Thaichaiguy Blog

I had a chance to catch Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen this past weekend and it was less than stellar. It actually made the first movie look better in comparison. But according to the box office its all about movies with unlimited budgets, leading actresses and nostalgic branding. Yea that’s the formula for success right there.

Let’s start with what I did like about the movie. First of all the movie started off well, trying to tell some story with Optimus Prime narrating. It built up some energry and made for a decent launching point. From the start to the finish the robots just look flawless. They look like they could really be there acting along side the human actors. Even the amount of robots and the size of the robots were pushed to another level this time around.

Now for the bad. Once the human actors come into play the only real actor is Shia LeBeouf. He’s acting his goofy self the whole time but it comes off pretty naturally. Everyone else, including Megan Fox, are just place holders. Well maybe not Megan. She’s definitely there for some other reasons. The movie might as well have been a Megan Fox photo shoot. Who needs robots anyway. Actually, I would have preferred they spent all that money to make the most out of this world Megan Fox photo shoot. I’d pay $11 for that. Megan doesn’t show off and inch of talent in this movie, unless you’re considering knowing how to be sexy and showing inches of more skin. Her lines were recited awkwardly and show little chemistry with her co-star at all. She’s probably still bitter she has to makeout with the prepubescent Shia. Who really cares though because we all love her right now and she knows it.

This movie fails in too many ways and deserves its 20% rating on rottentomatoes.com. Even the Autobots seem to have less character which is partly attributed to the additional anonymous Autobots. In fact, almost the entire cast of Decepitcons are anonymous making killing them off utterly numbing. It didn’t matter how many of them were destroyed because they’d be replaced by another one that looked exactly like Megatron. In parts of the dessert battle I honestly couldn’t tell if one of the Decepticons was actually Megatron or one of his look-alike cronies. I guess this is all attributed to the poor robot design. I never liked how the Decepticons looked so gnarly.

The Fallen and Megatron themselves see little action in the movie at all, only to be beaten down by Optimus rather quickly in the end. The battle that dragged on for nearly half the movie was wrapped up so quickly that it left me with an empty feeling inside.

I still need to find out what college Sam Witwicky went to because I was obviously going to the wrong one…

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The smoke grenade knockdown has been converted to a cringe (stunned while remaining standing) now for about 3 weeks or more and I wanted to express how I feel about it. I know there are people on both sides of the fence and both have legitimate arguments. While some previously thought the smoke grenade was used in a way that was unfair others believe now the smoke grenade is worthless.

I believe the developers at Epic have changed the multiplayer game for the better. I am one of those that believes the knockdown effect was not well implemented and created unfairness in the game. When I say not well implemented I’m referring to the fact that the duration of the knockdown wasn’t always the same and created clipping and teleporting issues when objects or stairs were in the way. Initially the smoke grenade was not abused but it quickly became very annoying when players would plant them everywhere. The battlefield became littered with smoke grenades. One other solution would be to  remove the planted grenades upon death. However, this wouldn’t fix the fact that each player would still spawn with a weapon that could effectively provide an instant kill if used correctly.

I believe Gears of War 2 multiplayer has changed for the better and I applaud the Epic developers for staying hands on even months after the games release. I don’t believe the smoke grenade has been rendered worthless but it does make it much harder to take on multiple enemies at once.

Epic has officially released a list of bug fixes for the upcoming update including these:

Issues related to the Smoke Grenade causing a player to cringe instead of knocking them down. If hit by a Smoke Grenade with cringing turned on, players will now:

• Drop the Boomshield, even if aiming while carrying it.
• Drop a heavy weapon, even if it is deployed.
• Cringe while roadie running.
• Cringe while in cover.

Full list of changes in Update 4

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I had a chance to sit down and play the demo of EA’s NCAA Football 10 and I have to say after playing Madden 09 for so long it was a nice change. The demo only allows you to play 2-minute quarters using the two BCS Championship contenders which is short considering the 1.57gb download. The presentation is top notch and actually beats out Madden 09 but will likely fall short of Madden 10. Everything from the crowd and cheerleaders seemed to get a little more attention this year.

One feature that I enjoyed in the demo was the ability to choose how aggressive or conservative you would like to be in different parts of your game. For example tackling, you can choose to be aggressive and the AI will go for more big hits but may miss tackles more often. There are options for many different aspects for both offense and defense. These modifiers are chosen at the beginning of every quarter and during each timeout.

While playing as the Gators I felt running the option wasn’t as easy as they make it look in real life. I was able to break off one 50 yard run with Tebow though. For the most part the run blocking didn’t seem all that polished while the pass blocking got the most improvement. You’ll see your blockers really start to create a pocket for the quarterback this year while rushing you’ll be amazed at how often you get hit in the backfield. There were a few new tackling and catching animations which I thought looked really realistic. However, there is one tackle where the defender literally throws the ball-carrier which I felt played too often.

