We all know the game industry works in cycles, well not exactly cycles but genres have their ups and downs. Some years FPS take the lead in popularity other years its RTS and then its RPGs etc. I'm certain all gamers see this cycles in games. I have a feeling this cycle happens in the gamers as well. I know it does in me. For the last few years I'm been playing a lot of FPSes and lately I just can't get into them that much. I can play for maybe an hour then I get bored.

So I'm looking for the next genre that will keep my attention for a while. Maybe it will be RTS and StarCraft II will help bring that in. Maybe it will be action RPGs, I loved Torchlight and would play it for hours at a time and I know I can't wait for Diablo III, but that will still be at least a year away. Granted BioShock 2 comes out early next year that could bring me back into the FPS fold for a little bit but ultimately I don't think it will last much after beating it, we will have to see with its multiplayer options. Wonder if its actions games I loved Batman Arkham Asylum maybe I should check other games in that genre out more.

I know I can't be the only one who goes in cycles with games. Do you see these cycles in your own gaming habits? What games are you all looking forward to that is outside your normals genres?

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We Video  Gamers get a bad rap sometimes. Other times Video Gamers do a lot of good. This week a group of gamers raised $132,438.94 for Child's Play get this playing Desert Bus, which is known as the most boring game in the world. For those who don't know Child's Play is the charity started by Penny Arcade that raises money for children's hospitals to supple toy and games for child stuck in a hospital. 

LoadingReadyRun isn't the only group doing video game marathons for charity. For 2 years now a group of people run Mario Marathon which over the last 2 years raised around $40,000 for Child's Play. These marathons are great for us and the charities they raise money for. The best part is these people are doing something they love and helping those in need. These are not the only two groups doing marathons either over the last few years I heard about many more of these. There was a Zelda marathon a Final Fantasy Marathon and other video game series as well.

For those who don't know these type of marathons are broadcast over the internet showing the game and the group of players playing them. Generally the show the players put on is better than the game, and in Desert Bus' case mostly so. Some chat with the viewer and pass tips and tricks to the players. I have a feeling as more these happen they will get more and more involved and ran better. Its almost certain that they will raise more money as each year these are ran they earn more money.

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A Zombie killing game that is a MMO... Oh Wait there is one coming out that will do that. Undead Labs is making such a game. Very little is known about the game as the press release was more about the company forming and their first project, which would be a zombie MMO for the consoles. From the bits and pieces released it sounds like it can be a very cool idea. They talk about weapons and if you would hold up in a police station or supermarket. 

Personally the idea is sound and its about time someone made a zombie killing MMO. I don't even care that it will be only consoles it just sounds fun. Also I don't think is will be a crappy game. The development Studio Undead Labs was founded by Jeff Strain. He has worked at many different well known places. Such at NCSoft, Blizzard, where he worked on StarCraft, Diablo and the beginings parts of World of Warcraft. He then went to start up ArenaNet and Guild Wars. Clearly Jeff Strain has the talent and the ability to give me a kick ass zombie MMO.

Again its too early to know much about the game but I know I will be watching for more news regarding this game.

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Recently went to GameStop to buy Uncharted 2. Normally had no issues with it you go pick the empty sales box off the self and take it to the counter. They dig around the display case behind them and hand you a skrinked wrapped game. Well not this time. He looked around the case but couldn't find a game so what did he do next? Went to the draws of games where they keep the used copies of games did a little searching and pulled out a copy of the game. He checked the disc and put it in the box I brought to the counter. Then he proceeded to tell me that this is a unopened new game and that the sticker/seal he was going to put on states that. Once I break or remove the seal the game would be considered used. Ok this seal is nothing special its the clear circle sticker you find on many games and movies or to hold boxes closed. He placed it on the plastic case in a way that to remove the game would require breaking it.

Something tells me that is just wrong? The game isn't new and isn't unopened him saying that its new and putting a sticker on the box doesn't mean its new. How do I know I didn't get a used disc. How do I know I got everything that was suppose to come with the game? I know it came with a manual as I saw it when he opened the case. The funny part is the case doesn't even look new it has the remains of a price sticker on the front and the back game cover is damaged. Frankly not sure if this is legal selling what is clearly an opened item as new. Granted I doubt the game's used price is no more than $5 less. It just feels wrong to me.

I didn't touch the game yet its still in the case with the sticker the guy applied still there. I guess I could always return it and go through whatever hell they put me through. Question though is this even legal. I had a hard time finding the legal definition for "Open Box".

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One word. Yes! Game X has the potential to be a good east coast gaming show. Not sure the venue was the best place but it worked out fine. The show floor was okay not anywhere as big as PAX but will give them a break its their first show ever. It was organized quite well with signs telling you where to go and what was what. The exhibits were nice but lacking in real design. EA's Dante Inferno booth probably being the most elaborate one there. Personally I don't blame the exhibitors too much it was a new show it might not been worth spending lots of money for it. I will be surprised next year if the booths are not updated to something more worthy of this show. I will even bet money that more of the developers and publishers will show up for the show. As to attendance I'm not sure the hall looked crowded much like VGXPO 2 years ago which had about 5000 people if I remember correctly. So I'm going with those numbers until I officially hear otherwise. My only issue was the main theater, I see double door with a sign on them saying Main Theater. I assumed it would be a big room maybe to seat 100 or so people but it was alot smaller than that. They probably had 20-30 chairs and just a small table up front for the speakers. In a way it was cool cause it was more personal as you are sitting just 10-15 feet away. Everyone could see the front and hear everything well. It wasn't a bad setup just couldn't hold the amount of people who wanted to see the panels.

In the coming weeks stay tuned for photos and videos to come online. I took 80+ pictures and about 1 hour worth of HD footage. Converting the HD videos right now and will proceed to upload them when sometime early next week. Also stay tuned for a full report on the show as well as articles on some games I saw and my experiences at the show.

UPDATED

I uploaded the photos from the show.

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Recently, Infinity Ward (IW) made an announcment that they will be hosting all the server and there will be no dedicated servers. Ok this is good and bad its great that there will always be pure servers running. All the servers will be updated when patches come out. It will also help players find people around their skill level. Ok all of this is great but here is my biggest complaint. Running a few servers over the years, servers are the backbones of a community. Its allows you to play with your friends. Ok I'm sure IW will have something like this in their own setup. The other reason is playing on a server with certain rules that you like. Lastly the mods and custom maps.

I can see why this is a problem with dedicated servers I just don't see why it can't be handled like every other multiplayer game out today. Have a PURE setting or make ranked servers. Both pure and ranked server require certain rules be applied making all the servers basically be the same. Hopefully IW can create a system that allows their customers to "make" a server on their network that isn't some crappy listening server running on some person crappy cable connection.

In a multiplayer game its the servers that keep it alive longer. Since Infinity Ward wants to sell DLC for MW2 its very important to make sure the game is alive long enough for people to actually buy the DLC. Finally with dedicated servers IW doesn't have to pay for all the hosting. The players pay for it. This is what I call a win-win for both gamers and IW. 

Will I buy Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 now? Probably I liked the first game. It does break some plans of actually hosting a server for Pure Gamer though but it may not be that bad. I going to wait and see.

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