Me and My Associates

Advertising

2006-04-26T03:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm in the middle of finals week and so far so good. As promised I've got a discussion, well more of me ranting I suppose, on the subject of Advertising in the European countries I've visited. As I was writing it, I realized how utterly unqualified I am to do this subject justice. During my time in Italy I've watch a total of 2hrs of TV and most of that being news. So by not being able to watch TV advertising, I've missed out on what might be a huge segment of marketing for the Italian people. The only types of advertising I get to view is that on billboards or other outside media, so I'm not sure how accurate my findings might be. But, hey I'll do my best to shed some light on what I've seen during my travels.

What I've noticed during my stint here in Italy, is there isn't much done for advertising or promotion of video games at all. Also there is a lack of places to buy video games. There isn't your local EB or Target that offers the latest releases. The only place I’ve seen to get video games is at the local journal stands that offer around 5 total video games on any given platform. There usually hung alongside DVD tittles from the 80's. While I do live in the small town of Perugia, I have seen this same trend within Rome and even Florence. Basically what it comes down to in Italy is a market that does not get the same attention as other countries. To be honest I can’t remember see any advertisement on any medium while here.

Traveling outside of Italy however, I've seen a much more open push of new video game titles and related subject matter. Traveling in London I saw the now infamous PSP ads that grace the local tube (metro) stations. If you haven’t seen these I'll have some photos up soon so you can have the pleasure of viewing them as well or look at this Google search here. Whether or not these ads are appropriate or just plain wrong is a topic for another discussion. Also there were other game titles being advertised all along the inside of the tube stations such as Oblivion or Tomb Raider Legends. Now this would probably seem to make sense as there isn't a need to change the language tracks of the game, just slap on a new region code and your done. However, I also saw this same trend in Paris, France; where there was plenty of advertising along their metro line. In this country there would be the need for a translation, however the titles were only a few months older then their U.S. counterparts. I also was able to visit a few of the local video game stores during my stay in Paris. They had a huge selection of titles from the current generation all the way back to NES titles. It was weird to see all of my favorite games with French titles, but at least there was still and outlet for the medium

In any case it would seem there isn't much of a gaming culture and what little does exist, is situated in the main powers of Europe and primarily in London. Why this is, I'm not sure. More then likely it is a cultural difference that separates what Americans and Britains see as a form of entertainment with the rest of Europe. It could also be game companies not seeing much of a profitable market within mainland Europe and have so far ignored it. It will be interesting to see if that changes in the near future, as it will become easier and easier to break down the language barriers that exist in any given country. With the PS3, as an example, being a truly region free machine, I wonder if we will see games that at the time of launch, carry most of the major languages in the world. Making the usual turn around time of a few months into global launches that will put games into people’s hands all across the world on the same day. At that time we may see a more aggressive push by game companies to put their products into new hands. Only time will tell I suppose, and yes I know that’s a cheesy phrase, but hey, what else am I going to end with?

Check It

2006-04-18T02:25:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
I know it has been awhile since I’ve written anything on this blog and I’m sorry for those who diligently check back for updates on my life. It seems once I gave myself a break from writing that the weeks got away from me. Now looking back at what I would have to cover if I tried to go back in detail would probably be too much for these servers to handle. So I've decided just to give you a brief synopsis of what happened over the past month or so (see below).

From here on out I've decided to just salvage what is left of this semester and my travels afterwards.
I also wanted to try and bring the focus of this blog back to its original purpose which is of course the discussion of video games and related things. Check back in the next couple of days/weeks for that new information.

Synopsis:

Since traveling to Pisa I’ve been to a couple more places in Italy and to Paris and London. Paris was an amazing city and I loved every minute I spent there. The people were amazing and super helpful, and the food was to die for. I saw all of the big sites, the Eiffel Tower, The Louve with the Mona Lisa and other assorted goodies, Notre Dame (sadly I didn’t find Quasimodo), the Arc de Triumph and for those of you who don’t know I FOUND WALDO!!! Yes this was by far the most exciting find of the journey and something I was able to cross off the old “Things to do before I die list”.

