Today's Specials Archives - Page 6 of 89

Coffee Talk #472: “Yes!” vs. “What?” vs. “Ask Him!”

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, United Airlines being ruined by Jeff Smisek, Metta World Peace’s disgusting elbow shot to James Harden, or loving Bobby Valentine’s Red Sox woes, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Catchphrases are an important part of professional wrestling. “If you smell what The Rock is cooking,” “That’s the bottom line,” and “To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man,” are phrases we all know and love because of pro-wrestlers. Then there are secondary phrases. I’m talking about short lines that wrestlers say and fans chant. The recent Daniel Bryan “Yes!” phenomenon got me thinking about these types of sayings.

Of course the greatest secondary catchphrase of all time is Ric Flair’s “Whooooooo!!!” It’s simply awesome. No matter what wrestling company and no matter the size of the crowd, you can always count on hearing “Whooooo!!!” after a knife-edge chop is delivered. That’s amazing and powerful. As for the others, I’m a huge fan of Chris Jericho’s “Ask him!!!”. Steve Austin’s “What?!?” is used (and abused) by millions of fans, even when it’s not appropriate.

Please participate in the battle for the #2 secondary pro-wrestling catchphrase of all time by voting in today’s poll and leaving a comment! If you need a refresher on these catchphrases then check out the videos below before casting your vote.

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Conan O’Brien and 343 Talk Halo 4

Here’s an awesome Halo 4 sketch from Conan starring 343 Industries executive producer Kiki Wolfkill and franchise director (and outstandingly handsome man) Frank O’Connor. In the sketch, Conan talks about his character in Halo 4, getting to understand his background and motivation. Naturally, Conan brings in Andy Richter to join him in the game and a sweet voiceover session ensues.

It’s brilliant to see videogames getting mainstream coverage on great shows like Conan. It’s also totally cool thank Frankie was on television. Dude is a total stud. Anyway, check out the sketch below and let me know what you think (please!).

Coffee Talk #471: Videogames Starring Musicians

Over the weekend, I played two iOS games starring legendary musicians: Frederic: Resurrection of Music HD and Jazz: Trump’s Journey. They feature Frederic Chopin and Louis Armstrong, respectively. Both were pleasant surprises that reminded of other great videogames featuring musicians. Some of you will recall that…

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, Game of Thrones seasons two starting to get excellent, MLB’s classy celebration of Jackie Robinson, or Tim Tebow getting booed at Yankee Stadium, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Over the weekend, I played two iOS games starring legendary musicians: Frederic: Resurrection of Music HD and Jazz: Trump’s Journey. They feature Frederic Chopin and Louis Armstrong, respectively. Both were pleasant surprises that reminded of other great videogames featuring musicians. Some of you will recall that I’m a total mark for Britney’s Dance Beat and Journey (the awesome arcade game, not the crap Atari 2600 game).

Those pleasant memories gave way to nightmares about musician games that weren’t so good. 50 Cent: Bulletproof (ironic name considering the man’s numerous bullet holes), Power Factory Featuring C + C Music Factory, Revolution X, and Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style are just some of the crap games I’ve played that star musicians. It seems like there are three flops like Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker for every chart-topper (figuratively speaking) like Britney’s Dance Beat.

Naturally, I started dreaming up my own musician videogames. A platformer starring the original members of Kiss would be cool. A bloody beat-’em-up (Super Smash Bros. style) featuring pop divas like Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, The Spice Girls, etc. sounds awesome. The ultimate would be an HD remake of Journey. That game was so ahead of its time! Music, platforming, shooting, and more in a 1983 arcade cabinet?!? Unheard of!

I’d love to hear more about your experiences with videogames starring musicians. What were some of your favorites? What were the ones you hated? What’s the videogame/musician combo of your dreams?

Coffee Talk #470: Contributing to Kickstarter-Funded Games

Thanks to Double Fine’s wild success on Kickstarter, several developers are looking to use the service to fund and self-publish their games. A few weeks ago, we had a fun conversation about alternative publishing models and how they can boost creativity. Today I’d like to talk to you about Kickstarter-funded games. A few of you…

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, watching Coachella on YouTube, Kanye & Kim, or Mariano Rivera possibly retiring after this season, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Most developers that seek Kickstarter funds don’t have the reputation and sheer lovability of Double Fine (Tim Schafer is awesome and Anna Kipnis is awesome + hot). How do smaller or lesser-known developers catch your eye and open your wallet? As for me, there are several ways developers can get my money. The Banner Saga features my favorite videogame genre and talent from one of my favorite developers of all time. A lot of people are interested in Republique because they’ve heard of Ryan Payton from his days at Kojima Productions and 343 Studios; having Metal Gear Solid and Halo 4 on your resume helps, but I’m going to contribute because Ryan is cool (a technical term).

