Messages

Oooh. Downloaded it overnight. Will play it tonight.

As an aside, I'd add that I used to buy and read everything he wrote, but pretty much stopped (Dark Tower aside) with Insomnia. My mum recently gave me Lisey's Story, which I gave up on as more self indulgence. Haven't read Duma Key - is it any good?

I will pick up the paperback of his latest short story collection, as these tend to be very good (short and focussed).

I also am quite interested in the forthcoming Under the Dome, about a town trapped under a suddenly imposed forcefield. More because it is an idea he had in the 80s but, apparently, couldn't think how to develop. If it is a story line from the Dark Half/ Tommyknockers (heh, the dog in the shed) era then it should be good.

Is the seventh book worth it? Not really. The ending, with the Gunslinger in the Tower, is quite good. But the handling of the Crimson King's final parts, with a clumsy tie in to Insomnia, is fairly poor.

And the criminal under-use of Randall Flagg is outrageous. Especially for a character King is on record as saying is NOT part of the Dark Tower's universe (although every other book is). [spoiler]Flagg turns up, leers a bit and then is killed by the Crimson King's spider off-spring, all in a few pages[/spoiler]

I've downloaded loads off Live recently: 1942, Assault Heroes 1 & 2, Pinball FX, 'splosion Man. All are great.

But, but, but... I got the trial of Trials and thought it was unremittingly pish. Maybe it was me, but the odd semi-side on view obscured what was coming up, the fact you couldn't steer seemd odd and the whole idea of just going from left to right as fast as you could seemed deathly dull.

'splosion Man is much more fun.

Looknig forward to Shadow Complex, and really looking forward to Alien Breed.

Don't have one. Never heard of it before. But I want one now.

So much wrong with this. So many quotes. So little time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8206280.stm

Too right. Saturday is special. When I was a lad, I filled in every Saturday in my Millets cub scout diary with the words "Got 2000ad". Then, if disaster struck and I was delayed, I'd have to write the word "didn't" at the top.

Saturday was 2000ad day, plain and simple.

I felt a little sad, as if a part of my youth was torn away, when it moved to a Wednesday and then a Monday when I got a subscription. Now, though, it's back to being a Saturday and I rejoice.

For a while there was a problem as Mrs X takes the view that the prog is not to be read in front of small scamps. Even Trout's mighty "it's 15 fucking minutes" argument failed to sway her. Now, however, it is read WITH my eldest - so that is okay, and it makes Saturday mornings even brighter (even if I have to deal with the occasional boaby).

There is nothing quite like the feeling of love and happiness inspired in your chest when your little lad (or ladette) asks, in all innocence, "Why is Judge Dredd shooting that man?" and you can reply "Because the perp was getting away," and they not only nod with understanding but fully appreciate that - in the Big Meg - if you break the law then you tangle with Dredd.

Could ther be a post-Tour of Duty segue (is that the right word - I'm a bottle of wine to the good) into another epic, like from The Cursed Earth into The Day the Law Died. After all, the only way back that I can see is if there is a Dire Threat to the city.

If it could just be the return of the Starborn Thing then all my geeky Christmasses would come at once.

That Judge Minty looks tops. Apologies if it's been mentioned, or if I am exposing crass ignorance (hey, ho) but what is that photo from/ for?

For what it's worth, I've applied the following simple rule to any scripts I've done for Futurequake:

What is written as two panels can be done as one.

The scary thing is, like some diminishing Moore's law, the rule holds true for three or four drafts. Only when you absolutely, positively, cannot combine a couple of panels is the thing right. Not good, but as good as it is going to be.

Read in this month's Games TM that MS have admited that a chunk of their E3 Natal demo was scripted. Dunno how true this is.

There's a collectors edition of this coming out in October for the PS3, 360 and PC. It has all five expansions in it.

I think I might have to revisit Halo.
Played it on the pc and was all kinds of underwhelmed. Actually thought I was going in circles at one point till I realised I was just going from one identical room to another for a while.

That's be the Library. Perhaps the worst level in any game ever. You spend ages wandering through a maze made up of room after indentical room until you get to the middle, then spend even longer fighting your way back out. It's a pity, as it's a great game otherwise, but I know plenty of folk just gave up on that level.

If it helps, the space marine rifle has a little arrow on it telling you what way you want to go.

it's worth playing through as I found the end to be quite exciting.

I'd be interested to know what the going rate is for a full collection of 2000ads, Megs, annuals and specials. Not that I intend selling, but I do wonder if it needs to be declared on my insurance. I don't want to have a discussion with a loss asjuster about a pile of progs that are nothing but burned paper...

Any ideas?

Like the Rad Pitt in the background! Very MC-1.