London was also amazing but it may have been just because I was so starved for a piece of America and an English speaking country. It truly gave me a hint of back home which was refreshing but also sort of a tease since I’m still here for a month. Also London is expensive and looted me of most of my remaining funds. It was however worth it as I saw all the sweet sites, such as Parliament, Big Ben, The Old Bailey, Changing of the Guard, and the Rosetta Stone .

On a side note there was quite a bit of advertisement for video games and related material. I will save this for my next post but I wanted to discuss the differences in focus of advertisement for game related materials across Europe.

Blech

2006-03-19T05:10:00.000-08:00

Well so much for a new post I'm sorry today. Over the weekend I was struck ill by a virus that just won't seem to die. I think it might be the flu...or a cold...or something equally as evil. In any case I'm dragged myself out of bed this morning in order to give you all an update on my present condition. Which I'm sad to say is me dieing. Hopefully I can kick this thing and be up in running soon.

Doh!

2006-03-13T03:58:00.000-08:00

Hey Everybody,
I 'm very sorry for not having updated this thing in a few weeks, things here in Perugia have been CRAZY and I haven't had time to sit down and plot out my thoughts on screen. On a side note my computer was also attacked by a series of virus and it is still reeling from their onslaught. I seem to have gotten rid of them but their effects are still heavily felt. Sadly a memory leak is present and I've been kicked back to the dark days of DOS, unable to do anything remotely close to multi-tasking.
I hope to bring you an update of where my adventures have taken me these last few weeks, however, since midterms are upon me it will be at the end of this week.

Be back soon.....

The L Word

2006-02-23T02:08:00.000-08:00

So what is there to now say about love….all my perceptions on what love is, have changed. It seems like a lifetime ago I thought I knew what love was, what it felt like, what is sounded like, what it tasted like. What it felt like when she walked into the room, the way my heart would swell when she flashed a smile my way or the way the soft touch of her skin; felt like it could calm any storm in my life.

I thought I knew what love was….how foolish I was….

Now the thought of us just dating truly seems as if it happened a lifetime ago. The moment she said yes, something strange happened in my life. The love I once felt changed in a dramatic way. It evolved. It changed. It grew. It became something different entirely and into something I wouldn't have thought possible. My definition of love took on a new form. Just as our relationship took a new form, love began to take on a different shape as well. I no longer just love her. I no longer just want her to be around, to walk into the room, to flash a smile my way, or to place her hand upon my face. I now need her walk into the room, to flash me a smile or place her hand upon me. I need her to survive.

Love has taken on a new meaning….love is now essential to my being…

As I look forward to the days ahead and to when we walk back down that aisle as one, I can only imagine what form love will take next. I don't know how love could take on a stronger meaning. I feel as if it envelopes me here as I write. Looking to what has just happened I know it will. It will evolve. It will change. It will grow. It will become something different entirely and become something I can't even think possible.

I think I know what love is….how foolish I am….

Lean On Me

2006-02-08T05:49:00.000-08:00

So I bet you’re all wondering how my day at the leaning tower of Pisa was….Or maybe your not and you could really care less about how my day was spent in a foreign country looking at stones that are older then. In any case I’ll just fill you in and you can stop reading when you think you’ve had enough.

In the spirit of my previous treks out of Perugia I went on my strict sleep schedule of only a few hours of sleep, 5 to be exact. I think this is a good thing for me because as I’m viewing these amazing buildings and sites of old, I begin to envision those who constructed and created the very things I am in awe of. And I’m sure it’s safe to say these hallucinations make the experience all the more engaging and transcendental.

So with the most minimal amount of sleep possible I boarded a train headed in the general direction of Pisa. While I’m sure most of you have all taken a train at some point in your life and know how to deal with the chaos that usually unfolds. Being in Italy has been my first exposure to this outdated device. Since I’m from California I’ve gotten used to driving myself where I need to go, but in the spirit of trying something new I’ve plunged headfirst into the sea that is the Italian train system.

