Category: Coffee Talk

Coffee Talk #198: What’s Your Favorite “Hard” Game?

There’s a fine line between a satisfyingly difficult game and a game that’s so annoying that you want to hurl your controller through your television. Some titles have tough sections that adequately reward your Herculean efforts. Others are just difficult for the sake of being difficult. In my mind it’s the difference between something like Ninja Gaiden and Mega Man 9. It’s so tough to do it right.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, whether Lada Gaga is a fashion genius or a fashion nut job, James Toney’s MMA career, or (the asthmatic and old) Dave Batista’s possible MMA career, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

There’s a fine line between a satisfyingly difficult game and a game that’s so annoying that you want to hurl your controller through your television. Some titles have tough sections that adequately reward your Herculean efforts. Others are just difficult for the sake of being difficult. In my mind it’s the difference between something like Ninja Gaiden and Mega Man 9. It’s so tough to do it right.

Today I’d love to learn about your favorite “hard” games. What are some titles that really challenged you and pushed you to the limits in a satisfying way? While you’re at it, what are some games that were so hard that you had no choice but to quit? Sound off (please)!!!

Coffee Talk #197: Who’s Your Favorite Super Villain?

In yesterday’s Coffee Talk, we had a fun conversation about our favorite superheroes. Let’s take a stroll on the dark side today and talk about our favorite super villains! In comics, games, movies, etc., heroes are only as good as their villains. Threats seem much more epic when they’re executed by a devious mastermind. The fictional world needs great villains!

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Steven Slater gloriously quitting his Jet Blue job, why the hell Evander Holyfield is still fighting, or if the voices in your head talk to Randy Orton’s, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

In yesterday’s Coffee Talk, we had a fun conversation about our favorite superheroes. Let’s take a stroll on the dark side today and talk about our favorite super villains! In comics, games, movies, etc., heroes are only as good as their villains. Threats seem much more epic when they’re executed by a devious mastermind. The fictional world needs great villains!

I gravitate towards guys like Darkseid and Thanos. They’re ridiculously powerful character with complex powers, yet their goals are so simple — they’re just want to kill everyone. Darkseid is obsessed with the Anti-Life Equation, while Thanos wants to kill millions in order to get Lady Death in bed.

More recently, I’ve enjoyed Prometheus in DC Comics. He’s smart, cool, calculated, and frickin’ funny. I love that he’s a chatterbox that flippantly talks about his plans and he’s dispatching great heroes (dude nearly took out the Justice League by himself!). In a lot of ways, he reminds me of a smarter version of Spider-Man gone evil.

How about you guys and dolls? Who are you some of your favorite villains?

Coffee Talk #196: Who’s Your Favorite Superhero?

My friend and I were talking about comics last week (this is not unusual) and the topic of our favorite heroes came up. Most of my comic-book reading friends are straight up DC/Marvel fans. They’re favorite characters are almost always Batman or Spider-Man. My choice is a little bit different — Nightwing.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, if Lance Armstrong is a cheater, your thoughts on the Summer Slam 2010 card, or the chances of Brett Favre unretiring (again), Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend and I were talking about comics last week (this is not unusual) and the topic of our favorite heroes came up. Most of my comic-book reading friends are straight up DC/Marvel fans. They’re favorite characters are almost always Batman or Spider-Man. My choice is a little bit different — Nightwing.

I like that I got to grow up with Dick Grayson. From his days as the original Robin to hanging out with the Teen Titans to establishing his own identity as Nightwing, his progression has been just a few steps ahead of mine. I like that he’s no longer the sidekick and (until recently) not quite the adult. In a lot of ways it’s why I enjoyed Friends — it’s that terribly interesting stage of life where you’ve left your family but haven’t started your own. It’s just a magical time.

Now it’s your turn! Who’s your favorite superhero?

Coffee Talk #195: What’s the Worst Console You Ever Bought?

RPadholic smartguy brought up a fantastic idea for Coffee Talk, so let’s use it today! What’s the worst console you’ve purchased? Surely some of you have been burned by the likes of Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, Nokia’s N-Gage, or Tiger Telematics’ Gizmondo. Now’s the time to let your frustrations out and totally trash the one gaming system you wish you never spent money on! It’ll be cathartic. Give it a go.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Intelligentsia’s Itzamna Guatemala Finca La Maravilla, Tiger Woods’ game going to hell, or Chael Sonnen taking it to Anderson Silva, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

RPadholic smartguy brought up a fantastic idea for Coffee Talk, so let’s use it today! What’s the worst console you’ve purchased? Surely some of you have been burned by the likes of Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, Nokia’s N-Gage, or Tiger Telematics’ Gizmondo. Now’s the time to let your frustrations out and totally trash the one gaming system you wish you never spent money on! It’ll be cathartic. Give it a go.

