Steve Geeks Out: July Edition

First, my IPod Random Music Shuffle:

1) The Real Slim Shady -- Eminem
2) Sleep To Dream -- Fiona Apple
3) Send Me On My Way -- Rusted Root
4) Mary Jane -- Alanis Morissette
5) A Little Less Conversation -- Elvis Presley
6) Holier Than Thou -- Metallica
7) The Music of the Night -- Andrew Lloyd Webber
8) Better Version of Me -- Fiona Apple
9) Turn Off the Light -- Nelly Furtada
10) Beautiful Soul -- Jesse McCartney

First, I can't wait until September 30th for Serenity (aka FireFly) to come out. I really want to see our "Big Damn heroes" on the big screen. The new trailer came out today and I am so thrilled by it. <Men On Film>Loved it!!!!</Men On Film> As soon as possible, I'm getting that movie poster for my "geek room" (aka the spare bedroom).

While looking for that trailer, I found an interesting trailer for V For Vendetta staring Natalie Portman (in a role where she shaved her head). "Remember, remember, the fifth of November." I didn't know this but that is the first line of a British nursery rhyme about an real individual (Guy Fawkes) who attempts to commit treason against the British government. The trailer suggests a similar plot for the movie but the government doesn't appear to the good guys.

I also watched the 40 Year Old Virgin trailer again. I can never stop giggling/wincing at the sight of Steve Carrell getting his chest waxed.

Add to this the double header of Veronica Mars on CBS tonight and I'm so going to enjoy this weekend.

Steve's Defending Video Games...Again

If you've been paying attention to the news recently, they've been discussing the "Hot Coffee" mod for newest Grand Theft Auto game. I really, really wish that the media would educate themselves on the gaming scene prior to reporting it but they are too lazy to do so.

First, some clarifications. A "mod" is any change or modification to a game's compiled code used to customize or change how the game looks, sounds, or acts. Every game can have a mod. Some mods will change how a character looks or what they wear (their "skin"), while other mods will make the sounds change to sound more real. Other mods may add a new map or level to play on.

I remember modding the PC version NHL Hockey to include the real ads/scoreboard animation at the stadiums to make the game feel more real. That was very difficult since the game was not built to allow easy access to this data.

Nowadays, companies have learned that allowing gamers to mod the games increases the shelf life and profits of games. If there will be new content by many fellow gamers, other gamers will be more likely to buy the game.

In this case, RockStar Games (who makes the GTA series) created this "Hot Coffee" scene and then removed the in-game access to it. Now they either thought that removing the normal playable route to this mini-game/scene was enough or they were under a time-crunch and decided to do the easy way of removing it rather than the spending time ensuring the code was removed. They may also have done this intentionally and it has now backfired on them. I don't know as I'm not a mind reader.

Really, I wish that the media would look at the facts first. A rated "M" game (ages 17 or higher) with hookers who "work for a living", ability to car jack, hurt or kill people or cops, and language at home in a R-rated movie, included a short topless consentual sexual mini-game in which no genitals appear which took an internet mod and several hours of gameplay to find, got its rating raised to "Adults Only" (ages 18 or higher) because children, who shouldn't be playing this game anyway, might be able to find some blocky breasts. If they spent that much time trying to unlock the mini-game, they would have easily found the hardcore porn images floating through the internet.

Short version: A mod is the equivalent of you buying a book I wrote from my bookstore and writing in the margin a comment about the book. You are modifying the book that I wrote but I have no control over what you (my customer) do with the book once it no longer in my possession.

Steve's Outrage of the Day: Special Election Issue

I'm so mad that I could just spit on the next Republican I see. As all of my regular readers know (that means you Jim :), there's a special election in Ohio next week pitting a scandal-ridden incombent (Republican) versus a veteran of the current Iraq War (Democrat). The election looks to be close so both parties are campaigning hard.

Yesterday during a MSNBC interview/story, the incombent claimed that she's happy that her opponent served but she stayed in her community and that's more important than serving your country.

Wow! Is this a horrible story...

So I'm blog-surfing and came across this story on Pandagon by PandaAmanda. I thought the Terri S. story was horrible. I agree so completely with PandaAmanda on this story that I found myself nodding along with her comments the whole way.

Plus, I learned a bit about the Sleeping Beauty myth.

Karl Rove sucks ass

For everyone confused about the news of Karl Rove being a traitor to this country and what the hell the timelines are, read this. Digby explains everything without using inside Washington speak at all.

Rachel Gets Fruity!

This is just funny and educational.