Conversations with IrishPride Episode 14

Click, click, click

 

Hello everybody!  Can I get a "Hell Yeah!" for back to back weeks of CwIP!?!  Today I'm going to talk about how I took my MMO experiences to a whole new level.

 

When I play MMO's, I've always been a "clicker" when it comes to activating my abilities.  I know I'm in the minority when it comes to this because, for the most part, everybody I know (excluding ZeldaQueen, she is a mouse clicker with me) uses the keyboard bindings to activate hotkeys.  I've never had a problem using my mouse to click, but there was one point while playing SWTOR that I couldn't find my cursor and thus couldn't activate an ability that could have saved my life.  I then decided it was time for a change.  I never really liked using the keyboard binding because I like my fingers to stay in the same WSAD area and not have to worry about the position.  But I also knew that I needed to change from mouse clicking.  After doing some research, I decided to buy a new mouse, the Razer Naga Epic.

 

Now this thing is a beast.  There are 12 programmable bindings on the side of the mouse thatThe word "Epic" in the name is appropiate. essentially work as the 12 keys on your keyboard that activates the abilities.  Now, most of you know that when you play MMO's there are tons of abilities for you to use.  So 12 may not seem like a lot, but add the Shift button with the 12 keys and now you have 24 different bindings.  Let's not forget the 3 other buttons on top of the mouse.

 

I admit, I am extremely late to the party when it comes to keyboard bindings.  And to be honest, I'm still not using the keyboard to activate my abilities (aside from pressing the Shift key), I'm still using my mouse.  However, the Razer Naga Epic allows me not to have to worry where my cursor is and can spam a certain ability thinking the faster I click it the faster it will come off cool down.  The Razer Naga Epic has been a perfect compromise for the way I like to play.  My left hand can still stay put in the WSAD area, while I'm no longer having to click all my abilities.  Granted, it did take me awhile to get use to the 12 keys on the side of the mouse.  My problem wasn't locating the 12 different numbers with my thumb, but remembering what skills I had programmed to each button.  But after a few hours of gameplay, I am now an elite Bounty Hunter.

 

So, if you're tired of your friends making fun of you because you are a "clicker" or you are like me and wanted to improve your gameplay experience, I highly recommend the Razer Naga Epic.  I also recommend the cheaper Razer, but if you're like me and need wireless, go with the Naga Epic.  I look forward to using this mouse and becoming more comfortable with the configurations of it.  Besides, having a smoother gameplay session is what it's all about.

 

This is IrishPride signing out and until next time...Go Broncos!!!  (Bet you thought I was going to say something related to the Naga Epic huh?)

Conversations with IrishPride Episode 11

It's 2:00pm, You Know What the Means!  

 

Hello!  Welcome to episode 11 of Conversations with IrishPride.  It's been another crazy week for me with little video games that I have played, but that's okay, I'm still here to ramble about stuff!

 

Today I'm going to talk about the importance of naps.  Growing up, we all had the pleasure of nap time in preschool and kindergarten.  But after that, the world told us NO, you cannot have nap time in the middle of the day.  My question for everyone is, why the hell not!  Whoever implemented the afternoon nap in school was really onto something and I believe we have to implement the afternoon nap in all of our adult lives.Who wouldn't want this?

 

Here me out.  We all have days where we feel like we can't continue.  2:00pm rolls around and you can barely keep your eyes open.  Your eyes hurt, your irritable and you snap at people.  It's a bad situation for everyone involved.  But, if we had our afternoon nap, everyone would feel better.  You would feel energized and refreshed.  Your eyes would sparkle in rejoice, you would tell people hi and your co-workers won't hate you...as much.  If we could only have our afternoon naps like before; people (including yourself) would be so much happier!  Who doesn't love a good twenty minute power nap in the middle of the afternoon!?!  So let's start a revolution.  When you're at work and 2:00pm hits (or a good afternoon time for your own personal work schedule), go take a nap!  Let's go back to our kindergarten days and have nap time.  We all want it, we all could use it and the world would be a better place.

 

This is IrishPride signing out and until next time, nappers unite!

 

~IrishPride

Conversations with IrishPride Episode 10

WTF!?!