As for me, I can’t really think of any console that I hated. I didn’t have every system growing up, so I dodged a lot of bullets. I also try to find something good about everything, so it’s hard for me to get angry at inanimate objects. If I try real hard, I think I’d be disappointed in Sega CD. It was expensive and most of the games weren’t that good. Then again it also had Hideo Kojima’s Snatcher, which is pretty damn cool.

Okay, I suck at this. Why don’t you guys and gals give it a shot? Go off on the worst console you ever bought (please)!

Coffee Talk #194: Your Favorite Animated Comic Book Movie

After failing to find it at Best Buy last weekend, I finally watched Batman: Under the Red Hood last night. It was frickin’ brilliant! DC’s animated movies have been rocking for years, but Under the Red Hood raises the bar. The art style is fantastic and the voice acting is first rate (I thought I’d miss Kevin Conroy more, but Bruce Greenwood’s fine performance ensured that I didn’t). Most importantly (to me, anyway), the story was fantastic. It took a great plot from the comic books, tightened it up, and got rid of some of the convoluted twists that confused readers.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, nobody caring about A-Rod’s milestone homer, Shaq to the Celtics, or Prop 8 being overturned, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

After failing to find it at Best Buy last weekend, I finally watched Batman: Under the Red Hood last night. It was frickin’ brilliant! DC’s animated movies have been rocking for years, but Under the Red Hood raises the bar. The art style is fantastic and the voice acting is first rate (I thought I’d miss Kevin Conroy more, but Bruce Greenwood’s fine performance ensured that I didn’t). Most importantly (to me, anyway), the story was fantastic. It took a great plot from the comic books, tightened it up, and got rid of some of the convoluted twists that confused readers.

There’s a chance that I’m still basking in the afterglow of Under the Red Hood, but I’m pretty sure it’s the best animated comic-book movie I’ve ever seen. I’m a big fan of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and think that Under the Red Hood blows it away. I’m struggling to think of an animated comic-book movie I’ve enjoyed more. That’s where you guys and dolls come in! What’s your favorite animated comic-book movie? Hell, go ahead and name several of your favorites, if you will.

Coffee Talk #193: Have Games Desensitized You to Violence?

After E3 2010, I vaguely remember an article by some guy I can’t remember saying that videogames have desensitized people. The premise was that gamers have spent too much time shooting enemy soldiers, decapitating villains, and blowing buildings up that it no longer seems shocking. I started thinking about the issue again after the excellent people at Gamasutra started discussing it.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the cast of Friends getting old, the Yankees struggling like hacks, or how crappy Sprint is, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

After E3 2010, I vaguely remember an article by some guy I can’t remember saying that videogames have desensitized people. The premise was that gamers have spent too much time shooting enemy soldiers, decapitating villains, and blowing buildings up that it no longer seems shocking. I started thinking about the issue again after the excellent people at Gamasutra started discussing it.

The argument certainly has some merit. I remember being stunned and impressed when I saw a fatality in Mortal Kombat for the first time. That doesn’t cut it today. The violence has to be bigger, badder, and crazier. Having said that, I’m not at all desensitized to real-world violence. I would panic (before acting heroically, of course) if I saw someone get shot in real life. I am shocked when a pedestrian gets hit by a car. I guess what I’m getting at is that I don’t see a correlation between the videogame world and the real world when it comes to this issue.

As always, I want your thoughts on the matter. Have you become desensitized to videogame violence? Does it matter in your IRL existence? Considering the leap from Mortal Kombat to God of War, where do you see videogame violence ten years from now?

Coffee Talk #192: “CSR Nightmares” or “Sprint CSRs Suck”

After installing FroYo on my Evo 4G, I decided that I was going to commit to the phone and reactivate it. This is a big deal for me as I have all sorts of commitment issues. I figured A) it’s a great phone that was free, B) I’m eligible for an upgrade straight away, and C) I get a service discount as a Google I/O attendee. After 25 minutes and three CSRs, I was unable to activate the phone with the discounted plan.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, what “taking my talents to South Beach” should be code for, what’s next for Juan Manuel Marquez, or those damn Devil Rays, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

After installing FroYo on my Evo 4G, I decided that I was going to commit to the phone and reactivate it. This is a big deal for me as I have all sorts of commitment issues. I figured A) it’s a great phone that was free, B) I’m eligible for an upgrade straight away, and C) I get a service discount as a Google I/O attendee. After 25 minutes and three CSRs, I was unable to activate the phone with the discounted plan.

