Retro Video Review Fixes and Improvements #1

January 25, 2008

This I just a list of fixes that Matty Jay and I made on our retro video reviews which you can find here.

Improvements made in Totally Rad Review

new microphone
shorter recording takes
more clarification of the role of Matty Jay
longer review by 2 minutes
much more personality, clarity and consistency in voicework
louder voicework (that was my fault)

Further Issues to Work on

the Totally Rad review dragged on a little long
be straight to the point
the writing should match up with the video more often
still some white noise in the background
some mouse clicking between pauses
introduction is still a bit too long; 40 seconds
the video, voicework and writing needs to feel more consistent and flowing, so no more boring bits of writing, voicework inconsistencies etc

I’m not sure how many of these issues will be iron out for the next review as we have already recorded the follow up review. But I might change the order around and do a new review next time.

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Stephen Welton’s Blogging Success Challenge!

June 20, 2007

It may surprise that you that although I blog about videogames I don’t really read many video game blogs. Most of the blogs that I read are about internet entrepreneurs, blogging and success. I find these blogs very motivating and inspiring.

Today I wanted to share something that a fellow blogger wrote about success. Stephen Welton set his readers a challenge, titled Stephen Welton?’s Blogging Success Challenge! Stephen’s idea is that visual images of what we want to achieve in life continuously inspire us to try and reach that goal. This is because when we visualize that image it reminds us of how much we want to be successful and it motivates us to do so. Now Stephen’s challenge was for his readers to:

Go out and take a photo of something you want of something you really care about that you consider to be part of YOUR success. It could be something you already achieved or something you want. It could be something you consider important to you like your family. Whatever it is post it on your site explaining how and WHY it?’s part of YOUR success and the feelings you associate to it.

So here is my image:

Racoon Mario from Super Mario Bros. 3

Probably doesn’t make a lot of sense right? Allow me to explain. When I reflect back on my life I always remember that I was the most happiest when I was a child. Growing up my brother and I where the biggest fans of Super Mario Bros. And nothing made us happier than Mario. We loved that Italian so much.

Something that I strive for in life is working hard and being happy with my life. And nothing represents that more so than Mario in his finest form(Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World). Therefore my success is being happy with my life. I definitely believe that I currently live a happy life but I don’t think that I am as happy as I could be.

To live an even happier life I think that I need to have more time and freedom for my creative output. So once I finish Uni, get some more time to build some projects of my own and have more balance in life. Therefore being happy is a continuous goal of mine.

I encourage other bloggers to take part in this clever blogging challenge. All of the details can be found here. I hope that you find this concept as helpful and insightful as I have.

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Tags: Video Games, Stephen Welton, blogging challenge, blog, super mario bros 3, success
Posted in Video Games | Comments (1)

A Gaming Journal

February 15, 2007

Most listened : X - OST
Most played : RE4
Current mood : Chillin’ live a villain

I hardly ever blog about gaming but considering that I’ve spent the last few days gaming I figure it’d be best talking about that. But before that just a quick talk about other stuff. Next week is my last week of holidays. Which I guess is a bad thing, although it will be great getting some routine back into my life. It won’t be that bad really, I have Thursday off and I only have to go in for an hour on Friday and Thursday. So it will still be fine.I’ve decided that if I continue to get few hours at work then I’ll apply for another place or see about what I can do to get some $ thru the internet. Work isn’t too bad really but I’d still like more.—Now onward to gaming. Since I’m going to 2 Uni’s that means double the possibilities for joining clubs. I’ll probably join the respective anime and video games clubs. There really isn’t much else there to choose from. Altho I should join a chinese club, its a pity that there’s no photography club.

Anyway the gaming clubs should help me play games more socially, as Chris is always bitching about how I never play games with him. I’m a wee pity particular about multiplayer gaming. I hate playing multiplayer games on the PC. But I’ll play a round of Mario Kart any day.

This week I’ve been majorly whoring out Resident Evil 4. This is odd for me as I never whore out a game, infact I despise it. But RE4 is different, although I’ve been playing it a lot I haven’t been rushing thru it. I’ve just played it a lot. You see I’ve been dying to find out what happens in the end. Now because the only released media of the game is on the first disc, I assumed that the game is shorter than it is. So I get to a point and I’m like, ‘c’mon Dan just to the end of this map and I can find out what happens’. Then once I’ve finished the map I’ll see another one and then think ‘ok, this HAS to be the last one, just keep going’.

I haven’t been playing much of the GBA Castlevania twin pack that I bought last weekend. I just got use to the feel of the game and then played RE4. I’m still a bit stuck with the gameplay, its too hard to figure out when I can just play some RE4.

