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GamerTag
The rarely updated blog of Joel Dixon
Viewing blogs posted in July, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
XBLA: Uno
# Posted by Joel Dixon at 28/07/2007 12:46:47I recently bought a wireless headset and Xbox Live Vision Camera for my Xbox 360 - mainly because they double as a webcam for my laptop for when I leave for Canada. The Xbox Live Arcade game of Uno came free with the camera - and it's quite a nifty little game.
Uno
The card game of Uno was a favourite of mine as a youngster - even though the deck of cards was larger than my head. That popular card game is re-created excellently as an Xbox Live Arcade game, allowing 4-player online play, chat with an Xbox headset and video through the Vision camera (it'd be silly to include it with the camera if it didn't).
The graphics are un-important (although there are some nice downloadable custom decks), the music gets monotonous (but you should be listening to all of the Live teenagers bragging about pwning you) and replayability depends on how much you like playing Uno.
But if you enjoy the occasional game of Uno, the multiplayer lobby is very slick, there's room for heaps of customisation in terms of game rules, and the camera / headset support fosters an enjoyable online experience (as long as your opponents aren't all buttmunches). 4 out of 5.
# Posted in the Gaming section and tagged as: Xbox 360
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Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Kameo: Elements of Power
# Posted by Joel Dixon at 25/07/2007 09:28:25Updated by Joel Dixon at 28/01/2008 14:42:44
One of the games that I received when I purchased my handy-dandy Xbox 360 was Kameo: Elements of Power.
Kameo: Elements of Power cover art
The history of Kameo is somewhat interesting, and lengthy. Developed by Rare who were responsible for some of my all time favourite games (such as GoldenEye 007 and Donkey Kong Country) it was originally planned for the Nintendo GameCube. Once Rare was acquired by Microsoft in 2002 the game continued to be developed but for the original Xbox. Development eventually transfered to the Xbox 360, and Kameo became a launch title for the new console.
Kameo's a third-person adventure and gameplay is simple and very fun - it reminds me a little of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The main plot of the game involves collecting elemental warriors which Kameo can morph into during the game. These elemental warriors come with unique abilities that help Kameo progress through the levels and add a "cute" element.
In-game screenshot
Technically, Kameo does very well for a game with such a sordid development past - and runs very smoothly on the 360 for a launch title. The soundtrack is excellent and the controls are very responsive. The main concern most people have with the game is a very short and easy main quest. But if you try to complete all of the achievements in the game - playtime definitely increases!
600 of the achievement points are dolled out for the main quest - but the remaining points are very difficult to achieve. You can replay parts of the world which are broken up into "levels". Once you complete this level you are given a score based on the number of baddies you killed, and a ranking from A to G. There is one achievement for each level which requires an A ranking.
When I completed the first level, I was given a score of around 3,000 for the F ranking. A quick look on the Internet showed that 15,000,000 points were required for an A ranking. I had a lot of work ahead of me. Because Kameo has a combination-based scoring system, 15 million is not impossible - but it requires a lot of practice, and a perfect run at the level. I found that going for the A rankings in each level to be much more fun that completing the main quest the first time.
As an introduction to the Xbox 360, Kameo was a great start for me. In it's simplest sense - it is a very fun game, and gave me no end of enjoyment. Overall I'd give it a 4 out of 5.
# Posted in the Gaming section and tagged as: Xbox 360
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Wednesday, July 18, 2007
XBLA: Prince of Persia Classic
# Posted by Joel Dixon at 18/07/2007 11:16:35While I had bought my Xbox 360 to take to Edmonton with me, I have found myself with three weeks at home (thanks to Work Permit issues) and little to do when Belinda goes out. As mentioned before a cool feature of the Xbox is the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) providing smaller games or old remakes for download at a reduced price.
When browsing through the titles on offer, looking for something small to tide me over, I stumbled on a childhood classic - Prince of Persia. A few dollars later (probably around 8 - I don't recall) I had downloaded an old masterpiece.
Title Screen
The first thing that blew me away were the amazing graphics and smooth gameplay. The original version earned a place in gaming history due to the responsive controls and character animation unparalleled at the time. Much as Prince of Persia: Sands of Time did, Prince of Persia Classic retained the elements that made the original great whilst improving the visuals and music.
Sweet!
The updated version is a true remake of the original, with the same level design and basic controls. On top of that, some really handy extras were added. Moves like running up walls and standing backflips make the game a little easier to get through in a rush. The sword fighting also received a bit of an update - but still retaining the old controls.
When combined with 200 achievement points - it's a must have for your game library. And those familiar with the game may find a challenge they weren't expecting. One of the achievements is to finish the entire game within the hour, without dying once (the regular game is happy if you die - you can take as many lives as you want so long as you finish within the hour). Man, it's not easy! But unlike some games, it's not dodgy and unresponsive controls, it's generally lack of patience and concentration.
