March 16th, 2008 by The Grey Ghost
Every now and then I check the stat reports of this site and one thing always leaves me curious. Ever since I launched thegreyghost.net, one thing has remained in the top three of items most viewed…my Nosey Boss Rant.
The weird thing–and maybe I’m not reading the reports correctly–is that I can’t really tell where people are getting it from. I hot-linked it once (a second time recently, though I’d already noticed it’s popularity by then) and ever since, it’s held that top spot. I’ve yet to create a page listing my other rants, but maybe I should. But then I’ve also hot-linked my Game Boy Advance Rant twice before and it’s gotten almost no attention.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m proud of the rant. I still stand by every word. It’s the longest and most passionate one I’d ever done. As it’s creator, I’d just like to know how it’s catching on. What kind of attention it’s getting. You know…just some general feedback.
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March 15th, 2008 by The Grey Ghost
So true…so true. There was a day when I almost became this guy.
Posted in Cartoons, Games, Humor, Street Fighter | No Comments »
March 14th, 2008 by The Grey Ghost
David Sirlin.
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix.
All kinds of sexy.
Posted in Games, Street Fighter | No Comments »
March 13th, 2008 by The Grey Ghost
After months of silence, Rey Jimenez of the development team behind Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix has given us an update on their progress. What’s affected the production schedule the most has been the high-resolution animations. Because of the level to detail in each frame’s artwork, Capcom had to outsource a hefty chunk of the production, giving them Udon’s key frames to work from. That proved…troublesome.
Their solution: Tone down the color palette. The bad news is that the artwork of the characters will not be nearly as detailed as we’d all originally anticipated. The good news is that the style they’ve switched to is still quite good! And even though they now have to re-do all the artwork from scratch, we should expect the game to be completed much sooner. The best way I can describe the new style is that it’s gone from a comic book level of art to more of a cartoon.
Other statements commented on earlier fears about Xbox Live Arcade’s download limitations (to which we’ve been assured won’t be an issue). Some of the cool features that they’ve been able to also squeeze include an 8-player tournament mode and a hit box display.
So the bottom line is that SSF2THD Remix may not be everything we’ve ever dreamed, but it’s still certain to be one fantastic game.
Posted in Games, Street Fighter | No Comments »
March 12th, 2008 by The Grey Ghost
Well, that happened faster than we thought. The newest character to appear in Street Fighter IV is El Fuerte.
First impressions: The name…don’t like it. But the design looks fantastic. I’ve written before that one of the greatest strengths that Capcom’s fighting game characters have always had are their simple, archetypal designs. One type of character that we’ve yet to see in a Capcom fighter (that I know of) is a Mexican-style wrestler. It’ll be very interesting to see how his style of wrestling will distinguish him from Zangief…
While I’m at it, here’s an open letter to Capcom…
Dear Capcom,
You probably shouldn’t set up exclusive content to newsstand publications like EGM or Famitsu. It’s not working. The internet is too powerful. Nothing can stop us.
Your pal,
The Grey Ghost
Posted in Games, Street Fighter | 2 Comments »
March 11th, 2008 by The Grey Ghost
First, there was Crimson Viper. It took me a bit, but I’ve warmed up to her. Then there was Abel. I still don’t like him. Now Capcom intends to introduce us to a third new character that will debut on the upcoming Street Fighter IV.
Teased only with this blurred image, the development team appears eager to reveal this new fighter at the end of the week. From the build and posture, I think it’s safe to assume it’s male. While I’d wager that it’s another completely new character, many fanboys are already speculating that it may be a familiar face. The most popular theory is that it’s the legendary Sheng Long…which would be awesome.
Posted in Games, Street Fighter | 2 Comments »
March 10th, 2008 by The Grey Ghost
I turns out that the “campaign” over at Dreamcast.com earlier this week was a big scam. For what purpose, I’m not sure, other than gathering people’s DC serial numbers and email addresses. Luckily, I used an email address that I normally use in case of junk anyway. However, I do feel kinda dumb for not only falling for it, but also spreading word around. Since the names and logos used on the site are being used illegally, I hope Sega seriously kicks their ass.
Posted in Business, Games, Site News | No Comments »
March 8th, 2008 by The Grey Ghost
Oh, you know I still do! It’s one of the few material possessions I have that I intend to be buried with. Sega of Japan has just launched a strange campaign on their Dreamcast site. They’re asking for people to register their Dreamcast serial numbers through the site…for some mysterious purpose. So far, it seems that by registering, all you get is signed up for an email service.
I know I tend to be paranoid, but this is suspicious to me. Many speculate (and I personally agree) that this is most likely a data-collecting campaign, designed to see how many of the consoles are still in possession of consumers. If there are still plenty of units out there being used, then that means that there’s some kind of market for it. Perhaps a new interest in producing software? Or maybe a revival of the console’s production in some form? We can only watch…and pray.
Posted in Games, Tech | No Comments »
March 7th, 2008 by The Grey Ghost
I just made it into the fourth/final case in Ace Attorney 4 this afternoon. This game feels a lot shorter than the previous two (though from the feeling I get about the fourth case, it may yet pan out). While I always feel a natural sense of accomplishment whenever I complete a case, I simultaneously dread that I’m one chapter closer to the game’s inevitable end. And with this game, I can feel the end creeping toward me in double-time.
Counter-intuitive as it may sound, my ill-fated wish for each case to drag on for as long as possible is at least shared by the game’s developers. I heard in a recent interview that producing the game was handled in a very similar way. The developers would continue to expand upon a case, exploring the characters and possibilities deeper, until the head producers would tell them to stop.
So far, the game’s shortness is my only real complaint. Everything else would be categorized as a nit-pick. I love a lot of the new features, like Apollo’s “Eye Of Thundera” bracelet powers in court, though I miss how the Psych Lock function in the previous games made the investigation portions more interesting. My argument would be that the courtroom sections of the games never needed any extra help, since they were already the most exciting part of the games. But now the investigation parts are boring again, even with all the new ways to examine evidence. Also, while the third chapter kinda came together in the end, I felt that there were still some holes in my case that should have been filled. Heh, almost like I shouldn’t have won.
But like I said, I’m in the last chapter… It’s supposed to be incredibly thick with plot, so I’m sure that I’ll be satisfied by its conclusion. I truly hope they continue to make Ace Attorney games forever. While no fifth game in the series has been officially announced, there’s supposed to be some project titled “Gyakuten Not Saiban” to be released next month, though no one has any idea what it is.
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March 5th, 2008 by The Grey Ghost
The man whose name I love to throw around, David Sirlin did an interview with Games Radar covering a subject that we’re already familiar with: Why Street Fighter is awesome. Sirlin discusses his own personal love affair with Street Fighter as well as his thoughts on the underrated style of gameplay that 2D fighters offer to gamers. Most notably, its simplicity while achieving an impressive level of depth for the player to discover.
To my delight, the interview has a lot of heart to it. It’s not your typical piece designed merely to plug an upcoming product; in fact Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix and Street Fighter IV are mentioned only once and by the interviewer. In fact, my only critique on the whole article is aimed toward whomever was its acting editor, since they missed quite a few typos starting with the first question.
Posted in Street Fighter | No Comments »
