Acid for Blood

Mirror's Edge Runner's Bag

Eee! My Mirror's Edge "Runner's Bag Bundle" was waiting for me at my doorstep when I returned home from work. The bundle included the game and a limited edition Timbuk2 messenger bag.

The outside of the bag:

Inside flap:

Inside flap, detail:

Samus Aran Phazon Suit Statue

I don't think Santa Claus exists, because I wrote a very eloquent letter a couple years ago asking for the First 4 Figures limited edition Samus Aran Varia Suit statue, but he didn't come through.

First 4 Figures are at it again, and they've produced this completely awesome limited edition Samus Aran Phazon Suit statue, complete with over 25 internal LED lights and mirror base.

Check it out:

The statue is not available until 2009, is limited to 1 500 pieces worldwide, and comes with a $225 price tag. Yikes.

[Thanks, Twyst, for the tip and for starting my morning off with an internal struggle to stop myself from getting my credit card out. Must. Resist!]

EDIT: Shit. Okay, I pre-ordered it. They won't be charging my card until the statue ships though, which is nice.

GDC 2008: Two Sessions Highlighted

There were a couple of sessions that I really enjoyed at the Game Developers Conference this year.

The first was "Game Studies Download 3.0". The Game Studies Download first appeared at GDC 2006, which was the first GDC I attended. I'm quite interested in the various fields of game studies, having dabbled in it (read: dissertation research) during my Master's degree. Bogost, Consalvo, and McGonigal delivered a fast-paced, information-rich and very interesting presentation. One of the interesting bits of research they highlighted were findings that showed that breaking immersion can actually make games more engaging. An example of this that I thought of is in Metal Gear Solid, when you're fighting Psycho Mantis and he tells you he can read your past. The game reads your memory card and if you have certain Konami games, Psycho Mantis comments on it. I personally found this bit of the game really entertaining, and though it does break the fourth wall, it was memorable and cool. If you're interested in the rest of the research top ten, check the link above.

The other session I especially enjoyed was "The BioWare Live Team: Building Community Through Technology". French gave an overview of the development of the Live Team and what technical decisions they made to support their fan community. I gleaned a lot of great insights from it, particularly since I don't work at a company that makes games. It was interesting to hear the rational behind decisions as well as what went right and wrong in the Live Team's work with Neverwinter Nights.

The rest of GDC was pretty good, though I'm not as wide-eyed and excitable as I was at GDC 2006. Could it be that I've become a jaded games industry professional? I definitely was not as keen on collecting swag as I was two years ago. In fact, I don't even know why I bothered to get the few free pens and assorted nonsense that I did come away with. Why the fuck do I need a yellow rubber duckie stamped with a company logo? I don't know, but it's a rubber duckie and I didn't have one until now!

More Guild Wars Stuff to Buy

The new Guild Wars Skill (and Item) Unlock Packs are on sale for 50% off until 31st December. The Skill Unlock Packs provide players the following benefits:

• Immediately use these unlocked skills for your Heroes and PvP characters.


• These skills (except elite skills) also become available for your PvE characters to learn from any Skill Trainer.

This is great because I don't have to spend time playing on other Professions so that I can have access to skills that I would like my Heroes to have. I have loads and loads of skills for Necromancers and Mesmers, but not so much for the others. Of course, if I want to have any of the unlocked skills in my characters' arsenal, I will still have to pay one platinum to a Skill Trainer for each skill. I will also need to capture any Elite skill that I would like to use myself.

Also, Guild Wars merchandise is now available. Unfortunately, they do not sell the t-shirts women's sizes. I snagged the shirts (with the Charr and the other one with Nika, Melonni, and Eve) in size Small before they ran out, as they tend to do.

NCsoft Europe sells Profession shirts in women's sizes, but I don't play an Elementalist, Ranger, or Monk. The Guild Wars hoodies are nice, but they're so expensive, and with the Dollar so week against the Pound, there is no way I am going to spend nearly $100 for one.

I keep posting about stuff to buy, but we are coming up on that time of year again.

Of Mice and More Mice

The Razer DeathAdder Guild Wars Edition mouse, which I wrote about in July, had been announced only for Europe at that time. I just checked the Razer website, and the Guild Wars edition mouse is now available for Guild Wars fans in the States. I'm not sure how long these mice have been available on the US Razer website. I have an email subscription to their mailing list and either I glossed over the announcement, it got sent to my spam folder, or they didn't send out an email about the Guild Wars mouse. The price for the Guild Wars Edition mouse is $69.99 at the Razer website. The cost $10 higher than the regular Death Adder mouse. Presumably the "go faster" Guild Wars branding and orange backlights on the logo and the scroll wheel are meant to give you the competitive edge when you're pwning n00bs in HA or for us fluffy PvE folks, working on that Vanquisher Title, thus making it worth the extra $10.

