Posted on

It's a brand new world…..

Actually, that’s a lie. It’s a new subdomain on my existing domain with the new version of my site on it. I haven’t posted in ages and I’m not sure that state of affairs will be changing any time soon.

In reality the only reason for the change is to basically remove the shitty dependency on InvisionBoard because it basically keeps fucking up on me cos its out of date. I can’t really complain, I could have paid for a full blown copy, but on the basis that I don’t update this site very often and also that InvisionBoard isn’t a fucking blog, it seemed a bit stupid.

I’ve been through and manually imported most of my old BarrysWorld columns into WordPress. If anyone has a way of automating the process (i.e. knows of a script) then I’d love to hear from them because I’m not looking forward to doing every single post by hand!

In other oh-so-boring news, I decided to register another domain name. This time called TheBoards.eu I didn’t really have much of a reason for doing this, I just figured it would be nice to try and start a Europe wide board where people can come and chat about anything and everything.

Might cya in 2007 if I can be bothered to post!

Posted on

Backtrack?!? Moi?!? Never….. (ok Well Maybe)

http://www.barrysworld.com/news/columns.asp?Category=6&Author=82

Backtrack?!? Moi?!? Never….. (ok well maybe) | Comments (2)
Sunday, February 2, 2003, 01:36

Engine room, full reverse!
Anybody that knows me, knows for damn sure that getting me to admit that I was wrong is about as easy as getting blood from a stone…… using a cotton wool bud….. in a dark room….. while hanging upside down from the ceiling….. having small children beat you with sticks like you’re a piñata….. while naked. Basically it’s more effort than its worth.

So if it’s so damn hard, what am I about to confess to being wrong about?

Microsoft’s X-Box

Yes, that’s right. You didn’t read it wrong. The above line does indeed contain the words “Microsoft’s” and “X-Box”. They are not typos, this is the real deal. Yes I’m serious.

Now to understand my backtracking, you have to understand the history. When I first laid my eyes on the X-Box I literally started laughing. You know, like we all did when we first heard somebody had given the Cheeky Girls a recoding contract. Why? The usual reasons of course, I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about;

“You can’t be serious, that thing’s bigger than my house”….. “Will I need to reinforce the floor in my living room before buying that?”….. “Can I order mine now and pick it up in 2005, because by then I should have been working out long enough to `actually` pick it up”….. “No really, where is the actual controller?”

Anyway to skip forward, we’ve been through all the days in 2002 now. Those calendars have all been torn down, 2k2 is dead and buried, 6ft under, alongside all those john doe’s and right beside the Christmas console title releases. Frankly in my mind “stank worse than a rotting corpse” is the only accurate comparison for the Crimbo releases of 2002. Not a single gem, no diamond in this rough. Bad, bad, bad, bad, BAD!

So there I was, it’s January 2003 and, despite the `upcoming` (read as: taking too fucking long to arrive) release of the Sonic Mega Collection, the amount of dust gathering on my GameCube is making such a mockery of its beautiful design that I’m contemplating stamping on it to put it out of its misery. If only I could use it to play the spinky Red Dwarf – Season 1 DVD (if you’ve not got this, GO ORDER NOW & pre-order Season 2 while you’re at it) maybe I’d feel better. Then again, DVD playback was about all my PlayStation 2 had been doing. While I confess that Capcom vs. SNK 2 & Marvel vs. Capcom 2 had forced me to shower my PS2 with a minute amount of my attention, it simply wasn’t enough.

So in summary, Console Freakoid (moi) + Crimbo 2k2 (shite releases) = Loss of faith in Nintendo & Sony (shit, that is bad)

Then it happened, a mate of mine who had owned an X-Box for a while got a copy of MechAssault. I didn’t need to have somebody explain to me why the concept of “big killing robot style machines making pretty explosions” was such a winning one, I was hooked. Did it have something to do with me beating the crap out of my mate, was I under the influence of certain substances that shall remain nameless, I can’t be sure. The only thing that I do know is there and then I decided I was to become an X-Box owner.

So, now on my left as I type, sits my latest acquisition, it’s big, it’s black, it makes a whiney noise….. no it’s not a bloody Doberman for god’s sake! It is of course an X-Box, comprising the Console, DVD Playback Kit (so very gay), Controller S, Live! Kit and MechAssault, with an empty wallet thrown in for good measure.

