Linux fortress of solitude

I've had a rough past few weeks with technology here, after some strange video card issues and motherboard issues afterwards I've found myself without a desktop PC. Fortunately I still had my backup Ubuntu computer which is really just used for Boxee. I've never really made Linux my primary OS until now and I must say that I'm pretty darn impressed with where the OS has come in the last 5-6 years since I last really tried using it day-to-day. Installing software is a breeze compared to the old method of extracting, building, changing attributes and installing and you no longer have to edit a darn text file to change a resolution. In so many ways I could make this my main PC if only I could do just about anything that I'd really want to use my PC for day-to-day. My webcam drivers give a terrible frame rate and poor quality, there's also no support for my video capture card for game consoles and of course capturing PC games is out of the question since none are compatible, with the recent exception of Minecraft. It's rather a shame, I like the OS and I'd love to be able to use it but it just so happens to fail at just about everything I need my desktop to do, of course this is due to compatibility with my hardware but these recent thanksgiving Steam deals would still be useless to me anyway.

So without a PC I've been spending a lot more time on game consoles. I've played through Fable III again to try out the evil method and I couldn't be more disappointed, everything is spun in a way to make it seem like you're working 'for the good of the people' rather than being the evil, murdering b**tard that I'm trying for. Near the beginning of the game I needed to get the support of people in a city and collect 100 guild seals, instead I murdered everything I saw until I collected enough seals, at which point people cheered for me and pledged their support. I see the angle the game is going for but if you were to use a D&D analogy I'd say the game only really supports lawful good and chaotic good play styles and I've found this to be understated in most reviews that I've read.

I've also touched on several Wii games such as Sonic Colours, Donkey Kong Country and Goldeneye but I'm not really far enough to pass any judgment beyond saying that they all seem like great games so far. I've instead been rather wrapped up in Assassins Creed: Brotherhood which might be the best game in the series yet and more recently, Gran Tourismo 5. I'm really enjoying GT5 so far but some of the decisions in that game really baffle me to no end, not being able to choose a colour for your car unless you've owned a car of that colour before might just about be the worst, I guess it extends the life of the game and gives a reason to build collections but it just seems so, arbitrary. Progressive damage is also a real oddity, not allowing any simulation damage on cars until you reach a high level. I'm glad that the series is trying new things rather than just taking decals and customization from Forza, but just because a decision is brave doesn't mean I have to like it. It's easy to point out the failings of a game that's been in development for so long rather than point out what it does well: weather effects, new racing modes, great detail on some 1/4 of the cars and of course the driving is still top notch. I'd go as far to say that this is the best simulation racing game on the PS3 - on second thoughts that might not be much of a stretch.

That's all for now, I usually like to blog when I have a new video ready and my first retro video was due long ago but it'll have to wait until my PC parts get back from warranty. Until then you could look at some of the videos I've done over at AndroidSPIN.com but I really do want to get back into doing PC/Console reviews again, soon I hope.

Later gators