Jun 16, 9:45 pm
What do you do on a lovely weekend when the sun is shining? Go check out some military planes, of course!
Last week I headed over to RAF Cosford. I’m generally clueless about flying machines - it’s also seen as a bit of a “boy’s thing.” Which was all the more reason for me to go!
Most of the planes were from World War II or the Cold War, and ranged from test planes (like the mysterious TSR 2) to the well reknowned Spitfire (Cosford holds the oldest one in the world, y’know.)
There were helicopters, jet engines, missiles - even a selection of mascots, including a penguin used for company in World War II. Did you know that your average fighter pilot had a life expectancy of just three weeks in the air back then? No wonder they turned to some cuddly friends to buck their spirits up.
The Cold War in particular made for grim learning. When you think how close we were to nuclear war, it’s very scary to look back on. I hope we never have to encounter a period like that again.
Overall, as I am not a life-long fan of planes, it was hard for me to see these - granted, magnificent works of engineering - as anything more than killing machines. Seeing the WWII Ohka (otherwise known as the “Cherry Blossom"), was particuarly humbling. It was used mostly like a glider plane, with a missile in the front - essentially a one way trip for the pilot.
And whilst I now feel a little wiser in my technical know-how of these amazing flying beasts, there are few words wiser than those of H.G. Wells - “If we don’t end war, war will end us.”
Jun 10, 5:02 pm
Recently I came across a poll asking for your favourite generation of video games. Was it the 4th generation (SNES, Megadrive), 5th generation (N64, Playstation, Sega Saturn), 6th generation (Gamecube, PS2, Xbox, Dreamcast), or the current generation (Wii, PS3, Xbox 360)? Or perhaps a different generation entirely?
My personal favourite came in at a measly 14% of the vote, second to last. Yup, I’m part of the generation commonly referred to as the “16 bit era” – the 4th generation. And let me tell you why I think it’s the best gaming generation of all time.
The 16 bit era was a time of magic, dominated by two gaming powerhouses – Nintendo and Sega. Sony were a tiny spec on the horizon, and cartridge was king. Sure, you had the TurboGrafx and the NeoGeo, but any gamer worth their salt knew consoles were all about the SNES and Megadrive. I was fortunate (and unusual) in that I owned both systems, but remaining neutral in preference was not an option. School playground chat was dominated by Sonic vs. Mario. Phantasy Star vs. Final Fantasy. No casual gaming demographic. No mucking about. You were a gamer or you weren’t. You loved Sega or Nintendo.
Not only was being a gamer more hardcore, but the consoles themselves were too. You could throw your Megadrive or SNES into a den full of angry, frothing rhinos and they still wouldn’t break down and stop working. None of that RROD nonsense. Even pads were almost indestructible – apart from a lethal coca cola spillage, of course.
It was also a golden age for video gaming magazines. SuperPlay. Mean Machines. MEGA. A magazine called MEGA – how cool can you get?
The era also spawned the first (and arguably last) decent videogaming television program – GamesMaster. When it was perfectly acceptable for men to wear bandanas and Butlin’s jackets. Hands up who would have swapped their sibling for a golden joystick? ME! ME!
And, of course, there were the games themselves. The 16-bit era brought us such classics as:
Sonic the Hedgehog , Mortal Kombat, Zelda: A Link to the Past (the only Zelda game I’ve ever loved), Street Fighter II, Gunstar Heroes, Chrono Trigger (criminally unreleased in Europe), UniRally, Doom, F-Zero, Earthworm Jim, Ecco the Dolphin, Shining Force and Kid Chameleon.
... I could go on. And I will! Skitchin’, Theme Park, Rocket Knight Adventures, StarWing, Super Mario Kart, Micro Machines, Revenge of Shinobi, Toejam & Earl, and er… Zool.
It may be a long time ago, but the excitement in remembering these things makes me feel as though it was yesterday. These are the things that created my favourite gaming generation. What’s yours?
Jun 02, 12:05 pm
There’s still a lot of hardcore hate being directed towards the Wii. Is it dumbing down gaming? Could it herald the death of “proper” games as we know it? Despite the controversy, I think Nintendo have recently unveiled a groovy new feature for its little white money-making machine. The Nintendo Channel.
The aptly named software can be downloaded for free via the Wii Shop Channel, and keeps you up to date with the world of Nintendo. It might not sound very exciting, but it does a couple of things that put it above the similar efforts being made by Sony and Mirosoft.
