I'm not specifically setting "New Years Resolutions" as I've mentioned before but this time of year has made me look at what some of my Gaming Goals are . . . I mean were. Since the burglary 5 out of my 10 Gaming Goals are now unobtainable. Isn't that nice.
Those goals were 1) finish Final Fantasy VII, 2) All achievements in both Lego Star Wars games, 3) Finish Lost Odyssey, 4) Finish Insane mode with Evil Ric on Gears of War (he sold his game back - how rude) and 5) play Final Fantasy X-2 along with metallicorphan (is he even playing it?). I can't do anything about working on those goals because I don't have the games or systems to play them on. And who knows when that problem will be fixed.
One of those goals on my list was achieved and replaced by a similar goal. I achieved a gamer score of 11,111 and replaced that goal with a new goal to achieve a gamer score of 12,345. Unfortunately I got to a point where I needed an achievement ending in either a 3 or an 8 to get my number just right. The only achievement I had available to me to do that was the "Dupliclone Dash" in Cloning Clyde. It is worth 18 points. The achievement is to finish levels 1-24 and 10 challenge levels under the goal time. Yeah right.
While I think that game is hilarious and fun to play there is no way I was going to be able to get that achievement without going over the goal of 12,345 while playing other games. I have problems with sheep. They're not meant to be ridden. And you're not meant to turn into one. Maybe, eventually, I'll figure out how to play those levels but I realized, with 48 more points to go, that getting my gamer score to exactly 12,345 wasn't going to happen. I put that in my rear view mirror and played on. You live and learn.
There was one goal on my list that I achieved thanks to Kralon. It was to get one of your bankrolls up to $100,000 in Texas Hold 'em. I was almost there a long time ago before they reset the leaderboards and thus your multiplayer bankrolls. I think I was somewhere around $80-90,000. So close and yet so far. When I got that goal I totally forgot it was on my list so I never got around to crossing it off and replacing it was something else.
Some goals are still currently obtainable. And those that are currently on "hiatus" I'm going to have to think long and hard about putting them back on the list when I get my insurance claim straightened out. Games like the two Lego Star Wars. In order for me to get all the achievements I'm going to have to go back and replay all story levels, free play levels, and most of the challenge levels (I was up to RotJ ewok level minus all flight levels). In addition to unlocking all characters, ships, extras and hints. And then I could finish the challenge levels I hadn't done the first time and those special extra levels for each movie and the Lego City and battle arenas. I was so close to finishing the game that I'm not sure I want to put all that time and effort into it again just to get to where I was before I lost my game save.
And then there was Lost Odyssey. If you ever hear me talking about "the one that got away" it will be this game. I've lamented in the past about how many times I've restarted games even when I didn't have to. Lost Odyssey would have been the first game (of any genre) that I started AND finished all in one play through. No restarting for this one. Until the burglary. I was on disk 4 when I lost the game. All areas were open to me and I think I only had one more door/magic seal for Tolten to touch to restore his royal heritage or whatever. After making it through the temple (with your party split in two) I was spending my time going back through older areas to finish side quests and find missing dreams. I had just over 100 hours in that game. Now it is all gone. Do I really want to play those 100 hours all over again just to get to where I left off? Is it worth it when there are so many other new games out there that I would love to try out? I just don't know any more.
I will keep my Gaming Goal to finish Final Fantasy VII. I kind of have to even though I don't have the game anymore. I have a pact with dain about that one (not that I think he's working on his game at the moment). But Evil no longer owns Gears of War and we were half way through the game on insane, do we really want to replay all those earlier levels just to get back to where we left off (even if he is willing to rent it one weekend to play with me)? And I haven't checked in with mettalicorphan on his progress in FF X-2. I just don't see the point any more.
And that's what I hate most about the burglary.
It's not the smashed door. That was fixed. Or the lost items. Those will be replaced . . . eventually. It's all those game saves I lost. All that time and effort for nothing. It wasn't wasted at the time, but now it seems like it was. I have glorious memories of finally beating a tough boss in a fight after trying 6 or 7 times. Or a touching moment in a game when something critical was reveal and a piece of the puzzle fell into place. Game save gone. Memory useless.
If I replay those battles or moments in the story it just won't be the same. I want to pick up where I left off not have to drudge through battles and cut scenes I've already seen or played. And I had so many games that I was in the middle of playing that there was never going to be enough time to play what I already had, let alone work on the games I owned that I hadn't yet played. Especially with great new games coming out.
