TL’s World

On November 19th there was a New Xbox Experience.  This has resulted in a number of changes to the old style dashboard (no more blades) and a few more features added.  Basically, it’s a new 3D interface or environment…and very nice too!

I suppose the best aspect is the use of avatars. You are able to customise these, from facial features to the clothes that you wear.  You are also able to take a ‘photo of your avatar and use it as your gamertag.  There are those who say they (the avatars) are uncannily like those on the Wii…called Mii’s!

I can’t let this pass without a post of my avatar, which is how folks on my friends list see me;

Muuuhaaaahaha!  Who said the usual hairy-arsed gamers on the 360 wouldn’t ‘go’ for the new avatars?

I dialled 123 to ensure that my timepiece (that’s a watch to you) was accurate.  Instead of being greeted by the warming tones of Sara Mendes da Costa, there was this awful “Hi, it’s Tinkerbell, at the third bell..”

What a bloody annoying Disney pile of shit piece of commercialism I found that to be.  Is there nothing sacred anymore?  Or as Lester Haines so adequately wrote;

“Middle England should prepare to drop its trousers, bend over the table and accept the painful truth that if anything in this Sceptred Isle was ever sacred, it isn’t any more.”

Rousing rendition of Jerusalem quietly fades away in the background….

No, it’s not the latest acquisition from Ann Summers but an award to what I consider the best game ever on Xbox.  Unsurprisingly, I’m not alone in thinking that way.

These Golden Joystick awards are voted for by the public and Call of Duty 4 (developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision) won;

• Ultimate Game of the Year
• Online Game of the Year
• PC Game of the Year

I’m still playing this online but not sure about the next in the series (Call of Duty |World at War) as it regresses to World War Two….

I cannot let this day go by without a mention of Barack Obama.  Politics and religion are not topics that I like to talk about (I find them both absurd) but on the day that the USA elects it first black President…well that is an historic occasion.

I did find the colour coded map of how the different states voted interesting (at the BBC).

So congratulaltions and maybe “change has come to America.”

I thought I’d start a new month with an upgrade to the latest WordPress version of 2.6.3.  I backed up my blog folder and had a look at the Three Step Upgrade and prepared to follow it through.

However, I first of all decided to have a look around for any help or warnings. Then I stumbled across the WordPress Automatic Upgrade

What an easy-to-use route to upgrading your blog.  Try it out, I’m sure you wont be disappointed.

Despite the statistics and marketing from Microsoft, its latest Operating System (Vista) isn’t as widely loved as its predecessor (XP)…cue a sharp intake of breath and a slow shaking of the head from shocked readers.

Unfortunately for me, I’m an early adopter and really like to try out the latest and greatest.  So it’s with a fair amount of interest that I’m tracking reviews of Windows 7.  If they’re still making use of beta testers, there is a partition on one of my HDD’s just waiting to try it out.  : )

There are many review ’sites and blogs from the current Professional Developers Conference 2008 but I’ve stayed loyal to Paul Thurrott’s Supersite.

All Gear-heads will know how buggy multiplayer was in the original. According to the developers they’ve taken steps to iron this out. This latest offering now offers 10 new MP maps plus an auto update will download re-created maps from the original i.e. Canals, Gridlock, Mansion, Subway, and Tyro Station .

Here’s the multiplayer video;

It might appear to be a bit strange but when I played Gears, I used to take time out to wander around and look at the scenery.  This is an important part of any game, in my opinion at least.  Some of the details of the buildings and the environment were outstanding.

I even upgraded my preorder to the Limited Collectors Edition.  Here’s a movie where the developers showcase the concepts behind the art.

What really annoys me?  I mean really, really annoys me!

Those people that wear open-toed sandals and socks!  what’s that all about?  Isn’t that defeating the object of wearing sandals in the first place?  Not only are they wearing socks but they’re usually white for goodness sake.

They might have really ugly feet (probably 99% in most cases) or be suffering from blisters.  In which case, do yourselves and the fashion police a favour and wear other footwear…at least until you can wear open-toed sandals on their own.