Big Brother 9 : Coming soon

So, its almost the British summer time and that means the ninth season of Big Brother plus I get to post this picture of the ever tasty Davina McCall.

http://www.channel4.com/bigbrother

DGen

DGen is an open source Sega Megadrive Emulator that works on the Linux platform. Unfortunately, DGen is no longer in development and only supported loosely. It is a shame as it runs ROM files very smoothly.

Requirements:
Linux, Ubuntu Distro

Packages:
dgen_1.23-7_i386.deb

Developers Website:
http://tamentis.com/projects/dgen/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DGen

Screenshots:

Prey : My Achievements(1)

Team Member

Reached 50 kills total in Team Death Match - 10G

GTA IV : My Achievements(2)

Wheelie Rider

You completed a 500 foot wheelie on a motorbike. - 30G


Fed The Fish

You completed the mission "Uncle Vlad". - 5G

Frontlines Fuel of War : My Achievements(2)

Darkness Falls - Stopwatch

Complete the first mission in under 15 minutes. - 25G


Darkness Falls - Ironman

Complete the first mission in a single session without dying. - 20G

Preview : Kung Fu Panda

I tried the Kung Fu Panda demo for the XBOX 360 today and it is beautifully crafted plus well design. Oh and daughter loved beating up evil pig warriors as a Kung Fu Panda!

Official Kung Fu Panda Website:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/k/kungfupanda

OpenTTD.org

I am a massive fan of Transport Tycoon Deluxe and I had already tried this open-source clone of the classic Microprose game of the same name. So, pleased to say that OpenTTD now features in the Ubuntu 7.10(Gusty Gibbon) distro, the only problem is that you require the original graphic files from original Transport Tycoon Deluxe. I am only glad, I own a copy.

Requirements:
Linux, Ubuntu Distro, graphic files from Transport Tycoon Deluxe

Packages:
N/A

Developers Website:
http://www.openttd.org/

Screenshots:

My Gaming History : Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS (2005) Europe

In 2005, I purchased a Nintendo Dual Screen, mainly because I was in and out of hospital with my wife, who was pregnant with our daughter at the time and I got bored waiting around. However, I did have problem with the Nintendo DS case and shoulder button design, as it was a very uncomfortable and sharp position for my fingers to sit. Other than that I believe the Nintendo DS is the best handheld games console on the market to date, due to it's clever use of touch screen technology and voice controlled games.

Further reading :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_DS

Football : Anterior Cruciate Ligament Damage

I guess, I was right to worry about the future of my knee. I had my hospital appointment today and my consultant told me after listening and checking my knee, that he is almost 100% sure that I have damaged my Anterior Cruciate Ligament(ACL). I asked if he could fix me, he said he could probably repair the damage, unfortunately there is no 100% fix. Next stop an MRI of my knee to confirm the diagnoses.

GTA IV : My Achievements(2)

Warm Coffee

You were invited into your girlfriend's house. - 5G


Driving Mr. Bellic

You unlocked the special ability of Roman's taxi. - 10G

Rock Band : The crowd is waiting for you

I just got an email from "The XBOX LIVE Team" with the subject "The crowd is waiting for you", my answer "No, they ain't as European pricing for Rock Band is a disgrace!". I think I'll wait for Guitar Hero 4.

GTA IV : Got it!

Ok, I haven't got it, but Penny Arcade got it! "I have a hard time with GTA. I find the total freedom paralyzing."

Official GTA IV Website:
http://www.rockstargames.com/iv/

GTA IV : Apathy!

Ok, in response to criticism to my posting "GTA IV hasn't grabbed me", I have made an effort to play GTA IV and clocked up around six hours of play. I can safely says it is graphically stunning, musically pleasing, a vast open sandbox, well designed and awesomely witty. However, I still have a sense of apathy and I just can't get my head around it. Sorry.

Official GTA IV Website:
http://www.rockstargames.com/iv/

Frontlines Fuel of War : Enjoyable First Person Shooter

I think Frontlines: Fuel of War(FFOW) was seriously overlooked as it was published not long after Halo 3 and about the same time as Call of Duty 4. What makes FFOW different for me is the use of servers to host the multiplayer games thus the battlefields are larger and combat more sustained plus everything seems to explode. Another factor is the squads, so you can join together with like minded people and not having to listen "trash talk". Take a look at Frontlines: Fuel of War as it heads sadly to the bargain bins.

Official Frontline:Fuel of War Website:
http://www.frontlines.com
Amazon's deal on the XBOX 360 Special Edition:
http://www.amazon.co.uk

PS: I don't get paid for the Amazon link, I just want more players online!

