All right, so it’s here already. Next generation gaming has happened. Some think it’s great; others are waiting for all of the heavyweight contenders to arrive. Personally, I’m eager for all of them. After all I am a gamer, tried and true so naturally I’ll get everything. However something bothers me about the 360.
What exactly? How about this frenzy (to put it lightly) that Microsoft has caused. I don’t know how many of you have heard or seen, but getting a 360 has turned into a treasure hunt. Now I say that Microsoft is to blame partly because of the rumors going around that Microsoft deliberatly cut shipments to increase demand. Stores not only can’t keep them on the shelves, they don’t have any to put there in the first place! I read about the launch day incidents. Everything from near riots in parking lots to people attempting to hold up EB games stores to get one, it’s all ridiculous. An article posted on Gamespot.com yesterday mentioned about how JCPenny’s website was selling the Ultimate 360 bundle for $800! Double the retail price. On top of that it wasn’t shipping for two weeks! Yikes.
I realize that gaming has grown since the release of the PS2. I remember having a PS2 on reserve at my local EB Games and having to wait a few weeks afer launch to get it due to shortages, but I was cool with that. I still ended up getting it earlier then they said due to some dropouts and cancellations. The launch line-up wasn’t even that great. I had Tekken Tag tournament first and that was it until February, and I got it in early November! Which brings me to my point that the 360-launch line-up isn’t stellar in my opinion. Unless you’re a sports fan which dominates the release schedule. Fighting game fans like myself are left hanging, as DOA4 which everyone thought would be a launch title didn’t make it and last I checked it got pushed back to like December 14th or so.
Where am I going with all this? Well, I think the moral of all this is that people should be patient. I know I am. For those parents and “extreme” game enthusiasts who decide they should pay $3000 for a 360 from EBAY more power to ya’. Personally I’m going to wait until after the holidays, February or so when you should able to pick up a 360 from the shelves. And hopefully by the they have at least one “killer ap”.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Three hundred sixty degrees of gaming
Yeah, I'm back and it has been some time. And the worst part about it is that I haven't had that much going on in my life so I have no real excuse for not posting anything. There's no time like the present, right? So I begin today talking about next gen gaming. I for one am a HUGE gamer. I spend a percentage of my yearly income on games and accessories. My girlfriend probably doesn't like it this way, but they've been around me longer then she has! (Sorry honey!) Anyhow, so like here we are eagerly awaiting the next entries from the big 3, Microsoft, Sony and Sega. (kidding) No really I mean Nintendo. First up is the XBOX 360. I've tried to read allot about it and so far I have a kind of wait-and-see attitude. From some of the screenshots I've seen of some of the games they look incredible. I saw some shots of one of NBA games on it and it looks fabulous. For years the line between the way TV and games look has been blurring and now I think in the next few years when developers can really harness the powers of the consoles we won't be able to tell for real.
I actually am kind of upset. The original XBOX was taking off and doing well. They were getting the consoles out there, and last Christmas I'm sure they did real well as Sony had a hardware shortage on their new model PS2. Microsoft boasts about how XBOX live is 1 million strong and I think that's cool. And now here comes the next big thing. Honestly I was hoping they would have awaited a little longer. I mean anybody who is familiar with the industry knows that first doesn't mean much. If anything I think it mean you might have to work harder. The best example of this is the early demise of the Sega Dreamcast.
I would just like to say that I loved the dreamcast and still have mine hooked up like it just came out yesterday. I had one on release day (9/9/99). Went to my local EB Games as 6 A.M. to get mine, too. I think I dropped about $1,000 that day on games and accessories. And I don't regret it now. I just hated to see it go when it did. It was a fighting game fan's dream come true.
Until just recently it was the only console to have Street Fighter 3. The Capcom Vs. Series was real big. Not to mention the Sega arcade games that came home. It was great. People just didn't give it a chance though.
But back to Microsoft, I've seen pictures of the console and a few games and I don't doubt that it will be a great console and maybe not at first. Like quite honestly, there isn't a launch game that excites me all that much. With the Dreamcast launch I was pumped about Soul Caliber and Power Stone just to name a couple. The PS2 launch taken Tag Tournament was what I couldn't wait for, but now with the 360 there isn't that must have game to me. Now, will I have one on launch day? Yes. Why? It goes back to my first point, I'm addicted. I'm also a collector of sorts and plus I want the ability to say I'm one of the first. Plus If there is a hardware shortage there's no way you'll be able to find one (at least inexpensively) easily which brings me to the point of price.