I’ve decided to invest in the previous Resident Evil games if the chance pops up. Just to experience the story, I’ve read up everything on it @ Wikipedia but I still wanna play thru.
This RE4 love has translated into love for Capcom. Which comes to the next point. Shortly after I figure out my Uni expenses(which won’t be too much) I shall probably buy a PS2 and some games. Its gonna ram up my list of games I gotta finish. But thats fine as I plan on being more particular about my games from now on. I currently have 30 games on my ‘to finish’ list, so another 20 odd PS2 would drown me out for the next 4 years. I’ve managed to clear off about 10 game this holidays, but then I had to buy a Wii and then more games.

I’m really looking forward to Devil May Cry 3 and Onimusha Dawn of Dreams. Both look like great action games. And they are Capcom as well. I’m also looking forward to some more fighting games, mainly Tekken 5 and Guilty Gear X2. Its been too long since I’ve played Tekken 3. OMFG that game rules. There’s much talk about God of War 2 so I may consider that one as well.

I’m also dying to play Sonic the Hedgehog for the Wii’s VC. Man I played it @ a friends place and its so ace. The Wii hasn’t seen much play time this holidays. Its because I need to clear off some older games now, especially the Gamecube games building up. I’ve hardly played Killer 7, Viewtiful Joe 2, Batallion Wars or RE Remake.

That should do me for now. So many games to look forward to. I’ve definitely been trying/going to continue trying to keep playing games more this year. Last year was so awful, hardly got to play any games. So I wanna keep this activity nice and snuggly this year.

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Tags: Video Games, resident evil, playstation 2, killer 7, castlevania, blog
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Giving back some credit : PSP sales

February 9, 2007

With the recent global success of the Nintendo DS, there has been a very positive outlook put on the console from video game websites and community forums. Too many times will you read of the complete sales insanity in Japan or the non stop sell outs accross the globe. But with all of this going on, little light has been shon on the consoles competitor; the Sony Playstation Portable. It too deserves some credit for its success in the market place and hence this article shall highlight its success.

The facts

*NB: I have taken my sales data from Wikipedia

Theres no doubt about it the DS is taking the world by storm both in the hardware and software areas. Sales data from Wikipedia states that the Nintendo DS has sold 35.61 million as of December 31, 2006 and Sony have shipped 22.94 million units as of September 30, 2006. The 2 consoles have been the only real players in the handheld gaming market for the last 2/3 years.

You gotta say it the PSP is quite hawt baby

Now lets assume that over the Christmas break Sony sold the PSP that have been shipped and a few more in the past month or so and the same said for the DS in the past 2 months. So lets estimate the numbers at the current time to be something like DS : 36 million and the PSP : 24 million. Now this actually works out nicely for my market share estimate which I shall get to later.

We also need to take into account the release dates of the 2 consoles. Since there is at least a year difference in region releases for each console, I’ve roughly worked out average release dates for each console.

And to round off my collection of data I’ll throw in the best selling game for each console.

Console : Market Share : Average release date

DS : 60% Feburary 2005
PSP : 40% May 2005

Behind the facts

Now with the facts listed, lets take a closer look. The first obvious point is that the DS was released several months before the PSP therefore the DS got a little bit of a head start. Also when you look at the release dates the DS was released at more important times for the consumer, being just before Christmas in some countries. We all know that a good launch is important to get the ball rolling.

One of the biggest hurdles that the PSP has had to overcome is that before its released the general public perception of handheld videogames is that they are made for young children and teenagers. Now the Playstation audience is somewhere in the 18-30 year old market. Therefore when Sony release a portable console its inevitabal. They have two choices, fight public perception or change the perception. So there’s was no easy option for them.

Its been quality software like MGS PO selling PSPs and not the GPS or goggles

In addition to the stereotypes of portable consoles, Sony also have had to face a similar hurdle. Being that the the public relate handheld gaming to the Gameboy. This is because the Gameboy has never had any real competitors until now. Fortunately with the DS taking the Gameboy’s limelight this hasn’t been too bad.

Now despite these hurdles in which Sony has had to over come they have still managed to take 40% of the market share from Nintendo. This is what too many people seem to overlook. People tend to think that the PSP is failing because it isn’t level with the DS in sales. But this is not the case. 40% of the market for a new competitor is fantastic. This 40% market share certainly is a slap in the face for Nintendo and their whole “invading the market” stratergy. As Sony have come in and invaded some of their own market.

Well thats my spill on the whole situation. I hope that this restores some faith back into the PSP fans out there.