Avatar + James Camerons Mouth/Ego = Oscar FAIL

Avatar didn't win best picture. Is that a real surprise?
It's not for the jaded or cynical reasons people are lofting about. Such as Sci-Fi movies never have a chance or that people feel computer characters lack the depth of human presence or lack real emotion.

Avatar failed more because of James Cameron's mouth + ego than anything else. In most every interview leading to the release of the movie, Cameron felt obligated to unnerve and upstage film making standards. Not only to say the future was digital but that actors and even animators themselves should be looking over their shoulders. Cameron built a case study, his testimonial for the future of film making. His vision is the benchmark by which all productions should be judged. A technical benchmark of digital genius.

It's clear that Hollywood movies and more importantly Hollywood Directors are aware of the benefits of digital effects work. Having seen Shutter Island this past weekend, Martin Scorsese made ample use of the digital medium to great effect. I'll note that the effects were not the movie, but in support of the movie. Unfortunately that is precisely where Mr. Cameron's testimonials falls flat with so many people and obviously the Academy vote. Effects should not be the base virtue of any movie. Story above all else should matter and I think by that virtue the Academy members voted how they did.

I don't know what the politics of Hollywood really are, but the Hurt Locker won soundly. If ever there was a David vs. Goliath pairing it was the Hurt Locker vs. Avatar. Even an ex husband and wife competing for Best Director to boot. When the cards were called, it just seemed that the juggernaut that was Avatar was justly and rightly slain by a movie that hadn't broke any records of any kind. Throw in the 1st woman director to win and top it off with humble ex wife and it was most definitely a memorable Oscar evening. A true Hollywood story that almost couldn't have been scripted any better.

Maybe it will take James Cameron  another twelve years to produce his next epic. However long it takes, maybe he'll take the time to write an inspired story first.  

Mass Effect 2 Gameplay - Would I have played this on a PC?

Mass Effect 2 is one of if not the best follow up titles I've played on an XBox 360. The game play, locations, environments, and graphics are all up several notches.

Now there are allot of Point counter Points on Console vs. PC out there, but I'm going to wade into this from perhaps a different angle than most. I play both Console and PC equally and I've had extensive years (20+) playing both.

 Cut to the Chase

For all it's high marks I noted, it is still pinned to the constraints of a console platform design. The levels, many of which are amazing to look at, are notable for whats achieved on a console. Invisible walls dot the landscapes on enough levels to remind the player the vistas are a virtual set only, "Turn around and go down the path".

Now that sounds like a knock, and yes it is if I had purchased this for my PC, but I didn't. This game is rock solid and hits most all the marks on the 360. Easily one of the best games I've ever played on a console. Just nothing worth noting if I had purchased it and played for the PC. 

Mass Effect 2 - Launch Trailer

With just a few days left, Bioware releases the official Mass Effect 2 Trailer

Nvidia GF100 Graphics Processor

Cost cost cost
The age of the consumer desktop is leveled out and in decline. More and more consumers and business are buying laptops and netbooks. It's a telling sign that intel ditched Larrabee a few months back.

I hope that nVidia plans around that. The enthusiast and gamers markets aren't what they used to be.

Mass Effect 2 Soldier Class

PC Games - E3 2010 - Mass Effect 2

How many years does the Xbox 360 have left?

Given the huge sums of money Sony and Microsoft have poured into the current generation of consoles, is it any surprise neither camp is promoting a successor to the 360 or PS3.

Here Microsoft goes on the record as to why there is long future ahead for the XBox 360
See Link>Long live the Xbox 360

Mass Effect 2 - Infiltrator

I'm in Infiltrator class in Mass Effect and look forward to transferring over this one to Mass Effect 2. The new combat style looks real nice. Both a distance and close in fighter - looks real promising.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Trailer

One of my most anticipated games for 2010 is Battlefield: Bad Company 2
The original game offered a novel story of an unwitting squad gone rogue and faced with opportunity or huge gold riches if they survived. The game used the Frostbite engine to great effect which includes destructible buildings.

The 2nd Trailer for Battlefield Bad Company 2

Lightwave Core Beta....err Alpha

1st let me get this out of the way - There is no enforced NDA on Core discussion. I don’t know the reason why there was no NDA enforced, but I imagine things were supposed to be going more swimmingly than they have for the past year.

With that said, I’m not going to delve so much into Core itself as there is not much of note to talk about. It’s in an Alpha state. You can see what features are planned and more about Core here http://is.gd/5NCcC

Core should never have been released for testing as early as it was for two reasons. One, because there was nothing to test. And Two because anytime anyone cared to offer feedback, they were hammered home with “Did we say it was done yet?”. (It still happens today). That really confounded some people. Why did they join the Hardcore program if it wasn’t to offer feedback. On it’s first release it was effectively a UI with little stability and little function. The forums from the first Alpha release up till October of 2009 were volatile. To be frank, any form of participation in the program was one of listening and waiting.

It wasn’t until November that a feature list PDF was released which appeared to placate a number of forum members. The features listed more than pacified many anxious and restless people in the forums. With that said, I’ll have to say history hasn’t favored NT in its projections so I skipped the love in but held my tongue.

I’ve learned to dislike the term “Forward Looking” being part of Hardcore. It’s a convenient “bases covered” & “Wait and See” excuse to keep participants from pointing out feature directions that appear complicated or headed into a non intuitive direction. It gives the Devs the opportunity to launch “Did we say it was done yet?” That’s Bullshit! Answer the goddamn questions or put this bloody mess back in the egg and let it gestate some more. Bring out it when it’s complete enough so we can PARTICIPATE in a proper Beta program.

Now it’s 2010 and it’s bit more calm since November. There is still division and unless things speed up, I expect those that were placated will start to twist out of their straight jackets. Jay and Chuck really need to qualify every build with something for users to really test. Up until that happens - this thing is Alpha and the same vitriol that burned in the forums in 2009 will renew themselves in 2010.