When I first heard about Microsoft making a bundle right out of the factory I got a little worried, but then when they announced the contents of the bundles and price points, my fears subsided. There's the "core" bundle which just has the console, corded controller and a few hookups for like $299 then there is the extreme bundle which includes all the fun stuff, like hard drive, headset and better composit cables just to name a few things for like $399. Of course you're getting hosed if you buy the core bundle as the accessories they've included on the more expensive bundle alone would cost like $150 bucks more. But those are reasonable prices, now these other companies who want to make these crazy bundles and charge like $800 and up are insane! I read an article somewhere on the internet that a store had a bundle that included as HD-TV and a sound system for more then 2 grand! That is absolutely absurd! Most gamers are on a budget. I pay for my own games, as well as rent, food and anything else I want, who in their right mind would pay that? But hey, I'f they get people to buy it, good for them, for me I got my $399 bundle and I couldn't be happier.
I actually revieved a phone call from my local EB Games a few weeks ago saying that there store will open at midnight November 22nd to kick off the launch. Will I be there? Nope, I have to work if I want one after all so I have to wait until I get out. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little excited about the whole thing. I'm, not as excited as the PS2 launch however.
So all in all, gaming is headed into the future whether we like it or not. There are some marvelous breadkthroughs to come. Just have your wallets ready.
I actually am kind of upset. The original XBOX was taking off and doing well. They were getting the consoles out there, and last Christmas I'm sure they did real well as Sony had a hardware shortage on their new model PS2. Microsoft boasts about how XBOX live is 1 million strong and I think that's cool. And now here comes the next big thing. Honestly I was hoping they would have awaited a little longer. I mean anybody who is familiar with the industry knows that first doesn't mean much. If anything I think it mean you might have to work harder. The best example of this is the early demise of the Sega Dreamcast.
I would just like to say that I loved the dreamcast and still have mine hooked up like it just came out yesterday. I had one on release day (9/9/99). Went to my local EB Games as 6 A.M. to get mine, too. I think I dropped about $1,000 that day on games and accessories. And I don't regret it now. I just hated to see it go when it did. It was a fighting game fan's dream come true.
Until just recently it was the only console to have Street Fighter 3. The Capcom Vs. Series was real big. Not to mention the Sega arcade games that came home. It was great. People just didn't give it a chance though.
But back to Microsoft, I've seen pictures of the console and a few games and I don't doubt that it will be a great console and maybe not at first. Like quite honestly, there isn't a launch game that excites me all that much. With the Dreamcast launch I was pumped about Soul Caliber and Power Stone just to name a couple. The PS2 launch taken Tag Tournament was what I couldn't wait for, but now with the 360 there isn't that must have game to me. Now, will I have one on launch day? Yes. Why? It goes back to my first point, I'm addicted. I'm also a collector of sorts and plus I want the ability to say I'm one of the first. Plus If there is a hardware shortage there's no way you'll be able to find one (at least inexpensively) easily which brings me to the point of price.
When I first heard about Microsoft making a bundle right out of the factory I got a little worried, but then when they announced the contents of the bundles and price points, my fears subsided. There's the "core" bundle which just has the console, corded controller and a few hookups for like $299 then there is the extreme bundle which includes all the fun stuff, like hard drive, headset and better composit cables just to name a few things for like $399. Of course you're getting hosed if you buy the core bundle as the accessories they've included on the more expensive bundle alone would cost like $150 bucks more. But those are reasonable prices, now these other companies who want to make these crazy bundles and charge like $800 and up are insane! I read an article somewhere on the internet that a store had a bundle that included as HD-TV and a sound system for more then 2 grand! That is absolutely absurd! Most gamers are on a budget. I pay for my own games, as well as rent, food and anything else I want, who in their right mind would pay that? But hey, I'f they get people to buy it, good for them, for me I got my $399 bundle and I couldn't be happier.
I actually revieved a phone call from my local EB Games a few weeks ago saying that there store will open at midnight November 22nd to kick off the launch. Will I be there? Nope, I have to work if I want one after all so I have to wait until I get out. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little excited about the whole thing. I'm, not as excited as the PS2 launch however.
So all in all, gaming is headed into the future whether we like it or not. There are some marvelous breadkthroughs to come. Just have your wallets ready.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
I'll be back...
