Stuff & Things

This post is coming out due to several conversations I’ve had with friends lately, and have been feeling kind of nostalgic today, so here’s a list of my favorite video games from my childhood!

PC- this was my first gaming experience. Don’t remember what my first game was, but I know I sunk a lot of hours on my computer (which I still do to this day)

• Zoo Tycoon 2
• Age of Empires II
• Dungeon Siege
• Icewind Dale II
• Civilization III
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Handheld- Had a gameboy color/advance most of my childhood. Most of “the feels” come from these games…good times, good times

• Pokemon Red
• The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX
• Harvest Moon 2 GBC
• Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
• Pokemon Gold
• The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
• Azure Dreams
• Golden Sun
• Fire Emblem

Consoles- I actually didn’t get my own console til I was in high school, but I remember playing these games at other people’s houses until I got them for myself

• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
• 007: Goldeneye
• Pokemon Stadium
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
• Super Smash Bros. Melee
• Star Fox 64
• Super Mario Bros. 3
• Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
• Lord of the Rings: The Third Age

With all the rumors flying around about the possible specs of the next gen Xbox, I thought I’d weigh in with my two cents worth. My ideas really aren’t that original, but I still think that they’re important. Keep in mind that a lot of these ideas are just rumors, and may never come true!

1. Backwards Compatibility

Without this feature, I will most likely not buy the next Xbox. I bought all of these Xbox 360 games for a reason, and I’d like to continue gaming on one console. Is it really that hard to do?

2. No “Always Online” Function

Not everyone has a good internet connection. Not everyone even has an internet connection in the first place. I don’t think it’s a good idea to alienate a possibly good chunk of your target market by adding this feature. Plus, gamers will be royally pissed if you do, especially if the reactions from the same feature in Diablo III and SimCity are any indication. Plus this seems like a ploy to help their ISP (Internet Service Provider) buddies make more money than they already do.

3. Blu-Ray player!

No explanation necessary :)

4. Lemme Play Used Games!

Seriously guys!? Seriously? If you’re that bent on sucking as much money out of your customers as possible, then maybe used game stores can cut you a percentage of the price- I mean, you did make the game, and GameStop makes a butt-ton of money anyway. (fat chance that’ll ever happen, but one can dream!)

5. Disc Drive

While if the next Xbox is all digital (like Steam) with no game discs, it won’t be the end of the world, it would be nice to have an option to direct download it or play a game from a disc. Hard drives will run out of space eventually, no matter how big you make them. It would be nice to have enough space for games that release soon after launch, but also for games that release 5 years later.

6. A Tough System

Basically, I don’t want my console to red ring unless I did something stupid to break it, or it gets really old.

7. It’s A Gaming Device!

The Xbox is a friggin’ gaming console, not a glorified cable box. Yes, those extra features are nice, but make them peripherals, not the sole focus. I mean, come on- the gaming tab on the current 360 menu is like the third tab over, not the main one.

8. Free Multiplayer

If the PSN can do it, why can’t you Microsoft? I’d like to be able to play online and fully utilize all the functions of this game I bought without having to pay more money!

9. Keep the Controller Simple

Touch screens are cool and all, but make the controller easy to use/navigate, be wireless, be ergonomic, and not be freaking huge.

10. Don’t Break the Bank

I honestly think that this won’t happen- it’s gonna be anywhere from $500+. If I decide to buy it at all, I’ll wait for a price drop or a really good sale.

So with Nintendo announcing their next generation of Pokemon games last week, it got me thinking- what if Pokemon were real? Would I be a trainer, breeder, gym leader, etc.? What Pokemon would I catch & keep? Well, here’s a list of Pokemon I would want to have if they were actually real. This is definitely a culled down list- of the current total of Pokemon (which is 646) I narrowed it down to the 126 that I actually like, and then narrowed it down further to Pokemon I would consider as “my favorites”. So this is actually only a list of 23 Pokemon that I would really want to have. I’d still try to catch the other 103, of course, but these would be my most desirable ones. They are in no particular order.

• Charizard
• Arcanine
• Rapidash
• Kingler
• Scyther
• Lapras
• Vaporeon
• Jolteon
• Zapdos
• Noctowl
• Houndoom
• Grovyle
• Aggron
• Sharpedo
• Numel
• Kyogre
• Floatzel
• Leafeon
• Serperior
• Zebstrika
• Excadrill
• Krookodile
• Braviary

Your race: Nord

Character name: Ragnar Ulfgrim

Hours played: a lot :)

Spouse: Mjoll the Lioness

Your favorite skill: Two Handed

Your favorite weapon: Anduril (modded) & Ebony Greatsword (non-modded)

Your favorite armor: Ebony armor & Stormcloak Officer Armor

Your favorite shout: Fire Breath

Your favorite ability: 50% frost resistance

Your favorite in-game activity: Smithing

Your favorite town: Whiterun

Your favorite Companion(s): Aela the Huntress

Your favorite sight/monument: Tie between Meridia and Clavicus Vile

Your favorite NPC(s): Mjoll and Gerdur

Your favorite follower(s): Mjoll and Aela

Your favorite faction: The Companions

Your favorite Daedra: Meridia

Your favourite book: Annals of the Dragonguard

Your favorite moment so far: Getting my first kill cut-scene on a dragon

thecoldestsound: