fun, and the fact that this conversation has gotten me to install it is a good thing. For those interested I have contacted Irrational about SS2 and will see what that brings. Edit: more evidence against the 'ss2 as abandonware' argument, from here: "For the record, Jeff Brown (Executive President, Corporate Communications at EA) says: "We pride ourselves in aggressively protecting our intellectual property rights, and we frequently pursue those who try to distribute our games without permission." There are no titles in the Electronic Arts library that they consider to be abandonware. Official word from Irrational: "No, System Shock 2 is not abandonware, please don't warez it"" case closed!

I don't know if I would go that far. Abandonware is an unclear term, and it might be twisted to make piracy seem acceptable... at the end of the day, I want to play the game and can't afford to buy the overpriced second hand copies of the game that are on sale on amazon/ebay. (and even if I did order one of them instead of downloading the difference to the publisher/developer is negligible... but I don't want to get into a copyright discussion, nor tread the old 'is gamestop good or bad' path...) How do I play this game, Patters? I bought the Freedom Force games through steam and Bioshock was a christmas gift. Maybe I just don't play this game and instead I watch someone else play the game for me. http://lparchive.org/LetsPlay/SystemShock2/ Goldblast!

ummm.... so after listening to the podcast, and having just beaten Bioshock for the first time, and being poor, I decided to try and pick up a copy of System Shock 2 instead of the much more expensive Bioshock 2. But is it really much cheaper? I can't find a digitally distributed copy and Amazon/Ebay only have 50$ second hand versions of the game... there are several sites claiming the game as abandonware with links to Dl... my question to the hive thumb: have I missed something or is it really abandonware. (Irrationals new website has a write up on the game but no sales links)

I live in Montreal and can testify to it being a pretty class city. Toronto is great too, but much more of an 'insider' city imo. What I mean by that is that if you know people there, and know the city well, there's lots to do, lots of great food and excitement. But on the surface it's a dull town, it's also not very public transportation friendly - at least when compared to Montreal. Here we have a bit of everything, and it's all at arms reach. The city is much more compressed than Toronto which makes getting around and visiting much easier. Toronto does still have a major league baseball team, AND the Bata shoe museum. Feel free to PM me with any specific Montreal questions, I'd be glad to help!! edit: If I only had 5 days, and had no specific reason to go there, I would avoid Ottawa. Ottawa is nice because of the river (which won't be nice in March) and because of all the grand parliament/government buildings, and because my brother lives there. Ottawa also has a pretty good museum (our national gallery), but for a european chap like yourself grand oldish buildings and museums aren't all that much of a reason to visit.

Yaaaaaaay! Awesome! I'm downloading right now, can't wait to hear it and then read all these spoilerific forum pages!! Today's plans? Out the window!!! Get me a beer and a video game, stat!

I'd gladly give a free one a test drive... hint hint

yeah, I'm taking a quiet night at home with Dragon Age, some Natchos and a 2L bottle of club soda! Happy New Year all!!

I'll cosign that. Once I spread my podcast wings I cut out Geekbox and the other one, Mobcasts can be great if the right guests are in - so it's still in the rotation. I have a 4gig ipod that is all talk podcasts other than a couple hundred meg of mixtapes... glad to know there are others like me! Were any of you guys AM radio fans before the internet changed everything?? also, fresh off the presses... Hot Scoops gets Brainy!

neat-o, I'ma check it out! (It's x-mas and the 'weeks off' that podcasters are taking is giving me too much free time with my own thoughts... dear me!)

If you guys have any interest in the US/California "indie" comedy scene, do yourself a favour and check out the Comedy Death Ray podcast. If you like it then get the free version of the Never Not Funny podcast as well as Marc Maron's WTF podcast. I'm a bit of a comdedy nerd, if you know any good 'guest based' show lemme know! VIGI VIGI VIGI! A call to order. Anyone listen to the Destructoid podtoid podcast? I just got on board and am not sure but it seems a lil' bit too abrasive for my ears... anyone?

Ah good, as a man I am safe; however, I fear for my female kin... Also, to appease the deities and demigods of wizardry I have created myself a lovely Mage in DA:O who goes by the name of Parsifal Antell!

So many deals! Indigo Prophecy was one of my favorite gaming experiences last year, you guys should enjoy it. I ended up using my dual-Analog controller to play it on PC, it just made the qte's easier. So I got. S.T.ALKER.. SOC. -Heard so much about it, and for 2 bucks plus a bit of mod research I'm set. Chronicles of Riddick: Ass. on Dark Ath. -Again, heard a lot of good things about these games, and it's a 2 for 1. (butcher bay included) and the Freedom Force pack. -Another 'heard good things about you' game. I bought Riddick instead of Trine... have I offended the Wizard?

Happy Holidays to one and all. Only the best this new year!! Now off to the steam sale...

YOU be the judge! http://dogorwizard.com/

Gonna re-mention WNYC's Radio Lab program if someone else already has. A great science show, their recent piece on changing behaviour in Baboon troops (a new normal?) was both moving and informative, as most of the shows are. http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/ (many ppl say that A Life Well Wasted is a video game version of This American Life, but I would argue that ALWW owes much more to RadioLab!) enjoy!

If you are looking for a good ps1 title to go back and play I would heartily recommend .I picked it up a few years ago and loved it, it's the only* square enix game I've ever felt like finishing, and I did! Cool combat system, decent story, and 'amazing' end of gen ps1 graphics! *with the exception of the Tactics games, which I have beaten a couple of times.

this guy Spacesick does great re-imaginings of movie posters as 70's book covers: Here's The Wizard.

Damn... I had forgotten that I was waiting for the DS port to come out!

hey, I have no internet either... Picked up DeadSpace and DragonAge in the steam sale from work but can't load em up at home Moving to a new place in January and will take care of it then, I guess!

You're right, the last couple of years have been great! Here's one of my faves, a hauntingly lovely piece of future funk: VfFsQFuTbxU which shares a sample with one of the best rap beats ever, 93 'til infinity Ljw1PDHQRDg

Gamasutra needs an article with a title like: "Shittiness is next to godliness: poopin' on design"