Maybe when/if I ever get things settled with the insurance company I'll take a week off of work and do nothing but play video games. Will I be caught up then? Not a chance. And that's no even addressing the decision of which game do I start playing first. Right now I want to play them all. At the same time. I miss my games.
Until I know what is happening with my claim I don't think I'll be making any more new Gaming Goals, even to replace the ones I've already finished. But there is one I can keep working on no matter how many (or how few) systems and games I actually own and/or play. That is to post a new blog entry three times a week. I'll really work on that one going forward. Even if I don't have any games to talk about. After all it is "Life of a Gamer Girl" and there's more to life than video games.
Ha Ha!
Yeah, I didn't think so either.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Poll Results - 2 for the price of 1
Okay, here are the poll results:
And the winner is . . .
Actually I don't think there's any clear cut winner. For either question. But let's start with the first one, shall we?
Some @#$% idiots broke into my house and stold all my gaming equipment I had out. System's gone. Games gone. Controllers gone. Memory cards gone. As much as I wanted to immediately go out and rebuy everything I'm not made of money and it doesn't grow on trees. I would need to wait until the insurance company comes through. And unfortunately I'm still waiting. If anyone wants to be my Sugar Daddy to help with this I'd make it very worth it to you. *wink wink* Needless to say I didn't vote for the spending spree.
I didn't vote for knitting, reading, family or sunshine either. I don't know how to knit, but I do know how to crochet. I already know how to read (although I haven't been doing much of that in the last two years). I use to read 24-36 books a year. Now I'm lucky if I read 10. I already spend a lot of time with family. Sometimes it feels like too much. They just wear me out. Kids'll do it. And sunshine? Where I live there's sunshine 330+ days a year. I could do with a few clouds and doom and gloom every now and then.
I did vote for curling up in the fetal position and crying like a baby. Did I actually do that? No. I've only cried twice over this whole fiasco. Once when I first got home (after having thrown up at the grocery store on the way home from work) and I was on the phone with my dad. I think 5 or 6 tears fell. I cried again later that night (much later) while the glass guy was repairing the door. I was tired. I was sick. And all I wanted to do when I got home was take a nap on the couch for a couple of hours. Instead I had to go through all that mess. I hadn't eaten anything all day. I was exhausted. And people were parading through my house like it was a circus. Some invited. Others not. I laid on the couch and used my remaining strength not to break down into hysterical sobbing. Every now and then a tear slipped through. Another 5 or 6 perhaps. Once the glass guy and my dad left at 11:30pm I finally had some peace and quiet . . . and a dog who was wound up from all the excitement and unhappy that she had been locked away in a room while everyone came and went.
Now for the second poll.
I didn't vote in this one.
Oops.
My first instinct was to vote for Battlefront. I'm a huge Star Wars fan and Battlefront is also the first online game I played. Much like Zak and Halo. But I didn't want my unbridled passion for anything Star Wars to influence my decision so I wanted to think on the matter a couple of days before voting. And then time ran out.
I looked at the influence Halo has had over online gaming. Good and bad. I looked at the staying power of the Call of Duty series and the fact that 2 separate developers are keeping that series alive and kicking . . . or sometimes a more rambling, lurching walk of the dead. But if any game or series would make he question Battlefront for content it would be Gears of War. That game is second only to Battlefront in how many hours/days/months/years of sleepless nights I put in playing it. While some will quibble over some of the technical aspects of the game I still like it. Always have. Always will. End of discussion. But I couldn't forget the splash Counter Strike and the various clones of the game and the effect that had on multiplayer mash-ups. So many good choices . . . no more time to vote.
If I had it open for one more day to vote I would have picked Battlefront. Even though the sequel wasn't as fun as the first one I can't think of an older game that has carried on in the multiplayer online gaming world as Star Wars Battlefront has. And I think it might have the most anticipated sequel known to man . . . Battlefront 3 if/when it ever gets made. One can dream, right?
If all of your gaming equipment was stolen what would you do with your new free time?
Buy all new equipment/games immediately and keep playing = 4 votes
Curl up in the fetal position and cry like a baby = 1 vote
Knit all my friends beanie hats = 0 votes
Learn to read a book again = 0 votes
Reintroduce myself to my family = 2 votes
Investigate this thing they call sunshine = 0 votes
What is the best multiplayer game(s) ever?
Halo = 1 vote
Star Wars Battlefront = 4 votes
Call of Duty series = 1 vote
Gears of War series = 0 votes
Counter Strike = 0 votes
And the winner is . . .
Actually I don't think there's any clear cut winner. For either question. But let's start with the first one, shall we?
