Confessions of a Broke Gamer

I think we've all been where I am at least once. So many games to purchase, but the wallet doesn't seem to be quite as accommodating. How we cope with our gaming habits when the funds are tight can be considered a testament to our dedication as gamers. Some wait for sales, some buy used, some rent, or some give in to the dark side and resort to piracy.

Even though I try to buy new games as often as I can, I still feel bad since I feel I should be doing more to support my favorite developers. Take for instance a few months back. New to twitter, I bragged about finally getting my hands on a copy of Infinite Space for DS by Platinum Games, Nude Maker, and publisher Sega. Platinum Games actually replied to my tweet, congratulating me and asking me if I found it new. It hit me, and I felt guilty instantly, that my purchase of this game used meant they wouldn't be getting any money from it. I consoled myself with the facts but it didn't help much. I still felt like I was doing a diservice to Platinum Games, who show genuine talent for developing quality gaming experiences, only to be met with figures far below what they deserve. Despite my high opinion of them I am contributing to their misfortune!



A few weeks ago Best Buy had a great sale on Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One for PS3 at only $10. Though a slightly different experience than previous titles, the Ratchet & Clank games are consistently some of the best PlayStation first party titles out there. Big ups to Insomniac for giving us some great family friendly titles that don't skimp on gameplay in the least. Paying only $10 seemed criminal at the time, though at least this was spent on a new copy. The same story repeated yesterday with me purchasing a copy of Eat Sleep Play and SCE Santa Monica Studio's Twisted Metal for $20. By all accounts these games are worth far more than their sale prices, I simply find it hard to make room for more than one full price game a month, sometimes less than that.



I do feel guilty about it, hoping for the day when my budget might allow me to pay more than just lip service to the developers out there who make less than they deserve, but for now this is my reality. A reality that will lead me to Gamestop today to pick up a new copy of Nether Realm's Mortal Kombat for PS Vita for $10. What can I say, I'm broke!

:)

Vana'days

So it's been... like a year since I posted last? I think that's about right.

first off I stopped because I also stopped playing XI. seemed odd to keep a blog called Absolutezero's Mog House going when I no longer had a mog house.

also almost a year ago I began writing for 8bitfix.com, if you guys like video games you need to check it out. in the year I actually worked my way up to review editor/coordinator. pretty fancy eh? but they're all great people and we post video game news and reviews because we love to. the site isn't even monetized.

so why the title? I'm considering going back into the world of vana'diel for a short time. I just want to get my last hurrah in before my first child is born!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Oh My Pokémon,

Exciting time to be a pokéfan I tell ya. Pokémon how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

1. Pokémon Black & White release is just on the corner. Gen V is almost here with version specific cities, new pokémon, redesigned city layouts and interactivity! Less than 2 weeks man, less than 2 weeks.

2. Pokémon events! the shiny legendary dog trio event just ended but many more are on the horizon! from now to the 8th of march (I believe) you can download Celebi from any gamestop location as well as Victini (a Gen V legendary) will be available starting march 6th, and the Zoroark event can be triggered by trading one of the shiny legendary dogs to your B&W game.

3. Starting soon players will be able to play an online version of the Pokémon TCG. There will be several starter decks to choose from at release with more available in subsequent updates. it's stated the decks will be customizable but to what extent isn't yet known.

4. Did I mention new pokémon?? Ha!

So yeah, it's a good time. Not a fan? well nows not a bad time to start either :p

Remember, Remember, the 14th of September!

As most of you probably know I picked up the Limited Edition version of Halo: Reach yesterday night. Of course after the initial batch of pictures I took my friends and I jumped into online multiplayer for a couple hours before it was time for bed. I didn't really have any time to really look over the main component of the limited edition: Halsey's journal.

After getting a chance to look at it I can honestly say the extra 20 bucks was well spent. The effort and design put into the journal is nothing short of astounding. Bungie has really outdone themselves this time and I think it's safe to say those who purchased the limited or legendary editions will be extremely pleased.

The journal itself is more like a small book written by Dr. Halsey: a very very important, yet frequently unexpanded, character in the Halo universe. Anyone who has read "The Fall of Reach" will understand what I mean when I say this journal contains some very awesome totally canon information that until now was never truly expanded upon.

Aside from the journal pages themselves, the journal also contains alot of extra printed material from the Halo universe. News clippings, photographs, dossiers, personal letters, and even information on the Spartan Master Chief John-117 and his Mjolinr mk.IV armor.

Oh and there's an iron-on patch, whooo!

