I know I've been absent lately, but it isn't because I haven't been paying attention (although I did miss the drama on Friday).  The good news is that I've been working with the tech guys to upgrade Gearheads look, feel and functionality.  I'm hoping that the new Gearheads will be launching very soon, possibly even this week.

As for gaming news, it's really been absent the last week or two because of the passing of E3.  Even Geoff Keighley's show on Spike TV was a rerun this week.  I did pick up Soul Calibur IV but I haven't had a chance to play it yet.  I'm obsessed with FIFA 08 right now.  

Also, one huge complaint that I have is about the PS3.  I swear to God if I have to download one more freaking system upgrade I'm going to trade the damn thing in.   Every time I turn it on (which is usually to play Blu-Ray movies) there is a system update.  I really, really, really prefer the 360's way of updating their machine.  And that is to make it occasional and one big update at a time.  Sony thinks that they need to do an update for every. single. little. upgrade.  It drives me berserk and makes me 100 percent sure that if I can get the 360 version of ANY game I will be buying that one.  Someone really needs to tell Sony that their system updates are too frequent and take waaaaaay too long.  It makes me never, ever want to turn on my PS3.

And that's exactly why you won't be seeing very many upgrades to Gearheads.  It's too much of an inconvenience for the users.

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So I'm finally back.  I'm done with all the travel and I should be on for FFF this week.  I apologize for not being around the last couple of weeks.

But I should be able to host a room on Friday night starting around 8:30 p.m. PST.  

So sign up below and maybe we can catch up on what everyone has been doing to keep them so very busy lately.  

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The Sports Game Guy's Sports Anomaly Podcast isn't just for Sports Guy's...It's for everyone.  Our own David Ellis? Check.  Awesome past guests to our podcast? Andrew Fitch and Greg Ford~ Check.

A sweet shout-out to GearHeadsofWar? Yes, that's there too thanks to a good friend of GearHeads, Greg Ford.

So go download the latest podcast which talks about everything from the latest Madden to Batman: The Dark Knight.  

It's the most hilarious podcast out there (seriously giving GFW a run for its money) and I highly encourage you guy's to check it out!~

Sports Anomaly Download

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As we've already posted, Wednesday Tyler and I had the supreme privilege of having Senior Editor at MTV and Editor of the MTV Multiplayer Blog, Stephen Totilo on our podcast.  (Click To Download)

Today Stephen graciously posted his own impressions of the podcast on Multiplayer! (THANKS, Stephen!)
He highlights what became the focus of our conversation, "The Need To Be Men".  In other words, Why does a just add gore mentality often make video games more fun?  Stephen writes:

"Why is chainsawing a guy in a game fun? How can we explain our penchant for these kinds of actions to people who don't play? Do we enjoy some of this stuff just because it's all pixels and polygons on a screen or despite that?

What is your reaction, GearHeads?  Suns and Kenai have already given thoughts (Feel free to re-post them ;) but I'd love to hear what the rest of you have to say.

Why do you think there is an added satisfaction to violent acts in video games?  Also, how can we communicate this to non-gamers without being looked down on? Is this even possible?

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated. =)

Don't forget to head over to Stephen blog to properly thank him for coming on, as well as offering your own thoughts on this discussion.

You can find (and comment on) Stephen's post regarding the podcast at MTV Multiplayer: "The Need To Be Men"

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Hey Gearheads, since I've been a traveling fool this week, I also became a terrible, terrible Blogfather.  I completely neglected to mention the fact that Gearheads of War turned two years old this past Sunday.  It was this small post that kicked off the sprawling metropolis of a blog you have today.  So I wonder if by forgetting Gearheads birthday, does that mean that I've permanently scarred the site into becoming a misanthrope teenager who will do nothing but drugs and lock itself in its room and listen to My Chemical Romance to dull the pain of a horrible Blogfather?  God, I hope not.

