Gearheads of War

Hey Papi, I saw your FFF pre-story preluding your own review, but I'm going to jump into it with some editorial content on GOW2 myself since I finished the campaign recently too.  It all kind of hit me after finishing earlier this week.  GOW2 is BAD ASS!  I especially enjoy HORDE when you get a good group rolling, and am overall satisfied with the improvements to GOW2's multiplayer experience.  In the campaign though I had as many ups as downs from the gameplay and story.  I'm going to take a stab at multiplayer and campaign in this diary, so I hope the rest of you folks chime where you agree with me and disagree.

If you havent finished the campaign, some SPOILERS are in here, so I'll try to warn you.

Hey Gearheads,

Who out there can tell me the name of the song and performer of the theme song to the GOW2 tv spot "Last Day"?  I love the trailer, GOW2 is digging deep into us players and public at large psychy.  I am curious to see where this theme came from, much like I did when "Mad World" was released.

To me playing the game is like being in "Band of Brothers" the tv series instead of just running a muck in an every day shooter.  A huge reason for this attachment to Gears is the music and mood that is generated by the music and sound.  I haven't seen to many posts in here about the sound and music, but if it wasn't so good (best I've seen or heard) the game might not have as much gravity as it does.  I mean the music gets your heart pumping to be that hero at that time in the safety of your home.  It also makes you jump and sweat while sitting.  The gameplay is more than bad ass, but don't you just lay back in the couch from time to time after playing a sequence or episocde in Gears and just realize how stimulating it really is?  

I've been on hiatus from Gears for too long but I'm going to hit it hard come Launch on Thursdy at midnight.  I'm stoked to finally get GOW2, but I still have a goofy grin writing this diary knowing that Cliffy and Epic have more gas in the tank on this Franchise/Genre/Vehicle into Outerspace Adventure Time that is Gears of War.  Lots of high-octane racing fuel stuff!  I 've seen every viddoc I can get, when I'm not working, and I love what I see and I know there is going to be more we didn't even expect.  

Everything is going to be fracking bad ass when GOW2 hits.  I need it.  I need it to hold me until we get news on the GOW movie.  Can anyone share some good news on that?  When can we start to hear particulars on the film?  Have I missed boomshots on that?

See ya'll on Launch, if not sooner!

Cheers,

Damn Boris
(down but not out)  

Fellas, I am in the process of getting a new PC and establishing my personal domain at the house.  I'm upgrading my study to accommodate both the PC and 360, but am not sure about what monitor to get.  I was thinking of getting a monitor with 2ms refresh and 1920 x 1200 graphics, but I wanted to use the same monitor for both the PC and 360.  Can a monitor be used with the 360 console?  I've always used a television (DLP or CRT) cause that is what I thought consoles normally hook up to, right?  Is there any reason why you wouldn't want to hook your console to a PC monitor?  Is it as easy as selecting which input the monitor displays, or is there another step or hardware required?  Recommendations are welcomed.  

FYI Gearheads!

On www.aintitcool.com they have a second clip from Neil Blokamp with ODSTs, Warthog, and Brutes!  Have a look before its gone.

Since coming to Gearheads I've seen a lot of red ring of death lamentations.  So, I'm curious to know.  How many red ring of death episodes have you each incurred that resulted in the repair/replacement of your xbox360.  I'm on my second failure right now, and am waiting to get my second replacement through MS Warranty.  

Here is a little poll for us to tally the carnage:

Waking to a harsh let down!  Oh, boy =( I sure hope someone at MS is being burned at the stake right now. Cause, if you want in to the beta thru Crapdown.  You're in for a rough morning.

What gives gang?  Not a good intro.  Any speculation or fact explaining this situation?

I hope none of you skipped work for this....

ALRIGHT, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE, YET, BUT IF STONE COLD SHOWS SOME GOOD ACTING CHOPS IN "THE CONDEMNED", THEN YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CONSIDER THE 6'1" 235# WRESTLER AS A POTENTIAL MARCUS PHOENIX.  HIS GOT THE BUILD, THE GRIT, AND A VOICE TO MATCH MARCUS'S RUMBLE.  