So, what’s my backtrack? The X-Box is a good console. Yes, it’s fucking huge. Yes if you’re not American the original controller is gay. Yes uncle bill is still a wanker for making extra cash on a piece of shit remote control for DVD playback (what’s new). But the games are good, Live works & is good, Controller S is good. There you go, my piss poor backtrack. I hope you all enjoyed it more than I did, really I do.

Forums….. Consoles….. nah, that’s a shit idea
Started work on a new small project I’ve wanted to do for a damn long time. ConsoleForums.org is now up and running, admittedly in a half-arsed capacity but did you expect anything else. So if you like, Consoles and Forums, well erm click the link!….. woo!…. ok, I’ll shut up now.

Ch3tan`s Gone!
Good buddy of mine in real life, one of the more charismatic (?!?) Counter-Strike admins & all round “in the community” bloke, Chetan has departed from the shores of good ole blighty and headed off for an adventure (with his lass there to hold his hand should the big ole world prove too scary, obviously).

Read about his adventures on his website (which I have to keep fixing because he breaks!!!).

That’s all folks
And with that, I’m outta here.

Remember, watch the skies….. another space shuttle could explode :{
Rob / MYstIC G

Posted on

Barrybeer 2002

http://www.barrysworld.com/news/columns.asp?Author=82&Category=6&Item=27537

BarryBeer 2002 | Post a comment..
Saturday, December 7, 2002, 01:57

Well with the amount of Red Bull that overflowed my glass this evening, I`m going to be up for a good while yet. So I thought to myself what better way to put myself to sleep than to proofread my own ranting about this evening’s merriment.

Where the heck was it?
The Devereux
20, Devereux Ct
London
WC2R 3JJ

Who turned up?
(from memory so sorry for any glaring omissions, please feel free to kill me, steal my identity & put yourself in here if I miss you out 🙂 )
TedTheDog (\o/), Luap (\o/), Steiny, Athan, TdC, Summo, WPKenny, Damini, Will, Ch3tan (\o/), gremlin (\o/), Scooba Da Bass….. stupid bloody word, stop underlining these in red….. DJpringle, Excession, Horus (\o/), Lecter, MrBenn, pixie, pills, Zarjazz, SK, Whisk (\o/), uberfrag, Daishi….. erm struggling now….. CJRavey, Duke Mook, granny (\o/), whipped, camacotz (or xane *spit*), Zappeh….. *end of memory*….. and of course myself (\o/).

*(\o/) denotes secret #HAI undercover assassins.

What happened?
Its one of those things that’s entirely too hard to actually describe. Suffice to say there will no doubt be a vast array of pictures appearing about the place in the next few days/weeks that (if I can be bothered) I’ll link to from here. However the highlights included: Drinking, Smoking, passing on IRC hate messages from people to TedTheDog, the avalanche of a good couple of hundred BarrysWorld beer mats being chucked all over the bar, much more drinking, redecoration of the bar with the obligatory BarrysWorld logos, a promise from the honcho at GAME that acquired BarrysWorld that we could keep the green (VICTORY! \o/), flying peppered chicken, Prizes!!!, Lecter not being the worst dressed, reasonably attractive barmaids, finding out that TdC was “lubed and ready for action”, more smoking (thanks to the generosity of Summo, bloody cigarette machines)….. too many of these, nuts to using list tags to sort them out…..

You mentioned Prizes, who won?
Can’t remember, will ask about & add that in.

Piccies?
I’ll be mirroring as many of these as I can at http://www.ircllama.com/mysticg/gallery/bb2002 as & when I get the chance. For now the only gems are from Lecter and can be found at http://lecter.teczone.net/barrybeer2002/1.jpg – 10.jpg

Anything else?
No, not really. That’s a lie, I’m losing interest in typing what with it being around 2am.

Until next time, take care crossing the streets
Rob / MYstIC G

Posted on

Good Luck Peeps

http://www.barrysworld.com/news/columns.asp?Author=82&Category=6&Item=26868

Good Luck Peeps | Comments (1)
Friday, August 16, 2002, 12:43

My commitments to my work and an agreement with TedTheDog have kept me from updating this column for a very long time, however I feel this one needs to be done.

I`d like to wish all the guys at BarrysWorld the best of luck now the service is going P2P, I hope it all goes well both now and long into the future.