 

 

Hooray!  Conversions with IrishPride made it to its first double digit episode, I'll drink to that!  Welcome to Conversations with IrishPride Episode 10.  Today I am going to propose the question, "Am I broken?"

 

So confused, so very confused...Now what I mean when I ask if I am broken is that here lately, I haven't been having the urge to play video games.  In episode 7 of CwIP I wrote about all the cool games that I wanted for the next few months.  There was at least one game I wanted every week until the release of the new Zelda game.  Well, I've gotten a few titles (three), but nothing like I thought I would.  My most recent purchase (wasn't really a recent purchase since I had pre-ordered it) was Rage.  Obviously I have been stoked to play this title because I had pre-ordered it.  When Rage was officially released, it was ready already set to go on my computer.  Tuesday night 10/4 (release date) came and I did not play it.  Wednesday rolled around, still didn't touch it.  Thursday, I would definitely give it a go right?  Wrong.  Ahh, the weekend.  After a week of hard work I would be ready to kick back and play some games.  But I still didn't boot it up. 

 

It took me over a week to finally play Rage and I only played about an hour of it and got bored.  I wasn't bored because it's a bad game, I was bored for the sake of just playing any video game.  I started it up again the following day with a different mindset and ready for a long play session.  I stared at the menu screen for five minutes and hit the 'Exit' button.  I mean, I couldn't even get past the menu screen!  This pattern has been happening for the last month.  I've only played about two total hours of Gears of War 3 (one of my favorite series mind you) and I can't even remember what game(s) I had been playing before that.  So, I ask my fellow geeks: Am I broken?  What's wrong with me?  Why don't I feel like playing video games?  Maybe I'm just in a slump that I'll eventually break out of.  Maybe it's just that I've been doing what mere mortals talk about, "living a life."  Whatever is happening, it's freaking with my mind.  Maybe I'll have to wait for Star Wars: The Old Republic to get me out of this slump and if that can't, I'm scared for humanity. 

 

In any case, this has been episode 10 of Conversations with IrishPride.  This is IrishPride signing off and until next time, play some games for me!!!

 

~IrishPride

Converstations with IrishPride Episode 9

Hello everybody and welcome to episode 9 of Conversations with IrishPride.  Well, it's been a couple of weeks since my last installment, but I refuse to let this segment die, besides, we're almost to double digits!  I have been extremely busy in my real life, but it also has been fantastic.  But you're not here to read about my personal life...or are you?

 

Anyway, today I'm going to talk about Steve Jobs.  I, like Assimilator, am not a Macintosh user.  I do own an iPod Touch, but I use that mostly for games and not music.  My primary music device is a Zune, which I love.  I also am an avid Window's user, but I would be a fool to try and state that Steve Jobs and Apple didn't revolutionize the way we see technology today.

 

People are saying that there are "Three Apples" that have helped shape our universe.  1st Apple: The apple with Adam and Eve.  2nd Apple: The apple that fell on Newton's head.  And finally, Steve Jobs' Apple.  While I would like to claim that I thought of this very clever statement, it would be a lie.  But, I would have to agree with the original poster(s) that these "Three Apples" are pretty significant in our history.

 

While Conversations with IrishPride is usually random and light on context; I felt it was important to give my respects to Steve Jobs and what he has meant for our future.  RIP Steve Jobs.

 

Until next time.

 

~IrishPride

Conversations with IrishPride Episode 8

It's About Time!!!

Hello my fellow geeks!  Welcome to episode 8 of Conversations with IrishPride.  First off, I have to apologize for not posting an episode for the past couple of weeks; I'm not going to let this segment die off like the last time!
 
Today I'm going to talk to you about the release date FINALLY being announced by BioWare and LucasArts for Star Wars: The Old Republic.  Click here to check out the full statement about its release.  At E3 this year, I chose Star Wars: The Old Republic as my most anticipated game and it's finally on its way.  This coming Christmas, December 20, 2011 to be exact, we will at long last get our hands on the retail copy and it's about time for a sci-fi MMO, something that's not EVE.  So be sure to plan vacation times accordingly.

