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mikeszekely

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Everything posted by mikeszekely

  1. mikeszekely
    Well, Legacy of Romulus was released, but good luck playing it. The servers are down for at least the third time in two days, and when the game is up take a number and get in queue. I don't want to complain too much, since I'm a silver player, but it's not like I never spend money in game. Cryptic's not exactly encouraging me to spend more. From what I can tell, the Romulan content is padded with non-Romulan content.
  2. mikeszekely
    This is definitely where they started to run into issues. Windows 8 is actually pretty good on a touch screen. And when you look at the sales tablets vs. the sales of more traditional computers, the writing's on the wall. I can't blame Microsoft for planning for the future. But the problem is, they were afraid of departing too much from the Windows we all know and love. They designed an interface that works great for touch, bolted it onto "classic" Windows, and then tried to work backward to make the interface work with a mouse and keyboard. The result is confusing, counter to what we've been using for 15 years, and simply not effective for desktop computing. Maybe it would have been better if they'd given users a choice. Maybe Microsoft was afraid that having separate desktop and touchscreen interfaces would create fragmentation. I don't know. I just know Windows 8 is a mess. And in the next few years, I don't see Microsoft fixing it. I do see them, and hardware manufacturers, pushing more touchscreen devices. I see them doing it even as they backpedal and reintroduce the Start Menu to Windows 8.1. Hey, I like the Ribbon! The updated Windows Explorer was probably the only feature of Windows 8 I actually did like...
  3. mikeszekely
    I was a console gamer first. NES, SNES, the original PlayStation, N64, Dreamcast, PS2 (two, actually), Gamecube, Xbox, Xbox 360 (three), Wii, PS3 (two), and even a Wii U. I've owned a lot of handhelds, too. A quick count shows 62 Xbox 360 games currently sitting on my shelf. I didn't really start to get into PC gaming until after I was married. My wife would want to watch TV in the evening, and I either needed to hook my consoles up to another TV, play a handheld, or play on PC if I wanted to game while she was around. Over time, I came to prefer mouse and keyboard for some games and appreciate the convenience of services like Steam. But your point's still valid. So I'm a PC gamer; I'll take a pass on the Xbox One.
  4. mikeszekely
    As a PC gamer, the online thing doesn't bother me as much the mandatory Kinect. What you think of as impressive, I think of as useless. But yeah, mandatory online is still a complaint. Even Steam gives me an offline mode that let me play Civ V in Beijing for three weeks. And sure, backwards compatibility, by itself, isn't a showstopper (although you think it'd at least play XBLA games). I'm not thrilled that I need to keep my Xbox 360 around for my largish Rock Band library. Also as a PC gamer, I'm used to not being able to buy used games or loan games to my friends. I'm also used to really awesome Steam sales, and buying games digitally long after they disappear from store shelves. While I'm sure Microsoft will have a digital delivery system in place for the Xbox One, I've never been impressed with the prices of Xbox 360 games on Live. And yes, the fact that it runs Windows 8's kernel, and will likely have some form of Metro interface, bugs me too. As I said before, these are all a lot of little things. Each one would be easily overlooked if the Xbox One had some epic features or must-play games, but it doesn't. And the little things add up.
  5. mikeszekely
    I had to do a lot of training on Windows 8 for my job. I kept telling myself that it's just the UI, and once you get used to it it's fine. Then I bought a Windows 8 laptop, and I realized I've been lying. I've had software issues, driver issues, insanely long (like half-hour plus) boot up times for "Configuring Windows" even when it hadn't downloaded any updates. After a week of struggles, I wound up doing a clean install of Windows 7 (which was an adventure in and of itself, but one I was able to resolve). I'm working on my Masters in Information Systems and Technology. Right now, I'm studying human interaction and usability design. From a graphic design standpoint, Metro might be pretty slick. Personally, I think it's too flat, but I'm not an artist, so what do I know? From a human interaction and usability point of view, though, it's at best unintuitive. For non-touchscreen users it fails on even basic principles of usability. I know Microsoft is feeling the heat from the iPad, but you cannot simply design a new touchscreen interface, then work backward to try to figure out how it works with a mouse and keyboard, especially when doing so requires you to unlearn 15+ years of training to even figure out how to turn the stupid thing off. I don't see myself getting either this year. Sony may be able to sell me eventually on exclusive titles, or if the Vita streaming feature works pretty well. The free games that PS+ users get won't hurt either. But I didn't hear one thing from Microsoft today that made the Xbox One sound appealing, and several little things that aren't huge deals on their own, but add up to a pretty unappealing console. I hope that it does well. I hope that develops see it and the PS4 as an incentive to keep developing major games instead of smartphone time-killers. I just don't see me buying one.
