One of the games I recently picked up for the PS4 is Knack. It was developed by the main architect of the PS4 and serves to showcase some of the things you can do with the new console. Unfortunately it has gotten a number of bad reviews as a game. Some say it is a kids game but too difficult for kids to play. Others describe it as tedious.
I have been watching my 17-year-old son play it over the past couple of days and think it is a great game. Yes, the animation is cartoonish and the game seems to keep going and going, but I don't see either of those as negative. I like the artwork as it helps with the escape from reality. I also like that the game isn't over in 2 hours. Unlike most game reviewers who get their games for free, when you pay $65 for a game, you want it to last. Perhaps that is why a lot of gamers disagree with the critics about Knack.
My son is out of school for the Thanksgiving holiday and immediately headed to play Knack after a morning of skiing. When I told him that the game was getting a lot of bad reviews, he couldn't understand why. My son grew up playing Ratchet & Clank but has since grown tired of it. Knack is a great follow-on game for someone a little older. It is definitely worth the price we paid for the game.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Where to Get a PS4 for Christmas
Last night my son wanted to go to Best Buy to do a little Christmas window shopping. I'm not one to pass up the chance to go to the local electronics store and so we made the quick trip. Naturally they were all out of the next-generation game consoles and so I asked when they are getting a new shipment of PS4's. They are getting one today but the store won't put them out until Black Friday. I'm not sure if they will also have XBox One's as I only asked about the PS4. I imagine they will have both machines Friday morning.
Sony has tried to anticipate demand for the PS4 this Christmas season and rumor has it they will be shipping consoles on an almost weekly basis. That means if your favorite store doesn't have a PS4 at the moment, you just need to ask a salesperson when they get their next shipment. Then be sure to be at the store as soon as they restock their shelves.
A lot of my friends know I am in the video game industry and have been asking how to get a PS4 for Christmas and this is the advice I give them. It is just a matter of timing. Chance favors the prepared and so do everything you can to reduce being there at the wrong time.
Sony has tried to anticipate demand for the PS4 this Christmas season and rumor has it they will be shipping consoles on an almost weekly basis. That means if your favorite store doesn't have a PS4 at the moment, you just need to ask a salesperson when they get their next shipment. Then be sure to be at the store as soon as they restock their shelves.
A lot of my friends know I am in the video game industry and have been asking how to get a PS4 for Christmas and this is the advice I give them. It is just a matter of timing. Chance favors the prepared and so do everything you can to reduce being there at the wrong time.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Broken Electronics
This weeks has been a bad week for electronics in our family. The only problem with owning something is that you get used to it and really hate it when it breaks.
Yesterday I got a call from my son down at college and he was pretty upset. He had been cleaning the screen on his relatively new Sony Xperia Z phone when it cracked right down the middle. When that happens, the touch screen no longer works and the phone is almost useless. He was only able to call me because he has a smart watch linked to his phone and could use the watch to interface with the phone. As long as the number he wants to call is in his phone's address book, he can make calls. He can also receive calls through the watch.
To add insult to injury, the power supply on my son's 40-inch Samsung TV went out on Saturday. There was the Bronco's game on last night that my son's room mates wanted to watch but couldn't because of the broken TV. They were giving him grief over it and my son was pretty bummed. Never mind that the TV was a free gift from someone at work and none of my son's other room mates had a TV.
My wife and I got done consoling my son when my daughter called and complained that her MacBook's charger had died. She is using a room mate's to charge her computer for now. This is the second time her charger has failed.
There are solutions to all of these problems but it is tough to deal with them all at the same time. Furthermore, Three of the major electronics brands are represented in this week's failures. Guess what they all have in common? Every single one of the failed parts was made by the same company in China. We really need to find another source for our electronic products as this is not the first time I have written about Chinese crap failing.
Yesterday I got a call from my son down at college and he was pretty upset. He had been cleaning the screen on his relatively new Sony Xperia Z phone when it cracked right down the middle. When that happens, the touch screen no longer works and the phone is almost useless. He was only able to call me because he has a smart watch linked to his phone and could use the watch to interface with the phone. As long as the number he wants to call is in his phone's address book, he can make calls. He can also receive calls through the watch.
To add insult to injury, the power supply on my son's 40-inch Samsung TV went out on Saturday. There was the Bronco's game on last night that my son's room mates wanted to watch but couldn't because of the broken TV. They were giving him grief over it and my son was pretty bummed. Never mind that the TV was a free gift from someone at work and none of my son's other room mates had a TV.
My wife and I got done consoling my son when my daughter called and complained that her MacBook's charger had died. She is using a room mate's to charge her computer for now. This is the second time her charger has failed.