So for those of you who don’t know, the trains work sort of like an airplane, except they take a lot longer and there are much more stops and changes. Since there really aren’t any direct train rails going from Perugia to Pisa. So we had a stop somewhere on the way in a city I can’t remember, and then made our way to Florence. At Florence we had a 40 minute layover and then finally nonstop to Pisa.

Pisa was a great city and it was a lot bigger then I had imagined. We took the #1 bus to the torre - Italian for tower ;) – and within moments we were at the site. It was an amazing site to behold. It’s one thing to look at pictures of something in a book or online, it is quite a different thing to look at something with your own eyes. We walked around the piazza and drank in the sites around us. While mostly what I had heard of Pisa from friends who had been there was the lack of attractions to keep one busy there was plenty for me to look at. There is obviously the tower, but also a few museums and a cathedral. Due to time constraints we were only about to look inside the cathedral and not the surrounding museums.

We gave thought to climbing to the top of the famed tower, and assumed there would be small charge to do so. Once again I learned something about tourism and Italy in general. They know no bounds….We could climb to the top but it would come at the cost of a nice dinner. It was €15. So needless to say we didn’t climb to the top.

The rest of the trip was mostly without event as we made the excursion back home unhindered.

To be honest while it took a lot of effort to get to Pisa from where we were, it was worth it. Going to see the Leaning Tower is something I think everyone should do in their lifetime. It truly was a wonder.

Box Car Racer

2006-02-01T08:21:00.000-08:00

Well it's that time again.....

Yes that’s right another wonderful post from your amazing and rather handsome host.

In an effort to keep you all updated to my coming and goings I will inform you about my last trip out of Perugia. This time the winds carried me to a far off place know as Siena.

The day had a wonderful beginning once again as I had the foresight to only get 4 hours of sleep this time around. I thought it worked out much better then the 5 hours I got when I went to Rome. By not having that extra hour I was really able to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city with a clear and attentive mind.

Our bus left at 8am so we quickly made our way there and bought our round trip tickets. We arrived in plenty of time and began the long wait for our bus to arrive at the station. However what drove up was not what we were expecting. To be honest it was a glorified box on wheels that didn't look fit to haul a group of inmates at a Federal Penitentiary. We reluctantly got on and within a few moments we were on our way. The drive itself was not bad and we arrived in Siena about 2 hours later.

The day was mostly spent walking around the winding city looking at various shops, churches and museums. The city was a site to behold, as everywhere we turned there was a little bit of history waiting to pounce upon us and force us into a state of awe and wonder.

We came upon a tall tower in the main square (Seen To Your Left!) which advertised our ability to climb to the top for a small fee. However I had learned a few things from my excursion to Rome, so I looked around for a stair count...when I found the answer to my inquiry I was taken aback with shock. 522 was the answer that lay before me. I flatly turned them down on the spot. I figure, once you've climbed a plethora of steps in one part of Italy you've climbed them all. I mean how different can steps look from one place to another?

We really didn't do much else in the City as there wasn't much else to do. So we headed out to find our bus stop and await our carriage home. What awaited us was something to behold. Instead of our box car for the ride home, what drove up was an actual tour bus. Complete with comfy cushy seats and large windows so you could stare out at the world as it passed you by at 40km/hr.

This coming weekend were making for Pisa to see the infamous leaning tower that is held there. Hopefully I'll have an amazing story for you all. If not it will still be a good post. Why you ask? Well...I'm not sure why but you'll have to check back and see if I'm right :)

Rome

2006-01-26T07:32:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

Well this last weekend I went to Rome with a few of my friends along the gf (Alexis for those of you who don't know), and let me tell you it was amazing. There is so much to see and I know I didn't get to see it all, but there’s always next time.

