The role of Superman in the Bryan Singer helmed film has been given to Brandon Routh, an unknown, as you may have heard.
Well, I've read a report that now the role of Lex Luthor for the new Superman movie has been cast. Kevin Spacey.
I'll be honest and say that's not who I expected to fill the role, but I'm excited nonetheless. This also reunites Singer and Spacey, who worked together on The Usual Suspects.
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Sub-Par 2: You're Gonna Buy It Anyway!
This year has been great for video games. Doom 3, Halo 2, and Half-Life 2 were all released this year, and all of them were highly anticipated. But there was something wrong with all of them.
I remember playing Doom and Doom II years ago, and loving it. It was my first online game experience as well. I fondly remember when I accidentally jumped in front of Josh's BFG shot aimed at a Cyberdemon, dooming us to death. So naturally I was really excited about Doom 3, and bought it the day it came out. I recently got a new computer beforehand, with the latest affordable technologies. The graphics were said to be amazing, with great shading and shadow-work. But even on my new computer, it ran slow. The only way I could run it at a reasonable speed was to dumb down the detail, and turn off the shadows, which made the game look like yesterday's shit. Not only that, but it was too flippin' DARK! It didn't add anything new to the first-person shooter genre, and it got boring real quick. I lost interest months ago and still haven't finished the game.
Everyone's heard of Halo. Everyone's heard of Halo 2. Great game with awesome multiplay. However, Mike, resident video game genius, told me that there's no ending. It's as if the developers just figured they've done enough, and decided to go with what they got. Like doing your homework but only doing 5 out of the 8 problems assigned because you just don't care about it anymore. "Master Chief, there's something you shou-" CREDITS! Paul says, "If it was possible to cut off in mid-letter, they would have."
Half-Life 2, another anticipated first-person shooter, was recently released. I loved it! The gameplay was great and it actually added something new to the genre: physics. It's a long game that looks and sounds great, and runs smoothly as well. However, the ending? Disappointing. Sure, it was nice of them to include one, but if I play though 17-20 hours of awesome and challenging gameplay, I want some sort of payoff. Not some anti-climactic 30 second soliloquy. Closure people!
So, anyway, what's the deal? The developers know the sequels are going to make money, so they don't bother devoting 100% to every facet of the game? Sure, no game is perfect, but it doesn't have to be so obvious.
I just got Metal Gear Solid 3, but haven't played much of it yet. I've heard that since so many people complained about all the talking in MGS2, there's even more talking in MGS3. There's something oddly satisfying about that. (I'm still not sure what the La Lee Lou Lay Lo or whatever was) Here's hoping it's a better experience than the other games mentioned above. Something tells me it will be. Snake never lets me down.
I remember playing Doom and Doom II years ago, and loving it. It was my first online game experience as well. I fondly remember when I accidentally jumped in front of Josh's BFG shot aimed at a Cyberdemon, dooming us to death. So naturally I was really excited about Doom 3, and bought it the day it came out. I recently got a new computer beforehand, with the latest affordable technologies. The graphics were said to be amazing, with great shading and shadow-work. But even on my new computer, it ran slow. The only way I could run it at a reasonable speed was to dumb down the detail, and turn off the shadows, which made the game look like yesterday's shit. Not only that, but it was too flippin' DARK! It didn't add anything new to the first-person shooter genre, and it got boring real quick. I lost interest months ago and still haven't finished the game.
Everyone's heard of Halo. Everyone's heard of Halo 2. Great game with awesome multiplay. However, Mike, resident video game genius, told me that there's no ending. It's as if the developers just figured they've done enough, and decided to go with what they got. Like doing your homework but only doing 5 out of the 8 problems assigned because you just don't care about it anymore. "Master Chief, there's something you shou-" CREDITS! Paul says, "If it was possible to cut off in mid-letter, they would have."
Half-Life 2, another anticipated first-person shooter, was recently released. I loved it! The gameplay was great and it actually added something new to the genre: physics. It's a long game that looks and sounds great, and runs smoothly as well. However, the ending? Disappointing. Sure, it was nice of them to include one, but if I play though 17-20 hours of awesome and challenging gameplay, I want some sort of payoff. Not some anti-climactic 30 second soliloquy. Closure people!