There are solutions to all of these problems but it is tough to deal with them all at the same time. Furthermore, Three of the major electronics brands are represented in this week's failures. Guess what they all have in common? Every single one of the failed parts was made by the same company in China. We really need to find another source for our electronic products as this is not the first time I have written about Chinese crap failing.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Headed Home
I am at the Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan waiting to board my plane back to the States. It has been a busy and successful trip but I am glad to be headed home. Now if my flight is on time, I might be able to make my connection from Seattle to Salt Lake City.
This morning I checked the Internet to see if my flight was on time and saw a red warning saying it was 45 minutes delayed. I want to know what algorithm Delta Airlines is using to determine my flight is going to be delayed 18 hours before I board it. I spent the day worrying if I was going to make my connection. I got online and mapped out an alternate itinerary so I could make it home without having to overnight somewhere on the West coast. Then I planned to get to the airport early so I could get the airline to change my itinerary.
I had to leave a celebration dinner early so I could have plenty of time to get to the airport only to discover trains were delayed due to an accident. Rather than take a direct train to the airport, I jumped on another one, made a connection, and got to the airport 20 minutes earlier than if I had waited for the direct train. I got up to the ticket agent and discovered my plane was now on time.
This is one of those times where computers actually complicate our lives. I spent the day wondering if I would make it home as scheduled only to discover that the computer was wrong. Every once and a while they need a little human intervention.
This morning I checked the Internet to see if my flight was on time and saw a red warning saying it was 45 minutes delayed. I want to know what algorithm Delta Airlines is using to determine my flight is going to be delayed 18 hours before I board it. I spent the day worrying if I was going to make my connection. I got online and mapped out an alternate itinerary so I could make it home without having to overnight somewhere on the West coast. Then I planned to get to the airport early so I could get the airline to change my itinerary.
I had to leave a celebration dinner early so I could have plenty of time to get to the airport only to discover trains were delayed due to an accident. Rather than take a direct train to the airport, I jumped on another one, made a connection, and got to the airport 20 minutes earlier than if I had waited for the direct train. I got up to the ticket agent and discovered my plane was now on time.
This is one of those times where computers actually complicate our lives. I spent the day wondering if I would make it home as scheduled only to discover that the computer was wrong. Every once and a while they need a little human intervention.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Super Motherload on the PS4
Several years ago my son introduced me to an Adobe Flash game called MotherLoad. It was incredibly addicting and so when I saw that one of the PS4 launch titles was Super Motherload, I wanted to see if it was a similar game. It is and so once I was able to log into the PlayStation Network, I used some free credits to pay for the $15 game.
The idea of the game is to dig holes in a 2-dimensional world. There are some simple physics with digging and you use a helicopter rotor to fly out of your holes. As you dig, you mine minerals. Some pay better than others just like in the real world. The deeper you dig, the more expensive the materials you find as well as more dangerous hazards you encounter. The game is a balance of fixing and gassing up your digging machine while earning money.
Super Motherload has a number of differences with the original Flash game. For instance, you can have up to 4 players at the same time. This is a perfect reason to get a second controller for your PS4. As all of you have to stay in the screen at the same time, one player can't head to the surface while the other continues digging. You have to communicate about when you go back for more gas.
I knew I was headed out of town and so I didn't mind that my son wanted to play the game late Saturday evening. We played until well past midnight and had a great time. Having played the original version of the game, we had a pretty sound strategy for getting rich quick. The game is different enough though that we had to adjust our play somewhat. I have to say that the adjustments contributed to the fun.
We have yet to play the game through to the end but I imagine we will have time during the upcoming Thanksgiving break.
Super Motherload is not a triple-A title on the PS4, nor is it priced like one. If you are looking for a simple video game to play on your PS4 with friends and family over the Holiday season, I would consider buying it.
The idea of the game is to dig holes in a 2-dimensional world. There are some simple physics with digging and you use a helicopter rotor to fly out of your holes. As you dig, you mine minerals. Some pay better than others just like in the real world. The deeper you dig, the more expensive the materials you find as well as more dangerous hazards you encounter. The game is a balance of fixing and gassing up your digging machine while earning money.
Super Motherload has a number of differences with the original Flash game. For instance, you can have up to 4 players at the same time. This is a perfect reason to get a second controller for your PS4. As all of you have to stay in the screen at the same time, one player can't head to the surface while the other continues digging. You have to communicate about when you go back for more gas.
I knew I was headed out of town and so I didn't mind that my son wanted to play the game late Saturday evening. We played until well past midnight and had a great time. Having played the original version of the game, we had a pretty sound strategy for getting rich quick. The game is different enough though that we had to adjust our play somewhat. I have to say that the adjustments contributed to the fun.
We have yet to play the game through to the end but I imagine we will have time during the upcoming Thanksgiving break.
