Squidpunch.com

I was up much later then I care to admit working on a wordpress plugin. Not being extremely familar with PHP, or creating plugins added to the fact that what I decided to create uses a remote XML source, it was an interesting learning experience. The worse part about it is I had it completely working on my local test server and got a random CGI error here on the webhost. I modified the way I was parsing the XML and it seemed to resolve the problem. I might provide it for others as a download - if someone is looking for such a plug in. Currently the plugin generates a block for the 360voice Badges you have recieved. I might expand it to use some of the other API’s they provide.

This was mostly a learning experience so that I could get a better understanding on how to retrieve XML data from a remote source and use it in PHP - so that I can do so with some of the Live Eye APIs that I am currently building. The fact that I built it as a Wordpress Plugin - I just wanted to see if I could build one, and make it easier to integrate into my blog =)

Edit: well browsing the voice boards I found that the Bits Plugin all ready is a wordpress plugin that pulls up your blog entries, however it doesnt provide access to the badges - and it is having the same exact problems I was having on my first version of my plug in. I would guess this is something to do with the XML Parsing function, perhaps its not enabled on my hosting server or something like that - just letting everyone know that there is a plug-in all ready available that is similar to what I started here…..considering my PHP knowledge - it’s probably written a lot better =)

I conned my buddy ZaaM IT into creating me a new banner (I am not very graphically inclined). I think its great - how about the very few (hopefully growing) of you that read this blog?

looks like they finally got some much needed patches read for this arcade title:

• Game-play has been sped up
• Auto Post blinds!
• Get in the game faster: You can now pay the big blind as soon as you join the table to start gaming faster (if you so choose to do so).
• Away Mode - the standard auto post blinds, auto fold hands us internet poker folk are used to
• Auto-Boot mode - kick out players that let the time expire more then 3 time times in one game
• Overall game pace has been increased (timers & messages for example)
• Blinds - structure modified so that intial blinds as well as increases make more sense for the table stakes
• Matching system revised: Players will no longer be matched into a game they cannot afford to join
• Improved Controls - making it easier to raise or lower stake amount for example
• Leaderboards - your full winnings and rank now properly show
• Art and Text Updated (also fixed some spelling errors)
• Known Online Exploits have been address - this will the leaderboards to be wiped - making the game a fair level playing ground

strangely enough (perhaps I missed it) they still are not providing camera support for the game…?
Edit: Apparently camera support is coming early 2007

Looks like Shadowrun is going to provide beta accounts. A day late on the news story - but looks like another game you can try and get beta access to - I just filled out the application and joined the forums, game will be available sometime in December for beta accounts.

Xbox Live’s Major Nelson : How to sign up for the ‘Shadowrun’ Beta

screenshots from the Official Site

Well we all knew it would happen one day, but nobody was sure who would be the first.  Based on mygamercard.net’s leaderboards, StripClubDJ is the lucky winner.

About the game:
This game would be categorized as an action/RPG. You control a team of 4 super-heros between the players that are playing. In other words, if you have 3 players, there is 1 extra team mate that is AI driven unless someone chooses to use that character instead of the one they are currently using. There are more then 20 Marvel Heros to choose from Including Spider-man, Captain America, Blad, Wolverine, Iceman, among many others.

Single Player (Story Mode): 9/10
The story mode of this game is quite extensive. I originally thought that it was going to be pretty short, but after 8 hours of gameplay I just made it to episode 3, and from what understand there are a total of 5 episodes. You interact with a large number of Marvel characters, and a LARGE amount of super villains. There are a ton of costumes, powers, and various other things you can unlock for each character - let alone characters themselves that need to be unlocked. During story mode you pick up credits that can be used to purchase items for each of your super heroes.

Multiplayer: 9/10
I have only played multi-player on a local game with a friend. So this review is based on that alone, though you can also play the story mode over live, and I believe there is also a versus mode (which I have not tried at all). Considering the local and live multiplayer, and the two different modes that these can be played I think that the multiplayer mode is great. I also like that if you play co-op mode each team mate can switch to the remaining team members.

Graphics/game play: 8/10
The cut scenes look great, and the gameplay graphics aren’t too shabby either. Without the super powers this would be a little bland on gameplay, but having the ability to use a number of super powers for each character you play, and the ability to switch between the powers (and the characters) makes the gameplay extremely versatile. Even if you played the game through with one team, you could do it all over again with a completely different team, and completely different powers.