NOW, I'M NO WWE OR RAW FAN, BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE A MOVIE LIKE GEARS, YOU ARE GOING TO NEED SOME BIG PHYSICAL BODIES.  BREAK OUT THE CASTING RING CLIFFY, CAUSE I THINK I HEAR STONE COLD KNOCKING AND I THINK HE WANTS IN!

Hey Gearheads, over at EPIC's Gears of War site, they have posted the specifics on the up and coming multiplayer gametype, "Annex".  You'll all be happy to know that "Annex" and several needed patches will be available for download on April 9, 2007.  

Now, when do we get some maps and how much is it gonna cost us?

Alright, I've been AWOL for the last couple weeks, but I'm back.  I've been surfing the net to get back in touch with the goings on out there, and I came across something interesting.  It could be innocent PR of some other nature, but it could be a fun bit of viral campaigning.  Have a look at www.aintitcool.com and you will find a script for "PIMPS AT SEA".  Now, it says its some pirate spoof, but we all know that those things Halo-ish have gone by such a name.  It could be complete bogus and high hopes on my part, but have a look and tell me what ya'll see.  

Here is the sign up sheet for Friday Night FragFest.  No specialty matches going this week, just some good fun Gearheads versus Gearheads competition.  I'll be hosting a group, so I hope to see some familiar and some new faces there.  I'm in Texas, so ya'll can start looking for my matches around 9:30PM(Central).  Hope that isn't too late for some of you Eastenders, but I like to have a beer at the end of my work week before going home.

Oh, Happy St. Patrick's Day, and may the Luck of the Irish be Upon You and a good beer be in You!

I saw the post asking how to best mod your 360 and controller with sweet looks, but that isn't what I'm talking about.  What I am refering to is customizing your controllers to suit your style of play.  On several posts I have seen comments from gamers lamenting their fumbling with control sets between games or just wanting to tweek this or that button.  I have suffered the same fumbling. So, why do we have to suffer these structured control sets?  I mean really, there all just buttons.  Grant it, the sticks are fundamental so I'll not go there, but really, can't we pick and choose what everything else does?  I know the game developers go to great lengths to map their controls, and for some, it just makes sense, but shouldnt we be the final judge?

At the end of the day, shooters are all doing the same thing.  Some games add an action, the mysterious "x" button for Halo 3, or the game adds a new unique feature, like active reload in gears, but even that could be mapped to an alternate button.  And, if the game isn't a shooter, then mapping your own buttons helps you handle the situation.

How about this argument.  Pretty soon, console players are going to be competing with PC players.  PC players are going to have a more flexible control scheme and may even have the choice to map buttons for operations that console gamers won't.  Consoles will need some means to customize in order to eck out whatever advantage a gamer can.  Maybe once Shadowrun hits we will have a chance to see true comparisons between consoles and keyboards.  Then, if rumors are true, we will see Gears on PC.  When that happens, we may see either a trend of PCs competing against consoles, just like MicroSoft (MS) has been leading up to with 'Live Anywhere'.

If you say this can't be done, just because, then I need more convincing.  MS has created a gaming platform and given game developers criteri to fit the platform and meet basic xboxlive expectations.  So, why cant' they require game developers to allow gamers with full control of their button mapping?

 

Gearheads,

Papi is on the road today, so I'm setting up the sign up for Friday.  Until we get something more official, here is my attempt to organize.  We will begin the FFF at 8:30 PM (PST).  Of course, earlier birds are welcome to get things going early as you see Gearheads log on.  In the case of the planned group, I will begin it as host and eliminate any host advantage issues.  We're keeping an eye on MDK and Zoso with their magical Lancer and Shotty, respectively.  

Papi's only other request is to be left the 8th position in the sign up.  We all want a chance to kibble Papi, so I'm sure everyone is cool with that.  Therefore, the next 6 signees that reply to this will be on the priority invite.

Now, as FFF grows we dont want to leave others, so if the First group is signed up, we will need another Gearhead to volunteer as 2nd Host.  When that person recognizes themselves, the 2nd wave of GH's can reply under his/her message.  

Also, last time we did attempt to establish a rotation based on the last two point earners stepping out for a bit.  We may try this again, or attempt a volunteer rotation so that everyone gets a chace to wack on Papi or whomever it is your gunning for.

Alright, lets' have fun out there.  Now!  Get on the ready line!