4 out of 5
# Posted in the Gaming section and tagged as: Xbox 360
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Monday, July 16, 2007
Yet another new addition
# Posted by Joel Dixon at 16/07/2007 04:41:00Updated by Joel Dixon at 23/05/2008 23:26:15
While it may not be as important as other recent additions to our family, I am now the proud owner of an XBox 360.
Growing up I was a Sega fanboy, owning a Master System 2 and then a Sega Mega Drive (Genesis in North America). The Mega Drive is the system that helped introduce me to the sport of ice hockey.
In my early high school years the Sega Saturn didn't look that great and a lot of gaming interest was in the Sony PlayStation, which I subsequently bought. The games were great and it wasn't a hard decision to get a PlayStation 2 when it came out.
The PlayStations have served me well, with such great game series as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Metal Gear Solid and EA Sport's NHL series.
When the "next gen" series of video game consoles were announced, I kept a keen eye on the PlayStation 3. After it's $1,000+ priced release a few months ago I figured I'd wait a year before buying it at a reduced price.
Since then, I made plans to work in Canada and realised that I would probably have a lot of spare time on my hands after work and on weekends (and no car). At around the same time, a co-worker was selling his Premium Xbox 360 with 4 games for $350 (bargin).
I took the Xbox home and give it a quick trial - and I love it. In today's gaming climate where most of the games are ported to all available gaming platforms, the idea of a "system exclusive" game is not as important. The 360 has a large number of games available and the controller / system design seem fine. The real place where the 360 has impressed me is Xbox LIVE and the Xbox Dashboard (the console's GUI to control gaming, media, marketplace (purchasing online) and Xbox LIVE).
Firstly, I hate online gaming. Basically, the Internet is full of knob jockeys. I've tried online gaming with NHL games a few years ago, and the results were distinctly un-fun. This Penny Arcade comic explains my point perfectly (profanity warning). The reason I love Xbox LIVE (Microsoft's online gaming and content delivery service) is Gamer Scores and Xbox LIVE Arcade.
The icon that comes on-screen when an achievement is unlocked.
I loved the feeling of accomplishment after playing a game until 100% completion - but once I stopped playing the game, the achievement was pretty much forgotton. Xbox LIVE introduces "Achievements" which are unlocked by performing certain actions in every Xbox game, and contribute a numerical score known as your Gamer Score. Some of the achievements are straight forward (finish the main story line, win x games online), while some are decidedly more difficult (receive one of each hand type in Texas Hold'em - which counts a Royal Flush as a seperate hand to a straight flush). Now when you complete a game, your gamer score is updated (viewable by every other Xbox gamer - and also online). I'm sure there's some kind endorphin released when that wondrous "Achievement Unlocked" icon is shown on my screen! The other great thing about Xbox LIVE is the Xbox LIVE Arcade, providing smaller, downloadable games such as Doom, Prince of Persia and Uno recreated for Xbox hardware, for a relatively cheap price.
I think I might still buy a PlayStation 3 one day (at least a year from now), but in the mean time I am very impressed with my Xbox 360.
# Posted in the Gaming section and tagged as: Xbox 360
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Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Canada, eh?
# Posted by Joel Dixon at 03/07/2007 10:36:01Those that know me, know I'm a huge hockey fan. When I was in high school, I had heard that some people in Canada could ice skate to work and had frozen ponds in their backyards - which sounded very cool. I also did one of my geography assignments on Canada and decided that it looked like a very neat place to live. So I just assumed that when I finished university I would find a job in Canada and live their for a few years.
Of course, when I was finishing uni I was broke and needed to get a job - so I took an offer from the company I did my Industry-based Learning for. Before I knew it, 5 years had past and I was still working for that same company (al biet with a different name), and I was still enjoying working in Melbourne.
Then, a few weeks ago I received an email out of the blue from my old boss. He was project director on the first project I work for straight after uni, and as he was originally from Canada we got a long well. He had gone back to Canada with his family, and was wondering if anyone was interested in a job. A little to-ing and fro-ing later, I accepting a contracting position in Edmonton, Alberta.
The decision was obviously very hard, and made almost impossible by the fact that my lovely wife would be unable to join me for the whole time I was gone. In the end, it's an experience of a lifetime, I probably won't get the opportunity again, and I would be working for a boss that already knows what I'm like - and I don't need to prove myself to anyone. The fact that I would be on contracting rates (and making a fair bit more than I could back home) also helped make the decision.
Thankfully, the company I am currently working for has agreed to giving me 12 months leave without pay, and Belinda is planning on visiting for a month at a time at least twice. There's lots to organise, but I'll be having a wild time when the hockey season starts up!
# Posted in the General section and tagged as: Edmonton
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