How about you? What factors would make you contribute to a Kickstarter-funded game? And when will one of you business geniuses start a modest Kickstarter pitch for my site?!? I totally suck at money stuff.

Coffee Talk #469: Are You Paying Attention to Gaikai?

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 surging Boston Celtics, specialty beer bars, or waiting for the new Powerfox & Ponymane video, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Even though many of you aren’t sold on streaming, I recommend keeping an eye on Gaikai. The company has been making all sorts of interesting moves that make the service appealing to hardcore and casual gamers. On the enthusiast side, Gaikai keeps adding great content; recently the company announced that it’s the only streaming service to offer Mass Effect 3. On the casual side, the company just announced that its games will be available on Facebook. A fantastic videogame library, broad reach, and (from what I’ve seen so far) sound technology — Gaikai seems to have it all. So why aren’t you paying attention?

Part of it has to do with the newness of it all. Streaming is a new way to play games. After decades of playing games on cartridges and discs, it seems foreign. As the X-Men have shown over the years, many people fear and hate what they don’t understand (yes, I’m overstating things). Part of it has to do with some gamers (still) being (way too) attached to physical media. Collectors love hoarding boxes; streaming totally goes against that. I’m sure there are some reasons that I’m not thinking of, so I’d love to use today’s column to get your take on Gaikai.

Have you been paying attention to Gaikai? If not, check out the company site to learn more about the service and its sweet game library. What do you think? Say Gaikai was playable on one of your favorite sites (like this one!) would you use it? Scream and shout in the comments section (please)!

Coffee Talk #468: The Videogame Weapon of Your Dreams

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, American Idol being 46 percent less entertaining since Heejun Han’s elimination, missing your friends at PAX East, or this very nice web site, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

One of the many things I dig about Final Fantasy XIII-2 is Mog. He’s pretty much the best videogame weapon I’ve encountered in the last decade. His versatility is astounding! Mog can transform into a sword. He can serve as a bow. He can find inter-dimensional treasure. You can chuck him so that he can find inter-dimensional treasure in hard-to-reach places. Although he overuses the word “kupo” to a staggering degree, he’s not a bad conversationalist. I’m certain he’d be an awesome chick magnet too. Mog is a formidable weapon that’s part metal detector and part friend. How do you beat that?!?

So yeah, if I could have any videogame weapon that ever existed, it would be Mog from Final Fantasy XIII-2. How about you? What’s the videogame weapon of your dreams? Do you have visions of slicing up baddies or opening cans of soup with Master Chief’s energy sword? Would you use the Gears of War Lancer as a letter opener? How cool would it be to have the Master Sword from The Legend of Zelda? The possibilities are awesome!

If you could have one videogame weapon in the world, what would it be and why? Leave your answer in the comments section (please!).

Coffee Talk #467: Your Favorite Game of Q1 2012

The first quarter of 2012 has ended and I wanted to hear about your favorite games of 2012. While I’ve been loving Final Fantasy Tactics on my iPad, my favorite and most surprising game of the quarter was Final Fantasy XIII-2. I enjoyed the original, flaws and all. The sequel tightens up the gameplay and story, and also adds…

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 hot crowd for Monday Night Raw in Miami, Minka Kelly’s downgrade, or the countdown to MLB opening day, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The first quarter of 2012 has ended and I wanted to hear about your favorite games of 2012. While I’ve been loving Final Fantasy Tactics on my iPad, my favorite and most surprising game of the quarter was Final Fantasy XIII-2. I enjoyed the original, flaws and all. The sequel tightens up the gameplay and story (though it’s still a bit ridiculous in that FF way), and adds several new twists. I absolutely loved the monster collecting and breeding system in FFXIII-2. In many ways, it’s the same kind of fun as Pokemon catching and training. I knew I’d enjoy XIII-2, but I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much. Plus…Serah in a bikini!!!

Now it’s your turn. What was your favorite game of Q1 2012?

Coffee Talk #466: WrestleMania XXVIII Results and Discussion

WWE’s biggest show of the year has come and gone. Now it’s time to break down WrestleMania XXVIII, review our predictions, and discuss the results! RPadholic Iceman was also kind enough to send in some original photos from the event, which I posted below. As a whole, I thought it was a good show that was far from…

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, Ashton Kutcher portraying Steve Jobs, ceramic knives, or Kelly Pavlik on the comeback trail, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

WWE’s biggest show of the year has come and gone. Now it’s time to break down WrestleMania XXVIII, review our predictions, and discuss the results! RPadholic Iceman was also kind enough to send in some original photos from the event. As a whole, I thought it was a good show that was far from great. The second half of the card was much better than the first and there was one match that was severely (and sadly) cut off due to time restrictions. Let’s go down the list!