Yeah, so it's been some time since my last post, but so much has happened in my life. (Okay, so I haven't really been doing much, but I'm lazy). So I know that all of you people are looking forward to my opionons on stuff, but sit tight. I'll be back soon, more opionionated then ever.
Until then...
Until then...
Monday, May 02, 2005
Don't hate the game...
Alright, so it's been awhile since my last post, but I havn't forgotten about everybody. I have so many ideas and things to talk about I get overwhelemed sometimes and then I don't compose anything. I have the guts to do so now, so here we go with another rant.
Tonight it's video game violence. I'm proud to say that yes I am a game addict and I enjoy every minute of it and wouldn't change it. I spend a portion of my yearly income on games and have been playing games since I was in third grade and got the 8 bit Nintendo Entertainment System for christmas that year. Ahh, those were good times. I remember spending several hours in my room playing that thing, not moving to eat or do anything else productive. Ever since I picked up that controller I haven't put it down. Now back then, video games were considred "kids toys". They were enjoyed by a younger crowd for the most part and more then likely you were considered a nerd if you were an adult playing them. You had great games like Super Mario Brothers and Mike Tyson's Punch Out! to name a few. The graphics by todays standards were primative by todays standards but there were hours and years of fun to be had. And I think even the most violent of topics that were made games then, wern't depicted as too violent. I mean you had crappy movie games like Friday the 13th. Now of course the movies are gore fests but the game wasn't bad. No blood to be found if I remember right. I really didn't here any parents complaining about that game.
Then I remember the 16-bit era of gaming, when Sega's 16-bit Genesis had the throne then. Thats when violence began to take center stage as Mortal Kombat came to home consoles I think in 1995 or so. The Genesis version had all the blood and gore anabled with a code, while Nintendo bitched out at the time and decided to "sanatise" their release by replaceing the bllod with "sweat" and toning down the fatalities. A mistake which they did not make the second time around when it came time to bring Mortal Kombat 2 home. Even thinking back to those games, I still considered that "kid stuff". Nothing they couldn't see in a good horror flick or on the 9 o' clock news.
Nothing really comes to mind in the 32-bit era of major importance other then graphics were getting more realistic with fast changing and inexpensive technology. The Playstation established itself and today is a household name. Which kid these days doens't have a Playstation or PS2? Now you have the Ultra powerfull X-Box and PS2 and man have we come along way since the 8-bit NES! yeah you got grand theft auto and now one of the big deals is N.A.R.C. which allows players to take drugs like crack and weed for game enhancing effects.
I took you down memmory lane to get to my point. Video games aren't kid stuff anymore. Yes, I'll be the first one to tell you there violent and there is more sexuality being displayed. But look at the facts, the game playing public has grown up. The people who played the 8-bit Nintendos are now in their 20's or so. Obviosly our tastes have matured. You have all these parents and activists out there bitching about how our children shouldn't play games like GTA. Yup, you're right they shouldn't so don't buy them for your ten year old then, and get pissed off when you ask him how his day was and he says he just spent the afternoon picking up hoes and then beating them up and takeing them money back in GTA. The ratings system was etablished by the ESRB a few years ago and I must say it's accurate and informative. And now sellers have posters and flyers all over the place explaining them. And even if you go to the right resller (Eb Games for life!!!) they'll be happy to assist you with any concerns or questions.
For those groups who think that games should not include violent matter alltogether need to awake up. We're adults making the decision to buy the games so we have the right to buy it.
This problem isn't going away anytime soon, graphics will get better and cheaper. Some people already have a hard time telling the diffrence between a real football telecast and John Madden football. The key here is simple, Knowledge. Parents, stay informed about the games your kids want. Do research and ask questions. I think one of the craziest things I've seen is when GTA San Andreas was first released I went to my local EB Games to wait in line with everyone else.
A few people in front of me was this lady who looked older but I paid her no mind. There was this little kid sitting to the side of the line and I figured it was just some dudes little brother and he got stuck waiting with him. Nope, it was the ladies kid! Couldn't have been more then 10 years old, she was waiting to get a copy of GTA for him! Come on people! Would I let my 10 year old play GTA? probably not, the old lady would kill me! But the point is that I know whats going on.
I'll sum up this rant I'll put a spin on an old phrase, "Don't hate the game...hate the playa".