So, anyway, what's the deal? The developers know the sequels are going to make money, so they don't bother devoting 100% to every facet of the game? Sure, no game is perfect, but it doesn't have to be so obvious.
I just got Metal Gear Solid 3, but haven't played much of it yet. I've heard that since so many people complained about all the talking in MGS2, there's even more talking in MGS3. There's something oddly satisfying about that. (I'm still not sure what the La Lee Lou Lay Lo or whatever was) Here's hoping it's a better experience than the other games mentioned above. Something tells me it will be. Snake never lets me down.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Requiem for a Dreamcast
A couple of days ago working at the customer service counter, the parcel pickup kid brought up a filled plastic bag and said it was left in a cart outside in the parking lot. This isn't unusual, bags of groceries are forgotten by the numbnuts that bought them or people just decide to leave a plastic bag full of plastic bags in a cart and deem it the unofficial recycling bin for plastic bags. But this time, something was amiss.
Inside the bag, was a Sega Dreamcast. The cables for hooking up the device to the TV set were there. There were about 15 games as well, but most were out of their cases, the CDs horribly scratched and most likely unplayable. Games of note were Sonic Adventure, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and Virtua Tennis. There were also about six controllers.
I don't know much about the Sega Dreamcast. I've only played it once, at Mike's. It was some game where I had to flip switches to set traps for burglars played by real-life actors in a house, or something. I also watched as my comrades played The Typing of the Dead. I think it was ignored by most, in a time of the Playstation and Nintendo 64. I do know, however, that it was Sega's last console. After that they only made games for other consoles.
So my question is this: Does the Sega Dreamcast deserve to be left in a shopping cart with unplayable games in a measly plastic bag?
Theories were drawn. The parcel pickup dude thought a kid forgot it. But why would the kid put it in a shopping cart in the first place? Another dude thought it was left as trash. But why not simply throw it in a trash can or dumpster? So I speculated it was meant to go to the Good Will trailer in the Wal-Mart parking lot down the street, but the fucker was too lazy to actually drive the eighth of a mile to do it. He would give some poor family an inoperable game system, because he's that much of a bastard.
I don't have a lot of faith in the human race. What can I say?
Leave comments if you care to. Paul does. Probably.
Inside the bag, was a Sega Dreamcast. The cables for hooking up the device to the TV set were there. There were about 15 games as well, but most were out of their cases, the CDs horribly scratched and most likely unplayable. Games of note were Sonic Adventure, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and Virtua Tennis. There were also about six controllers.
I don't know much about the Sega Dreamcast. I've only played it once, at Mike's. It was some game where I had to flip switches to set traps for burglars played by real-life actors in a house, or something. I also watched as my comrades played The Typing of the Dead. I think it was ignored by most, in a time of the Playstation and Nintendo 64. I do know, however, that it was Sega's last console. After that they only made games for other consoles.
So my question is this: Does the Sega Dreamcast deserve to be left in a shopping cart with unplayable games in a measly plastic bag?
Theories were drawn. The parcel pickup dude thought a kid forgot it. But why would the kid put it in a shopping cart in the first place? Another dude thought it was left as trash. But why not simply throw it in a trash can or dumpster? So I speculated it was meant to go to the Good Will trailer in the Wal-Mart parking lot down the street, but the fucker was too lazy to actually drive the eighth of a mile to do it. He would give some poor family an inoperable game system, because he's that much of a bastard.
I don't have a lot of faith in the human race. What can I say?
Leave comments if you care to. Paul does. Probably.
Sunday, November 14, 2004
Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me
There's a song I can't get out of my head ever since I saw a flash music video on AlbinoBlacksheep.com. It can be found here. Dammit.
Ace Combat 5
I finally managed to get my hands on my very own Playstation 2. I know, I'm a little slower on the uptake but whatcha gonna do? Anyway, I got two games to play with, one of which is Ace Combat 5.
Last year during activation, my buddy Karol introduced me to Ace Combat 4 in his barracks room. (He also introduced me to many alcoholic drinks.) I was hooked! It combined a flight sim with awesome graphics and gameplay and a story that draws you in. Ace Combat 5 is no different.