We all left from Perugia on Friday morning at 6:00am by bus....yes I know it is ridiculously early and it was bitterly cold outside. Lucky for me I had prepared for this by only sleeping 5 hours the night before, so needless to say the trip was off to a wonderful start. We got there a little late and missed the early and cheap train, but we got on the 18€ Euro star and were on our way to Rome so it wasn’t all bad.

When we arrived we made a b-line to the Coliseum and begin to try and avoid the onslaught of people wanting to show us around the place. They advertised themselves only as helpful guides who would enlighten us with their mere presence. We saw right through there guise of knowledge and knew them to only want our precious funds.

We made it safely inside and were able to see the state of the once glorious Roman Coliseum. Sadly we were only allowed to walk around the perimeter of the arena and weren't able to walk onto the fighting arena. So I wasn't able to live out my lifelong dream of reenacting Russell Crowe's fight for freedom. (Sadly this movie won't be coming to a theater near you)

After we exited the coliseum we happened upon a Roman in full military attire. We thought we'd stumbled upon a rare and unique photo opportunity, were we could perhaps take a trip back in time and paste ourselves upon the past. To our understanding this magical journey through time and space would only cost a few euros and we would end up on the other side unscathed. We were horrible mistaken as this journey ended up costing 10€ instead. The Roman had fooled us and I felt as if I had been sacked by barbarians.

We quickly moved on from our point of failure and began once again to take in the sites and sounds of the city. We stopped by The Spanish Steps, which are in no way, shape or form Spanish, but are called “The Spanish Steps” nonetheless. We then visited the Fountains of Trevi and the illuminated site that beheld us was a site for sore eyes, and no I'm not talking about the actual fountains themselves. It was the gelato stores not 10 steps away. It was some of the best iced concoction that had ever graced my humble lips. It made me feel like a king of old.

That evening we happened upon the Hard Rock Cafe and proceeded to get our "American" on. The place also had free refills on ice tea. I believe by the time we left I had made them rue the day they implemented the policy.

The next day our journey led us to the Vatican. We explored the church and 500+ steps later we were also able to climb to the top of it. It was quite a view as you could see the entire city. We made our way down and attempted to make it to the train station to make the 2:15pm train. However we were thwarted by the fort outside of the Vatican. The main defense of the fort must have been its ability to confuse as we spent the better part of an hour trying to free ourselves from its grasp.

We finally made it out and proceeded safely and unhindered back to Perugia. Overall the trip was a lot of fun, but it really made me appreciate living in a small town. It also made me miss not having a car...because walking around all day is exhausting.

My New Mission

2006-01-23T08:51:00.000-08:00

So as many of you know I am currently serving my spring semester in Italy, in the small city of Perugia (or maybe this is news to you and you’ve been wondering where I was). The city is up in the hills about 3 hours north of Rome.

I was fortunate enough to squeeze myself into this wonderful opportunity and am not entirely sure how I manage to get myself on the list to be here. In all honesty my G.P.A. wasn’t where it should have been (a sad 2.9 stupid Radinski) and my interview was one of the worst I think I’ve ever had. It was awkward and it felt like every answer I had was canned. I guess those extra 20’s I slipped in with my application must have gone to good use.

But I am here and I am thankful for the opportunity I’ve been given. Being here about three weeks, I’ve picked up on quite a few differences between here and back home in the states.

Like the fact a glass of Coke costs about $3, and they DON’T GIVE YOU FREE REFILLS. To be honest I don’t think anything has really angered me more about this continent. Because normally when I sit down for a meal I drink about twice my weight, and now I have to quench my thirst with a thimble full of beverage. It sadly just doesn’t work out so well.

Restaurants here in Italy also charge you if you want to enjoy your meal while sitting down. While the charge is minimal it is still a new concept to come to grasp with, and I almost threw a chair through the window the first time this was explained to me.