Tonight it's video game violence. I'm proud to say that yes I am a game addict and I enjoy every minute of it and wouldn't change it. I spend a portion of my yearly income on games and have been playing games since I was in third grade and got the 8 bit Nintendo Entertainment System for christmas that year. Ahh, those were good times. I remember spending several hours in my room playing that thing, not moving to eat or do anything else productive. Ever since I picked up that controller I haven't put it down. Now back then, video games were considred "kids toys". They were enjoyed by a younger crowd for the most part and more then likely you were considered a nerd if you were an adult playing them. You had great games like Super Mario Brothers and Mike Tyson's Punch Out! to name a few. The graphics by todays standards were primative by todays standards but there were hours and years of fun to be had. And I think even the most violent of topics that were made games then, wern't depicted as too violent. I mean you had crappy movie games like Friday the 13th. Now of course the movies are gore fests but the game wasn't bad. No blood to be found if I remember right. I really didn't here any parents complaining about that game.
Then I remember the 16-bit era of gaming, when Sega's 16-bit Genesis had the throne then. Thats when violence began to take center stage as Mortal Kombat came to home consoles I think in 1995 or so. The Genesis version had all the blood and gore anabled with a code, while Nintendo bitched out at the time and decided to "sanatise" their release by replaceing the bllod with "sweat" and toning down the fatalities. A mistake which they did not make the second time around when it came time to bring Mortal Kombat 2 home. Even thinking back to those games, I still considered that "kid stuff". Nothing they couldn't see in a good horror flick or on the 9 o' clock news.
Nothing really comes to mind in the 32-bit era of major importance other then graphics were getting more realistic with fast changing and inexpensive technology. The Playstation established itself and today is a household name. Which kid these days doens't have a Playstation or PS2? Now you have the Ultra powerfull X-Box and PS2 and man have we come along way since the 8-bit NES! yeah you got grand theft auto and now one of the big deals is N.A.R.C. which allows players to take drugs like crack and weed for game enhancing effects.
I took you down memmory lane to get to my point. Video games aren't kid stuff anymore. Yes, I'll be the first one to tell you there violent and there is more sexuality being displayed. But look at the facts, the game playing public has grown up. The people who played the 8-bit Nintendos are now in their 20's or so. Obviosly our tastes have matured. You have all these parents and activists out there bitching about how our children shouldn't play games like GTA. Yup, you're right they shouldn't so don't buy them for your ten year old then, and get pissed off when you ask him how his day was and he says he just spent the afternoon picking up hoes and then beating them up and takeing them money back in GTA. The ratings system was etablished by the ESRB a few years ago and I must say it's accurate and informative. And now sellers have posters and flyers all over the place explaining them. And even if you go to the right resller (Eb Games for life!!!) they'll be happy to assist you with any concerns or questions.
For those groups who think that games should not include violent matter alltogether need to awake up. We're adults making the decision to buy the games so we have the right to buy it.
This problem isn't going away anytime soon, graphics will get better and cheaper. Some people already have a hard time telling the diffrence between a real football telecast and John Madden football. The key here is simple, Knowledge. Parents, stay informed about the games your kids want. Do research and ask questions. I think one of the craziest things I've seen is when GTA San Andreas was first released I went to my local EB Games to wait in line with everyone else.
A few people in front of me was this lady who looked older but I paid her no mind. There was this little kid sitting to the side of the line and I figured it was just some dudes little brother and he got stuck waiting with him. Nope, it was the ladies kid! Couldn't have been more then 10 years old, she was waiting to get a copy of GTA for him! Come on people! Would I let my 10 year old play GTA? probably not, the old lady would kill me! But the point is that I know whats going on.
I'll sum up this rant I'll put a spin on an old phrase, "Don't hate the game...hate the playa".
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Raw is snore
Ahh yes, pro wrestling. I've been watching it most of my life. In fact most of my family has been watching with me. I know I don't fit the stereotype-wrestling fan. I'm not a hick and I don't drink beer but I've stayed with it for so long, hell I feel I've been more then faithful. I've endured countless; "you know its fake, right?" from everyone and it never faded me a bit.
