By Cyrris , 2nd December 1:54 pm
The latest controversy over on GameSpot is simply the most recent example of why I no longer visit large all-encompassing game media sites. Back in the day I was a frequent visitor of GameSpy and GameSpot - so much so that I’d often end up typing “gamespoy.com” in to my address bar in a subconcious attempt to go to both at the same time.
I’ve thought about writing this piece for a long time, because I have a lot to say about the current state of the gaming sites I used to love. I didn’t, however, want to drag this site down in to an out-and-out bitch fest. Given the latest happenings on GameSpot, however, I can’t help but let everyone know what happens to a gaming site when the establishment goes from being passionate to being corporate.
» Read all of “Gaming Media: The Suits March On“…
By Cyrris , 1st October 8:59 pm
No, we haven’t been taken over by an army of Barbie dolls. Rather, the change you see on Aelon today is for a cause. While pink isn’t exactly my favourite colour, the cause is a worthy one. Pink for October is the brainchild of Matthew Oliphant, a member of the 9rules Network of which this site is also a part. It is essentially the online version of the pink ribbon, raising awareness of breast cancer, and this year looks to be the biggest one yet.
Given that this type of cancer has affected not only some of my close friends but also my own immediate family, this wasn’t something I felt I could pass up. As well as going pink, I’ll be donating the entirety of Aelon’s advertising income for October. For the purpose of transparency, Text Link Ads Inc. tells me that’s $75.38 US which I would otherwise have used to buy a video game or some other such nonsense.
So if you do run a website of your own, go and read up on going pink.
By Cyrris , 28th October 7:07 pm
Everyone has programs that they like. Naturally I’m not talking about games, but rather those other applications people use. Browsers, music programs, editing apps, communication programs. The list goes on. But how many programs do you have for which you keep a keen eye on their development? I have quite a few now. It always tends to start the same way. I will get the program, I’ll start liking it, I will wonder what the next version will have, and from then on I will regularly check up on any new updates and proposals, as the version numbers tick over. So, without further ado, here is the list of programs which I just can’t help but check up on for news or updates every couple of days.
» Read all of “Keeping Track“…
By Vermouth , 31st July 1:49 pm
About freaking time! I was actually really surprised to see how many people were freaking out over the announcement that E3 was going to be cancelled and replaced with something of a great deal smaller scope. I know I don’t speak for everyone on this note, but it’s about time that this bloated show went away and didn’t come back. E3 had developed a gigantic cost both from the standpoint of putting on a show and from a standpoint of everything getting lost in the shuffle as the show had just gotten to be too big. If this report can be believed the announcement is set for Monday July 31st, the day the party stopped for business reasons.
» Read all of “End of E3“…
By Cyrris , 24th July 9:20 pm
It doesn’t get much more convincing than shots of the CEOs shaking hands. The official announcement hasn’t been made as I write this, though I expect it to come shortly afterwards.
To be honest, I’m not sure what to make of it. AMD’s latest price cuts (which, if you are interested, are huge and worth checking out) show that it’s now on the back foot with Intel’s new chip being crowned performance king. ATI’s video cards seem to be fine, but last time I checked, it’s AMD motherboard chipsets were somewhat lacking in the reliability department (though were blazingly fast). Perhaps from that point of view it’s a good thing - it’s consolidates AMDs position and it can probably give ATI what it needs to make chipsets that aren’t just fast, but also bug-free.
As far as AMD and Intel competition goes, I don’t see this merger changing anything substantially. What I am worried about though, as some have noted already, is the potential loss of balance which we currently enjoy between Nvidia and ATI. Watching these two slog it out for graphics cards, chipsets, and even console graphics has been fun to watch, and reassuring that competition is fierce enough for consumers to benefit. Nvidia makes great AMD chipsets - though it did tick me off when their SLI would only work on said chipsets. Likewise, I don’t like the idea of CrossFire only working on ATI chipsets. It limits choice. With AMD and ATI now snuggled up, and with the potential for them to offer bundled deals and the like, I see hard times ahead for Nvidia. If that means more fierce competition then great, but then if it means everything is split between two camps, with Nvidia deciding to refocus it’s work towards Intel, then the consumers will again lose out on choice.
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