Child of Light Out Is Out Today (So You’re NOT Reading This Post, Right?)

Posted on April 30, 2014 by geelw

Nope, I wasn’t lucky enough to grab a Child of Light review code from whomever handles this stuff over at Ubisoft, but I don’t mind paying the $15 to play this game at all. My platform of choice will be the Wii U, as it’s a system that needs more love and it’s great that Ubisoft decided to bring this game to the console, although it’s no surprise given their support for it since its launch.

As you can see, reviews are indeed in from those who DID get codes early and yes, the game comes highly recommended. I’ll probably get to playing this early next week, as I’m working on a few things and my poor backlog is indeed killing me these days. I guess I can train a monkey or goat to play games and write about them, but that would cut into my budget something fierce (and the food? Yikes, I’d go broke with a pet here in NYC)…

Let’s Try This Again… TEST POST!

Posted on April 30, 2014 by geelw

OK, I’ll be out and about later at a more reliable connection, but since this new post window loaded fast this morning (yesterday was a TOTAL nightmare!), I’m going to try adding a post with an image and video (which was impossible to do on Tuesday for anything I attempted). Let’s see now… la, la, laaa… Whee, progress (he said, hitting himself in the head with a cast iron fry pan)! That really OLD photo above is there to scare you. Are you scared? No? Oh well, no refunds if you dropped a coin into that slot to read this. Video below, as it kind of fits the photo. Sort of. Okay, I like this song a lot, so you get to listen and watch and hopefully be very entertained even though it’s way out of season.

(thanks, NewGods101!)

Anyway, I’ll be back in a few hours with some actual posts. The rainy streets are calling me and I need to answer…

(NOTE: Although this is only a test, there will be NO quiz later. Consider yourselves lucky!)

Telltale’s The Walking Dead Is Nearly Everywhere You Look. Go Get Caught Up In This One, I Say…

Posted on April 25, 2014 by geelw

Between the Complete First season being released on Google Play and Season Two dropping onto the Vita, Telltale Games’ stellar The Walking Dead series is taking over just about everything that can play this multiple award winning series and letting an even wider audience experience the horror. Telltale’s games are more accessible than your typical action-heavy PC or console games thanks to a simpler to use interface, story-focused dialog trees that require reasonably fast (but not insane) timing and choices that truly affect the outcome of each chapter. This also makes TWD highly replayable because of how your decisions stack up as the chapters flow onward.

So, your interest is piqued, no? Well, go whip out that favorite device and go get some Walkers into your now more entertaining life, I say.

Child of Light Making of Part 3: Same As It Ever Was, No Matter What You Play It On…

Posted on April 24, 2014 by geelw

Ubisoft is really pushing these making of videos to show that Child of Light will be the same gorgeous visual experience across every platform. Given that all the consoles it runs on support HD resolution (and of course, PC as a given run at higher resolutions anyway), it’s clear that the game will be a feast for the eyes no matter what it’s played on. I’m now leaning towards the Wii U version as noted before just because it’s the easiest console for me to update from a wi-fi spot and get games for as well. Decision made! Now, it’s just less than a week of waiting to go…

Child of Light On Wii U: Same Game, Different Console (Get It And/Or Get Over It!)…

Posted on April 21, 2014 by geelw

*Sigh* Ah, the internet… home to fools with busted soapboxes and lousy opinions, all in the name of… something. Anyway, YES, the Wii U version of Child of Light is going to look exactly the same as the other versions, yeesh. That UbiArt Framework and the lovely hand-drawn art in the game will run on any modern console as well as anything next-gen and any decent PC. But try telling that to the trolls out there and all you get is under-bridge bile drippings from people who haven’t touched Nintendo’s console and don’t intend to.

Frankly speaking, screw those dolts, I say. As a multi-system owner and longtime gamer, I’m still trying to decide which system to get this one for, but I’ll play and review it on the Wii U if I have to just to have another game for that system that needs to get MORE of them this year. Anyway, April 30th is the big day and hopefully, this version won’t get slapped with a last-minute delay or anything else that will get the skeptics babbling from their stinky toll-haunts under every local bridge. I don’t normally wast my space on people like this, but after overhearing some inane anti-Wii U drivel today, I had to put my foot down before I put it up someone’s read end.

That and the last living thing I actually kicked was a REALLY slow pigeon a bunch of years ago. Hey, I was in a hurry, it was in front of me trundling along like an over-sized inchworm with wings and it wasn’t a “kick” at all… it was more of a foot-lift and bird shift to my right as I zipped past.

POW! BANG! Monday Being Monday Means It’s A Monday…

Status

Well, at last I got some good news this morning. Tales of Hearts R is Vita bound this winter! More on that in an actual post later. Other than that, my scanner died (boo!), I’ve a UBS stick that got wiped of useful files (boo!) and I woke up with a slight headache and backache (old!). Eh, nothing to see here, move along. That, and I overslept a bit and now am catching up on stuff kind of in reverse order. Just another Monday with a slightly different flavor to it (somewhat moldy?). Anyway, let me stop griping and get out of here. I need to mail off a box of stuff and get motivated by that nice (but still not quite spring-like) weather outside.

