YES! It’s that again, folks! Time to break out the crystal balls (or was that Crystal Skulls? :D) for yet another round of E3 predictions!
For the most part, my list is wishful thinking at best.
I’d love Nintendo to stop focusing on peripherals, since third parties are getting really good at it (Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Samba De Amigo). Although a DS peripheral that was like a flashcard would be nice…
I don’t think any of the “hardcore” announcements from Nintendo will be Kid Icarus (much as I’d love to see it) or any of the other rumors floating around. I think DLC (downloadable content) will be a BIG part of the presentation, or at least the most talked-about thing at the presentation, because if Nintendo doesn’t get off their asses regarding DLC real soon, we’ll all be buying Xbox 360s! And we MUST have a hard drive, because then I’ll REALLY buy a 360!
Sony: Lower price on PS3, price cut on PSP (it’s time), and SOFTWARE, SOFTWARE, SOFTWARE! SOME of us don’t want to buy JUST a $400 Blu-Ray player!
Microsoft (read this Major Nelson!!!!!): Xbox Arcade price drop (please), 20GB hard drive price drop (please, it’s been $100 damn dollars since launch almost 3 YEARS AGO!!!!!), NO gimmicky peripherals, a Blu-Ray Xbox 360 Drive (so some of us, like you, can play Blu-Rays on our PCs or Macs), some “Rare” news (bad pun I know), and some news regarding XBLA and a certain trash-talkin’, babe-savin’ ass kicker.
Whew, what a week, and it’s only Wednesday!! Done with my exam for Summer Session I (which I thought went VERY well, thank you), and now on to Summer II and Philosophy!
First, I wanted to acknowledge the announcement of Diablo 3, and all I have to say is “THANK YOU GOD!!!!” It looks SO GOOD!!! And it looks like it’ll be a typical Blizzard game in that the system requirements will be lower than Cain and the graphics look similar to Diablo 2, which is a great thing! People, don’t say it’s “dated”, you jaded Hellgate spawn.
Second, I’ll be eagerly anticipating E3 in just a week or so! I’ll try to make sense of all the cool stuff they’ll announce or show at least gameplay movies of (like Kirby Super Star Ultra for DS, can’t effing wait!!).
Third, did anyone watch Celebrity Family Feud last night? Kathie Lee Gifford was on there, and she’s normally VERY funny (funnier than Kelly Ripa, the dumb, ditzy broad who is Reege’s new co-host on the Live with Regis and… show. I much prefer Kathie Lee, but at least KL didn’t try to say (*jazz-hands reveal the face*) “Hide the Children!!!!” (I’ve wanted to do that for so long it’s not even funny). In any event, she had an unintentionally funny event happen to her during the Fast Money portion last night, and I put it up on YouTube for your enjoyment until NBC decides to take it down. Enjoy!
I’m a big ol’ Parrothead from way back, ever since I was 5 months old.
But this is very cool! Being a Parrothead never got this kind of lyric variation in “Volcano” before Rock Band, EA’s rhythm action game that has all sorts of DLC.
Okay guys, I’ve been thinking about my direction recently. This new focus will be on many blogs that focus on a variety of topics. This will be my last post, until that time comes when I have a post that will NOT fit within one of those topics.
I’m a pretty large Trekkie, guys. That’s just one of my weird idiosyncrasies, so deal with it! I have also become a huge fan of the man who played Dr. McCoy, DeForest Kelley, not just because of his work on the original Star Trek, not only because he was a truly genuine individual, but also because he did a lot for animal rescue. So, in this vein, I recommend the wonderful blog by Kristine M. Smith, the author of DeForest Kelley: A Harvest of Memories - My Life and Times With A Remarkable Gentleman Actor and the upcoming The Enduring Legacy of DeForest Kelley: Actor, Healer, Friend, which will be released in 2009, at http://almostfamousbydesfault.blogspot.com! TTFN, Ta Ta for Now! –BJ
This really, REALLY bodes well for comic books in the future. However, I think that Warp Graphics can succeed where Marvel has bitterly failed: In the delivery of true digital comics in PDF format, or something similar.I hope Wendy & Richard Pini the very best in their new digital comics initiative. In a world where everything goes paperless eventually, this is a good move for a medium that has long been steeped in paper (i.e. comic books). Hopefully more comics makers follow this lead, and we can expect digital comics online before long from all the comic book companies, including Dark Horse, Disney/Gemstone, and DC Comics.