  6. mikeszekely
    Since I've by and large transitioned from consoles to PC, I've had a hard time getting into "next-gen." I bought a Wii U for nostalgia and, to this day, only own one game for it. If I buy a PS4, it's only because I like the idea of starting a game on it and picking it up on my Vita. The Xbox One has been particularly underwhelming, though. Mandatory Kinect, no backwards-compatibility, even with XBLA games, and no used games? Oh, and let's not forget that it runs on the Windows 8 kernel. All I really need for Microsoft to totally kill any interest I have is to announce a $500+ price tag.
  7. mikeszekely
    Damn! That looks really good! I'd paint mine, but I'm sure it wouldn't come out half as nice...
  8. mikeszekely
    Somehow, I doubt that the "enhanced HD remake" of FFVIII will be any more of an upgrade than the re-release of VII. I'm guessing that they're choosing VIII instead of VII because, in their minds, they already did VII. I say "meh" to VII and VIII anyway. Wake me up if they do IX, though. Buy and download legitimately? No, I think the PSN is your only option. Illegitimately, I'm sure you can find ISO images or SNES FFIII ROMs that'll run on an emulator. And there are emulators for just about everything these days. Side note, if you have a PSP or a Vita, you should totally get a PSN ID. Not only can you download the PSX version of FFVI, you can download the best version of the best Final Fantasy game ever, Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection. 'Course, if you have an iPhone or an iPad, you can download FFIV:TCC for that. Or maybe wait for an Android version.
  9. mikeszekely
    If I wanted to drive a non-Evo Lancer, I'd get in my car and go somewhere. Seems like I'm always around 15 over the speed limit anyway.
  10. mikeszekely
    Meh. Don't get me wrong, I put probably hundreds of hours into Gran Turismo 2 and Gran Turismo 3 back in the day. Problem is, I don't feel like Gran Turismo's ever really moved on from that. I didn't put nearly as much time into GT4, and I don't think I had GT5 for more than a day or two before I offered to sell it to a friend. Without trying to start a debate about realism/physics/graphics/number of cars/etc, I just think that the Forza series is more fun. It's largely academic for me anyway. I've basically quit playing consoles. It's too difficult when the wife always seems to be wanting to watch TV. Sure, I could hook the stuff up to another TV, but it's just been easier for me to get into PC gaming instead.
  11. mikeszekely
    If they make a Voyager-sized Quakewave, that will probably be the first third-party TF I buy, and he'll go with my Classics. Yeah, BH Shockwave would definitely be out of scale with any MP figures. I'm not sure exactly how large Shockwave should be in any given continuity, but in my mind, between the Marvel comics, the original cartoon, and the IDW comics, I'd say he should be similar in size to Megatron.