I have to say something about these college games still can’t rival the pro games. Something about the lack of player names and the commentators just saps the life out of it. Even after a final touchdown drive to win the game I just didn’t feel any emotion come out of the game. No wild celebrations or the commentators flipping out. I guess this isn’t the case in Madden 09 either but I think this area could be more focused on in all of EA’s football games. I know there is still a huge market for NCAA Football but for me its just another football game to hold me over until Madden 10.

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In my last post I talked about how the XCM 1080p Mega Cool VGA converter didn’t live up to my expectations. However, today I want to talk about how the HDFury2 is the perfect solution for my situation. Unfortunately it is a little more expensive as well which is why I didn’t go along with it in the first place. So the old saying about getting what you pay for is definitely in effect when you’re looking for a PS3 to VGA converter that also strips the HDCP encoding.

Unlike the XCM 1080p converter the HDFury2 requires an HDMI input which makes it only a viable solution for PS3 and Xbox 360. This is fine for me since I don’t own a Wii. The HDFury2 does not come with its own HDMI cable so you’ll have to supply one yourself. Luckily these are extremely cheap. The ability to send video and audio over a single low cost cable is a main reason HDMI is becoming so popular. The HDFury2 does come with a VGA to Component adapter for people with monitors with component inputs as well.

The HDFury2 does not require its own power source when running on a PS3 or Xbox360. However, if you want to run a blu-ray player you may need to purchase the external power adapter. The USB power cable can also be plugged in directly to your console. For audio you simply plug your 3.5mm speaker input to the HDFury2. Once you’ve got everything plugged in the HDFury2 does its job as specified. You’ll get full 1080p right out of the box with automatic image centering. Some people have complained about dim picture but most monitors will have the capability to brighten the picture. If you can’t get a good picture I suggest purchasing the Gamma X add-on. I’ll talk more about the Gamma X in my next post. Besides the cost of the HDFury2, I can’t really complain about anything else.

Here are some quick directions on setting your PS3 to HDMI:

1. Connect your PS3 composite/component cable to your TV (not monitor), also connect the HDMI connection between the PS3 and TV if your TV has an HDMI input. If not just plug in the HDMI cable on the PS3 side.
2. Turn on the PS3.
3. Go to the System Settings > Display settings, and change the display to HDMI. If your TV doesn’t have HDMI connections you must do the rest blind.
4. Switch your TV to the HDMI input, accept the display changes by pressing X.
5. Disconnect the TV connections and hook up your PS3 to your monitor using the HDMI and HDFury2. Turn on your monitor. If you did everything correctly you should have a picture on your monitor. You are done.
6. If you couldn’t get a picture you might not have accepted the changes while you were hooked up to the TV. Try again making sure you press X after you’ve switched to HDMI blindly.
7. If you know you did everything correctly switching the PS3 to HDMI check to make sure your monitor is displaying the right input (VGA not DVI). If not, something is wrong. Maybe a defective HDFury2 or HDMI cable. Both are highly unlikely.
8. Try again by resetting your PS3 back to composite/component. Do this by holding down the power button while the PS3 is off and the light is red. I am referring to the power button in the front where the red light is not the power switch in the back.

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So ever since I got my PS3 I’ve been looking for solutions to hook up my PS3 to my LCD monitor in my room. I’m running a 26″ monitor Soyo which only has regular VGA and DVI ports. It also does not support HDCP which is required for running any blu-ray devices. If you do have a HDCP capable monitor go ahead a buy an HDMI to DVI cable and you’re done. These can run under $10, so check your monitor specifications for HDCP support.

Now for the actual review. This product takes in a component input and outputs it to a VGA port stripping the HDCP. It is capable of a few different resolutions and maxes out at 1920 x 1080. This is the second generation of XCM’s VGA boxes but it still falls short of my expectations. It is capable of outputting VGA in 1080p and you can easily switch between the resolutions and refresh rates using the buttons on the box. It continually ticked me off by being off centered and it does not remember the resolution settings you last chose.

One nice thing that this box features is the PC input. Most people will be wanting to multitask with their monitor so this box can be used as a switch between gaming and productivity. Unfortunately this product doesn’t work well enough for my PS3 gaming and I’d advise to go with your everyday KVM switch. This product does not come with a VGA cable so be ready to supply your own. It also only comes with a USB power cable so plugging it into another device is your only option.

Overall this product is Mega Mediocre…

In my next post I will be reviewing the HDURY2 which is currently my VGA converter of choice.

