Category Archives: Uncategorized

Jan 30 2009
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Lazy Friday night

As I sit here, waiting for iPhoto to recognize all the faces in my photo library, I am pondering the popularity of tower defense style games.

I have more than a couple, and the strange part is, you can play flash versions of tower defense games for free.  Desktop Tower Defense is pretty popular and has a great aesthetic.

On the PS3, I own two tower defense style games.  Pixeljunk Monsters and now, Savage Moon.  Pixeljunk, I think I like better than Savage moon, mainly because of the cooperative aspect of the tower building.

I’m trying to examine the appeal, to see if I can figure out the gameplay elements that I find the most attractive.  At their core, tower defense titles all play the same.  You’re defending a goal at the end of a path.  There is a predefined start and end of that path.  Your opposition starts at one end and if they make it to the goal too many times, you lose.  To prevent that from happening, you can build static defenses along the path that damage enemies.  Each enemy you defeat adds resources to a pool that you can then use to build more defenses, or upgrade existing ones. Continue reading →

Jan 29 2009
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Uncategorized

There is only one

I can recall it, not clearly, but I can recall it.  It comes, through the haze of a decade, through the rose tinted lens of nostalgia.

The memory comes not easily, but in tiny parcels, piecemeal, like the slow striptease of a lover.

I recall the November chill in the air, the warmth of the coat on my shoulders, and the reassuring weight of the the sword at my belt.

I remember thinking it was going to be an interesting night.

The night in question is one of those ideas from another era.  Let’s blindfold my roommate for his 21st birthday, take him to a public place, then draw live steel swords and then have a man dressed up as the pope stop the fight.

I’m really glad that we had the foresight to videotape it.

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Jan 25 2009
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Eat First

It’s not quite as cold as it could be, but it’s still cold.

I’m walking the wrong way down 9th street, but at least I got off at the correct exit.  I’m heading to Eat First, which is a smaller restaurant in Chinatown.  I realize I don’t go downtown nearly as often as I should.  Finally get to Eat First and people are waiting because they got there early.

It’s a good day.

Tonight, had a little bit of everything.  Duck, fish, chicken, pork, lotus root, frog, sausage, sprouted something.  Overall a good time, but that may have something to do with the company.

On the ride up, I realized that I enjoyed the Fallout 3 advertising blitz in Metro Center.  The IKEA blitz of Gallery Place, not so much.  I don’t know, maybe I just have a soft spot for video game advertising.

So, anyway, Eat First.  Horrible name, great food.

A+ transaction, would do business with again.  Although it helps to have a guide that knows everyone there and speaks the language.

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Jan 24 2009
2 Comments
Uncategorized

By Popular Demand

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Jan 20 2009
1 Comment
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The New Era

And now he’s President.

But do indulge me a moment.  It wasn’t that long ago.  It was a different job at a different place and I had the chance to meet the man that would become President.

I shook his hand.

I called him, “Senator” then, because that’s what he was.  I asked him to sign my nametag, and while he did, I said, “I believe in your message.”  And he stopped signing my nametag and looked me in the eye and thanked me.  He finished signing and was whisked out the door by Secret Service.

He seems a pretty stand up guy.  And I was not lying.  I did, well, rather do believe in the message.  The message of hope and change, of self empowerment as a nation.

I did not believe however, that he would become President.

For once, I’m glad that I was wrong.

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