I was there before Stone Cold, before the Rock and before Shawn Michaels was the heartbreak kid. And I'll admit it was pretty good before it got popular and then it took off. From 98-2001 or so it was everywhere, and the shows were great. I've even gone to see the shows live and there isn't anything like that feeling. Sat second row ringside at a smackdown taping years ago, which was awesome. I could sit here all day and recall some of the greatest moments in wrestling history. From the entire Austin/McMahon feud to the Rock and Mankind battle. And I could argue all day long about who I think is the best wrestler today but that is another story.
Sure life was good and Raw was sensational every week, even beating out Monday night football for a little while. I kept up with WCW, but only for laughs usually. But it all had to end sometime, or did it?
Let's be honest here people, wrestling today SUCKS. At least I think so. Yeah it's got its moments but for the most part the product stinks. I think the whole thing started when the buyout happened. On March 26th, 2001 Vince McMahon announced that they had bought WCW. Which being a long time WWE fan I thought was stupendous at the time. That’s were they went wrong though. See, they lost competition. They lost the need to compete. At first it was dope though, a wrestling fan's dream come true. We got to see all the dream matches. The Rock Vs. Booker T was a big one for me. And it was cool. But then it got old. They kept the titles from both factions so there were like 10 or so different titles rolling around, which got ridiculous pretty quick. It was nice to see the rock as WCW champion though. At any rate then they decided to split the brands and cut the rosters. Real bad move. They were going o make Monday night Raw and Smackdown two different shows with different rosters. At first they really f'd up with that one. Splitting up long time tag teams like the dudly boys and the APA. We all knew the Bubuh Ray Dudly couldn't survive on his own for long. And at some point Devon joined his bro back on Raw anyway.
They’re too many Pay-Pay-views these days as well. They try to charge like 35 bucks each month and some months there are two. Yikes! I don't know why the WWE thinks we're made of money. I shell out too much good loot and cable as it is. (See previous post) Two PPV's with a lukewarm product at best doesn't cut it for me. Wrestlemania was 50 bucks. Yeah I caved and got it and it was actually a good show. Worth 50 dollars? Not really, I'd pay 40 easy.
Those god damn horrible Divas! Okay, yes I'm male and I enjoy the female figure just like anybody else, but if I want to see a half naked woman, I'll go get a porno mag. Wait, and they'll be totally naked! Seriously, I have no need for them with my wrestling and they spend way too time on TV. The worst was the "Raw diva search" contest that the WWE held a few months ago. The grand prize was a wwe contract worth $250,000 for one year. So for like three months they had these bimboes dancing around in the ring for about 20 minutes each segment each week on Raw participating in stupid events to make you vote for them. Boy, what a waist of 20 minutes. I honestly think they didn't think they could fill two hours with action so they thought that we would be cool if they came out...sure.
All this about Raw and I didn't mention Smackdown once. That show is alright. It's got allot of the younger talent that for the most part I have no real intrest in. I like John Cena and a few others but thats it really. I think the real problem I have with that show is it gets slow paced in the middle. I find myself watching the first 20 minutes, turning the channel and then turning it back the last 20 to watch the feature match up.
All right so I'm rambling a little, but they point is the same. Wrestling is bad and yet I keep watching. The glory days with the Rock and Stone cold are over. Well, Austin claims to back back but I'm sure he'll leave again soon enough. Yet I keep watching. I can't help it. It's like and old friend that comes to visit every Monday and Thursday nights. Will the product ever improve? I can't say. I think without someone to compete against we just might me screwed worse then Bret Hart in Montreal and have to deal with the 30-time champion HHH. I'm thrilled.
I was there before Stone Cold, before the Rock and before Shawn Michaels was the heartbreak kid. And I'll admit it was pretty good before it got popular and then it took off. From 98-2001 or so it was everywhere, and the shows were great. I've even gone to see the shows live and there isn't anything like that feeling. Sat second row ringside at a smackdown taping years ago, which was awesome. I could sit here all day and recall some of the greatest moments in wrestling history. From the entire Austin/McMahon feud to the Rock and Mankind battle. And I could argue all day long about who I think is the best wrestler today but that is another story.
Sure life was good and Raw was sensational every week, even beating out Monday night football for a little while. I kept up with WCW, but only for laughs usually. But it all had to end sometime, or did it?