It takes place in an alternate world not unlike our own, but it has real-life planes. The planes range from old ones like the F-4 and the A-10 to newer ones like the F-15 and MiG-29, to the newest of new like the F-22 and the Su-35. The story takes you into this world, with a war between two countries bringing you and your squadronmates into battle. There are many twists and turns in the missions and the story itself. The gameplay makes it easy for anyone to pick up the controller and start playing without much difficulty. It's a safe combination of flight simulation and arcade-style gameplay.
The graphics are amazing and the game itself runs very smoothly. The aircraft models are top-notch. You fly over a variety of landscapes from barren tundras to populated cities, and all of them look great. The weather effects are also impressive. The cutscenes are a dramatic improvement from the previous game, which were actually just illustrations with voiceovers. The cutscenes in this game are VERY well done, some of the best I've seen in a video game.
The sound is also awe-inspiring. There's constant radio chatter from your wingmen (and women) and other forces in the air and on the ground that helps move the story along and also helps with gameplay. The score is dramatic and excellent.
There is no multiplayer mode, like there was in Ace Combat 4, but I was never big on that anyway. You're encouraged to keep playing the campaign to unlock better planes, and there are several difficulty levels, so there is some replay value.
I can't seem to find anything bad to say about this game! Another review of the game, along with screenshots and movies can be found here, at Gamespot's website. I strongly recommend watching the trailer!
Note: I can't help but noticing that there's something...different..about playing a PS2 that wasn't there when playing Gamecube. I can't really explain it... but it's there.
Update: A better trailer can be found at IGN's website, at the top of this page.
Last year during activation, my buddy Karol introduced me to Ace Combat 4 in his barracks room. (He also introduced me to many alcoholic drinks.) I was hooked! It combined a flight sim with awesome graphics and gameplay and a story that draws you in. Ace Combat 5 is no different.
It takes place in an alternate world not unlike our own, but it has real-life planes. The planes range from old ones like the F-4 and the A-10 to newer ones like the F-15 and MiG-29, to the newest of new like the F-22 and the Su-35. The story takes you into this world, with a war between two countries bringing you and your squadronmates into battle. There are many twists and turns in the missions and the story itself. The gameplay makes it easy for anyone to pick up the controller and start playing without much difficulty. It's a safe combination of flight simulation and arcade-style gameplay.
The graphics are amazing and the game itself runs very smoothly. The aircraft models are top-notch. You fly over a variety of landscapes from barren tundras to populated cities, and all of them look great. The weather effects are also impressive. The cutscenes are a dramatic improvement from the previous game, which were actually just illustrations with voiceovers. The cutscenes in this game are VERY well done, some of the best I've seen in a video game.
The sound is also awe-inspiring. There's constant radio chatter from your wingmen (and women) and other forces in the air and on the ground that helps move the story along and also helps with gameplay. The score is dramatic and excellent.
There is no multiplayer mode, like there was in Ace Combat 4, but I was never big on that anyway. You're encouraged to keep playing the campaign to unlock better planes, and there are several difficulty levels, so there is some replay value.
I can't seem to find anything bad to say about this game! Another review of the game, along with screenshots and movies can be found here, at Gamespot's website. I strongly recommend watching the trailer!
Note: I can't help but noticing that there's something...different..about playing a PS2 that wasn't there when playing Gamecube. I can't really explain it... but it's there.
Update: A better trailer can be found at IGN's website, at the top of this page.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
I'll Have Something To Shit On Next Year
This cannot go unmentioned.
A couple of years ago, when Bill Jemas was president of Marvel Comics, a book came out called "4/11". It was an anthology collecting different stories about war, politics, and terrorism from different writers and artists. It included different thoughts and perspectives on the subjects with a slant on fixing problems and making the world a better place. However, Jemas left Marvel soon afterwards, and a new president of Marvel was named.
In January, a comic book will come out called "Combat Zone: True Tales from GIs in Iraq." This book was actually waiting publication at Marvel for a while, due to different artists being attached to it but later left the book when it's true nature was revealed.
