It's been a long time since my last blog entry. We've been hard at work tweaking the new GS and adding new features. The latest of which (and probably the coolest) is the brand new video section. Check it out by clicking here or just click the "Videos" link above in the menu.

Also, I got that Samsung LCD display I was talking about a while ago (the 226BW). All I have to say is that it's great. If you're looking for a good monitor, look no further. It has amazing picture, resolution and not to mention it's 22''. I hooked up my old monitor as well, so now I have a dual-monitor setup, which is really nice. I still want to try hooking up my Xbox 360 to the new monitor just for kicks.

I've been playing Mass Effect quite a bit lately (actually on-and-off since I don't have a lot of time to even play) . I'm getting pretty close to beating it. I'm on the last level I think. The game was good, but to be honest, I was expecting a little more.

I downloaded the Halo 3 Heroic Map Pack today and I'm somewhat disappointed. Not only were the maps a little on the expensive side (800 MS Points to be exact), but they were kind of mediocre. Standoff was the only one that really stood out to me. It's a great map. Foundry is okay, but I guess it will only show its true value once people start getting creative with it in the Forge. Rats Nest, on the other hand, pretty much sucks, and it's quickly becoming apparent throughout the Halo 3 community. If you don't feel like shelling out the 800 Points, you can wait until this Spring to download them for free. Bungie also made clear that this is around the time that the next map pack would release.

I'm also planning on upgrading my PC pretty soon. I made a list of my current specs and of the stuff that I plan on upgrading to in the forum. Check it out here. I'm planning on getting the new 8800GTS that NVIDIA just dropped. I might even SLI a couple down the road. I'll also be picking up a quad core to go along with that. Crysis, here I come!

Ineffective, in the sense that the game hasn't really grabbed me.

So, the quarter is winding down and I find myself with some time and a little 'extra' cash - meaning I was bored and wanted to buy something. What else to do than check my favorite online garage sale that is Craigslist. After thinking about what I could possibly want, I of course looked up games that I'm currently back-logged to play.

With The Orange Box and Assassin's Creed being atop my list I started my search. Alas, no copies of Orange Box, and AC was much too far away to consider it a deal. Next on the list is Guitar Hero 3, but I didn't even bother. Finally, Mass Effect. I had seen some deals on it before, but I was always just too slow; this time, however, I got lucky.

After a frustrating drive to find an ATM, a round-about drive and $40 later, I finally procured a used copy of said game. Prior to my purchase the seller tacked on a disclaimer: "So yeah, the game froze on me twice, but I've read a few reviews and they say it's pretty common. If you have any problems just get in touch."

Meh. So far I've been pretty lucky with my Microsoft + CL purchases. My 360 hasn't RROD and I picked up Gears for only $45, new.

All of that is beside the point, however. I've had a little less than six collective hours with the action/RPG, and I can't say I'm that impressed. I feel like all of the reviews have really down-played technical issues which are all too common and pervasive. Loading times, texture-popping, lag/frame rate problems all destroy a completely entertaining story.

I loved Knights of the Old Republic; this on the other hand, isn't shaping up too well. Aside from the technical issues, it seems like there must have been an indecision to go either completely RPG or 3rd-person shooter. Thus far, the action seems bland and uninspired. I, think, I would have been okay with turn-based action, similar to KOTOR.

AI issues seem to plague your team as they just stand around and get shot, to only contribute once-in-awhile. Problems with AI aren't only with your teammates however, as the enemy is either completely stupid or outright kamikaze. For the most part, enemies simply round around aimlessly - yet, still hit you quite accurately - or run right towards you, guns blazing. While the cover system is pretty effective, it's not very useful when your foe runs right up and around to kill you (after your buddy just sat there and got killed).

The saving grace - and only thing that's keeping me with it - is the story/dialogue. I love the writing and the options of what to say/do. I also feel that I may be going through it just for the sake of it - which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

All of this, remember, is only based on a few hours and not very much exploration. I've only recently left the Citadel, and just started my first mission. I guess I can't be too critical just yet as there's more to explore, but for the most part, my biggest issues with the game don't seem to be affected by where one is.

I'm willing to plug through it however; I am just really hoping for a reason to hold on to it for more than just one play-through. I really, really want to like this game, but it just feels rushed. Hopefully the sequel will be more polished and fix all of these minor bugs! 

In any case, there will be plenty of time to explore the galaxies following noon, Monday. At that point I will have completed 1/3 of my last year at college, and start a month's worth of vegetation and relaxation.  

Wow, it's been a really long week. The GS team has been working tirelessly day and night to get the new website up, and it finally went live today. We're really excited about the new features and plans we have for down the road. My personal favorite of the shiny new features is the blog system.

I'm sure some people will be upset that everything was lost (mainly their post count for the forum), but we felt that it was a necessary sacrafice and that this will be much better in the long run. There are still some bugs left to squash both in the forum and in the website itself, so we need everyone's help to report them in the Report Bugs thread. My main concern right now is that the "mark all topics read" button in the forum function properly.

For something completely off topic, I picked up Mass Effect last Tuesday, and honestly, I haven't had much of a chance to really get into it (getting the new site up was my primary concern). However, from what I've played, it's fantastic. I'm not a huge RPG fan aside from a few games like Oblivion, but this game is definitely my kind of RPG. It's focus on dialog is really cool with how you can choose everything your character says, and each choice has a different impact. I'm looking forward to getting deeper into the game. I still have to beat Call of Duty 4 as well (which is also a really good game), but I don't think I have much left to finish.

Thanksgiving is tomorrow (...looks at clock...) today, and I'm looking forward to that. Thanksgiving is always one of my favorite holidays, for reasons only known to fat Americans.

Oh, I almost forgot. I plan on ordering this Samsung monitor I saw on Newegg for my PC soon (as in before the end of November, so I can get the $40 rebate). It's the Samsung 226BW . It's 22'', has a 2 ms response time and a dynamic contrast ratio of 3000:1. I think it looks pretty good, and it's received very good reviews. Can't wait to get it.

Anyways, enjoy the new GS and happy Thanksgiving!