Some @#$% idiots broke into my house and stold all my gaming equipment I had out. System's gone. Games gone. Controllers gone. Memory cards gone. As much as I wanted to immediately go out and rebuy everything I'm not made of money and it doesn't grow on trees. I would need to wait until the insurance company comes through. And unfortunately I'm still waiting. If anyone wants to be my Sugar Daddy to help with this I'd make it very worth it to you. *wink wink* Needless to say I didn't vote for the spending spree.
I didn't vote for knitting, reading, family or sunshine either. I don't know how to knit, but I do know how to crochet. I already know how to read (although I haven't been doing much of that in the last two years). I use to read 24-36 books a year. Now I'm lucky if I read 10. I already spend a lot of time with family. Sometimes it feels like too much. They just wear me out. Kids'll do it. And sunshine? Where I live there's sunshine 330+ days a year. I could do with a few clouds and doom and gloom every now and then.
I did vote for curling up in the fetal position and crying like a baby. Did I actually do that? No. I've only cried twice over this whole fiasco. Once when I first got home (after having thrown up at the grocery store on the way home from work) and I was on the phone with my dad. I think 5 or 6 tears fell. I cried again later that night (much later) while the glass guy was repairing the door. I was tired. I was sick. And all I wanted to do when I got home was take a nap on the couch for a couple of hours. Instead I had to go through all that mess. I hadn't eaten anything all day. I was exhausted. And people were parading through my house like it was a circus. Some invited. Others not. I laid on the couch and used my remaining strength not to break down into hysterical sobbing. Every now and then a tear slipped through. Another 5 or 6 perhaps. Once the glass guy and my dad left at 11:30pm I finally had some peace and quiet . . . and a dog who was wound up from all the excitement and unhappy that she had been locked away in a room while everyone came and went.
Now for the second poll.
I didn't vote in this one.
Oops.
My first instinct was to vote for Battlefront. I'm a huge Star Wars fan and Battlefront is also the first online game I played. Much like Zak and Halo. But I didn't want my unbridled passion for anything Star Wars to influence my decision so I wanted to think on the matter a couple of days before voting. And then time ran out.
I looked at the influence Halo has had over online gaming. Good and bad. I looked at the staying power of the Call of Duty series and the fact that 2 separate developers are keeping that series alive and kicking . . . or sometimes a more rambling, lurching walk of the dead. But if any game or series would make he question Battlefront for content it would be Gears of War. That game is second only to Battlefront in how many hours/days/months/years of sleepless nights I put in playing it. While some will quibble over some of the technical aspects of the game I still like it. Always have. Always will. End of discussion. But I couldn't forget the splash Counter Strike and the various clones of the game and the effect that had on multiplayer mash-ups. So many good choices . . . no more time to vote.
If I had it open for one more day to vote I would have picked Battlefront. Even though the sequel wasn't as fun as the first one I can't think of an older game that has carried on in the multiplayer online gaming world as Star Wars Battlefront has. And I think it might have the most anticipated sequel known to man . . . Battlefront 3 if/when it ever gets made. One can dream, right?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
A very special thanks goes out to . . .
I knew I shouldn't have done a "thank you" post. Someone in particular has been down right whiny about being left off. But I'm not going to name names (just check out the last person listed). Like I said in that post, I didn't want to list everybody but I'll include a few more here (some that I forgot initially and someone because they deserve it, good or bad.
Thanks to:
MadMax for being the first person I befriended when I got my Xbox 360; introducing me to another girl gamer (his wife) and for immediately chatting me up to see how I was doing after the break in. It's nice to know someone you've never met does care. But harder to flirt with when you're friends with his wife.
Thanks to:
CyberWrat for always willing to help and give pointers to someone who picks up a game completely out of their comfort zone and skill set. And who still plays like a noobie. And for asking me about "Dark Matter". You're my mech-knight-in-shining-armor. (Those treads look good on you, by the way.)
Thanks to:
Snakes Venom for wanting to know where we first met (typical guy). And making me relive those happy memories at a time when there wasn't much happiness to go around.
Thanks to:
Double Blind for making a girl feel sexy even bundled up in heavy winter clothes. Tonight I might be able to fulfill that holiday wish you asked for. You know where to find me.