Still, this is special to me as the site has become more community than just a blog.  I didn't create this blog to make it a business.  I originally just thought that my bro and Epic needed some help in the fan service category and I tried to give it to them.  It's evolved into so much more than that thanks to the hard work of folks like SweetTea, Grymm, Suns, Blank and Zoso.  You guys make this site churn now, not me.  And I'm very proud of what it's become.  A bunch of cool folks gathered around a single common thread (love of Gears) and talking about everything from fuel cell cars to the console wars to even life's personal trials and tribulations.  Even though this site began as an homage and fan blog dedicated to Gears, it's become so much more.  It's become friendship.  And for that, I thank all of you.

Happy Birthday, Gearheads of War.

Now, onto sign ups for FFF.  I won't be around this week as my wife and I are taking a quick trip to New Mexico to visit Santa Fe.  We've always wanted to go there and so we seized the opportunity.  So if someone can volunteer to host, that would be great.

And I'll go back to worrying whether or not my little Gearheads will become a delinquent because of my failings as a Blogfather.  Pfffft...and I call myself "papi"!

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On the latest edition of I Claim Shenanigans, the official podcast of GearHeadsofWar.com, Tyler Bleszinski and I had the great pleasure of chatting with the Editor of MTV's Multiplayer Blog, Stephen Totilo. I really can't say enough about Stephen...He's a great guy with a lot of really intelligent things to say.

Stephen tells us...

His top 3 games coming out of E3
How exactly Flower is awesome
Why smaller games like Fat Princess often demo better than big games.
Nintendo and it's fans problems communicating (Reference: "Nintendo and Its E3 Fans)
The implications of Games For Window going free

But perhaps the most intriguing part of the podcast comes when Stephen talks about why gamers need to be more open:

"We need to stop worrying about what other people think about gamers and start talking about what it actually means to be a gamer."  

"Why does violence often make video games more fun?"

*The only accuracy about this picture is that Stephen is in it...

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Stephen will be coming on our podcast shortly and I'll be providing occasional updates to my Twitter regarding what we're talking about, any news that comes out of the 'cast and so forth...enjoy!

Mi twitter page
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That's right GearHeads, on Wednesday night I'll be posting a podcast that is being recorded tomorrow with none other than the head of MTV's Multiplayer Blog, Stephen Totilo.

Check Out His Blog!

Stephen had extensive time playing and viewing all kinds of games at E3 and on Wednesday, he'll give his diagnosis on questions like "What does Nintendo need to do in the coming months to reach out to the hardcore?" and "Which game is more important to its respective company: Resistance 2 or Gears of War 2?

Here's where you come in...Give us questions that you want us to ask him.  Questions can pertain to video game journalism, E3, the gaming industry etc.  
We'll be picking a few questions from our lovely little community and let him have a crack at them tomorrow!

This is our biggest guest by far, and we can't thank him enough for coming on! So, go ahead and provide your thoughts on our guest and any questions you may have for him.

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Since our podcast experienced a reboot a few months ago, we have had a combined average of over 600 downloads, been picked up by several larger websites, and had five special guests.  That fantastic guest list has included:  

*Sorry Greg, only pic I could find of you!

In efforts to continually improve our podcast and your GearHeads' experience, this Wednesday, we have a guest that is bigger, better, and more bad….ok, so I’m not sure the now retired 3 B’s entirely apply to him, but I’m sure I’ll find out Wednesday.  Our guest is a high profile journalist in the video game industry and has appeared on such video game shows as 1UP Yours and the GameTrailer’s Bonus Round as well as running his own blog.

Stay tuned, because tomorrow we’ll be revealing who this special guest is, as well as give you the opportunity to provide questions for us to ask him!  

Any guesses as to who our special guest is? (No, it’s not N’Gai but close…)

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Rarely do you see Rednecks, Emo kids, Moms, 50-year old Men and College Kids in line for the same thing.  Yet, while walking into a midnight showing for Batman: The Dark Knight, I witnessed just that. The parking lot was full, popcorn line crowded, and bathrooms overflowing....forty minutes before the movie was supposed to start.  All this attention makes you wonder if a superhero movie is really worthy of it.

After experiencing the two and a half hours of the Batman movie, I can assure you- it is.

The Dark Knight is almost as much of a comedy movie with action, as it is an action movie with comedy.  Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker is both hilarious and disturbing. This "better class of criminal" is one of the most disturbingly believable villains that I've ever seen and somehow still manages to charm audiences with on-the-spot, witty jokes.  Batman isn't as impressive. The Batman-Joker rivalry is played up to its full extent in The Dark Knight and puts many other hero-villain rivalries to shame.  Even David and Goliath would be impressed...