All the best
Rob / MYstIC G

P.S. – Links are cool….. 🙂

Posted on

The Powers That Be?

http://www.barrysworld.com/news/columns.asp?Author=82&Category=6&Item=25603

The Powers That Be? | Comments (2)
Tuesday, January 15, 2002, 02:55

Sorry, too tired & too hastled to even try for something that will push the limits of thinking about gaming (yeah right, like I do that anyway). So instead I thought (seeing as the opportunity arose) that I`d post something akin to QuakeNations IRC lamer of the day, except this time its the IRCops taking center stage.

QuakeNet: the british rail of IRC networks 😉
(Because on QuakeNet even the netsplits don`t happen on time 🙂

*** MYstIC_G sets mode: +ws
[00:53] !lou! yes
[00:53] !jewel! froo =(((((
[00:53] !splidge! aww 🙁
[00:53] !Softis! froo.. :/ w00t?
[00:53] !lou! froo … ieeks
[00:53] !lou! hairy old man
[00:54] !lou! gnihihihihi
[00:54] !jewel! bwhahaha.. and u are a virgin =/
[00:54] !lou! 😮
[00:54] !splidge! /me huggles jewel
[00:54] !lou! tell no one!
[00:54] !slug! abuse!
[00:54] !jewel! ehr… 50% of Qnet probly knows by now =)
[00:54] !splidge! must have more abuse!
[00:55] !froo! abuse me, Softis!
[00:55] !lou! ok 50% is ok
[00:55] !lou! but tell no one else
[00:55] !jewel! goodie =))) /me hugs lou
[00:55] !splidge! /me tells everyone
[00:55] !lou! 😮
[00:55] !slug! do i keep having to remind you to m00 m00re?
[00:55] !jewel! oi splidgey, lets do some broadcasts =))
[00:55] !splidge! m000000000000000000()()()()()o()()o()()o()()0000
[00:56] !slug! m 0 0 () o () oo ()oo()
[00:56] !splidge! /msg q broadcast set +w NOW
[00:56] !slug! laff
[00:56] !splidge! the fun is about to begin!
[00:56] !jewel! /msg q broadcast i have a secret about lou!
[00:56] !splidge! it`s data`s attempt on the world record for Number of Netsplits in a 5 Minute Period!
[00:56] !lou! ~ *_* ~
[00:56] !slug! \o/
[00:56] !Softis! /me abuses froo in all ways possible..
[00:56] !jewel! data is 1337
[00:56] !splidge! the record is currently (fumbles a bit)
[00:57] !froo! OMG! Ze Britz Are C0ming!
[00:57] !splidge! erm
[00:57] !lou! he is not
[00:57] !lou! != 1337
[00:57] !splidge! we don`t actually know!
[00:57] !jewel! he`s not? =(
[00:57] !splidge! but he`s going to try anyway!
[00:57] !lou! date != 1337 even
[00:57] !jewel! e+a
[00:57] !splidge! and if softis and froo would stop abusing each other there we might be able to watch!
[00:57] !lou! s+f
[00:58] !lou! foftis
[00:58] !lou! *gnihihihih*
[00:58] !splidge! only a few minutes to go now!
[00:58] !splidge! I hope you all have your popcorn ready!
[00:58] !slug! /me hands out coke
[00:58] !splidge! soft drinks, crisps and other light refreshments are available in the foyer!
[00:59] !Softis! switch($netsplit>reason) { case `splidge`: blame “splidge”; break; default: blame “lou”; break; }
[00:59] !splidge! i didn`t think anyone could be more annoying than lou but splidge is getting close 🙂
[00:59] !splidge! go me!
[00:59] !froo! makes a mental note about abusing
[00:59] !jewel! gg splidgey!
[01:00] !jewel! and philosophychica, lou is not annoying.. he is cute
[01:00] !splidge! jewel is biased!
[01:00] !froo! /me starts chanting: “lou, lou, lou, LOU!”
[01:00] !slug! while ($lou ne `sane`) wallops `cat /dev/urandom`;
[01:00] !splidge! I can optimise that slug
[01:01] !lou! heh!
[01:01] !lou! stop
[01:01] !jewel! splidgey, i am not
[01:01] !splidge! wallops pointless comparison!
[01:01] !lou! picking on mw
[01:01] !lou! sgkjdfskljsdf
[01:01] !lou! ME!
[01:01] !splidge! I`m so exited I`m double wallopsing!
[01:01] !slug! exited? lol
[01:01] !froo! i`m the cutest (next to lensiepoh)
[01:02] !splidge! and news just in from our observation team
[01:02] !splidge! we believe the man to make the attempt, Mr. ]data[ (applause please)
[01:02] !splidge! is lost on the DLR!
[01:02] !splidge! DLR, for those who don`t know, meaning Docklands Light Railway