You see, the book is written by Karl Zinsmeister. He's credited as an "embedded corespondent." He's the editor-in-chief of the American Enterprise Magazine, the in-house magazine of The American Enterprise Institute. The AEI is a neo-conservative think tank. It has strong ties to the oil industry and the White House (See what I'm getting at here?) , and an important architect of President Bush's current foreign policy. Some members include former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, ExxonMobile's CEO Lee Raymond and the Vice-President's wife Lynne Cheney (BITCH). Also, the AEI gave office space to the "Project for a New American Century," an even MORE conservative think tank with Vice President Dick Cheney (DICK...yeah I know) and Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz on it's roster. The PNAC and the AEI work closely together.
I'm sure this book will be a completely truthful and touching view of the current situation in Iraq. YEAH RIGHT!
While a number of Marvel's previous titles involving war and terrorism have tried to explore issues from different perspectives, there are reports that this is not the case here. America is the One True Hope and all who disagree with her current thinking are scum. Evil scum that the world is better off without, so it's a good thing we have these brave soldiers to spread the Word.
What, controlling all three branches of the government wasn't enough? Broadcasting propoganda and calling it "news" with the FOX News Network not reaching enough of the population? Now the Man has to breach another medium, which happens to be the one I use to escape reality?
Stay the FUCK out of comics.
(Unless President Bush is stripped naked in the White House lawn by Magneto and forced to lick his boots on national television. It happened folks! Within the pages of Ultimate X-Men #6)
Maybe I could submit a comic idea of my very own, based on my activation last year. I'll call it, "Combat Support Zone: True Tales of Reservists in Virginia." No? Just a thought.
A couple of years ago, when Bill Jemas was president of Marvel Comics, a book came out called "4/11". It was an anthology collecting different stories about war, politics, and terrorism from different writers and artists. It included different thoughts and perspectives on the subjects with a slant on fixing problems and making the world a better place. However, Jemas left Marvel soon afterwards, and a new president of Marvel was named.
In January, a comic book will come out called "Combat Zone: True Tales from GIs in Iraq." This book was actually waiting publication at Marvel for a while, due to different artists being attached to it but later left the book when it's true nature was revealed.
You see, the book is written by Karl Zinsmeister. He's credited as an "embedded corespondent." He's the editor-in-chief of the American Enterprise Magazine, the in-house magazine of The American Enterprise Institute. The AEI is a neo-conservative think tank. It has strong ties to the oil industry and the White House (See what I'm getting at here?) , and an important architect of President Bush's current foreign policy. Some members include former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, ExxonMobile's CEO Lee Raymond and the Vice-President's wife Lynne Cheney (BITCH). Also, the AEI gave office space to the "Project for a New American Century," an even MORE conservative think tank with Vice President Dick Cheney (DICK...yeah I know) and Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz on it's roster. The PNAC and the AEI work closely together.
I'm sure this book will be a completely truthful and touching view of the current situation in Iraq. YEAH RIGHT!
While a number of Marvel's previous titles involving war and terrorism have tried to explore issues from different perspectives, there are reports that this is not the case here. America is the One True Hope and all who disagree with her current thinking are scum. Evil scum that the world is better off without, so it's a good thing we have these brave soldiers to spread the Word.
What, controlling all three branches of the government wasn't enough? Broadcasting propoganda and calling it "news" with the FOX News Network not reaching enough of the population? Now the Man has to breach another medium, which happens to be the one I use to escape reality?
Stay the FUCK out of comics.
(Unless President Bush is stripped naked in the White House lawn by Magneto and forced to lick his boots on national television. It happened folks! Within the pages of Ultimate X-Men #6)
Maybe I could submit a comic idea of my very own, based on my activation last year. I'll call it, "Combat Support Zone: True Tales of Reservists in Virginia." No? Just a thought.
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Identity Crisis
Tomorrow, the next issue of one of the best comic books out there right now comes out. That book is Identity Crisis. Some of you heard me talk about it before. It's written by mystery novelist Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Rags Morales. It deals with the problem of having a secret, or public, identity, and what happens when people take advantage of it.