Achievements: 9/10
The achievements are split very nicely across the game. There are achievements for just completing the story mode of the game, and points for simply doing things in the game (such as defeating X enemies). There are also points for co-op play as well as arcade mode play. 46 achievements in all, and to get them all I think it would take an enough effort to keep you in the game for quite a while.

In Short..
This game has a nice story that will actually take you a while to complete. At times it can be challenging and your entire team might die, but for the most part if you play smart you will have no problems. There are a number of small little puzzles to figure out, and also a few side missions to complete as well. There are a ton of unlockables in this game, and a nice evenly distributed achievement point system. I have this on rental - but I would have no problem actually buying this title

I give it a 9 out of 10

Well I found about 15 of these on my own the first past through the game, and I planned on writing up a guide on the locations….but of course someone beat me to it

ACT 1

Prison area
COG Tag 1 - Right after you make your choice of paths, there is a tag straight ahead under the Gear logo. Can’t miss it(Rear of the courtyard,directly across from the cell area)

COG Tag 2 - In the room where the locusts cut through the door. If you are looking directly at the door they cut through, you can find it back and to the left(Under the stairway opposite the one you decended if you took the training route)

COG Tag 3 - As you exit the above mentioned door into the courtyard, there is a stairway to the left. Run up the stairs and turn left right at the top. The COG tag is in the near side corner (If enemies are North, it would be in the SW corner of the patio area, this one isnt directly under the gears logo)

Trial By fire
COG Tag 4 - Your team points this one out to you. In the first small courtyard, look to the right of the Gear logo(Beyond the short last wall in the yard’s center)

COG Tag 5 - You cross a bridge over a road and enter a building. Once you enter the building with all the pillars and the two emergence holes, it’s just behind the second emergence hole in some weeds(Just before the troika on the left)

COG Tag 6 - You fight through the roadways with the Trioka guns and get to the open area with the fountain in the center. There are 4 emergence holes here. The COG tag is in the far left corner(Opposite the 4th emergence hole that appears)

Knock Knock
COG Tag 7 - You’re told to gain entrance to the house of sovereigns. You’ll enter an open area with stairs leading up to the building. To your far left you’ll see a white van with the Gear logo painted on it. Follow the massive hole in the street on the left all the way up, sticking to the edge. The COG tag is in the corner made by where the wall extends over part of the stairs.

COG Tag 8 - In the hallway where Jack has to open the door, there are a ton of annoying wretches. If you’re facing the door that Jack is opening, it’s in the far left corner. Be sure to grab this one after you defeat them, that way you’re not in a REALLY bad spot after they appear.
COG Tag 9 - There’s a small room that you enter where you’ll find the body of Rojas. As you come down the stairs into this small area, turn right immediately(hard to see, its in the shadowy area to the right behind the pillar)

China Shop
COG Tag 10 - This ones easy, after the cutscene where the Berserker kills a soldier, look in the flames on the right(This is right at the beginning of the level)
COG Tag 11 - There will be 3 smashable doors. as you proceed through this area. Look in the alcove to the left(facing the door)at the FINAL door you take to exit the courtyard.
COG Tag 12 - Just after COG Tag 11, you exit into an open courtyard. Follow the semi-circle wall and head left. The tag is on the other side of a block just after you see the logo. If the room was a clock, the Tag would be between 8 and 9(right against the semi circular wall)….be sure to get this one BEFORE you kill the Berserker, as you CANNOT after.

ACT II

Tick Tick Boom
COG Tag 13 - After your choose a path (either one, doesn’t matter) and reunite, You’ll enter a small room with two stairways in it, one in the very middle of the room that leads down to a couch. Kill the Couch…ENJOY!!
COG Tag 14 - There’s a room with a catwalk that square shaped. When you exit, you head down some stairs into the street. Turn around and run back the alley formed by the stairs you came down and the wall of the next building. The Tag is at the end of that alleyway, behind a rock.