Super Motherload is not a triple-A title on the PS4, nor is it priced like one. If you are looking for a simple video game to play on your PS4 with friends and family over the Holiday season, I would consider buying it.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Failed Automobile Safety Inspection
I am in Tokyo, Japan this week for work and so my weekend was busy running around doing all of those tasks necessary to get ready for my trip. My BMW is up for registration renewal and my front tires were in dire need of replacement. I took it to my local tire shop who also happens to do safety and emissions inspections. Normally I avoid shops that do more than just safety and emissions because they have a vested interest in you failing your safety inspection. It allows them to sell more services. As I was already buying new tires, I figured I had a better chance of getting an objective review of my vehicle. Nope, I was told I needed to replace my front brake pads and rotors. Considering my brake pad sensor had yet to tell me I needed new pads, I question the inspection but am forced to replace them.
It surprised the mechanic when I seemed excited to replace my pads and rotors as I have been looking to get slotted and drilled rotors and was just waiting for them to wear out. I also think it surprised him that I don't let anybody do my brakes as I am perfectly capable of doing them myself. Actually anybody who knows how to change a tire can do their own brake jobs. If your warranty is up or doesn't include brake pads, I highly suggest you take a look at an online video or two and give it a shot yourself. My local O'Reilly auto parts store loans me the specialty tool necessary to spread the brake calipers and so the only costs are the rotors, pads, and brake sensor (not all cars need the sensor).
I drove home from the tire store and immediately logged onto my computer. My rear rotors and pads are fine and so I was concerned about having slotted and drilled rotors in the front but not the rear. A quick Internet search revealed that it was fine. All of the auto parts forums also said there was no advantage to slotted and drilled rotors. In fact I am probably going to run through pads and rotors faster. I reluctantly resigned myself to the fact that I should probably replace my rotors with the same type I am taking off. I was sad as I really was looking forward to having high-performance brakes.
I called both O'Reilly and Autozone auto parts stores that are less than a mile from my house to price things out. Then I did a search on the Internet to see if I could get a better price. Guess what? It turns out you can get a kit that contains slotted and drilled rotors, new high-performance brake pads, and the brake sensor for less money than the least expensive OEM rotors and pads (OEM are what originally came on the car). So I bought the kit and made sure it will be delivered before I get back from Japan.
I have had my BMW since I bought it new in November of 2000 and only have 65,000 miles on the car. In fact, this is the first brake job I have ever had to do on it. I'm going to try out the slotted and drilled rotors to see if there is a difference. If they only last half the time as my last ones, then I will go back to OEM parts in 6 years. That is a long time between brake jobs.
It surprised the mechanic when I seemed excited to replace my pads and rotors as I have been looking to get slotted and drilled rotors and was just waiting for them to wear out. I also think it surprised him that I don't let anybody do my brakes as I am perfectly capable of doing them myself. Actually anybody who knows how to change a tire can do their own brake jobs. If your warranty is up or doesn't include brake pads, I highly suggest you take a look at an online video or two and give it a shot yourself. My local O'Reilly auto parts store loans me the specialty tool necessary to spread the brake calipers and so the only costs are the rotors, pads, and brake sensor (not all cars need the sensor).
I drove home from the tire store and immediately logged onto my computer. My rear rotors and pads are fine and so I was concerned about having slotted and drilled rotors in the front but not the rear. A quick Internet search revealed that it was fine. All of the auto parts forums also said there was no advantage to slotted and drilled rotors. In fact I am probably going to run through pads and rotors faster. I reluctantly resigned myself to the fact that I should probably replace my rotors with the same type I am taking off. I was sad as I really was looking forward to having high-performance brakes.
I called both O'Reilly and Autozone auto parts stores that are less than a mile from my house to price things out. Then I did a search on the Internet to see if I could get a better price. Guess what? It turns out you can get a kit that contains slotted and drilled rotors, new high-performance brake pads, and the brake sensor for less money than the least expensive OEM rotors and pads (OEM are what originally came on the car). So I bought the kit and made sure it will be delivered before I get back from Japan.
I have had my BMW since I bought it new in November of 2000 and only have 65,000 miles on the car. In fact, this is the first brake job I have ever had to do on it. I'm going to try out the slotted and drilled rotors to see if there is a difference. If they only last half the time as my last ones, then I will go back to OEM parts in 6 years. That is a long time between brake jobs.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Correction
Wouldn't you know it, I was wrong. Yesterday I said that I couldn't log into the PlayStation Network from my new PlayStation 4. While that was correct earlier in the day, I finished my blog entry and gave it one last shot for the day. I was successfully able to log in and download some of the free PS4 launch games. The games are free to all PlayStation Plus members and since there is a free trial that comes with each new PS4, everyone should take advantage of the free games. Our favorite right now is Resogun. It is reminiscent of the old arcade-style games with much better graphics. I'd write more, but my son and I are having too much fun with our new toy.
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