Frontlines Fuel of War : My Achievements(14)

History Repeats

Complete the final mission on normal difficulty or higher. - 15G


Living Quarter

Complete the sixth mission on normal difficulty or higher. - 15G


The Mountain King

Complete the fifth mission on normal difficulty or higher. - 15G


Graveyard - Stopwatch

Complete the fourth mission in under 50 minutes. - 25G


Graveyard

Complete the fourth mission on normal difficulty or higher. - 15G


Marksman

Finish a ranked match with an accuracy level higher than 40%. - 75G


Fashion Police

Multiplayer: Knock off 20 enemy hats. - 100G


Noob

Commit suicide 10 times in a multiplayer game. - 0G


Rampage

Score 10 kills in a row without dying in multiplayer. - 75G


Killing Spree

Score 5 kills in a row without dying in multiplayer. - 50G


Anvil

Complete the third mission on normal difficulty or higher. - 15G


Captains of Industry

Complete the second mission on normal difficulty or higher. - 15G


Bull's-eye

Complete the first or second half of a mission with an accuracy higher than 50%. - 90G


Darkness Falls

Complete the first mission on normal difficulty or higher. - 15G

GTA IV : Hasn't grabbed me!

So, I have the "Game of the Year 2008" GTA IV and it hasn't grabbed me. Maybe, its too big and maybe it takes too long to perform tasks. I don't know, but it has only spent about hour and thirty minutes in my XBOX 360. Is it just me?

Official GTA IV Website:
http://www.rockstargames.com/IV/

My Gaming History : Sony PlayStation 2

Sony PlayStation 2 (2000) Europe

In 2004, I purchased a PlayStation 2 and this became my least played console ever, it lasted less than six months before I trading it in. Why? Nothing about the PS2 made me spend hours and hours in front of it playing games and instead I would play Age of Empires 2 on my PC network.

Further reading :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_2

My Gaming History : Nintendo Game Boy Color

Nintendo Game Boy Color(1999) Europe

In 1999, I purchased a Nintendo Game Boy Color, to be honest this wasn't much of an upgrade from the original Game Boy considering it still played the same GamePaks or cartridges. However, it was fun in those boring work lunch breaks and more impressively it was still 8-bit technology among consoles like Playstation and Dreamcast.

Further reading :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Boy_Color

GTA IV : My Achievements(3)

One Hundred And Eighty

You scored 180 with 3 darts. - 10G


One Man Army

You survived a 6 star wanted level for a full 5 minutes. - 40G


Off The Boat

You have completed the first mission. - 5G

Just Cause : My Achievements(4)

All Collect Missions Completed

Completed Every Collect Mission - 45G


Red Eyes

Completed Collect Mission 6 - 5G


I've Got the Blueprints, Man

Completed Collect Mission 4 - 5G


I Want My Intel Back

Completed Collect Mission 5 - 5G

GTA IV : Take Two and Electronic Arts

Maybe this should be titled Take Two versus Electronic Arts, because as a gamer, I am very disheartened by the slightest possibly of EA eating another company, especially if that includes Rockstar games, but EA is serious as you can see from their TAKE(2) over website.

Let's hope the sales figures from GTA IV make the shareholders think twice about selling.

My Gaming History : Menace

Menace(1983)

Designed to work on the 16k ZX Spectrum, I strangely really adored this game with it quirky keyboard layout.

The idea of the game was to be naughty when the teacher turned his back, easy but it got really, really fast.

Further reading :
http://www.worldofspectrum.org

My Gaming History : Sony PlayStation

Sony PlayStation (1995) Europe

In 1996, I purchased a PlayStation for literal one game and that game was Tekken 2. It was one of the greatest 3D beat'em ups, I have ever played. I remember the cost of the unit, extra gamepad and Tekken 2 was just short of £300, but it was worth ever penny. This was a really friend console with games like Poy Poy, we drank and played games until the early hours of the morning, awesome.

Further reading :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tekken_2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poy_Poy

XBOX 360 : My RROD Story

My XBOX 360 is back after the Red Ring of Death(RROD) and I thought you may like to read the full story.

21 April 2008 - My XBOX 360 fails with the RROD, I call the Microsoft Support line and I am informed my XBOX 360 is broken. The Support line asked how I would like my courier labels and that I would need to package up my XBOX.

22 April 2008 - Labels arrive for the courier service and my hunt for a box to put my XBOX 360 in begins as you are not supposed to return it in the original packaging.

23 April 2008 - I deliver my XBOX 360 to the courier services depot and the clock starts.

24 April 2008 - Couriers website indicates the XBOX 360 has arrived. However Microsoft's support page states it is still not delivered.

30 April 2008 - I receive an email from Microsoft saying my XBOX is repaired and the status page reflects this change.

3 May 2008 - I check the status of my XBOX 360 and I am surprise to see it has been to Germany.

6 May 2008 - My XBOX 360 returns and the courier states that they return three a day in my city alone and considering the size of my city that is a lot of failed units.

Summary; Total time for repair, nine working days and considering to went to across Europe that isn't bad.