The_cackling_idiot's Blog

Berlin Sucks

So i'm back from Berlin and it's boring. We went on one of those tour bus things where you plug headphones into the seat and hear about the history of the city.

Here's how it went:

"Up until 1945, this was the site of the Kaiser's castle. It no longer exists as it was destroyed suring the war."

"This is the site of the first houses built in Berlin in the 13th Century. They no longer exist today as the Russians tore the last of them down suring the 1970s to make way for 5 flats."

"Here's a bit of the Berlin wall. Up until 1989 it was a major landmark in the city, with visitors going to see it. The wall has all been destoryed now apart from sections declared as a monument. Before it was declared as a monument, wall peckers (idiots with chisels) reduced the wall to its present state (a tiny bit of concrete and the supporting metal rods)."


About the only thing over 60 years old in Berlin is the Brandenberg Gate and the Reichstag, although the reichstag was completely gutted and remodelled on the inside and they did loads of repair work on the outside. But if you like 60s architecture then you'll love the place!

I managed to get a sore throat and a really crappy cold during the 2 days we were there. On the way back in the plane when we started descending, all the crap in my nose and throat somehow rose into the top of my head. This made my head hurt so much my eyes started to water. It then decided to go into my ear and is currently resting behind my left eardrum, making me mostly deaf in that ear. I hate Berlin.

Berlin

Not the band, i'm going there on Monday. Yesterday's Berlin weather was 5oC rain. So much for snow.

I've never been to Berlin before. I went to the south of Germany for a couple of days last year. All the kids looked the same, blonde with a bowl haircut if <7, blonde with a crew cut if >7.

My dad went in the 80s. He says there are still bullet holes from the war on some of the buildings. That could be neat. The only reason i could think of going to Berlin for is to look at the Reichstag. I think that's why my Dad wants to go. Apart from that i don't know of any reason why Germany could be good.

Half-Life 2

Ok so i've been playing this game and WOW! I'm still only half way throguh (Nova Prospekt if you have the game) and i'm still impressed.

First thing, the graphics. These are the best i've ever played. I stared in disbelief at the G-Man. His face was so detailed. Then when i stepped out of the train i glanced at a giant screen for a second and mistakingly thought it was a real person. Then Water Hazard introduced me to water. It's awesome. I checked yesterday and realised ii've been playing the entire time on Normal graphical settings. Later i'll try cranking it all up to high and see what results i get. It worked a little too well though. The reason i'm only halfway through the game is Ravenholm just freaked me out. And it didn't help that when i finally got the courage to finish it my cat kept walking up and down the hallway behind me stepping on creaky floorboards.

The AI is so-so. This is only because i'm playing through on easy first then cranking the difficulty up for my next run throughs. I've heard that it greatly improves in normal and hard.

The gravity gun is great. I've used it to pick up grenades thrown at me then blast them back into combines' faces. You can also use it to carry file cabinets and stuff as shields and then hurl explosive barrels and saw blades to get the apropriate result.

The other weapon which gets a mention is the bug bait. Squeeze it and 4-5 antlions come from nowhere to your aid. Then throw one and your followers run/fly over to where it landed, killing any combine around that point. And the best thing? As soon as an antlion dies another one comes to replace it!

Anyway. Time to go play again.

Christmas

What did i get for Christmas you may ask, but probably not.

Second Sight (i suck so much at the puzzle solving but it's fun)
Half Life 2 (haven't got around to installing it)
LOTR:RotK (Special edition DVD, that's all 3 of them!)
Binoculars (I dunno why, they're National Geographic and have a map of bird migration paths in america for some reason)
Pack of cards (well, 2 packs and a book of card games)
A bicycle seat (WHY?!?!?!?!)
The Settlers of Catan board game (voted German Game of the Year 1995!)
Slippers (i don't wear slippers)
T-Shirt (ok i guess)
Maroon Sweatshirt (TK Maxx imports 20 year old american stock, i'm sure of it)
BIG tube of Maltesers (only half full)
Selection Box (half gone already)
Chocolate orange (YAY!)
A cuddly toy! (not really, i just got a Generation Game flashback) 1