I’ve noticed that in the last few days, I’ve come around a lot of important subjects that I need to cover, but I couldn’t possibly type up everything in one monstrous post. Oh no, that wouldn’t do at all. So I guess the best way to do this is to tell you to expect January and possibly early February to be chock-full of posts. I’ve already made quite a few for this month, and I’ve still got a lot left unmentioned. So firstly for today, I’ve got great news. I’m now the unofficial Tim Horton’s computer tech. Whenever the staff PC goes nuts or comes across a common error that nobody else knows how to fix (they’re all pretty computer illiterate), they call me. Everyone is just so freaking amazed at “how good” I am with computers. And to think that I’m only really a novice when it comes to these things. But in any case, I plan to make some problems for the thing, so that I can seem like more of a hero when they can’t get it working properly. I get a lot of praise for this, so I’m kinda wondering if being a nerd is such a bad thing.
I was perusing the usual web comics the other day when Scott Kurtz of PVP mentioned this little baby. The Mac Mini has blown my mind. It’s a complete Macintosh computer in a box not much bigger than a multi-CD case. And it goes for as low as $499? If I hadn’t just spent slightly over $500 on my new PC parts, that would so be on my to-get list. Make no mistake, I still want it, but I just don’t have that kind of cash to blow. And as Windows-free as Macs are, I can’t think of a practical use for it. All my games are PC version (obviously) and I’m not buying them all again. Sure, it would work fine for everything except games, but that’s my second main computer use, next to this website. I want it, but I don’t need it. So cool…
On the video game front, I got Metal Slug Advance a short while before Christmas (think two days before), and I’m happy to say it rocks like no Metal Slug before it. Mostly because you get a fighting chance. In this one, instead of a set number of lives, you get a life bar, and it’s replenishable. Also, you can save your progress in the game. There are only five main missions, but there are apparently a bunch of secret areas too (none of which I have found). You can collect permanent power-ups as well, like a flak jacket that reduces damage by 10%, and a knife that can attack enemy tanks. While all of these little changes sound like they’d make the game easier, well, they don’t really. The difficulty level is way up, slightly past Metal Slug’s usual difficulty standard. Plus, most of the really useful power-ups are in the later levels and are well hidden to boot. The only, and I mean only, real downside to the game is that there is no multiplayer whatsoever. It kinda solidifies the story, but it would still be nice to have. Either way, it’s a great game, and is not to be missed if you love Metal Slug (and who doesn’t??).
In other news, Resident Evil 4 is still kicking, and I, uh, legally obtained (yes, that’s it…) Doom 3 and Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude. Expect impressions sometime soon. I’m trying to buckle down and get my Christmas article (which I have re-decided to just keep as one big clump, rather than several smaller articles) done, but I lost a few of the pics in the latest family PC crash. Oh, they’re safe and sound on my extra hard drive, but I’m too damn lazy to rip open my PC and stuff it in there. So as soon as I get the will to do that, it’ll be up. Hopefully before February rolls around. Another article is also nearing half-completion, but those pics were lost as well. It’s sad that Windows is so freaking unstable. So yes, much for the future! Expect new comics sometime soon as well! The next one is a little less in-joke I believe, so all can enjoy!