Author: jcalvert

I have $250 duckets from Christmas that I have tagged as my PSP money. I figure that cash should get me a system plus a single game. Is this new wonder-toy going to be worth that type of money? I sure hope so, but damn is it a tough wait.

I do not really want to import because I have not had time to properly research to see if Sony is going to make the media (both games and movies) region specific; I assume they will because they always do for contract reasons. I do know that I am dieing to get my hands on Ridge Racers – that game looks like a system seller to me. Fans of the series will be happy to note that pretty much all of the previous game’s tracks are going to be included. To play RRType 4 tracks on this portable will totally kick ass!

Then there are the other recycled titles that interest me. Portable Gran Turismo? You bet! A portable version of Twisted Metal? I am so there! Assuming that EA can do wonders with the PSP sports titles such as Madden and SSX (whatever the portable version will be called) should be system sellers. I am not sure how much originality will come to the system, but above average portable version of fan-favorite games will sale well.

The hard part is going to be the price � both for the system and for the media, and of course system availability. I have been trying to find a US online vendor for weeks that well take pre-orders, but no dice so far. We can take a guess (based on the Japanese version) that the PSP will be priced at $199 or less, but more troublesome is the price point of the games. All major online stores are listing games at $49.99 a pop – way too expensive for this gamer.

I do not see myself becoming a movie collector for the PSP’s proprietary media so I doubt I will be spending money on PSP versions of favorite movies, and I really wonder how Sony will push this off to consumers as something worthwhile. Same goes with music � I have my trusty iPod, so I am not going to start downloading and paying for PSP specific media content. I am not sure where Sony will take this, but it would be a smart move to allow us to download movies or maybe create a “three watches and done” format that will sale for under $10.

I passed on the Nintendo DS, despite having a large library of GB compatible games, because I am really buying into the Sony hype machine. If they can pull this thing off, have decent battery power, and keep prices of games reasonable, I think Nintendo is going to be in for a huge fight. The best system does not always win (Atari Lynx anyone?) so I really think price point for the PSP games will be huge for consumers.

The interesting thing that could be lost in all the hype surrounding the PSP is that Sony could become so consumed with making this portable system successful that they manage to get beaten out by Microsoft (and the next Xbox) in the next round of the console wars (for lack of a better word). That would be something if Sony expends so much time and effort on the PSP that Microsoft manages to catch Sony with their collective pants down.

Every once in a while I get consumed by something, be it a passion for a new sport, a certain video game, a new exercise program, or in this case a wonderful (dare I say brilliant) new CD.

American Idiot, Green Day’s latest CD, is my new definition of brilliance. I have listened to this album (do they call them that anymore?) every day for a couple of weeks now. It is my morning ritual on the way to work, and it is always blaring on the way home from a hard day at the office. I even try to play it once or twice during the day, but there are too many interruptions to make that enjoyable.

I have never been a fan of Green Day, and I am certainly about as far as you can get from punk or anti-conformist, which has always been my perception of Green Day. Politics aside, this CD keeps getting better and better with each play.

I am not a music critic so I am not going to write a proper review or anything. Just let it be said that American Idiot is brilliant, gets better the more you play it, and is best served up very loud. Seriously, the louder I play the thing, the better.

Brilliance, pure and simple – American Idiot.

A couple of days ago I signed up to help coach Joshua’s soccer team for winter/spring soccer. I have been reluctant to coach in the past because I do not want to be “one of those coaches” and I do not want to be too hard on my son.

Seriously, I think we all know what I am talking about. Recently I overhead a conversation where some poor old SOB was talking about how such and such kid was really good, while some little “snotty ass” kid should be sitting on the bench. Why on earth would grown men sit around shooting the shit about their little league baseball team – before the season even started? I really wanted to tell them to f’off, but I figured Bubba had about 150 pounds on me, and would have easily kicked my ass back to Texas.

But I digress, back to reality.

Over the last few months I have helped out where I could with Joshua’s T-Ball team, his soccer team, and now his basketball team, but I have always remained in the background. I did not want to do anything in an “official” capacity – I did not want to interfere, and I was afraid that I would be too hard on Joshua.

I recently decided that I want to become more involved (Coach C. if you please), and decided it would be worthwhile for Joshua and me if I became his soccer coach � for too many reasons to go into here. I think I can manage to keep a level head and not become a Bubba. If nothing else, my wife will keep me in line.

The excitement that Joshua expressed when his mom told him I was going to coach his team was absolutely priceless.

