Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | My Orble | Login
Anyone who has read this blog before knows that I'm an avid PS3 gamer. In fact, I have owned every Sony produced console since the original Playstation. This, in my opinion, is by far the most advanced system on the console market. The 360 is close, but since HD DVD is a dead format, it has lost a lot of clout. HOWEVER, I use GameFly.com as my main source for game rental since I live in Podunk, USA and don't have ANY place within 50 miles to rent games, and I must say that the selection of titles on the system is not that great.
I have never been very good at first-person-shooter games either (I was the laughing stock of every Halo LAN party in college) so that really limits my ability to rent or purchase games I'm going to get a lot of enjoyment out of. In fact, since buying my PS3 in November of 2007, the only two games I have gotten significant enjoyment out of that were worth the sixty dollar price tag are Bethesda's two giants, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Fallout 3. Little Big Planet is a hoot. An amazing game, IF you have more than one person.I also loved Assassin's Creed, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Grand Theft Auto IV, but they didn't quite immerse me in the same way as Oblivion and Fallout.


It just seems to me that Sony is lagging behind in acquiring quality titles for their system. I can't really think of any titles on 360 that jump out right away as something that would sway me to purchase the console, but that doesn't stop me from being dissatisfied with the selection on PS3. I'm sure there are a lot of 360 fanboys and girls out there who would think that my distaste for their system is unfair, and they would be right. It is unfair. I have an ingrained hatred for anything Microsoft puts their name on. I mean, I could throw a low blow out there and mention that Windows Vista and 360 Red Rings have been a huge blemish for the company, but when I turn off my bias, I do have to admit that overall, they do produce quality products and have been a driving force in this technology industry that I love so very much.

The spark that inspired this piece though, is an article I read on Arstechina.com about online gaming. In that article they reported that not only is the 360 still the king of console online play, but that the Wii has surpassed the PS3 and taken second. Good lord. It looks like the honeymoon Sony enjoyed through the holidays has finally had the final nail driven into its coffin.
For the benefit of my journalistic pursuits, I've often thought of buying a 360 and possibly even a Wii so I could give an accurate opinion of all three systems and their games. I might just do so now, but, it has seemed so far that every time my faith in my beloved console gets humbled, Sony shocks the world with some big development that launches them back into the forefront. Maybe this time they'll finally develop a way to play my PS3 games on my PSP at work over Remote Play. Hey, I can dream.
33
Vote
   


Ah, blogging. What a wonderful art. The only problem is, in order to become a successful blogger, just like anything else, you have to be dedicated, diligent and, well, creative. Sadly, shortly after the premier of the Dark Knight last year, all my dedication, diligence and creativity went down the drain. I burned out.
But, as the blogless months wore on, it occurred to me, "Hey, I have a f**king website. Let's do something with it." So now I'm back, and I have a plan. Tech is my life, I love toys, computers, video games, the web, but I also love music, movies, TV and books, as well as tons of other things I couldn't even begin to list here. And I figure, since I'm one guy, what's the harm in making this a bit more personal? Boosting things that I like in hopes that others will enjoy them too.
So, in the coming days, weeks and months, System-Attic.com is going to be reformatted, redesigned and restructured. We're still going to be a tech blog. Oh yes. But so much more than that. We'll be reviewing music, movies, books, stores, restaurants, food, drinks... public restrooms... Pretty much anything that strikes my fancy at the moment.
I will also be making my presence known on social sites such as Twitter, and I'm thinking of integrating video reviews for hands-on tech testing as well. I hope you enjoy the ride.
Derek
27
Vote
   


It’s always a good idea for a movie-goer to get the original movie sharp in mind before going to see a sequel. Confusing references can ruin the experience. Studios re-releasing the first movie immediately prior to the premier of the sequel isn’t a new practice, but Blu-Ray can allow it to be reinvented, and that’s just what Warner Bros. is attempting with the Batman Begins Limited Edition Blu-Ray Gift Set.