AND A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Pogue Moran for reminding me that this world is filled with idiots, jerks, jackasses and pussies (his word, not mine). For taking the heat and then turning the temperature up. For being caustic, annoying, grating but still lovable and funny at the same time (mostly). For pimping his site Xbox 360 Gaming World until I finally joined. And for all the friends I've made from there. I thank him for sticking up for me when strangers attack my gameplay. I thank him for his one liner come backs and that he knows so many gamer's mothers. I thank him for being single and being able to flirt with him shamelessly without guilt. Maybe someday his wildest fantasies (and my worst nightmares) might come true and we'll meet. I'm thankful he lets me rib him (and no, I didn't say rub him) constantly and doesn't take it personally. While it might be somewhat embarrassing to admit this in public, but Pogue Moran is a good guy. AND IT'S HIS BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!!!! Happy Birthday! Merry Christmas! And thank you!
There, are you happy now?
Thanks to:
MadMax for being the first person I befriended when I got my Xbox 360; introducing me to another girl gamer (his wife) and for immediately chatting me up to see how I was doing after the break in. It's nice to know someone you've never met does care. But harder to flirt with when you're friends with his wife.
Thanks to:
CyberWrat for always willing to help and give pointers to someone who picks up a game completely out of their comfort zone and skill set. And who still plays like a noobie. And for asking me about "Dark Matter". You're my mech-knight-in-shining-armor. (Those treads look good on you, by the way.)
Thanks to:
Snakes Venom for wanting to know where we first met (typical guy). And making me relive those happy memories at a time when there wasn't much happiness to go around.
Thanks to:
Double Blind for making a girl feel sexy even bundled up in heavy winter clothes. Tonight I might be able to fulfill that holiday wish you asked for. You know where to find me.
AND A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Pogue Moran for reminding me that this world is filled with idiots, jerks, jackasses and pussies (his word, not mine). For taking the heat and then turning the temperature up. For being caustic, annoying, grating but still lovable and funny at the same time (mostly). For pimping his site Xbox 360 Gaming World until I finally joined. And for all the friends I've made from there. I thank him for sticking up for me when strangers attack my gameplay. I thank him for his one liner come backs and that he knows so many gamer's mothers. I thank him for being single and being able to flirt with him shamelessly without guilt. Maybe someday his wildest fantasies (and my worst nightmares) might come true and we'll meet. I'm thankful he lets me rib him (and no, I didn't say rub him) constantly and doesn't take it personally. While it might be somewhat embarrassing to admit this in public, but Pogue Moran is a good guy. AND IT'S HIS BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!!!! Happy Birthday! Merry Christmas! And thank you!
There, are you happy now?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
New Poll - Spare time and Best Multi-player
TWO POLLS! Two for the price of one. Because I'm lazy and generous all at the same time.
Poll #1
Poll #2
You have until just after Christmas to vote in both polls.
Poll #1
If all your gaming equipment was stolen what would you do with all your new free time?
Immediately buy new systems/games and keep playing
Curl up in the fetal position and cry like a baby
Knit all my friends beanie hats for Christmas
Learn how to read a book again
Introduce myself to my family again
Investigate this thing they call sunshine
Poll #2
What is the best multi-player game(s) ever?
Halo series
Star Wars Battlefront series
Call of Duty series
Gears of War series
Counter Strike
You have until just after Christmas to vote in both polls.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Am I girly enough?
Am I girly enough to ask for the metallic pink DS Lite for xmas? I like the color but it just looks like I should be 8 years old with curls or pigtails in my hair and an old Barbie in my pocket when I look at it.
On the other hand am I "mature" enough for the more adult looking metallic blue/onyx color? I also like that one. But I don't want to settle.
Not that I'll get either of them, but what do you think?
On the other hand am I "mature" enough for the more adult looking metallic blue/onyx color? I also like that one. But I don't want to settle.
Not that I'll get either of them, but what do you think?
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Spouses as wildlife?
I'm not married so I couldn't relate personally to this, but I still thought the latest Pearls Before Swine blog entry was funny. For some reason it made me think of MadMax and Hell Weasell. I wonder why that is.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
What I am thankful for . . .
There doesn't seem like much to be thankful for, game related, this year. Having someone break into my house and steal all my video games and systems just sucks. But I've been thinking, and there are some things I'm thankful for. Like:
1) killafoola
He's the first person that let me follow him around in Star Wars Battlefront and really learn how to play the game when I was a noobie. I sucked, but he didn't mind. I learned a lot from him. Tactics I still use today.
2) Evil Ric
He's the first person to ever talk to me during a video game that wasn't related to me. I think he's also the first person to send me a friend request instead of me sending one to them. And believe it or not we're still friends and we talk almost every night. I guess if he can stand me after 5+ years maybe there's something lovable about me after all. (Of course he might tend to disagree with that.)