Let's be honest here people, wrestling today SUCKS. At least I think so. Yeah it's got its moments but for the most part the product stinks. I think the whole thing started when the buyout happened. On March 26th, 2001 Vince McMahon announced that they had bought WCW. Which being a long time WWE fan I thought was stupendous at the time. That’s were they went wrong though. See, they lost competition. They lost the need to compete. At first it was dope though, a wrestling fan's dream come true. We got to see all the dream matches. The Rock Vs. Booker T was a big one for me. And it was cool. But then it got old. They kept the titles from both factions so there were like 10 or so different titles rolling around, which got ridiculous pretty quick. It was nice to see the rock as WCW champion though. At any rate then they decided to split the brands and cut the rosters. Real bad move. They were going o make Monday night Raw and Smackdown two different shows with different rosters. At first they really f'd up with that one. Splitting up long time tag teams like the dudly boys and the APA. We all knew the Bubuh Ray Dudly couldn't survive on his own for long. And at some point Devon joined his bro back on Raw anyway.
They’re too many Pay-Pay-views these days as well. They try to charge like 35 bucks each month and some months there are two. Yikes! I don't know why the WWE thinks we're made of money. I shell out too much good loot and cable as it is. (See previous post) Two PPV's with a lukewarm product at best doesn't cut it for me. Wrestlemania was 50 bucks. Yeah I caved and got it and it was actually a good show. Worth 50 dollars? Not really, I'd pay 40 easy.
Those god damn horrible Divas! Okay, yes I'm male and I enjoy the female figure just like anybody else, but if I want to see a half naked woman, I'll go get a porno mag. Wait, and they'll be totally naked! Seriously, I have no need for them with my wrestling and they spend way too time on TV. The worst was the "Raw diva search" contest that the WWE held a few months ago. The grand prize was a wwe contract worth $250,000 for one year. So for like three months they had these bimboes dancing around in the ring for about 20 minutes each segment each week on Raw participating in stupid events to make you vote for them. Boy, what a waist of 20 minutes. I honestly think they didn't think they could fill two hours with action so they thought that we would be cool if they came out...sure.
All this about Raw and I didn't mention Smackdown once. That show is alright. It's got allot of the younger talent that for the most part I have no real intrest in. I like John Cena and a few others but thats it really. I think the real problem I have with that show is it gets slow paced in the middle. I find myself watching the first 20 minutes, turning the channel and then turning it back the last 20 to watch the feature match up.
All right so I'm rambling a little, but they point is the same. Wrestling is bad and yet I keep watching. The glory days with the Rock and Stone cold are over. Well, Austin claims to back back but I'm sure he'll leave again soon enough. Yet I keep watching. I can't help it. It's like and old friend that comes to visit every Monday and Thursday nights. Will the product ever improve? I can't say. I think without someone to compete against we just might me screwed worse then Bret Hart in Montreal and have to deal with the 30-time champion HHH. I'm thrilled.
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
More Crap at 11
You know it amazes me. I shell out plenty of good cash to my local cable company every month but the quality of the cable is terrible.
Let's face it people, TV these days bites. I know some people out there don't want to admit it but I said it. There is hardly anything worth watching on Tv anymore. I know what you're saying, just like what my girlfriend says, If there isn't anything on TV then shut the cable off. Oh how I wish it were that simple. I spend allot of my free time in front of the TV. I work early in the morning so for the most part when I get home I'm tired and I just want to lounge around. Even on my days off, If I'm not watching it then I'm playing my video games. (One of my other passions in life) So of course I need some TV. Let's be real, Tv is so saturated with all this reality crap it's disgusting.
One of the horrible shows that comes to mind is fear factor on NBC. How stupid is that? That's right, I enjoy spending my Tv viewing time by watching some dude drink a mixture of pig brains, horse intestine and rooster testicles thrown into a blend for fifty grand, and not even a definite fifty grand, a better shot at fifty grand. Right. It amazes me the lengths people will go. A famous wrestler, the Million Dollar Man said it best, "Everybody's got a price". I didn't think much of that until this crap.
I think Fox has to be one of the worst culprits, coming up with such garbage as "My big fat obnoxious fiance" and that show where the families swap mothers or something. That's crap with a capital "C". Every time I turn around, they've come up with some new reality show, each new one worst then the last. At least CBS has stuck with the same ones for awhile now, like Survivor and Big Brother. Not that those are any better, they're still terrible. Now I'll admit I've given them a shot. My girlfriend loves big brother and CBS does a new one every summer. I watched the last one for the most part, but I hate myself for it. That show in paticular strikes me because it shows just how bad people can be towards one another for a couple of bucks. Lying, cheating and stealing are the name of that game. Hell, I experience just how bad people can be to one another every day when I go to work (I work in the service industry) and I'm not getting half a million bucks for it, that's for damn sure. I'm not even going to begin to mention the dribble that is American idol.