The film speaks for itself of course, a dark retelling (or some might say first telling) of the origins of Batman. A fan of the film no doubt would be interested in seeing it on Blu-Ray, and any self respecting consumer wants to get the most out of their coin, especially when the inflating prices of everyday essential needs force us to think again before spending our money on superfluous entertainment. So, does this set deliver or make you wish you’d taken the receipt out of your pocket before washing your jeans?

The set is full of extras, on the disc and in addition to it. It definitely attempts to integrate with the forthcoming Dark Knight, including a mini-comic and a storyboard book depicting the first scene as well as the actual footage of the first six minutes, which are shot on an IMAX camera for the best quality high definition. The fact that the scene itself is on the disc makes the comic and booklet irrelevant. Perhaps if they would have included Frank Miller’s graphic novel on which parts of the film were loosely based, this concept would have worked better.

Another thing that would have been nice to include for the $33 price tag is the Batman: Gotham Knight disc, an animated feature which was released on the same day on Blu-Ray and weaves six animated shorts together to fill in a few of the gaps between the two films, as well as go a little more in-depth with the genesis of the Caped Crusader. There is a nice little fold out of DK promotional photos though. (Have I mentioned how hard it is to convey sarcasm in text?)

Once all the trash is pushed aside to actually get to the disc itself, the true gem of this set reveals itself. The first scene of the new film is a great addition to the disc, as it is the ultimate teaser to the film. Following with the theme of most other promotion for the movie, it really seems to push the late Heath Ledger’s Joker more so than Christian Bale as the Dark Knight himself. Although it’s almost appalling to think that the studio might be attempting to use the tragedy of the star’s death to generate more profit for the project, there’s no doubt it’s working and that the performance deserves to be pushed. Disappointingly, the scene doesn’t seem to be presented in 5.1, but it doesn’t take away from the goosebumps that rise when the Joker comes on screen to say "Whatever doesn’t kill you, only makes you stranger."

Batman Begins
is in 5.1 TrueHD and full 1080p resolution, a great way to become immersed in the epic and pump up for the hopefully gratifying continuation. Gotham never looked so slick outside the theater, and the sounds of the streets make Christopher Nolan’s attempt at reality from a comic book all the more convincing.

Features on the disc are interesting, but most seemed to be ripped straight from the DVD, 480i and all. The only unique feature outside of the DK scene is what’s called the "In-Movie Experience" which works sort of like a commentary on steroids, giving you picture in picture insets of the different people involved with the film as they speak, which is great for those of us who are constantly annoyed by collaborative commentaries where there’s no indication who is speaking. The "Experience" also includes little making-of insets, such as the first battle between Bruce Wayne and Ducard at the monastery being synced with an inset showing how they filmed the scene. All of the bits are relevant to an event in the film and pause for long breaks allowing you to still enjoy the movie.

All in all, the set is entertaining but not worth $33, the only saving grace being that it does come with $7.50 in "movie cash" to see Dark Knight in participating theaters. (Emphasis on participating.) If it would include the animated feature and a Frank Miller novel, or even just one of the two, it would be a steal no doubt, but it seems even entertainment can’t give our pockets a break this time.
111
Vote
   


This is how it goes sometimes isn’t it? Sometimes the Gods of Journalism spin the roulette wheel and choose a single opinion blogger to whom they will serve a freshly peed in bowl of Cheerios. Maybe I’m too bias. Maybe I’m too one-sided. I don’t know.