I've stopped playing WoW a while ago and no longer play RIFT.  To be honest, I haven't even been in the mood to play a MMO.  Life has been busy lately, but in a good way.  I haven't played many video games all that much, but I know for a fact that I'll definitely jump all in when The Old Republic lands at my doorstep.
 
So, are you guys all geeked up about Star Wars: The Old Republic like I am?  Or is this just another MMO in your eyes.  Also, if you are going to play, are you going in be apart of the Republic or Empire?
 
Leave your comments below and until next time, be sure to look out for my max level bounty hunter!
 
~IrishPride

Conversations with IrishPride Episode 7

Ouch, My Wallet Hurts!

Hello everyone and welcome to Episode 7 of Conversations with IrishPride!  I hope you have had a good week and have a safe and wonderful Labor Day Weekend!  No three day weekend for me since I work every Saturday.  Yes, I would like some cheese with this wine.  Anyway, today I'm going to talk about how it's a great time to be a gamer but on the flipside, why it's a horrible time to be a gamer.

 

It seems like every year that once the new iteration of Madden is released; there are a bunch of excellent titles on the horizon.  The dull summer video game releases are over and the fall/holiday portion of the calendar will release a multitude of strong titles.  Just for fun, I was checking week by week for what new releases were coming out.  I was stunned that from this week all the way to the week of November 20th, there is at least one game I would like to have.  That doesn't make my wallet happy; nor my financial responsibilities.  But as a gamer, I'm ecstatic!  Well, without further ado, here is a list of video games that I want to own, broken down by week.  And just for shits and giggles, I decided to post how much these games would cost me and at the very end of the post I totaled the final price if I were to but all the games on release date.

 

Week of August 28, Week Total: $59.99

• Madden 12, XBOX 360 ($59.99)          

Week of September 4, Week Total: $199.96

• Dead Island, PC ($49.99)
• Resistance 3, PS3 ($59.99)
• Warhammer 40k: Space Marine, PC ($49.99)
• Star Fox 64 3D, 3DS ($39.99)

Week of September 11, Week Total: $99.98

• NHL 12, XBOX 360 ($59.99)
• God of War: Origins Collection, PS3 ($39.99)

Week of September 18, Week Total: $94.98

• Gears of War 3, XBOX 360 ($59.99)
• Kirby: Mass Attack, DS ($34.99)

Week of September 25, Week Total: $59.99

• Fifa Soccer 12, XBOX 360 ($59.99)

Week of October 2, Week Total: $119.98

• Rage, PC ($59.99)
• Dark Souls, PS3 ($59.99)

Week of October 9, Week Total: $99.98

• Forza Motorsport 4, XBOX 360 ($59.99)
• Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns, 3DS ($39.99)

Week of October 16, Week Total: $59.99

• Batman: Arkham City, PS3 ($59.99)

Week of October 23, Week Total: $109.98

• Battlefield 3, PC ($59.99)
• Kirby's Return to Dreamland, Wii ($49.99)

Week of October 30, Week Total: $119.98

• Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, PS3 ($59.99)
• Lord of the Rings: War in the North, XBOX 360 ($59.99)

Week of November 6, Week Total: $209.96

• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, PC ($59.99)
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, PC ($59.99)
• Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, PS3 ($49.99)
• Cave Story 3D, 3DS ($39.99)

Week of November 13, Week Total: $139.97

• Assassin's Creed: Revelations, PC ($49.99)
• Saint's Row: The Third, PC ($49.99)
• Super Mario 3D Land, 3DS ($39.99)

Week of November 20, Week Total: $49.99

• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Wii ($49.99)

Grand Total: $1,424.73

  

Yikes!  That's a lot of video games and a lot of Benjamin's!  Why can't we have some of these games be released during the summer!  Obviously, I'm going to have to pick and choose what games I really want, because there is no way I'm going to spend over 1400 dollars.  So like I said: it's a great time to be a gamer and it's the worst time to be a gamer, unless you're independently wealthy, which I am not.

 

That does it for episode 7 of CwIP.  Enjoy the holiday weekend and until next time, you can send me money to buy these game :)

 

~IrishPride

Conversations with IrishPride Episode 6

That's the power of love...err, choice!