There was a lot of hype for this title before it was released, and I feel it lives up to it. This, my friends, is a good comic book. Sure, it has it's share of controversy, bringing rape into the world of Superman and Batman, and bringing classic heroes of the Silver Age to a new darker level, but it's not the first controversy to hit the comic medium. It will eventually be released in hardcover form, next year, for those of you who are curious. Or if you ask me nicely, and you don't have greasy fingers, you could borrow the issues I have.
Note: Since this is a DC title and not a Marvel title, there is no Wolverine. Thank fucking God.
There was a lot of hype for this title before it was released, and I feel it lives up to it. This, my friends, is a good comic book. Sure, it has it's share of controversy, bringing rape into the world of Superman and Batman, and bringing classic heroes of the Silver Age to a new darker level, but it's not the first controversy to hit the comic medium. It will eventually be released in hardcover form, next year, for those of you who are curious. Or if you ask me nicely, and you don't have greasy fingers, you could borrow the issues I have.
Note: Since this is a DC title and not a Marvel title, there is no Wolverine. Thank fucking God.
Sunday, November 07, 2004
The Incredible Review
I managed to see The Incredibles this weekend with some awesome peops (they were nice enough to wait for me as I rushed home from drill). The name of the movie describes it well. It's one of the best superhero movies ever made. The animation is the best I've seen from Pixar. It seems they improve with every movie they make, and it shows.
It helps that the movie was written and directed by Brad Bird, the writer and director of another favorite of mine, The Iron Giant. I didn't find it as funny as previous Pixar offerings, but there was a lot more action. The story itself reminds me of the Golden Age of superheroes with a modernized twist. The twist being the lawsuits that force the heroes into hiding permanently in their secret identities. It's also more mature than other Pixar films, and deserves it's PG rating, as it continuously mentions and implies death. I don't remember a film geared towards kids where a grown man (or henchman) punches a ten year old kid in the face. The big city fight scene near the end of the film was one of the best choreographed and intense fight scenes I've seen in a superhero film!
Though what I like best about the movie were the characters. The voice actors did a remarkable job of bringing these unique characters to life. Each character had his or her own personality, and may even seem more human than most superheroes portrayed BY humans in live-action films. My favorite though, had to be Frozone, a hero with Iceman-like powers voiced by none other than Samuel L. Jackson. He's just so cool! A second favorite would have to be Elastigirl, the mother of the group.
This review can be summed up in one sentence: The Incredibles is a great film and lives up to it's expectations.
It helps that the movie was written and directed by Brad Bird, the writer and director of another favorite of mine, The Iron Giant. I didn't find it as funny as previous Pixar offerings, but there was a lot more action. The story itself reminds me of the Golden Age of superheroes with a modernized twist. The twist being the lawsuits that force the heroes into hiding permanently in their secret identities. It's also more mature than other Pixar films, and deserves it's PG rating, as it continuously mentions and implies death. I don't remember a film geared towards kids where a grown man (or henchman) punches a ten year old kid in the face. The big city fight scene near the end of the film was one of the best choreographed and intense fight scenes I've seen in a superhero film!
Though what I like best about the movie were the characters. The voice actors did a remarkable job of bringing these unique characters to life. Each character had his or her own personality, and may even seem more human than most superheroes portrayed BY humans in live-action films. My favorite though, had to be Frozone, a hero with Iceman-like powers voiced by none other than Samuel L. Jackson. He's just so cool! A second favorite would have to be Elastigirl, the mother of the group.
This review can be summed up in one sentence: The Incredibles is a great film and lives up to it's expectations.
Dumb's the Word
I think the cover of a British magazine pictured below blows my Sociology class out of the friggin' water. Calling one person in class STUPID is one thing, but...damn.
This is wallpaper-worthy.
This is wallpaper-worthy.
Friday, November 05, 2004
To Err is Superhuman
It seems the current trend in comic books isn't just noticed by me. With The Incredibles coming out today, it's about to be noticed by a lot more. Here's an interesting article I found:
To Err is Superhuman
Expect a review of the film when I see it.
To Err is Superhuman
Expect a review of the film when I see it.
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Zombies are da Bombies!