But even without Ledger's Oscar-worthy performance, The Dark Knight is incredible.   Awesome action sequences, fun dialogue and a deeper moral discussion all play pivotal roles in the movie.  This is one of the best movies I've ever seen and I don't say that often.

Someone looking for a comedy will be satisfied. Those looking for an action flick will be pleased.  Even the audience who never thought that they would go to see a comic book movie will enjoy The Dark Knight.  Whoever you are, whatever you enjoy, you'll more than likely find something to love about Batman: The Dark Knight.

I will now spend the majority of my life pursuing scientific research to bring Heath Ledger back to life.  Wish me luck.

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I put this post up before E3 asking what titles you looked forward to the most.

My top five were (Gears 2 was my top game, no doubt and it didn't disappoint):

1.  Killzone 2
   
2.  Alan Wake
   
3.  Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway
   
4.  Far Cry 2
   
5.  Prince of Persia

And here is my new one with the reasons why:

1.  Far Cry 2:  No game looks prettier to me than this one.  And the shooting mechanic looks fantastic.  The setting and trailer that had deceiving your enemies was one of the best I saw.  Also, the live demo looked really cool.

2.  Fallout 3:  God help me, this game looks fantastic.  It looks deep.  The art style is cool and the shooting mechanic looks better than I thought.  Todd Howard didn't seem to have a great demo at first at the Microsoft press conference but the G4 demo was awesome.  Very bloody and using teddy bears as weaponry?  Count me in.  It doesn't seem like a typical RPG.   I hope I'm not disappointed from the shooting mechanics like Mass Effect.

3.  Resident Evil 5:  I liked Resident Evil 4, but I'm not quite the fanboy that many others, including my brother, happened to be.  But the co-op situations looked incredible and damn if Sheva (sp?) isn't the hottest virtual lady to grace video games I've seen.

4. Killzone 2:  They didn't show much because they don't want to upstage Resistance 2. Good thing because Resistance 2 just isn't all that interesting to me and this game is.

5.  Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway:  Yep, this one is still way up there, just barely edging out Prince of Persia for top five.

Let's have yours.

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Hey Gearheads, today is my lovely wife's birthday.  We'll be celebrating on Saturday night.

Happy Birthday, Honey!  Thanks for putting up with all my "special" quirks for 11 plus years.

Any way, go ahead and sign up below for the evening of fragging below.  I'm not sure when I'll be on yet.  Probably around 9 p.m. or so.  I'm hoping to one day soon play a game with Zoso again.

Oh and one final note, for those of you who've been watching G4's coverage of E3 this week, I just want to give my brother major props for being one of the only people who did a hands-on demo of the Gears SP campaign with Adam Sessler WHILE talking about the game.  In other words, he was playing the game while selling it.  Most of the other gaming folks brought up a flunky to play the game while they talked about it.  Props, Cliff, for showing your passion for the game you're creating by actually playing it while selling it.  And BOOOOOOO to the rest of you who didn't.  I think Todd Howard of Bethesda was one of the only other ones who did that with Fallout 3.  Also, Fallout 3 made a much better impression on me on the G4 demo than it did during the MS press conference.  I now think it might very well be my great white hope of RPGs once again.

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In the latest (and funniest) edition of the Official Podcast of GearHeadsofWar.com, we are joined by two awesome guys~ Managing Editor of EGM- Greg Ford and Senior Copy Editor of 1UP- Andrew Fitch.
Joining them are Tyler Bleszinski and myself.  Ford and Fitch discuss the following:

-----------------------
• Why Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo's VP of sales and marketing, is the new "Jeff Bell"

• Fast paced, hilarious discussion of Microsoft
• Sony and Nintendo's Press Conferences

• We give each company's conference a grade based on content...
...And call out the lame performances.

• Fitch and Ford provide their highlights and disappointments from each Keynote speech

• And somehow, Greg mentions seeing "The Dark Knight" without anyone asking how it was...

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All that and much more on the latest podcast from GearHeadsofWar.com!

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