With rumors and news trickling out of the InterTubes, a Circuit City flyer for the week after E3 has the PS3 (60GB model) priced at a nifty, but not "uber-cool", price of $500, the same as the wireless-less, media card reader omitted, 40gigs removed 20GB model, purportedly discontinued. With this extra $100 in your pocket, is it enough to make you want to break down and buy one?

For me, it's damned close.

I put countless amounts of money in my 360 purchase a month after it's launch back in 2005. In three trips to Best Buy, I spent over $1000. 6 games (Condemned, PDZ, Kameo, CoD2, Quake 4, DoA4), an extra controller, wireless network adapter, the 360 itself, 12 month XBL kit (not card), and their Replacement Plan, it all came to $1020. I spent a thousand dollars in video games in one sitting. Not too shabby, if I say so myself.

Everything that was included in my original Xbox 360 purchase,
except the nifty Gears faceplate, and any cables.
Not included: My pride.

You see, this is the dilemma I face when I walk into
Best Buy to buy the PS3. I will turn into a blabbering idiot stalling for time while my
onlookers give me strength and pray for me as I swipe my card for this system.

• Use that $100 to buy games, Blu-Ray movies, or the insanely-priced Replacement Plan from Best Buy
  
• Final Fantasy XIII and Metal Gear Solid 4 could quite possible never see the light of day on the 360
  
• Home and LittleBigPlanet convinced Penny-Arcade to break down and buy one, almost turning Gabe into a stammering fool
  
• God of War 3 will NEVER be on a system asides from the PS3
  
• Up-conversion for your PS2 games (duh)

After reading Anthony Burch's open letter to parents about bringing their kids into violent movie screenings (which, I humbly agree upon, and you can read it here), it made me think about parents and M-rated games. Essentially, they are the same thing, yet they just don't care.

I work in retail, at Best Buy no less. I used to be a cashier and I'm now in the Media department with CDs, DVDs, and video games. As a cashier, when that prompt came up...hell, when I saw the game and the rating, I always looked at the customer. If they looked under 17 years of age, I always asked "May I see your ID please?" If they looked considerably under the age of 17 (you know, braces, pimples, 4 feet tall, etc.) I always asked them "How old are you?" with a quick follow up that consisted of "I can't sell you this game without your parent here." Sometimes, they actually called their parent and acted on the phone as if they were just asked if I could cut their foot off.

I'm sorry, but if you're not 17 or older, you are not buying an M-rated game from me.

And to the parents who will buy an M-rated game for their 12 year old kid, to you, I must say this, and simply this:

What the fuck is your problem?

Just today, a lady with 2 kids, appearing to be 9 and 15, asked me the price on the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy collection for the PS2 (that contains Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas). I told her $30, and as she turned away, she looked immediately to the youngest kid. She didn't hand it to him, but she looked at him as if she was about to tell him the price of the game. They didn't go to put it back down, no. They went straight for the cash lanes to get rung up. If you are that ignorant to buy your 9 year old kid any GTA game, then you need some glasses or hearing aid, because apparently, you've been living on Mars for the past 10 years in a hole, under a rock, with dirt in your ears and a blindfold over your eyes, because you must not know how that game works. If you hear "Grand Theft Auto," what do you think of? Stealing cars. What comes about if you steal a car with somebody in the car? You yank them out, or, if necessary, you beat the ever-living shit out of them until you can close the door and slam your foot on the gas, possibly running them over in the process.

I'm not against GTA or any M-rated game. I consider myself a hardcore gamer (no, I don't just have a 360 with a recently retired copy of Crackdown and Halo 2 in the tray eagerly awaiting Halo 3 and maybe a copy of Madden 07), so I'm open to many a game. GTA IV looks simply amazing, and I can't wait to terrorize the revamped Liberty City. What I am against is parents who just don't give a shit. I have an 8 year old brother, and I don't let him watch me play an M-rated game, and I sure as hell won't let him play an M-rated game (It's actually gotten to the point where he asks what the rating is on a game, which is a good thing). Thankfully, my mother is educated enough on game ratings where if there is a giant, black "M" on the lower left corner of a game, then she won't buy it for my brother. But there has been many a time where I have rung up a customer buying an M-rated game for their kid, I tell them "Are you aware of the content on this game and that it's rated M for Mature?" 97% of the time, they say "Yes," and the sale continues. Quite rarely will you get the customer who actually cares and after I say that, they will look at their kid and scold them for misinforming them that it was a Teen rated game. Sure, there are a few games that can be mistaken for a Teen rated game (quite honestly, Oblivion should have stayed Teen, because the boob-skin for female characters is only attainable through the PC version and only after someone installs the proper mod for their characters - which someone who knows how to navigate through their system's files and find the right file to patch would only be able to do - would this be possible), but others with a name that is easily assumed as a violent game should be a no-brainer.