And what about MTV? My god, I think I found bigger perpetrators then Fox! I remember when MTV used to be about music videos. I remember growing up at my mothers house and the local cable company finally carrying MTV. I used to watch it all the time, FOR THE VIDEOS!
Now it's all about junk like the real world, the real world/ Road rules challenge and MADE to name a few. My girlfriend like the Real world/Road rules challenges, but once again it's just all about watching how bad people can be for money. Worst of all on the challenge shows it's like the same 20 people that were on the last one! The real world concept was kind of cool at first thinking about it now. You take seven strangers, put them in a house and watch them co-exist.
After the eleventh show and location the whole idea gets old. You've got the same stereotypical people on each one. The gay guy, the angry black guy, the nieve girl form the small town and if you're lucky, you get a gay black guy. What about MADE? How much bullshit is that? They find young teenagers and make them something they're not. I remember one where they took the nerd girl and made her prom queen. IN NO WAY IS THAT HOW IT WORKS!!! The nerds are the nerds, enough said. The prom queens are the super popular ones that date the football captain. Mind you, they've done this same type of episode three different times or so, just different place with different people. Or what about when they tried to make this guy, who's completely uncoordinated into a basketball player to make his school team? One could argue that hey, they're just trying to unlock these people's hidden potential. Trying to give them better self esteem and a chance to do something that they couldn't accomplish on they're own. Great, just don't waste TV time doing it.
So let me guess, you're next question is what do I watch. CLASSIC TV for the most part. Thank god for stations like TV Land and Nick at night. And TBS is big on showing old stuff too. The best Tv came out of the 70's. 80's and early 90's. Television was a much better place when all you had on where Sitcoms, game shows and you're night time dramas. And let's not forget cartoons all morning on Saturdays which now are a thing of the past but once again I won't go into that mess until a later post.
I also watch G4 TV as you can see from the link because, well, I'm a game-a-holic to say the least. I absolutely Love XPLAY and watch it like all 5 times it comes on during the day.
I must confess however that I do have one guilty pleasure that I watch that is reality based.
I watch Maury. Yeah, I see the smile, looks like I don't hate reality TV as much as I claim, right? Well I'm convinced that some of that is scripted anyway, so it doesn't count. I also enjoy my WWE Tv. Those shows are also for the most part in the toilet as far as quality is concerned.
Do I see a light at the end of the tunnel? Will Tv ever be what it was years ago? No and No. At least in my lifetime anyway. This reality stuff unfortunately isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so I have to deal by keeping my Tv on the same three netwoks I always watch. My GF's aunt brought up a point that perhaps some has to die before people will learn, I can only hope.
Let's face it people, TV these days bites. I know some people out there don't want to admit it but I said it. There is hardly anything worth watching on Tv anymore. I know what you're saying, just like what my girlfriend says, If there isn't anything on TV then shut the cable off. Oh how I wish it were that simple. I spend allot of my free time in front of the TV. I work early in the morning so for the most part when I get home I'm tired and I just want to lounge around. Even on my days off, If I'm not watching it then I'm playing my video games. (One of my other passions in life) So of course I need some TV. Let's be real, Tv is so saturated with all this reality crap it's disgusting.
One of the horrible shows that comes to mind is fear factor on NBC. How stupid is that? That's right, I enjoy spending my Tv viewing time by watching some dude drink a mixture of pig brains, horse intestine and rooster testicles thrown into a blend for fifty grand, and not even a definite fifty grand, a better shot at fifty grand. Right. It amazes me the lengths people will go. A famous wrestler, the Million Dollar Man said it best, "Everybody's got a price". I didn't think much of that until this crap.
I think Fox has to be one of the worst culprits, coming up with such garbage as "My big fat obnoxious fiance" and that show where the families swap mothers or something. That's crap with a capital "C". Every time I turn around, they've come up with some new reality show, each new one worst then the last. At least CBS has stuck with the same ones for awhile now, like Survivor and Big Brother. Not that those are any better, they're still terrible. Now I'll admit I've given them a shot. My girlfriend loves big brother and CBS does a new one every summer. I watched the last one for the most part, but I hate myself for it. That show in paticular strikes me because it shows just how bad people can be towards one another for a couple of bucks. Lying, cheating and stealing are the name of that game. Hell, I experience just how bad people can be to one another every day when I go to work (I work in the service industry) and I'm not getting half a million bucks for it, that's for damn sure. I'm not even going to begin to mention the dribble that is American idol.
