A Little Sad

Its a little sad to read about how some gamers out there actually believe pirating games is the right thing to do. What is the logic? Because these big game companies are fucking them over by "screwing up" the game they apparently love.

The game in question? Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

There have been articles on various game news sites about how Modern Warfare 2 has the highest piracy amongst games. And there are people out there actually defending this because and as I mentioned before, Infinity Ward/ Activision screwed PC gamers by not giving them what they wanted.

I mean really? So because a game doesn't have what you wanted, the answer is to go and steal the game and try to ruin the company? What is this world coming to? So maybe if I wanted a new Honda Civic because of a set of particular features in an older model and the newest model no long have them, I suppose that gives me the right to go steal a car to fuck with their profit?

Yikes...

This thing just bugs me just a little bit with how irritatingly stupid it all is. If the game developers "screwed" you so bad, why even bother buying the game? Don't buy it at all! Is that so very hard to do? Let me share that method just one more time: Don't touch it, don't rent it, don't buy it, don't even play it! DO-NOT-SUPPORT-IT! That will send a HUGE message to the developer, no doubt about that at all!

All of this reminds me of a story my girlfriend shared with me from her workplace. She works in an electronics department and within the department, there are various vendors (ex: Song, Bose, etc) and one of the guys that works in one of these areas had a book of DVDs. He uses these to play to help demonstrate the products he is trying to sell.

Now with it being the holiday season, the store was obviously a little busy. As this guy's area beings to get crowded, he leaves the book of DVDs on the counter as he is helping other customers and forgets about it for a while.

Fast forward about an hour later and he realizes that the book is gone! Where could it have gone? Well he goes to security and they play back the video. A kid had taken the book from the counter and, as luck would have it, security was suspicious of this kid and stopped him. They bring the kid (and his father) back and question him as to why he took the book.

The answer? Dig this, this answer came from the father, a military man of all people:

"Well it shouldn't have been on the counter in the first place! You leave that stuff out and its fair game!"

So rather then going after his kid for stealing, he is actually defending him instead?! Granted it was sitting out in the open, but that does not give anyone the right to just take it either! Or in today's world, I guess it means you can...

Up 2 Speed

My writing has sort of fallen out just because of the fact that I have actually been busy. Busy with work and almost equally as much with gaming. I am now juggling between Borderlands, Dragon Age: Origins and now Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. At this point, I am more focused on Dragon Age just because I want to finish off at least my first play through.

I have been impressed with the story that is at the heart of Dragon Age. The amount of detail there is unreal to me. I am almost wanting to actually read the books, which I am hoping is as good, if not better then what is already in the game.

Another point that has impressed me is the fact that I have put in about 40 hours into the game and I am not even at the end of the road yet. Money well spent? Indeed, or at least I think so.

I've been dabbling with some of the other races or mainly that of the Elves (a male Elvan mage and a female Elvan Rogue), aside from my main character (a noble human warrior/berserker/champion).

One thing I have to say is this: I agree with what I read in a review of Dragon Age. I have not even finished my first game and I am already thinking about what I'll do during the next time through.

Borderlands has been pretty good, though it does get a little repetitive at times. Still, as a co-op game it passes through just fine. Good times to be had when you and a friend take on alien dogs, raiders and all manner of strangeness.

Then there is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

What is this I read? Modern Warfare 2 will turn kids into terrorists? Wow... really?

I've played through the airport scene (which I believe is the point where all of these talking heads are focusing their strange manner of thinking upon) and yes, it is a bit disturbing. How could it not be? But the violence isn't mindless, like you just pop into the airport and kill people for no reason. I really don't see it as a promotion of violence at all. But rather, it is a turning point which serves as a powerful tool. From that point on, everything changes...

It is frustrating as a gamer to see people just cutting everything down just because it might end up being a "popular" move. People want to complain about violence, drugs and sex in video games? Don't buy the damn thing! Don't do it! As a parent, you cannot claim ignorance as to the contents of the game. If you don't know what you are buying, then look it up! Research the game before purchasing it for your kids! There is a ton of information out there and I just don't buy the excuse that parents didn't have a clue that a game had this or that.

Hell, why not just research the ESRB website? All you need to do is type in the name of the video game in question and it will show you the rating, as well as the contents which earned the game the rating it receives.

Easy huh? I wish more people did their homework, rather then buy games for their kids blindly and then bitch and complain after the fact. Sickening...

Speaking of sickening, I won't go into a lot of detail about this but I have a declaration to make: As far as GameStop is concerned, I am done dealing with them all together. I couldn't give a care if they bundled a super extra special collector's edition of a video game I really, really want.

I am just sick and tired of so many things, it is starting to piss me off just thinking about it. As far as I am concerned, they ain't the only game store in town and I sure as hell WILL NOT spend another dollar to support their sorry asses any longer.

But this one is a whole other story, which I think I will save for next time. I have a feeling that will end up becoming a ranting, raving affair all too quickly...

Alpha FAIL

I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed in the slightest at the apparent delay of Alpha Protocol, from the makers of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2. How or why would I be disappointed by the delay of a game that was set for release on October 6th, which is now set for sometime in the summer of 2010? Because it surely appears as though everyone is running away to 2010 (rumor has it, it is all because of Modern Warfare 2), which isn't all that entirely bad considering how these games will be a little more spaced apart.

But why this one? Why an RPG? I suppose I should reserve any judgment until maybe there is a reason or something to explain this. But in all likelihood, the game is delayed and I guess I just have to pull my reservation off of this and put it elsewhere. Perhaps Borderlands (which I have absolutely no idea what the game is about) or maybe even the big, bad Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2? The only game I am certain to try and pick up is Assassin's Creed 2...

Either way, it looks like my RPG playing fun is all but over for this year. After playing through and finishing Infinite Undiscovery and Mass Effect, I was hopeful to continue onto Alpha Protocol. So much for that one! Meh.