Product Specifications

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This past week I bought a Playstation 3 on eBay because I convinced myself that if I were to buy a PS3 it would need to have backwards compatibility. You can read about that here. I never owned a Playstation 2 so I felt like I was knocking out two birds with one PS3. And so I began browsing eBay for used and refurbished 60gb PS3s.

I found a power seller listing multiple 60gb PS3s with no reserve price, a 30 day warranty and a 99% approval rating. These were all featured listings so I knew the competition would be stiff. I started looking for the latest auction sniper programs out there since I haven’t honestly bid on anything on eBay for quite some time. I usually just use “Buy it now” since I don’t like the idea of waiting when I’m shopping.

This brought me to Gixen.com. Gixen is a auction sniper web application that is free and worked well for me in this particular auction. Gixen does not ensure that they will not encounter glitches that may cause you to miss your bid. Gixen also offers a paid service where they do guarantee your bid will be placed 5 secs before the auction ends. The web application was easy to use and worked this time around. I chose Gixen because it was the most popular free service I could find with good reviews. The web application does not look nice by any means but worked like a charm.

I was able to win the auction at $310 which was fine with me because my max bid was  actually $325. This is a good price considering some of the other listings went up to $380. Also new 60gb PS3s are very rare and reach prices nearing $1000. I sent my payment through PayPal and the item was shipped a day later. The item also arrived earlier than the estimated delivery time given by the tracking information.

Opening the box I found that the PS3 had physical damage like scuffs and dents but it ran perfectly. I read the model number off the back to make sure I got a real CECHA01, however I guess it wouldn’t be too hard to make a fake model number sticker. So I also ran a PS2 game right away to make sure. One thing I did overlook was that the console did not come with component video cables. Since new machines don’t come with these either I guess I’m just mad at Sony. The Sixaxis controller that came with my console didn’t look used at all, no hand gunk and the grip on the analog sticks didn’t even look touched. Overall I’m happy with my purchase.

Things to take away from this experience:

• When buying a used or refurbished machine don’t expect a physically perfect machine. You’re buying it in this condition because you don’t care about the appearance.
• Buy through a seller with a high approval rating.
• Always make sure your seller has some 30 – 90 day warranty or return policy.
• Pay through PayPal so you have extra buyer protection.
• Use an auction sniping program so you can win the auction at the lowest price possible.
• Make sure you double check the model number.
• Test your console as much as you can during your warranty period.

Note: This is only speculation but I believe while the new non-backwards compatible PS3s are becoming cheaper I believe it will still become harder and harder to find backwards compatible PS3s resulting in higher prices over time. This is why I felt I should buy my backwards compatible PS3 now.

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In what looked like another episode of Jason Taylor vs. Bill Parcells the reality of it all was a player who wanted more than anything to just come home. Spending last year playing for the Washington Redskins the season ended in a bit of disappointment. Jason Taylor decided to walk away from $8.5 million this off season in an attempt to rekindle what was left of his legacy. Rumors say he didn’t want to spend the summer at the Redskins training camp in favor of spending time with his family back in Miami.

Jason Taylor openly admitted he wanted to re-join the Dolphins shortly after and was pursued by many teams, including the AFC East contender the New England Patriots. It was made clear to Jason Taylor by the Patriots front-office that he’d be a welcome addition to the team. Taylor accepted the compliment but waited for the Dolphins to make their offer. The Dolphins front-office made it clear to Taylor they would resume talks after the Rookie NFL Draft, while Dolphin players urged the decision makers to sign Taylor. Many fans did not want to see Jason Taylor go to the New England Patriots.

The NFL Draft came and went without the Dolphins choosing a highly rated pass rushing defender. However, Tony Sparano insisted this off season they would address their lack of pass rushing ability. It seemed clear they would sign Jason Taylor. Weeks passed and it almost seemed the Dolphins were content with CFL pass rushing specialist Cameron Wake. Sports analyst began saying Jason Taylor would probably end up a Patriot and that the Dolphins didn’t sign Taylor because they are not in a “win now” mode.

Today it was announced that Jason Taylor signed a 1 year $1.1 million deal with the Miami Dolphins which will also include $400k in incentives. He also admitted to turning down more money from other teams to fit the Miami Dolphins budget and stay with his family.

I think this is the best thing for Taylor to retire as a Dolphin where he made his fame. I do have questions about his work ethic this summer but if he can stay healthy during the season I know he will be a factor if he is used the right way. It will be important for the Dolphins to monitor his playing time and use him only in pass rushing situations. He’s not an every down player anymore and especially not in the 3-4 defense. Taylor will likely play outside linebacker opposite Joey Porter in pass rushing situations where he can speed rush the passer much better than Matt Roth. He may also be used as a defensive end in pass rushing situations since a bulkier run stopping player won’t be needed on plays like 3rd and long. This would give Cameron Wake a chance to come in at strong side linebacker, totaling 3 pass rushing specialists in Porter, Taylor and Wake. It’ll be real tough to keep all of them away from the quarterback at once.