Hello everyone and welcome to Conversations with IrishPride Episode 6.  Sorry I missed last week, had something come up, but now I am back and ready to babble!
 
Can a game that's a prequel to another one that was released over a decade ago be good?Today I'm going to talk a little bit about Deus Ex: Human Revolution.  This is not going to be a review of the game, just some of my initial impressions of it.
 
First off, it's not very often I buy a game on the day that it's released and it's even rarer when I pre-order a game.  Well, I pre-orderd Deus Ex: Human Revolution because I had high hopes for it and thankfully, I wasn't disappointed.
 
When I first booted up Deus Ex, I was really looking forward to the overall atmosphere.  I like science fiction games, but I'm tired of all the sci-fi games that are simply based on killing aliens.  Well, Deus Ex has a great mood to it.  The setting is 2027 and it's not way out in left field, like other games can be.  You can actually see this type of future happening in real life which makes Deus Ex that much more engaging.
 
Secondly, a lot of games tell you that you have full choice on how you want to approach each mission.  When, in the end, it feels like you were still pushed in one certain direction to get the mission accomplished.  Already putting 8+ hours into Deus Ex I can state that you truly have your own choices on how you want to beat a mission.  Well, that is except for the bosses.  Being a fan of stealth, I obviously have approached my gameplay as a stealth agent that sneaks by guards or take them down with hand to hand combat, I really don't rely on guns.  However, when you fight a boss, you have no choice to use stealth maneuvers and have to defeat them with guns blazing.  It's disappointing that you can't have Adam Jensen looks like a badass, but is he really one? Answer: Yes.the same choice options you have throughout the game during the boss battles, but it's not a deal breaker.  It's awesome to think outside of the box in a game to get your mission done.  I like not feeling pigeonholed and having only one path and one option to finish the game.  I'm already looking forward to my second playthrough as a badass gun totting s.o.b. that will shoot first and ask questions later and I haven't even finished my first playthrough yet!
 
There are tons of games out there that claim you have the choice to play the game as you see fit, when in reality, you really don't.  Deus Ex: Human Revolution truly gives you the feeling of choice and the dark gloomy atmosphere of Detroit 2027 really gives a futuristic approach to what we may actually see in real life.  The combination of a great atmospheric mood and the true options of choice really makes Deus Ex an exciting story to unfold.  Thanks for not disappointing me Deus Ex.  I'm still not sure if I'll pre-order more games down the road but at least this time, it didn't bite me in the ass.
 
Well, that will do it for episode 6 of CwIP.  I'll see you next time.  Until then, remember, you have the power of choice!  Whatever that means.  Game on!
 
~IrishPride

Conversations with IrishPride Episode 4

So I said to myself...

 

Hello and welcome to Conversations with IrishPride Episode 4.  Huzzah, I made it further this go around then the last time I started CwIP many moons ago, score!  Today I'm going to talk to you about why it is okay to talk to yourself.

 

When walking around town or anywhere in public, you may find it strange, weird even, if you catch someone talking to them self.  Your first thought may be, look at this weirdo?  I better not make eye contact with this individual because who knows what will happen.

 

Well, I'm here to tell you that you shouldn't think like that!  When you talk to yourself, you're showing everyone that you are never lonely!  You always have someone to talk to.  In fact, some people may become jealous because you are sitting there by yourself enjoying a nice beverage having a full scale conversation.  While this other poor sap is sitting by himself drinking a beverage and is silent like a door.  He becomes more sad and depressed when he sees you laughing and having a good conversation with yourself.

 

Another reason why it's okay to talk to yourself is that you can control the direction of the conversation.  Don't like what's being said, just change it!  Besides, you're the one talking to yourself.  Might as well talk to yourself about sunshine, rainbows and lollipops!It's all good!

 

So next time you see someone talking to themselves', look at them in awe and tell them good show!  Besides, when you talk to yourself, you're showing the world that you have a best friend!

 

Well, that will do if for episode 4 of Conversations with IrishPride.  I'll see you next time, or should a say "we'll" see you next time.  Until then, strike up a conversation with yourself, who knows what you'll find out!

 

~IrishPride