[01:03] !slug! overview here: [URL=http://www.dlr.co.uk/netmaps/graphics/dlr_network.gif]http://www.dlr.co.uk/netmaps/graphics/dlr_network.gif[/URL]
[01:04] !slug! splidge: where is he on the map?
[01:05] !splidge! No idea
[01:05] !splidge! /me looks at map
[01:05] !froo! /me points for splidge
[01:05] !HellMagic! /me looks at /map
[01:06] !froo! ATTENTION QUAKENET USERS. THIS IS A WALLOP. IT`
[01:06] !froo! S CURRENTLY BEING ABUSED
[01:07] !lou! omg, attention pls
[01:07] !splidge! I hope he remembered to change trains!
[01:09] !slug! and hope he isn`t on the circle line =)
[01:10] !splidge! or even doing the circle line pub crawl!
[01:10] !splidge! not the ideal prelude to router reconfiguration
[01:11] !splidge! although thanks to the UK`s marvellous licensing laws I doubt the pubs are open!
[01:15] !splidge! * rolls drums more
[01:15] !HellMagic! 😀
[01:15] [S] Netsplit: stockholm.se.quakenet.org Remote SQUIT by HellMagic
[01:15] [S] Netsplit: hub.uk.quakenet.org <> eXscape.us.quakenet.org (rerouting to hub.se)
[01:15] !hub.se.quakenet.org! Remote CONNECT eXscape* 4400 from HellMagic
[01:16] [S] Netmerge: hub.se.quakenet.org >< eXscape.us.quakenet.org [01:16] !splidge! * crashes cymbals [01:16] [S] Netmerge: eXscape.us.quakenet.org. Net burst completed [01:16] !splidge! yes! [01:16] !HellMagic! 🙂 [01:16] !splidge! and now that the prelude is over [01:16] !splidge! it`s datataatatataatatata himself for the main event! [01:18] !splidge! someone has stolen data`s b0rking stick! [01:19] !Nomad! splidge...are you drunk ? [01:19] !splidge! somewhat worryingly.. no [01:20] !Nomad! splidge...forgot to take your medication ? [01:20] !splidge! ah, this might explain a few things [01:20] !Nomad! splidge...remember...3 m00`s a day [01:20] !splidge! oooh dear [01:21] !splidge! I think I`m up to about 10 [01:21] !splidge! this might explain things [01:21] [S] Netmerge: eXscape.us.quakenet.org Net burst acknowledged [01:32] !splidge! he`s back! [01:32] !splidge! with a shiny new b0rking stick [01:33] !HellMagic! yay! [01:33] !splidge! TIME TO BREAK STUFF (tm) [01:34] !HellMagic! â„¢ Much Later (Warning: Boring bit alert) [02:28] [S] Netsplit: blueyonder1.uk.quakenet.org <> hub.uk.quakenet.org (Ping timeout)
[02:30] [S] Netmerge: blueyonder1.uk.quakenet.org >< hub.de.quakenet.org [02:31] [S] Netmerge: hub.de.quakenet.org. - Net burst completed [02:31] [S] Netmerge: hub.de.quakenet.org - Net burst acknowledged [02:31] [S] Netmerge: hub.dk.quakenet.org - Net burst acknowledged [02:31] [S] Netmerge: irc.be.quakenet.org - Net burst acknowledged [02:31] !hub.de.quakenet.org! Remote CONNECT chat.uk* 4400 from pils [02:31] [S] Netmerge: hub.de.quakenet.org >< chat.uk.quakenet.org [02:31] [S] Netmerge: chat.uk.quakenet.org. - Net burst completed [02:32] [S] Netmerge: chat.uk.quakenet.org - Net burst acknowledged [02:33] [S] Netmerge: hub.dk.quakenet.org >< hub.uk.quakenet.org [02:34] [S] Netmerge: hub.uk.quakenet.org. - Net burst completed [02:35] [S] Netmerge: hub.uk.quakenet.org - Net burst acknowledged Much Much Later 02:50] * +meg¦afk slaps data[teleh0se] around a bit with a large haddock [02:51] <+data[teleh0se]> nothing has gone wrong
[02:51] < +data[teleh0se]> 😛
[02:51] < +Acronym> ….. YET

Posted on

Baldies, Boxes, Cables, Ircops & Morons(me)

http://www.barrysworld.com/news/columns.asp?Author=82&Category=6&Item=24899

Baldies, Boxes, Cables, IRCops & Morons(Me) | Comments (3)
Tuesday, October 2, 2001, 01:54

I know I aint updated in a long while and believe me @ 1:40am I`m not going to be making a long drawn out column with which to bore you all to tears with, only because I`m too tired of course 😉

Today BW moved its boxes from L3 to Harbour Exchange in Docklands, I had a half day so went along to help out and must admit it was good to meet a few of the peeps from IRC in the “Real World” or whatever its called these days.