Welcome home JT!

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I’m an Xbox 360 guy looking to eventually get a PS3, but today I just realized that they no longer make PS3s that are backwards compatible with PS2 games. The last PS3 able to play PS2 games was the Playstation 3 bundled with Metal Gear Solid 4. So it looks like I’ll be stuck looking for a used PS3 or just buy both. I’m kind of glad I read up on this before buying one.

Sony is likely looking to sell PS2 games on PSN so discontinuing backwards compatibility is just a business strategy. Nickels and dimes…

Here’s a nice compatibility chart

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Disappointment. Poor execution of what could have been a great game. The battle system in Blue Dragon is not engaging and the graphics are choppy at times. Battling gets old very quickly. The story was slow and the character dialogue was stiff and didn’t do justice to the characters created by Akira Toriyama. Japanese voice track is available but this game failed on too many fronts to compete.


Above Average. The polished cell-shaded graphics of Eternal Sonata are what makes this game great. The characters are individually interesting and look great. The semi-active battle system is fresh but limited. The game is short compared to the others and the story gets strange towards the end in classic Japanese fashion. The addition of the piano interludes from Chopin are a new idea but don’t add or subtract from the game. Japanese voice track available!


Very Good. Another cell-shaded game, but Tales of Vesperia builds on cell-shaded technology. The world of Vesperia looks down right beautiful. The game is of adequate length and the active battle system is enjoyable. The story is engaging but the little skits get old. The characters are all very likeable especially Judith. Sadly the anime cut scenes don’t do this game justice, lacking the same level of polish. Cell-shaded cut scenes would have probably put this game in contention with some Final Fantasy games. Lack of Japanese voice track is a disappointment but character dialogue still held up well. Unlockable items and costumes will keep you coming back.


Below Average. One of the rare JRPGs where the battle system is better than the cutscenes and characters. The character dialogue is stiff and boring. The english lip syncing is terrible to go along with bad voice acting. This makes the characters themselves a bit boring. The pacing is thrown off by long dungeons and long cutscenes. We’re talking about 2-3 hour dungeons followed by 30min cutscenes with no save points in between. The active battle system is great and the leveling and custimization of your characters is also engaging. Lack of Japanese voice track is disappointing when you look at the poor job they did at lip syncing. Side quests will keep you coming back but this 3 disc epic is already long on its own. This game lacks polish and attention to detail.

Conclusion
Cell-shading and attention to detail when it comes to characters look like the way to go for this generation of Xbox 360 JRPGs. I know I left out a few games but these are just the games that I have played. I’m looking forward to Final Fantasy XIII being the best JRPG on Xbox 360 ever.

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I just finished Grand Theft Auto IV – The Lost and Damned last night and I have to say I was pleased by what the expansion brought to the game. Rockstar has raised the bar on down-loadable content with this release. It include new missions, vehicles and weapons. Not to mention a brand new protagonist with a whole new set of problems.

The new missions were enjoyable since I took a long break from the original game some months ago, but I’m sure if you played them back to back you’d feel pretty sick of it. The first difference you’ll notice is that most of the missions are executed on your bike with a gang of bikers as backup. This adds to the biker gang feel of the whole game.

Since you’ll be riding bikes most of the time Rockstar made an effort to tighten up the bike handling. They also reduced the occurrence of being thrown off your bike as well. You’ll notice a few new choppers and import bikes in TLAD. My new favorite chopper was the “Revenant” and the “Hakuchou Custom” for imports. You can actually call your friend Clay to have him deliver you a “Revanant” whenever you want.

As for weapons you’ll come across them pretty quickly just by going through the missions. The auto-pistol and the sawed-off shotgun will be early additions to your arsenal both being able to be used while riding your bike. The sawed-off shotgun is the only shotgun that can be used while riding a bike, but it can’t be used while driving a car. The other devastating weapons are the Assualt Shotgun which is an automatic shotgun and the Grenade Launcher. Anytime you need weapons just call Terry and he will meet you with his gun van. Here you can buy weapons at discount prices. Take advantage of the cheap body armor.

Overall TLAD was a welcome addition to the series. I did however find the film grain effect to be some what annoying. You’ll also noticed some new tracks on the radio that weren’t there in the original. Rockstar pretty much made TLAD the short version of Vice City for GTA IV.

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