When I first read about the Guild Wars Edition Razer DeathAdder mouse, I was all excited and such. However, I also know that most gaming mice are too long for my hands. The Razer Copperhead which I had considered, is 130mm long. The Copperhead is a great mouse, but for me to use comfortably it would have to be a bit shorter. The Razer DeathAdder mouse is 128mm in length, and I'm not sure the 2mm will make much of a difference to me.

I recently won the Ideazon Reaper gaming mouse (as well as a couple of World of Warcraft "Fragmats") from WomenGamers.com for completing a survey and having my name drawn in the raffle. The Reaper is 125mm in length. I've been using it for about a day, but I'm not sure I am going to keep it for myself. The little curve the Reaper has at the butt of the mouse is awkward and completely unnecessary. It forces my palm back, and because my hand is small, my fingers feel as if they're straining to reach for the mouse buttons. I can't even reach the first and second side buttons with my thumb. If you have small hands, the Ideazon Reaper gaming mouse is not for you! I'm going to use it for a few more days to see if I change my mind, but if it takes me so long to get comfortable with a mouse, I'm thinking the answer would be "No" (in which case I would have to find a freakishly large-handed gamer to give this mouse to).

The Razer Krait, at 120mm in length, may be my best bet if I wanted to get a gaming mouse, and the price for the Krait is reasonable as far as gaming mice go -- $39.99. Still, that DeathAdder -- either version -- looks pretty sweet. Perhaps I should mosey on down to the shop in December (because I'm still NaNo-ing, geddit?) and see if there are any DeathAdders to manhandle.

Some mouse-making company should seriously start considering people with smaller hands when they design these things. I use a Logitech right-handed gaming mice at work and it's too long, too tall, and a bit too fat. I've learned to deal with it, but it could stand to have a few millimetres shaved off of the length, height, and width. My Logitech Ladybug Mouse, which was made for children (another variety of small-handed people), is the most comfortable mouse I've used to date. The only thing it lacks is the optical speed of gaming mice. So, Logitech, I love your products, but you (or someone else) need to start making gaming mice for those equipped with smaller hands or who prefer smaller mice. My suggestion? Ladybug mouse, reskinned in appropriately "gamer colours" (black and blue are safe bets, see the DeathAdder for a good example), add a button that allows you to switch DPI instantly (800, 1600, and 1800 DPI), add a couple of programmable side buttons, perhaps make the scroll wheel glow -- and boom -- instant seller! Man, I should totally go into product development, for serious.

[Link]

Weighted Companion Cube Plushies

I haven't finished Portal yet, for I am eschewing games to work on my NaNoWriMo.  However, I will say that if anyone wanted to get me these, I wouldn't be opposed:

News of official Weighted Companion Cube plushies popped up on the Steam update the other day.

The pair of Weighted Companion Cubes have the nerd factor that the Tohoho Dog, which I currently have hanging from my car's rearview mirror, lacks. Though my dog-with-tire-around-its-neck does have character:

Magic Happens Here

Oh yes.

Item Acquired: Canon PowerShot SD800 IS

I am now the owner of a digital camera, the Canon PowerShot SD800 IS. For the few (and I do mean few) that have been following my Twitter updates (or if you have glanced at my sidebar within the past couple of days) you will have known about my new acquisition already.

I took my new toy out for a little spin yesterday:

I'm not an advanced photographer, so I think Canon's Elph line is just right for me. I will be using this to take pictures at the Penny Arcade Expo next month.

I tend to cover my gadgets in silicone and screen protectors, and this camera is no exception (I used my brother's Canon PowerShot A610 to take this picture):

Some readers may recall my silicone-covered DS Lite:

This is my Sony Ericsson W810i mobile phone:

More pictures to come on Flickr now that I no longer have to borrow cameras from relatives.

Razer DeathAdder Mouse: Guild Wars Edition… For Europe

I have to get this mouse. I just have to. Maybe two.

NCsoft Europe is proud to announce a new partnership with Razer, the world’s leading manufacturer of professional gaming peripherals, to produce a Guild Wars edition of the award-winning Razer DeathAdder gaming mouse.

I don't have a gaming mouse. Do you know what mouse I have? I have the Logitech Ladybug Mouse. It does the job, you know, but it isn't a Guild Wars mouse!

If I can't find a place that will ship to the States, l will have to speak to my lovely European friends about this.

[Read]

LG Shine

I want this mobile.

I'm hoping for a quad band version if/when they release it in the States.

So pretty...

[Shiny Shiny]

[Crave's coverage of the LG Shine at CES]