As well as the usual suspect of being able to watch videos (I viewed a rather cool interview where Miyamoto discussed Wii Fit) and search for Wii and DS game information, you can download game demos straight to your DS via Wi-Fi. From a (granted, relatively small at the moment) list of titles, I chose Picross. Downloading the demo is surprisingly straight forward - no more complicated than hooking up with your mate for some apple-stealing chaos in Animal Crossing: Wild World. It’s a really cool way of promoting cross-platform content, and will be even cooler when there’s more demos on offer.
The channel also allows you to recommend games you’ve played, and view other players’ recommendations. You’re asked to input your gender and age, how much you enjoyed it, as well as whether you think it’s solo/multiplayer, or casual/hardcore. I know some of you may dismiss this as a one-sided benefit for Nintendo to reap cheap focus group opinions, but if it can help developers and publishers see what kind of person enjoys their game and why - and thus potentially improve future products - surely that’s a good thing, no?
No doubt the Wii debate will continue to rumble on for a few good years yet. The Nintendo Channel is available to download NOW, so go get it! Or see below for a groovy video walkthrough. And as always, tell us what you think on our forum.
May 25, 9:28 pm
Back in February I met up with LP Pharand, producer of Far Cry 2, at a conference in Paris. Although I like to think I’ve obtained fairly good experience of interviews over the past three years, they still make me nervous. This is especially so when it’s a highly anticipated game. Far Cry Instincts may well have divided many a fan, but the developers seem to have ironed out all the quibbles for Far Cry 2. News that the game is available on both PC and console has more than slightly shaken a fair few folk - at the opportunity of embracing a wider fan base, can you end up alienating them? However, I truly believe that LP and his experienced team (including creative director Clint Hocking, of Splinter Cell and Chaos Theory game), have produced a game that is sure to be a highlight on our 2008 gaming schedule. So, with UbiDays just around the corner, check out my interview with LP to get a taster of what lies in store.
{click above to view the video}
May 15, 10:33 am
Brits always seem to go a bit mental when a little sunshine is thrown our way. We grab our shorts and bikinis and pile onto the nearest beach, lapping up the rays we know will probably disappear all too soon. This recent spot of nice weather has been no exception.
So, last weekend I took advantage of the high temperatures and sunny skies (although I heard it was raining in Glasgow – sorry Kitt!) I travelled down to Brighton to catch some rays and a bit of shopping. I’ve always had a thing for British seaside resorts. When I was little, my parents used to take me to Blackpool, Rhyl and Prestatyn. They were wonderful. The donkey rides, the smell of the sea air, the tacky little shops selling multicoloured buckets and shells. There’s something about them that fills me with joy.
When I reached Brighton, its pebble beaches were totally packed with tanned and sunburnt bodies. I really wanted to swim in the sea, but with a lack of appropriate attire, I opted for a sneaky ice cream by the shore instead.
Then it was time for a bit of exploration. I was especially taken the cute little food and tourist stands dotted along the coast. Fresh shellfish and oysters right by the seaside – YUM!
Walking on, I was stuck by a group of guys playing volleyball behind a basketball court. On a beach. You know what I’m thinking? Oh yes! It was like Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 recreated JUST FOR ME, except the ladies were somewhat hairy and flat chested. Every time I saw one hit the ball, I expected them to shout “Nice-u spike-u!” But they didn’t. They didn’t even bother lying on the court in provocative poses. How rubbish is that? Videogames vs. Reality… No contest!
Before I left, I couldn’t resist a cheeky peek into Brighton’s Palace Pier for the arcades (although I personally hold a soft spot for the fire-ravaged but beautiful West Pier. Did you know I have a secret fancy for two penny machines? After emptying out my purse, it wasn’t long before I spotted the rather bizarre “Silent Hill – The Arcade”, which looked an awful lot like House of the Dead. I couldn’t help but think it was rather missing the point about what people enjoy about Silent Hill – the suspense and the fear from what you CAN’T see. But hey, the two gamers I spotted playing it seemed to be enjoying themselves.
All too soon it was time for me to go home. Apparently the weather is due to turn rubbish today, but it was nice to enjoy a bit of home grown fun whilst it lasted. Let’s just hope the heat spell wasn’t the entirety of our British summer, eh?