COG Tag 15 - Just before you enter the Settlement, you come up the stairs where the Boomer was, the Tag is behind a newspaper machine. Facing ahead as you come up the stairs, it’ll be to the back and left(keep this in mind, its as viewed while you face the gate)
Outpost
COG Tag 16 - On your way to checkpoint 2, facing the first emergence hole, you’ll see a propane tank in a shed to your left. BE SURE to shoot the propane tank here and grab the Tag.
End Lethal Dusk/Beginning Dark Labyrinth
COG Tag 17 - When you enter the area where you have to use the spotlight, after you guide Dom through, move the spotlight to the far left (as you’re holding the light) area near where you entered. The COG Tag is in that corner area. just to the left of the lit room of the blown out building, on the street(Near the rusted out car)

Dark Labyrinth
COG Tag 18 - After you run out of the destroyed building here, look right…it will be displayed in the light here..if the kryll attack you…you’ve gone too far.

ACT III

Downpour
COG Tag 19 - In the open, rainy area next to the sea, go behind the building that has the elevator in it….walk out on the narrow wooden dock..its at the far end.

COG Tag 20 - In the room with the rotting floorboards, the Tag is in the far right corner….be sure to stay on the metal beam to get it(the far right as you enter the room)

End Evolution/Beginning Coalition Cargo
COG Tag 21 - When you enter the room with the carts, go down the stairs to the car area and turn around. The Tag is to the left of the stairs as you face them(In the gap between the stairs and the wall…be sure NOT to activate the carts 1st)

Darkest Before Dawn
COG Tag 22 - After you ride down the drilling platforms, stick to the wall on the right. There will be a path leading down to the right, follow that to find the COG Tag and some grenades.

COG Tag 23 - In the next area after Tag 22. you’ll enter an open area with a small building on the right side. Just to the right of the stairs leading up to that buildling, you’ll find the Tag.

COG Tag 24 - After you choose your paths, and reunite, you’ll fight through a narrow hallway with a lot of cover. Just after the hallway and before you exit the area, turn around and the Tag is on a narrow ledge over the pool. (To your right as you leave the hallway, or to your left after you turn around)

ACT IV

Campus Grinder
COG Tag 25 - As you enter the first area, on the right there are two small staircases. The Tag is behind the second small staircase.

Bad To Worse
COG Tag 26 - As you enter the second area, before you go down the sidewalk with the columns to enter the conservatory, there is a rusty car on in the street. If you’re facing the columns, it’s back and to your right behind that car.

Imaginary Place
COG Tag 27 - In the second section of the estate, there’s a shield shaped room (square top, semi circle bottom) with 4 columns in it, and a desk. Destroy the desk. Tag is underneath.

ACT V

Train Wreck
COG Tag 28 - Right inside the door that Jack rips open…the 5th train car…look left as soon as you walk in.
COG Tag 29 - Before you climb the ladder to the 3rd car’s roof, the Tag is on the floor here.

COG Tag 30 - Your final Tag is on the floor of the storage room in the 5th car of the train’s 3rd section….grab this one before you advance to the end battle, as you wont get a chance to come back.

Reference: xbox.com forums

well my brother in law has came up for the holidays, so we got to play a bit last night, and drink a few margaritas.  He showed me Phatasy Star Online, which I will possibly be picking up soon to play with him online, and then we played a few rounds of Rockstar Table Tennis.  Since doesn’t  have an HD TV i showed him the difference of Dead Rising on HDTV vs SDTV.  (there are a number of posts all over the internet on how hard it is to read text on SDTV, etc).  We also played co-op Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, and progressed through a couple levels, and achievements =)

Last night the boys over at 360voice.com had a gaming session.  Since I don’t generally get online until about 10PM EST they were all ready in full swing when I joined.  The game of choice?  Gears of War, of course.  I mostly died, and my mic apparently isnt working on my headset - so needless to say it was fun, but it definately could have been better (based on equipment problems only).  After playing for a bit they all decided to call it a night, and I decided to keep going with my hardcore story mode.  Raising my play time for Gears over 1 full day (Live Eye).  It took longer then expected but I finished hardcore mode and now have 3 more achievements

 
I once again ended the night playing dead rising, and ended up dying before I got a save in - so essentially I am still at the beginning of the game =)

I cannot take credit for this guide, because i didn’t write it. One of our active 3FS members did though SouthernSpartan, and it is one of the best guides on the topic I have seen thus far. Check it out over at the 3FS forums