My damned family

Posted 14.04.2006 16 1972

I should get a t-shirt... this t-shirt would live through the ages and read something like this:

"I am not free tech support for my family"

Now, certainb members of my family are old and have PC's. EVERY LITTLE FECKING PROBLEM GETS REFERRED TO ME!

I cleaned a certain members PC yesterday. It was lovely. Spyware checked and scanned, virus checked and scanned, firewall tweaked, registry checked for errors and rectified. Everything was working so well, I even installed a few utility programs. I was in a generous mood.

This morning I got a phonecall, vaguely garbled. Something about AOL and buddy lists. With a heavy heart I trooped down to the relatives I don't particularly care for.

Since yesterday they had... messed. I counted 15 dodgy programs downloaded and the firewall was uninstalled. I then tried to go online and was bombarded by pop-ups. I then checked his email, which contained a phishing email... which had been read and replied to.
Yes, he had sent his details... I was going to murder him. So with one hand I was on the phone to the bank explaining the situation and with the other hand I scanne dthe pC for spyware.

895 pieces of spyware... and loads were malware, registry things and etc etc. I fixed them then scanned the comp for viruses. 25 viruses. Ugh! Fixed them then scanned the comp for spyware again (on a hunch) and there was about 200. Lovely. 2 hours later and spyware has stopped appearing, the bank is fine, no viruses, firewall back up and I did something a bit naughty. I password protected an account and gave it admin privelages. Only I know this password. I then created another account for them and put a shitload of restrictions on it. That should fix it!

So I'm now back on my super fast and lovely laptop... joy!

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Body

Posted 13.04.2006 18 1945

Now Playing: Pikmin 2 (kick ass)
Now Listening to: Orson- No Tomorrow
Now Watching: A program on TMF about celeb bodies.

I used to be in amazing shape. I played Hockey for my school, played every sport under the sun, did weights, went to the gym, went running. You name it, I tried it (except swimming, bleurgh!).

Last summer I broke a few ribs... booy did it hurt. I was out for 4 months, and I never got back into the exercising regime. I now have lost all tone and even my six-pack is gone... *sniff*.

So starting tomorrow I start anew! 15 minutes on the bike every day for the next month to get stamina back up and then I'm gonna kill myself to get myself back to my usual sleek self.

This blog marks the beginning of my rise to sexay boday again! HazukiSan FTW!

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SNNAAKKKEEE

Posted 12.04.2006 10 2025

Now Playing: MGS3
Now Listening to: The title to LoZ:OOT... symphony stylee!
Now Watching: The lovely Red Steel webpage.

It's amazing how a game series can define you in the same way a great novel can, or even an album. Recently I've been swayed to buying a PS2 for 2 reason and 2 reasons alone. The first is to improve my outlook on the industry and improve my writing on this site as a result. The second is three simple words.

Metal

Solid

I bought a bleem disk to play the original on the DC. I got so excited over the remake that my friends called me Snake for a while. I went into total overboard when we went to LaserQuest a couple of days later and actually got to use my Tactical Espionage Skills (1st place in all games, 'ave it!) and now this series took me to a new console, a console I never thought I'd own.

MGS2 was amazing, blissful. Intricate story and a very well made game. I was in love, but nothing could prepare me for what awaited in MGS3.

To be blunt, I was expecting confusion and a clunky experience. I couldn't comprehend how they could pull off jungle sneaking on a PS2. I couldn't understand how they could have a traditional involving MGS plot without Snake, Liquid, Otacon et al. I was a fool. MGS3 is THE game that transcends movies, gaming and art.

I've been playing games since I was 3 years of age. That's 15... no 16 years of gaming. I've battled the Bydo Empire, raced to find my fathers killer, saved the world from a giant flying egg and even played god to a family of humans. BUt I've never had my breath taken away from my as I did when I'd completed the world's first Halo jump and landed in the middle of the jungle. Soviet territory. I slammed R1 and looked around. The sky was clear, birds flew aroundand chattered to eachother, a snake slithere up a tree and hung onto a branch. I was always a sceptic that beauty could exist within gaming, how could this collection of program instructions illicite such a complex thing? But Konami did it. I stood half in shock, then started staggering around... discovering what the jungle had to offer.

That's where it started, and to be honest they could've just left me in an empty jungle for 25 hours and I'd have been happy. But no, enemies, close quarters combat, guns. I'm sorry, I know this isn't politically correct but the violence in MGS kicks...ass. I grabbed a guy and held a knife to his throat, I thought I should interrogate him. The booklet was in the other room, but I was positive yu just moved the L stick... boy was I wrong. His throat was slit and blood gushed everywhere, I started laughing at my own stupidity. Great stuff.

I know MGS plots are the best, I know they are needlessly obtruse but I simply adore them. I actually fell of my seat at the end of MGS1, and I actually got the plot of MGS2 but MGS3 had me hooked to a scary degree. It must be the whole Cold War thing, it's so compelling. The characters just add to it, probably the most fleshed out characters present in gaming... oh and I love Eva

Boss fights are back to the standard of MGS1 with genuine thought put into them, the set piece battles are amazing and the ending is...wow. Simply this is now the best game I've ever played, and Revo must have MGS in some form.

I don't care if it's MGS4, or even a remake of MG1 and 2. The thought of controlling snake with the Rev Mote nunchuka config is sublime. Actually aiming a Socom, phsyically throwing a Stun Grenade... I'd be in heaven. C'mon Konami! Make it so!

Sorry for the rant, I don't do stand along articles so don't have anywhere to vent my gaming spleen in a suitable manner/placeSorry for the rant, I don't do stand along articles so don't have anywhere to vent my gaming spleen in a suitable manner/place

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PS2

Posted 01.04.2006 19 1944

Now Playing: Virtua Fighter 4

Here's a rarity, a new blog entry from me. But I felt that I'd best review my newest console. My PS2. This is my first non sega/ninty console and all in all I'm surprised on how impressed I am.

The design is not a garish as I thought it'd be. For price purpposes I didn't get the slim model but it still looks good placed horizontally next to me GC. The pads are the standard dual shock fare, not really my favourite pad but I don't have much choice.

The on switch being at the back is an oddity, albeit one that can be overlooked as long as you have enough room to get behind the console. Once flicked on the usual Sony slickness kicks in. No doubt that Sony know how to make their console look slick, even in the start up screens and in that department the PS2 puts the GC to shame. Lights float across the screen as sounds float between the speakers and brings back the old notion that gaming is some kind of high tech magical thing. Makes the running cube GC intro look poor in comparison.

Game wise I'm STILL waiting for 3 games to come (MGS3, MGS2ubstance and Hitman Contracts) but I do have two games to tide me over.
Virtua Fighter 4 is sublime. The graphics are a joy to behold and the controls are perfect. My old VF instincts kicked in and everyone is getting there ass kicked by the old John/Kage combo! The new characters seem a bit weak but kumite mode adds a lot to the mode and arcade mode is as tough as ever.
Killer 7 is weird. I'm close to giving up on it as I have no idea what the hell is going on. The plot seems deep, but the game is so abstract you can never get truly into it and the 7 character aspect means you never get that invested in it. And Travis is a wanker.
I also got a demo disk possibly the worst demo disk ever. Games ar ereally poor on it. There was hope because there was a footy game on it, but I rapidly left it laughing as "This is Football" was terrible. Turning took an age and shooting was impossible.

So far I'm impressed, 7/10. New games may push it up.

Elsewhere I haven't been on of late, some crappy life stuff hit me for 6. Have been clearing my head. But I have been watching everyone and all my stars have been sent out.

Byes

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