Back in a bit…

Day Whatever: Laptop “Crisis” Continues, Work Slowdown Forces Laze-Offs…

Status

Okay, it’s not THAT bad, but I do miss my portability which adds access to wi-fi. Anyway, the AMUSING thing is my anti-virus program has cloud storage that I used a bit of when I installed it, but as I’m on a crap connection here, I can’t access it to get to the stuff I was working on! Isn’t technology WONDERFUL? Nope. Anyway, the “good” news part one: my replacement power supply should be here by Thursday. The bad/good news: Verizon is forcing everyone in the area still on crap connections into an upgrade over the next few months, but is being kind of shifty when it comes to discussing what it will cost and whether it’s going to be one of those “pay by bandwidth” deals that’s NOT a deal for folks like me who shift words and games around in large enough quantities that we’re hit with fees and caps that make no sense. I hate when companies claim they’re doing stuff in the best interest of the consumers because it’s never, ever true when you get right down to it, grrrr.

(thanks, BlankTV!)

Eh, we’ll see where this new madness goes. I still want to keep the land line as long as possible because mobile phones blow in cases of emergencies around here while I can dial out and reach someone on the home phone. That and I can see nothing but grief from a connection that’s SUPPOSED to be more stable not being so stable, but hey – progress, right?

Monday Happened To Me BEFORE Monday. No Fair!

Status

Bleh. So, last night I’m working on the laptop on a few things (some stuff to complete and post today) when I notice my battery indicator flashing while the laptop is plugged in. A quick check revealed the stupid power adapter/charger had a busted wire, which I didn’t notice and had me wondering what the heck happened. I figure it was someone in the library a few days back, either the kid running around who hit the table and knocked the power supply to the floor or the cranky lady with her own laptop that may have yanked out my cord and not hers by mistake when she was fumbling around packing up her crap. I was busy writing, but I heard some stuff being unplugged (she was using three of the four outlets under the table) and her mutter “sorry” to no one at some point, so I’m gathering it was me she was apologizing to for pulling something she shouldn’t have. Oh, quite you there in the back! Mind in the gutter, I say!

(thanks, stevensonjohn964!)

Anyway, I’m home of the chuggy connection, so updates will be slim to slimmer until the replacement adapter shows up. At least the GOOD news here is it only cost me about eleven dollars with shipping to replace the power supply, as prices have dropped on OEM parts for this old computer. About a year or so back, I was looking at paying almost four times as much for the same item. So perhaps I should thank Lady Cranky if I ever see her in the library again, but I think I’ll just sit somewhere else or else I’ll be needing to buy up a bunch of replacements and sticking them in a closet here…

Tech Review: Color Cables

Posted on April 12, 2014 by geelw

Welcome to the easiest review I’ve ever done: Color Cables are AWESOME (The End!). Okay, there’s a bit more to write about, but the direct and simple nature of this cool, colorful luminous charge and sync cable makes this one a no-brainer replacement for any OEM charge cables thanks to a few fine features. Available in seven colors with 30-Pin, Lightning and Micro USB options with two length choices (3 or 6 feet, $15 and $20 respectively), Your iOS, Android or Windows phone or device gets a superior cable that’s well worth the price point.

As the cables are flat and extremely well made, they don’t tangle up while in your bag of choice and solid connections on both ends mean you’re not likely to see any splitting or fraying form general wear. The cool factor comes from the distinctive luminosity on display and yes, it’s pretty nifty to let your cable sit in the sun or under a light for a bit during the day and have them giving of that soft glow in the evening or night. If you grew up with stars on your walls and ceiling or had some toys that gave off that familiar greenish color, you’ll get a grin going every time you use your cable.

Sure, there are similar colored cables out there for less that don’t have that funky glow thing going for them, but the smarter of you out there know you get what you pay for and often “cheap” refers to both price and quality. Color Cables are a nicer (and still affordable) solution that take care of a few problems as well as making for a great gift for that phone or device user you know who wants something to stand out from the crowd when they need a recharge at home or away.

– Greg Wilcox

Child of Light Making of #2: Music and Sounds Get The High Note This Update…

Posted on April 9, 2014 by geelw

Equally as important as the plot and lovely visuals are the music and sound effects in Ubisoft’s upcoming soon to be classic Child of Light, and as you can see above, all those pieces are indeed falling exactly where they need to. It’s clear that this project will be one for the ages as well as a great first game made with UbiArt Framework (which needs to get into the hands of a few other developers just so we can see how different art styles hold up to the new tech). April 30th is when this one comes out for PC and consoles, so keep an eye peeled, I say…