It may be a video game, but if you don't have access to a TV, then that is your only excuse for not knowing about the recent hooplah around video games. Oh shit, I forgot: The only way for your kid to play a game is through your TV! Then you have no fucking excuse for not knowing this. It is widely known that most M-rated games are violent. That's how most R-rated movies are given their rating, asides from being a soft-core porno.

It's time to actually gain some knowledge on the industry as a whole, and figure out why people are blaming video games for violent acts. Did video games cause the shootings at V-Tech? No. A sad, depraved little bastard did. Did Doom cause those two to shoot up Columbine? Hell no, but it made whatever decision they made click in their head. Video games aren't causing "destruction" in our society, or portraying a world of countless ways of getting around the law ("QUICK! Hold down all four shoulder buttons and type this in and your wanted level will go down! OH SHIT! I don't have a controller. Wait? Why am I being handcuffed. I swear, I planned on grabbing that item only visible to me in the near distance to lower my wanted level so you guys would pull a jooie and leave me be! I swear!"), no, it's the other way around. Violence actually inspired games. Did the shotgun come before Doom? Did Halo manifest the tank? Did Zelda create the sword? The answer to all three of these questions is quaint:

Hell...

...No.

Video games are the bastard child what society has birthed.

Parents, it's time you man-up (why does that MadTV skit come to mind here?) and take responsibilities in what your kids have done. I'm going to quote myself from a very long time ago when I used to be a regular member of the GameShark Forums (my old stomping grounds), and say this: It's not id's fault that your 8 and 10 year old kids are in the background playing "Space Marine and HellSpawn." It's your fucking fault for buying them the damn game.

"Why, this beautiful rendition of a hellspawned demon with 9 eyes next this flesh-dripping, blood-curdling screaming face with it's eyes gouged out is the perfect game for little Billy! Sir, I would like to purchase these two items, Doom 3 for the Xbox and Bob the Builder DVD collection for my 7 year old son."

You, maddam, are a fucking retard.

This really has nothing to do with kids and violent games, but give a kid access to the internet via a multiplayer game, a headset, and anonymity, and are left with a shitty online experience. Here is Section 5 from Microsoft's Terms of Use for Xbox Live:

"5. ASSOCIATED ACCOUNT USERS
If you are the user of an associated account, then the holder of the Service account has full control over your associated account. This control includes the right to end the Service, close or alter your associated account at any time, and to request and receive usage information related to your associated account. Any data related to your associated account is collected and delivered to the holder of the Service account and Microsoft. As an associated account user, this contract applies to you except for the following sections: Section 4 (You Are Responsible for Your Service Account), Section 6 (Charges and Billing); Section 19 (Your Cancellation of Service), and Section 25 (Our Notices to You; Consent Regarding Electronic Information).

You represent that you are the parent or legal guardian of each minor that you allow to use your Service account or associated account. You acknowledge that you are aware that some features of the Service and some content available through the service may contain or expose users to material that is unsuitable for minors, and you agree to supervise usage by minors whom you permit to use the Service. The Service accessed through an original Xbox console is not intended for children under 13. Microsoft offers Family Settings on Xbox 360 that help you limit access to material that may be unsuitable for minors. By applying Family Settings to an associated account at sign-up, you may, among other things, prevent any user of an associated account from making additional purchases, and prevent any user from having access to voice and video chat, which will eliminate the ability of such user to communicate with other users. You may view or revise your Family Settings in the Xbox Dashboard in the System area. If you are interested in learning more about Family Settings, information is available at http://www.xbox.com/support/familysettings/default.htm. You remain responsible for any material to which a user of your subscription either gains or is denied access as a result of your use or non-use of the Family Settings."

Do you see that part I bolded for you? Yea...that's the part you need to have engraved into your skull, or at least tattooed to the inside of your eyelids so you can remind yourself every time you blink. "The Service accessed through an original Xbox console is not intended for children under 13." I'm pretty sure that could be stretched to cover accessing original Xbox games via an Xbox 360 (say, Halo 2). If you have a kid, and an Xbox, and Halo 2, chances are, he's going to be a dick online, teabagging away. Sure, the occasional 'bag is acceptable once in a while ("im on ur face, teabaggin' ur faceholez!!!11!!1!one!" is a common phrase heard muttered aloud while your body is corpse-humped by some 12-year-old douchebag), but do it over and over while mocking the person you just gang-raped with every other member of your team toting shoguns while his buddies are awaiting their respawn timer to hit 0, and you my friend, have just destroyed my patience.

Also, that next sentence I highlighted for your reading enjoyment: "Microsoft offers Family Settings on Xbox 360 that help you limit access to material that may be unsuitable for minors." Yea, that little bit will save your ass in the long run. Just hit the Family Settings on the last blade on the right of the 360's Dashboard (the purple one, sweetheart), and just make that M rating logo disappear. That way, little Tommy can't play his Crackdown or Shadowrun. That way, you can keep your little pre-pubescent, my-balls-haven't-dropped-yet 12-year-old kid off the online servers were gamers that have actually matured in their lifetime have a decent, enjoyable experience. This is a reason why I don't play online a lot. The Halo 3 Beta was enjoyable, because most of the people there were over the age of 20 and actually complemented the opposing team when they got sniped in the face with a "good shot" remark. I do it myself.