So here I am getting ready to coach 5 and 6 year-olds. I am sure it will be crazy, but hopefully I will manage to get through it with my sanity intact, keeping the sport fun, while teaching the kids about soccer and good sportsmanship.

Prayers are always welcome, and advice on coaching youth soccer would be appreciated (that means you Kevin!).

Back in the day (that would be just 10 years ago) I would cling to every release date and get upset when the dates would slip. Ah yes, the good ‘ol days of 1995 when the PlayStation was new, the Saturn sucked, and everything that did not rule went back to the store. The internet was new for the masses, and sites started posting release dates. Back then I lived and breathed release dates. Heck, I still do it to some extent with games such as Gran Turismo 4, but it is really not that important to me anymore. I just preorder what I want and when something shows up it is like a mini Christmas.

Getting pissed over missed released dates is such a stupid practice, especially for someone in the software industry (that would be me) that should know better and understand why dates slip. Why do we cling to release dates and get so upset when something happens and the game misses the published target date? Is there some God given right that I am missing when it games to ship dates?

Exasperating the problem is the internet – gaming retailers such as EBGames will post their best “guess” at a date, usually based on marketing and sales fluff, or “estimated” dates from the publisher. Of course all hell breaks loose when the dates changes, especially if the publisher put together a major ad campaign months before anyone realized that the game would miss its target date. A few years ago no one would have any idea that that game slipped, but now that the curtains are down, we all know that the date was missed, so pissed off we become.

This may be old news to some of you, but I was trying to find some news on the differences between Football Manager 2005 (UK version) and World Wide Soccer Manager (US version of said UK game) when I stumbled over this thread on the SI Games forum. This one sure went into total chaos as the date for WWSM seemed to change with the wind. It is pretty funny how seriously some people take games and ship dates. It is also a great example of what happens when release dates go bad.

I spend most loyalties following the Bulldogs of Georgia, and the Longhorns of Texas. I suppose North Texas actually counts too since I sort of discovered them through NCAA Football games, but the Bulldogs and Texas are where it is at for this gamer.

Georgia is the 2005 Outback Bowl Champion, with a hard fought 24-21 victory over the pesky Badgers from Wisconsin. Georgia made it too close for comfort, but really the Dawgs controlled the game the whole way.

To underline the above point, Georgia trailed for all of 7 minutes in the second quarter, managed to put up 460 total yards on offense to Wisconsin’s 230, and whipped the Badgers on the ground 196-60 (rushing yards).

Texas (I was born in the great Republic of Texas for those keeping score at home) is the 2005 Rose Bowl Champion after an entertaining 38-37 victory over Michigan. Man, that was the most entertaining football game I have seen in some time! Last second winning field goals are for the faint of heart!

Vince Young was freaking awesome! 180 yards in the air (16-28-1 and 1 INT), and 194 yards on the ground with 4 TDs on 21 attempts. Tremendous performance! And what a way to win Texas’s for appearance in the Rose!

I am off to a rotten start with my gaming resolutions, but yesterday was a great day of football so who gives a flying $@$*^! I may analyze both of these in-depth when it is not so late, but for now, Go Dawgs! Go! And Hook ’em Horns!

Happy New Year one and all! Welcome to 2005 – the year of the gamer!

Any resolutions for this gamer? Heck no! I have always thought New Year resolutions were a wee bit silly. I mean, why make them in the first place? If you need to loose 10 pounds, why wait until January 1st to start? If you are smoking, why not break the habit Labor Day weekend? Maybe I just do not get it.

In the South we eat black-eye peas and collards (greens) to bring us good fortune through out the New Year. I cannot stand collards, but I remember that my grandmother used to love them and was always disappointed if we did not eat them to start off the New Year. Tonya is fixing a big ‘ol pot of the peas, but thankfully no collards. Hopefully the prosperity thing will happen; keeping my fingers crossed.

OK, if I have to make some resolutions to keep this article somewhat interesting, I will resolve to do the following:

• Finish Champions of Norrath (currently at the start of Act IV)


• Continue to make progress in Gran Turismo 3 (currently around 23%)


• Actually play games that I purchase instead of letting them collect dust


• Sale games on eBay that are currently collecting dust


• Better restore the Hawks to glory in NBA Live 2005 … since, ah, it is collecting dust


• Get a launch day PSP, take a day off, and write tons of comments about the new portable, its games, and my impressions. Glory days!


• Finish GTA: Vice City


• Finish GTA III


• Continue to make progress in GTA San Andreas since the previous two will never happen


• Defeat Sin thus completing Final Fantasy X (currently leveling up to fight Sin)


• Post regular updates to this blog


• Maintain a regular exercise program so I do not get fat and lazy while accomplishing the above.