  12. mikeszekely
    I just really want a good Shockwave to go with my Classics... Unfortunately, no Shockwave I have is perfect. Animated? Too cartoony. DotM? Too Bayformer. FoC? So close, with a perfect head and chest, but he's so tiny, with spindly limbs, and a weird-looking gun hand. I thought maybe, despite his Bayformer-ish rounded limbs, BH might do it. I mean, he's beefy. And while his gun arm isn't particularly G1-ish, I think it's actually more similar than FOC. His head's not as flat and has a layered look that sort of puts it between DotM and G1 Shockwave. And I do like that one of his tank treads makes a "hose" connection from his back to his gun arm. Sadly, of the four Shockwaves I own, he's got the worst alt-mode. For a guy who always ends up with "Cybertronian" alt modes, BH really looks like Shockwave laying down and aiming his gun between his legs, and maybe I mistransformed him somehow, but he's not particularly solid in alt mode, either. I could forgive his alt mode, but despite being simple and crappy it still seems to manage to compromise his bot mode. He's got zero ankle movement, his gun arm has a limited range of mobility (and keeps popping off), and his hips seem designed to either be in their alt-mode "I'm taking a dump" stance or in a standing up straight pose, with his legs together. As for Blitzwing, I'm not sure that I can add anything that hasn't already been said by everyone else. He'll go on my Classics shelf in bot mode, and I can say that I have a Blitzwing to help fill out the Decepticon ranks, but he's not one of my favorite toys.
  13. mikeszekely
    Well, after checking a few stores near work earlier in the week, I went to the Target by my house today. Scored a Blitzwing, but alas, no Springer. What I did find, besides Blitzwing, is a Beast Hunters Shockwave.
  14. mikeszekely
    So, I guess this is happening. As someone who's never seen the show, this has no impact on me. Kinda curious to see what the bronies on the board think of it, though.
  15. mikeszekely
    Man, I wish I could find Springer and Blitzwing at one of my Targets...
  16. mikeszekely
    On the plus side, there's the potential for a KOTOR sequel (that hopefully isn't a crappy MMO), since BioWare is with EA. On the downside, I'll have to install Origin to play it...
  17. mikeszekely
    Anyone here ever own an MSI laptop? My in-laws have an MSI all-in-one desktop... seemed pretty nice, if a little on the slow side. I'm in the market for a laptop to replace my old Asus (Core 2 Duo, GeForce GTX 260M, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive). I want something with a little more oomph, but it doesn't have to be better than my desktop or anything. I kind of have my eye on an MSI GE70 OND (Core i7, GTX 660M, 8GB, 750GB), mostly because it seems pretty thin for a gaming laptop, and is much more reasonably priced than the Razer Blade. There are other laptops in the same $1200-$1400 price range with better stuff like backlit keyboards or GTX 670Ms, but they all seem to be a lot heavier and thicker (9 pounds vs. 6, 2.25" vs 1.5").
  18. mikeszekely
    Why don't you like his bot mode? The IDW-esque design?
  19. mikeszekely
    I still can't find Blitzwing or Springer. I checked the Target I went to early in the week, nothing. I stopped by TRU after seeing Iron Man, and I swear that had less than Target. Maybe I'll go to Walmart tomorrow...
  20. mikeszekely
    Yeah. Personally, I'm not a fan of any of the Autobot combiners, so meh for me. But if you're into Computron, there ya go.
  21. mikeszekely
    Man. I tried another Target today, and they didn't have jack either.
  22. mikeszekely
    Long review, then? What's so bad about him? Can't be worse than Octane/Tankor, right?
  23. mikeszekely
    I really want Blitzwing and Springer... but alas, Transformers are getting scarce in my area. Walmart doesn't even have any Beast Hunters besides Voyager Optimus and Predaking. I was able to score a Smokescreen at Target, though.
  24. mikeszekely
    Good find! None of the stores in my area have jack lately.
  25. mikeszekely
    That's too bad. While I don't think Round2's models have been bad, they don't seem to like to make models that aren't either an Enterprise or a Klingon ship (the exceptions being two Romulan models, two space stations, the Reliant, and a Ferengi ship that comes packed with a Klingon ship). And aside from the 1/2500 cadet series, the scales for their models are all over the place, from 1/350 to 1/3200. I'd buy models for most of the ships from Star Trek, but if I do I'd like them to all be one consistent scale. Unless someone else can get a license, I doubt we'll be seeing any official Odyssey models any time soon.
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