Zombie week:
I bought the Dawn of the Dead remake DVD earlier this week. Good movie, even after seeing it twice in theaters. After I watched it, late at night, I was watching the extras and I heard this weird scratchy/moany noise outside my window. I thought it was the DVD, but I heard it again after I paused it. Thinking it could be from the disc spinning or something, I turn the TV completely off. Still hearing it. Creeped out. I check the damn window and nothing there, and the noise stopped after that.
I downloaded Shaun of the Dead and watched it. Pretty good movie, I must say.
Played Doom3 for about 10 minutes, then realized why I stopped playing it months ago. Kinda boring, and runs slow even on this new computer. It has zombies.
Downloaded a techno version of "Zombie" by the Cranberries. Didn't like it, trashed it.
This weekend is drill and I will most likely be act like a zombie because of it.
I bought the Dawn of the Dead remake DVD earlier this week. Good movie, even after seeing it twice in theaters. After I watched it, late at night, I was watching the extras and I heard this weird scratchy/moany noise outside my window. I thought it was the DVD, but I heard it again after I paused it. Thinking it could be from the disc spinning or something, I turn the TV completely off. Still hearing it. Creeped out. I check the damn window and nothing there, and the noise stopped after that.
I downloaded Shaun of the Dead and watched it. Pretty good movie, I must say.
Played Doom3 for about 10 minutes, then realized why I stopped playing it months ago. Kinda boring, and runs slow even on this new computer. It has zombies.
Downloaded a techno version of "Zombie" by the Cranberries. Didn't like it, trashed it.
This weekend is drill and I will most likely be act like a zombie because of it.
Technically, I AM keeping my mouth shut...
Something in class today was brought to my attention.
In my sociology class there's this really nice girl. She's cute, she's very friendly, and has a good personality. The recent election was, of course, brought up and most people expressed their disappointment over Bush's victory. This girl mentioned that she voted and supports Bush. Naturally everyone turned on her. One even said that anyone who voted for Bush was STUPID. And I felt bad for her.
Look, we all are entitled to our opinions, and voting for who we want is what helps keeps this country a democracy. But labeling a Bush supporter as STUPID isn't right. It's also very childish, and is the sort of thing that Republicans do.
If you're going to argue, at least make some valid points that are better than namecalling. For instance, you could mention the false pretenses for war and the haphazard way in which it was carried out. Or you could bring up the blows struck against education, health care, and our economy under the current administration. You could also bring up the money from tax cuts going into the pockets of the rich, or you could mention the creepy mixing of church and state that seems to be occuring in order to build the Holy American Empire, if you want to be a little dramatic.
If people choose to support that kind of stuff, it's their opinion and you should try to respect it. You see, using psychological warfare like calling someone STUPID or unpatriotic just because they don't agree with you or the President is the kind of thing an asshole would do. And no one likes an asshole.
A side story: Election day at work, an elderly lady asked me if I voted yet. I said, "yes" and she asked who I voted for. I said I voted for Sen. Kerry. She said, "well, do you support the unnatural joining of two people of the same sex?" with an inquisitive tone.
I said, "I believe homosexuals should have the same rights as everyone else in this country who don't break the law. Isn't that what the United States is all about?"
She said nothing and walked away.
In my sociology class there's this really nice girl. She's cute, she's very friendly, and has a good personality. The recent election was, of course, brought up and most people expressed their disappointment over Bush's victory. This girl mentioned that she voted and supports Bush. Naturally everyone turned on her. One even said that anyone who voted for Bush was STUPID. And I felt bad for her.
Look, we all are entitled to our opinions, and voting for who we want is what helps keeps this country a democracy. But labeling a Bush supporter as STUPID isn't right. It's also very childish, and is the sort of thing that Republicans do.
If you're going to argue, at least make some valid points that are better than namecalling. For instance, you could mention the false pretenses for war and the haphazard way in which it was carried out. Or you could bring up the blows struck against education, health care, and our economy under the current administration. You could also bring up the money from tax cuts going into the pockets of the rich, or you could mention the creepy mixing of church and state that seems to be occuring in order to build the Holy American Empire, if you want to be a little dramatic.