So there you have it. I have made some stinking promises, and like the rest of you, there is no way in hell that I will actually keep *all* my promises. I guess promises were made to be broken …

Several years ago I ran an almost semi-regular column called “Reset/Reply” � boy did I think that name was clever. I would review a game, and then at some later date discuss the pros and cons of that game, discuss the original review score, and if I was actually still playing the game. After all, replay value and fun factor is what it is all about. I thought Reset/Replay was a great way to discuss the longevity of games that I reviewed.

What I am writing about has nothing to do with those long lost columns. Instead last night Joshua (my eight year old son) provided me with a simple moment of laughter and brilliance all rolled into one.

I was playing Gran Turismo 3 – been playing a lot of that one lately – and Joshua was commenting on how good I was when suddenly I went into the pits by mistake. Boom! From first to worst just like that! I told Joshua that I just made a huge mistake and that I was going to come in last. He told me I was too good for that, or some such. When all of a sudden Joshua said “I never come in last in Need For Speed [Hot Pursuit for the PS2]. I always finish first! You should start over …”

So being inquisitive I ask him how he always managers to come in first. “I just reset and start over if I am not going to win.” And there you have it – Reset/Replay.

Come on, admit it. You do it, I do it; we all do it. I guess Joshua learns by example. Seriously, I admit to times where I get pissed and reset, but I do it much less these days. Because I have less time to play? Makes you think.

Kids have a remarkable ability to play and play and play and play and not get frustrated with dieing and dieing and dieing and so on. If they cannot get from spot A to spot B they just keep on plugging until it gets done. Me? I get tense and uptight and frustrated. I guess I could learn a thing or two from Joshua.

I have to admit that several years ago I would reset a game if it did not go my way, but I do that much less now. Honestly. No really. OK, maybe I am kidding myself a little. Oh, screw it, go on and Reset/Replay. It will make you feel better!

Christmas seems like a distant memory … except for all the toys thrown all over the house, and the tree that still needs to be undecorated, and all the boxes stacked up in the corner waiting to be kindly thrown out in the trash, and … ah, forget it. There are still plenty of Christmas reminders around the Calvert household.

And then there are JC’s Christmas toys. I spoke of the GameCube Game Boy player a few days ago – technically that is Joshua’s, but who is counting?

Goodie list not counting clothes, adult beverages (yes, I got me some Christmas spirits!), and other non-entertainment stuff:

American Idiot – Green Day
This is my first Green Day music; it is very good listening tunes. I am surprised that it is so solid from beginning to end. Good stuff!

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
This is the unlimited, super secret, special edition. Collectable or something like that. I really enjoyed the movies, and the soundtrack (this is the only LotR soundtrack in my library) is fantastic.

American IV: The Man Comes Around – Johnny Cash
I cannot say enough good things about this CD. I do not own any other Cash, and I have to admit that I never really paid attention to Cash. This is by far my favorite CD right now, damn your eyes!

Need for Speed: Underground 2
Have not even opened this one yet; shame on me. I really enjoyed the first Underground, so hopefully this one will play just as well if not better. Will post an update sooner or later.

Ace Combat 5
Another still in the shrinkwrap game. Do I suck or what? I have always been a big fan of the series, but I have not really gotten “into” the games. Mostly just casually flying around blowing up chit. Much like NFS:U2 � will post an update at some point … fairly soon I hope.

Kirby Air Ride
OK, this one is really Joshua’s, but dad has to help out and play it some. I mean, what are dads for, right? The game is pretty simplistic, and I do not see a whole heck of a lot of strategy involved. You ride around, sucking up stuff in the typical Kirby manner, and try to be the first to cross the finish line. I think the game just uses the left control sick and the green action button – simplicity is good I suppose. Joshua likes it, so I guess that is all that really matters.

I am sure there is some stuff that I am forgetting; if so, that will have to wait until take 3.

OK, so I am waiting until the last possible minute to post SEC Bowl predictions. Actually I am just inside of 4 hours before the Tide starts Rolling, Rolling, Rolling over the Gophers in the Music City Bowl.

Music City Bowl: Alabama vs. Minnesota
No really, Alabama will win a hard fought battle against a gritty Big 10 opponent, but at the end of the day defense matters and Gophers will find that the Tide has way too much. I am looking at under 20 points for both teams.

Peach Bowl: Miami vs. Florida
I am an SEC homer and all that, but I am afraid the Gators will find that the Hurricanes are no push over. The truth of the matter is that the Gators are loaded, and of course the Hurricanes are too, but the level of talent that Miami is pulling in is not quite the same as the days of Butch.