Sheamus Defeats Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship: As I predicted, Sheamus got the win here. What I didn’t predict was the match being cut off for time considerations. I was totally bummed that two young WWE Superstars didn’t get time to shine. Danielson is one of the best pure wrestlers in the world and he rarely gets to show off his skills in WWE. This match — all 20 seconds of it — was completely disappointing.

Kane Beats Randy Orton: I called this one wrong and was surprised that Kane got a clean win. The match was okay, but I don’t get the result. It made Orton look stupid and he needed the push for the rest of 2012.

The Big Show Wins the Intercontinental Championship From Cody Rhodes: This was another match I predicted incorrectly. The result surprised me. Show does not need a minor WWE belt. Rhodes does.

Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos Beat Eve and Beth Phoenix: The good girl team — with the celebrity — won. Of course they did. I was actually impressed with Menounos, who was working with a legit rib injury. She was a trooper! Unfortunately, the match was total filler. I can’t wait for Awesome Kong to come back. Maybe she’ll get the writers to do something interesting with the Divas division.

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The Undertaker Extended His Streak to 20-0 Over Triple H: Of course ‘Taker won! Selling t-shirts that brag about a 20-0 record is easy. 19-1…not so much. This match actually exceeded my expectations. The psychology and storytelling were fantastic. Of course I was thrilled to see “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels as the guest referee; he added a lot to the matches storytelling, given his history with both wrestlers. While it wasn’t a technical classic, there were some cool and brutal spots in this match. Great stuff.

Team Laurinaitis Beats Team Long: Johnny Ace is simply a better TV personality than Teddy Long. This was also the match used to bring the crowd down from Hell in a Cell. In other words, this was when you were supposed to go pee or buy beer from the refreshments stand. Woo woo woo. You know it.

CM Punk Retains the WWE Championship Over Chris Jericho: For me, this was the best match of the night from a wrestling standpoint. The ring work was tight and the psychology was awesome. I love the way Jericho taunted punk. Complementing, “Ask him!!!”, were, “How’s your father, Punk?!?”, and, “Punk, how’s your sister?!?” That said, I still think Punk needs to go into chase mode. He’s getting stale as champion.

The Rock Beats John Cena: I’m still shocked by how this went down. These guys put forth a great effort and put together a very good match. The Rock sold Cena’s moves like crazy. He actually made Cena’s lame STF look believable! While I’m personally happy that The Rock won, I question the booking. What happened to Super Cena?!? How does a guy that can beat three WWE Superstars by himself lose to someone that hasn’t wrestled a match in years? I’m curious to see how Cena is booked now that he was made vulnerable. Do you turn him heel? Or does he cut a brush-off promo similar to how Shawn Michaels brushed off his loss to Hulk Hogan? Does Cena build up to a revenge match next year? While he’s not my favorite wrestler (using the term loosely) in WWE, he’s a promo and merch machine that has carried the company for a long time. I’m curious to see how he’s booked for the rest of the year.

Loki vs. Tony Stark: Avengers Head Count Trailer

The “head count” trailer for The Avengers completely owns. I’m cautiously excited for the movie, but trailers like this have me abandoning caution (and logic?). I know that team movies are hard to pull off and it’s way too easy for them to splinter, but the trailers are so good and I’m a fan of Joss Whedon’s comic-book writing. This is all going to work, right?!? Check out the trailer and let me know if you’re more or less excited for The Avengers after seeing it.

Coffee Talk #465: Developers on the Wrong Platforms

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, Verve’s Ethiopia Worka, the prospect of Steve Nash playing for the Miami Heat, or cute desserts with a super-cute girl, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

At GDC 2012, I was pestering several people about thatgamecompany. I love those guys and want to see them do well, but I’m not convinced that PlayStation Network is the optimal platform for TGC. With a little bit of tweaking, TGC’s games would kill on iOS. I have no doubt about this. Flower, in particular, would be brilliant on the iPad, though I can easily see people digging Journey and flOw too. iOS seems perfect for thatgamecompany and I’d love to see millions of iPhone/iPad gamers loving TGC games.

With all of that in mind, at GDC I playfully teased several people at Sony for holding thatgamecompany back. I also bugged TGC’s agent from UTA, asking him, “When the hell are your clients moving to iOS?!?” (And yes, alcohol was ~~probably~~ involved in all of these conversations.) While TGC’s sales figures are closely guarded by Sony, most pundits believe them to be in the six-figure range. I’m certain that the company has a better chance of breaking one-million on iOS than it does on PSN. Hell, I’m positive that an “enhanced” version of Flower for iOS would easily eclipse the game’s sales on PSN. It just seems like TGC is on the wrong platform.

Are there any developers you feel are creating for the wrong platform? Share the companies you think of and the platforms you wish they were making games for in the comments section (please!).