If people choose to support that kind of stuff, it's their opinion and you should try to respect it. You see, using psychological warfare like calling someone STUPID or unpatriotic just because they don't agree with you or the President is the kind of thing an asshole would do. And no one likes an asshole.
A side story: Election day at work, an elderly lady asked me if I voted yet. I said, "yes" and she asked who I voted for. I said I voted for Sen. Kerry. She said, "well, do you support the unnatural joining of two people of the same sex?" with an inquisitive tone.
I said, "I believe homosexuals should have the same rights as everyone else in this country who don't break the law. Isn't that what the United States is all about?"
She said nothing and walked away.
Monday, November 01, 2004
DVDuh
Here's a story:
A week ago, when I inserted the DVD-R disc of Exosquad into the DVD-Rom drive, nothing happened. "Hmm...," I thought. I inserted the disc into the second drive on my computer, the DVD-R drive. It read it fine. I was wondering why the DVD drive wouldn't read it. So I put in a random DVD (Swordfish) and it didn't read that either. No disc detected in the drive. But the drive has read DVDs before...
I was confused. What happened? I checked the properties of the drive, and it
described it as a DVD drive like it always did, but it didn't have the DVD options. "Okay," I pondered. "I'll check the troubleshooting help." So I did. It took me through a process not unlike a multiple choice quiz. It suggested restarting the computer, so I did. Nothing improved. Then it suggested that I didn't have the right decoder. But I knew this to be false because the DVD-R drive read the DVD fine. Exhausting those options, the Help program said it couldn't help me, and to seek guidance elsewhere.
Well, good to have that Help program, I tell ya.
A few days past and I decided to call Dell support. I talked to a lovely woman named Levina. She sounded hot. She guided me through a hidden crevice of continuity in my computer to delete a file, and restart my computer. I did as she instructed, and nothing happened, still wouldn't read DVDs. She felt real sorry and said she would send me a new DVD-ROM drive no charge, and arrange for a technician to install it for me. I didn't want that to really happen, but, "okay," I reasoned. "I guess it'll have to do."
The next day, I shut down my computer, just for the hell of it. When I turn it back on, I'm curious, and pop a DVD in the inoperable drive. It works. Shit. All this time, all this trouble, all the flirting with Levina who probably lives in Colorado, and the answer was as easy as that. It occurred to me that I never fully shut down the computer between then and when I first discovered the problem, just restarted it.
If there's a moral to this story, I can't deduce it. I'm just a moron.
A week ago, when I inserted the DVD-R disc of Exosquad into the DVD-Rom drive, nothing happened. "Hmm...," I thought. I inserted the disc into the second drive on my computer, the DVD-R drive. It read it fine. I was wondering why the DVD drive wouldn't read it. So I put in a random DVD (Swordfish) and it didn't read that either. No disc detected in the drive. But the drive has read DVDs before...
I was confused. What happened? I checked the properties of the drive, and it
described it as a DVD drive like it always did, but it didn't have the DVD options. "Okay," I pondered. "I'll check the troubleshooting help." So I did. It took me through a process not unlike a multiple choice quiz. It suggested restarting the computer, so I did. Nothing improved. Then it suggested that I didn't have the right decoder. But I knew this to be false because the DVD-R drive read the DVD fine. Exhausting those options, the Help program said it couldn't help me, and to seek guidance elsewhere.
Well, good to have that Help program, I tell ya.
A few days past and I decided to call Dell support. I talked to a lovely woman named Levina. She sounded hot. She guided me through a hidden crevice of continuity in my computer to delete a file, and restart my computer. I did as she instructed, and nothing happened, still wouldn't read DVDs. She felt real sorry and said she would send me a new DVD-ROM drive no charge, and arrange for a technician to install it for me. I didn't want that to really happen, but, "okay," I reasoned. "I guess it'll have to do."
The next day, I shut down my computer, just for the hell of it. When I turn it back on, I'm curious, and pop a DVD in the inoperable drive. It works. Shit. All this time, all this trouble, all the flirting with Levina who probably lives in Colorado, and the answer was as easy as that. It occurred to me that I never fully shut down the computer between then and when I first discovered the problem, just restarted it.
If there's a moral to this story, I can't deduce it. I'm just a moron.
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