3) MasvHdWndHarry
During a rather troublesome Gears of War public match (on Escalation) some of the other members of our team (not friends of either of us) started barking at me and what a horrible player I was. Masv stood up to them and let them have it. I've always remember that and I can't tell you how much his chivalry has meant to me. Then and now.
4) El Sand Dog
When I play with him I always feel good about how I play . . . even if I suck. He just has a way to make even your most embarrassing, or game losing mishaps, nonstressful and totally hilarious. He's the only one I played Wingman with that asked my opinion about what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. He never strayed far from me either. We were a team. And I got an achievement for that. Besides, all he has to say to me is "How you doing?" and I get all tingling inside.
5) Hell Weasell
I love his sense of humor. He disarms you with his quiet, calm nature, but man he lets off some zingers. He's cracked me up on more than one occasions and sometimes during a bad night of gaming his comebacks might be the only reason why I stick around. And even though I'm a girl and I'm not suppose to be reading his "Bro Code" entries on his profile, I just have to say I love them. I hope he's saved them.
And my list could go on and on, but there's one more I'm thankful for that might seem a little strange.
6) c5ride
c5 gets a little excited and intense when he plays games. And when I do something stupid, which is not hard to do for me, it's not uncommon to hear "Pengwenn, what were you thinking?" or "Pengwenn, where were you?" or even "Pengwenn, for the love of all that's holy why didn't you kill that guy?". You would think I wouldn't be thankful for getting yelled out, but I am in a way. Thankful that he hasn't removed me from his friend's list because of my stupid game play. There might come a time in the future when he does, but for right now I take that fact that I'm still on his friends list to mean that I'm not a complete ass when I play.
It's not much to be thankful for when it comes to playing video games, but when all your stuff gets stolen you take what you can get. And for those of you not specifically mentioned I'm thankful for you too. If I listed everyone on my friends list and what they mean to me I might overload blogspot's servers and crash the site. I am thankful for you all. And I mean that. "Truly. Madly. Deeply." And if you can guess what movie that last part is from I'll be even more grateful to you. And I mean that too.
So what are you thankful for?
1) killafoola
He's the first person that let me follow him around in Star Wars Battlefront and really learn how to play the game when I was a noobie. I sucked, but he didn't mind. I learned a lot from him. Tactics I still use today.
2) Evil Ric
He's the first person to ever talk to me during a video game that wasn't related to me. I think he's also the first person to send me a friend request instead of me sending one to them. And believe it or not we're still friends and we talk almost every night. I guess if he can stand me after 5+ years maybe there's something lovable about me after all. (Of course he might tend to disagree with that.)
3) MasvHdWndHarry
During a rather troublesome Gears of War public match (on Escalation) some of the other members of our team (not friends of either of us) started barking at me and what a horrible player I was. Masv stood up to them and let them have it. I've always remember that and I can't tell you how much his chivalry has meant to me. Then and now.
4) El Sand Dog
When I play with him I always feel good about how I play . . . even if I suck. He just has a way to make even your most embarrassing, or game losing mishaps, nonstressful and totally hilarious. He's the only one I played Wingman with that asked my opinion about what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. He never strayed far from me either. We were a team. And I got an achievement for that. Besides, all he has to say to me is "How you doing?" and I get all tingling inside.
5) Hell Weasell
I love his sense of humor. He disarms you with his quiet, calm nature, but man he lets off some zingers. He's cracked me up on more than one occasions and sometimes during a bad night of gaming his comebacks might be the only reason why I stick around. And even though I'm a girl and I'm not suppose to be reading his "Bro Code" entries on his profile, I just have to say I love them. I hope he's saved them.
And my list could go on and on, but there's one more I'm thankful for that might seem a little strange.
6) c5ride
c5 gets a little excited and intense when he plays games. And when I do something stupid, which is not hard to do for me, it's not uncommon to hear "Pengwenn, what were you thinking?" or "Pengwenn, where were you?" or even "Pengwenn, for the love of all that's holy why didn't you kill that guy?". You would think I wouldn't be thankful for getting yelled out, but I am in a way. Thankful that he hasn't removed me from his friend's list because of my stupid game play. There might come a time in the future when he does, but for right now I take that fact that I'm still on his friends list to mean that I'm not a complete ass when I play.
It's not much to be thankful for when it comes to playing video games, but when all your stuff gets stolen you take what you can get. And for those of you not specifically mentioned I'm thankful for you too. If I listed everyone on my friends list and what they mean to me I might overload blogspot's servers and crash the site. I am thankful for you all. And I mean that. "Truly. Madly. Deeply." And if you can guess what movie that last part is from I'll be even more grateful to you. And I mean that too.
So what are you thankful for?
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