Everyone is talking about the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth, the release date of Devil May Care, the next James Bond novel. But a very select few are talking about another centenary: Today, 100 years ago, in Taylor, Texas, one Fred “Tex” Avery was born. Now, some may know Tex Avery because of his wildly controversial cartoon, “Red Hot Riding Hood”. Others may know Tex Avery as the creator of Droopy Dog, the depressive bloodhound. Still others may know about Tex Avery’s wacko takes on fairy tales. All of these and many more, that was the genius of Tex Avery.
Today marks the 100th birthday of one of animation’s finest pioneers. Yet, he’s unfortunately ignored by the powers-that-be, and the only Tex Avery animation releases are the recent Droopy boxset, several laserdiscs, and several VHS tapes. Is this the best way to treat an animation legend? Disney treats their legends of animation with the utmost of respect! The rest of the animation industry should do the same, because without Tex Avery, there’d BE no Family Guy, or South Park, or Looney Tunes, even! So be grateful that you have those funny cartoons this day, and let’s hear it for Tex Avery!
You see, my uncle, Bill Wanlund, has been quoted on CNN as being the spokesman for the US Embassy in Belgrade, and everyone knows what’s happened there (i.e. the fighting and rioting that has broken out after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia several days ago). I hope things go a lot better in that region of the world, and I hope and pray for peace there as well as the Middle East, specifically Iraq and Afghanistan.
You know, getting Google-famous will take me a LOT more places! This is going to be weird, to be sure. I’ll continue to see if there are any questionable things. I have to continue to scour, however. Right now, it’s dinnertime, and I need to get this stuff over with!!
Hey guys, just wanted to tell you that I’m going to be splitting posting duties between GOS and a new blog I started up called The 4th Caballero, at http://fourthcaballero.wordpress.com! The 4th Caballero focuses on the 2 Latin American films produced by Disney, Saludos Amigos & The Three Caballeros! Right now, I’m going to have continuing coverage of the new DVD release April 29th (yep, rumors confirmed for those wondering!). I’ll definitely keep on top of the news regarding this exciting new release!!! –BJ
Ya know, this is starting to become a trend. I see the same stuff happening, and I don’t like it.
I’m proud to be a geek. I own a Mac, and I am also a movie buff. However, this doesn’t mean I don’t have something to say at all times.
I have seen so many attempts at preventing piracy fail because they were not aware of 4 key ingredients to piracy prevention.
Key #1: DRM, copy protection, or any form or method that inhibits legitimate users without fighting true piracy is ABSOLUTELY out of the question. Copy protection is at its most heinous with TV shows and movies on the iTunes Store and Amazon Unbox.
Key #2: If you promise a full catalog, then actually DELIVER on your promise!! This is why NBC-Universal left the iTunes Store, because they never ONCE delivered on their promises! You don’t get very far by not
delivering on your promises, and Apple sees that, for sure. Also, what is going on with MGM?? We have MGM films on iTunes, but WHERE ARE THE JAMES BOND FILMS??? (and I’m talking the older films, like Dr. No, Goldfinger, etc.)
Key #3: Don’t underestimate any one person. If there were 720p movies sold on iTunes, and they DIDN’T have copy protection, YOU BET I’d buy more movies on iTunes! And at $12-15 a pop for new flicks and $10 for “catalog” titles, I’d rather have good quality and iPod compatibility than the alternative, which is sh*tty quality and I convert it to iPod format myself.
Key #4: Don’t blame sagging sales on piracy. There are so many things these days that take away from movie box office sales, music record sales, and TV ratings. The movie companies have EMBRACED their chief competition, video games! Now why is piracy not their chief competitor, you may ask? Because the consumers are NOT pirating films and sharing music, contrary to what the suits may make you think! What are we all doing? Playing video games!! So the third key applies again here, DON’T UNDERESTIMATE ANY ONE PERSON!