I’m amazed that all three reps had no what I was talking about. Each of them insisted that I needed a Sprint employee’s email address and ID number. I have a sell sheet from the conference that clearly states that I’m eligible for the discount. It’s one thing for them not to know about Google I/O, but it’s another to be completely ignorant of a discount offer. I’m going to drop by a Sprint store today to try and activate the phone; I’m positive the CSRs there will also fail, but it should be good for a laugh. *sigh* This is why I went to T-Mobile….

Anyway, I’d love to hear some of your customer service nightmares. Whether it’s games, electronics, Internet service, or Real Dolls, I’m sure you guys and gals have some great stories to share. Let ’em fly (please)!

Coffee Talk #191: Will Mice Become Niche Gamer Products?

So I’m still thinking about Apple’s Magic Trackpad (way more than I ought to). It’s more than that though. I’m thinking about the evolution of input methods. Games started with Pong paddles, moved onto joysticks, which gave way to gamepads, which are currently being overshadowed by the dawn of motion controls. Phones had rotary dials, eventually started using digital keys, and now use touchscreens.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Lady Gaga being so forthcoming about her cocaine use, Lance Berkman (really?!?), or if electric cars will take off this time around, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

So I’m still thinking about Apple’s Magic Trackpad (way more than I ought to). It’s more than that though. I’m thinking about the evolution of input methods. Games started with Pong paddles, moved onto joysticks, which gave way to gamepads, which are currently being overshadowed by the dawn of motion controls. Phones had rotary dials, eventually started using digital keys, and now use touchscreens.

What’s fascinating about personal computers is that the input method hasn’t really changed in more than 25 years. The vast majority of users out there still use a keyboard and mouse to interact with their computer. This just seems ridiculous to me. Mice are mostly inefficient and certainly dated. Whether it’s the Magic Trackpad or some other device, I can’t wait until the mouse is displaced as the most common input device.

Having said that, I still think that mice are the best choice for PC gaming. Will mice eventually becoming niche products that are purchased mainly by gamers? Will mice become the minority by the end of this decade? Or are people to comfortable and familiar with them? To paraphrase Johnny 5, I want your thoughts on “input”!

Coffee Talk #190: What’s Your Favorite Star Trek?

Last week a few of you started a fun Star Trek fight debate. It started with The Original Series vs. The Next Generation, moved onto Kirk vs. Picard, and even touched on Spock vs. Data. I was thoroughly entertained and hope you’re up for it again! This time around let’s include all of the Star Trek shows — even Voyager (Come on! A woman captain and a black vulcan?!?). Let’s start with the poll:

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Intelligentsia’s Edelweiss Finagro Estate Tanzania, if Roy Oswalt is a difference maker, or the rumor that Apple’s new trackpad uses sorcery instead of magic, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Last week a few of you started a fun Star Trek fight debate. It started with The Original Series vs. The Next Generation, moved onto Kirk vs. Picard, and even touched on Spock vs. Data. I was thoroughly entertained and hope you’re up for it again! This time around let’s include all of the Star Trek shows — even Voyager (Come on! A woman captain and a black vulcan?!?). Let’s start with the poll:

[poll id=”61″]

I’d love to learn more about your Star Trek preferences. In addition to your favorite show, I want to know your favorite characters, aliens, weapons, etc. As for me, I have four words for you: “There are four lights!!!”

Coffee Talk #189: How Often Do You Change PCs?

RPadholic smartguy brought up an interesting conversation starter yesterday: how often do you change PCs? Some of my friends get new machines every year. Others have had the same system for more than five years. It’s really all over the place with the people I know and I’m sure it’s the same for you guys.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Eric Roberts entering rehab for marijuana dependency, American Idol possibly going with all-new judges, or Kaval rocking it on NXT, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

RPadholic smartguy brought up an interesting conversation starter yesterday: how often do you change PCs? Some of my friends get new machines every year. Others have had the same system for more than five years. It’s really all over the place with the people I know and I’m sure it’s the same for you guys.

As for me, I usually stick with a two-year plan. For the first six months I’m very happy with my PCs performance. That changes into bland satisfaction for the next year. The final six months are when I get jealous of all the new features and performance gains found in new products. Due to my work situation, I’m actually several months overdue in my two-year plan, but hopefully I’ll be able to save up for one of those new iMacs soon!

Now it’s your turn! How often do you change PCs?