And what about MTV? My god, I think I found bigger perpetrators then Fox! I remember when MTV used to be about music videos. I remember growing up at my mothers house and the local cable company finally carrying MTV. I used to watch it all the time, FOR THE VIDEOS!
Now it's all about junk like the real world, the real world/ Road rules challenge and MADE to name a few. My girlfriend like the Real world/Road rules challenges, but once again it's just all about watching how bad people can be for money. Worst of all on the challenge shows it's like the same 20 people that were on the last one! The real world concept was kind of cool at first thinking about it now. You take seven strangers, put them in a house and watch them co-exist.
After the eleventh show and location the whole idea gets old. You've got the same stereotypical people on each one. The gay guy, the angry black guy, the nieve girl form the small town and if you're lucky, you get a gay black guy. What about MADE? How much bullshit is that? They find young teenagers and make them something they're not. I remember one where they took the nerd girl and made her prom queen. IN NO WAY IS THAT HOW IT WORKS!!! The nerds are the nerds, enough said. The prom queens are the super popular ones that date the football captain. Mind you, they've done this same type of episode three different times or so, just different place with different people. Or what about when they tried to make this guy, who's completely uncoordinated into a basketball player to make his school team? One could argue that hey, they're just trying to unlock these people's hidden potential. Trying to give them better self esteem and a chance to do something that they couldn't accomplish on they're own. Great, just don't waste TV time doing it.
So let me guess, you're next question is what do I watch. CLASSIC TV for the most part. Thank god for stations like TV Land and Nick at night. And TBS is big on showing old stuff too. The best Tv came out of the 70's. 80's and early 90's. Television was a much better place when all you had on where Sitcoms, game shows and you're night time dramas. And let's not forget cartoons all morning on Saturdays which now are a thing of the past but once again I won't go into that mess until a later post.
I also watch G4 TV as you can see from the link because, well, I'm a game-a-holic to say the least. I absolutely Love XPLAY and watch it like all 5 times it comes on during the day.
I must confess however that I do have one guilty pleasure that I watch that is reality based.
I watch Maury. Yeah, I see the smile, looks like I don't hate reality TV as much as I claim, right? Well I'm convinced that some of that is scripted anyway, so it doesn't count. I also enjoy my WWE Tv. Those shows are also for the most part in the toilet as far as quality is concerned.
Do I see a light at the end of the tunnel? Will Tv ever be what it was years ago? No and No. At least in my lifetime anyway. This reality stuff unfortunately isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so I have to deal by keeping my Tv on the same three netwoks I always watch. My GF's aunt brought up a point that perhaps some has to die before people will learn, I can only hope.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
In the beginning...
Okay, so this is my first crack at blogging. At first I thought the whole thing was kind of dumb.
My girlfriend has one for knitting and had made a few friends from it. But after some convincing, I decided to give it a shot. I'm going to use this as a soapbox like so many others. I'm going to warn you know, I'm very opionated. I'll talk about everything from Celebrities to politics; religion to pornography, nothing to off limits to me. I'll tell you what's cool and what isn't. I might even give you insight on what it's like to take a walk in my shoes.
I know everybody isn't going to agree with me (that's my favorite part of all this!) but that's free speech for ya'! Even if I've got your attention for five minutes and you think what I have to say is terrible, hey great. If you read and agree with me, awesome!
So pull up a chair and open your mind, you just might learn something.
My girlfriend has one for knitting and had made a few friends from it. But after some convincing, I decided to give it a shot. I'm going to use this as a soapbox like so many others. I'm going to warn you know, I'm very opionated. I'll talk about everything from Celebrities to politics; religion to pornography, nothing to off limits to me. I'll tell you what's cool and what isn't. I might even give you insight on what it's like to take a walk in my shoes.
I know everybody isn't going to agree with me (that's my favorite part of all this!) but that's free speech for ya'! Even if I've got your attention for five minutes and you think what I have to say is terrible, hey great. If you read and agree with me, awesome!
So pull up a chair and open your mind, you just might learn something.
Monday, March 28, 2005
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