So aside from the game being totally awesome (so far) I highly recomend the limited or legendary editions for any person who is hungry for more insight into the Halo storyline!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

C is for 100! C is for Corsair!

Well, this is my 100th post! Yay!

My Corsair is 80! Yay

My old friends are returning to FFXI! Yay!

They're updating XI soon and getting rid of that awful +5 min and persistant buff on COR rolls! Yay!

Seriously I don't know what they were thinking when they did that, it's like they've never even played the job. But enough about them... let's talk more about meeeee!

As I mentioned before I finally hit level 80 last weekend just a few days after my wife did. Abyssea of course. The place is literally like dying and going to EXP heaven. When I finally did ding of course I figured it was time for 3 things.

First is new gun. In the works are the Trial of Magians gun which gives STR and ranged attack, perfect for my COR and my (so far) 6/8 merits in marksmanship.

Second is new armor. Now I'm not all that interested in that new stuff... you know... it's pink... so I'm going to finish my add-ons finally for some great COR tailored gear.

Third is, as unlikely as it sounds, I'm making an iPhone theme based on FFXI. I found this website that does the coding for you as long as you create your own images. So I spent the better part of yesterday in fireworks making some icons. I'll post a link here when I finish it but as of right now I'm not entirely satisfied with it.

Tonight is another Abyssea party in which I hope to get another 10 merits and hopefully some headway on 81 when the cap raises again after the update! Feel sorry for mobs that'll be taking my barrages tonight!

The Prodigal Corsair Returns!

well I know it's been awhile and whatnot but I've been on the computer less and less

mostly since it sucks.

but I thought it would be appropriate to mention I'm again playing the game that spawned the idea for this blog. that's right, the crazy corsair of carbuncle is back!

of course in the year sabatical I've taken no one remembers who I am anymore.

don't worry it happened to Joaquin Phoenix too (who? oh, that's right...)

so in the time since my return I know there's been alot of changes.

I know they raised the level cap which is cool I guess but now every damn Mage in the game subs RDM for convert.

there are tons of far less obvious changes that have taken place over the last year. like abassea... no it's not a life threatening health condition, it's some new fangled area you can access after buying a $10 episode.

apparently the leveling there is insane, something akin to 25k exp an hour once you get rolling in a decent party.

that's insane, I mean I don't mean to sound like a geezer or anything but I remember when getting 10k an hour in dunes meant you were the most badass 6 players in the game. that's right, I mentioned the dunes. people used to level there ya know.

now someone get me my oxygen tank, I think I'm getting cranky.

another thing is the economy seemed to calm down. it was the third happiest day of my life to learn that bullets are now alot cheaper than they used to be. most items in fact have gone down greatly in price. things you used to have to sacrifice small animals for well within arms reach, due in part to the level cap increase I'm sure. and on that note the new level 80 equip is mostly rediculously cheap. most of it costs as much as armor at level 30 and it's damn good stuff to boot. what's the catch? it makes you look like a second hand store fasionista as it's all just re-colored level 30 armor models... explains the price...

and of course what return to form would my personal "welcome home to vanad'iel be without death in massive quantities.

ever since I heard they removed the level caps on CoP mission areas I've been eager to finish a few quests and missions I simply didn't have the help for before. one was a quest to pose mannequins. of which I own 8.... what don't hate me because I'm rich. let me tell you, just cause they removed the level cap in the aquaducts doesn't mean that they made the mannequin NM any easier.

pwn'd

by that I meant I was :(

so in my first week back to the game I officially lost a total of 4k experience, hurray, now I really feel like I'm home!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

iPeen

Well its finally mine. My awesome wife, brother and friend victor all teamed up to get me my dream phone, the iPhone. Yes, it is awesome. Yes it does everything. It can order food for me, do my homework, it can even walk my dog... ok it can't do that.

Honestly though I love this thing. If you're looking for a phone and you have the means I highly suggest you look into one. Signal is great, apps are great (of course), the camera (although 2 megapixel) is suprisingly awesome, and it can even do wi-fi hotspots.

Now of course my iPhone is probably a bit cooler than most, it has a few apps on it that make it stand out, if you know what I mean.

If you don't, well then frankly I'm not going to tell you haha.

But I will say this, the add ons I have fix most of the things people complain about iPhones. Everything except the battery life, which is pretty bad. Thankfully that can be helped with external battery cases and charge cases.

Best of all, it keeps track of my decks, tokens and life totals in Magic:tG, and frankly that is the most WIN of all time!