Not all of the differences make you want to go on a rampage, and to be fair I will share one or two of them. There is a lot more culture here then back home and every city you visit is a bountiful feast for you eyes. As most buildings were built by the fabled forefathers in an age you hear so much about. Along with some of the best food the world has to offer. Italy has so far been a wonderful place and a breath of fresh air for my smog filled lungs.

However, I do miss home and the warmth of a game of Madden coming off a TV, or internet at my apartment….

Which brings me to the point of this long (and probably for you) boring post. The main point of this blog was to provide a place to post some of my game reviews, editorial pieces and pithy comments on the day’s news and events. However, since I am now in Italy for a semester this puts me at a disadvantage at being able to provide you with up to date news and reviews. So what I’ve decided to do is just use this place during my stay in Italy to be a place to tell you about my adventures here. This will give me a chance to write and get in the habit of putting words on paper. I will try to when I’m able to post editorial pieces or bits of news but it will mostly be a tale about my adventures here. Hopefully these will be entertaining and will draw some sort of audience, but who really knows.

Once I return back home I will put all of my being into reviewing games and trying to put together some sort of career in this field. I have the possibility of working at my school’s newspaper and doing video game news/reviews for them, and this is something I am really looking forward to.

So keep checking back for updates to the site I’m hoping to put together at a bare minimum a post a week, but it should be more often then that. Until then I bid you all farewell.

Soon to Come

2005-12-31T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

Look soon for a review of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas I'm just finishing up the game and it is great. I know this may seem to come a little late but I just got a hold of the game and I wanted to share my experiences with everyone.

5 Million And Counting

2005-12-19T21:10:00.000-08:00

World of Warcraft hit a milestone today reaching 5 million subscribers. You can read the official press release here

The game just continues to grow and for anyone who has played it will know why. The game is addictive and well built. Just like everything else Blizzard puts their hands on

Can anyone say Diablo 2?

A Galaxy Dies...

2005-12-13T22:52:00.000-08:00

This struck me as a sad piece of news. It's sad to see any game end this way, especially one I had played with some passion.

For those of you who had the chance to play SWG, you know the game was far from perfect. The game wasn't implemented correctly from the beginning, it was buggy and the developers changed the game every 10 minutes. Which is the reason the game is now dying. While it was small things in the beginning, such as adding mounts it quickly took a turn for the worse. The first being the inclusion of Jedi, which is what really killed the game for me. It killed the economy, the community and was completely out of place with the time period of the game.

The developers were ready to make almost any change if someone raised their voice with an idea or a complaint. They never showed a plan for the direction they wanted to take the game, it was sporadic and random. And in the end they killed it all together.

However with that all said, SWG provided us with an opportunity to breath in the Star Wars Universe . A way to 'live in' the movies. There were some great memories I have of SWG and I'll have those forever but it seem with this latest change by the developers the game has truly died.

Busy

2005-12-10T16:20:00.000-08:00

Finals are upon me....

This is why there hasn't been much in the way of updating in awhile. Been running around trying to turn in projects and paper, and find time to sleep.

After this coming up week I will have quite a bit more time to play games and also bring some reviews your way. Also be on the lookout for news and commentary expect to bring you the amount of news that other sites do, but I hope to bring you some important stories and give you my insight on them. So all of this is coming soon.....

Why God?

2005-11-25T22:58:00.000-08:00

A little piece of me died when I saw this....

R.I.P
Mr. Miyagi

Let us all have a moment of silence

Battlefront II Review

2005-11-24T03:27:00.000-08:00

As promised here is my review for Star Wars Battlefield II. Hope you enjoy it, and if not tell me why so that I might be able to improve
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Star Wars Battlefront II, the sequel to the best selling Star Wars game of all time, builds upon the formula that made the first Battlefront such a success. The game includes many sinlge player features along with a some great multiplayer modes that will provide hours of entertainment for you and your friends. Some of the games improvements include: the ability to take the battles into Space, added infantry units and being able to play as Jedi or other Heroes to turn the tide of battle in your favor. For anyone who has played the original Battlefront, this game will have a similar feel, but this is not necessarily a bad thing.