Things I learnt…..
Deathace – is really bald 😉
TedTheDog – bleeds easily 😉
Natrat – loves freebies 😉
}data{ – definatly earned the term }data{ b0rk3d it 😉
MYstIC G – knows sweet FA about proper servers 🙁

That reminds me I just wanted to let everybody know that lugging things around is all well and good, knowing that some of them are Quake 3 servers is really bad 😉

with that I`m going to bed, l8rs
MYstIC G

Posted on

Long Commentary

http://www.barrysworld.com/news/columns.asp?Author=82&Category=6&Item=24488

Long Commentary | Comments (1)
Sunday, August 12, 2001, 23:01

Having just read Leviathon`s column over on QuakeNation I’ve got to admit that it got me thinking a bit more about admining in general and cheating on the whole. Now I am fully aware that cheating has been covered before and that nowadays, in terms of subject matter, it seems older and dryer than the Sahara Desert.

I`m also fully aware that everybody out there has an opinion on cheating and what does/doesn`t fit into that category so I`m not setting out to take chunks out of Leviathon or his perspective on cheating (so please don`t take this as such m8). Basically what I`m doing is making a comment that I thought was far too long to tack onto the bottom of his column, this way I can just leave a URL 😀

Here goes nothing…..

Everyone who plays a game adheres to the rules, and these rules are either part of the restrictions in the medium the game is set, or are enforced by knowledgeable officials. In CS the medium is the CS client, server and the bits that cause lag, with the officials being public or league admins. Anything that forcibly changes the game medium such that by doing so your interaction with the world is different to other peoples is cheating.

To start off with I must say that using Counter-Strike as an example wasn`t such a great idea for a couple of reasons. Firstly because these days I think everybody is to wound up about cheating in Counter-Strike. These days if you randomly picked 20 players, sat them down in front of 20 brand new identical PC`s with clean fresh installs of the game on them, all of which are made read only as to prevent tampering, all using the same config, each in its own sealed cubical and asked them to play for 30 minutes, my guess would be that within 15 minutes that at least one of them would start making cheat accusations.

Secondly anybody that knows Counter-Strike knows that the half-life engine upon which it runs is shit. We all know that the developers of Counter-Strike have said on
numerous occasions that it allows people to do things that they wish they could prevent, but haven’t been able too. We also know that the engine is never going to get any better and accept this because Counter-Strike is such a good a game just on paper that we won`t allow the backdated technology upon which it runs to keep us from playing it. No matter how good an engine is for a game it can never make up for gameplay *cough* Quake 3 *cough* 😉

So using this way of looking at cheating, what do I think of Bunny Hopping and Strafe Jumping. Well, I don`t consider them cheating, in fact I consider them a skill and good luck to anyone who can use them to their advantage
Why are they not cheating? It`s because they are allowed within the constraints of the medium, the CS client and server. Until such a time as the medium is changed, or the admins condemn it and police the servers, it is allowable.

I can`t ever agree with this argument I`m afraid as in my eyes it will always be flawed. Now what I`m about to say here I`ve probably already said before and will no doubt end up saying again at some point in time, that’s just the way life is I`m afraid.

How I follow the logic in the column is that it seems to state that `Anything you can do which the engine lets you is fine`. Now for Counter-Strike specifically this is just a no go area. Following this argument would make Hostage Jumping in the game allowable. Now this may seem like an extreme example and some of you might be saying `Bunny Hopping and Hostage Jumping aren`t the same thing` and to those of you I respond How?

Both give you an advantage, for Bunny Hopping its speed, for Hostage Jumping it’s a better position (generally). Both are skills, you can`t just spontaneously do either of these things, to be good takes practise. Both are things that the developers of Counter-Strike didn`t want anybody to do and finally but by no means least both are unrealistic.