Finally, a quote from Section 1 basically sums it all up. I'll go ahead and bold, italicize, bump up the font size and, while I'm at it, color it red, so you can't miss it:

"You must be at least 18 years old and have attained the age of majority in the province, state or country in which you live."

Side Note: That last bit that I said "has nothing to do with this" kind of got out of hand, but is just the rudimentary, negative outcome of the situation at hand.

I go out with this, a quote from Anthony Burch's aforementioned article:

"I'm no child psychologist, but I've befriended one or two in my time. They've told me that the early years of a child's development (say, the exact period your children are now living through) are the most important, because they learn the most and assess their environment. If it is seen to be calm, safe, and benign, the child works on developing social and intellectual skills. If the environment seems erratic or dangerous, the child develops survival skills, which can lead to sociopathy and violence. I therefore pose this question to you:

Do you think that an extremely violent horror film , full of castrations, decapitations, and copious nudity, represents a safe environment to a developing child, or a dangerous environment?"

In the last bit there, just replace "horror film" with "video game," and substitute the examples from the movie with various excerpts from your favorite violent video game, or just keep adding to the list, and ask that same question to yourself. Do you? Do you really think it's a good idea?

"But it's just a video game! There can be no harm in it."

Exactly, it's just a video game. But that isn't stopping Jack Thompson now, is it?

It's possible, and we all know it.

Back when GH1 came out on the PS2, there was the ability to use the PS2's controller to play the game (L1, L2, R1, R2 and X as the frets, Select for Star Power, and Left Stick for wammy). People didn't really pick up on it, because it seemed hard and confusing, so they avoided it.

Last night, I went out on a limb to disprove this theory.

As stated before, the buttons on the controller are as follows:

Green - LT
Red - LB
Yellow - RB
Blue - RT
Orange - A
Wammy - Left Stick
Star Power - Back

You may be wondering how to actually make the notes. Just tap the button to strum that note; there is no strum bar alternative. It's a two-for-one deal!

You would think this would be hard, because you would have to straddle the top of the controller using your index on the bumpers and your middle on the triggers. The triggers (green and blue) are where the most difficulty comes from, asides from Orange/A. Hitting those chords, suck as yellow and blue, or yellow and green, are the most trouble (don't get me started on green and blue chords, or using A to his orange chords). The triggers run off of sensitivity, but to hit the note, you just need to tap the trigger. However, going through your mind, you don't have time to think about the upcoming chord, knowing which fingers need to move, slightly pressing the trigger, and doing that repetitively for a series of chords. I've done a few songs, and I'm still a little rusty on this.

I played Dead!, Beast and the Harlot, Thunderhorse, Six, Jordan, YYZ, and another song's name that escapes me at the moment (which is killing me) all on Medium. For a bit, my mind was a clusterfuck. I couldn't think straight. I was more worried about learning the controls rather than making the notes...hell, lets be honest; both of those were going through my mind. But after the first song or two, I was landing 4x multipliers, hitting Star Power and maintaining my 8x multiplier, chords, wammys, everything. Hell, I crushed my friends score on Dead! by 20,000 points. I shit you not. When I get the image off of my phone, I'll show the score. It won't prove that I played with the controller, but I'm hoping I can get a video showing it off.

By the end of the night, it went from a self-challenge ("hey, the controller's on, lets try it!") to being a showboatin'-son-of-a-bitch. My friend was getting pissed off at me. I loved it.


And what all really started my strive for wanting to do this? The day before, I took the controller apart to try to fix my wammy bar (keeps drooping down), and on the board where the frets are, they were labeled with "A B X Y LB" to map them to the controller when not playing the game. The colors are coordinated to the buttons when on the dashboard, guide or the game's menus, but when you hit the game, it reconfigures to the bumpers and triggers.

If you feel you have the balls, go for it. If you can do Hard using A for Orange and still maintaining a slight self-assurance that you can beat the song, be my guest. Let me know how it goes.

First time here at LiveJournal. I've heard about it - as an alternative to MySpace - but I set up the account because I started an account at Digg, and the blogging option got me interested. I've got a blog at 1UP, but I can't, for the life of me, link it to Digg (don't know if it's possible is the question). So here we are. My first actual blog site (sorry 1UP, your not a real blog page to me). YAY!

</special ed>

So, here we are. I've got this tagged to my Digg account (look me up, bitches!), so I might end up linking something from there. And I want someone to tell me why that just now I am discovering the wonders that be the powers of Digg. I first heard about it when K-Rose mentioned in back on The Screen Savers way back when, and I never looked in to it. But now, I set up the account, and not a day later, I've already dugg a lot of stories...and I love it. It's just awesome.

Nothing special that hasn't been put in my Bio, so check that out. Everything else is there.