As in other team-based shooters you will have the ability to control different infantry units and make use of vehicles in your effort to capture different command points or eliminate all of your opponent’s soldiers. Battlefront II has four different factions to choose from and they are all taken directly from the films; they include: Republic forces (which are the clone troopers), Separatist forces (which are the droid armies), The Empire (which consists of storm troopers) and The Rebel Alliance (the “good guys” from the classic trilogy). The game also includes new infantry units for you to command, such as the Bothan Spy who can cloak himself and unleash a flamethrower on unsuspecting forces. These improvements give the player a few more options when on the battlefield.

One of the most noticeable additions to the game is the ability to bring the fight into space; allowing you to take flight from capital ships and engage in dogfights above some of the planets you’ve seen in the movies. Or you can use ships such as the TIE-Bomber or Y-Wing to cause damage to the opponent’s capital ships. You can also board the enemy’s capital ship and assault it with some well placed explosives in order to cause the same damage. Using the transport ship to bring yourself and others onto the ship also doubles as a spawn point as long as the ship stays in one piece. Overall the space battles are fun, but most will not get much mileage out of it, as the only difference between maps is the scenery, and the battle quickly turns into a race to see who can score the most points by destroying the opponent’s capital ship.

Adding to the ground battles is the inclusion of Heroes to the mix. These heroes consist of mostly Jedi such as Obi-Wan or Darth Vader, but also include the likes of Han Solo or Boba Fett. In order to access these heroes you must first accumulate a certain amount of points. Usually the best player is able to spawn as the hero for the map. Each of these heroes is significantly more powerful then your normal infantry class and can drastically shift the tide of battle in your favor. Being one of these heroes is also quite fun and provides an extra twist to the normal flow of battles.

The game also brings a little bit more depth to the single player aspect then the original Battlefront. There is the inclusion of a new campaign mode that follows a troop known as the 501^st through the beginning of the Clone Wars, through the rise of The Empire, and into a few battles from the classic trilogy. This allows for a little bit of back story on the events of the prequels but is not engaging enough that it will hold your attention for very long.

Galactic Conquest is also back, but has been given a facelift. It is now set up in a turn based system between you and your opponent. That will allow for both space battles and ground battles alike. As you conquer different planets you will earn credits that you can either spend to upgrade your army or purchase bonuses that can be used in battle.

Last but is what most people will buy this game for and that is the multiplayer modes. The PC version can support up to 64 people in battle at one time, however most maps do not need that many people to fill it, so you will usually end up with groups of around 40. There are various game modes you can play in, such as your basic capture command points, or capture the flag but there is also the new assault mode which will let you pit Heroes vs. Villains. Sadly this last mode is only available on one map and this tends to get old after a few rounds. The multiplayer is still fast and engaging and will keep you coming back for more.

Overall Star Wars Battlefront II is a great title for anyone who is a Star Wars or team-based shooter fan. The ground battles do a great job of making you feel like you are actually in a battle and they are fun all around. While the game does not provide a strong single player experience, the multiplayer modes are a great reason alone to pick up this game, which I would highly recommend everyone do.

I give this title a: 4 out of 5

Coming Soon!!!

2005-11-21T17:09:00.000-08:00

Hey again,
Just wanted to let everyone know that currently I am playing Star Wars Battlefront II. There will be a review of the game coming shortly, once I am done assimilating it into my brain. Check back soon!!!

Welcome

2005-11-16T16:59:00.000-08:00

Well hello everyone,
This is my first post and I just want to welcome you all to the hopefully the first of many posts. Just to give you an idea of what to expect in the future.

Basically this will be place were you can get some insight onto what I'm doing in my daily life, but more importantly to post some of my work. I hope to use this to publish reviews of different games I am playing and also provide commentary on different news in the industry. I would encourage you all to comment on anything I post here in order that I might be able to improve my craft.

Thank you for stopping by, and check in often for updates!