The Georgia Dome is going to be rocking under the offensive fire works display by Florida as they put up 33+ points on a Miami defense that has averaged just fewer than 18 per game. Miami’s offense will also respond, but will it be enough?

On a whim I am going to say that Florida manages to restore some pride and send Miami into an ACC tailspin for the 2005 season.

Did I really just call for 60+ total points? Damn, I did.

Cotton Bowl: Tennessee vs. Texas A&M
Uh, does Tennessee have a QB for this one? If they do not they are going to be in for a hurting in Dallas. There is going to be an overwhelming home field advantage for the Aggies of A&M, but does home field junk really matter all that much when it comes to bowl games?

Let us look at it this way. Tennessee has lost to the Tigers from Auburn twice. Yes, those same Tigers that went undefeated, and won the SEC, and got snubbed from playing for the mythical National Championship. No shame in that. Now the Irish thing is a different story, but Tennessee was down to someone like me playing QB. They had excuses.

We could forgive the Aggies for losses against Utah and Oklahoma, and instate rival Texas, but Baylor? You have to be kidding me. Other than that, did the rest of their schedule matter? Come on, Wyoming, Clemson, K. State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Colorado, and Texas Tech? OK, some is wrong here � Texas Tech is actually respectable, but the rest of Big 12 was really down this year.

I still think the best the SEC has to offer is better than the best the Big 12 has to offer, and A&M stumbled with a 1-3 mark in their last four games.

Any other day of the week I would say Tennessee wins, but because of the QB situation (do they actually have one to suit up for this game) I am going to say A&M in a closely contested battle. Both teams score in the 20-24 point range. So look for under 50 in this one.

Capital One Bowl: LSU vs. Iowa
LSU has a very nice defense, and they have a balanced offensive attack. Iowa’s defense is also solid, but they cannot run. Who ever heard of a Big 10 team that could not pound it on the ground?

I could say that homer thing again and just call LSU, but those guys in the Bayou are all kinds of pissed at their coach up and dropping them like a five pound bag of cow crap. I am going to call this one for Iowa, surprisingly by 10 or so points.

Sugar Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Auburn
No contest. The Tigers were screwed by the BCS and the Hokies will pay the price.

Auburn will run and pass their way to a 13+ point win by racking up 30+ for the game. Really, it will not be a contest in this massive mismatch.

For those that do not know, I am a huge Georgia fan, and I live about 45 miles from the Auburn campus. I do not like the Tigers – seriously, all those Tiger fans in Columbus are rather bothersome. Still, I give them their due – they are the best team in the country this year.

Outback Bowl: Georgia vs. Wisconsin
This could be an interesting game, but Georgia’s defense is too damn good to let me down. The Badgers may have a nice rushing game (they average 170 per game), but Georgia will stop that cold forcing Wisconsin to put it up, which will give the game to the Dawgs.

Greene and Pollack look to go out big, and they will not let themselves down, much less their coach, their team, and their fans.

Wisconsin ran the table early, but lost their last two games by 50 some odd points combined. Not so hot. Georgia will put up 27 and the Badgers will struggle to reach 17.

Go Dawgs! Go!

This morning I found a surprising, but welcomed email from my old pal Kevin Mosley. The circle is now complete – all former CG staffers have now taken on blogs to spew their words of wisdom (and other crap) to the masses. Kevin was the last hold out, and now that his “Gut Reaction” is live, all of the old gang are blogging fools (figuratively speaking of course).

I would like to wish Kevin good luck with his new endeavor, and of course continued success to Adam, Derek, and Ted!

• Granatofan’s Corner


• Kevin’s Gut Reaction


• The Sound of Simpson


• Webdanzer’s Spin

Click on one of these blogs today; you will be glad you did!

My traveling experiences with Griffin Technology’s iTrip was fairly successful. The product basically works as advertised. It allows you to transmit your iPod songs via your car’s FM radio.

I will caution those of you that live in areas with heavy radio traffic (lots of stations) that your results may be very mixed. The instructions recommend that you find a station with just static, but the kicker is that the instruction manual also suggests that the bands to the left and right are also all static. I have to admit that is a very tall order! I never thought it would be so difficult to find static on the radio, but believe me it is a challenge.

Traveling from Columbus, GA to Orlando, FL I never found three consecutive bands of static, but I did find enough static that I could enjoy my iPod. In one case I managed to go 2+ hours without having to switch stations, but this was really the exception. I often found myself switching bands every 20-35 minutes, which was a pain in the neck. You have to switch because once the radio station starts picking up something (music, talk radio, bleed through from another band, etc) the music starts to sound scratchy with static.