Now I can both bunny (badly) and hostage jump, however I refrain from doing it in publics as it gives me an unfair advantage and in leagues I will always conform to the rules given out. My argument to counter doing either though is the core fact that they’re both bullshit. Counter-Strike is built on the premise that it`s supposed to be a Realistic Counter-Terrorism Mod. Now you know its not (and never will be) 100% realistic, I also know its not and those of us that play it accept this fact. However I won`t accept people that try and justify making the game any more unrealistic than it already is as that goes against the games essence.

Anybody wishing to counter this argument feel free to please e-mail me a photograph of either a member of a Counter-Terrorism organisation jumping from left to right whilst on a mission or a Terrorist standing atop a 20ft high stack of hostages.

Let`s move onto scripts. Are they cheating? Was Sujoy`s (I think) exploit of fast weapon switching in Quake cheating when he wrote a set of binds and aliases to make sure you never died with a decent weapon in your hand? Now we`re into the good stuff, this is what you should be debating about. Scripts to help bunnyhoping, cheating? Buy Scripts? Scripts for this, scripts for that, are they ALL cheating? Where do you draw the line?

With regards to scripting I`m divided. In leagues, if it were possible to enforce, I think scripts shouldn`t be used at all so the competition remains as level as possible. However since there is no method to put in place such a system other than asking people to enforce it themselves, which is hardly reliable, I concede that scripts will be used in competitive environments. In publics I`m not so fussed, although when people use announcing buy scripts I want to lop off their sexual organs because I just don`t see the point. (rant) Who cares that you bought a fucking MP5? You`re only going to live for all of 20 seconds before you die and lose it FFS (/rant)

As to where you draw the line its also hard to be specific. My personal guess is that scripts that do something you couldn’t do personally are a definite no no, for example Bunny Hopping scripts. Scripts that do things faster than you could I think are also a no no, for example Grenade spamming scripts. Scripts that do monotonous things that don`t truly affect the game are I believe ok, for example a round start buy script. I say this because I too get tired of having to ask for my AK47 to be delivered into my hands at the start of rounds. Also because I can always buy all the things I need quickly enough at the start of a round I`m not gaining any advantages over another player.

Makes sense?

MYstIC G

Posted on

Time…..

http://www.barrysworld.com/news/columns.asp?Author=82&Category=6&Item=24431

Time….. | Post a comment..
Thursday, August 9, 2001, 01:02

Ok once again it’s probably been a little too long since I last updated this little ole column but I’ve got 5 minutes to spare so here goes.

TribesNation
I’m going to be working with Irn-Bru and Fergus to see if we can’t bring back some of TribesNation`s spark. In case you haven’t seen it already the post is here over on TribesNation

BWTL FunCup
Well HAI didn’t quite achieve their goals of world domination this time. Ah well always the Tribes 2 League 🙂

Comments
Well all I can say is “Ohhhhhh Shiny and New” nice one Trebz 🙂

Admins
#BWAdmins is now open for business on QuakeNET, expect to find me idling there as well now 🙂

Well unfortunately the 5 minutes are up so I’m going to have to mosey on along.
Today’s column was brought to you by the smiley 🙂 and the number 5

MYstIC G

Posted on

Cool, Crap And Counter-strike

http://www.barrysworld.com/news/columns.asp?Author=82&Category=6&Item=24222

Cool, Crap and Counter-Strike | Comments (4)
Tuesday, July 24, 2001, 22:33

Ok I guess it’s been far too long since I last did an update so time to shift this brain outta neutral, although the way I’m feeling at the moment reverse would probably suit me.

Cool
Finally getting some seriously nice weather in this rotten little country.
Nuff Said

Crap
Watching morons/cunts/prats/retards get immunity. Deals like this benefit nobody.
Nuff Said

Counter-Strike
Hmm how to put this….. arrrrrraaaaaaaaggggggggggghhhhhh. This game is becoming more frustrating by the day. Firstly this new Half-Life “Patch” (1.1.0.7) comes along. Well sorry to say this but Sierra must be taking the piss now. Ohh look it has a new Auto-Updater….. oh wait Half-Life already had one of those, so onto Death Match Classic….. oh wait already downloaded that, so what about….. erm wait a minute, what the fuck is actually in this patch????? Answer – Sweet Fuck All