For those of you who are wondering what I’m talking about, it has to do with this fancy new firmware Playstation released last week that I basically wrote an advertisement rather than an article about. I was baffled today when I switched on my PS3 and saw the “Update Required” message pop up. With a little bit of investigation (courtesy of CNet.com) I found out that the update has caused a few consoles to nearly crash. Well, I must have been granted immunity, because my system has been problem free, but it doesn’t make the fact that I talked the update up in excess of 500 words sting any less


[ Click here to read more ]
86
Vote
   


New Firmware Makes PS3 Social

July 2nd 2008 12:39
One of the major weapons of PS3 bashers since it’s inception has been the almost total lack of social compatibility online. Compared to the 360 (Or so I’ve been told since I don’t play one) the PS3’s online experience has been very lackluster, not even allowing you to invite someone into a game while playing. But, the greatest thing about the Playstation 3 is it’s almost creepy ability to adapt to the ever-changing needs of its users, and this need is no exception.

On Monday, Sony officially announced the newest firmware update, 2.40 which is due for release today and will answer the cries of online gaming junkies everywhere. You know that nifty Xross Media Bar (XMB), the user interface of the PS3 and the PSP’s home screen? Well, the new firmware update will allow you to access the XMB and all of its features in-game. That's right, you can scroll over to the Network option and shoot an invite to a friend, and on some titles, you’ll even be allowed to access your music collection in place of the game default music


[ Click here to read more ]
99
Vote
   


Anyone getting bored with their Playstation 3’s plethora of capabilities yet? Not to worry. Sony CEO Howard Stringer came to the rescue today with the announcement of an on-demand video service similar to the current Playstation Store. And the best part, it’s slated for release in summer 2008, which if I’m not mistaken, is like, now. But if it’s anything like the Playstation Home, (which I doubt) who knows when it will be released.

According to Arstechnica.com, no other video titles besides the movies and television Sony currently produces has been announced, but the selection should be plentiful. Great. The thing already is so convenient that you don’t even have to go leave the couch to turn it on or even to buy some games, and now it’ll have a whole library of movies just an X button away. No plans for an integrated soda fountain or popcorn machine have yet been announced, but I say why not? And throw in a blood sugar monitor while you’re at it so we can watch our slow descent into diabetes in crystal clear high definition


[ Click here to read more ]
64
Vote
   


On June 19th YouTube debuted there very own Screening Room. I haven't spent much time there yet, but I did have time to check out one of the films currently showing. It's called Are You The Favorite Person of Anybody? and consists of John C. Reilly (Magnolia, Talladega Nights) standing on the sidewalk administering a one question survey. It's a somewhat uplifting, somewhat thought provoking effort, and I must say I enjoyed all four minutes and three seconds of it. If you have four minutes to spare, check it out.


[ Click here to read more ]
95
Vote
   


Celtics, Gambling, Gaming, Gadgets

June 21st 2008 08:01
I know this is kind of abrupt, but I'm a guy with a computer and a lot of time on my hands and I feel like voicing random opinions and shamelessly hoping that someone will care. So here goes...

The Boston Celtics kick ass and I'm really impressed with Kevin Garnett's passion. (Yes, it's a bandwagon thing, not afraid to admit it.) In other sports news, you should all be gambling. CentSports lets you gamble for free! Not make sense? Check it out. It's my new obsession. I'm also obsessed with Nascar 09 on PS3. Not sure why though. The game is a huge letdown from what I was expecting. I've just been bored I suppose. I need something as immersive as Elder Scrolls: Oblivion in my life again. Pretty psyched about NCAA Football 09 though. And I'm finally going to get my hands on a copy of Call of Duty 4. I've heard the campaign mode is short but online is awesome. I'm more of a third person guy, but I'll give it a shot. Also on PS3, if you haven't checked out Qore yet, don't. By the time I got there, all the goodies, like the SOCOM demo and other things, were offline. Unless you're really bored and want to pay $2.99 to watch five and a half minutes of Veronica Belmont segment intros (which I enjoyed... a lot), pass on this one. I plan on paying for at least two more episodes (if it lasts that long) and I'll happily keep you updated


[ Click here to read more ]
64
Vote
   


Top Menu Section

March 16th 2000 09:54
follow me on twitter
follow me on tumblr
16
Vote
   


Moderated by derek
Copyright © 2006 2007 2008 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]