To get the iTrip to function properly you have to tune your radio, then switch to the iPod’s iTrip playlist and select the correct radio station. Once the selected station starts playing you pause the “song” (iPod treats this as a regular music file) and wait for the iTrip’s led to blink three times before going solid. After that you start playing music as normal.

For the $35.00 price, the iTrip works as advertised. I cannot give it a full recommendation because it may not work well in heavily congested areas (lots of stations with little to no static), and because it is a cumbersome process to switch stations (music files) while driving. Still, the iTrip did what I wanted it to do – allowing me to listen to my music library on my iPod while traveling to Disney. Your mileage may vary.

I turned comments back on after doing some research of the most recent hack attack to hit Calvert Games. This time it was not personal. That was actually a relief. Some form of a nasty spambot left all sorts of casino comments – I guess the hacker of the spambot gets referral fees or something if someone clicks on their links.

Anyway, now that I know it was not a vicious sort of personal attack, I have decided to re-enable comments. Of course if I get hit again I will have to take different measures such as only allow registered users to post. At this point I do not see any real benefit to having registered users, but I guess that could change down the road.

For those users that also have a blog that uses nucleus, here is the plug-in/fix I have used to (hopefully) reduce spam attacks in the future: NP_Blacklist.

Here is to keeping my fingers crossed that future comments are meaningful and not full of spam!

I am going to try to write some Christmas gaming recaps over the next several days. I figured I would start off with the GameCube Game Boy Player that Joshua got for Christmas. I figured Joshua would enjoy playing some of his games in full screen glory, but I also kind of guessed that dear old dad would get a kick out of not straining his poor old eyes.

For 50 duckets, let me tell you that this thing is a great investment. In all my time reviewing games I was never able to do screen captures for my Game Boy reviews, but now I can … if I ever decide to review again.

I think the device has been out for a year and a half (maybe even two years or longer). I never figured I would get one because I just do not have that much time to play games, and when I do I want to play other games than the portable type. My Game Boy is pretty much exclusive to traveling and my in-laws house. This handy-dandy device changes everything.

It is fairly easy to setup. You just remove the external connector on the bottom of the GameCube, put the Game Boy Player in the slot, and screw in two screws (to lock the device in place). I have one of the purple (or indigo or whatever) GameCubes, but the Game Boy Player is black. Not that big of a deal, but I guess it is not that ecstatically pleasing if that sort of thing matters to you.

After connecting the device to your GameCube, you pop in the included player disk, slide in a cartridge, and let Nintendo do its magic – your tiny little Game Boy games magically appear in full screen glory on your TV.

Wow! What a difference it makes to play Qix! in full-screen goodness. Joshua got a kick out of playing his Kirby games on TV. Not only that, but you can use the wonderful WaveBird controller instead of the tiny little Game Boy setup. Delicious!

I can easily see myself buying a second GameCube (just in case) once the price drops below the current $99.99 price point just to have a way to play all these classic games on TV.

We have not put in very many games, but the fact that the Game Boy Player works with an older game such as Qix! and the newer Kirby Mirror game bodes well for its effectiveness.

Very highly recommended!

I sincerely hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and hope that you and yours has a very blessed New Year.

Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing, And heav’n and nature sing

…

See within a manger laid Jesus, Lord of heav’n and earth!
Mary and Joseph, lend your aid, With us sing our Savior’s birth.
Gloria in excelsis Deo

…

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King.”

…

Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

This small Tribute to and Celebration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is expressed to remind us all that Jesus is Lord. Merry Christmas!

Earlier this week I purchased an iPod for my family trip to Disney. My wife’s van does not have an auxiliary port or tape deck, so I figured a FM transmitter was the best way to go. After reading the various reviews of the handful of products available the iTrip seemed to be the best option, even if it is not an ideal solution.

I have only tried it a couple of times, but so far it seems to work OK. It is kind of a pain finding stations that are all static and have stations on either side of their band that are also non-broadcast stations. According to the instruction manual this is the best way to enjoy my new iTrip.

My experience thus far was broadcast quality music (in other words, pretty much like an FM radio broadcast) with some static. It will be interesting to see how this handy, dandy device works while driving down to Orland tomorrow. I have a bad feeling that I am going to be switching stations left and right, and I am going to be listening to more static than music.

Hopefully my fears are unfounded, and I will be iTripping down the highway. Either way I will post an iTrip recommendation next week.