Now I know that patch 1.1.0.8 is supposedly just around the corner and that should be a good thing but its already bloody overdue….. ah fuck it I’m bored with trying to put this into a concise, clear, well thought out argument so here is my summary for Sierra
FIX THE FUCKING GAME ALREADY
Nuff Said

Wrestling
I’m fed up of all the crap that gets spouted every time this subject gets brought up, if all you do is watch it then you know fuck all so keep it buttoned.
Nuff Said

MYstIC G

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The Future’s Bright, The Futures A Big Grey Cloud

http://www.barrysworld.com/news/columns.asp?Author=82&Category=6&Item=23971

The future’s bright, the futures a big grey cloud | Post a comment..
Saturday, July 7, 2001, 04:01

Today has been one of those days where I couldn’t help but think about what lies ahead. I don’t know why but today has been a random jumble of thoughts all about what lies ahead. Then whilst watching an episode (Season 1, Episode 1 to be exact) of The Sopranos, a totally excellent Mafia based TV series from the US based company HBO, there was a scene that struck home quite hard;

(Dr. Melfi): Have you ever had a prostate exam?
(Tony Soprano): Are you kidding? I don`t let anyone wag their finger in my FACE

Nah I’m only kidding that of course wasn’t the quote I was really talking about. The one that actually hit home is the one below;

(Tony Soprano): I don’t know… The morning on the day I got sick, I’ve been thinking. It’s good to be in something from the ground floor. I came too late for that. I know. But lately I’m getting the feeling that I came in at the end. The best is over.

That phrase The best is over started wandering through my twisted psyche over and over again, so much so that it became so very annoying that I decided that somehow I needed to get the phrase out of my head. So basically this is going to be my salvation, a column about the future of gaming (hopefully).

So what’s to come?
Well to be totally honest I’m not really sure. People have come up with various suggestions of how playing games will change in the future. Some speculated that we would all be using Virtual Reality to get our gaming kicks, but that hasn’t happened. I personally wouldn’t like to speculate how people will be playing games 10 years from now but if it’s similar to how we were all playing 10 years ago then I’m not sure that I want to.

I think what I’m getting at is What’s New? What these days is any different than it was 10 years ago? Sure graphics have improved, sure detail levels have risen, and sure games can have more players, etc. but what in essence is new? Well I’m sorry to say it boys and girls but the conclusion that I’ve come to is;

nothing

Sucks doesn’t it? But like I was saying earlier the more I think about it the more it seems like The best is over. I was looking through my, not especially varied, collection of computer games and as I flicked through this list the number of sequels just seemed to mount up. The most obvious series to use here of course it the Quake series. 3 games that are essentially identical. Now before somebody out there decided to e-mail me the exact differences between every version of Quake this is just a generalisation. But it’s an accurate one.

Today the games industry churns out FPS Shooter after FPS shooter after FPS shooter. At least 10 years ago there were still better things to come on the horizon, a FPS shooter may be blasé these days but 10 years ago we were still on platform games. But what have we got to look forward too today? Doom 3???

Of course there are exceptions. Every now and then somebody somewhere has a spark of creative genius and brings us a fantastic title. Recently the most obvious example of this is the excellent Black & White. This game is, in my humble opinion, a masterpiece. It’s a beautifully designed and crafted game that deserves nothing but your full attention.

But in the context of this column it’s just another line in a long line of God games. Can anybody say Populous or perhaps Sim City. Now like I said I love Black & White. But it’s nothing new.

Well it’s creeping up on 4am now so I’m going to wrap this one up whilst I’m still awake. Developers Please work on something new. Anything at all as long as it’s new. Contrary to the phrase that sparked this column I refuse to believe that The best is over. I don’t want to believe it, there has to be a genre out there that somebody hasn’t stumbled across yet. So I implore you;

Please find it. Please find a new genre. Please

And now onto other things…..

Wimbledon
Yeah I know, not exactly anything remarkably interesting but once again it seems good ole England has pinned all its hopes on one man, of course that man is Tim Henman. Being honest I personally don’t follow Tennis, or this man’s career but I’ve got to admit that it would be nice if somebody from this country won this tournament for a change so;

/me crosses fingers & hopes for the best

It’s so true
This little gem has been in my Internet Explorer favourites for quite a while now so I thought I’d finally be generous and share.

Real Life Comics.com is basically about a group of gamers drawn by a gamer called Greg this is definitely worth a look so click, click, click

OK that’s about it once again, as usual I’ve opened a Forum Thread so you guys can let me know what you think.

Until the next time…..
MYstIC G